Posted on 08/17/2025 5:20:17 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Edited on 08/17/2025 6:19:44 PM PDT by Sidebar Moderator. [history]
Joe Caroff, the unheralded graphic designer whose iconic creations included James Bond‘s 007 gun logo, posters for West Side Story and A Hard Day’s Night and typography for Last Tango in Paris, Manhattan and Rollerball, died Sunday. He was 103.
(Excerpt) Read more at hollywoodreporter.com ...
I submitted a logo for Last Tango in Paris but Land O’Lakes butter threatened to sue, so it was rejected.
Is the butter maiden considered unwoke?
“Caroff attached a barrel and trigger to the 007 and for his work received $300, the going rate for such an assignment, he said. Even though the logo, though altered in subtle ways, has been featured on every Bond film and on millions of pieces of merchandise, he received no credit, no residuals, no royalties”
That’s how it goes in Hollywood. I was paid $1,200 to come up with the title for THE NAKED GUN when the picture was still in production under the Zuckers’ original title, “From The Files of Police Squad”. It went on to be a monster hit that spawned two sequels and the recent remake, but of course I never saw another dime out of it. I was really happy with that twelve hundred at the time, though.
Incredibly creative graphic artist! A good, long life and and what a career!
:)
I can read some of those titles and visualize the posters. What an amazing career he had. RIP
Steve Lukather did the solo on Physical in 1981, which was no. 1 for 10 weeks, the biggest hit of the 80's. He said he just got paid his straight session fee, and that's it.
Of course, he take it today. He said these days, even the best session men are lucky to get two or three bookings per year.
Just curious what job/role do you have to name things?
Last Tango in Paris was one of the worst pics I ever had the displeasure to sit through... I think I even walked out on it.
That is such a great movie and such a perfect poster. RIP, Mr. Caroff.
He lived the Graphic Designer’s dream for sure! In one of the biggest, most competitive cities in the world! Established a studio, many iconic logos and brands, retired late, and still lived to be a centenarian enjoying his hobby of painting. Unsung, perhaps, but unforgettable once you know.
Rest in peace, Joe Caroff!
Had a buddy did an invention, company gave him a $10,000 bonus then they sold the patent for 200 million dollars. The problem is they forgot to get his signature on a couple of the patent documents, when they came back to him he charged them $500,000 dollars for that signature.
Not every poster is a winner. But they are sometimes a window to the past in their own peculiar way.
Never heard of that movie.
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