Oral Histories

Interview of Harry Oliver

Film director and artist known for set design. Creator of the “Desert Rat Scrapbook.”
Subtitle:
Recollections of Harry Oliver
Series:
Oral History of the Motion Picture in America
Topic:
Film and Television
Biographical Note:
Film director and artist known for set design. Creator of the “Desert Rat Scrapbook.”
Interviewer:
Dreiman, Diana
Interviewee:
Oliver, Harry Griffith, $d 1888-1873
Supporting Documents:
Records relating to the interview are located in the office of the UCLA Library's Center for Oral History Research.
Length:
2 hrs.
Language:
English
Copyright:
Interviewee Retained Copyright
Series Statement:
These interviews with prominent individuals in the motion picture industry were completed under a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Film Institute to the UCLA Department of Theater Arts. The project was directed by Howard Suber, UCLA Department of Theater Arts. The UCLA Oral History Program provided technical advice but was not involved in respondent selection, research participation, research preparation, interviewing, editing, or transcript preparation.
Abstract:
Wallace Beery and Hobart Bosworth film, Behind the Door, directed by Irvin Willat at Thomas Ince Studio; using green substance to photograph as blood; William Randolph Hearst; Ince's murder; work on Ben Hur; trip to Ireland for Song of My Heart with John McCormick; two years' work on The Good Earth; inventions for camera in Seventh Heaven and Street Angel; work on Will Rogers's films; demonstrating cobweb machine for Mussolini; childhood in Minnesota; relationship between inability to spell and architectural design; interest in folklore; sets and time-lapse photography for The Good Earth; Lou Kolb; work with Fred Murnau; Our Daily Bread; Frank Borzage; Harold Lloyd.