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Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





1948 Academy Awards Green Room ...



Production Designer Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA and Set Decorator Melissa Licht SDSA share insider notes on the mélange of classic Hollywood and Ryan Murphy’s revisionist history!



It was essential that the sets accurately portray the era and specifics whenever possible, in order to provide credence to the story, and yet add heightened elements of style and atmosphere to convey the Golden Age of moviemaking. Here, Hollywood power brokers and Oscar® hopefuls gather in the Green Room of the 1948 Academy Awards .



Dylan McDermott, Patti LuPone, Holland Taylor.

Photo by Saeed Adyani ©2020 Netflix. Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





1948 Academy Awards Green Room ...



The palette skews warm. Ryan Murphy asked for autumnal colors to reflect the Golden Age of Hollywood...



Photo Courtesy of Netflix. Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Ace Studios, Behind the Scenes...

Making a movie...



“This was one of our many movie-within-the movie moments,” Melissa points out. “The set dressing was almost entirely from Omega Cinema Props. Draper Regina Henderson found the drapes that match the wingback chairs and that was such a perfect moment.

Thank god for Pam and Jim Elyea at History for Hire, they spent literal hours with me going over the various period appropriate equipment and walking me through how it should all be set up. Their knowledge of the period is invaluable, and I would have been lost without them.”



Photo Courtesy of Netflix. Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Ace Studios, Ace/Avis Amberg office...



“This was the most formal office we did, and the scale of the furniture really had to reflect that. I tried to stick with a neoclassical theme throughout Ace Studios , so that all the different spaces would feel somewhat cohesive. The Greek busts and column torchieres used here started that theme. The desk is Jack Warner’s actual desk that Robert Greenfield at Warner Bros. Studio Property let us rent from his personal office!”



Photo Courtesy of Netflix. Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Ace Studios, Ace/Avis Amberg office...



“I saw the use of two phones on an executive’s desk in an old movie at some point, and it really stuck with me. It seemed like the perfect way to hit home his power and importance.”



See below for more details and her resources!



Photo Courtesy of Netflix. Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Ace Studios, Ace/Avis Amberg office...



After her husband’s death Avis [Patti LuPone] takes over his office and the running of the studio...



Photo by Saeed Adyani ©2020 Netflix. Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Ace Studios, Dick Samuel office...



“The red sofa and chair set from Faux Library fit so perfectly in here, and the tone of the leather club chairs from Modernica was perfect. The French Art Deco credenza is also from Castle Antiques but much more modern than the one used in Ace’s office. The red Greek motif lamps are from Practical Props, another personal favorite that I've always wanted to use.”



Photo ©2020 Netflix. Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Ace Studios, Dick Samuel office...



“ Dick was the lower level executive, his office needed to correspond with Ace’s but on a less grand scale. We kept the neoclassical theme going with a bit more playful version of the Greek bust in the figural lamps behind his desk. The same Paul Laszlo table was used between his guest chairs this time in black. The desk and furniture is a bit more modern than that in Ace’s nodding to the more progressive fresh approach Dick is trying to take.



Photo by Saeed Adyani ©2020 Netflix. Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Ace Studios, Conference room...



“The less furniture that is needed in a space the more important it becomes. We looked everywhere for the proper conference chairs and either nothing felt right or there wasn’t enough quantity. Buyer Ashley Rice found these at Warner Bros. Studio Property early on and, ultimately, they were the right solution. Robert Greenfield again graciously let us reupholster. We used a velvet from F&S Fabrics.”



For more on the less furniture, and resources see below!



Photo by Saeed Adyani ©2020 Netflix. Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Ace Studios, Screening room...



“The chairs in the Screening Room are from Warner Bros. Studio Property, Matthew and I had just used and reupholstered them on RATCHED. He mentioned early on that they were perfect for in here, and, of course, he was right...so they were reupholstered once again! We used the same velvet from F&S as we did in the Conference Room . The theater seats were from Omega Cinema Props reupholstered to match.”



For more details, including the clever switch out of the Conference Room for Screening Room , see below!



Photo by Saeed Adyani ©2020 Netflix. Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Ace Studios, Commissary...



The chairs were sourced at Warner Bros. Studio Property by Ashley Rice, and Matthew was amazed when I showed him a photo...he immediately recognized them as the original chairs from the Warner Brothers commissary! Robert Greenfield graciously allowed us to paint them.



We had double sets of the tablecloths made by Omega Cinema Props, you'd be surprised how difficult it was to find the perfect heavy weight white cotton! The centerpieces are Fiesta Ware in the perfect shade of old ivory.



Photo by Saeed Adyani ©2020 Netflix. Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Ace Studios, Commissary...



Matthew recalls, “I was able to work out a deal with Getty Images for the old Kodachrome color photos of film stars and black and white production stills from the period that would decorate the sets. Our Researcher Katelyn Budke and I spent hours going through images to find the ones that worked best. There was something very nostalgic in the faces of Humphrey Bogart, Betty Hutton, Montgomery Clift, Lana Turner, among others looking in on us as we shot our scenes in the commissary recreating the Golden Age of Hollywood.”



David Corenswet, Joe Mantello.

Photo by Saeed Adyani ©2020 Netflix. Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Ace Studios, Starlet Classroom...



Melissa smiles, “The stars of this set are the amazing vowel posters made by our Graphic Designer Hillary Ament. They are just perfect. Matthew’s reference for this set was the practice room from the film SINGING IN THE RAIN, and that was just a perfect jumping off point.



