Travilla
Known for
Costume & Make-Up
Born
March 22, 1920
Birthplace
Los Angeles, California, USA
Died
November 2, 1990 (aged 70)
Biography
The man who draped a fringed Idaho potato sack on Marilyn Monroe for a famous snapshot - proving that she looked good in anything - was born on Catalina Island off the California coast on March 22 1920. He studied at the Chouinard School of Art in L.A., showing a precocious talent for drawing fashion design from an early age. By the time he was sixteen, he made money by selling sketches of costume designs for showgirls he had studied at burlesque houses.
Found unfit for wartime duties due to flat feet, William Travilla made his way to Hollywood and signed his first contract as costume designer at Columbia in 1941. However, during his two-year tenure he received rather few assignments and le...
Best known work
The Day the Earth Stood Still
1951
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
1953
The Seven Year Itch
1955
How to Marry a Millionaire
1953
River of No Return
1954
Pickup on South Street
1953
Monkey Business
1952
The Boston Strangler
1968
Bus Stop
1956
Viva Zapata!
1952Filmography
1983
1981
Jacqueline Bouvier KennedyCostume Design
1981
Evita PeronCostume Design
1980
The Silent LoversCostume Design
1980
The Scarlett O'Hara WarCostume Design
1980
This Year's BlondeCostume Design
1980
CaboblancoCostume Design
1979
She's Dressed to KillCostume Design
1968
The Boston StranglerCostume Supervisor
1968
The Secret Life of an American WifeCostume Design
1967
Valley of the DollsCostume Design
1967
1967
1963
Take Her, She's MineCostume Design
1963
Mary, MaryCostume Designer
1963
The StripperCostume Design
1960
From the TerraceCostume Design
1958
1956
Bus StopCostume Design
1956
23 Paces to Baker StreetCostume Design
1956
The Proud OnesCostume Design
1956
The Revolt of Mamie StoverCostume Design
1956
The Bottom of the BottleCostume Design
1956
The Lieutenant Wore SkirtsCostume Design
1955
The Rains of RanchipurCostume Design