Cleopatra (1963)

Episode 143 of the The Art of Costume Podcast podcast, hosted by Spencer Williams & Elizabeth Joy Glass | The Art of Costume, titled "Cleopatra (1963)" was published on July 29, 2025 and runs 52 minutes.

July 29, 2025 ·52m · The Art of Costume Podcast

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Summary

Hail, listeners! This week on The Art of Costume Podcast, we’re heading back to ancient Egypt—by way of 1963 Hollywood—as we unravel the epic, opulent, and outrageously chaotic story behind Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s Cleopatra.Spencer and Elizabeth dive into the legendary costumes designed by not one, not two, but three iconic designers—Irene Sharaff, Vittorio Nino Novarese, and Renié. From Cleopatra’s gilded goddess gowns to Marc Antony’s military regalia, this film set a new gold standard for historical costuming—and for behind-the-scenes drama.We'll dish on the wild production plagued by health crises, lost scripts, on-set romances, location disasters, and a revolving door of directors. And yes, we’ll talk about that infamous gold outfit. Grab your eyeliner and a goblet of wine—this episode is pure, extravagant scandal from start to finish.► Podcast Merch Store: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.teepublic.com/user/theartofcostume ► Join our Discord: ⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/ze3zBSK2⁠⁠⁠ ► Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/theartofcostumepod/► TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@theartofcostume

Episode Description

Hail, listeners! This week on The Art of Costume Podcast, we’re heading back to ancient Egypt—by way of 1963 Hollywood—as we unravel the epic, opulent, and outrageously chaotic story behind Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s Cleopatra.

Spencer and Elizabeth dive into the legendary costumes designed by not one, not two, but three iconic designers—Irene Sharaff, Vittorio Nino Novarese, and Renié. From Cleopatra’s gilded goddess gowns to Marc Antony’s military regalia, this film set a new gold standard for historical costuming—and for behind-the-scenes drama.

We'll dish on the wild production plagued by health crises, lost scripts, on-set romances, location disasters, and a revolving door of directors. And yes, we’ll talk about that infamous gold outfit. Grab your eyeliner and a goblet of wine—this episode is pure, extravagant scandal from start to finish.