The subtle plaid that Draper Regina Henderson found for the drapes is so gorgeous they really sold the period. This definitely was a more function-first space with the wall mounted phone and water cooler.”



Photo by Saeed Adyani ©2020 Netflix. Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Ace Studios, Makeup & Hairstyling Suite...



“This set was really fun to pull together. We started with the larger pieces...sourcing the barber chairs was the first priority and although Buyer Jane Madden looked far and wide, we ended up going with a set from RC Vintage, which I believe are the first ones she found. Those set the tone for the room and we built off the reddish brown for the rest of the space. The pink chairs from Modernica Props are so sweet and really ground the room as a more feminine space.”

Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Ace Studios, Makeup & Hairstyling Suite...



Opposite side of the suite...

(L to R) Samara Weaving as Claire Wood and Laura Harrier as Camille Washington .



Photo Courtesy of Netflix.

Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Ace Studios,

The H from the HOLLYWOODLAND sign...



“When the original Hollywoodland sign was built in 1923 as an advertisement for a new housing development, it was lit up at night with over 4,000 20-watt light bulbs,” Matthew notes. “After the rise of American cinema in Los Angeles during the Golden Age the Hollywood sign...intended and built to last just a year or two...became a symbol and has been standing for more than nine decades. It did fall into disrepair and was rebuilt and restored in the 1970s.

We wanted as much height and scope as possible with this build. Scaling out the sign on stage was a bit tricky as height was 35’ to the perms. We finally ended up building ours at 30’.



Photo by Saeed Adyani ©2020 Netflix.



Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Schwab’s Pharmacy...



“ Schwab’s may have been my favorite set,” Matthew imparts.

“Known as the ‘Hollywood Hopeful Hangout’ back in the day, Schwab’s was a drugstore on Sunset Boulevard with a long lunch counter. Two brothers opened it in 1932, and it was sadly torn down in the 1980s. Sidney Skolsky, a famous syndicated Hollywood gossip columnist, used the drugstore as his office; and he had a column in Photoplay magazine titled, ‘From a Stool at Schwab’s.’

There were two telephone booths in the back so agents could reach their clients and out of work actors could sit at the lunch counter and drink coffee on credit all day and try to get work. It was like the internet for out of work actors.”



Check below for many more fascinating details about Schwab’s and the set!

Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Schwab’s Pharmacy...



“This set was the one that gave me the most anxiety from the get-go,”

Melissa reveals. “It was one of our permanent sets, but it wasn't completed before we started shooting, so it just kept lingering in the back of my mind… all those smalls... insane amounts of smalls! Luckily, we were able to hire our own graphic designer, Trey Shaffer, just to handle the product.*

For the lunch counter, we had the stools custom built by Omega Cinema Props, and the practical parts of the counter were cobbled together with different pieces we found at RC Vintage and Lennie Marvin’s Prop Heaven.”



* Check below for more details – including only 1 day to dress!



Photo Courtesy of Netflix.

Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Schwab’s Pharmacy...



Matthew smiles, “Supposedly Harold Arlen came up with the lyrics to Over the Rainbow while sitting at the lunch counter. It was also featured in the 1950 film, SUNSET BOULEVARD, where William Holden’s character, Joe Gillis , referred to Schwab’s as ‘Headquarters – a combination office, coffee klatch and waiting room.’



Because Schwab’s was an iconic Hollywood landmark and such an historically driven set, we worked very hard to incorporate every detail as accurately as possible down to the neon, menus and multitude of period products that lined the shelves and display cases. With this set, and actually all of them, everyone’s heart was in it.”



Image Courtesy of Netflix.

Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Golden Tip Gas Station...



“We based the set of the Golden Tip Gas Station on Scotty Bowers’ Richfield gas station on Hollywood Boulevard,” Matthew discloses.

“Built in the ‘30s and ‘40s, the Richfield gas stations were great examples of Streamline Moderne architecture with casement windows and long entrance bays extending out from the front entrance. This would be our biggest set outside of the builds on stage...”



See below and watch the video for great descriptions of how they brought this set and its environs back to the Golden Age of post-War Hollywood!



Photo Courtesy of Netflix.

Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Golden Tip Gas Station...



“We thought about the pumps first when approaching the gas station,” adds Melissa. “We knew it was impossible to find four matching period ones in town, so Ashley Rice, one of our buyers, sourced these from a company called Koolest Gas Pumps. They were great to work with and allowed us to customize the colors very specifically.”



David Corenswet.

Photo by Saeed Adyani ©2020 Netflix.

Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Golden Tip Gas Station...



“I’m fascinated by how sets built on stages allow you to create a world and remove limitations that can occur outside in practical locations,” says Matthew.



“Portals, wild walls, placement of windows and so much more – all allow flexibility and variety for the camera to capture the scene and even help enhance the visual storytelling. And even on location at the Golden Tip Gas Station , we cut through a thin steel wall to provide a camera port looking into the small front office that way incorporating the large casement windows in our shot.”



Image Courtesy of Netflix.

Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Golden Tip Gas Station...



“Through a Craigslist ad, Ashley met a car enthusiast named Scott Miller, whom we started to call ‘our gas station unicorn’,” Melissa laughs. “He was an extremely knowledgeable car guy who ended up loaning us pieces from his personal collection, some of which were these great standing distributor testers, plus amazing hand tools that helped dress the back workbenches.



