John S. Detlie

John Stewart Detlie (December 23, 1908 – November 30, 2005) was an American motion picture art director/set designer in Hollywood from 1937 thru 1942.

He was the first husband of actress Veronica Lake, although 14 years older than she; they had two children, one of whom died shortly after birth. They divorced in 1943.

Detlie earned degrees in architecture from the University of Pennsylvania. He was nominated for an Oscar in 1941 for Best Art Direction for the film Bitter Sweet.

Detlie went on to serve in the Army in World War II, including directing the camouflage of Boeing Plant 2 in Seattle. He went on to a career in architecture, designing Temple De Hirsch Sinai in Seattle and a number of large churches and parts of downtown Honolulu. He was an accomplished artist in water colors, acrylics and oils.

His brother, Stanley Detlie, was a set designer in the 1930s and 1940s. John Detlie and his second wife, Virginia, lived in La Quinta, California, for 48 years, until his death from lung cancer several weeks before his 97th birthday.

Spouse(s)

• Veronica Lake (m. 1940, d. 1943; 2 children)
• Virginia Crowell (m. 1947-2005; 2 children)