Robert M. Peak (May 30, 1927 – August 1, 1992) was an American commercial illustrator. He is best known for his developments in the design of the modern film poster.
His artwork has been on the cover of Time magazine, TV Guide, and Sports Illustrated. He also illustrated advertisements and U.S. postage stamps.
Early life Bob Peak was born in Denver, Colorado, and grew up in Wichita, Kansas. He knew from an early age that he wanted to be a commercial illustrator. He majored in geology at the University of Wichita (nka Wichita State University) and got a part-time job in the art department of McCormick-Armstrong. After serving in the military during the Korean War, Peak transferred to the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles, California, graduating in 1951.
In 1953, Peak moved to New York City and landed an Old Hickory Whiskey advertising campaign. His work went on to appear in major advertising and national magazines.
He was the father of Matthew Peak, who is best known for illustrating posters for the Nightmare on Elm Street film series.
Career United Artists studio hired Peak in 1961 to design the poster images for the film West Side Story. The success of Peak's work on that film led to work on posters for designer Bill Gold, including the big-budget musicals My Fair Lady and Camelot. In the mid-1970s, Peak's style would become familiar to fans of science fiction films when he created the poster art for the futuristic film Rollerball (1975), which was followed by the first five Star Trek films, Superman (1978), Excalibur (1981), both Derek Flint films spy films (Our Man Flint in 1966, and In Like Flint in 1967), Apocalypse Now (1979), The Spy Who Loved Me and other James Bond concepts. By the 1980s, only the film poster artist Drew Struzan was in as much demand by film directors.
Peak received a commission from the U.S. Postal Service to design 30 stamps for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia.
From January 20 through April 17, 2011, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented the "Bob Peak: Creating the Modern Movie Poster" exhibit at its headquarters building in Beverly Hills.Bob Peak: Creating the Modern Movie Poster , Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, February 2011
Peak taught in his own college and later at Art Students League of New York, Pratt Institute and Famous Artists School.
Illustrations Fate of a Man, movie poster illustration (U.S. release), 1959 West Side Story, movie poster illustration, 1961 The Leopard, movie poster illustration (U.S. release), 1963 My Fair Lady, movie poster illustration, 1964 The Cincinnati Kid, movie poster illustration, 1965 The Liquidator, movie poster illustration, 1965 Lord Jim, movie poster illustration, 1965 Kaleidoscope, movie poster illustration, 1966 Modesty Blaise, movie poster illustration, 1966 Our Man Flint, movie poster illustration, 1966 Camelot, movie poster illustration, 1967 In Like Flint, movie poster illustration, 1967 Thoroughly Modern Millie, movie poster illustration, 1967 The Wanderer, movie poster illustration (U.S. release), 1967 For Love of Ivy, movie poster illustration, 1968 A Dream of Kings, movie poster illustration, 1969 Funny Girl, movie poster illustration, 1969 Lions Love (... and Lies), movie poster illustration (alternate poster), 1969 The Secret of Santa Vittoria, movie poster illustration, 1969 There Was a Crooked Man..., movie poster illustration, 1970 Cesar & Rosalie, movie poster illustration (U.S. release), 1972 The Great Waltz, movie poster illustration, 1972 Mame, movie poster illustration, 1974 The Voyage, movie poster illustration (U.S. release), 1974 The Yakuza, movie poster illustration, 1974 Rollerball, movie poster illustration, 1975 That's Entertainment, Part II, movie poster illustration, 1975 The Missouri Breaks, movie poster illustration, 1976 Equus, movie poster illustration, 1977 Islands in the Stream, movie poster illustration, 1977 The Spy Who Loved Me, movie poster illustration, 1977 Every Which Way But Loose, movie poster illustration, 1978 Superman, movie poster illustration, 1978 The Wiz, movie poster illustration (alternate poster), 1978 Hair, movie poster illustration (alternate poster), 1979 Apocalypse Now, movie poster illustration, 1979 Star Trek: The Motion Picture, movie poster illustration, 1979 Excalibur, movie poster illustration, 1981<ref name=MoviePosters/> Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, movie poster illustration, 1982 Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, movie poster illustration, 1984 Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, movie poster illustration, 1986 Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, movie poster illustration, 1989
Awards In 1961, Peak was named Artist of the Year by the Graphic Artists Guild New York chapter. He won eight Awards of Excellence and four gold medals from Society of Illustrators. In 1977, the Society of Illustrators inducted him to its Hall of Fame. The Hollywood Reporter presented him the 1992 Key Art Award, now known as the Clio Entertainment Awards.
See also Bill Sienkiewicz Drew Struzan Frank Frazetta Frank McCarthy Howard Terpning Jack Davis John Alvin Mitchell Hooks Richard Amsel Robert McGinnis Saul Bass Steven Chorney The Brothers Hildebrandt Tom Jung
References
External links