Origins & Early Life

William Gold (January 3, 1921 – May 20, 2018) was an American graphic designer best known for thousands of film poster designs. During his 70-year career, Gold worked with some of Hollywood's greatest filmmakers, including Laurence Olivier, Clint Eastwood, Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick, Elia Kazan, and Ridley Scott. His first poster was for Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942), and his final work was for J. Edgar (2011).

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Among Gold's most famous posters are those for Casablanca, The Exorcist and The Sting. William Gold was born on January 3, 1921, in Brooklyn, the son of Rose (née Sachs) and Paul Gold. After graduating from Samuel J. Tilden High School, he won a scholarship and studied illustration and design at Pratt Institute in New York. In 1941, he married Pearl Damses.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

They had two children and later divorced. Gold began his professional design career in 1941, in the advertising department of Warner Bros. His first poster was for the James Cagney musical feature film Yankee Doodle Dandy in 1942, followed soon after by the poster for Casablanca. He was then drafted into the US Army where he was involved in the production of training films. Following...

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