In almost every feature film of Hollywood’s golden age, painted backings have convinced moviegoers that what they are seeing—whether the fantastic roads of Oz, the presidents of Mount Rushmore, or ancient Egyptian kingdoms—is absolutely real. The Art of the Hollywood Backdrop reveals the hidden world and creators of these masterpieces, long-guarded as a studio special effect. In an effort to preserve the history of Hollywood’s scenic artists, Karen Maness and Richard Isackes, in collaboration with the Art Directors Guild, have compiled a definitive history of the craft with origins stretching back to the films of Méliès, Edison, Sennett, Chaplin, and Fairbanks.