Richard Levin (designer) facts for kids
Richard Levin OBE (which stands for Officer of the Order of the British Empire) was a very important person at BBC Television! Born on December 31, 1910, he became the head of design for the BBC from 1953 to 1971. He helped give the BBC its modern look, especially when colour television was first introduced in the late 1960s. Before his time at the BBC, he was a stage designer and even helped with camouflage for the Air Ministry during World War II. He passed away on July 2, 2000.
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Richard Levin's Early Life
Richard Levin was born in North London.
Levin's Career Journey
Richard Levin had an interesting career that started in films, moved to helping during wartime, and then shaped how the BBC looked for many years.
Working in British Films
In 1928, when he was just 17 or 18, Richard Levin started working at a company called Gaumont-British. He was a stage designer there, which means he helped create the sets and backgrounds for films. He worked in the film industry until 1932.
Helping During World War II
When World War II began, Richard Levin used his design skills to help his country. From 1939 to 1942, he was the head of camouflage for the Air Ministry. His job was to hide important RAF stations so enemy planes couldn't easily spot them. This was a very important role during the Battle of Britain.
After his camouflage work, he also designed exhibitions for the Ministry of Information. These exhibitions, like the Army's national exhibition, traveled around the UK to cities like Manchester, Cardiff, and Glasgow, to inform and inspire people during the war.
Designing for the BBC
Richard Levin had actually designed exhibitions for the BBC even before the war, starting in 1933. But his biggest role at the BBC began on March 9, 1953. He took over as the Head of TV Design after the previous head, Peter Bax, sadly passed away. Richard was 42 years old at the time.
One of his famous design projects was the set for the Eurovision Song Contest 1960, which was held in London on March 29, 1960.
A huge change happened at the BBC in 1967: television started broadcasting in colour! Richard Levin became the head of the BBC Television Design Group during this exciting time. By March 1968, most BBC programmes were being shown in colour, thanks in part to his team's work.
Richard Levin retired from the BBC in 1971. In the same year, he was recognized for his amazing design work and became one of the Royal Designers for Industry. After retiring, he explored a new passion and became a photographer in the 1970s.
Richard Levin's Family Life
Richard Levin was honored with the OBE award in the 1952 New Year Honours.
He married Evelyn Alexander in London in 1932. They had two daughters, born in 1932 and 1935. Later, in March 1960, he married Patricia Foy, who was a producer. Patricia Foy had joined the BBC in the late 1950s. She passed away in 2006.
See also
- List of camoufleurs
- Abram Games, who designed the first BBC logo in November 1953