Harold Michelson Harold " Mike " Michelson was brought in by Director Robert Wise in late April 1978 to work as production designer on in the function of head of the art department , taking over the department from Art Director Joe Jennings who had hitherto headed the department . Michelson ' s primary responsibilities were to redesign the sets that were in various stages of completion , constructed for the " Motion Picture " s immediate predecessor , " " , in order to upgrade them to theatrical motion picture standards . ( " " , pp . 83 - 95 ) His designs , which included that of the air tram , also contributed both to the exterior and interior look of the refit as seen in that film . His work on the film ultimately earned him an Academy Award nomination . Many of his distinctive set elements remained when the motion picture sets were revamped to become that of the of . Upon his work on " The Motion Picture " , he was interviewed by " Fantastic Films " for a piece titled " The Designing of Star Trek The Motion Picture " . Career outside " Star Trek " . A native of New York City , Michelson worked with the Bureau of Printing in Washington , DC after graduation . He went on to join the US Air Force and became a bombardier during World War II , flying more than 40 missions over Germany . After the war , he became an illustrator for magazines and later for movie posters . He began his career on Hollywood films as an illustrator and storyboard artist . " The Ten Commandments " , " Ben - Hur " , " Spartacus " , " The Birds " , " Cleopatra " , " Who ' s Afraid of Virginia Woolf ? " and " The Graduate " are just a few of the classic films on which Michelson worked throughout the 1950s and ' 60s . He was also an illustrator on the acclaimed musical " West Side Story " , his first collaboration with " Star Trek : The Motion Picture " director Robert Wise . Michelson eventually became an art director , first for television productions like " The Andy Griffith Show " and later for films , such as " Two People " ( his second project for Robert Wise ) , " Mommie Dearest " , " Spaceballs " , " Planes , Trains & Automobiles " and " Dick Tracy " . He shared an Academy Award nomination ( his second ) for his art direction on the 1983 film " Terms of Endearment " . He first worked as a production designer on the 1971 Cannes Film Festival Jury Grand Prize winning film " Johnny Got His Gun " . In 1981 he was production designer on the Mel Brooks - directed comedy " History of the World : Part 1 " . His last film as a production designer was 1994 ' s " Intersection " , which marked the film debut of Jennifer Morrison . Throughout this time , Michelson continued working as an illustrator , artist or visual consultant for films , including " Firestarter " , " The Fly " , " The Two Jakes " , " Hoffa " and " Death to Smoochy " . In 1999 he received the Art Directors Guild ' s Lifetime Achievement Award and in 2002 he was given Outstanding Achievement in Production Design Award from the Hollywood Film Festival . Michelson died at the Motion Picture & Television Fund retirement home following a long illness . He was 87 years old . Academy Award . Harold Michelson received the following Academy Award nomination in the category " Best Art Direction - Set Direction " :