Albert Wolsky (November 24, 1930 – May 23, 2026) was an American costume designer. He had worked both on stage shows as well as for film, and has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Costume Design seven times, winning two awards for his work on the films All That Jazz (1979) and Bugsy (1991).
Early life, military service and early career Wolsky was born in Paris, France, on November 24, 1930, but during World War II, he and the rest of his family fled to the United States to escape the German occupation. After graduating from the City College of New York, he served in the army from 1953 to 1956, spending most of his enlistment in Japan.Boris Wolsky, My Life in Three Worlds (Miami Beach, FL: Wolsky, 1979), 133-34. Once he returned to the United States, he began working in his father's travel agency. However, he decided to change careers and took an assistant's job with notable costume maker Helene Pons.Deborah Nadoolman Landis, "Albert Wolsky," Costume Design (Burlington, Massachusetts: Focal Press, 2003), page 163. His first show with Pons was Camelot. After a year and a half working together, they went separate ways. The two continued to be friends for years to come.
Career Wolsky became a costume designer, working both on Broadway and in the motion picture industry.
He began his career as costume designer for the theatre by assisting costume designer Ann Roth on A Case of Libel (1963); he later assisted Roth on The Odd Couple (1965), Patricia Zipprodt on Fiddler on the Roof (1964), and Theoni Aldredge on Illya Darling (1967). The first play Wolsky did on his own was Generation in 1965. He went on to serve as principal costume designer for both plays and musicals, including The Sunshine Boys (1972) and Sly Fox (1976). Wolsky was announced as the designer for the 2012 Broadway production of The Heiress.
The first film Wolsky worked on was The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter. He had been recommended to the film by Theoni Aldredge. Wolsky worked on many films including Harry and Tonto, The Turning Point, Grease and Manhattan. He worked with Bob Fosse, a leading Broadway director, on All That Jazz and won his first Academy Award. Wolsky went on to work with Fosse twice more. He won his second Academy Award for Bugsy in 1991 and has been nominated five other times, most recently for his work on Julie Taymor's Beatles-inspired musical Across the Universe (2007) and Sam Mendes's Revolutionary Road (2008).
In 2010, Wolsky donated his costume design sketches to the Margaret Herrick Library at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Memberships Wolsky was a member of the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Personal life and death Wolsky's partner of 39 years was actor James Mitchell who died in 2010.
Wolsky lived in the Hollywood Hills and died at home on May 23, 2026, at the age of 95.
Film credits Year Title Director 1968 The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter Robert Ellis Miller 1969 Popi Arthur Hiller 1970 Loving Irvin Kershner Lovers and Other Strangers Cy Howard Where's Poppa? Carl Reiner 1971 Little Murders Alan Arkin Born to Win Ivan Passer Lady Liberty Mario Monicelli 1972 The Trial of the Catonsville Nine Gordon Davidson Last of the Red Hot Lovers Gene Saks Up the Sandbox Irvin Kershner 1974 Harry and Tonto Paul Mazursky The Gambler Karel Reisz Lenny Bob Fosse 1976 Next Stop, Greenwich Village Paul Mazursky 1977 Thieves John Berry The Turning Point Herbert Ross 1978 Fingers James Toback An Unmarried Woman Paul Mazursky Grease Randal Kleiser Moment by Moment Jane Wagner 1979 Manhattan Woody Allen Meteor Ronald Neame All That Jazz Bob Fosse 1980 Willie & Phil Paul Mazursky The Jazz Singer Richard Fleischer 1981 Paternity David Steinberg 1982 Tempest Paul Mazursky Still of the Night Robert Benton Sophie's Choice Alan J. Pakula 1983 Star 80 Bob Fosse To Be or Not to Be Alan Johnson 1984 Moscow on the Hudson Paul Mazursky 1985 The Falcon and the Snowman John Schlesinger The Journey of Natty Gann Jeremy Kagan 1986 Down and Out in Beverly Hills Paul Mazursky Legal Eagles Ivan Reitman Crimes of the Heart Bruce Beresford 1987 Nadine Robert Benton 1988 Moon over Parador Paul Mazursky 1989 Chances Are Emile Ardolino Cookie Susan Seidelman She-Devil Enemies, A Love Story Paul Mazursky 1990 Funny About Love Leonard Nimoy 1991 Scenes from a Mall Paul Mazursky Bugsy Barry Levinson 1992 Toys 1993 The Pickle Paul Mazursky Fatal Instinct Carl Reiner The Pelican Brief Alan J. Pakula 1994 Junior Ivan Reitman 1995 The Grass Harp Charles Matthau 1996 Up Close and Personal Jon Avnet Striptease Andrew Bergman 1997 Red Corner Jon Avnet The Jackal Michael Caton-Jones 1998 You've Got Mail Nora Ephron 1999 Runaway Bride Garry Marshall Galaxy Quest Dean Parisot 2000 Lucky Numbers Nora Ephron 2002 Road to Perdition Sam Mendes Maid in Manhattan Wayne Wang 2004 The Manchurian Candidate Jonathan Demme 2005 Jarhead Sam Mendes 2006 Ask the Dust Robert Towne 2007 Across the Universe Julie Taymor Charlie Wilson's War Mike Nichols 2008 Revolutionary Road Sam Mendes 2009 Duplicity Tony Gilroy 2011 Larry Crowne Tom Hanks 2014 Birdman Alejandro González Iñárritu 2016 Rules Don't Apply Warren Beatty 2019 Ad Astra James Gray 2021 The Woman in the Window Joe Wright 2022 Amsterdam David O. Russell
Honors and awards Academy Awards Winner: All That Jazz, 1980; Bugsy, 1992 Nominee: Sophie's Choice, 1983; The Journey of Natty Gann, 1986; Toys, 1993; Across the Universe, 2008; Revolutionary Road, 2009 Hollywood Film Award, Costume Designer of the Year, 2004 Costume Designers Guild, Career Achievement Award, 1999 TDF/Irene Sharaff Lifetime Achievement Award, 2010Awards for Costume and Set DesignersProbst, Andy.Ming Cho Lee, Albert Wolsky, et al. to Receive Irene Sharaff Awards" theatermania.com, March 9, 2010 Antoinette Perry Award 2013 Best Costume Design of a Play for The Heiress (nominee) Drama Desk Award 1976 Outstanding Costume Design for They Knew What They Wanted (nominee) 1976 Outstanding Costume Design for A Memory of Two Mondays / 27 Wagons Full of Cotton (nominee) 1977 Outstanding Costume Design for Sly Fox (nominee)
Bibliography Chaneles, Sol & Wolsky, Albert (1974) The Movie Makers: the lives and films of more than 2,500 stars, supporting actors, and directors who have made motion picture history. Secaucus, NJ: Derbibooks
References
Further reading "Wolsky, Albert." Contemporary Theater, Film, and Television. Vol. 36. Ed. Thomas Riggs. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group, 2001. 379–80.
External links
Interview, March 17, 2009 Albert Wolsky costume design drawings, 1977–2007, Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences