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Scenic designer William Eckart was more accomplished on Broadway than he was in the cinematic world, but he did make the crossover a couple of times, notably for a handful of 1950s musicals. Eckart studied architecture at New Orleans-located Tulane University, where he met his future wife, Jean Eckart. The two would become a Broadway fixture after William's stint in the Army and some further study at the Yale School of Drama. William and Jean were twice nominated for Tony awards, for their work on the 1960 production of Fiorello! and the 1966 staging of Mame. In the 1970s, the Eckarts moved to Dallas, TX, to teach design at Southern Methodist University, and in 1991, William was named professor emeritus. When Jean died in 1991, he remained active in design until his own death in early 2000, at the age of 80.