Alexander Golitzen

Alexander Golitzen, (Moscow, February 28, 1908 - San Diego, July 26, 2005) oversaw art direction on more than 300 movies.

Prince Alexander Golitzen was born in Moscow, but fled the country with his family during the Russian Revolution. Travelling via Siberia and China, they arrived in Seattle, where Alexander graduated from high school. He then attended the University of Washington, where he achieved a degree in architecture.

He started his art direction career in Los Angeles, as an assistant to Alexander Toluboff, an art director for MGM. He started working with Walter Wanger (a producer) in 1939 and they worked together for many movies. Starting in 1942, and continuing for the next 30 years, he became a unit art director, and later a supervising art director at Universal, overseeing dozens of productions.

Alexander Golitzen earned an Oscar nomination for "Foreign Correspondent" (1940), and received an Oscar (shared with John B. Goodman) for "Phantom" in 1943.

He was nominated for an Academy Award for his work on "Sundown" (1941), "Arabian Nights" (1942), "The Climax" (1944), "Flower Drum Song" (1961), "That Touch of Mink" (1962), "Gambit" (1966), "Thoroughly Modern Millie" (1967), "Sweet Charity" (1969), "Airport" (1970), and "Earthquake" (1974).

Alexander was married for 72 years to Frances, who survived him. They had a daughter Cynthia, a son Peter, five grandchildren and a great-granddaughter.

External links

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* [http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/obituaries/12384693.htm Obituary] .