Eugène Lourié

Career

Art director and production designer In the 1930s, he worked as a production designer for such directors as Jean Renoir, Max Ophüls, and René Clair. 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.

Science-fiction and special effects In 1952, he made his directorial debut with The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, the first of three dinosaur films that Lourié would direct. The film was profitable,

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

Return to art department 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. , Lourié married Laure Lourié, a French costume designer, in Bormes-les-Mimosas. Lourié was the son-in-law of the Chilean painter Manuel Ortíz de Zárate and the polish painter Jadwiga Piechowska (1885–1944).

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1927 The Chess Player Costume designer 1929 Cagliostro Costume designer 1932 A Telephone Call Set designer With Pierre Schild and Lazare Meerson Pan!... Pan!... Set designer Short film directed by Georges Lacombe 1934 Jeanne The Bread Peddler Set designer Madame Bovary Art director With Robert Gys and Georges Wakhévitch Le Bossu Set designer Directed by René Sti 1935 Dark Eyes Set designer With Serge Piménoff The Squadron's Baby Set designer Baccara Set designer Set designer 1936 The Great Refrain Art director The Lower Depths Art director With Hugues Laurent Under Western Eyes Set designer Adventure in Paris Set designer 1937 La Grande Illusion Art director The Alibi Set designer With Serge Piménoff The Messenger Set designer With Jean Laffitte Nights of Fire Set designer With Guy de Gastyne 1938 Rasputin Set designer With Guy de Gastyne The Novel of Werther Art director Ramuntcho Set designer The Lafarge Case Art director The New Rich Set designer With Jacques Colombier La Bête Humaine Art director Set designer 1939 There's No Tomorrow Art director With Max Douy. Credited as Douy Lourié The Rules of the Game Art director With Max Douy. Credited as Douy Lourié 1940 Cristobal's Gold Art director False Alarm Set designer With Émile Duquesne 1943 Sahara Associate art director This Land Is Mine Associate producer, production designer 1944 The Impostor Art Director With John B. Goodman The House of Fear Art Director With John B. Goodman In Society Art Director With John B. Goodman Three Russian Girls Art Director With John B. Goodman 1947 The Long Night Production designer 1951 Adventures of Captain Fabian Set designer With Max Douy and J. Allen Limelight Art director The River Production designer 1953 The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms Director The Diamond Queen Production designer 1954 So This Is Paris Art director With Alexander Golitzen 1955 Napoléon Battle scenes 1956 If Paris Were Told to Us Assistant Director 1958 The Colossus of New York Director Revolt in the Big House Screenwriter With Daniel Hyatt 1959 The Giant Behemoth Director With Douglas Hickox 1961 Gorgo Director Original story by Lourié and Daniel Hyatt 1962 Confessions of an Opium Eater Art director 1963 Shock Corridor Art director 1964 Flight from Ashiya Production designer The Strangler Art director With Hal Pereira The Naked Kiss Art director 1965 Crack in the World Art director Battle of the Bulge Art director 1967 Bikini Paradise Art director Custer of the West Art director With Jean d'Eaubonne and Julio Molina 1968 Krakatoa, East of Java Production designer, special effects director 1969 The Royal Hunt of the Sun Art director 1971 What's the Matter with Helen? Art director 1976 Burnt Offerings Production designer 1978 An Enemy of the People Production designer 1980 Bronco Billy Art director

Acting Year Title Role Notes 1983 Breathless Dr. Boudreaux

Television Year Title Role Notes 1952Invitation Playhouse Art director 1954 Cross Current Director Episode: "Necklace" 1973 Kung Fu Art director Episode: "The Elixir". Credited as Gene Lourié 1978 The Return of Captain Nemo Art director With Duane Alt

Nominations Award Year Category Nominated work Result Notes Academy Awards 1970 Best Special Visual Effects Krakatoa, East of Java With Alex Weldon