Talk:Edith Head

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Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina[edit]

I'm deleting Sabrina for this list because while Head did design other costumes on the picture, the dresses Hepburn wore were designed by Hubert Givenchy. See here, and here. PedanticallySpeaking 16:20, Sep 11, 2004 (UTC)

In order to save an edit to this page, I had to remove the second of the three links that PedanticallySpeaking had listed, because the Wikipedia software has since blacklisted the domain in which that link was located (due to the domain's association with spyware, apparently). However, I can say that TCM is another source of mentions for the controversy over Head's getting exclusive credit for work that included Givenchy's designs. Lawikitejana 19:28, 21 December 2006 (UTC)[reply]

The Incredibles[edit]

Though I have not seen the film, I would object to the graf as its writer and director, Brad Bird, has refused to indentify who, if anyone, is the inspiration for the character Edna Mode. See "Glasses Menagerie" by Steve Daly, Entertainment Weekly #793, November 19, 2004, page 22. Daly has a long list of suspects besides Head, including Anna Wintour, Coco Chanel, Lotte Lenya, Philip Johnson, Robert Evans, Swifty Lazar, Lew Wasserman, Carrie Donovan, and Isaac Mizrahi. Miss Mode may very well resemble Miss Head, but since Bird is denying it, I think it should be cut. PedanticallySpeaking 17:02, Nov 27, 2004 (UTC)

  • This was the graf in question, which I removed as of this date:
  • Edith Head's personality and mannerisms were caricatured in the 2004 Pixar/Disney computer-animated film, The Incredibles. The round glasses and assertive personality of the film's fictional superhero costume designer Edna Mode are in direct homage to Head's legendary accomplishments and style. PedanticallySpeaking 21:12, Dec 14, 2004 (UTC)

I was the original author of that section, and it seems somewhat clear to me that Edna Mode is a direct caricature of Edith Head; her name is similar, her small stature is similar, her job is similar (creating costumes), her glasses are similar, and her attitude is similar. Would you be willing to put the section back if it's added that it's only a possible (although very likely) connection, and that Brad Bird will not confirm or deny it? --Che Fox 08:09, 15 Dec 2004 (UTC)

  • That works for me. Preface it with some weasel language about To many viewers, Mode resembles Head, etc, etc, etc and note Brad Bird denies it. Glad to see people are paying attention to my edits. PedanticallySpeaking 15:24, Dec 15, 2004 (UTC)
  • Done. Let me know what you think. --Che Fox 17:29, 15 Dec 2004 (UTC)
Just a note -- Edith Head died in 1981. Brad Bird was 24 at that time and he had only been working in Hollywood for about a year. I don't think it's a given he based the character on her. He missed her entire career. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 155.246.19.106 (talk) 13:42, 28 October 2013 (UTC)[reply]
We all know pretty well how e. g. Alfred Hitchcock looked and acted, without having worked in Hollywood at all. There are documentaries, anecdotes, etc... First-hand knowledge is nowhere implied. -- megA (talk) 18:59, 7 January 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Searchlight[edit]

So the Searchlight, Nevada article claims Edith Head as a notable native, but there is no reference to Searchlight here. Which article needs correction? Jim 03:32, 13 November 2006 (UTC)[reply]

(I see that this article has been modified to include a Searchlight reference, which is correct. It's discussed here, though this is not a reference in this article: http://books.google.com/books?id=2b9aEAtOkv4C&pg=PA127&lpg=PA127&dq=%22edith+head%22+searchlight&source=bl&ots=xEuWnllIMT&sig=BsyKFsE4qwZ19PJDuBECbC9D6iY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=AYtuUqy6OYHViwLW8ICYBg&ved=0CFMQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=%22edith%20head%22%20searchlight&f=false ) Srnelson (talk) 16:11, 28 October 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Sexual orientation[edit]

