- Mario Larrinaga was born in Los Flores, Mexico in 1895. At the age of 10, his family migrated to Tucson, Arizona or the Los Angeles area (conflicting references). Even though he had been sketching ships since a little boy, he got his real start painting when his brother Juan, also a painter, burned his hands in an accident. Needing to complete some landscapes for a traveling exhibition, Juan taught Mario how to paint.
In 1911, Mario began an apprenticeship at Universal's scenic studios as a pot boy and soon graduated from mixing paints to putting them on canvas. This was the beginning of a long and distinguished career in the field of stage design, special effects and scenic artistry for the motion picture industry.
Larrinaga achieved personal fame during the 1930's and 1940's when he became one of Hollywood's most successful scenic artists and art director at three major movie studios: Universal, RKO and Warner Bros. He worked with famous directors such as Cecil B. De Mille, Douglas Fairbanks and Orson Welles creating original set designs and backgrounds for dozens of classic Hollywood films. He also gained recognition as an illustrator for The Saturday Evening Post, Vanity Fair and Harper's Bazaar magazines.
Although never really formally trained, Larrinaga studied briefly at Chouinard Art School from 1934-35.
In 1951, Larrinaga and his wife Isabella retired and moved to Taos, New Mexico where he painted for his own pleasure and became active in the vibrant art community there. He died in 1979 leaving a legacy of illustrations, paintings and memories for film buffs and art aficionados everywhere.- IMDb Mini Biography By: T. A. Geldner
- God has given me a talent which has made it possible for me to enjoy a wonderful life, to provide for my family and to live among the beauties of my adopted country.
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