We also worked closely with David at Retro Office Furniture. He was an invaluable resource for this set. He found us specific pieces that fit in the spaces we were looking to fill, and he powder coated everything for us to match. Aside from that, a lot of the smalls came from Modernica Props, Premiere Props and Alley Cats.”



Image Courtesy of Netflix.

Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Jack’s apartment...



“We knew we would be in this set a lot, so I wanted it to feel as lived in as possible. We filled all the drawers, stocked the fridge and dressed the medicine cabinet. I shopped flea markets most Sunday mornings leading up to that dress and gathered most of the smalls we needed to make it feel real.



One of Matthew’s main references was Joe Gillis’ Apartment from the film SUNSET BOULEVARD. That was a great jumping off point for us as well. Buyer Jane Madden ultimately found great set pieces at Pasadena Architectural Salvage...bathroom fixtures & plumbing, ceiling fixtures and sconces!”



Maude Aptow, David Corenswet.

Image Courtesy of Netflix.

Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Jack’s apartment...



“It was important to Matthew to stay in these monochromatic color schemes for each set and I just loved that. The amazing wallpaper that he chose for the bedroom was our accent color, so I used pops of red throughout the rest of the set. The furniture and the remainder of the dressing I kept within a palette of warmer shades of yellows and browns. It was such a fun challenge to work within those parameters and I think this set was one of the most successful one color wise.”



David Corenswet.

Image Courtesy of Netflix.

Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Beverly Hills Hotel Bungalow Suite...



“I had the four matching chairs and pink sofas made, based on images of period appropriate furniture I found online. We worked with Marina at Sofa U Love to build them, and they were absolutely incredible. They helped me scale the pieces properly and got the curves just right, an amazing job.

The lamps were all vintage, sourced by Buyer Jane Madden. She also sourced incredible tone-on-tone striped fabric and ball trim that we then had made into custom lampshades.”



David Corenswet, Patti LuPone.

Image Courtesy of Netflix.

Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Beverly Hills Hotel Bungalow Suite,

Living Room...



“This was one of our permanent sets that we started working on from day one. I knew that I wasn’t going to easily find matching furniture that would make it feel like a cohesive hotel suite, especially for the period, so I just decided to build it all. What really ties these three rooms of the suite together are the amazing valances and drapery that Regina Henderson, our draper, pulled off. She came to Matthew and me with some shape ideas for the valances and the three of us unanimously chose this half circle motif. She worked incredibly hard with Omega to get the scale of the pattern right for each different window, I think I screamed with joy the first time I saw them hung.”



Image Courtesy of Netflix.

Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Beverly Hills Hotel Bungalow Suite,

Bedroom...



“Omega Cinema Props built the headboard for us based on a research image Matthew found of Julie London lounging at the Beverly Hills Hotel after they had done a remodel in the 1940s. Omega also built the bench with matching biscuit tufting.”



See video for the signature wallpaper story!



Image Courtesy of Netflix.

Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Anna Mae Wong’s apartment...



“This was probably my favorite set! Matthew’s reference was Norma Desmond , and I couldn't have been more excited by his research pictures. We got to be more layered and dramatic here than we did with our other sets. The oversized metal lamp, lace curtains, the velvets and satin and carved wood furniture. I just loved all those glamorous ‘20s elements showing the time that had passed for Anna May Wong . It felt moody and dark, which was appropriate for her character and what she’d been through...”



Michelle Krusiec, Darren Criss.

Photo by Saeed Adyani ©2020 Netflix.

Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Anna Mae Wong’s apartment...



Matthew points out an interesting note, which shows the depth of commitment to the accuracy of their sets...



“The Spanish Colonial Revival Courtyard building was a popular architectural movement developing in Southern California in the early 20th century.

For Anna Mae Wong’s garden apartment, we used the El Cabrillo Apartments in Hollywood, built by Cecil B. DeMille in 1928 to house out-of-state actors that came to work for him. This building and its history seemed ideal for the character and her story.”



Michelle Krusiec.

Photo by Saeed Adyani ©2020 Netflix.

Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Raymond’s apartment...



“This set was really fun,” says Melissa, “I got to live out my dreams of using a full Paul Frankl suite of furniture! It seemed appropriate for Hollywood hopefuls Raymond and Camille to have this modern fresh look. Maybe wanting to impress, he had hired a decorator from the studio...that was my backstory, anyway.



We got to get a little playful with all the sculptural lamps. I love that zebra one from Objects so much and I’ve always wanted to use it. Most of the pieces here were from 20th Century Props and Omega Cinema Props. The sofa and chair set were from Sony Property.”



Laura Harrier, Darren Criss, Jeremy Pope.

Photo by Saeed Adyani ©2020 Netflix.

Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Henry Wilson’s office...



Matthew: “Shot on location in the penthouse suite in the James Oviatt Building, where Oviatt actually lived and referred to it as a ‘cabin in the sky.’ The Art Deco high rise was built in 1928 in downtown LA and is a hybrid of Art Deco and Romanesque architecture.”

Melissa: “The architecture was so strong and specific it really dictated the type of furniture that we brought in. It had to blend with the art deco building, which was kind of dark and moody, but it also had to be glossy and powerful like Henry Wilson . Ultimately the suite of Gilbert Rohde furniture from Omega Cinema Props was the perfect fit.”



Jim Parsons, David Corenswet.

Image Courtesy of Netflix.

Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Henry Wilson’s house...



