Starting work in the British film industry after the
Second World War as a sketch-artist, from the mid-1950s to the late 1960s Grimes worked almost exclusively with
John Huston, a collaboration that resulted in 14 films in over 30 years. Grimes also had a fruitful long-term working relationship with
Sydney Pollack, making seven films with him, and he was also employed by directors such as
David Lean,
Peter Yates,
Mark Rydell and
Ulu Grosbard.
One of his great strengths as a production designer was his skill as an artist: in researching and preparing a film he would produce many beautiful, dramatic and atmospheric sketches. These would help the director, director of photography and other key personnel to create the visual style and look of a film. Grimes understood the importance of light, space and texture – he put more into his sketches than most art directors – and tended to make sketches as much as or more than take photographs. He was not lavish; he liked the challenge of getting a good visual look with essentials, combining observation and imagination. Grimes was conscientious with high standards, and poured himself into his work.
Biography
Stephen B. Grimes was born in
Weybridge, the second of seven children of Leslie and Nancy Grimes. Leslie was an artist and cartoonist. Three of his brothers, Michael, Bruce and Colin, also worked in the British film and TV industry as art directors or assistant art directors. Colin Grimes sometimes assisted Stephen.
Grimes grew up in
Haslemere, Surrey,
Peldon in Essex, and Lansdowne Road,
Notting Hill Gate, London. He went to
St Martin's School of Art in the late 1940s, where he met and then married Kathleen Grimes (née Sanders). They had five children. Grimes was in the
British Army at the tail-end of the Second World War.
After a forty-year career in film, Grimes died in Italy in September 1988 while supplying preparatory work for
Axel Corti's film The King's Whore.
Work as sketch artist or draughtsman
After leaving art school Grimes was told that they were employing sketch artists at
Denham Studios. He went along with a portfolio of work and was taken on.
Carmen Dillon took him 'under her wing' and he also worked alongside
Oliver Messel, Vertchinsky,
Paul Sheriff,
Hein Heckroth,
Ivor Beddoes,
John Box and
Ralph Brinton. From the mid-1940s to mid-1950s Grimes worked as a sketch artist or draughtsman on a variety of films made at Denham and
Pinewood Studios, including:
The Misfits (1961); directed by John Huston. Labour unions in the United States required that the film have an American art director – so Grimes shared the credit with William Newberry. Locations:
Nevada (near
Reno and
Dayton).
Lawrence of Arabia (1962); directed by
David Lean. Grimes made some contributions to the art direction but was not credited. John Box was the production designer.
Reflections in a Golden Eye (1967); directed by John Huston. Grimes also undertook second unit direction. The prints were specially treated so that the colour appeared washed out and sepia toned. Location: Rome.
Sinful Davey (1969); directed by John Huston. Location: Ireland.
Typee (1955) - to have been directed by John Huston. Grimes did pre-production work and went on a trip to
Tahiti with Huston to scout locations.
The Man Who Would Be King (1956) – to have been directed by John Huston. Grimes went on a location trip with Huston to
Afghanistan, making many preparatory sketches. In the early 1960s both men also collaborated on a revised script. This long-time cherished project of Huston's was originally to have starred
Humphrey Bogart and
Clark Gable, but
only in 1975 did he finally make the film, with
Sean Connery and
Michael Caine in the lead roles.
Alexandre Trauner was the production designer, as Grimes was not available by this time.
A Farewell to Arms (1957); directed by
Charles Vidor. Huston began directing this film but soon left. Grimes stayed on as associate art director but also didn’t complete it.
David O. Selznick was the producer.
The Madwoman of Chaillot (1969); directed by
Bryan Forbes. The film was begun by John Huston, but he eventually left the production and took Grimes with him.
The Last Run (1971); directed by
Richard Fleischer. The film was started by John Huston with Grimes as art director, but Huston walked off and Grimes left too. Locations:
Spain,
Portugal.
The Bounty (1978). An unrealised project, to have been directed by David Lean. Grimes undertook preparatory work. The film was eventually made by
Roger Donaldsonin 1984.
Rain Man (1988), directed by
Barry Levinson. Grimes provided preliminary work for the film, which was originally to have been directed by Sydney Pollack. After Levinson took over
Ida Random was hired as production designer.
The King's Whore (1990), directed by
Axel Corti. Grimes was working on the preliminary sketches for this film at the time of his death.
