---
name: "James H. Spencer"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/james-h-spencer"
fi1m_id: "james-h-spencer"
imdb_id: "nm0817970"
tmdb_id: 10064
wikidata_id: "Q3161127"
roles: ["Production designer"]
born: "13 June 1942"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 7
average_fi1m_score: 76
average_over: 7
updated: "2026-10-04T21:56:05.800866+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# James H. Spencer

## Identity

James H. Spencer

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/james-h-spencer
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** james-h-spencer
- **IMDb ID:** nm0817970
- **TMDB ID:** 10064
- **Wikidata ID:** Q3161127
- **Same entity:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3161127, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0817970/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/10064

Production designer. Born 13 June 1942 in Los Angeles.

## Details

- **Work:** Production designer
- **Born:** 13 June 1942, Los Angeles
- **Active:** 1973–1992
- **Also known as:** James Spencer
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 86 (2), 1980s 74 (4), 1990s 64 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 78 to 71 across 6 titles
- **Score spread:** 4 at 80+, 3 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Genres:** Comedy 3, Horror 3, Action 2, Crime 2, Drama 2, Fantasy 2
- **Screen time:** 13 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $859m across 7 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3161127, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0817970/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/10064

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*Gremlins*](https://film.one/film/gremlins.md) (80)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Stripes*](https://film.one/film/stripes.md) (70)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

James H. Spencer is an American production designer and art director. Born on 13 June 1942 in Los Angeles, he began his career in the 1970s with art direction credits that include *Rocky* (1976).

His production design work includes *Poltergeist* (1982), *Gremlins* (1984), *Innerspace* (1987), *The 'Burbs* (1989), *Gremlins 2: The New Batch* (1990), *Lethal Weapon 3* (1992), *Ri¢hie Ri¢h* (1994) and *Hunter Killer* (2018). He has also designed for television series such as *Lost* (2005–2006). Spencer won a Primetime Emmy Award.

*Sources: imdb.com, wikidata.org, oak3.the-numbers.com, shotonwhat.com.*

## On Fi1m (7)

- *Lethal Weapon 3* (1992), Fi1m 64, Production design, Production Design — [page](https://film.one/film/lethal-weapon-3.md)
- *Gremlins* (1984), Fi1m 80, Production design, Production Design — [page](https://film.one/film/gremlins.md)
- *Twilight Zone: The Movie* (1983), Fi1m 63, Art Direction — [page](https://film.one/film/twilight-zone-the-movie.md)
- *Poltergeist* (1982), Fi1m 84, Production Design, Production design — [page](https://film.one/film/poltergeist.md)
- *Stripes* (1981), Fi1m 70, Production design, Production Design — [page](https://film.one/film/stripes.md)
- *Rocky* (1976), Fi1m 85, Art Direction — [page](https://film.one/film/rocky.md)
- *Paper Moon* (1973), Fi1m 86, Set Designer — [page](https://film.one/film/paper-moon.md)

## Complete filmography (32)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Hunter Killer* (2018), Production Design
- *An American Girl: Chrissa Stands Strong* (2009), Production Design
- *The Eye* (2008), Production Design
- *Material Girls* (2006), Production Design
- *The Prince & Me* (2004), Production Design
- *The Ponder Heart* (2001), Production Design
- *The Flamingo Rising* (2001), Production Design
- *Introducing Dorothy Dandridge* (1999), Production Design
- *Out to Sea* (1997), Production Design, Second Unit Director
- *Fair Game* (1995), Production Design
- *Ri¢hie Ri¢h* (1994), Production Design
- *Blankman* (1994), Production Design
- *Ghost in the Machine* (1993), Production Design
- *Lethal Weapon 3* (1992), Production Design — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/lethal-weapon-3.md)
- *Gremlins 2: The New Batch* (1990), Production Design, Second Unit Director
- *Tales from the Crypt* (1989), series, Director
- *The 'Burbs* (1989), Production Design
- *Innerspace* (1987), Production Design
- *Gremlins* (1984), Production Design — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/gremlins.md)
- *Twilight Zone: The Movie* (1983), as Art Direction — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/film/twilight-zone-the-movie.md)
- *Poltergeist* (1982), Production Design — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/poltergeist.md)
- *Stripes* (1981), Production Design — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/stripes.md)
- *Die Laughing* (1980), Production Design
- *Son-Rise: A Miracle of Love* (1979), as Art Direction
- *Some Kind of Miracle* (1979), as Art Direction
- *The Wilds of Ten Thousand Islands* (1978), as Art Direction
- *King* (1978), series, Production Design
- *Fire Sale* (1977), Production Design
- *Red Alert* (1977), as Art Direction
- *Rocky* (1976), as Art Direction — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/rocky.md)
- *Friendly Persuasion* (1975), as Art Direction
- *Paper Moon* (1973), Set Designer — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/paper-moon.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/james-h-spencer