Matthew conveys, “I knew I wanted Henry Wilson’s house to be a colder environment, and immediately thought of one of my favorite homes in L.A., the Dolores del Rio house, a 1930s Art Deco estate in Santa Monica designed by legendary Art Director Cedric Gibbons who was married to del Rio at the time. It’s a great example of Streamline Moderne/Art Deco style. Unfortunately, it was not an option for us, so my location manager found a wonderful home designed by Rudolf Schindler. Built in 1934 and known as the ‘Buck House,’ it’s a great example of the early modernist movement.”



Image Courtesy of Netflix.

Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Henry Wilson’s house...



“This set was one of the more challenging ones to pull together,” Melissa notes. “I wanted it to feel somewhat cohesive with his office, even though the architecture of the two spaces were so different. The Paul Frankl speed sofa (from 20th Century Props) bridged that modern Art Deco feel perfectly and we used that as a jumping off point. The amazing black and metal credenza is from Castle Antiques, their elevated pieces really were a lifesaver to us on so many different sets. The majority of the rest of the set came from Modernica Props and 20th Century Props.”



Image Courtesy of Netflix.

Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





Henry Wilson’s house...



“There was a specific note from the Director for the bedroom set: a ‘bobble object’ on the nightstand. It was supposed to alert Henry when Rock Hudson tries to sneak away in the morning. Buyer Ashley Rice found the most perfect sculptural art deco bell. It made such a great sound and was so perfect for the shot, I think we got more complaints from the crew on that bell than anything else we did the rest of the show.”



Image Courtesy of Netflix.

Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





George Cukor estate house, main house...



“For the George Cukor house we used two different locations, and eventually two builds on stage, to make the entire party scene work. For the interior scenes we used a beautiful Hollywood Regency style home in Beverly Hills designed by Paul Williams, the first African American in the AIA.

As new pages came, the party scene continued to grow and suddenly we needed a cottage and a guest house. George Cukor’s home had three guest houses designed by the great Hollywood Regency architect John Woolf, one of which Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy lived in.

We reconfigured our Beverly Hills Bungalow set by splitting it in half and converting the halves into the cottage on one side and the guest house on the other.”



Image Courtesy of Netflix.

Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





George Cukor Estate Cottage...



“Matthew and I both really enjoyed doing this set. We were discussing styles of furniture together once and he described Early American as “you know, in I LOVE LUCY when Lucy moves to the country” I knew we’d be an amazing team after that moment. This was the sophisticated version of Lucy in the country, and he had to reign me in a little bit. I can go full Early American very fast!”



Image Courtesy of Netflix.

Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





George Cukor Estate Cottage...



“These photos show the set almost completed, before the final layer of flowers and a few smalls...”



Image Courtesy of Netflix.

Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix





Set Decorator

Melissa Licht SDSA

Production Designer

Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA

Netflix





1948 Academy Awards Green Room...



We’ve come full circle back to the 1948 Academy Awards, who doesn’t love a happy ending?



Melissa smiles, “This is one of those sets that didn’t come together until the very last second. The week this was dressing we had 6 locations in one day, so the Buyers and I were overloaded, to say the least. We had been holding those incredible striped sofas at Warner Bros. Property for at least a month, I hate being that person, but I just knew I was going to need to pull them out of my hat at some point, and this was the moment! We built the whole set around these sofas and I’m so glad they got their moment to shine!”



David Corenswet, Samara Weaving, Holland Taylor, Dylan McDermott, Patti LuPone. Photo by Saeed Adyani ©2020 Netflix.

Set DecoratorProduction DesignerNetflix



August 20th, 2020

The Golden Age of moviemaking...with a twist!



HOLLYWOOD is another of Producer and Director Ryan Murphy’s visually stunning miniseries produced by and streaming on Netflix, with Production Designer Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA and Set Decorator Melissa Licht SDSA setting the fabulous visual tone.



A revisionist history look at what could and might have been if a multi diverse group of filmmakers had been working in production in post-World War II Hollywood, the series follows a group of aspiring young actors, writers and directors as they pursue careers during the fabled Golden Age of moviemaking. There are bumps and hurdles along the way, but luck, success, disappointments and messy relationships all play a part as this group progresses at all costs toward their dreams. Imagine what could have been!



SETDECOR and Inside The Set With SET DECOR spoke with Matthew and Melissa a few weeks before their well-deserved Emmy nominations. They had worked together previously on the forthcoming Ryan Murphy Netflix miniseries RATCHED, which was completed before HOLLYWOOD began production. Though each had extensive industry experience, Matthew and Melissa became first time Production Designer and Set Decorator on HOLLYWOOD. What a wonderful and challenging opportunity.



They greatly appreciate and loved working with the incredible industry vendors in Los Angeles. Melissa, particularly, would like to thank her wonderful crew: Lead Theirry Labbe, Buyers Ashley Rice and Jane Madden, Gang Boss Dave Bush, Set Dressers Glen Strauss, Christian Moreno, Derek Crimmel, and Bobby Gibson, Draper Regina Henderson, Set Decoration Coordinator Johanna Belson and Production Assistant Jared Muscarella, who all helped in creating this version of the magic of movies and movie-making...the good, the bad and the beautiful.

Editor’s note:

Our thanks go to Inside The Set with SET DECOR producers Gene Cane SDSA Exec Director, Chase Helzer SDSA Social Media Director and David Smith SDSA for the video interview, plus special thanks to David for working with Melissa and Matthew to compile all the set details for the gallery!

