Oscar-nominated costume designer Rosanna Norton, celebrated for her work on hallmark genre films like Tron, Carrie, and Phantom of the Paradise, has died.
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Norton passed away on May 7 at her Los Angeles home following a battle with bladder cancer, her granddaughter Mira Gonzalez confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter. She was 80.
Over her impressive 40-year career, she collaborated with some of the most respected directors in film. She worked with Terrence Malick on Badlands (1973), Brian De Palma on both Phantom of the Paradise (1974) and the horror classic Carrie (1976), Richard Rush on the critically acclaimed The Stunt Man (1980), and Garry Marshall on Frankie and Johnny (1991). She also worked with Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker on Airplane! (1980) and Ruthless People (1986).
Norton also frequently collaborated with Gremlins director Joe Dante, working alongside him on several fan favorite films, including Explorers (1985), Innerspace (1987), The ’Burbs (1989), and Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990).
Meanwhile, she earned an Oscar nomination for her work on Steven Lisberger’s Tron (1982), a recognition she shared with Elois Jenssen.
Rosanna Norton Began Her Career as a Painter
While studying painting at UCLA, Norton met her future husband, Bill Norton, who offered her first opportunity as a costume designer on his 1971 film Cisco Pike. She became a member of the Costume Designers Guild in 1975 and later played a significant role in mentoring many of its members.
Per IMDb, her filmography also included Messiah of Evil (1974), Outlaw Blues (1977), Robert Zemeckis’ I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978), RoboCop 2 (1990), The Flintstones (1994), The Brady Bunch Movie (1995), and Detroit Rock City (1999).
After concluding her work as a costume designer, with her final credit being Pool Boys (2009), Norton returned to her true passion: painting.
She is survived by her daughter, Lora; her beloved grandchildren, Mira, Milo, Lola, Isaac, and Kayla; and her sister, Pat. She was also briefly married to director James Bryan.