Background
Riggs, Rita was born on September 2, 1930 in Boone County, Arkansas, United States. Daughter of J. Almus and Ida V. (Keeling) Riggs.
Riggs, Rita was born on September 2, 1930 in Boone County, Arkansas, United States. Daughter of J. Almus and Ida V. (Keeling) Riggs.
Associate of Arts in Theatre Production, Santa Ana College, 1950. Bachelor in Theatre Production, University Arizona, 1952. Master of Fine Arts, University Arizona, 1954.
She is probably best known for being the costume designer for Norman Lear sitcoms. The family moved to Los Angeles in 1943. After two years at Santa Ana College, Riggs went to the University of Arizona to work under costumer Fairfax Proudfit Walkup.
After an interview at National Broadcasting Company in 1954, Columbia Broadcasting System hired Riggs the next day and her first assignment was in the costume department for Shower of Stars.
She also worked on show such as Climax! and Playhouse 90. Riggs later worked on Alfred Hitchcock Presents usually on the wrap-arounds, which led to her work on the films Psycho, The Birds and Marnie, the latter of two she worked with Edith Head.
Riggs also worked on Divorce American Style, where she got to meet Norman Lear and Bud Yorkin. This led to her work on All in the Family, for which she and production designer Don Roberts created a sepia "family album" look to the show.
Riggs later worked on more films and films for television such as Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters" First 100 Years and also television series 10,000 Days.
On August 19, 2003 Riggs was interviewed for the Archive of American Television by Gary Rutkowski. Riggs also describes her work at Revue Studios which included working with Alfred Hitchcock. Riggs also chronicles her extensive work in such features as Seconds (1966), Petulia (1968), and Yes, Giorgio (1982).
Daughter of J. Almus and Ida V. (Keeling) Riggs. M. Charles S. Sharp, May 9, 1982 (deceased September 1982).