It’s a wonderful interplay, where you can see the natural collaboration between Production Designer and Set Decorator. We have so much great insider info that we’re including the full descriptions below.

Enjoy!

We know you will!

Karen Burg, Editor





Fascinating behind-the-scenes set details with Set Decorator Melissa Licht SDSA [ML] and Production Designer Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA [MF]....



Ace Studios, Behind the Scenes

Making a movie...

ML: This was one of our many movie-within-the movie-moments. The set dressing was almost entirely from Omega Cinema Props. Draper Regina Henderson found the drapes that match the wingback chairs and that was such a perfect moment. Thank god for Pam and Jim Elyea at History for Hire, they spent literal hours with me going over the various period appropriate equipment and walking me through how it should all be set up. Their knowledge of the period is invaluable, and I would have been lost without them.



Ace Studios

Ace/Avis Amberg office...

MF: All of the Ace Studios interiors were built on stage. I thought about the five major studios during Hollywood’s Golden Age and how they dominated the industry, owning most of the theaters their films played in. I remember reading how everyone and everything needed to shoot a motion picture was inside the studio walls—the contract players, directors, editing rooms, stages, commissaries, makeup and hair, and etiquette and acting classrooms. Wanting togive context to the history and to help the characters and story through architecture, we based Ace/Avis’s Amberg’s office on that of Jerry Mayer’s MGM office and our commissary on Paramount’s.



ML: I loved the architecture and rug in this set so much, Matthew really made my job easy! This was the most formal office we did, and the scale of the furniture really had to reflect that. I tried to stick with a neoclassical theme throughout Ace Studios so that all the different spaces would feel somewhat cohesive.



The Greek busts and column torchieres used here started that theme. The desk is Jack Warner’s actual desk that Robert Greenfield at Warner Bros. Studio Property let us rent from his personal office! It really was perfect for the space and gave the set some authenticity. I saw the use of two phones on an executive’s desk in an old movie at some point, and it really stuck with me. It seemed like the perfect way to hit home his power and importance.



The French Art Deco credenza was from Castle Antiques, the sofa and matching armchairs are from Objects, the amazing copper lamp and pair of Paul Laszlo side tables were from the Pasadena Antique Center. The lighting was a mix from 20th Century Props and Practical Props.



Ace Studios

Dick Samuel Office...

ML: Dick Samuel was the lower level executive, so his office needed to correspond with Ace’s, but on a less grand scale. We kept the neoclassical theme going with a bit more playful version of the Greek bust in the figural lamps behind his desk. The same Paul Laszlo table was used between his guest chairs this time in black. The desk and furniture is a bit more modern than that in Ace’s nodding to the more progressive fresh approach Dick is trying to take.



The red sofa and chair set from Faux Library fit so perfectly in here, and the tone of the leather club chairs from Modernica was perfect. The French Art Deco credenza is also from Castle Antiques but much more modern than the one used in Ace’s office. The red Greek motif lamps are from Practical Props, another personal favorite that I've always wanted to use.



Ace Studios

Conference Room...

ML: The less furniture that is needed in a space the more important it becomes. We looked everywhere for the proper conference chairs and either nothing felt right or there wasn’t enough quantity. Buyer Ashley Rice found these at Warner Bros. Studio Property early on and, ultimately, they were the right solution. Robert Greenfield again graciously let us reupholster. We used a velvet from F&S Fabrics.

We, luckily, held the conference table at Modern Props before they started liquidating, so we were able to use it. The black credenza was from Modernica Props and we found those perfect wood lamps on Chairish. Ashley Rice had all of the lampshades we used at Ace Studios made at Fantasy Lighting to match. We used a gold pongee with a red trim, and they worked to tie all the different spaces and lamps together.



Ace Studios

Screening Room...

MF: We decided to build the Ace Studios Conference Room as a convertible set that could turn into the Screening Room. The changeover would involve plugging all the windows with wood paneling and sconces and covering the walls between with theater fabric. We added risers and carpeted them to create stadium seating. The ceiling stayed the same in both sets. We added a long center skylight surrounded by coffers in the ceiling that helped provide lighting options for our Director of Photography Simon.



ML: The chairs in the Screening Room are from Warner Bros. Studio Property, Matthew and I had just used and reupholstered them on RATCHED. He mentioned early on that they were perfect for in here, and, of course, he was right...so they were reupholstered once again! We used the same velvet from F&S as we did in the Conference Room. The theater seats were from Omega Cinema Props reupholstered to match. The tables were built by Construction, so we just had to find 8 matching task lamps. Luckily, we sourced these at Modern Props before they were liquidated, and we filled in the remaining quantity from Practical Props. The sconces are from RC Vintage.

Draper Regina Henderson did a lot of magic with drapery in here, making sure the screen we had could size down to the proper aspect ratio for the period.



Ace Studios

Commissary...

ML: The chairs were sourced at Warner Bros. Studio Property by Ashley Rice, and Matthew was amazed when I showed him a photo... he immediately recognized them as the original chairs from the Warner Brothers commissary! Robert Greenfield graciously allowed us to paint them.

We had double sets of the tablecloths made by Omega Cinema Props, you'd be surprised how difficult it was to find the perfect heavy weight white cotton! The centerpieces are Fiesta Ware in the perfect shade of old ivory. Ashley had to buy them from a ton of different sources so we would have enough of each piece for all the tables.



