Fred Gabourie

Canadian production designer (1881-1951)

Technical Director,
Art Director
Production Manager

Years activec.1918–1951

Fred Gabourie (September 19, 1881 - March 1, 1951)^[1] was a technical director and department head.

Gabourie was born in Tweed, Ontario, Canada. He was a member of the Seneca Indian tribe.^[1] He served in the Spanish–American War.^[2]

He worked primarily for Buster Keaton, figuring out how to make Keaton's innovative stunts work. As one author put it, "Fred Gabourie had the most interesting job in the world: He solved problems for Buster Keaton."^[3] As technical director, he was responsible for set design, construction, props management, and location scouting.^[3] During this time, he designed the electric house in The Electric House, which featured an automated staircase, library, swimming pool, and dining room.^[4] He located and purchased the ship for The Navigator. Only after Gabourie found the ship and suggested to Keaton that it would be a great prop to build a movie around did Keaton and his staff come up with a script.^[5] Gabourie also worked out how to accomplish the famous stunt in Steamboat Bill, Jr. in which the front of a house (weighing two tons) falls on Keaton without harming him.^[6]

Keaton and Gabourie, working with an architect, co-designed Keaton's lavish Beverly Hills mansion, eventually called the Italian Villa.^[7]

Gabourie was also responsible for the ships in the silent version of The Sea Hawk.^[1]

Gabourie went to MGM with Keaton but worked on just one picture with him (The Cameraman) before MGM promoted him to construction superintendent, a position he held until he died.^[8]

Gabourie's son, Fred Gabourie Jr., played some small parts in film and on TV, but eventually became a judge.^[9]

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c "Fred Gabourie (I)". IMDb. Retrieved June 15, 2018.^{[unreliable source?]}
^ Foote 2014, p. 197.
^ ^a ^b Foote 2014, p. 182.
^ Blesh 1966, pp. 155–156.
^ Blesh 1966, pp. 251–252.
^ Blesh 1966, p. 290.
^ Sainte-Claire, Victoria. "PARLOR, BEDROOM AND BATH: Inside the Italian Villa". Retrieved June 15, 2018.
^ Meade 1995, p. 401.
^ "Fred Gabourie (II)". IMDb.^{[unreliable source?]}