Henry Bumstead papers
Catalogued by Sherk, Warren
Margaret Herrick Library. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
333 S La Cienega Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Published January 2023
Descriptive Summary
Abstract: The collection contains production files, often with scripts and copies of storyboards, for more than three dozen films directed
by Clint Eastwood, Alfred Hitchcock, and others. FUNNY FARM, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, and UNFORGIVEN are well represented. Among
the unproduced films, of interest are photostats of storyboards for THE LEGEND OF KING KONG, a film in production at Universal
in mid-1970s. Other material includes personal files, five scrapbooks, and photographs. The Graphic Arts series contains production
design plans and elevations for VERTIGO (1958) and other films, and drawings.
Collector:
Bumstead, Henry
Dates: 1921-2007
Collection number: 490
Collection Size:
7.5 linear ft. of papers
7 linear ft. of photos
163 item(s) of artworks
Repository:
Margaret Herrick Library. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Access
Available by appointment only.
Publication Rights
Property rights to the physical object belong to the Margaret Herrick Library. Researchers are responsible for obtaining all
necessary rights, licenses, or permissions from the appropriate companies or individuals before quoting from or publishing
materials obtained from the library.
Preferred Citation
Henry Bumstead papers, Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Henry Bumstead, 2001-2003, and Robert G. Bumstead, 2009
Biography
Lloyd Henry “Bummy” Bumstead was born in Ontario, California in 1915. He was remarkably successful in high school, serving
as student body president, valedictorian of his class, and captain of his high school football team. He also excelled in his
art classes and considered a career as a newspaper cartoonist. His athletic ability earned him a four-year scholarship to
the University of Southern California, where he enrolled in the School of Architecture. Unfortunately, he suffered major injuries
in his first two years and had to drop out of football and track, but USC honored his scholarship, and Bumstead focused his
energy on his architectural studies. He also continued to draw and created an ongoing cartoon for the “Daily Trojan.” In the
summer after his sophomore year, future art director and USC School of Architecture alumni Jack Martin Smith, then an assistant
to John Harkrider, recruited Bumstead for an internship with Harkrider as a set designer at RKO Radio Pictures. The following
summer, Harkrider and Smith were working for Universal Pictures, and they again enlisted Bumstead as a set designer. Universal
hoped to hire Bumstead immediately after his summer internship, but he chose to finish his degree instead.
During this time, Bumstead also worked for furniture designer Paul T. Frankl, who crafted furniture for films, created custom
pieces for Hollywood clientele, and taught at USC. When Bumstead graduated in 1937, Frankl offered him a job designing at
his studio and hoped Bumstead would eventually take over his business. Bumstead instead expressed his desire to work in film,
and Frankl insisted on introducing him to Hans Dreier, then Paramount’s supervising art director. Dreier found Bumstead a
job as a set designer, and he remained at Paramount until 1960. He spent his first decade with the studio as a set designer
which, at that time, was an uncredited position. In this capacity, he worked with and learned from Paramount’s art directors
on several notable films, including John Goodman on WELLS FARGO (1937), Robert Usher on ANGEL (1937), Roland Anderson on UNION
PACIFIC (1939), Ernst Fegte on THE LADY EVE (1941), Raul Pene DuBois on LOUISIANA PURCHASE (1941), and Hal Pereira on DOUBLE
INDEMNITY (1944), among many others. He was drafted into the United States Navy in 1945, and served for two years in a film
production facility in Washington D.C. Upon his return, Dreier promoted Bumstead to art director and assigned him to SAIGON
(1948).
From the start, the quality of his work as well as his affability led filmmakers to request Bumstead’s services time and again,
as with SAIGON’S director, Leslie Fenton, who reunited with Bumstead for STREETS OF LAREDO (1949) and THE RED HEAD AND THE
COWBOY (1951). While at Paramount he worked with Mitchell Leisen on SONG OF SURRENDER (1949) and NO MAN OF HER OWN (1950),
and with Michael Curtiz on THE VAGABOND KING (1956) and THE HANGMAN (1959). He had a long association with Jerry Lewis that
began when Bumstead did the art direction on the first Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis film, MY FRIEND IRMA (1949). He ultimately
worked on eight films starring Lewis, including SAILOR BEWARE (1952), CINDERFELLA (1960), and THE BELLBOY (1960), Lewis’ directorial
debut. During this time, he also designed his first films for Alfred Hitchcock and George Seaton, two filmmakers he would
work with intermittently over the next two decades. His work with Seaton began at Paramount with LITTLE BOY LOST (1953) and
later included WHAT’S SO BAD ABOUT FEELING GOOD? (1968) and ended with SHOWDOWN (1973), Seaton’s final film, while Bumstead
was under contract at Universal. He worked with Hitchcock at Paramount on THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH (1956) and VERTIGO (1958)
and later, at Universal, as production designer on TOPAZ (1969) and FAMILY PLOT (1976), Hitchcock’s final film. For his work
on VERTIGO, he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White or Color, shared
with Hal Pereira, Sam Comer, Frank R. McKelvy.