MF: I was able to work out a deal with Getty Images for the old Kodachrome color photos of film stars and black and white production stills from the period that would decorate the sets. Our Researcher Katelyn Budke and I spent hours going through images to find the ones that worked best. There was something very nostalgic in the faces of Humphrey Bogart, Betty Hutton, Montgomery Clift, Lana Turner, among others looking in on us as we shot our scenes in the commissary recreating the Golden Age of Hollywood.



Ace Studios

Starlet Classroom...

ML: The stars of this set are the amazing vowel posters made by our Graphic Designer Hillary Ament, they are just perfect. Matthew’s reference for this set was the practice room from the film Singing in the Rain and that was just a perfect jumping off point. The subtle plaid that Draper Regina Henderson found for the drapes is so gorgeous they really sold the period. This definitely was a more function first space with the wall mounted phone and water cooler.



Ace Studios

Hairstyling & Makeup Suite...

ML: This set was really fun to pull together. We started with the larger pieces, sourcing the barber chairs was the first priority and, although Buyer Jane Madden looked far and wide, we ended up going with a set from RC Vintage, which I believe are the first ones she found. Those set the tone for the room and we built off the reddish brown for the rest of the space. The pink chairs from Modernica Props are so sweet and really ground the room as a more feminine space...



Ace Studios

The H from the HOLLYWOODLAND sign...

MF: When the original Hollywoodland sign was built in 1923 as an advertisement for a new housing development it was lit up at night with over 4,000 20-watt light bulbs. After the rise of American cinema in Los Angeles during the Golden Age the Hollywood sign (intended and built to last just a year or two) became a symbol and has been standing for more than nine decades. It did fall into disrepair and was rebuilt and restored in the 1970’s. We wanted as much height and scope as possible with this build. Scaling out the sign (the “H”) on stage was a bit tricky as height was 35’ to the perms. We finally ended up building ours at 30’.





Schwab’s Pharmacy

MF: Schwab’s may have been my favorite set. Known as the “Hollywood Hopeful Hangout” back in the day, Schwab’s was a drugstore on Sunset Boulevard with a long lunch counter. Two brothers opened it in 1932, and it was sadly torn down in the 1980s. Sidney Skolsky, a famous syndicated Hollywood gossip columnist, used the drugstore as his office; and he had a column in “Photoplay” magazine titled, “From a Stool at Schwab’s.” There were two telephone booths in the back so agents could reach their clients and out of work actors could sit at the lunch counter and drink coffee on credit all day and try to get work. It was like the internet for out of work actors. Supposedly Harold Arlen came up with the lyrics to Over the Rainbow while sitting at the lunch counter. It was also featured in the 1950 film, SUNSET BOULEVARD, where William Holden’s character, Joe Gillis, referred to Schwab’s as “Headquarters – a combination office, coffee klatch and waiting room.” Because Schwab’s was an iconic Hollywood landmark and such an historically driven set, we worked very hard to incorporate every detail as accurately as possible down to the neon, menus and multitude of period products that lined the shelves and display cases. With this set, and actually all of them, everyone’s heart was in it.



ML: This set was the one that gave me the most anxiety from the get-go. It was one of our permanent sets, but it wasn't completed before we started shooting, so it just kept lingering in the back of my mind… all those smalls... insane amounts of smalls!

Matthew and I were both worried about the shelves looking too repetitive, so I spent weeks ordering tons of like items on Etsy. Little ashtrays and candy dishes, perfume bottles, etc.

Luckily, we were able to hire our own graphic designer, Trey Shaffer, just to handle the product. He was great, he jumped in with great ideas and handled getting all the boxes and bottles ordered and printed, it was a great weight off my shoulders.

Another challenge were the display cases and point of sale counters, all which we had custom made based off of the art departments drawings. For the lunch counter, we had the stools custom built by Omega Cinema Props, and we had the practical parts of the counter cobbled together by different pieces we found at RC Vintage and Lennie Marvin’s Prop Heaven.

It all came together extremely quickly. After ordering things for months, the set moved up in our schedule and we ended up only having a single day to dress. I started at 7am with one crew and ended at 11pm with a different crew, it was quite a day!





Golden Tip Gas Station...

MF: We based the set of the Golden Tip gas station on Scotty Bowers’ Richfield gas station on Hollywood Boulevard. Built in the 30’s and 40’s, the Richfield gas stations were great examples of Streamline Moderne architecture with casement windows and long entrance bays extending out from the front entrance. This would be our biggest set outside of the builds on stage. We scoured LA County from Long Beach to Santa Clarita and eventually found an old Richfield gas station that still had a few of those elements. Most had been modified over the years. We had to strip it to the bones including removing all five hydraulic steel car lifts. We built and designed an additional entrance bay, designed and built casement garage doors and front door so that the glass panes and mullions would all line up and carry across the facade. We re-asphalted, painted, built a used car parking lot structure and lot across the street, designed and built the multiple neon signs, gas pumps and had them fabricated and painted in our colors.



I’m fascinated by how sets built on stages allow you to create a world and remove limitations that can occur outside in practical locations. Portals, wild walls, placement of windows and so much more – all allow flexibility and variety for the camera to capture the scene and even help enhance the visual storytelling. And even on location at the Golden Tip Gas Station, we cut through a thin steel wall to provide a camera port looking into the small front office that way incorporating the large casement windows in our shot.



