A work in constant progress (and occasional regress).
Alias:
Bill
William Jack Travilla
William Travilla
Birthplace:
Los Angeles, California, USA
Born:
March 22, 1920
Died:
November 2, 1990
The man who draped a fringed Idaho potato sack on Marilyn Monroe for a famous snapshot - proving that she looked good in anything - was born on Catalina Island off the California coast on March 22 1920. He studied at the Chouinard School of Art in L.A., showing a precocious talent for drawing fashion design from an early age. By the time he was sixteen, he made money by selling sketches of costume designs for showgirls he had studied at burlesque houses. Found unfit for wartime duties due to flat feet, William Travilla made his way to Hollywood and signed his first contract as costume designer at Columbia in 1941. However, during his two-year tenure he received rather few assignments and left disillusioned. Little work came his way during the next few years, until, in 1946, he was spotted in a nightclub (selling travel sketches of the South Pacific) by the actress Ann Sheridan, who became an instant admirer of his work. Sheridan persuaded Travilla to become her personal costume designer at Warner Brothers. This didn't quite come to pass, though he did design her gowns for Nora Prentiss (1947). More importantly, he notched up his first major success by winning the Academy Award for the lavish and colourful costumes of Adventures of Don Juan (1948) in conjunction with Leah Rhodes and Marjorie Best. After his three year contract was up, Travilla went on to 20th Century Fox, for what would become the most productive period of his career in the film business. At the same time, he set up his own high end fashion salon, Travilla Inc., in Los Angeles, creating several collections of elegant, award-winning designs. Travilla dressed many established stars, from Marlene Dietrich and Joan Crawford, to Loretta Young. However, he is chiefly remembered for the iconic gowns, designed for Marilyn Monroe's famous hourglass shape in eight of her most popular films. These include her sexy satin number from How to Marry a Millionaire (1953), the gold lame dress with the sun ray pleats glimpsed in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) and, subsequently, at the 1953 Photoplay Awards (over Travilla's objections); and, of course, the white cocktail dress famously uplifted above the subway grate in The Seven Year Itch (1955). One of three versions of the latter sold at auction for $ 4.6 million in 2011. Despite their close working relationship, Travilla later went on record describing Marilyn on a personal level as 'childlike' and plagued by feelings of inadequacy. After his contract with Fox expired in 1956, Travilla tended to his own exclusive label, designing a collection of ready-to-wear 'California' fashion. In the 1960's, he continued to freelance, working primarily for television. He showed off a young Connie Sellecca to great effect in a murder mystery revolving around the fashion industry, fittingly titled She's Dressed to Kill (1979). Ever synonymous with a bygone era of glamour, he went on to win two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Costume Design for The Scarlett O'Hara War (1980) and for Dallas (1978). An exhibition of his personal collection, under the auspices of his longtime collaborator William Sarris, went on a world tour in 2008.
Costume Design:
