Stephen B. Grimes - Work As Sketch Artist or Draughtsman

Work As Sketch Artist or Draughtsman

After leaving art school Grimes was told that they were employing sketch-artists at Denham Studios. He went along with a portfolio of work and was taken on. Carmen Dillon took him ‘under her wing’ and he also worked alongside Oliver Messel, Vertchinsky, Paul Sheriff, Hein Heckroth, Ivor Beddoes, John Box and Ralph Brinton. From mid 40s to mid 50s Grimes worked as a sketch artist or draughtsman on a variety of films made at Denham and Pinewood Studios including:

  • Henry V, 1944 (d: Laurence Olivier) SG designed the posters
  • Caesar and Cleopatra, 1945 (d: Gabriel Pascal) SG sketch artist
  • Carnival, 1946 (d: Stanley Haynes) SG draughtsman
  • Temptation Harbour, 1946 (d: Lance Comfort) SG sketch artist
  • Vice Versa, 1947 (d: Peter Ustinov) SG draughtsman
  • Trottie True, 1948 (d: Brian Desmond Hurst)
  • The Rocking Horse Winner, 1949 (d: Anthony Pélissier) SG draughtsman
  • Give Us This Day, 1949 (d: Edward Dmytryk)
  • The Story of Robin Hood and His Merry Men, 1951–52 (d: Ken Annakin) SG sketch artist
  • Moulin Rouge, 1952 (d: John Huston) SG copied Toulouse-Lautrec paintings and posters used in the film.
  • Crimson Pirate, 1952 (d: Robert Siodmak) SG set-up/sketch artist. Went to Ischia on location.
  • Rob Roy the Highland Rogue, 1953 (d: Harold French) SG set-up/continuity sketches
  • The Sword and the Rose, 1953 (d: Ken Annakin) SG set-up/continuity sketches
  • The Million Pound Note, 1953 (d: Ronald Neame) SG sketch artist
  • The Black Knight, 1954 (d: Tay Garnett) SG sketch artist
  • Attila the Hun, 1954 (d: Pietro Francesci) SG special effects and matte shots
  • Svengali, 1954 (d: Noel Langley) SG copied the paintings of Hildergard Neff
  • The Bespoke Overcoat, 1955 (short d: Jack Clayton)
  • The Iron Petticoat, 1956 (d: Ralph Thomas)
  • Moby Dick, 1956 (d: John Huston) SG: Assistant Art Director – SG’s first screen credit. AD was Ralph Brinton

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