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| Susan Hayward costume, David and Bathsheba, 1951. Edward Stevenson Collection, ISU. |
Eddie credited an aunt who ran a millinery store with sparking an early interest in fabrics. He also said his first experience was at Pocatello High School, where he designed costumes for a couple of operettas. Unable to cope with Pocatello’s climate – he suffered from a “chronic respiratory ailment” – Stevenson moved to southern California in 1922.
Even before he graduated from Hollywood High School his abilities were recognized. He landed a job as a sketch artist, drawing images described in words by designers, writers, or actors. That led to some early design work of his own. Eddie’s first credit in the Internet Movie Database came in 1924. He provided “additional costuming” for The White Moth, a silent film released in 1924.
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| Barbara La Marr, star of The White Moth. Edward Stevenson Collection, ISU. |
Over the next several years, Eddie found steady work. However, not until 1929 did his name carry enough weight to get screen credits. That year, he received designer credit for five movies, and is known to have worked for two others.
Stevenson’s career took off in the Thirties. He was part of over eighty productions, and worked with some of the superstars of the industry: Barbara Stanwyck (five times), James Cagney (twice), Joan Fontaine (five), Cary Grant, and others. One of those “others” was Lucille Ball. Eddie first worked with her in 1936 … many years later he would serve as her preferred designer.
During his long career, Stevenson had a hand in over two hundred movies. Those include some of the grandest Oscar-winning Hollywood productions: Citizen Kane, The Devil and Daniel Webster, The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer, and Suspicion. Many more of the films he worked on received Oscar nominations: The Magnificent Ambersons, It’s a Wonderful Life, I Remember Mama, The Spiral Staircase, and so on.
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| Lucille Ball in her “little black dress.” Edward Stevenson Collection, ISU. |
Eddie received his first two personal Oscar nominations in 1950, for The Mudlark and for David and Bathsheba.
Not long after that, Stevenson had to have cataract surgery. Still, despite the visual handicap, he continued as a designer, with some of his best work ahead of him. In fact, he finally won an Oscar in 1960: He shared the award for The Facts of Life, which starred Lucille Ball.
By then, Stevenson designed almost exclusively for Ms. Ball, having started with her for the I Love Lucy television series. That continued with The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour and two made-for-TV movies. In all, he designed costumes for over one hundred TV episodes.
Stevenson said that TV posed special design challenges compared to movies, mainly because of the small screen. Of course, up until the mid-Sixties, most shows were broadcast in black and white. That meant he also had to consider how a color combination would look for the actual broadcast. Despite those challenges, Eddie enjoyed the fast-paced tempo of TV production, which he said reminded him of his early days in movies.
Eddie had begun working with Ball for the Here’s Lucy show when he had a heart attack and died in December 1968.
| References: Trent Clegg, A Brief Biography of Edward Manson Stevenson (1906-1968), Department of Special Collections and University Archives, Idaho State University, Pocatello. |
| "Ex-Pocatellan Designs Comedy Clothes for 'I Love Lucy' Television Series," Idaho State Journal (January 15, 1957). |
| "Filmography: Edward Manson Stevenson," Internet Movie Database, Imdb.com |
I have just watched 'The Spanish main' which showed wonderful gown designs of Mr Stevenson. Thank you for posting this information for all to learn more!
ReplyDeleteRebecca
UK
Thank you. Looking over Eddie's "body of work," I find it somewhat strange that he did not receive more recognition and awards. One of the fun things about doing this blog is the opportunity to -- in some small way -- recognize individuals who have been largely forgotten.
ReplyDeleteAt Idaho State University in the performing arts, we are putting on a production using mainly his designs for costume. I am sewing for the costume shop there. It is really exciting to try and re-create his designs. Did you know that we even happen to own a dress worn by Lucille Ball that sits proudly in our stock room? The Library on campus also has a few of the design sketches that he created for Macy's bridal collection. Amazing!
ReplyDeleteI am so glad to hear that ISU is keeping Eddie's name alive. His list of credits is simply amazing. Strange, as I said before, that his designs did not receive more awards.
DeleteThat was, perhaps, just Hollywood politics. But it might be because Eddie designed costumes to fit whatever production he was working with, not to bring attention to himself and his design. (I like to think it was the latter.)
Oh my goodness!
ReplyDeleteI am a huge fan of Edith head. I could not imagine anyone on her level until I watched the 1947 movie, “Born to kill” which starred Claire Trevor. I used to think after watching so many silver screen movies that no one could match Edith Head, and if they did, it was pure luck. But after watching born to kill, I couldn’t be more wrong. Mr. Stevenson got it right. Those clothes were remarkably designed. The outfit that Claire Trevor wore with the purse sewn onto it, was absolutely stunning. I had to stop in my tracks. I had to stop what I was doing and get on the Internet and try and figure out who made such an incredible outfit. I immediately thought of Edith head. But I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was designed by Mr. Stevenson. Now I have a new found fondness for Mr. Stephenson and I will research every piece that he has ever. designed. As to how many Awards he’s received, I agree that they weren’t enough.
And I would like to raise my glass filled with champagne to Mr. Stevenson for his wonderful contribution to the silver screen. I absolutely loved his designs.