1941 Fiesta
1943 The Desperadoes
1943 The Woman of the Town
1947 Cry Wolf
1947 Escape Me Never
1947 My Wild Irish Rose
1947 Nora Prentiss
1948 Two Guys from Texas
1949 Dancing in the Dark
1949 Flamingo Road
1949 Look for the Silver Lining
1949 The Inspector General
1950 American Guerrilla in the Philippines
1950 I'll Get By
1950 Mister 880
1950 Mother Didn't Tell Me
1950 No Way Out
1950 Panic in the Streets
1950 The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady
1950 The Gunfighter
1950 When Willie Comes Marching Home
1951 Bird of Paradise
1951 Meet Me After the Show
1951 On the Riviera
1951 Rawhide
1951 The Day the Earth Stood Still
1952 Bloodhounds of Broadway
1952 Don't Bother to Knock
1952 Viva Zapata!
1953 Appointment in Honduras
1953 Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
1953 How to Marry a Millionaire
1953 King of the Khyber Rifles
1953 Man in the Attic
1953 Pickup on South Street
1953 Powder River
1953 The Farmer Takes a Wife
1953 The Girl Next Door
1954 Black Widow
1954 Broken Lance
1954 Garden of Evil
1954 Princess of the Nile
1954 River of No Return
1954 The Raid
1954 There's No Business Like Show Business
1954 Three Young Texans
1955 How To Be Very, Very Popular
1955 The Left Hand of God
1955 The Rains of Ranchipur
1955 The Seven Year Itch
1955 The Tall Men
1955 White Feather
1956 23 Paces to Baker Street
1956 Bus Stop
1956 The Bottom of the Bottle
1956 The Lieutenant Wore Skirts
1956 The Proud Ones
1956 The Revolt of Mamie Stover
1960 From the Terrace
1963 Take Her, She's Mine
1963 The Stripper
1967 Valley of the Dolls
1968 The Secret Life of an American Wife
1979 She's Dressed to Kill
1980 Caboblanco
1980 The Scarlett O'Hara War
1980 The Silent Lovers
1980 This Year's Blonde
1981 Evita Peron
1981 Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy
Costume Designer:
1941 Fiesta
1943 The Desperadoes
1943 The Woman of the Town
1947 Cry Wolf
1947 Escape Me Never
1947 My Wild Irish Rose
1947 Nora Prentiss
1947 The Unfaithful
1948 Silver River
1948 Two Guys from Texas
1949 Dancing in the Dark
1949 Flamingo Road
1949 Look for the Silver Lining
1949 The Inspector General
1950 American Guerrilla in the Philippines
1950 I'll Get By
1950 Mister 880
1950 Mother Didn't Tell Me
1950 No Way Out
1950 Panic in the Streets
1950 The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady
1950 The Gunfighter
1950 When Willie Comes Marching Home
1951 Bird of Paradise
1951 Meet Me After the Show
1951 On the Riviera
1951 Rawhide
1951 The Day the Earth Stood Still
1952 Bloodhounds of Broadway
1952 Don't Bother to Knock
1952 Monkey Business
1952 Viva Zapata!
1953 Appointment in Honduras
1953 Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
1953 How to Marry a Millionaire
1953 King of the Khyber Rifles
1953 Man in the Attic
1953 Pickup on South Street
1953 Powder River
1953 The Farmer Takes a Wife
1953 The Girl Next Door
1954 Black Widow
1954 Broken Lance
1954 Garden of Evil
1954 Hell and High Water
1954 Princess of the Nile
1954 River of No Return
1954 The Raid
1954 There's No Business Like Show Business
1954 Three Young Texans
1955 How To Be Very, Very Popular
1955 The Left Hand of God
1955 The Rains of Ranchipur
1955 The Seven Year Itch
1955 The Tall Men
1955 White Feather
1956 23 Paces to Baker Street
1956 Bus Stop
1956 The Bottom of the Bottle
1956 The Lieutenant Wore Skirts
1956 The Proud Ones
1956 The Revolt of Mamie Stover
1960 From the Terrace
1963 Mary, Mary
1963 Take Her, She's Mine
1963 The Stripper
1967 Valley of the Dolls
1968 The Secret Life of an American Wife
1979 She's Dressed to Kill
1980 Caboblanco
1980 The Scarlett O'Hara War
1980 The Silent Lovers
1980 This Year's Blonde
1981 Evita Peron
1981 Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy
Costume Supervisor:
