A CONVERSATION ON AL HIRSCHFELD by David Leopold at ArtCenter College of Design, Wednesday, November 5, 2025.

Al Hirschfeld is by far 20th Century America's most prodigious and highly esteemed caricaturist, with a career that spanned 80 years. Over the past century his images of performers in movies, theater, music, etc have been enormously influential and relevant to professionals in the entertainment industry and far beyond, including illustrators, filmmakers, animators, character designers, and graphic designers. And their iconic power remains unabated. 

Archivist and curator David Leopold is the Al Hirschfeld Foundation's creative director. He is the foremost authority on Hirschfeld. He's known Al since the 1980s, wrote his definitive biography, "The Hirschfeld Century". This event at ArtCenter College of Design is David's only public appearance in Southern California during his nationwide tour to promote his latest release, a poster book titled "Hirschfeld's Sondheim".

Video by Joan Dooley