Behind the Scenes of The Great Waldo Pepper
In 1975, I had the incredible opportunity to work on a film starring the legendary Robert Redford – The Great Waldo Pepper. This movie has always held a special place in my heart.
Waldo Pepper himself was inspired by a blend of real-life barnstormers, including Ormer Locklear (1891–1920), Speed Holman (1898–1931), and Earl Daugherty (1887–1928). Their daring feats and photographs even appear in the opening credits, paying tribute to the fearless aviators of the past.
One of my responsibilities was designing the logo for the movie poster. Back then, logo design meant working on tracing paper, carefully sketching and refining each detail. When it was time to produce a finished version, I worked with a gentleman named Jim Wood, a true lettering craftsman. Jim would take my design and transform it into a polished version on illustration board, complete with a tissue flap and a black flap made of heavy-weight poster paper – a painstaking process that produced beautiful results.
The poster’s illustration itself was painted by the incredibly talented Gary Meyer, an artist I had the pleasure of collaborating with on many film posters. His skill brought our vision to life, creating imagery that perfectly captured the spirit of Waldo Pepper.
Looking back, I feel so fortunate to have been part of this project. I am endlessly grateful for the chance to contribute to this film and so many others during that era – it was a remarkable time, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Leave A Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.