Biography
The man who clothed the most well-dressed spy in film history, costume and wardrobe designer Monty Berman's list of clientele reads like a who's who of Hollywood's A-list with such names as
Katharine Hepburn,
Elizabeth Taylor, and
Rex Harrison in addition to both
Sean Connery and
Roger Moore in their turns as suave super-spy James Bond. Born to Russian emigrants in London's East End, Berman entered the Royal Air Force during World War II and was awarded the MBE for his organization of the 654 Squadron. After merging Berman's and Nathan's (a costume designer to the London stage for 200 years), Berman continued the tradition by designing costumes for such lavish productions as Les Miserables, My Fair Lady, and The King and I. Later moving into film with his designs for
Warning to Wantons (1948) and
Around the World in 80 Days (1956), Berman's company would also design costumes for such classics as
Lawrence of Arabia (1962) and
Doctor Zhivago (1965). On July 15, 2002, Monty Berman died in Monte Carlo following a brief illness. He was 90. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide