Copyright © 2020 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
Don Carlos DuBois moved from Kansas City to Atlanta in 1921 and founded the Atlanta Scenic Co. On Sept. 27, 1922, the “Atlanta Constitution” reported providing scenery for the third act of “Iolanthe” at the Atlanta Theatre. The article described it was “a stage setting of rare beauty…showing the ocean in the background with an ocean liner steaming across a harbor” (page 4). The Atlanta Directory listed Don Carlos DuBois as a scenic artist living at 4, 72 Hurt.
By 1924, DuBois became one of five faculty members added by Stuart Beebe and Gus Forbes to their to Atlanta School of Stage Arts (The Atlanta Constitution, 27 July 1924, page 28). DuBois was in charge of classes on stage settings and color schemes. As an instructor and company president, DuBois was at the top of his game and took the region by storm. Atlanta Scenic Studio advertisements offered “Artistic” stage settings, practical stage equipment, and velour curtains.
During the summer of that year DuBois’ scenic studio was gaining ground. They began competing against Sosman & Landis in earnest and it was the perfect time to win contracts. Sosman & Landis had closed the year before, with Thomas G. Moses and Fred R. Megan purchasing the name of the studio. The studio giant was on shaky ground and could no longer effectively compete against many regional studios.
The two companies competed for a southern contract to provide scenery and stage equipment at Birmingham’s Municipal Auditorium (Birmingham News, 26 June 1924, page 30). The work was awarded to the Atlanta Scenic Company and included “the placement of scenery, curtains, rigging, etc. for the new municipal auditorium” (Birmingham News, 4 July 1924, page 9); Atlanta Scenic Co. designed, painted, and installed four new sets for the venue (Birmingham News, 1 Oct. 1924, page 4). Of Atlanta Scenic Co. and its president, the “Birmingham News” reported, “Mr. DuBois is known as one of the foremost scenic artists in the country. He furnished the Atlanta auditorium and many other auditoriums in the South and has handled the work of hundreds of school auditoriums.”
Advertised as the “finest municipal auditorium in Dixie,” the “Birmingham News” described the new auditorium on October 19, 1924 (page 56). They quoted DuBois: “We had the honor to supply the velour drop, the asbestos curtain, the stage settings and the operating equipment for drops and scenic effects, including 65 sets of lines. Inspired by the beauty, dignity and magnitude of this building, we have given Birmingham our best and are proud of the distinction of having our work in your auditorium. We create and manufacture artistic front drops, refined stage settings, practical stage equipment and velour curtains for all kinds of theatrical, school and municipal work.”
By 1925, the Atlanta Scenic Co designed furnishings for the new picture theatre in Atlanta’s West End Theater, providing red velvet draperies, noted as combining “a pleasing blend of shapes and colors” in this 500-seat venue (Atlanta Constitution, 24 Nov. 1925, page 22). At this same time, they delivered stage settings and draperies for the big Macon auditorium in Macon, Georgia. Of the work, the “Atlanta Constitution” commented, “The stage settings and draperies for these theaters were designed and placed by the Atlantic Scenic company…they have a fine force of artists and skilled workmen. The mural decoration for the Macon auditorium is one of the largest and finest pieces of stage work ever done in the south, being 10×60 feet. The work was done by Don Carlos DuBose [sic.], president of the Atlanta Scenic company, and Wilbur G. Kurtz, one of the foremost artists in America in this line. The handsome decoration is over the proscenium arch and portrays the salient features of Georgia’s history and in the central group are seen figures of Macon’s industrial progress, religious and educational advantages [Ferdinand DeSoto’s visit in 1540 until WWI]. The Atlanta Scenic company is doing much favorably to advertise Atlanta by the fine work they are doing in schools, churches and theaters all over the south. The builders of new buildings of all kinds that have in mind adding beautiful decorations of any kind are calling this firm in to add that artistic touch that gives a pleasing finish to the completed building. Schools and small theaters in all parts of the southeast know that this firm can fit them up with the stage settings, curtains, draperies and scenes and beautiful small and large sets may be seen underway at all times in their busy studio. Mr. DuBose [sic.] stated Saturday that many of the architects in the south were kind enough to recommend their work and any prospective builders have lately been calling on them and giving contracts for various kinds of decorations and that men from his studio were busy out in Atlanta while the home forces were executing designs of that nature here that could be sent anywhere as he further stated that a cordial invitation was extended to all interested people to call and see them or give them a ring t Ivy 2116 and any information will be cheerfully given.” (23 Nov. 1925, page 12). Here is the link to the Macon City Auditorium where the mural still exists: https://www.maconcentreplex.org/auditorium/about-us/
In 1926, the Atlanta Scenic Co. delivered scenery to Tallahassee’s Florida State College for Women and the new Florida university building and Gainesville’s new Florida University building (Atlanta Constitution, 26 July 1926, page 8). DuBois was quoted again: “We have done much work in the south the past three years in that territory between the Potomac and the Mississippi, and without an exception we have done some very fine work in every place…another nice job was the Georgia State College at Milledgeville, where we furnished a complete stage equipment and beautiful curtain. We consider this the best college stage, bar none, in the state of Georgia. We also refer with pride to some work we have done in Athens, Bartow, Claxton, Elberton, East Point, Register, Brunswick, Waycross and Wadley, Georgia. The firm also outfitted the stages in theatres and schools in many places in the southern states, among them being Raleigh, Asheville, Fayetteville, Elizabeth City, Saint Pauls, Forrest City and Spindale, North Carolina; Easley, Laurens and York, South Carolina; Brewton, Ensley, Georgiana and Woodland, Alabama; Nashville and Johnson City, Tennessee; Jacksonville, West Palm Beach, St. Petersburg, Fort Lauderdale and Haines City, Florida. Beautiful full stage equipments and velour stage curtains are in progress of work now and some just completed for Saint Mary’s college, at Raleigh, N.C.; high schools in Marion, N.C.; Salisbury, N.C.; Birmingham, Ala.; Shaw, Miss.; Midville and Cuthbert, Ga., and the stage and equipment for Macon’s municipal auditorium. Stage equipment for the Atlanta Municipal opera; Agnes Scott college, and West End theater are all well known to Atlantans, yet few knew that this good grade of work is being done on the Gilmer street side of the auditorium. In addition to doing public stage work this firm has been decorating private homes, clubs and lodges.”