ML: I have to give Buyer Ashley Rice a ton of credit for this set, she really dove deep and found amazing period sources by chatting with people on Craigslist and Ebay. We thought about the pumps first when approaching the gas station, we knew it was impossible to find four matching period ones in town, so Ashley sourced these from a company called Koolest Gas Pumps. They were great to work with and allowed us to customize the colors very specifically.

Through a Craigslist ad, she met a car enthusiast named Scott Miller who we started to call ‘our gas station unicorn’. He was just an extremely knowledgeable car guy who ended up loaning us pieces from his personal collection, some of which were great standing distributor testers and amazing hand tools that helped dress the back workbenches.

We also worked closely with David at Retro Office Furniture. He found us specific pieces that fit in the spaces we were looking to fill, and he powder coated everything for us to match. He was an invaluable resource for this set. Aside from that, a lot of the smalls came from Modernica Props, Premiere Props and Alley Cats.





Jack’s apartment...

MF: With our smaller sets we wanted to offer multiple options to shoot the design of the space. Jack’s efficiency apartment had camera portals in the bathroom, behind the mirror looking through the double-sided flat into the little kitchenette and into the living/sleeping area. That way, allowing for depth and versatility in coverage.

For the interior, I knew exactly what I wanted it to look like. I remembered ...the wheelchair-bound mother’s upstairs flat from the 1947 film noir KISS OF DEATH...the faded wallpaper from Joan Bennett’s apartment in Fritz Lang’s’ SCARLET STREET...the thick heavy plaster walls and archway details in the doorways and pass-through’s in Joe Gillis’ studio in SUNSET BOULEVARD.



ML: It was important to Matthew to stay in these monochromatic color schemes for each set and I just loved that. The amazing wallpaper that he chose for the bedroom was our accent color, so I used pops of red throughout the rest of the set. The furniture and the remainder of the dressing I kept within a palette of warmer shades of yellows and browns. It was such a fun challenge to work within those parameters and I think this set was one of the most successful one color wise.

This was the first set we dressed and the second set that was shot. Jane Madden did an amazing job pulling together the pieces for this set. The bathroom in particular was especially hard as we had to find a matching set of plumbing fixtures that the art department could then match tile too. Jane ultimately found a great set at Pasadena Architectural Salvage. The ceiling fixtures and sconces were sourced there as well.

We knew we would be in this set a lot, so I wanted it to feel as lived in as possible. We filled all the drawers, stocked the fridge and dressed the medicine cabinet. I shopped flea markets most Sunday mornings leading up to that dress and gathered most of the smalls we needed to make it feel real.





Beverly Hills Hotel Bungalow Suite

MF: We planned for flexibility from the get-go, designing and building the Beverly Hills Hotel Bungalow Suite so that we could take it apart and use it for the unknown sets that would inevitably come our way



ML: This was one of our permanent sets that we started working on from day one. I knew that I wasn’t going to easily find matching furniture that would make it feel like a cohesive hotel suite, especially for the period, so I just decided to build it all. Almost every single stick of furniture in the three- room suite was custom made, with the exception of the desk and the gold bar carts, which were from Omega Cinema Props. The desk was actually Allan Songer’s in high school and we were so grateful that he let us paint it cream, I believe it had been black since he purchased it.

I had the four matching chairs and pink sofas made based on images of period appropriate furniture I found online. We worked with Marina at Sofa U Love to build them and they were absolutely incredible. They helped me scale the pieces properly and got the curves just right, an amazing job.

The amoeba coffee table was based on a piece found at Modernica Props and the entry table and round coffee table were based on a piece found at 20th Century Props. SDM Furniture Co, found through Lead Theirry Labbe, built everything for us and in record time too.

The lamps were all vintage, sourced by Buyer Jane Madden. She also sourced incredible tone-on-tone striped fabric and ball trim that we then had made into custom lamp shades by Desert Shades. We had to scale them all before we really knew which lamps were going where… it was challenging to say the least!

What really ties these three rooms of the suite together is the amazing valances and drapery that Regina Henderson, our draper, pulled off. She came to Matthew and me with some shape ideas for the valances and the three of us unanimously chose this half circle motif. She worked incredibly hard with Omega to get the scale of the pattern right for each different window, I think I screamed with joy the first time I saw them hung.



BHH Bungalow Suite Bedroom...

ML: Omega Cinema Props built the headboard for us based on a research image Matthew found of Julie London lounging at the Beverly Hills Hotel after they had done a remodel in the 1940s. Omega also built the bench with matching biscuit tufting.

[See video for the signature wallpaper story!]





Anna Mae Wong’s apartment...

MF: For Anna Mae Wong’s garden apartment, we used the El Cabrillo Apartments in Hollywood, built by Cecil B. DeMille in 1928 to house out-of-state actors that came to work for him. The Spanish Colonial Revival Courtyard building was a popular architectural movement developing in Southern California in the early 20th century



ML: This was probably my favorite set! Matthew’s reference was Norma Desmond, and I couldn't have been more excited by his research pictures. We got to be more layered and dramatic here than we did with our other sets. The oversized metal lamp, lace curtains, the velvets and satin and carved wood furniture. I just loved all those glamorous ‘20s elements showing the time that had passed for Anna May Wong. It felt moody and dark, which was appropriate for her character and what she’d been through. Jane Madden sourced some amazing light fixtures from Revival Antiques. The slipper chairs were from 20th. Century Props and a lot of the remaining furniture was from Warner Bros. Property.





Raymond’s apartment ...

