Michael C. Gross facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michael C. Gross
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Gross, September 17, 2014
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| Born | October 3, 1945 |
| Died | November 16, 2015 (aged 70) Oceanside, California, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Known for | film producer, artist, graphic designer |
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Notable work
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Ghostbusters |
Michael C. Gross (born October 3, 1945 – died November 16, 2015) was a talented American artist, designer, and movie producer. He was well-known for his creative work. From 1970 to 1974, he was the art director for National Lampoon magazine. Later, he helped run a design company.
In 1980, Michael Gross began working in Hollywood. He is probably best remembered for creating the famous logo for the movie Ghostbusters. He designed this logo with Brent Boates, based on an idea from Dan Aykroyd. He also worked as a producer or executive producer on 11 different films.
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Early Life and Design Work
Michael Gross started his career in design. He was a designer for the 1968 Summer Olympics held in Mexico City. He also worked as the art director for EYE magazine.
Working at National Lampoon
Michael Gross became the art director for National Lampoon magazine in 1970. His first work for the magazine appeared in November 1970. This was the "Nostalgia" issue.
One of his most famous pieces was the cover for the January 1973 "Death" issue. He created the memorable cover titled "If You Don't Buy This Magazine, We'll Kill This Dog." You can see an image of this cover in the main National Lampoon article.
Starting a Design Company
In 1974, Michael Gross left National Lampoon. He then started his own company called Pellegrini, Kaestle, & Gross, Inc. Through this company, he worked as a personal designer for the famous musician John Lennon. He also advised the Muppets on their designs. In the late 1970s, he was the art director for Esquire magazine. He also served as the design director for Mobil Oil.
Michael Gross's Movie Career
In 1980, Michael Gross moved to California. There, he became a producer or executive producer for 11 movies. These included popular films like Heavy Metal and Ghostbusters. For Ghostbusters, he and Brent Boates designed the iconic "no ghosts" logo. He was very surprised to see how popular it became. The logo was even painted on the nose of a B-52 bomber!
He also worked on Ghostbusters II, Twins, Beethoven, Legal Eagles, Kindergarten Cop, and Dave. Besides movies, he produced five television shows. These included The Real Ghostbusters and Beethoven.
Later Years and Artistic Pursuits
After 1995, Michael Gross left Hollywood. He returned to his first love, which was painting. He moved to Italy for a time. Later, he lived in Oceanside, California. He continued to be an artist, working as a painter and photographer. He also worked as a museum curator. He enjoyed teaching and giving lectures about art.
Family and Legacy
Michael Gross passed away on November 16, 2015. He was 70 years old. He died in Oceanside, California from cancer. He is survived by his son, Dylan Goss, who is a Director of Photography. He also leaves behind his daughter, Gina, and his grandchildren, Luke, Oliver, and Lou-Andrea.
