A work in constant progress (and occasional regress).
Alias:
Anton F. Grot
Antoni Franciszek Groszewski
Birthplace:
Kielbasin, West Prussia, Germany [now Kielbasin, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Poland]
Born:
January 18, 1884
Died:
March 21, 1974
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Anton Grot (18 January 1884 – 21 March 1974) was a distinguished Polish art director long in Hollywood. He was known for his prolific output with Warner Brothers, contributing, in such films as Little Caesar, and Gold Diggers of 1933 to the distinctive Warners look and style. According to TCM.com, he showed a "flair for harsh realism, Expressionistic horror and ornate romantic moods alike". He was born Antocz Franciszek Groszewski in Kiełbasin, Poland and died in Stanton, California. He studied at the Krakow art academy and at technical school in Koenigsberg, Germany, majoring in interior decoration, illustration, and design. He changed his name and emigrated to the U.S. in 1909. The Lubin Company hired him to paint and design sets in 1913, in Philadelphia; and he also worked on films for Vitagraph and Pathé. At Pathé he developed his innovative techniques, along with William Cameron Menzies, in the way of using continuity sketches. His method of presenting a series of sketches of all the film’s sets would later become standard practice among Art Directors, particularly with Menzies (his assistant in 1917, on The Naulahka). Cinematographer Arthur Miller remembered Anton Grot: “a gifted and talented artist who made beautiful charcoal drawings...of the set before it was completed. All his compositions showed a full shot of each set, with all the delicate tones and shadings that suggested ideas for lighting and, in general, were of great help to me as a cameraman.” Grot came to Hollywood in 1922 to assist Wilfred Buckland with the sets for the Douglas Fairbanks Robin Hood; and stayed on, to work with Cecil B. DeMille and William K. Howard. He was eventually signed by Warner Bros, as “art director, artist, and designer", and designed 80 films before his retirement in 1948. Grot collaborated notably with fellow émigré, director Michael Curtiz, on 15 films. Beginning with the biblical epic Noah’s Ark (1928), these included The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1938), Captain Blood (1935), The Sea Hawk (1940), and Mildred Pierce (1945). Grot is credited with contributing significantly to Curtiz’ personal style.
Art Direction:
1916 Arms and the Woman
1925 The Road to Yesterday
1926 The Volga Boatman
1926 Young April
1927 The Country Doctor
1927 The Little Adventuress
1927 Vanity
1927 White Gold
1928 A Ship Comes In
1928 Stand and Deliver
1928 The Blue Danube
1928 Walking Back
1929 The Squall
1930 Bright Lights
1930 Going Wild
1930 Mothers Cry
1930 Sweet Mama
1930 The Widow from Chicago
1930 Top Speed
1931 Body and Soul
1931 Kiss Me Again
1931 Little Caesar
1931 Side Show
1931 Svengali
1931 The Mad Genius
1931 The Road to Singapore
1932 20,000 Years in Sing Sing
1932 Beauty and the Boss
1932 Big City Blues
1932 Doctor X
1932 High Pressure
1932 Man Wanted
1932 One Way Passage
1932 Scarlet Dawn
1932 Street of Women
1932 The Match King
1932 The Woman from Monte Carlo
1932 Two Seconds
1933 Baby Face
1933 Ever in My Heart
1933 Footlight Parade
1933 Gold Diggers of 1933
1933 Mystery of the Wax Museum
1933 Son of a Sailor
1933 The Keyhole
1933 The King's Vacation
1934 6 Day Bike Rider
1934 British Agent
1934 Dr. Monica
1934 Easy to Love
1934 Gambling Lady
1934 He Was Her Man
1934 Mandalay
1934 The Firebird
1934 The Secret Bride
1934 Upperworld
1935 A Midsummer Night's Dream
1935 Bright Lights
1935 Broadway Gondolier
1935 Captain Blood
1935 Dr. Socrates
1935 Red Hot Tires
1935 Stranded
1935 The Florentine Dagger
1935 Traveling Saleslady
1936 Anthony Adverse
1936 Sing Me a Love Song
1936 The Golden Arrow
1936 The White Angel
1937 Confession
1937 The Great Garrick
