Bo Welch

Robert W. "Bo" Welch III (born 1951) is an American production designer, art director, film and television director, and occasional actor. He is best known for his collaborations with filmmakers such as Tim Burton and Barry Sonnenfeld, and for directing The Cat in the Hat. During his career, Welch received a BAFTA Award as well as nominations for four Academy Awards and two Primetime Emmy Awards. In 2025, he was honored with Art Directors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award.

Early life

Robert W. Welch III was born in Yardley, Pennsylvania.

Career

Welch worked as a production designer on the Tim Burton films Edward Scissorhands, Beetlejuice, and Batman Returns, as well as the Barry Sonnenfeld films Men in Black and Wild Wild West. He made his directorial debut with The Cat in the Hat, which was poorly received and earned him a nomination for the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Director.

Welch has been nominated for four Academy Awards for Best Production Design, three shared with set decorator Cheryl Carasik and one shared with J. Michael Riva and Linda DeScenna; the four films are Men in Black, The Birdcage, and A Little Princess with Carasik, and The Color Purple with Riva and DeScenna.

Personal life

Welch met Canadian actress Catherine O'Hara on the set of Beetlejuice in 1987, and they were married from 1992 until her death in 2026. They lived in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles with their sons Matthew (born 1994) and Luke (born 1997).

Filmography

As production designer

As art director

As director

As actor

References

External links

• Bo Welch at IMDb