Lyle Wheeler studied at the
University of Southern California, then worked as a magazine artist and industrial designer. In 1936, he was hired by
David O. Selznick to work as a set designer for Selznick's motion picture production company. Wheeler proved able to design quality sets at reasonable costs and was very much in demand in the industry. By the end of
World War II, Wheeler had joined
20th Century Fox, where he remained as chief art director until the end of the 1950s.
In a career spanning 40 years, Wheeler created sets for more than 350 motion pictures, many of which are considered film classics. His credits include A Star Is Born, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, State Fair, The Dolly Sisters, Forever Amber, The Fan, The Pride of St. Louis, Titanic, The Seven Year Itch, and Carousel and in particular, Gone With the Wind, for which he drew some of the earliest examples of storyboards for film, illustrating not only the art design, but the framing, composition and even the color for nearly every shot in the film, greatly influencing the production. He also created matte paintings for all the ceilings for the sets as well as large set pieces like the facade of
Tara. He was nominated for the
Academy Award for Best Production Design 29 times, winning five. In 1951, he was nominated for four different films, three in 1952 and twice for two films in one year.
His television credits include the long-running CBS series, Perry Mason.[1]
Late in life, Wheeler suffered financial reverses and was forced to sell his home. He lost his five
Academy Award statuettes when he was unable to pay a bill in excess of $30,000 at a storage facility. His 1959 Oscar for The Diary of Anne Frank was purchased and returned to Wheeler in 1989 by a fan.[1][2]
Lyle Wheeler studied at the
University of Southern California, then worked as a magazine artist and industrial designer. In 1936, he was hired by
David O. Selznick to work as a set designer for Selznick's motion picture production company. Wheeler proved able to design quality sets at reasonable costs and was very much in demand in the industry. By the end of
World War II, Wheeler had joined
20th Century Fox, where he remained as chief art director until the end of the 1950s.
In a career spanning 40 years, Wheeler created sets for more than 350 motion pictures, many of which are considered film classics. His credits include A Star Is Born, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, State Fair, The Dolly Sisters, Forever Amber, The Fan, The Pride of St. Louis, Titanic, The Seven Year Itch, and Carousel and in particular, Gone With the Wind, for which he drew some of the earliest examples of storyboards for film, illustrating not only the art design, but the framing, composition and even the color for nearly every shot in the film, greatly influencing the production. He also created matte paintings for all the ceilings for the sets as well as large set pieces like the facade of
Tara. He was nominated for the
Academy Award for Best Production Design 29 times, winning five. In 1951, he was nominated for four different films, three in 1952 and twice for two films in one year.
His television credits include the long-running CBS series, Perry Mason.[1]
Late in life, Wheeler suffered financial reverses and was forced to sell his home. He lost his five
Academy Award statuettes when he was unable to pay a bill in excess of $30,000 at a storage facility. His 1959 Oscar for The Diary of Anne Frank was purchased and returned to Wheeler in 1989 by a fan.[1][2]