I am not an expert of Head's life or in human sexuality, but while reading the trivia line "While the designer did not confirm or deny her sexuality in the interview, gossip about Head from other sources such as actress Elsa Lanchester, reportedly herself a lesbian, has led some to claim that Head was also homosexual", it seemed to me that she perhaps should be referred to as a bisexual, since she was clearly married to two men during many years. I have seen some controversy about the distinction between homosexualism and bisexualism in other articles in Wikipedia. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Acmejia (talk • contribs) 04:08, 15 January 2008 (UTC)[reply]

The Oscar[edit]

Edith Head appeared in The Oscar as herself in a cameo role. This is currently not noted in the article. Did she also receive an award for costume design for the same movie, or just a nomination? David Spector (talk) 15:49, 25 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Marriage[edit]

The biographical info box under Head's picture states she was married to Charles Head from 1923-1938 whereas the text of the entry states they divorced in 1936. Is this discrepancy also found in various sources or did an editor simply make a mistake?74.138.45.132 (talk) 01:21, 26 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]


This section also has a huge omission: she was later married for almost 40 years to Wiard Ihnen (1940–1979) [see Spouse box] but the Marriage section omits all mention of him. The page is protected so I cannot fix it. Please unprotect it -- is there continuing vandalism here? -- or allow someone to enter this information. Thanks. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 155.246.19.106 (talk) 13:32, 28 October 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Posthumous references[edit]

There's a semi-contradiction in the article. The "Universal Years" section contains this:

"Her last film project was the black-and-white comedy Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid, starring Steve Martin and Carl Reiner. For the production, she re-created fashions of the 1940s, extensively referencing the film clips from classic film noir motion pictures. It was released shortly after her death and dedicated to her memory."

The "Posthumous References" section contains this:

"The parody film Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982) used scenes from films using Head's designs. A dedication to her and her work was included during the credits, listing it as her "final film"."

The former states that she did the costumes for the film's new scenes, but the latter only references clips taken from other films. I do not know the facts here, so I'm not going to make a change, but someone more knowledgeable should probably reconcile the two.

Djkuula (talk) 12:54, 28 October 2013 (UTC)[reply]

She did costumes for the film as well as for the older films. -- megA (talk) 19:02, 7 January 2014 (UTC)[reply]

To some viewers, the character Hetty Lange on CBS' NCIS LA played by Linda Hunt, is also an homage to Head. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.61.15.11 (talk) 19:24, 28 October 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Edit request on 28 October 2013[edit]

Please change address on Walk of Fame from 6969 Hollywood Blvd to 6504 Hollywood Blvd. per List of Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Wikipedia 184.66.156.56 (talk) 14:39, 28 October 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Done. Thanks. --Stfg (talk) 15:22, 28 October 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Oscar wins/nominations[edit]

I was surprised to read at the bottom of the article that Head's 35 Oscar noms and 8 wins is not just "more than any other designer" as stated in the lead, but more than any other woman, period. Shouldn't that be in the introductory part of this article?Rkaufman13 (talk) 15:59, 28 October 2013 (UTC)[reply]

PLEASE CHANGE: Edith received a bachelor of arts degree in letters and sciences with honors in French from the University of California, Berkeley in 1919, and earned a master of arts degree in romance languages from Stanford University[2] in 1920. TO: Edith received a bachelor of arts degree in letters and sciences with honors in French from the University of California, Berkeley in 1919, where she was a member of the Mu chapter of Delta Zeta Sorority. (She was named Delta Zeta 1968 Woman of the Year.) She earned a master of arts degree in romance languages from Stanford University[2] in 1920. http://www.deltazeta.org/aboutus/womenofachivement/entertainmentsportsandthemedia This page is protected and since I just established a user account today, I am not allowed to make any changes to the page yet. Please add this biographical enhancement and correct some of the errors noted above, also (especially because so many people are viewing this page with today's Google Doodle being devoted to her 116th birthday!) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Drmrsmom (talk • contribs) 16:57, 28 October 2013 (UTC)[reply]

External links modified[edit]

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Consistency, please[edit]

…she was nominated for 35 Academy Awards, annually from 1948… through 1966…

But then

In 1974, Head received a final Oscar win for her work on The Sting.

They can't both be right. Valetude (talk) 20:22, 10 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]

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