The Team
Patrick McGrew (Historian and Architect)
We met with Patrick McGrew in his home office during Modernism Week of February 2013 to discuss the making of the Hugh Kaptur bio film that would later be called Quiet Elegance. McGrew was excited about the project and entertained us for over an hour with stories and anecdotes. He grabbed books off his bookshelf that we should read and wrote us notes of books we should order. When we left we knew that we had the raconteur for our film.
Sadly, Patrick McGrew passed away just two short weeks after our meeting. During the hour or so we spent with him, we didn't have cameras or recorders rolling - after all, we figured we would get plenty of on-camera time with him later.
We'd like to think that Patrick would have been proud of this film. He gave us his PowerPoint presentation on Hugh Kaptur's body of work to "use as we saw fit", and we have become proud stewards of that document and used it to inspire our film.
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Sadly, Patrick McGrew passed away just two short weeks after our meeting. During the hour or so we spent with him, we didn't have cameras or recorders rolling - after all, we figured we would get plenty of on-camera time with him later.
We'd like to think that Patrick would have been proud of this film. He gave us his PowerPoint presentation on Hugh Kaptur's body of work to "use as we saw fit", and we have become proud stewards of that document and used it to inspire our film.
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Hugh M. Kaptur (Architect, AIA)
When we first interviewed Hugh Kaptur in October of 2012, he was curious as to why anyone would want to talk to him. As we learned more about him this intensely private and modest man, we discovered hundreds of homes, apartments and dozens of commercial buildings that he designed in his more than 50 years as an architect.
We decided that Hugh Kaptur's story could best be told by Hugh Kaptur himself. He was very generous with his time and our crazy ideas. He signed a homeowner's closet, and he drove a borrowed convertible around Palm Springs from building to building.
We were on hand when he received a star in the sidewalk outside the Architecture and Design Museum on Palm Canyon Drive. He was just as happy about his star being next to his architect friend and colleague William Cody than he was about the honor itself. Our relationship with Mr. Kaptur continues and we're proud to call him a friend.
We decided that Hugh Kaptur's story could best be told by Hugh Kaptur himself. He was very generous with his time and our crazy ideas. He signed a homeowner's closet, and he drove a borrowed convertible around Palm Springs from building to building.
We were on hand when he received a star in the sidewalk outside the Architecture and Design Museum on Palm Canyon Drive. He was just as happy about his star being next to his architect friend and colleague William Cody than he was about the honor itself. Our relationship with Mr. Kaptur continues and we're proud to call him a friend.
Helen ZsoZso Kaptur
Poolside Gossip by Slim Aarons. Helen Kaptur is seated in the white pantsuit.
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Mrs. Kaptur ("Call me Helen") was as gracious as she could be every time we called to schedule additional time for yet more interviews with her husband. There were times when we needed her on-camera, and she was always in "hair and make-up" when we were ready to shoot.
There were other times when she made herself scarce in the house, but her presence was felt by the glass of cool water or the homemade cookies on the kitchen counter. Helen Kaptur was a large part of Hugh Kaptur's life, and she plays a large part in our film. Sadly, Helen passed away in February 2015. We still miss her. |
