Born in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. In Hollywood from 1918, he began as a set decorator on Erich von Stroheim's earliest films at Universal, BLIND HUSBANDS (1919) and THE DEVIL'S PASS KEY (1920). He stayed on with von Stroheim through his moves to MGM, Paramount, and United Artists, and for the remainder of the silent era collaborated with the director on the art direction and the costume design of the latter's elaborate productions. On his own from the early 1930s, Day proved himself one of the most capable and imaginative art directors in the business, designing many distinguished productions for United Artists, 20th Century-Fox, and RKO. His sets, whether period or modern, have been noted for their realism. In 245 films as art director, some of his more notable non-nominated credits include THE HOLLYWOOD REVUE OF 1929 (1929), RAIN (1932), HALLELUJAH, I'M A BUM and ROMAN SCANDALS (both 1933), MOULIN ROUGE, THE HOUSE OF ROTHSCHILD and KID MILLIONS (all 1934), THE CALL OF THE WILD and BARBARY COAST (both 1935), COME AND GET IT (1936), STELLA DALLAS and THE HURRICANE (both 1937), THE COWBOY AND THE LADY (1938), THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, YOUNG MR. LINCOLN and DRUMS ALONG THE MOHAWK (all 1939), THE GRAPES OF WRATH, THE MARK OF ZORRO and TIN PAN ALLEY (all 1940), WESTERN UNION, TOBACCO ROAD, MOON OVER MIAMI, SUN VALLEY SERENADE, BELLE STARR and A YANK IN THE R.A.F. (all 1941), TEN GENTLEMEN FROM WEST POINT, THE PIED PIPER, ORCHESTRA WIVES and THE BLACK SWAN (all 1942), CRASH DIVE, THE OX-BOW INCIDENT, CONEY ISLAND and MY FRIEND FLICKA (all 1943), MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET, THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR, MOTHER WORE TIGHTS, CAPTAIN FROM CASTILLE and BOOMERANG! (all 1947), MY FOOLISH HEART (1949), I WANT YOU (1951), SOLOMON AND SHEBA (1959), EXODUS (1960), SOMETHING WILD (1961), CHEYENNE AUTUMN and GOODBYE CHARLIE (both 1964), VALLEY OF THE DOLLS (1967) and THE BOSTON STRANGLER (1968).  Nominated for Interior Decoration 1930-31: WHOOPEE!  Nominated for Interior Decoration 1931-32: ARROWSMITH  Nominated for Interior Decoration 1934: AFFAIRS OF CELLINI  Interior Decoration 1935: THE DARK ANGEL  Interior Decoration 1936: DODSWORTH  Nominated for Interior Decoration 1937: DEAD END  Nominated for Interior Decoration 1938: THE GOLDWYN FOLLIES  Nominated for Interior Decoration (Color) 1940: DOWN ARGENTINE WAY (w. Joseph C. Wright)  Nominated for Interior Decoration (Black & White) 1940: LILLIAN RUSSELL (w. Joseph C. Wright)  Nominated for Interior Decoration (Color) 1941: BLOOD AND SAND - Art Director (w. Joseph C. Wright)  Interior Decoration (Black & White) 1941: HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY - Art Director (w. Nathan Juran)  Interior Decoration (Color) 1942: MY GAL SAL - Art Director (w. Joseph C. Wright)  Interior Decoration (Black & White) 1942: THIS ABOVE ALL - Art Director (w. Joseph C. Wright)  Nominated for Interior Decoration (Black & White) 1946: THE RAZOR'S EDGE - Art Director (w. Nathan Juran)  Nominated for Art Direction/Set Decoration (Color) 1948: JOAN OF ARC - Art Director  Art Direction/Set Decoration (Black & White) 1951: A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE - Art Director  Nominated for Art Direction/Set Decoration (Color) 1952: HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN - Art Director (w. Clave)  Art Direction/Set Decoration (Black & White) 1954: ON THE WATERFRONT - Art Director  Nominated for Art Direction/Set Decoration (Color) 1965: THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD - Art Director (w. William Creber & David Hall)  Nominated for Art Direction/Set Decoration 1970: TORA! TORA! TORA! - Art Director (w. Jack Martin Smith, Yoshiro Muraki & Taizoh Kawashima) 20 nominations, 7 Awards