K.C. Fox obit

KC Fox Dies: Emmy-Nominated Set Decorator Was 70

 

She was not on the list.

Emmy-nominated set decorator KC Fox — who worked on the sets of films like Speed, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and The 40-Year-Old Virgin — died Aug. 28 of pancreatic cancer. The prolific artisan, whose career spanned four decades, was 70.

“Known for her joie de vivre, keen artistic eye, belly laugh, and clever wit, she was beloved by her crew and colleagues,” the Set Decorators Society of America wrote in an obituary on its website. “K.C. generously offered career advice, mentored through the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and served on many Boards and Committees at the SDSA and AMPAS.”

A founding member of the SDSA and 2024 recipient of the Earl Cooperman Lifetime Achievement Award, Fox died at home, surrounded by her family. Throughout her illustrious career, she racked up two Art Directors Guild Awards for The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and HBO’s Little Britain USA. She was additionally nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Art Direction for a Miniseries or a Special for Gypsy, starring Bette Midler.

IATSE Local 44’s Set Decorator Steering Committee, of which Fox was a decades-long member, wrote, “KC was a beloved member of the Set Decoration craft; a force of nature, and an inspiration to all generations of Set Decorators who will follow in her giant footsteps.”

The veteran AMPAS and Television Academy member worked in film, television, music videos and commercials, garnering notable credits in titles such as Criminal Minds, Rock of Ages, Fright Night, Shameless, Valentine’s Day, Volcano, He’s Just Not That Into You, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Cheaper By the Dozen, Legally Blonde 2, Doctor Doolittle, Breakfast of Champions, Bowfinger, Multiplicity, Doogie Kamealoha, M.D., United States of Tara, Jesse and Mad Men.

“We celebrate her life, generous soul and amazing spirit,” Local 44 added. “We will miss you.”

Fox grew up in Los Angeles, born Feb. 1, 1954 to two educators. After spending a year in Europe in a small camper with her parents and two brothers, “the seeds of wanderlust and observation were planted,” she said in a Q&A with SDSA. After a series of odd jobs in college, which included working at ski resorts, apprenticing for a stained glass master, being a cocktail server and serving as a poker dealer, she graduated with a degree in commercial recreation and tourism that led her to work in England as a tour wholesaler representative, where a friend introduced her to the film industry.

“My first film, ironically, was TAKE THIS JOB AND SHOVE IT but I did quite the opposite and headed towards the art department!” Fox explained.

In the ’80s, she transitioned from art department coordinator for then-production designer James Cameron to set decorator on teen films. Within a couple of years, Fox was art directing and/or decorating for commercials, music videos and movies of the week. After toiling for 12 years, Fox made it into the union.

“I love what I do … can’t imagine not doing it,” she stated. “It is such a gift we are given to create characters and define spaces in a world of imagination. Self-taught as I am, I have learned to keep my eyes open and soak it up. Most importantly: do the research. Go the extra mile. Trust your instincts. Don’t try to fix something with a Band-Aid, get to the root of the problem and re-invent the solution. Look at the big picture. Look also at the small picture … little jewelry box … what is going to be seen in the close up? … Use your powers, do your homework … make a choice. Be confident that your instincts will prevail.”

Per the SDSA obit, donations in her memory can be made to Big Sunday, Planned Parenthood and Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PANCAN).

Set Decorator

Milo Manheim, Alex Aiono, and Peyton Elizabeth Lee in Doogie Kamealoha, M.D. (2021)

Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.

7.0

TV Series

Set Decorator

2021

1 episode

 

Joe Mantegna, Paget Brewster, A.J. Cook, Adam Rodriguez, Aisha Tyler, and Kirsten Vangsness in Criminal Minds (2005)

Criminal Minds

8.1

TV Series

Set Decorator

2013–2020

134 episodes

 

Justin Timberlake in Justin Timberlake feat. Jay-Z: Suit & Tie (2013)

Justin Timberlake feat. Jay-Z: Suit & Tie

7.3

Music Video

Set Decorator

2013

 

Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Mary J. Blige, Malin Akerman, Paul Giamatti, Russell Brand, Diego Boneta, and Julianne Hough in Rock of Ages (2012)

Rock of Ages

5.9

Set Decorator

2012

 

Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

7.8

Set Decorator

2011

 

Colin Farrell and Anton Yelchin in Fright Night (2011)

Fright Night

6.4

Set Decorator

2011

 

William H. Macy, Steve Howey, Cameron Monaghan, Shanola Hampton, Jeremy Allen White, Ethan Cutkosky, and Emma Kenney in Shameless (2011)

Shameless

8.5

TV Series

Set Decorator

2011

1 episode

 

Julia Roberts, Kathy Bates, Patrick Dempsey, Hector Elizondo, Queen Latifah, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Ashton Kutcher, Bradley Cooper, Eric Dane, Emma Roberts, and Taylor Lautner in Valentine's Day (2010)

Valentine's Day

5.7

Set Decorator

2010

 

Valentine (2008)

Valentine

6.4

TV Series

Set Decorator

2009

1 episode

 

Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Connelly, Ben Affleck, Kevin Connolly, Bradley Cooper, Ginnifer Goodwin, Scarlett Johansson, and Justin Long in He's Just Not That Into You (2009)

