Lou Dorfsman
Encyclopedia
Louis "Lou" Dorfsman was a graphic designer who oversaw almost every aspect of the advertising and corporate identity for the Columbia Broadcasting System
(CBS) in his 40 years with the network.
of Manhattan
, and moved as a child to the Bronx
. His parents were immigrants from Poland. Dorfsman attended Theodore Roosevelt High School
, graduating in 1935. Dorfsman had wanted to attend New York University
and study bacteriology
there, but was unable to afford the tuition. He chose to attend Cooper Union
, where he received a four year scholarship and graduated in 1939. Dorfsman served on Cooper Union's board of directors for many years.
.
during World War II
, using his design skills.
. Dorfsman's designs were described by The New York Times
as featuring "clear typography, simple slogans and smart illustration". He commissioned work from portraitist Feliks Topolski
and painter Ben Shahn
. After William Golden
died in 1959, Dorfsman was named creative director of CBS Television. By 1964, he was selected as the director of design for all of CBS and was later promoted to senior vice president and creative director for marketing communications and design. In this role he maintained creative control over the network's use of the CBS eye logo to its proprietary CBS Didot
typeface. The Times credited the "cleverness and subtle beauty of his advertisements" with drawing viewers to the network's news and entertainment programs.
The print advertising Dorfsman created for CBS created a sense of urgency for the network's news and public affairs programming. A full-page newspaper ad for the series Of Black America showed a black man in black and white, with half his face painted with the stars and stripes of the United States flag. A newspaper ad for The Warren Report: A CBS News Inquiry in Four Parts showed a hand holding the John F. Kennedy assassination
's "magic bullet
" with a headline stating that "This is the bullet that hit both President Kennedy and Governor Connally. Or did it?" Advertising of CBS News coverage of the 1972 presidential election
described CBS News
anchorman Walter Cronkite
as having been "Re-elected the Most Trusted Man in America".
Dorfsman oversaw design of annual reports for CBS and created promotional commemorative volumes, including a 1969 limited-edition book with a cover embossed to resemble the lunar surface, after the first manned moon landing
. He designed sets for Walter Cronkite's CBS Evening News
and for the CBS Morning News
.
In Eero Saarinen
's CBS Building
on 52nd Street
and Sixth Avenue
, Dorfsman was responsible for all of the building's graphics, designating the type, design and spacing for wall clocks, elevator buttons, and elevator inspection stickers. He designed a 35 feet (10.7 m), 8+1/2 ft design called Gastrotypographicalassemblage
for the building's cafeteria that listed all of the foods offered to patrons in hand-milled wood type. Dorfsman considered this work to be "his magnum opus, his gift to the world". This work is being restored and preserved by the Center for Design Study in Atlanta.
Dorfman retired from CBS in November 1987 to establish his own studio. The responsibilities for advertising, which had previously been handled in-house under Dorfsman's supervision, were transferred to Backer, Spielvogel, Bates.
Dorfsman died at age 90 on October 22, 2008 in Roslyn, New York
of congestive heart failure.
, "awarded to individuals in recognition of their exceptional achievements, services or other contributions to the field of design and visual communication".
The 1988 book Dorfsman & CBS by Dick Hess and Marion Muller covered his more than 40 years with the network.
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
(CBS) in his 40 years with the network.
Early life and education
Dorfsman was born in 1918 on the Lower East SideLower East Side, Manhattan
The Lower East Side, LES, is a neighborhood in the southeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is roughly bounded by Allen Street, East Houston Street, Essex Street, Canal Street, Eldridge Street, East Broadway, and Grand Street....
of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, and moved as a child to the Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
. His parents were immigrants from Poland. Dorfsman attended Theodore Roosevelt High School
Theodore Roosevelt High School (New York City)
Theodore Roosevelt High School is a public high school located in The Bronx, New York City, United States. It was first organized November 14, 1918. When Theodore Roosevelt died on January 6, 1919, the Board of Education decided to give the school his name...
, graduating in 1935. Dorfsman had wanted to attend New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
and study bacteriology
Bacteriology
Bacteriology is the study of bacteria. This subdivision of microbiology involves the identification, classification, and characterization of bacterial species...
there, but was unable to afford the tuition. He chose to attend Cooper Union
Cooper Union
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, commonly referred to simply as Cooper Union, is a privately funded college in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, United States, located at Cooper Square and Astor Place...
, where he received a four year scholarship and graduated in 1939. Dorfsman served on Cooper Union's board of directors for many years.
Early career
After graduation, his design jobs included making displays for the 1939 New York World's Fair1939 New York World's Fair
The 1939–40 New York World's Fair, which covered the of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park , was the second largest American world's fair of all time, exceeded only by St. Louis's Louisiana Purchase Exposition of 1904. Many countries around the world participated in it, and over 44 million people...
.
WWII
Dorfsman served in the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, using his design skills.
With CBS
Dorfsman was hired in 1946 as art director for the CBS Radio NetworkCBS Radio Network
The CBS Radio Network provides news, sports and other programming to more than 1,000 radio stations throughout the United States. The network is owned by CBS Corporation, and operated by CBS Radio ....
. Dorfsman's designs were described by The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
as featuring "clear typography, simple slogans and smart illustration". He commissioned work from portraitist Feliks Topolski
Feliks Topolski
Feliks Topolski RA was a Polish-born British expressionist painter and draughtsman.- Life :Felix Topolski was born on 14 August 1907 in Warsaw...
and painter Ben Shahn
Ben Shahn
Ben Shahn was a Lithuanian-born American artist. He is best known for his works of social realism, his left-wing political views, and his series of lectures published as The Shape of Content.-Biography:...
. After William Golden
William Golden
William Golden is considered to be one of the pioneers of American graphic design. He is best known for his work at Columbia Broadcasting System, starting in the CBS Radio promotion department and culminating in his tenure as creative director of advertising and sales promotion for CBS Television...
died in 1959, Dorfsman was named creative director of CBS Television. By 1964, he was selected as the director of design for all of CBS and was later promoted to senior vice president and creative director for marketing communications and design. In this role he maintained creative control over the network's use of the CBS eye logo to its proprietary CBS Didot
Didot
Didot is the name of a family of French printers, punch-cutters and publishers. Through its achievements and advancements in printing, publishing and typography, the family has lent its name to typographic measurements developed by François-Ambroise Didot and the Didot typeface developed by Firmin...
typeface. The Times credited the "cleverness and subtle beauty of his advertisements" with drawing viewers to the network's news and entertainment programs.
The print advertising Dorfsman created for CBS created a sense of urgency for the network's news and public affairs programming. A full-page newspaper ad for the series Of Black America showed a black man in black and white, with half his face painted with the stars and stripes of the United States flag. A newspaper ad for The Warren Report: A CBS News Inquiry in Four Parts showed a hand holding the John F. Kennedy assassination
John F. Kennedy assassination
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the thirty-fifth President of the United States, was assassinated at 12:30 p.m. Central Standard Time on Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas...
's "magic bullet
Single bullet theory
The single bullet theory was introduced by the Warren Commission in its investigation of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy to explain what happened to the bullet which struck Kennedy in the back and exited through his throat...
" with a headline stating that "This is the bullet that hit both President Kennedy and Governor Connally. Or did it?" Advertising of CBS News coverage of the 1972 presidential election
United States presidential election, 1972
The United States presidential election of 1972 was the 47th quadrennial United States presidential election. It was held on November 7, 1972. The Democratic Party's nomination was eventually won by Senator George McGovern, who ran an anti-war campaign against incumbent Republican President Richard...
described CBS News
CBS News
CBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...
anchorman Walter Cronkite
Walter Cronkite
Walter Leland Cronkite, Jr. was an American broadcast journalist, best known as anchorman for the CBS Evening News for 19 years . During the heyday of CBS News in the 1960s and 1970s, he was often cited as "the most trusted man in America" after being so named in an opinion poll...
as having been "Re-elected the Most Trusted Man in America".
