Willy Holt

Willy Holt (November 30, 1921 – June 22, 2007) was a distinguished American production designer, art director, and actor who spent much of his life in France. He earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Art Direction for his work on the film *Is Paris Burning?* and was honored with a César Award for Best Production Design for *Au revoir, les enfants*.

Born in Quincy, Florida, Holt was the son of an American military photographer and a French mother. After his parents' divorce, his mother relocated to France with him, and he became a naturalized French citizen in 1923. He completed his baccalauréat at the Lycée Fermat in Toulouse during the early years of World War II.

Holt was married to actress Micheline Bourday for four years before marrying actress Martine Pascal in 1958, with whom he had two children. A member of the French Resistance, he was arrested in December 1943 while delivering funds to anti-Nazi operatives. He was interned at Auschwitz and survived the notorious death march to Buchenwald, where he was liberated on April 13, 1945. His harrowing experiences during the war are chronicled in his 1995 book, *Femmes en deuil sur camion*.

Beginning his career in fashion design, Holt transitioned to television in 1946, where his innovative set designs led to significant opportunities in cinema. He collaborated with numerous acclaimed directors, including John Frankenheimer, Stanley Donen, and Roman Polanski, showcasing his versatile talent on both sides of the Atlantic.