- Frank Harvey Richwood was born and raised in San Francisco, California. Frank Richwood grew interested in art at an early age. After four years in the Navy during the Korean War, he married Hollywood native Ann Patricia Leslie. Frank and Ann moved to Burbank to raise a family of three children, and for Frank to work in the film and television industry. Frank, in the 1960s, began his theatrical television scenic artist career hired by NBC Burbank's Scenic department staff manager Gus Roth. Bouncing around from various television and film studio scenic departments Frank painted with what he felt were some of the most gifted artists in the country. When the Motion Picture Producer's Association opened up their film roster in 1976, allowing television personnel to transition into motion picture-television film employment opportunities, Frank became an assistant art director. The Universal-MCA studio art department division's supervisor-manager William "Bill" Dominick DeCinses and his assistant, Ray Brandt, assigned Frank Richwood, skipping the normal studio art department set designer/illustrator progressive employment position, as an assistant to art directors on various Universal Studios television broadcast-network film series produced for the three major TV networks. During the following fifteen years, Frank's career position became art director working with feature film production designers. In between major studio film assignments. Frank began producing rather large-scale canvases - paintings of behind-the-scenes shoots were born from a love of a vanishing scenic art craft, a respect for the creative technology, and a desire to document the fading history of his great industry. Rarely portrayed in paintings is the working crew and the wonderful equipment they use that the movie-goer never sees. It was just such a scene from the Columbia Studios Ranch, titled 'Back Lot Light,' that won First Place in a 1993 Toluca Lake Art Festival. In 1996-1997, six pieces of this photo-realistic scenic style 'Back Lot' series was exhibited at the LA Country Museum of Art, with sales made through the Museum's Gallery. Retiring to Oceanside in 1998 allowed Frank more time to experiment with paint, in plain air, in his home workshop painting studio. Joining fellow artists in plein air classes, he furthered his autodidact education on many California paint-outs with friends and colleagues. He enjoyed exhibiting at the Del Mar County Fair for two years, and showing at the California Art Club's 4th biannual 'Created in the Studio' show at the Women's City Club of Pasadena (2003-2004). But Frank was especially honored by the San Diego Maritime Museum when his entry to the "Festival of Sail 2002," 'Star of India's Colors,' was chosen for their event poster and program cover. From location film crew colleagues and tennis buddies to loving relatives and admiring artists, Frank was a top member of many "My Favorite People" Clubs. Professional memberships included the following: *The Scenic Artists IATSE #816 Local (now part of the Art Director's Guild IATSE 'umbrella union' #800), *The Society of Motion Picture and Television Art Directors Society IATSE #876 (now titled *The Art Director's Guild IATSE #800), *The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, The California Art Club, The Plein Air Painters Association of San Diego, The Laguna Plein Air Painters Association and The Southern California Plein Air Painters Association.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Anonymous
- Was Oscar nominated for "Best Art Direction" for "Beaches" in 1988 just before the Academy changed the rule to cut that award and give it only to the new category of 'Production Designer."
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