1940s Billy Seay “Black Panther” Original Watercolor Gouache Painting

Wildlife has never appeared more sleek, and frankly glamorous. Billy Seay was someone unique to Hollywood in his day. Actor, artist and decorator, he lived a long life and was friends with the likes of Bette Davis and others in her circle.

Bill Seay (1922-2012) started his working life as Billy Seay, child actor, in the late silents and early talkies (“Kid Millions” with Eddie Cantor, “Topaze” with John Barrymore, and “The Unknown” with Lon Chaney and the young Joan Crawford, are the most noted of these films), then followed in his father’s footsteps as an artist, joining the designer Sacha Brastoff in his studio from 1952 to 1959, remaining a life-long friend and co-author of the definitive book on Brastoff’s work, soon striking out on his own as a portrait painter (clients included Judy Garlard, Crawford and the ill-fated George Reeves of the Superman series on TV), finally becoming an antiquaire and decorator until his passing at the age of 90.

He was employed by the Turner Print Company painting the original works of tropical birds and landscapes that Turner turned into very successful prints, as they exactly expressed the decorating zeitgeist of the Deco period.

This is a rare original and signed by the artist. From a private collection

Art is 29 1/4″ x 38 7/8″. Frame 36 1/4″ x 46 1/4″