Jump to content

Eugène Lourié

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Eugène Lourié
Евгений Лурье
Born
Yevgeny Lure

8 April 1903
Kharkov, Kharkovsky Uyezd, Kharkov Governorate, Russian Empire (now Ukraine)
Died26 May 1991(1991-05-26) (aged 88)
Los Angeles, California, US
Other namesEugene Lourié[a]
Douy Lourié[2]
Gene Lourie
Occupations
  • Production designer
  • director
  • screenwriter
  • special effects artist
  • set decorator
Years active1927–1983
Spouse
​
(m. 1940)​
RelativesManuel Ortíz de Zárate (father-in-law)

Eugène Lourié (Russian: Евгений Лурье, romanized: Yevgeniy Lur'ye; né Yevgeny Lure; 8 April 1903 – 26 May 1991) was a Russian-French filmmaker active in interwar France and postwar Hollywood. Lourié worked primarily as an art director as well as a production designer, costume designer, director, special effects director, screenwriter and actor. In 2011, Lourié was posthumously entered into the Art Directors Guild Hall of Fame.

Early years

[edit]

Yevgeny Lure was born on 8 April 1903 in Kharkov, Kharkovsky Uyezd (present-day Kharkiv, Ukraine) to Russian Jewish parents.[3][4] His first experience with cinema was in 1911 when a movie theater opened in Kharkov. In 1919, during the Russian Civil War, he worked on an anti-communist film titled Black Crowes.

After he fled from the Soviet Union, he made his way to Istanbul. While there he made money for a fare to Paris, by painting and drawing movie posters. He even slept in the theater on top of a piano to save money.[5]

Career

[edit]

Art director and production designer

[edit]

In the 1930s, he worked as a production designer for such directors as Jean Renoir, Max Ophüls, and René Clair.[5] As an assistant and production designer to Renoir, he worked on such French films as La Grande illusion and La Règle du Jeu.[6] After Renoir had moved to Hollywood in the early 1940s, Lourié moved as well, and worked with other directors including Sam Fuller, Charlie Chaplin, and Robert Siodmak.[7]

Science-fiction and special effects

[edit]

In 1952, he made his directorial debut with The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, the first of three dinosaur films that Lourié would direct.[5][8] The film was profitable,[6] but Lourié has said that he regrets that the film typecast him as a science fiction director.[5] He decided that after his 1961 film, Gorgo, which he directed in 1959, he would stop directing movies because he did not want to direct "the same comic-strip monsters."[6]

Eight years later, he received an Academy Award nomination for his visual effects on Krakatoa, East of Java.[9] Lourié makes a silent cameo appearance in the film, portraying a lighthouse keeper on the coast of Java in 1883 who observes Krakatoa's final, cataclysmic explosion and enters the lighthouse to send news of it by telegraph.[10]

He also contributed special and visual effects to Flight from Ashiya (1964) and Crack in the World (1965).

Return to art department

[edit]

Throughout the 1970s, Lourié worked on TV shows like Kung Fu, The Delphi Bureau, and The Brian Keith Show. His last directorial credit was as a second unit director for the pilot episode of the notoriously-troubled Supertrain.

In 1980, Lourié designed Clint Eastwood's Bronco Billy, his last feature film credit as an art director.

Lourié had a small acting part in Richard Gere's 1983 picture Breathless, a remake of the French New Wave classic of the same name.[5] He also appeared on an episode of Tales of the Unexpected.

Personal life

[edit]

On 28 December 1940[b], Lourié married Laure Lourié, a French costume designer, in Bormes-les-Mimosas.[12] Lourié was the son-in-law of the Chilean painter Manuel Ortíz de Zárate and the polish painter Jadwiga Piechowska[c] (1885–1944).[11]

Death

[edit]

Lourié died on 26 May 1991 of a stroke while in the Motion Picture and Television Hospital in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles.[13]

Filmography

[edit]

