Paul Detlefsen (October 3, 1899 – August 1, 1986) was a Danish-born American commercial artist of the mid to late 20th century, associated with the "Hollywood scene".[1] He is known for his realistic depictions of serene, nostalgic scenes; his works were reproduced in a popular line of calendars and other prints.
Paul Detlefsen | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 3, 1899 |
| Died | August 1, 1986 (aged 86) |
Biography
editPaul Detlefsen was born in Copenhagen, Denmark. He was the son of a medical doctor.[citation needed] He studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago before moving to Hollywood to build his reputation as a cartoonist.[citation needed]
Failing to establish himself as an animator,[citation needed] he produced backdrops for films. In the 1920s, he worked under Ferdinand Earle, father of animator Eyvind Earle, on a "motion painting" adaptation of Faust in which Mary Pickford was slated to star.[2] He was nominated at the 17th Academy Awards, along with coworkers John Crouse and Nathan Levinson, for their work on the 1944 film The Adventures of Mark Twain.[3][4]
Although he spent twenty years at Warner Brothers Studios, eventually rising to lead the art department that created matte backdrops, the only other films for which Detlefsen is credited are The Horn Blows at Midnight (1945), Escape in the Desert (1945), and Shadow of a Woman (1946).[5]
Detlefsen then shifted to a career in calendar artwork. His art was lithographed into calendars, reproductions, playing cards, jigsaw puzzles, table mat, and even four-foot-wide wall murals.[6] His first calendar, published in 1951, was "The Good Old Days", which focused on landscape art.[1] In 1969, UPI estimated that eighty percent of all Americans had seen his work.[5]
In 1964, Paul and his wife Shelly[citation needed] moved to Encinitas, California, where Paul continued painting[citation needed] into the last few months of his life.
References
edit- ^ a b "Everyday Pictures for Millions". TIME. 1951-12-17. Archived from the original on December 10, 2007.
- ^ "Pickford's 'Faust' a Challenge". The Los Angeles Times. January 9, 1923. p. 26.
- ^ "The 17th Academy Awards (1945) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Retrieved 2013-06-23.
- ^ 17th Academy Award nominees at Classic Film Guide
- ^ a b UPI (1969-06-29). "Artist brushing up on future". Rome News-Tribune of Georgia. p. 6-A. Retrieved 2011-01-27.
- ^ The Homestead Home Decorator Service (1967-03-19). "Two Giant 4 Ft. Full Color Murals (advertisement)". Family Weekly. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. p. 11. Retrieved 2011-01-27.