On Jan. 18, 1927, the firm placed an advertisement in the “Miami News” congratulating the Tivoli Theater management on the successful opening of their playhouse (Miami, Florida, 18 Jan. 1927, page 8). It noted, “It has been a pleasure to associate with the management of this fine new theater in our business of supplying all stage hangings and scenery.” That year, Atlanta Scenic Co. also manufactured and installed the stage settings at the Arcade Theatre in West Palm Beach (The Palm Beach Post, 7 Oct. 1927, page 9).
As an interesting aside, DuBois was formidable chess player and member of the Georgia-Florida Chess Association. In 1927, he attended the sixth annual convention of the Georgia-Florida Chess Association. By 1929, The “Arizona Republic” reported that Don Carlos DuBois of Atlanta, Georgia, placed third in the correspondence school chess tournament sponsored by the Southeastern Chess association (Phoenix, Arizona, 19 July 1929, page 11)
By 1930, the US census listed a Don Carlos DuBois living in the Militia District 532 DeKalb, Georgia, 1667 Camell Road, but this is where it gets a bit confusing. Don Carlos DuBois II and his son were both active in the military and worked as scenic artists for the Atlanta Scenic Co.
Don Carlos DuBois III (B. Feb. 14, 1913 in Cleveland, Ohio) was a graduate from the Riverside Military Academy (Atlanta Constitution, 12 March 1833, page 26). In March 1933, DuBois III married Cecile Marie Martin, who also lived in Atlanta, and the couple settled there. It is difficult to determine whether father or son is credited with a particular project, unless it is specified. In 1933, Atlanta Scenic Co. provided the stage settings for Joseph Selman’s production of “Br’er Rabbit,” adapted by Harold Selman from “Uncle Remus Creeturs.” The dramatization was by J. Roddy Miller from Joel Chandler Harris’ Uncle Remus stories (Index-Journal, Greenwood, South Caroline, 7 Nov. 1933, page 2). This was likely the son, but it remains unclear. Sometime during the 1930s, the Atlanta Scenic Co. closed, but I have not found the exact date. Many scenic studios closed during the depression as projects diminished. By the 1940s, Don Carlos DuBois II registered for the draft, listing his employer as ALCO-Gravure Corp and no longer representing the Atlanta Scenic Co. Before the war, the elder DuBois had also returned to military work.
The 1940 US Census listed DuBois was an officer in the U. S. Army. 2nd engineer br. Justice Precinct No. 8. Bexar, Texas. His home was still listed as Atlanta. On Dec. 19, 1943. The “Atlanta Constitution” published an article about DuBois and Wilbur Kurtz (page 22):
“MARIETTA, Ga., Dec. 18.-Illustration of bomber parts and interpretation of blueprints are a new trend in art and design, but it’s a way which artists Wilbur Kurtz, ‘Gone With The Wind’ technical and art director, and “Don Carlos DuBois, a retired Army officer, have found to adapt themselves to the war effort. Former classmates at art school Kurtz and DuBois now are converting their efforts and principles of drawing learned in school to visual training processes at the Bell Bomber plant here. They have changed their brushes, pallets, and props for blueprint pencils, scaling rulers, and dimensional tools. Just out of art school in Chicago, both artists attempted scenic painting. DuBois went to New York and made his first successful back-drop in the production “Girl of the Golden West.” Kurtz, however, returned to the south, where he concentrated on southern scenes and history, the latter being his accomplished hobby.
“At the outbreak of the war, DuBois, a World War veteran, renewed his commission as major in the Engineer Corps, and was attached to the Delta Service Command in Cairo. Recently, he was retired, and did the next best thing – applied for work in a war plant. Kurtz, after his success as technical advisor on the movie version of ‘Gone with the Wind,’ returned to Georgia to work in the art department at the Bell Bomber Plant. He intends to return to his art studio at the end of the war.” He did return to theatre work, but for a different company – the Great Western Stage Equipment Co.
To be continued…
my father has just passed away and he had two large paintings of what appear to be sea battles,
they are signed by DON Carlos Du Bols dated 1940. My parents purchased them many years ago
and according to them, they were done by the person(s) who did the cyclorama. Were they done
by this gentlemen? Any info would be greatly appreciated.
I will email you, as I need to see photographs of the paintings.