In 1960, the Writers Guild of America strike brought film production to a halt, and Bumstead left Paramount for Universal,
the first studio to sign an agreement with the WGA. His first four films at Universal were for Robert Mulligan, and their
fourth collaboration, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962), earned Bumstead his first Academy Award, for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration,
Black-and-White, shared with Alexander Golitzen and Oliver Emert. Apart from this achievement, Bumstead’s credits at Universal
during the 1960s are rather unremarkable, though he ended the decade with TOPAZ (1969) and TELL THEM WILLIE BOY IS HERE (1969).
The 1970s found him establishing partnerships with the two filmmakers who would define the remainder of his career: George
Roy Hill and Clint Eastwood.
SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE (1972) marked the first of an eight-film collaboration between Bumstead and Hill that would include THE
STING (1973), THE GREAT WALDO PEPPER (1975), SLAP SHOT (1977), and THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP (1982). For THE STING, Bumstead
earned his second Academy Award, for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, shared with James W. Payne. Bumstead’s first encounter
with Eastwood came when Bumstead served as art director on JOE KIDD (1972), starring Eastwood, and soon after the actor enlisted
Bumstead as the art director for HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER (1973), Eastwood’s second film as a director and his first Western. Though
the film was a success, the two would not work together again for nearly twenty years. Bumstead’s other notable credits from
this time include Billy Wilder’s remake of THE FRONT PAGE (1974) and Robert Mulligan’s SAME TIME, NEXT YEAR (1978).
In 1981, Universal fired their entire art department, including Bumstead. However, Bumstead didn’t mind ending his tenure
there, largely due to his disappointing experience on SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT II (1980) and the studio’s mismanagement of THE
BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS (1982), on which he had originally been assigned. He became a freelance art director and subsequently
worked far less frequently, mainly because of recurring health issues related to his college sports injuries. His sporadic
work during this period includes his continued association with George Roy Hill on THE LITTLE DRUMMER GIRL (1984) and FUNNY
FARM (1988), Gregory Nava’s A TIME OF DESTINY (1988), and Martin Scorsese’s remake of CAPE FEAR (1991). In 1992, he was hired
by Clint Eastwood as production designer for UNFORGIVEN (1992), a Western shot on location just as HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER had
been. For the film, Bumstead earned his final Academy Award nomination, for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, shared with
Janice Blackie-Goodine. With the exception of THE STARS FELL ON HENRIETTA (1995), which was produced by Eastwood, and HOME
ALONE 3 (1997), the remainder of Bumstead’s credits were for films directed by Eastwood, including MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN
OF GOOD AND EVIL (1997), MYSTIC RIVER (2003), and MILLION DOLLAR BABY (2004). His final two films were FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS
(2006) and LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA (2006), and he passed away before either film was released. Bumstead was a member of the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and served two terms on the Academy's Board of Governors, representing the Art
Directors Branch. He was also a member of the Art Directors Guild and received their Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998. He
was posthumously inducted into the Guild’s Hall of Fame in 2007.
Arrangement of the Collection
1. Production files, subseries A-B as follows: A. Produced ; B. Unproduced; 2. Subject files; 3. Oversize; 4. Scrapbooks;