1937 The Life of Emile Zola
1937 Tovarich
1938 Secrets of an Actress
1939 Juarez
1939 The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex
1939 They Made Me a Criminal
1940 The Sea Hawk
1941 Affectionately Yours
1941 The Sea Wolf
1943 Thank Your Lucky Stars
1944 The Conspirators
1945 Mildred Pierce
1945 Rhapsody in Blue
1946 Deception
1946 My Reputation
1946 Never Say Goodbye
1947 Nora Prentiss
1947 Possessed
1947 The Two Mrs. Carrolls
1947 The Unsuspected
1948 June Bride
1948 One Sunday Afternoon
1948 Romance on the High Seas
1950 Backfire
Production Design:
1916 Arms and the Woman
1925 The Road to Yesterday
1926 The Volga Boatman
1926 Young April
1927 The Country Doctor
1927 The Little Adventuress
1927 Vanity
1927 White Gold
1928 A Ship Comes In
1928 Stand and Deliver
1928 The Blue Danube
1928 Walking Back
1929 The Squall
1930 Bright Lights
1930 Going Wild
1930 Mothers Cry
1930 Sweet Mama
1930 The Widow from Chicago
1930 Top Speed
1931 Body and Soul
1931 Kiss Me Again
1931 Little Caesar
1931 Side Show
1931 Svengali
1931 The Mad Genius
1931 The Road to Singapore
1932 20,000 Years in Sing Sing
1932 A Successful Calamity
1932 Beauty and the Boss
1932 Big City Blues
1932 Doctor X
1932 High Pressure
1932 Man Wanted
1932 One Way Passage
1932 Scarlet Dawn
1932 Street of Women
1932 The Match King
1932 The Woman from Monte Carlo
1932 Two Seconds
1933 Baby Face
1933 Ever in My Heart
1933 Footlight Parade
1933 Gold Diggers of 1933
1933 Mystery of the Wax Museum
1933 Son of a Sailor
1933 The Keyhole
1933 The King's Vacation
1934 6 Day Bike Rider
1934 British Agent
1934 Dr. Monica
1934 Easy to Love
1934 Gambling Lady
1934 He Was Her Man
1934 Mandalay
1934 The Firebird
1934 The Secret Bride
1934 Upperworld
1935 A Midsummer Night's Dream
1935 Bright Lights
1935 Broadway Gondolier
1935 Captain Blood
1935 Dr. Socrates
1935 Red Hot Tires
1935 Stranded
1935 The Florentine Dagger
1935 Traveling Saleslady
1936 Anthony Adverse
1936 Sing Me a Love Song
1936 The Golden Arrow
1936 The White Angel
1937 Confession
1937 The Great Garrick
1937 The Life of Emile Zola
1937 Tovarich
1938 Hard to Get
1938 Secrets of an Actress
1939 Juarez
1939 The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex
1939 They Made Me a Criminal
1940 The Sea Hawk
1941 Affectionately Yours
1941 The Sea Wolf
1943 Thank Your Lucky Stars
1944 The Conspirators
1945 Mildred Pierce
1945 Rhapsody in Blue
1946 Deception
1946 My Reputation
1946 Never Say Goodbye
1947 Nora Prentiss
1947 Possessed
1947 The Two Mrs. Carrolls
1947 The Unsuspected
1948 June Bride
1948 One Sunday Afternoon
1948 Romance on the High Seas
1950 Backfire
Set Decoration:
1916 Arms and the Woman
1925 The Road to Yesterday
1926 The Volga Boatman
1926 Young April
1927 The Country Doctor
1927 The Little Adventuress
1927 Vanity
1927 White Gold
1928 A Ship Comes In
1928 Stand and Deliver
1928 The Blue Danube
1928 Walking Back
1929 The Squall
1930 Bright Lights
1930 Going Wild
1930 Mothers Cry
1930 Sweet Mama
1930 The Song of the Flame
1930 The Widow from Chicago
1930 Top Speed
1931 Body and Soul
1931 Kiss Me Again
1931 Little Caesar
1931 Side Show
1931 Svengali
1931 The Mad Genius
1931 The Road to Singapore
1932 20,000 Years in Sing Sing
1932 A Successful Calamity
1932 Beauty and the Boss
1932 Big City Blues
1932 Doctor X
1932 High Pressure
1932 Man Wanted
1932 One Way Passage
1932 Scarlet Dawn
1932 Street of Women
1932 The Match King
1932 The Woman from Monte Carlo
1932 Two Seconds
1933 Baby Face
1933 Ever in My Heart
1933 Footlight Parade
1933 Gold Diggers of 1933
1933 Mystery of the Wax Museum
1933 Son of a Sailor
1933 The Keyhole
1933 The King's Vacation
1934 6 Day Bike Rider
1934 British Agent
1934 Dr. Monica
1934 Easy to Love
1934 Gambling Lady
1934 He Was Her Man
1934 Mandalay
1934 The Firebird
1934 The Secret Bride
1934 Upperworld
1935 A Midsummer Night's Dream
1935 Bright Lights
1935 Broadway Gondolier
1935 Captain Blood
1935 Dr. Socrates
1935 Red Hot Tires
