Albert Wolsky
About
Biography
Filmography
Notes
Wolsky has been a guest artist/lecturer at California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, CA
Biography
After working for nearly a decade as a travel agent, Albert Wolsky decided to follow his dream and pursue a career which married his interests in theater and fashion. He began his career creating costumes for a number of stage productions including "Generation" (1964) and the musical "Your Own Thing" (1968-69). Wolsky entered films with "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter" (1968) and first garnered notice for "Lenny" (1974), directed by Bob Fosse. He went on to create the costumes for Fosse's "All That Jazz" (1979), which brought him his first Oscar, and "Star 80" (1983). Wolsky has had a long working relationship with Paul Mazursky that began with "Harry and Tonto" (1974) and has encompassed his recreation of 40s and 50s New York ("Next Stop, Greenwich Village" 1976; "Enemies, A Love Story" 1989). While he has generally specialized in contemporary clothing, he has also designed a number of successful period films, ranging from the 50s high school look of "Grease" (1978) to the highly stylized 40s costumes of "Bugsy" (1991), for which he earned his second Academy Award. More recently, Wolsky handled the look of contemporary China in "Red Corner" and the chameleon changes for Bruce Willis in "The Jackal" (both 1997).
Filmography
Costume-Wardrobe (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Costume-Wardrobe (Special)
Life Events
1960
At age 30, decided to pursue a career as a theatrical costume designer
1964
First Broadway credit, "Generation"
1968
First feature as costume designer, "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter"
1971
Recreated stage designs for the film version of "Little Murders"
1974
First collaboration with Paul Mazursky, "Harry and Tonto"
1974
Initial screen collaboration with Bob Fosse, "Lenny"
1976
Sole TV credit, designed costumes for the "Hallmark Hall of Fame" production of "Beauty and the Beast"; earned an Emmy nomination
1978
Designed the 1950s fashions for "Grease"
1979
Won first Academy Award for Bob Fosse's "All That Jazz"
1982
Dressed Meryl Streep in both "Still of the Night" and "Sophie's Choice"; earned second Academy Award nomination for the latter
1985
Received third Academy Award nomination for "The Journey of Natty Gann"
1989
Designed clothing for two Susan Seidelman films, "Cookie" and "She-Devil"; the latter co-starring Meryl Streep
1991
Won second Academy Award for the Barry Levinson directed, "Bugsy"
1992
Again collaborated with Barry Levinson for "Toys"; earned fifth Academy Award nomination
1996
First collaboration with director Jon Avnet, "Up Close and Personal"
1997
Created the costumes for two films starring Richard Gere, "Red Corner" (directed by Jon Avnet) and "The Jackal" (directed by Michael Caton-Jones)
1999
Was the costume designer for "Galaxy Quest"
2002
Designed costumes for the Sam Mendes directed, "Road to Perdition"
2005
Again collaborated with Mendes for "Jarhead"
2007
Designed costumes for Julie Taymor's "Across the Universe"; earned sixth Academy Award nomination
2008
Again collaborated with Sam Mendes, to design the costumes for "Revolutionary Road"; earned seventh Academy Award nomination
Videos
Trailer
Bibliography
Notes
Wolsky has been a guest artist/lecturer at California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, CA
