Leon D'Usseau

1918-1991

Born in Los Angeles, CA on March 21, 1918. Leon was the son of an art director at Paramount Pictures. He anglicized his name to Dusso and studied under Merrill Gage and Archipenko at the Chouinard Art Institute. He was active as an artist in his native city and a resident of Sherman Oaks, CA in the 1960s. He died in Lake Elsinore, CA on Nov. 23, 1991. His painting style was influenced by Mayan or Incan designs.

Exh: LACMA, 1937-40; CPLH, 1941; MM, 1942; LA AA, 1944; Audubon Ass'n, 1945; Calif. WC Society, 1946; Laguna Festival of Arts. In: Marshall Field and Palmer House (Chicago); Dallas Museum

He began training under the guidance of his father, who was among the first of the fine art directors in motion pictures. Dusso was twelve years of age when he started drawing seriously. At a mere fifteen years, he received a working scholarship at Chouinard School of Art in Los Angeles where he taught a quick sketch class in life drawing.

According to Dusso, after spending eight years as a make-up artist at M.G.M. a growing need for deeper personal expresson caused me to abandon this lucrative occupation for one more spiritually rewarding. Dusso is listed in Who's Who in Western Art.

His oil paintings have been purchased and used in the making of the film Man in the Grey Flannel Suit, and the film Anything Goes, as well as the Perry Mason series on television starring Raymond Burr.