1941 Fiesta
1943 The Desperadoes
1943 The Woman of the Town
1947 Cry Wolf
1947 Escape Me Never
1947 My Wild Irish Rose
1947 Nora Prentiss
1947 The Unfaithful
1948 Adventures of Don Juan
1948 Silver River
1948 Two Guys from Texas
1949 Dancing in the Dark
1949 Flamingo Road
1949 Look for the Silver Lining
1949 The Inspector General
1950 American Guerrilla in the Philippines
1950 I'll Get By
1950 Mister 880
1950 Mother Didn't Tell Me
1950 No Way Out
1950 Panic in the Streets
1950 The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady
1950 The Gunfighter
1950 When Willie Comes Marching Home
1951 Bird of Paradise
1951 Meet Me After the Show
1951 On the Riviera
1951 Rawhide
1951 The Day the Earth Stood Still
1952 Bloodhounds of Broadway
1952 Don't Bother to Knock
1952 Monkey Business
1952 Viva Zapata!
1953 Appointment in Honduras
1953 Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
1953 How to Marry a Millionaire
1953 King of the Khyber Rifles
1953 Man in the Attic
1953 Pickup on South Street
1953 Powder River
1953 The Farmer Takes a Wife
1953 The Girl Next Door
1954 Black Widow
1954 Broken Lance
1954 Garden of Evil
1954 Hell and High Water
1954 Princess of the Nile
1954 River of No Return
1954 The Raid
1954 There's No Business Like Show Business
1954 Three Young Texans
1955 How To Be Very, Very Popular
1955 The Left Hand of God
1955 The Rains of Ranchipur
1955 The Seven Year Itch
1955 The Tall Men
1955 White Feather
1956 23 Paces to Baker Street
1956 Bus Stop
1956 The Bottom of the Bottle
1956 The Lieutenant Wore Skirts
1956 The Proud Ones
1956 The Revolt of Mamie Stover
1960 From the Terrace
1963 Mary, Mary
1963 Take Her, She's Mine
1963 The Stripper
1967 Valley of the Dolls
1968 The Boston Strangler
1968 The Secret Life of an American Wife
1979 She's Dressed to Kill
1980 Caboblanco
1980 The Scarlett O'Hara War
1980 The Silent Lovers
1980 This Year's Blonde
1981 Evita Peron
1981 Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy
Wardrobe Designer:
1941 Fiesta
1943 The Desperadoes
1943 The Woman of the Town
1947 Cry Wolf
1947 Escape Me Never
1947 Love and Learn
1947 My Wild Irish Rose
1947 Nora Prentiss
1947 The Beast with Five Fingers
1947 The Unfaithful
1948 Adventures of Don Juan
1948 Silver River
1948 Two Guys from Texas
1949 Dancing in the Dark
1949 Flamingo Road
1949 Look for the Silver Lining
1949 The Inspector General
1950 American Guerrilla in the Philippines
1950 I'll Get By
1950 Mister 880
1950 Mother Didn't Tell Me
1950 No Way Out
1950 Panic in the Streets
1950 The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady
1950 The Gunfighter
1950 When Willie Comes Marching Home
1951 Bird of Paradise
1951 Meet Me After the Show
1951 On the Riviera
1951 Rawhide
1951 The Day the Earth Stood Still
1952 Bloodhounds of Broadway
1952 Don't Bother to Knock
1952 Monkey Business
1952 Viva Zapata!
1953 Appointment in Honduras
1953 Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
1953 How to Marry a Millionaire
1953 King of the Khyber Rifles
1953 Man in the Attic
1953 Pickup on South Street
1953 Powder River
1953 The Farmer Takes a Wife
1953 The Girl Next Door
1954 Black Widow
1954 Broken Lance
1954 Garden of Evil
1954 Hell and High Water
1954 Princess of the Nile
1954 River of No Return
1954 The Raid
1954 There's No Business Like Show Business
1954 Three Young Texans
1955 How To Be Very, Very Popular
1955 The Left Hand of God
1955 The Rains of Ranchipur
1955 The Seven Year Itch
1955 The Tall Men
1955 White Feather
1956 23 Paces to Baker Street
1956 Bus Stop
1956 The Bottom of the Bottle
1956 The Lieutenant Wore Skirts
1956 The Proud Ones
1956 The Revolt of Mamie Stover
1960 From the Terrace
1963 Mary, Mary
1963 Take Her, She's Mine
1963 The Stripper
1967 Valley of the Dolls
1968 The Boston Strangler
1968 The Secret Life of an American Wife
1979 She's Dressed to Kill
1980 Caboblanco
1980 The Scarlett O'Hara War
1980 The Silent Lovers
1980 This Year's Blonde
1981 Evita Peron
1981 Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy
Costume Design:
1983 The Thorn Birds
Costume Designer:
1958 Shirley Temple's Storybook
1983 The Thorn Birds
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.)
While much of the above data are retrieved directly from outside APIs and other such sources, data from American Film Institute (AFI) and British Film Institute (BFI) were manually entered the old fashioned way into a MySQL database. Re BFI I took the following liberties:
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.
Whether or not he still clings to an award which he won in 1986 as a film critic for his college's newspaper, Jeffrey Hartmann is not responsible for the texts of overviews and biographies supplied by external data sources.