Bo Welch


Robert W. "Bo" Welch III is an American production designer, art director, film and television director, and occasional actor. He is best known for his collaborations with filmmakers such as Tim Burton and Barry Sonnenfeld, and for directing The Cat in the Hat.

Early life

Robert W. Welch III was born in Yardley, Pennsylvania.

Career

Welch worked as a production designer on the Tim Burton films Edward Scissorhands, Beetlejuice, and Batman Returns, as well as the Barry Sonnenfeld films Men in Black and Wild Wild West. He made his directorial debut with The Cat in the Hat, which was poorly received and earned him a nomination for the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Director.
Welch has been nominated for four Academy Award for [Best Production Design|Academy Awards for Best Production Design], three shared with set decorator Cheryl Carasik and one shared with J. Michael Riva and Linda DeScenna; the four films are Men in Black, The Birdcage, and A Little Princess with Carasik, and The Color Purple with Riva and DeScenna.

Personal life

Welch met Canadian actress Catherine O'Hara on the set of Beetlejuice in 1987, and they were married from 1992 until her death in 2026. They lived in the Brentwood, [Los Angeles|Brentwood] neighborhood of Los Angeles with their sons Matthew and Luke.

Filmography

;As production designer
YearFilmOther notes
1985The Color PurpleNominated — Academy Award for Best Production Design
1986Violets Are Blue
1987The Lost Boys
1988The Accidental Tourist
1988Beetlejuice
1989Ghostbusters II
1990Edward ScissorhandsBAFTA Award for Best Production Design
1990Joe Versus the Volcano
1991Grand Canyon
1992Batman ReturnsNominated — Awards Circuit Community Awards for Best Production Design
1994Wolf
1995A Little PrincessNominated — Academy Award for Best Production Design
Nominated — Awards Circuit Community Award for Best Art Direction
1996The BirdcageLAFCA Award for Best Production Design
Nominated — Academy Award for Best Production Design
Nominated — ADG Award for Excellence in Production Design
Nominated — Awards Circuit Community Award for Best Art Direction
1997Men in BlackNominated — Academy Award for Best Production Design
Nominated — ADG Award for Excellence in Production Design
1998Primary Colors
1999Wild Wild West
2000What Planet Are You From?
2002Men in Black II
2008Space Chimps
2009Land of the Lost
2011ThorNominated — Saturn Award for Best Production Design
2012Men in Black 3
2017–2019A [Series of Unfortunate Events (TV series)|A Series of Unfortunate Events]Nominated — Emmy Award for Outstanding Production Design
Nominated — ADG Award for Excellence in Production Design
2021–2022Schmigadoon!Nominated — ADG Award for Excellence in Production Design
Nominated — Emmy Award for Outstanding Production Design
2024Beetlejuice BeetlejuiceVisual consultant

;As art director
YearFilmOther notes
1983The Star Chamber
1983Heart of Steel
1984Swing Shift
1984Best Defense
1984The Hoboken Chicken Emergency
1985The Color Purple
1986Violets Are Blue

;As director
YearFilmOther notes
1999–2000Secret Agent ManSeries director: 5 pilot episodes and 1 episode
2001The Tick2 episodes
2003The Cat in the HatNominated — Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Director
2017–2019A Series of Unfortunate Events5 episodes

;As actor
YearFilmRoleNotes
2002Men in Black IIAstronautUncredited
2012Men in Black 3PedestrianUncredited
2014TiebrakerFather