Roy Christopher
{{Short description|American art director and production designer (1935–2021)}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Roy Christopher
|birth_name = Roy Christopher Hergenroeder
|birth_date = {{birth date|1935|12|27}}
|birth_place = Fresno, California, U.S.
|death_date = {{death date and age|2021|02|02|1935|12|27}}
|death_place = West Hollywood, California, U.S.
|alma mater = California State University
|occupation = Art director, production designer
|spouse = Dorothy Christopher{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/roy-christopher-celebrated-tv-production-designer-and-art-director-dies-at-85-4129159/|title=Roy Christopher, Celebrated TV Production Designer and Art Director, Dies at 85|first=Mike|last=Barnes|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=February 8, 2021|access-date=June 13, 2021}}
}}
Roy Christopher Hergenroeder (December 27, 1935 – February 2, 2021) was an American art director and production designer.
Early life
Christopher, the son of a farmer, was born Roy Christopher Hergenroeder in Fresno, California. Christopher received a bachelor's degree from California State University in 1957. The university awarded him an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree in 2007.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2021/artisans/news/roy-christopher-dead-dies-production-designer-1234902658/amp/|title=Roy Christopher, Famed Production Designer Behind Tony Awards, Oscars and ‘Murphy Brown,’ Dies at 85|first=Jazz|last=Tangcay|work=Variety|date=February 7, 2021|access-date=June 13, 2021}}
Career
Christopher began his career in 1970, as art director on the television series The Name of the Game.
In 1976 received his first nomination for a Primetime Emmy award for his art directing work on the television special The Legendary Curse of the Hope Diamond.{{Cite web|url=https://www.emmys.com/bios/roy-christopher|title=Roy Christopher|work=Television Academy|access-date=June 13, 2021}} He won his first Emmy in 1978 for The Richard Pryor Show.
From 1979 onwards Christopher was art director and production designer for the Academy Awards. He also worked on the Grammy Awards and Emmy Awards specials.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/02/roy-christopher-dead-obituary-production-designer-art-director-was-85-1234689772/amp/|title=Roy Christopher Dies: Emmy-Winning Production Designer & Art Director Was 85|first=Greg|last=Evans|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=February 8, 2021|access-date=June 13, 2021}} Between 1981 and 2008, he won eight Emmy Awards for his work on the Oscar ceremonies, also winning in 2004 for Frasier.
In 1984 Christopher was designer for the Broadway production of the play A Woman of Independent Means.{{Cite web|url=https://www.playbill.com/playbillpagegallery/inside-playbill?asset=00000150-ac7c-d16d-a550-ec7ec6870004&type=InsidePlaybill&slide=1|title=A Woman of Independent Means - Opening Night|page=62|website=Playbill|access-date=June 13, 2021}} He also worked on television programs including Growing Pains, Murphy Brown, Wings, NewsRadio, Just Shoot Me! and Becker.
In 2017, Christopher was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/television-academy-hall-of-fame-2017-shonda-rhimes-john-wells-1202587661/amp/|title=Shonda Rhimes, John Wells Among TV Academy’s Hall of Fame Inductees|first=Taryn|last=Nobil|work=Variety|date=October 12, 2017|access-date=June 13, 2021}}
Death
Christopher died in his sleep at his home in West Hollywood, California, at the age of 85.
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|0160618}}
- {{IBDB name|26085}}
- [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/roy_christopher/ Rotten Tomatoes profile]
- [https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/interviews/roy-christopher/ Television Academy profile]
{{2017 Television Hall of Fame}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Christopher, Roy}}
Category:American art directors
Category:American production designers
Category:California State University, Fresno alumni