08/18/2025
Michael C. Gross (1945–2015) was an American artist, designer, and film producer renowned for creating the iconic Ghostbusters logo. A Pratt Institute alumnus, Gross began his career as art director for National Lampoon (1970–1974), where he designed the infamous “If You Don’t Buy This Magazine, We’ll Kill This Dog” cover. In 1980, he transitioned to Hollywood, working as an associate producer on Ghostbusters (1984). Gross, with artist Brent Boates, refined Dan Aykroyd’s original concept for the “No-Ghost” logo—a cartoonish ghost in a red circle with a slash, initially intended for the Ecto-1 and uniforms. Its clean, universal design became a pop-culture phenomenon, topping Pratt Institute’s 2012 survey of admired alumni icons. Gross’s role extended to managing special effects artists and contributing to films like Heavy Metal and Ghostbusters II, where he redesigned the logo with a two-fingered gesture. His graphic design background, including work for the 1968 Mexico City Olympics and John Lennon, shaped his versatile career. Gross later retired to painting and photography in California, passing away from cancer in 2015. His logo remains a timeless symbol of the Ghostbusters franchise.
