Loading AI tools
Canadian production designer (1881-1951) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fred Gabourie (September 19, 1881 - March 1, 1951)[1] was a technical director and department head.
Fred Gabourie | |
---|---|
Born | Fred Gabourie September 19, 1881 Tweed, Ontario, Canada |
Died | March 1, 1951 69) Hollywood, California, U.S. | (aged
Occupations |
|
Years active | c.1918–1951 |
Gabourie was born in Tweed, Ontario, Canada. He was a member of the Seneca Indian tribe.[1] He served in the Spanish–American War.[2]
He worked primarily for Buster Keaton, figuring out how to make Keaton's innovative stunts work. As one author put it, "Fred Gabourie had the most interesting job in the world: He solved problems for Buster Keaton."[3] As technical director, he was responsible for set design, construction, props management, and location scouting.[3] During this time, he designed the electric house in The Electric House, which featured an automated staircase, library, swimming pool, and dining room.[4] He located and purchased the ship for The Navigator. Only after Gabourie found the ship and suggested to Keaton that it would be a great prop to build a movie around did Keaton and his staff come up with a script.[5] Gabourie also worked out how to accomplish the famous stunt in Steamboat Bill, Jr. in which the front of a house (weighing two tons) falls on Keaton without harming him.[6]
Keaton and Gabourie, working with an architect, co-designed Keaton's lavish Beverly Hills mansion, eventually called the Italian Villa.[7]
Gabourie was also responsible for the ships in the silent version of The Sea Hawk.[1]
Gabourie went to MGM with Keaton but worked on just one picture with him (The Cameraman) before MGM promoted him to construction superintendent, a position he held until he died.[8]
Gabourie's son, Fred Gabourie Jr., played some small parts in film and on TV, but eventually became a judge.[9]
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.