Hutton Wilkinson * Tony Duquette Inc. is a full service interior design firm based in Beverly Hills with current projects in Los Angeles, New York, Palm Beach and Thailand with completed projects in Paris, Venice, Hawaii and Saudi Arabia.
Ziegfeld Follies, 1945
Stars Fred Astaire and Lucille Bremer in front of Duquette gesso figures.
One of the figural candelabra created by Duquette for the ball room “This Heart of Mine” sequence. The sequence starred Fred Astaire and Lucille Bremer and was directed by Vincente Minnelli and produced by Arthur Freed.
“This heart of mine” sequence starring Lucille Bremer and Fred Astaire. The sets and props are by Tony Duquette who was commissioned by Vincente Minnelli and Arthur Freed. Duquette was in the army at the time of this commission and he would send miniature figurines to MGM to be made into the giant 28 foot tall figures that surround the rotunda
ballroom at the rear of this shot. On his leave from the army Duquette would motor over to MGM from Fort Mcarthur in San Pedro where he was stationed in the camouflage division to see his miniature work being translated by the art department. Duquette could not believe his eyes when he saw the MGM artisans recreating his figurines exactly to the smallest detail including the bits of lace around the figures wrists and throats. Just dip an old lace tablecloth in plaster and put it up there Duquette would say but not at all… the MGM artisans would copy his work exactly cutting out balsa wood lace and painting it to look like plaster! Duquette created the white papier mâché and gesso trees which the dancers are using as props and studded them with mirrors to catch the light as the dance floor revolves.
One of the figural candelabra created by Duquette for the ball room “This Heart of Mine” sequence. The sequence starred Fred Astaire and Lucille Bremer and was directed by Vincente Minnelli and produced by Arthur Freed.
Duquette with one of his gesso figurines.
One of the figural candelabra created by Duquette for the ball room “This Heart of Mine” sequence. The sequence starred Fred Astaire and Lucille Bremer and was directed by Vincente Minnelli and produced by Arthur Freed.