1935 Stranded
1935 The Florentine Dagger
1935 Traveling Saleslady
1936 Anthony Adverse
1936 Sing Me a Love Song
1936 The Golden Arrow
1936 The White Angel
1937 Confession
1937 The Great Garrick
1937 The Life of Emile Zola
1937 Tovarich
1938 Hard to Get
1938 Secrets of an Actress
1939 Juarez
1939 The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex
1939 They Made Me a Criminal
1940 The Sea Hawk
1941 Affectionately Yours
1941 The Sea Wolf
1943 Thank Your Lucky Stars
1944 The Conspirators
1945 Mildred Pierce
1945 Rhapsody in Blue
1946 Deception
1946 My Reputation
1946 Never Say Goodbye
1947 Nora Prentiss
1947 Possessed
1947 The Two Mrs. Carrolls
1947 The Unsuspected
1948 June Bride
1948 One Sunday Afternoon
1948 Romance on the High Seas
1950 Backfire
Set Designer:
1916 Arms and the Woman
1925 The Road to Yesterday
1926 The Volga Boatman
1926 Young April
1927 The Country Doctor
1927 The Little Adventuress
1927 Vanity
1927 White Gold
1928 A Ship Comes In
1928 Stand and Deliver
1928 The Blue Danube
1928 Walking Back
1929 Smiling Irish Eyes
1929 The Squall
1930 A Notorious Affair
1930 Bright Lights
1930 Going Wild
1930 Mothers Cry
1930 Sweet Mama
1930 The Song of the Flame
1930 The Widow from Chicago
1930 Top Speed
1931 Body and Soul
1931 Kiss Me Again
1931 Little Caesar
1931 Side Show
1931 Svengali
1931 The Mad Genius
1931 The Road to Singapore
1932 20,000 Years in Sing Sing
1932 A Successful Calamity
1932 Beauty and the Boss
1932 Big City Blues
1932 Doctor X
1932 High Pressure
1932 Man Wanted
1932 One Way Passage
1932 Scarlet Dawn
1932 Street of Women
1932 The Match King
1932 The Woman from Monte Carlo
1932 Two Seconds
1933 Baby Face
1933 Ever in My Heart
1933 Footlight Parade
1933 Gold Diggers of 1933
1933 Mystery of the Wax Museum
1933 Son of a Sailor
1933 The Keyhole
1933 The King's Vacation
1934 6 Day Bike Rider
1934 British Agent
1934 Dr. Monica
1934 Easy to Love
1934 Gambling Lady
1934 He Was Her Man
1934 Mandalay
1934 The Firebird
1934 The Secret Bride
1934 Upperworld
1935 A Midsummer Night's Dream
1935 Bright Lights
1935 Broadway Gondolier
1935 Captain Blood
1935 Dr. Socrates
1935 Red Hot Tires
1935 Stranded
1935 The Florentine Dagger
1935 Traveling Saleslady
1936 Anthony Adverse
1936 Sing Me a Love Song
1936 The Golden Arrow
1936 The White Angel
1937 Confession
1937 The Great Garrick
1937 The Life of Emile Zola
1937 Tovarich
1938 Hard to Get
1938 Secrets of an Actress
1939 Juarez
1939 The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex
1939 They Made Me a Criminal
1940 The Sea Hawk
1941 Affectionately Yours
1941 The Sea Wolf
1943 Thank Your Lucky Stars
1944 The Conspirators
1945 Mildred Pierce
1945 Rhapsody in Blue
1946 Deception
1946 My Reputation
1946 Never Say Goodbye
1947 Nora Prentiss
1947 Possessed
1947 The Two Mrs. Carrolls
1947 The Unsuspected
1948 June Bride
1948 One Sunday Afternoon
1948 Romance on the High Seas
1950 Backfire
Most data and links to images for the Movies section come from TheMovieDB (TMDB).
Additional data for Film Titles come from The Open Movie Database (OMDb).
At least one plug-in comes from IMDb.
Data are -- hey, it's a plural -- subject to the limitations of their sources. (For example, TMDB search results currently max out at 20.) I am limiting myself to free data sources for now. (No, a "free trial" is not free.)
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Regarding profile removals and data corrections:
Filtering is applied here to film projects flagged as "adult" by TheMovieDB. Pending "popular demand" I am contemplating a login and profile system with preferences (such as whether to allow adult images to appear) and permissions (such as data entry).
Whereas the overall purpose of this website is to serve as a personal demo/portfolio/workshop of web and data skills, this Movies section is not meant to compete with or substitute for far more definitive movie websites.
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