Film Forum

U.S., 2004
Directed and produced by Mark Cerulli
Edited and produced by Paul C. Rosen
A TCM film.  Executive Producers: Charles Tabesh and Scott McGee.
Approx. 52 min. DCP.

He may not be a household name, but Joe Caroff is one the most influential graphic designers of the 20th century, his work a history of the pop culture of our time: from iconic corporate logos (like the intertwined ABC and Olympics logos) and book jackets (including the first edition of Norman Mailer’s The Naked and the Dead) to some of the most instantly recognizable “title treatments” (industry jargon for unique movie graphics) for such classics as WEST SIDE STORY (the 1961 original), A HARD DAY'S NIGHT, CABARET, LAST TANGO IN PARIS (Caroff’s hand-drawn logo later inspired a font called Tango), Woody Allen’s MANHATTAN, and the James Bond gun logo (for which he was paid a flat $300). Caroff’s story is told by the centenarian himself, with reminiscences of growing up during the Depression and service in WWII, along with interviews with Phyliss Caroff, his wife of over 70 years, producer Mike Medavoy, and others. Now 101, Mr. Caroff lives in Manhattan.