Behind the Scenes : Drew Struzan’s first film poster
In 1975, I was busy working on marketing materials for motion pictures being released from almost all the Hollywood studios.
At Seiniger and Associates, where I was an art director, we were given “The Black Bird” motion picture project to create the poster and ads.
This was a re-issue film based on the original that starred Humphrey Bogart. The new one starred George Segal.
I had seen Drew Struzan’s artwork on Sunset Blvd. and wanted to use him on a previous film, but he was a staff illustrator and was not available.
About six months after my initial contact with him, he called me up and said he had left the art studio where he was employed and was freelancing. I asked him to come over right away.
Our first meeting was delightful. He was such a gentleman and was eager to work on a film project. He was able to duplicate the style of a famous magazine illustrator named J. C. Leyendecker.
I asked him if he could do the Black Bird poster art in the Leyendecker style and he said, “Yes.”
About 3-4 days later he came into my office and showed the sketch to me and I was blown away by how accurate his likenesses of the actors were, which at that time was something difficult for most other illustrators to do and for us to sell to the studios. Drew seemed to have no problem with that at all!
The poster art represents exactly what his initial sketch depicted and the Columbia Pictures loved it.
From there on, I gave him a series of other film projects to work along with other posters he was doing for the other studios.
Two days ago I read about the passing of this great artist and wonderful man. Having known and worked with him was something I will always cherish.
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