Dorfsman oversaw design of annual reports for CBS and created promotional commemorative volumes, including a 1969 limited-edition book with a cover embossed to resemble the lunar surface, after the first manned moon landing
Apollo 11
In early 1969, Bill Anders accepted a job with the National Space Council effective in August 1969 and announced his retirement as an astronaut. At that point Ken Mattingly was moved from the support crew into parallel training with Anders as backup Command Module Pilot in case Apollo 11 was...
. He designed sets for Walter Cronkite's CBS Evening News
CBS Evening News
CBS Evening News is the flagship nightly television news program of the American television network CBS. The network has broadcast this program since 1948, and has used the CBS Evening News title since 1963....
and for the CBS Morning News
CBS Morning News
For CBS's main morning news program, formerly known as CBS Morning News, see The Early Show.CBS Morning News is the half-hour daily television broadcast from CBS News that airs following Up to the Minute and features late-breaking news stories, weather forecasts, and sports scores...
.
In Eero Saarinen
Eero Saarinen
Eero Saarinen was a Finnish American architect and industrial designer of the 20th century famous for varying his style according to the demands of the project: simple, sweeping, arching structural curves or machine-like rationalism.-Biography:Eero Saarinen shared the same birthday as his father,...
's CBS Building
CBS Building
The CBS Building in New York City, also known as Black Rock, is the headquarters of CBS Corporation. The building, opened in 1965, was designed by Eero Saarinen. It is located at 51 West 52nd Street, at the corner of Sixth Avenue . The 38 story building is tall and measures approximately 872,000...
on 52nd Street
52nd Street (Manhattan)
52nd Street is a long one-way street traveling west to east across Midtown Manhattan.-Jazz center:The blocks of 52nd Street between Fifth Avenue and Seventh Avenue were renowned in the mid-20th century for the abundance of jazz clubs and lively street life...
and Sixth Avenue
Sixth Avenue (Manhattan)
Sixth Avenue – officially Avenue of the Americas, although this name is seldom used by New Yorkers – is a major thoroughfare in New York City's borough of Manhattan, on which traffic runs northbound, or "uptown"...
, Dorfsman was responsible for all of the building's graphics, designating the type, design and spacing for wall clocks, elevator buttons, and elevator inspection stickers. He designed a 35 feet (10.7 m), 8+1/2 ft design called Gastrotypographicalassemblage
Gastrotypographicalassemblage
Gastrotypographicalassemblage is a wide by tall work of art designed by Lou Dorfsman to decorate the cafeteria in Eero Saarinen's CBS Building on 52nd Street and Sixth Avenue, New York City, New York, USA....
for the building's cafeteria that listed all of the foods offered to patrons in hand-milled wood type. Dorfsman considered this work to be "his magnum opus, his gift to the world". This work is being restored and preserved by the Center for Design Study in Atlanta.
Dorfman retired from CBS in November 1987 to establish his own studio. The responsibilities for advertising, which had previously been handled in-house under Dorfsman's supervision, were transferred to Backer, Spielvogel, Bates.
Dorfsman died at age 90 on October 22, 2008 in Roslyn, New York
Roslyn, New York
Roslyn is a village in Nassau County, New York, on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2010 Census, the village population was 2,770...
of congestive heart failure.
Honors and recognition
In 1978, Dorfsman was recognized as a medalist by the AIGAAiga
‘Aiga is a word in the Samoan language which means 'family.' The aiga is the family unit of Samoan society and differs from the Western sense in that it consists more than just a mother, father and children. The Samoan family, also referred to as an 'extended family' is based on the culture's...
, "awarded to individuals in recognition of their exceptional achievements, services or other contributions to the field of design and visual communication".
The 1988 book Dorfsman & CBS by Dick Hess and Marion Muller covered his more than 40 years with the network.