James J. Murakami – Emmy-winning art director for Deadwood – passes away at 91
The production world is in mourning on Thursday, with the news that Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated art director James J. Murakami has passed away.
Murakami is best known for his Emmy-winning work as art director on HBO’s Deadwood and his many collaborations with Clint Eastwood.
He died December 15 at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles after complications from a fall, his wife Ginger confirmed to the hollywood reporter.
RIP: The production world is in mourning on Thursday, with the news that Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated art director James J. Murakami has passed away.
Murakami was born in June 1931 in Sacramento, California, and spent most of his childhood in Campbell, California.
He and his family were buried in a war relocation camp during World War II, and after the war ended, he moved to Venice, California.
He attended Venice High School and later studied at the Chouinard Art Institute, honing his skills to achieve his goal of designing for motion pictures.
Birth: Murakami was born in June 1931 in Sacramento, California, and spent most of his childhood in Campbell, California.
With no connections to his name, he began working for architects as a draftsman and consultant.
He got his start in motion and television with a job at ZIV Studio, where he spent several years in various art departments.
His first film job was as an assistant art director to Dean Tavoularis on The Godfather: Part II in 1974, whom he also assisted on 1979’s Apocalypse Now.
Connections: With no connections to his name, he began working for architects as a draftsman and consultant.
He also served as art director on episodes of Battlestar Galactica in 1979 and other hit movies like WarGames, Beverly Hills Cop, Midnight Run, True Romance, Crimson Tide, The Game, and Enemy of the State, before winning an Emmy for his art. . address in HBO’s Deadwood.
Murakami also served as set designer for production designer/art director Henry Burnstead on Clint Eastwood’s 1992 classic Western Unforgiven, which began a long-standing relationship with the director.
He also served as art director on Eastwood’s 1997 film Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil before beginning his career as a production designer on 2006’s Letters From Iwo Jima.
Art Director: He also served as art director on episodes of Battlestar Galactica in 1979 and other hit movies like WarGames, Beverly Hills Cop, Midnight Run, True Romance, Crimson Tide, The Game, and Enemy of the State, before earning a Emmy. for his art direction on HBO’s Deadwood
Murakami earned a lone Oscar nomination for his work as production designer on 2008’s Changeling, becoming Eastwood’s regular designer.
They worked together on 2008’s Gran Torino, 2009’s Invictus, 2010’s Hereafter, 2011’s J. Edgar, 2012’s Trouble With the Curve, 2014’s Jersey Boys and American Sniper, and 2016’s Sully, after which he retired, winning the Art Directors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018. .
Murakami is survived by his wife of 34 years, Ginger, daughter Patricia, and stepsons John and Sandee.
Lifetime: They worked together on 2008’s Gran Torino, 2009’s Invictus, 2010’s Hereafter, 2011’s J. Edgar, 2012’s Trouble With the Curve, 2014’s Jersey Boys and American Sniper, and 2016’s Sully, after which they split up. retired, winning the Art Directors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018