Born in Boston, MA. Renowned costume designer who established herself creating the witty, fluid and stylish costumes for the classic Broadway musicals of the 1930s, 40s and 50s, including As Thousands Cheer (1933), On Your Toes (1936), I'd Rather Be Right (1937), The Boys from Syracuse (1938), Lady in the Dark (1941), The King and I (1951), West Side Story (1957), Funny Girl (1964) and Sweet Charity (1965). Lured to Hollywood by MGM in 1942 because of her reputation for accuracy of detail in period costuming and her skill in designing for fantasy sequences and musical numbers, Sharaff's first assignment, ironically, was for MADAME CURIE (1943), where she had little to do but design lab smocks. The next year, however, she joined the legendary Freed unit at its inception and first made her mark in film with Vincente Minnelli's precisely realized period musical MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS (1944), followed by his strikingly stylized if not entirely successful YOLANDA AND THE THIEF (1945). Sharaff's distinctive style -- bright splashes of vibrant primary colors set off against delicate backgrounds; subtle gradations of color for chorus costumes; and flattering, womanly shapes for such stars as Judy Garland (A STAR IS BORN, 1954), Barbra Streisand (FUNNY GIRL, 1968 and HELLO, DOLLY!, 1969) and four times for Elizabeth Taylor (including CLEOPATRA, 1963 and THE TAMING OF THE SHREW, 1967) -- won her five Oscars and fifteen nominations. Her fluidly moving, richly adorned designs enhanced almost all the major film musicals made from Broadway hits during the 1950s and 60s, including such well-remembered efforts as BRIGADOON (1954), GUYS AND DOLLS (1955), THE KING AND I (1956), PORGY AND BESS (1959), WEST SIDE STORY (1961) and HELLO, DOLLY! (1969), as well as such dramatic films as THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES (1946), WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? (1966) and THE GREAT WHITE HOPE (1970).  Costume Design (Color) 1951: AN AMERICAN IN PARIS (w. Orry-Kelly & Walter Plunkett)  Nominated for Costume Design (Color) 1953: CALL ME MADAM  Nominated for Costume Design (Color) 1954: BRIGADOON  Nominated for Costume Design (Color) 1954: A STAR IS BORN (w. Jean Louis & Mary Ann Nyberg)  Nominated for Costume Design (Color) 1955: GUYS AND DOLLS  Costume Design (Color) 1956: THE KING AND I  Nominated for Costume Design (Color) 1959: PORGY AND BESS  Nominated for Costume Design (Color) 1960: CAN-CAN  Nominated for Costume Design (Color) 1961: FLOWER DRUM SONG  Costume Design (Color) 1961: WEST SIDE STORY  Costume Design (Color) 1963: CLEOPATRA (w. Vittorio Nino Novarese & Renie)  Costume Design (Black and White) 1966: WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?  Nominated for Costume Design 1967: THE TAMING OF THE SHREW (w. Danilo Donati)  Nominated for Costume Design 1969: HELLO, DOLLY!  Nominated for Costume Design 1977: THE OTHER SIDE OF MIDNIGHT 15 nominations, 5 Awards