Film

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes Ref(s)
1927 The Chess Player Costume designer [14]
1929 Cagliostro Costume designer [15]
1932 A Telephone Call Set designer With Pierre Schild and Lazare Meerson [16]
Pan!... Pan!... Set designer Short film directed by Georges Lacombe [17]
1934 Jeanne
The Bread Peddler Set designer [18]
Madame Bovary Art director With Robert Gys and Georges Wakhévitch [19]
Le Bossu Set designer Directed by René Sti [20]
1935 Dark Eyes Set designer With Serge Piménoff [21]
The Squadron's Baby Set designer [22]
Baccara Set designer [23]
La Petite Sauvage [fr] Set designer [24]
1936 The Great Refrain Art director [25]
The Lower Depths Art director With Hugues Laurent [26]
Under Western Eyes Set designer [27]
Adventure in Paris Set designer [28]
1937 La Grande Illusion Art director [29]
The Alibi Set designer With Serge Piménoff [30]
The Messenger Set designer With Jean Laffitte [31]
Nights of Fire Set designer With Guy de Gastyne [32]
1938 Rasputin Set designer With Guy de Gastyne [33]
The Novel of Werther Art director [34]
Ramuntcho Set designer [35]
The Lafarge Case Art director [36]
The New Rich Set designer With Jacques Colombier [37]
La Bête Humaine Art director [38]
Le Paradis de Satan [fr] Set designer [39]
1939 There's No Tomorrow Art director With Max Douy. Credited as Douy Lourié [2][40]
The Rules of the Game Art director With Max Douy. Credited as Douy Lourié [41][42]
1940 Cristobal's Gold Art director [43]
False Alarm Set designer With Émile Duquesne [44]
1943 Sahara Associate art director [45]
This Land Is Mine Associate producer, production designer [46]
1944 The Impostor Art Director With John B. Goodman [47]
The House of Fear Art Director With John B. Goodman [48]
In Society Art Director With John B. Goodman [49]
Three Russian Girls Art Director With John B. Goodman [50]
1947 The Long Night Production designer [51]
1951 Adventures of Captain Fabian Set designer With Max Douy and J. Allen [52][53]
Limelight Art director [54]
The River Production designer [55]
1953 The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms Director [56][57]
The Diamond Queen Production designer [58]
1954 So This Is Paris Art director With Alexander Golitzen [59]
1955 Napoléon Battle scenes [60]
1956 If Paris Were Told to Us Assistant Director [61]
1958 The Colossus of New York Director [62]
Revolt in the Big House Screenwriter With Daniel Hyatt [63]
1959 The Giant Behemoth Director With Douglas Hickox [64]
1961 Gorgo Director Orignal story by Lourié and Daniel Hyatt [65]
1962 Confessions of an Opium Eater Art director [66]
1963 Shock Corridor Art director [67]
1964 Flight from Ashiya Production designer [68][69]
The Strangler Art director With Hal Pereira [70]
The Naked Kiss Art director [71][72]
1965 Crack in the World Art director [68][73]
Battle of the Bulge Art director [74][75]
1967 Bikini Paradise Art director [76]
Custer of the West Art director With Jean d'Eaubonne and Julio Molina [77]
1968 Krakatoa, East of Java Production designer, special effects director [68][78][79]
1969 The Royal Hunt of the Sun Art director [80][81]
1971 What's the Matter with Helen? Art director [82]
1976 Burnt Offerings Production designer [83]
1978 An Enemy of the People Production designer [84]
1980 Bronco Billy Art director [85]

Acting

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes Ref(s)
1983 Breathless Dr. Boudreaux [86][87]

Television

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes Ref(s)
1952 Invitation Playhouse Art director [88]
1954 Cross Current Director Episode: "Necklace" [89]
1973 Kung Fu Art director Episode: "The Elixir". Credited as Gene Lourié [90]
1978 The Return of Captain Nemo Art director With Duane Alt [91]

Nominations

[edit]
Award Year Category Nominated work Result Notes Ref(s)
Academy Awards 1970 Best Special Visual Effects Krakatoa, East of Java Nominated With Alex Weldon [9]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Credited as Eugene Lourié by the American Film Institute catalogue.[1]
  2. ^ Also cited as 1941.[11]
  3. ^ Francized as Edwige Piechowska

