Wilbur and Warren Ferrell

Wilbur and Warren Ferrell

The Wilbur and Warren Ferrell story is unique in Hollywood scenic art because the identical twin brothers built nearly every stage of their careers together. Rather than becoming known as individual artists, they established a reputation as a painting team whose collaboration took them to nearly every major Hollywood studio.

As one brother was right-handed and the other left-handed, they often joked that they could begin painting at opposite ends of a backdrop and meet perfectly in the middle. Throughout their careers, the Ferrell brothers worked for Fox, MGM, Zoetrope, Desilu, Warner Bros., Paramount, Columbia, Universal, and other studios.

Early Careers and Scenic Art Training

While working for Bill Jekel at Coast Backings, the brothers received pivotal training from two MGM-trained scenic artists. Wilbur assisted Duncan Spencer, while Warren assisted Bob Oberbeck. This mentorship helped shape their skills and prepared them for careers in scenic art.

Their early film credits include Devil at 4 O’Clock (1961), Five Finger Exercise (1962), Irma la Douce (1963), Ship of Fools (1965), Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967), and 1776 (1972).

Hollywood Scenic Artists

The Wilbur and Warren Ferrell partnership extended beyond motion pictures. The brothers worked for James McCann at Grosh & Sons on Disneyland attractions including Pirates of the Caribbean and It’s a Small World.

Later, Warren became the lead scenic artist for the Pat Boone Chevrolet Showroom and Bette Midler’s television series Bette. Meanwhile, Wilbur became department head at Coast Backings and business agent for IATSE Local 816 in 1977.

Wilbur later negotiated with Paramount to obtain its scenic paint frames and founded Pyramid Scenic Corporation. Warren joined the company, and together they painted productions around the world until Warren’s death in 1992. Their shared credits at Pyramid Scenic Corporation include The Golden Child (1986), Coming to America (1988), Explorers (1985), and Star Trek (1996) with Herman Zimmerman.

Ferrell, Wilbur (scenic artist). 2013. Interview with Karen L. Maness for the Art Directors Guild Oral History Project, Isackes, Richard M., Maness, Karen L. 2016. The Art of the Hollywood Backdrop, ReganArts.