Starting work in the British film industry after the
Second World War as a sketch-artist, from the mid-1950s to the late 1960s Grimes worked almost exclusively with
John Huston, a collaboration that resulted in 14 films in over 30 years. Grimes also had a fruitful long-term working relationship with
Sydney Pollack, making seven films with him, and he was also employed by directors such as
David Lean,
Peter Yates,
Mark Rydell and
Ulu Grosbard.
One of his great strengths as a production designer was his skill as an artist: in researching and preparing a film he would produce many beautiful, dramatic and atmospheric sketches. These would help the director, director of photography and other key personnel to create the visual style and look of a film. Grimes understood the importance of light, space and texture – he put more into his sketches than most art directors – and tended to make sketches as much as or more than take photographs. He was not lavish; he liked the challenge of getting a good visual look with essentials, combining observation and imagination. Grimes was conscientious with high standards, and poured himself into his work.
Biography
Stephen B. Grimes was born in
Weybridge, the second of seven children of Leslie and Nancy Grimes. Leslie was an artist and cartoonist. Three of his brothers, Michael, Bruce and Colin, also worked in the British film and TV industry as art directors or assistant art directors. Colin Grimes sometimes assisted Stephen.
Grimes grew up in
Haslemere, Surrey,
Peldon in Essex, and Lansdowne Road,
Notting Hill Gate, London. He went to
St Martin's School of Art in the late 1940s, where he met and then married Kathleen Grimes (née Sanders). They had five children. Grimes was in the
British Army at the tail-end of the Second World War.
After a forty-year career in film, Grimes died in Italy in September 1988 while supplying preparatory work for
Axel Corti's film The King's Whore.
Work as sketch artist or draughtsman
After leaving art school Grimes was told that they were employing sketch artists at
Denham Studios. He went along with a portfolio of work and was taken on.
Carmen Dillon took him 'under her wing' and he also worked alongside
Oliver Messel, Vertchinsky,
Paul Sheriff,
Hein Heckroth,
Ivor Beddoes,
John Box and
Ralph Brinton. From the mid-1940s to mid-1950s Grimes worked as a sketch artist or draughtsman on a variety of films made at Denham and
Pinewood Studios, including:
The Misfits (1961); directed by John Huston. Labour unions in the United States required that the film have an American art director – so Grimes shared the credit with William Newberry. Locations:
Nevada (near
Reno and
Dayton).
Lawrence of Arabia (1962); directed by
David Lean. Grimes made some contributions to the art direction but was not credited. John Box was the production designer.
Reflections in a Golden Eye (1967); directed by John Huston. Grimes also undertook second unit direction. The prints were specially treated so that the colour appeared washed out and sepia toned. Location: Rome.
Sinful Davey (1969); directed by John Huston. Location: Ireland.
Typee (1955) - to have been directed by John Huston. Grimes did pre-production work and went on a trip to
Tahiti with Huston to scout locations.
The Man Who Would Be King (1956) – to have been directed by John Huston. Grimes went on a location trip with Huston to
Afghanistan, making many preparatory sketches. In the early 1960s both men also collaborated on a revised script. This long-time cherished project of Huston's was originally to have starred
Humphrey Bogart and
Clark Gable, but
only in 1975 did he finally make the film, with
Sean Connery and
Michael Caine in the lead roles.
Alexandre Trauner was the production designer, as Grimes was not available by this time.
A Farewell to Arms (1957); directed by
Charles Vidor. Huston began directing this film but soon left. Grimes stayed on as associate art director but also didn’t complete it.
David O. Selznick was the producer.
The Madwoman of Chaillot (1969); directed by
Bryan Forbes. The film was begun by John Huston, but he eventually left the production and took Grimes with him.
The Last Run (1971); directed by
Richard Fleischer. The film was started by John Huston with Grimes as art director, but Huston walked off and Grimes left too. Locations:
Spain,
Portugal.
The Bounty (1978). An unrealised project, to have been directed by David Lean. Grimes undertook preparatory work. The film was eventually made by
Roger Donaldsonin 1984.
Rain Man (1988), directed by
Barry Levinson. Grimes provided preliminary work for the film, which was originally to have been directed by Sydney Pollack. After Levinson took over
Ida Random was hired as production designer.
The King's Whore (1990), directed by
Axel Corti. Grimes was working on the preliminary sketches for this film at the time of his death.