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Eugene Lourié". AFI CATALOG. Los Angeles, California: American Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  2. ^ a b "Sans lendemain". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  3. ^ "Eugene Lourie dies, art director was 88". The Hour. 30 May 1991. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
  4. ^ "Eugene Lourie, No 513422". Petitions for Naturalization, U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (Los Angeles), 1940–1991. Washington, D.C.: National Archives. 1942.
  5. ^ a b c d e Weaver, Tom (19 February 2003). Double Feature Creature Attack: A Monster Merger of Two More Volumes of Classic Interviews. McFarland. p. 202. ISBN 0-7864-1366-2.
  6. ^ a b c Hunter, I. Q. (1999). British Science Fiction Cinema. Taylor & Francis. p. 89. ISBN 0-415-16868-6.
  7. ^ Brennan, Sandra. "Eugène Lourié > Overview - AllMovie". Allmovie. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
  8. ^ "Gary Westfahl's Bio-Encyclopedia of Science Fiction Film: Eugene Lourie". www.sfsite.com. Archived from the original on 2 July 2004. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
  9. ^ a b "The 42nd Academy Awards". Oscars. Beverly Hills, California: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 4 October 2014. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  10. ^ Model Ships in the Cinema: Krakatoa, East of Java, 1969, caption of photo of lighthouse keeper operating telegraph.
  11. ^ a b "LAURE DE ZARATE LOURIÉ". Le Monde (in French). Paris, France. 10 February 2001. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  12. ^ "Laura Lourie, No 513440". Declarations of Intention for Citizenship, 1/19/1842 – 10/29/1959; US District Court for the Southern District of New York; (Roll 644) Declarations of Intention for Citizenship, 1842–1959 (No 512901–513900). Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: The National Archives at Philadelphia. 1942.
  13. ^ "Eugene Lourié, film art director for half-century". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. 30 May 1991. Archived from the original on 8 October 2018. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
  14. ^ "Le Joueur d'échecs". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  15. ^ "Cagliostro". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  16. ^ "Un coup de téléphone". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  17. ^ "Pan!... Pan!..." Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  18. ^ "La Porteuse de pain". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  19. ^ "Madame Bovary". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  20. ^ "Le Bossu". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  21. ^ "Les Yeux noirs". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  22. ^ "Le Bébé de l'escadron". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  23. ^ "Baccara". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  24. ^ "La Petite Sauvage". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  25. ^ "Le grand refrain". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  26. ^ "Les bas-fonds". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  27. ^ "Sous les yeux d'Occident (Razumov)". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  28. ^ "Aventure à Paris". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  29. ^ "La Grande Illusion". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  30. ^ "L'Alibi". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  31. ^ "Le Messager". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  32. ^ "Nuits de feu". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  33. ^ "La Tragédie impériale". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  34. ^ "Le Roman de Werther". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  35. ^ "Ramuntcho". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  36. ^ "L'Affaire Lafarge". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  37. ^ "Les Nouveaux Riches". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  38. ^ "La Bête humaine". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  39. ^ "Le Paradis de Satan". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  40. ^ "Sans lendemain". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  41. ^ "La Règle du jeu". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  42. ^ "La Règle du jeu". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  43. ^ "L'or du Cristobal". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  44. ^ "Une fausse alerte". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  45. ^ "Sahara". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  46. ^ "This Land Is Mine". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  47. ^ "The Impostor". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  48. ^ "The House of Fear". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  49. ^ "In Society". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  50. ^ "Three Russian Girls". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  51. ^ "The Long Night". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  52. ^ "La Taverne de New Orleans". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  53. ^ "La Taverne de la Nouvelle-Orléans". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  54. ^ "Limelight". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  55. ^ "The River". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  56. ^ "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953)". AFI CATALOG. Los Angeles, California: American Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  57. ^ "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  58. ^ "The Diamond Queen". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  59. ^ "So This Is Paris". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  60. ^ "Napoléon". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  61. ^ "Si Paris nous était conté". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  62. ^ "The Colossus of New York". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  63. ^ "Revolt in the Big House". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  64. ^ "Behemoth the Sea Monster". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  65. ^ "Gorgo". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  66. ^ "Confessions of an Opium Eater". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  67. ^ "Shock Corridor". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  68. ^ a b c Model Ships in the Cinema: Krakatoa, East of Java, 1969, including quotes from Lourié, Eugene, My Work in Films, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1985 ISBN 0-15-662342-0.
  69. ^ "Flight From Ashiya (1964)". AFI CATALOG. Los Angeles, California: American Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  70. ^ "The Strangler". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  71. ^ "The Naked Kiss (1964)". AFI CATALOG. Los Angeles, California: American Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  72. ^ "The Naked Kiss". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  73. ^ "Crack in the World". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  74. ^ "Battle of the Bulge (1965)". AFI CATALOG. Los Angeles, California: American Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  75. ^ "Battle of the Bulge". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  76. ^ "Bikini Paradise". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  77. ^ "Custer of the West". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  78. ^ "Krakatoa, East of Java (1969)". AFI CATALOG. Los Angeles, California: American Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  79. ^ "Krakatoa, East of Java". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  80. ^ "The Royal Hunt of the Sun (1969)". AFI CATALOG. Los Angeles, California: American Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  81. ^ "The Royal Hunt of the Sun". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  82. ^ "What's the Matter with Helen?". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  83. ^ "Burnt Offerings". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  84. ^ "An Enemy of the People". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  85. ^ "Bronco Billy". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  86. ^ "Breathless (1983)". AFI CATALOG. Los Angeles, California: American Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  87. ^ "Breathless". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  88. ^ "Happiness". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  89. ^ "Necklace". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  90. ^ "The Elixir". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  91. ^ "The Amazing Captain Nemo". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eugène_Lourié&oldid=1348652521"