- Born
- Died
- Nickname
- Mother
- Gene Callahan was born on November 7, 1923 in Louisiana, USA. He was a set decorator and production designer, known for The Hustler (1961), Steel Magnolias (1989) and America America (1963). He died on December 26, 1990 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA.
- Elia Kazan (Sept 7, 1909-Sept 2, 2003, age 94), producer and director, hired identical twin brothers, born April 16, 1928, Richard "Dick" (deceased March 23, 2002, age 74) and twin brother Paul Sylbert as his "Baby Doll" production scenic designers and art directors, both sharing art director credit. The Sylbert twins had primarily been working in New York City's live television production as IATSE #829 scenic designers and set decorators. The Sylbert twins had Kazan hire their fellow New York City CBS television studio set decorator Gene Callahan (Nov 7, 1923-Dec 26, 1990, age 67 cancer), who joined them in Benoit, Mississippi to scout local locations and prep the film's primary plantation house location. Consulting and working with Elia Kazan, Gene and the Sylbert twins shared their film designing duties. Knowing of Gene Callahan's Louisiana heritage, Gene was the perfect choice to decorate the squalid run down plantation house interiors and plantation sight exteriors. Gene found the "baby doll" iron bed in a local antique shop, which became a featured prop in the film's set and playbill advertisements. The Sylbert twins and Gene were always on the film set with Kazan and his cinema photographer, during cast/camera rehearsal blocking shot, subsequent filming, on every set up. This was a natural condition to a television art department team, being a part of the cast and crew rehearsal and filming schedule, day and night. When not with the film crew, they would be preparing the next scene/film shot for the company move. Upon completion of the Mississippi filming, Gene took the "iron baby doll bed" back with him to New York City, placing the bed in his spacious and large West Side apartment's living room, a conversation piece! Kazan relied on Gene's Southern upbringing and scene interpretation in his rehearsals and scene motivation. This professional "Baby Doll" film relationship and experience secured the Sylbert's and Callahan's future alliance with Elia Kazan's future creative film assignments. Elia Kazan took Gene to Istanbul, Turkey and Athens, Greece, as his production designer for the 1963 location film "America, America." Gene Callahan won the 1963 Academy Award for Best Art Direction Black-and-White for his painstakingly accurate scenic set designs.
- Gene Callahan performed a cameo role as the tugboat captain in his 1968 film "Funny Girl". Gene's physical build and appearance (a distinctive beard) often had him cast by his director in a cameo role. Like Alfred Hitchcock, if Gene liked the producer and director, he would agree to perform in the film in a small cameo, otherwise, he would decline the proposal. Producer Ray Stark and Gene Callahan were always on the set during the "Funny Girl" filming. Ray made Gene agree to perform the tugboat captain while the scene was filmed at sea to keep Gene, available, on set.
- Gene Callahan's set decorating career changed when he was hired to be the Production Designer by Elia Kazan for his location film "America, America" filmed in Greece. Since the location film was shot on exteriors, with set interiors built in studio facilities, he decorated the film sets as well. The film was nominated for an Oscar in the Art Direction category.
- Gene Callahan's early career was as a New York CBS-TV staff decorator assigned to numerous local New York City and Network shows (Omibus).
- Gene Callahan's early career was as a New York CBS-TV staff decorator assigned to numerous local New York City and Network shows (Omibus). Supervising prop men directing the hanging of prop paintings and pictures on the set, he would admonish a prop man for not hanging the picture correctly by telling the prop man, "now Mother would never hang that picture that way!". His Mother, from Baton Rouge, Louisianna, visited New York one week. When she visited the set in her mink stole, the crew sat her in the middle of the stage, while continuing their work, exchanging stories about their personal relationships with her son. Thereafter, Gene was christened with the nick name "Mother".
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