jobs as a sketch artist during school breaks, impressing those he worked with sufficiently that he was able to begin building his career. The other story relates that Stevenson and his mother lived next door to Lova Klenowsky, a cousin of Gloria Swanson. Klenowsky became aware of Stevenson's artistic abilities and interest in design, and she introduced him to Clément Henri Andreani, known professionally as André-ani. The designer was impressed and tutored the young man in costume design for approximately two years. Silent Film Work In 1924, Stevenson began working as a sketch artist for Norma Talmadge’s production company, and he was also allowed to submit his own designs. One Stevenson design mentioned in numerous accounts is a silver gown worn by Barbara LaMarr in The White Moth (1924). When Andre-aní was hired to replace Erte at MGM in 1925, he brought in his young protégé to sketch for him. Andre-aní designed for Greta Garbo, Norma Shearer, Louise Fazenda, and Joan Crawford during that time. In May 1925 and April 1926, Stevenson executed costumes for stage productions presented at Pocatello High School, allowing him to gain experience designing for an actual production in a low-profile location. The productions were Once in a Blue Moon and Bizet’s Carmen, respectively. When Andre-ani and MGM parted ways, Stevenson found work as a sketch artist and occasional designer at Fox. In the 1927 film Seventh Heaven, Janet Gaynor wore a white lace wedding gown of Stevenson's design, the only known example of a Stevenson design from this period in his career. Warner Brothers/First National Stevenson's first contract as a designer was signed in 1928 with First National Pictures, Inc., then one of the largest theater chains and movie studios in the United States. Warner Brothers had recently gained controlling interest in First National and installed one of their production executives, Hal Wallis, as studio head. It was Wallis's wife, comic film actress Louise Fazenda whom Stevenson had met while at MGM, who convinced Wallis to give the aspiring designer a chance. Warner Brothers purchased First National in November of the following year, bringing in their own designer, Earl Luick. There was plenty of work for both of them, but when Stevenson's contract was up, Orry-Kelly was hired in his stead. Stevenson's name was also excluded from the credits of many of the Warner/First National films on which he had worked, so after his departure