About the CBS Sunday Morning Feature

CBS Sunday Morning explores the history of Hollywood’s hand-painted movie backdrops and the artists who created them. Correspondent John Blackstone follows the Backdrop Recovery Project, an effort to preserve these monumental paintings before they disappear. The feature includes interviews with Karen Maness, coauthor of The Art of the Hollywood Backdrop; Lynne Coakley of JC Backings; production designer Tom Walsh; and Los Angeles Times columnist Mary McNamara.

The report explains how scenic artists transformed soundstages into convincing cities, landscapes, and imaginary worlds decades before digital effects. Although audiences rarely noticed these paintings, they became an essential part of many classic films. Karen Maness describes them as some of the largest paintings ever created by exceptionally skilled artists whose contributions often went unrecognized.

What You’ll Learn

The segment visits JC Backings, whose collection includes painted backdrops created for films such as The Wizard of Oz, The Sound of Music, North by Northwest, Ben-Hur, Forbidden Planet, and Singin’ in the Rain. Viewers also learn how many studio backdrops were discarded during the 1970s and 1980s before preservation efforts began.

In addition, the feature follows the Backdrop Recovery Project as it documents and places surviving backdrops in museums, universities, and cultural institutions. Karen Maness explains how these historic paintings now serve as teaching tools, while Tom Walsh reflects on giving these remarkable works of art a new life beyond the film industry.

Watch the Feature

Watch the complete CBS Sunday Morning report to learn how painted scenic backdrops shaped Hollywood filmmaking and why preservation efforts continue to protect these extraordinary works of cinematic history.