ML: This set was really fun, I got to live out my dreams of using a full Paul Frankl suite of furniture. It seemed appropriate for Hollywood hopefuls Raymond and Camille to have this modern fresh look. Maybe wanting to impress, he had hired a decorator from the studio...that was my backstory, anyway.

We got to get a little playful with all the sculptural lamps. I love that zebra one from Objects so much and I’ve always wanted to use it. Most of the pieces here were from 20th Century Props and Omega Cinema Props. The sofa and chair set were from Sony Property.





Henry Wilson’s office...

MF: Henry’s office was shot on location in the penthouse suite in the James Oviatt Building – where Oviatt actually lived and referred to it as a “cabin in the sky.” The Art Deco high rise was built in 1928 in downtown LA and is a hybrid of Art Deco and Romanesque architecture.



ML: The architecture was so strong and specific it really dictated the type of furniture that we brought in. It had to blend with the art deco building, which was kind of dark and moody, but it also had to be glossy and powerful like Henry Wilson. Ultimately the suite of Gilbert Rohde furniture from Omega Cinema Props was the perfect fit. The desk was challenging because we needed something small enough to fit in the tiny elevator (which was the only access up to the penthouse) but that would also feel important enough for the imposing character Henry was. I might have over-compensated this a little with that giant desk lamp, but I think it worked. The red leather guest chairs were from Castle Antiques and really elevated the set. All the art was from Hollywood Studio Gallery and Omega.





Henry Wilson’s House...

MF: I knew I wanted Henry Wilson’s house to be a colder environment, and immediately thought of one of my favorite homes in L.A., the Dolores del Rio house, a 1930’s Art Deco estate in Santa Monica designed by legendary Art Director Cedric Gibbons who was married to del Rio at the time. It’s a great example of Streamline Moderne/Art Deco style. Unfortunately, it was not an option for us, so my location manager found a wonderful home designed by Rudolf Schindler. Built in 1934 and known as the “Buck House,” it’s a great example of the early modernist movement.



ML: This set was one of the more challenging ones to pull together. I wanted it to feel somewhat cohesive with his office, even though the architecture of the two spaces were so different. The Paul Frankl speed sofa (from 20th Century Props) bridged that modern, Art Deco feel perfectly and we used that as a jumping off point. The amazing black and metal credenza was from Castle Antiques, their elevated pieces really were a lifesaver to us on so many different sets. The majority of the rest of the set came from Modernica Props and 20th Century Props.There was a specific note from the Director for the bedroom scene: a “bobble object” on the nightstand. It was supposed to alert Henry when Rock Hudson tries to sneak away in the morning. Buyer Ashley Rice found the most perfect sculptural art deco bell. It made such a great sound and was so perfect for the shot, I think we got more complaints from the crew on that bell than anything else we did the rest of the show.





George Cukor Estate...

ML: This was one of the famous Cottages on the Cukor Estate. Matthew and I both really enjoyed doing this set. We were discussing styles of furniture together once and he described early American as “you know, in I Love Lucy when Lucy moves to the country” I knew we’d be an amazing team after that moment. This was the sophisticated version of Lucy in the country, and he had to reign me in a little bit. I can go full early American very fast!



MF: For the George Cukor house we used two different locations and eventually two builds on stage to make the entire party scene work. For the interior scenes we used a beautiful Hollywood Regency style home in Beverly Hills designed by Paul Williams, the first African American in the AIA (American Institute of Architects). For the exterior pool/tennis court scenes, we used a 1930’s mansion in Pasadena. As new pages came, the party scene continued to grow and suddenly we needed a cottage and a guest house . George Cukor’s home had three guest houses designed by the great Hollywood Regency architect John Woolf; one of which Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy lived in. Finding locations that would fit the bill proved to be difficult for many reasons. In the end, we cashed in our “get of jail card” and reconfigured our Beverly Hills Bungalow set by splitting it in half and converting the halves into the cottage on one side and the guest house on the other.



George Cukor Estate Cottage...

ML: Matthew and I both really enjoyed doing this set. We were discussing styles of furniture together once and he described Early American as “you know, in I LOVE LUCY when Lucy moves to the country” I knew we’d be an amazing team after that moment. This was the sophisticated version of Lucy in the country, and he had to reign me in a little bit. I can go full Early American very fast!





Credits:

Melissa Licht thankfully acknowledges these SDSA Business Members:

20th Century Props

Alley Cats

Alpha Companies Motion Picture Rentals

EC Prop Rentals

Faux Library Studio Props

Green Set

History For Hire

Hollywood Cinema Arts

Hollywood Studio Gallery

Jackson Shrub

LCW Props

Lennie Marvin’s Prop Heaven

Modern Props (RIP!)

Modernica Props

Objects

Omega Cinema Props

Practical Props

Premiere Props

RC Vintage

Sandy Rose Floral, Inc.

Sony Pictures Studio Property

Town & Country Event Rentals

Universal Studio Property

Warner Bros. Studio Property



Retail:Bentley Global Arts, Cash and Carry Office Products, Castle Antiques, Desert Shades, Etsy, F&S Fabrics, Fantasy Lighting, Goodnight and Company, Hotel Surplus, King Richards Antiques, Long Beach Antique Mall,

Melrose Gallery, Pasadena Antique Center and Annex, Pasadena Architectural Salvage, Rejuvenation, Retro Office, Revival Antiques, SDM Furniture Co, Savon Appliance, Sherman Oaks Antique Mall, Sofa-U-Love, The Vermont Country Store, Wertz Brothers





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