British-born production designer Peter Lamont worked as a print boy runner at Pinewood Studios and returned after military service as a junior draftsman to ascend through the art department ranks. Art director Peter Murton introduced him to the James Bond series in which he would establish his reputation, first as a draftsman on "Goldfinger" (1964), making drawings of the famous set for the interior of Fort Knox. Lamont then worked closely with two-time Oscar-winning production designer Ken Adam on another fantastic set construction--the incredible volcano rocket base in "You Only Live Twice" (1967). He earned his first Academy Award nomination for his set decoration on Norman Jewison's "Fiddler on the Roof" (1971), adding the finishing touches to authenticate the 19th Century Russian shtetl. Lamont picked up a second Oscar nod for his art direction in the familiar Bond oeuvre of "The Spy Who Loved Me" (1997).Lamont graduated to production designer on "For Your Eyes Only" (1981), and though he has contributed to the high-tech trappings of practically every James Bond movie, the future may best remember him for his collaborations with director James Cameron. He picked up his third Oscar nomination for his production design work on Cameron's "Aliens" (1986), providing the labyrinthine interiors where H R Geiger's monster pursued the beleaguered crew, and reunited with the director for "True Lies" (1994). Their third teaming, "Titanic" (1997), offered his biggest challenge ever, actually building and floating a ship that was practically to the original's scale (then sinking it). He also recreated portions of the inside of the luxury liner in period detail, including the ship's grand staircase, promenade decks and first-class accommodations. $200 million later, there can be no denying Lamont's significant contribution to the spectacular achievement.
Profession(s):
production designer, art director, set decorator, draftsman, print boy runner
Sometimes Credited As:
Golden Satellite Best Art Direction "Titanic" 1997
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award Best Production Design "Titanic" 1997
Oscar Best Art Direction "Titanic" 1997
Society of Motion Picture and Television Art Directors Award "Titanic" 1997
1997 Collaborated a third time with Cameron on the magnificent "Titantic"
1994 Reteamed with Cameron for "True Lies"
1986 First collaboration with director James Cameron on "Aliens"; production design work earned Oscar nomination
1981 First credit as production designer, "For Your Eyes Only"
1977 Nominated for an Oscar for art direction on "The Spy Who Loved Me"
1971 Received an Oscar nomination for his set decoration on "Fiddler on the Roof"0
1964 Worked as a draftsman on "Goldfinger", his first in a long string of James Bond movies
After leaving art school in 1946, spent two years as print boy runner at Pinewood Studios
Served in the military
Returned to Pinewood as junior draftsman and worked his way up through the art department ranks
