Hollywood sketched out

Young Chang

Artist Dan Sayre Groesbeck and director Cecil B. DeMille

understood one another in the complete and creative way that is

required for great collaborative art. DeMille would tell Groesbeck

about an idea, a vision, a “look” for a scene in a movie, and

Groesbeck would realize those thoughts into sketches. These sketches

would be incorporated into movies. The movies would become American

classics -- “The Ten Commandments,” “Samson and Delilah” and others.

Though the preparatory drawings and watercolors were seen as

throwaway art during the 1920s through 1940s, and though many works

by other such Hollywood illustrators are lost today, Groesbeck’s

pieces were preserved by DeMille.

A selection of Groesbeck’s work hangs at the Orange County Museum

of Art through Oct. 6. “Destined for Hollywood: The Art of Dan Sayre

Groesbeck” shows his collaborations with DeMille on such films as

“Samson and Delilah,” “Reap the Wild Wind,” “The Buccaneer,” “King of

Kings” and “Unconquered.”

“And it’s because of Cecil B. DeMille’s love for his work,” said

Sarah Vure, curator at the museum, about how the work got preserved.

Vure brought the show to Newport Beach from the Santa Barbara

Museum of Art, which offered a much larger, retrospective view of

Groesbeck’s art, including his earlier, non-Hollywood pieces. The

curator said she saw fit to select from only the film-related works,

as Southern California is the home of film.

Vure agreed that the Newport Beach show gives visitors a chance to

“rediscover the artist.” The exhibit of more than 50 paintings and

drawings includes several freeze-framed photographs that mirror the

movie scene Groesbeck drew. In the case of Groesbeck’s character

sketch of Feodor, from the movie “The Volga Boatman,” the actual

photo of the actor shows a character almost identical in costume,

aura and personality. The painting of a giant squid for DeMille’s

“Reap the Wild Wind” resulted also in the identical film version of

the sea creature.

“In each case, you can see how closely the directors and

cinematographers did rely on these sketches,” Vure said.

Vure credits Groesbeck’s extensive research for each project, his

love for detail and his rare connection with DeMille for producing

realistic sketches.

One story that proves the success of the two men’s partnership was

written by DeMille’s granddaughter Cecilia in the preface to the

show’s catalog. The director wanted to make “Samson and Delilah.”

Hollywood was less than thrilled to make a movie out of a Bible

story. But Groesbeck’s dashing and sexy character sketches of the

title roles are said to have captivated backers enough to change

their minds.

Cecilia DeMille also quotes a line from her grandfather’s

autobiography explaining that he so valued the work of Groesbeck

because the sketches left no room for “the misunderstandings which

can arise when one depends upon words alone for the description of

anything.”

Vure added that Groesbeck, who died in 1950, had the ability to

create “drama” with the use of lightness and darkness, which worked

well in the age of black and white films.

His pieces hang in a room across from the museum’s permanent

collection and its biennial exhibition of very contemporary work.

Though created as sketches to help with set design, Groesbeck’s works

stand alone as nothing short of fine art.

“For many years, commercial art illustrations were considered

second class to the fine art of painting and sculpture,” Vure said.

“But in contemporary art, these boundaries have been broken down.”

The museum will also present, to correspond with the Groesbeck

show, part one of DeMille’s “The Ten Commandments” today as part of

its Friday Night Film series. The showing will start at 6:30 p.m.