5. Graphic Arts, subseries A-B as follows: A. Production files – Produced ; B. Subject files.
Indexing terms
Bumstead, Henry
Art directors
Production files/Produced
folder 1
ABSOLUTE POWER--script
1996--1996
Record ID: 71422705
folder 2
THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS--location scouting notes
Circa 1982--1982
Record ID: 71438708
folder 3
BLOOD WORK--script
1999--2002
Record ID: 71422714
folder 4
BLOOD WORK--storyboards
Circa 2002--2002
Record ID: 71422715
folder 5
THE BRIDGES AT TOKO-RI--script
1953--1954
Record ID: 71545193
folder 6
THE BRIDGES AT TOKO-RI--drawings
1954--1954
Record ID: 71545194
folder 7
CAPE FEAR--script
1990--1991
Record ID: 71545196
folder 8
CAPE FEAR--production
1990--1991
Record ID: 71545198
folder 9
CAPE FEAR--storyboards
1991--1991
Record ID: 71545197
folder 10
THE CONCORDE - AIRPORT '79--storyboards
1978--1978
Record ID: 71438709
folder 11
FAMILY PLOT--storyboards
Circa 1976--1976
Record ID: 71422716
folder 12
FAMILY PLOT--storyboards
Circa 1976--1976
Record ID: 71545200
folder 13
FAMILY PLOT--storyboards
Circa 1976--1976
Record ID: 71545199
folder 14
FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS--miscellaneous
2005--2005
Record ID: 71438710
folder 15
THE FRONT PAGE--storyboards
Circa 1974--1974
Record ID: 71438711
folder 16
FUNNY FARM--clippings
1987--1987
Record ID: 71438712
folder 17
FUNNY FARM--miscellaneous
1987--1987
Record ID: 71438713
folder 18
FUNNY FARM--research
1986--1987
Record ID: 71438714
folder 19
FUNNY FARM--resumes
1987--1987
Record ID: 71438715
folder 20
FUNNY FARM--set design drawings
Circa 1988--1988
Record ID: 71438716
folder 21
FUNNY FARM--storyboards
1987--1987
Record ID: 71545201
folder 22
FUNNY FARM--storyboards
1987--1987
Record ID: 71545202
folder 23
GHOST DAD--storyboards
Circa 1990--1990
Record ID: 71545203
folder 24
GHOST DAD--storyboards
Circa 1990--1990
Record ID: 71545204
folder 25
THE GREAT WALDO PEPPER--storyboards
Circa 1975--1975
Record ID: 71545205
folder 26
HER ALIBI--miscellaneous
1987--1987
Record ID: 71438717
folder 27
HER ALIBI--storyboards
1988--1988
Record ID: 71438718
folder 28
HOLLYWOOD OR BUST--script
1956--1956
Record ID: 71545206
folder 29
HOME ALONE 3--miscellaneous
1997--1997
Record ID: 71438719
folder 30
KNOCK ON WOOD--script
1953--1953
Record ID: 71545211
folder 31
KNOCK ON WOOD--storyboards
Circa 1954--1954
Record ID: 71545212
folder 32
KNOCK ON WOOD--storyboards
Circa 1954--1954
Record ID: 71438720
folder 33
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA--staff and crew list
2006--2006
Record ID: 71438721
folder 34
LITTLE BOY LOST--script
1952--1952
Record ID: 71438722
folder 35
A LITTLE ROMANCE--miscellaneous
1978--1978
Record ID: 71438723
folder 36
THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH--production design drawings and storyboards
Circa 1956--1956
Record ID: 71422720
folder 37
THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH--production drawings
1955--1955
Record ID: 71438724
folder 38
THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH--production drawings
1955--1955
Record ID: 71438725
folder 39
MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND EVIL--script
1997--1997
Record ID: 71545214
folder 40
MILLION DOLLAR BABY--miscellaneous
2002--2005
Record ID: 71438726
folder 41
MYSTIC RIVER--clippings and reviews
2003--2004
Record ID: 71438728
folder 42
MYSTIC RIVER--miscellaneous
2002--2003
Record ID: 71438727
folder 43
A PERFECT WORLD--script
1993--1993
Record ID: 71545216
folder 44
PSYCHO III--storyboards
Circa 1986--1986
Record ID: 71545217
folder 45
PSYCHO III--storyboards (continuity)
Circa 1986--1986
Record ID: 71545218
folder 46
SLAP SHOT--correspondence
1976--1976
Record ID: 71438729
folder 47
SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE--correspondence
1977--1977
Record ID: 71438730
folder 48
SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE--presskit
Circa 1972--1972
Record ID: 71422725
folder 49
THE STARS FELL ON HENRIETTA--script
1994--1994
Record ID: 71545220
folder 50
THE STARS FELL ON HENRIETTA--production
1994--1994
Record ID: 71545222
folder 51
THE STARS FELL ON HENRIETTA--set plans
1994--1994
Record ID: 71545221
folder 52
SUBMARINE COMMAND--sets plans
Circa 1951--1951
Record ID: 71438731
folder 53
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD--script
1962--1962
Record ID: 71438732
folder 54
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD--Academy Award correspondence
1963--1963
Record ID: 71438733
folder 55
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD--correspondence
1962--1962
Record ID: 71438735
folder 56
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD--presskit
1997--1997
Record ID: 71545228
folder 57
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD--storyboard drawings (#1)
Circa 1962--1962
Record ID: 71438734
folder 58
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD--storyboard drawings (#2)
Circa 1962--1962
Record ID: 71438736
folder 59
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD--storyboard drawings (#3)
Circa 1962--1962
Record ID: 71438737
folder 60
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD--storyboards
Circa 1962--1962
Record ID: 71545226
folder 61
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD--storyboards
Circa 1962--1962
Record ID: 71545227
folder 62
TOP O' THE MORNING--script
1948--1948
Record ID: 71545229
folder 63
TOPAZ--memo
1968--1968
Record ID: 71438738
folder 64
TRUE CRIME--script
1996--1996
Record ID: 71545231
folder 65
UNFORGIVEN--script
1985--1985
Record ID: 71545232
folder 66
UNFORGIVEN--Academy consideration booklet
1992--1992
Record ID: 71422730
folder 67
UNFORGIVEN--miscellaneous
1991--1992
Record ID: 71438739
folder 68
UNFORGIVEN--production
1991--1991
Record ID: 71545233
folder 69
UNFORGIVEN--site plans
1991--1991
Record ID: 71545234
folder 70
VERTIGO--Alfred Hitchcock drawings
2004--2004
Record ID: 71438740
folder 71
VERTIGO--miscellaneous
1956--1956
Record ID: 71438741
folder 72
VERTIGO--production drawings
Circa 1958--1958
Record ID: 71438742
Production files/Unproduced
folder 73
THE LEGEND OF KING KONG (Universal, unproduced)--storyboards
1976--1976
Record ID: 71545209
folder 74
A PARTY FOR LOVERS--script
2003--2005
Record ID: 71438745
folder 75
WINNING UGLY--miscellaneous
1991--1991
Record ID: 71438743
folder 76
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
1997--2005
Record ID: 71438746
folder 77
American Institute of Architects
1990--1990
Record ID: 71438748
folder 78
Art Directors Guild
2004--2006
Record ID: 71438749
folder 79
Art exhibitions
1937--1942
Record ID: 71438750
folder 80
Awards
2004--2004
Record ID: 71438751
folder 81
Book
2003--2003
Record ID: 71438752
folder 82
Cartoons--Johnson, Gene
1993--1993
Record ID: 71438753
folder 83
Cartoons--miscellaneous (original art)
Record ID: 71438754
folder 84
Cartoons--miscellaneous (published)
1936--1946
Record ID: 71438755
folder 85
Cartoons--Murray, Feg
1933--1933
Record ID: 71438756
folder 86
Cartoons--rejection slips
Record ID: 71438757
folder 87
Cartoons--This Week rejects
Record ID: 71438758
folder 88
Certificates
1974--1998
Record ID: 71438759
folder 89
Christmas card
Record ID: 71438760
folder 90
Clippings
1982--2005
Record ID: 71438761
folder 91
Compact discs (CDs)
2001--2001
Record ID: 71544793
folder 92
Contracts
1996--2004
Record ID: 71438762
folder 93
Correspondence--general
1969--2005
Record ID: 71438763
folder 94
Drawings--miscellaneous
1921--1921
Record ID: 71438764
folder 95
North Carolina School of the Arts
2006--2006
Record ID: 71438765
folder 96
Paramount Studio Club
1942--1947
Record ID: 71438766
folder 97
Personal--biographical information
1998--2005
Record ID: 71438767
folder 98
Personal--family
1953--1997
Record ID: 71438768
folder 99
Personal--home
2007--2007
Record ID: 71438769
folder 100
Personal--memorial service
2006--2006
Record ID: 71438770
folder 101
Personal--miscellaneous
1961--1961
Record ID: 71438771
folder 102
Personal--school records
1928--1934
Record ID: 71438772
folder 103
Personal--United States Navy
1945--1946
Record ID: 71438773
folder 104
Photographs--non-photographic prints
1998--2002
Record ID: 71438774
folder 105
Set Decorators' Society of America
1995--1995
Record ID: 71438775
folder 106
Sketch book
1945--1945
Record ID: 71438776
folder 107
Society of Motion Picture and Television Art Directors
1997--1999
Record ID: 71438777
folder 108
Trade advertisements
Record ID: 71438778
folder 109
Travel brochures
1977--1977
Record ID: 71438779
folder 110
Tributes
1999--2004
Record ID: 71438780
folder 111
University of Southern California--miscellaneous
1989--2005
Record ID: 71438782
folder 112
University of Southern California--yearbook
1937--1937
Record ID: 71438783
folder 113
USA Film Festival
2002--2002
Record ID: 71438781
folder 114
Award--California State Legislature
Record ID: 71545385
folder 115
Award--Chaffey High School
1994--1994
Record ID: 71545386
folder 116
Famous Artist Cartoon Course
1958--1960
Record ID: 71545370
folder 117
Happy Birthday, Bummy
Record ID: 71545383
folder 118
Happy Birthday, Henry
Record ID: 71439296
folder 119
Henry, Our best wishes
Record ID: 71545384
folder 120
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD--storyboards
Circa 1962--1962
Record ID: 71545365
Scrapbook no. 1
1933--1937
Record ID: 71439236
Scrapbook no. 2
1936--1937
Record ID: 71439239
Scrapbook no. 3
1938--1946
Record ID: 71439241
Scrapbook no. 4
Circa 1946--1946
Record ID: 71439240
Scrapbook no. 5--TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
1962--1963
Record ID: 71439242
