The journey of creating prop art for a Quentin Tarantino film is anything but ordinary. For acclaimed illustrator Tom Richmond, it involved a surprise commission, a tight deadline scramble, and the thrill of contributing to the visually rich world of “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” This is the story behind the Richmond Tv Guide cover, a piece of movie memorabilia that added authentic detail to Tarantino’s 1969 Los Angeles.
It all began in March 2018 with an email from Chris Call, the Property Master for Tarantino’s upcoming movie. Call explained that Tarantino envisioned a 1960s-era TV Guide cover as a prop to enhance the backstory of Leonardo DiCaprio’s character, Jake Cahill. Cahill, a former TV star of the fictional western show “Bounty Law,” was meant to have memorabilia in his office showcasing his past fame. Tarantino specifically wanted the TV Guide art to emulate the iconic style of Jack Davis, and Richmond’s name surfaced through internet searches. The connection was even stronger: Richmond was, and still is, an artist for MAD Magazine, a publication Davis was also famously associated with.
The project expanded when Tarantino, a lifelong MAD fan, proposed adding a spoof MAD cover to the prop list. This cover would also feature “Bounty Law,” further emphasizing Cahill’s cultural impact in the movie’s universe. Richmond was officially on board to create both a faux TV Guide and a MAD cover, both in the unmistakable style of Jack Davis.
Movie productions are known for their fluid timelines, and prop creation is often subject to shifts in priorities. While Richmond was excited about the project, he understood that things could change. However, Chris Call reassured him of Tarantino’s genuine enthusiasm. In mid-July 2018, the official art direction arrived, outlining Tarantino’s vision for both covers.
For the MAD cover, dated September 1961, Tarantino requested a Jack Davis-style illustration depicting Jake Cahill leaning against a western building. A “Wanted: Dead or Alive” poster would be prominently displayed, featuring Alfred E. Neuman comically picking his nose – a classic MAD gag.
The Richmond TV Guide cover, dated 1962, was described as featuring a smirking Jake Cahill on horseback, with the horse also sporting a smirk. Adding to the humorous western tableau, a mule in tow would be carrying a “big fat dead guy” face down over its saddle, complete with bulging eyes and buckling legs. Tarantino provided examples of Davis’s MAD and TV Guide covers, along with photos of DiCaprio as Jake Cahill, providing rich visual references.
Richmond, a Tarantino admirer himself, was thrilled but also slightly hesitant about replicating Davis’s style so closely. While he’s adept at stylistic parodies, directly imitating masters like Davis or Mort Drucker is something he usually avoids. However, client vision reigns supreme in illustration, and Tarantino wanted a Jack Davis feel. Richmond leaned into the Davis aesthetic, especially for the Richmond TV Guide artwork.
Initial pencil sketches were created and submitted.
The sketches received general approval, but with minor adjustments. For the MAD cover, Tarantino wanted Cahill positioned directly against the wall, looking shocked at the poster, instead of Richmond’s initial idea of him leaning on a railing. MAD Magazine’s then Executive Editor Bill Morrison suggested moving the gun for better gag visibility, a change Richmond incorporated, even if it meant a slight holster inaccuracy.
The Richmond TV Guide sketch revisions were simpler – mainly repositioning the mule and figure.
With approvals secured and a delivery deadline of August 9th, Richmond planned to create traditional paintings, aiming for the authentic 1960s cover art feel. Tarantino also desired the original artworks, which was factored into the project agreement. Richmond began the painting process, but a sudden schedule change threw a wrench into the works.
Just as Richmond started painting, a call came in. The scene featuring the props was moved up a week, requiring finished artwork by Tuesday, August 7th – not just art, but the finished props themselves for filming that day! With only a Sunday call and Monday to react, physical paintings were impossible to complete and ship in time.
Richmond pivoted, creating digital versions of both covers to meet the urgent deadline. He drew black and white line art traditionally, scanned it, and then digitally colored and textured it to mimic a watercolor effect.
The digital files were delivered on time, enabling prop production for the shoot. In “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” the scene featuring these props appears around the 35-minute mark, showcasing memorabilia of Rick Dalton’s (DiCaprio) past fame. The Richmond TV Guide cover gets a brief close-up, but the MAD cover enjoys a more extended screen presence. The on-screen props were prints of these digital versions.
Richmond completed the physical paintings later that week.
After delivering the digital art, Richmond arranged to hand-deliver the finished paintings to Tarantino. This led to a set visit in September 2018, where he met Quentin Tarantino and personally presented the original artworks – a fitting culmination to the tale of the Richmond TV Guide and MAD covers’ creation.
This story highlights not only the exciting world of movie prop creation but also the adaptability and talent of artists like Tom Richmond, who can bring a director’s vision to life, even under Hollywood’s fast-paced and ever-changing conditions.
