Legendary Designer Behind Some of the Most Iconic Designs in Hollywood Including James Bond Logo Passes Away at 103

Joe Caroff, the artist who quietly shaped the look of some of the most famous movies in Hollywood history, has died. He was 103. His sons, Peter and Michael Caroff, told The New York Times that he passed away on Sunday at his home in Manhattan while in hospice care. He died just one day before what would have been his 104th birthday.

Caroff was never a household name, but his designs became unforgettable. In 1962, he created the 007 logo with the pistol forming part of the number, giving James Bond its now legendary brand identity. That design is still being used today, more than sixty years later.

Years before Bond, at the age of 27, he had already started making his mark. Under the name Joseph Karov, he designed the book jacket for Norman Mailer’s debut novel, The Naked and the Dead. The work was shown in exhibitions, including one at the Museum of Modern Art in 1949. It was a sign of the creative path his life would take.

Caroff’s movie posters also left a lasting impression. He designed the poster for West Side Story in 1961. For years, many wrongly credited that work to Saul Bass, who actually created the film’s animated title sequence. Caroff was also behind posters and typography for films like A Hard Day’s Night, Cabaret, Last Tango in Paris, Manhattan, Zelig, and Rollerball. His agency, J. Caroff Associates, worked on more than 300 movie posters in total.

Besides posters, he explored motion graphics as well. He made title sequences for films like Martin Scorsese’s The Last Temptation of Christ and Volker Schlöndorff’s Death of a Salesman. His colleagues also contributed, with Burt Kleeger designing posters and lettering for Woody Allen films such as Manhattan and Stardust Memories.

Caroff’s influence went far beyond Hollywood. He created logos for companies and networks, including Fox and ABC Olympics. One of those projects even led to a lawsuit after another artist claimed his style had been copied.

His hand-drawn lettering inspired type designers who later created complete fonts. For example, British designer Colin Brignall developed the font Tango from Caroff’s lettering for Last Tango in Paris. Jonathan Hill later designed the typeface Laser Disco, based on Caroff’s work for Rollerball.

Even though Joe Caroff’s name often stayed in the background, his creations helped shape the way audiences saw movies and brands for decades. His designs carried style, energy, and personality. With his passing, Hollywood loses not only a talented artist but also the man who gave visual life to some of its most iconic moments.

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