Benjamin A. Resella

Born in Manila, Philippines, art director and motion picture scenic artist Benjamin Resella found his way into Hollywood when he was headhunted by Local 816 business agent Clayton Thompson from the San Francisco Opera to work with John H. Coakley to solve a perspective question on a façade for 20th Century Fox’s ambitious film, Hello Dolly! (1969).

Resella learned the art of scenic design from his grandfather, painter Juan Henson Abelardo. He began apprenticing as a scenic artist at 15, learning and becoming an expert in the principles of perspective. It would become the key to his success in Hollywood. Resella joined 20th Century Fox to complete Hello Dolly! and was made scenic art and design supervisor, preparing all the drawings for the needs of Fox and J.C. Backings, from 1968-1987. His credits include Earthquake (1974), The Towering Inferno (1983), Tora Tora Tora (1970), Battlestar Galactica (1978), Star Trek (1968), History of the World Part I (1981), and On a Clear Day you can See Forever (1970).