Edward Gorey

Edward Gorey was an illustrator and author known for his distinctive crosshatched style and use of gothic or macabre subjects. One of his best known works is The Gashlycrumb Tinies (1963), in the style of an alphabet primer, with a schoolchild meeting a ghastly death for each letter. His style became familiar to TV viewers through the introductory title animation to the PBS series Mystery! (designed by Gorey but animated by Derek Lamb). While his work wasn't necessarily geared towards children, select titles were marketed that way, including the 1982 pop-up book The Dwindling Party (paper engineering by Ib Penick).
Gorey's long and versatile career included production and costume design (as well as the Playbill cover art) for the 1977 Broadway staging of Dracula (with Frank Langella), winning a Tony for Best Costume Design. His own work was adapted for the 1978 play Gorey Stories, again with the artist designing, while he also designed ballet productions. His cover art was frequently used for mystery fiction and anthologies, and he illustrated classics such as Bleak House, Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, and The War of the Worlds. 
In 2007, the Jim Henson Company announced that it had optioned Gorey's 1957 book The Doubtful Guest, with Brad Peyton attached as director and Matthew Huffman as screenwriter. The press release named Brian Henson, Lisa Henson, and Jason Lust as producers.Jim Henson Company press release. February 05, 2007 An April 5 Associated Press article stated that the title character would be made by Jim Henson's Creature Shop, to be augmented "by plenty of CGI.""Henson, Walden, Fox team up for Gorey film." Associated Press, reprinted in The Hollywood Reporter. April 05, 2007 The project was never realized.
==References==
*Gorey's title art for Mystery! was spoofed in the title card for the Sesame Street segment "Mysterious Theater." In particular, a shot from the Gorey intro of a woman drinking wine by a gravestone becomes a woman sucking a lollipop.
*Rowlf's book column in Muppet Magazine issue 7 reviews the Magic Windows book line from Putnam. While not mentioned by title in the text, the sample cover is Edward Gorey's The Tunnel Calamity (1984), with the peephole/"magic window" letting the reader peer into the tunnel.
==Sources==
==External links==
*The Edward Gorey House - home and museum
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Category:Art References