Michael C. Gross

Michael C. Gross
Gross, September 17, 2014
Born	(1945-10-03)October 3, 1945 Newburgh, New York, U.S.
Died	November 16, 2015(2015-11-16) (aged 70) Oceanside, California, U.S.
Nationality	American
Known for	film producer, artist, graphic designer
Notable work	Ghostbusters
Website	http://www.michaelcgross.com/

Michael C. Gross (October 4, 1945 – November 16, 2015) was an American artist, designer, and film producer. From 1970 to 1974 he art-directed National Lampoon magazine, and subsequently co-ran a design company.

In 1980 he started working in Hollywood, and is perhaps best remembered for designing the logo for the movie Ghostbusters, which was one of 11 films on which he served as producer or executive producer.

Gross was a designer for the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, and he art-directed EYE magazine.

Gross was the art director of National Lampoon magazine. He was hired in 1970, and his work first appeared in the eighth issue of the magazine, the "Nostalgia" issue, which was published in November 1970.

His most famous National Lampoon piece was the cover for the January 1973 "Death" issue. He created "If You Don't Buy This Magazine, We'll Kill This Dog" (for an image of this cover, see the National Lampoon article).

Gross left National Lampoon in 1974, and formed Pellegrini, Kaestle, & Gross, Inc. He became the personal designer for John Lennon, as well as being a consultant to the Muppets. In the late 1970s he art directed Esquire magazine and was also design director for Mobil Oil.

In 1980, Gross moved to California, where he worked as producer or an executive producer on 11 films, including Heavy Metal, Ghostbusters (he designed the "no ghosts" logo which can be seen in the Ghostbusters article, and was surprised to see it so popular that it was painted on the nose of a B-52 bomber), Ghostbusters II, Twins, Beethoven, Legal Eagles, Kindergarten Cop and Dave. He was also the producer for 5 television shows, including The Real Ghostbusters and Beethoven.