He's Just Not That Into You

6.4

Set Decorator

2009

 

Toni Collette in United States of Tara (2009)

United States of Tara

8.0

TV Series

Set Decorator (as KC Fox)

2009

1 episode

 

Owen Wilson in Drillbit Taylor (2008)

Drillbit Taylor

5.7

Set Decorator

2008

 

Jason Segel in Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

7.1

Set Decorator

2008

 

Molly Shannon in Year of the Dog (2007)

Year of the Dog

6.0

Set Decorator

2007

 

Steve Carell in The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)

The 40-Year-Old Virgin

7.1

Set Decorator

2005

 

Kenan Thompson in Fat Albert (2004)

Fat Albert

4.4

Set Decorator

2004

 

Steve Martin, Bonnie Hunt, Paula Marshall, Piper Perabo, Hilary Duff, Steven Anthony Lawrence, Kevin G. Schmidt, Jacob Smith, Tom Welling, Liliana Mumy, Brent Kinsman, Shane Kinsman, Alyson Stoner, Morgan York, Blake Woodruff, and Forrest Landis in Cheaper by the Dozen (2003)

Cheaper by the Dozen

5.9

Set Decorator

2003

 

David Spade in Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003)

Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star

5.6

Set Decorator

2003

 

Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde (2003)

Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde

4.8

Set Decorator

2003

 

Ashton Kutcher and Brittany Murphy in Just Married (2003)

Just Married

5.5

Set Decorator

2003

 

Max Keeble's Big Move (2001)

Max Keeble's Big Move

5.4

Set Decorator

2001

 

Robert De Niro and Edward Norton in The Score (2001)

The Score

6.8

Set Decorator

2001

 

Sharon Stone, Vanessa Redgrave, Ellen DeGeneres, Chloë Sevigny, and Michelle Williams in If These Walls Could Talk 2 (2000)

If These Walls Could Talk 2

6.9

TV Movie

Set Decorator (segments 1961, 1972)

2000

 

Christina Applegate, Bruno Campos, Eric Lloyd, Jennifer Milmore, Kevin Rahm, Liza Snyder, and Darryl Theirse in Jesse (1998)

Jesse

6.0

TV Series

Set Decorator

1999–2000

14 episodes

 

Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy in Bowfinger (1999)

Bowfinger

6.5

Set Decorator

1999

 

Bruce Willis in Breakfast of Champions (1999)

Breakfast of Champions

4.5

Set Decorator

1999

 

Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock, Norm MacDonald, and Reni Santoni in Doctor Dolittle (1998)

Doctor Dolittle

5.4

Set Decorator

1998

 

Volcano (1997)

Volcano

5.5

Set Decorator

1997

 

Michael Keaton and Andie MacDowell in Multiplicity (1996)

Multiplicity

6.1

Set Decorator

1996

 

Keanu Reeves in Speed (1994)

Speed

7.3

Set Decorator

1994

 

Gypsy (1993)

Gypsy

7.2

TV Movie

Set Decorator

1993

 

Lady Boss (1992)

Lady Boss

5.3

TV Mini Series

Set Decorator

1992

 

Getting Up and Going Home (1992)

Getting Up and Going Home

6.3

TV Movie

Set Decorator

1992

 

Mistress (1992)

Mistress

5.4

Set Decorator

1992

 

By the Sword (1991)

By the Sword

6.4

Set Decorator

1991

 

Danny Glover, Forest Whitaker, Robin Givens, and Gregory Hines in A Rage in Harlem (1991)

A Rage in Harlem

5.9

Set Decorator

1991

 

Arielle Dombasle in The Boss' Wife (1986)

The Boss' Wife

4.9

Set Decorator

1986

 

As Summers Die (1986)

As Summers Die

6.0

TV Movie

Set Decorator

1986

 

Trouble in Mind (1985)

Trouble in Mind

6.4

Set Decorator

1985

 

Production Designer

Child in the Night (1990)

Child in the Night

5.5

TV Movie

Production Designer

1990

 

Incident at Dark River (1989)

Incident at Dark River

6.1

TV Movie

Production Designer

1989

 

Get Smart, Again! (1989)

Get Smart, Again!

6.1

TV Movie

Production Designer

1989

 

Finish Line (1989)

Finish Line

5.9

TV Movie

Production Designer

1989

 

Leap of Faith (1988)

Leap of Faith

6.1

TV Movie

Production Designer

1988

 

Andrew Robinson in Liberace (1988)

Liberace

6.3

TV Movie

Production Designer

1988

 

Shattered Spirits (1986)

Shattered Spirits

6.0

TV Movie

Production Designer

1986

 

Art Department

Mad Men (2007)

Mad Men

8.7

TV Series

set decorator: Hawaii crew

2013

1 episode

 

Matt Lucas and David Walliams in Little Britain USA (2008)

Little Britain USA

7.6

TV Series

set decorator: Los Angeles

2008

2 episodes

 

Susan Sarandon, Billy Bob Thornton, and Seann William Scott in Mr. Woodcock (2007)

Mr. Woodcock

5.2

set decorator: additional photography

2007

 

Sharon Stone and William Baldwin in Sliver (1993)

Sliver

5.1

additional set decorator

1993

 

Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman in The Ratings Game (1984)

The Ratings Game

5.9

TV Movie

assistant art director

1984