like her famous sequined mermaid gowns, died Sept. 21 at his home in Upstate New York’s Jeffersonville. He was 85.
The New York Times reports heart failure as the cause of death. His death was first reported two weeks ago by local news in his native Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where he got his start in the 1950s designing his high school plays.DeMora began his film career with 1976’sThe Exorcist II: The Heretic,starring Jeff Bridges.
Before the start of his film career, DeMora had met and befriended Midler during their early ’70s downtown Manhattan days. The two would soon embark on a collaboration that would last for decades and encompass stage and concert tours, TV specials, feature films and, in 1998, the stunning cover photo on the singer’salbum depicting Midler in a black-and-white, tight-fitting striped gown that blossoms at the bottom like a tornado touching ground.