It’s not uncommon for some of the most popular movies these days to skip a title sequence completely and take the viewer straight to the opening scene. However, that was not always the case. In decades past, producers would view the opening title sequence as an additional means to entertain the viewer, right along with the actual movie itself.

Enter Saul Bass. He created some of the most famous opening title sequences in the history of cinema. His credits (no pun intended) include Psycho, North By Northwest, and The Man With The Golden Arm. Since yesterday would have been his 93rd birthday, Google decided to honor him with a Google Doodle, shown in the video below.

Cinemaphiles will immediately recognize the numerous nods to classic movies in the Doodle. The opening sequence is based on the aforementioned Psycho. Other Hitchcock movies that made the cut for the tribute include North By Northwest and Vertigo. Movie buffs will also take note of references to Spartacus, West Side Story, and the original Ocean’s 11.

Bass grew up as an artist. His claim to fame was his title sequence for the 1955 film The Man With The Golden Arm. Since the film was about a musician’s struggle with heroin addiction, Bass chose to use an image of a white on black paper cut-out arm, an obvious reference to the injection point for heroin.

Bass broke new ground in opening title sequences with kinetic typography. That’s when text is animated to convey a message beyond simple words, as can be seen in the opening sequences of Psycho and North By Northwest.

Bass was also famous for making the familiar seem strange, or, as he put it: “making the ordinary extraordinary.” The opening sequence of Nine Hours To Rama featured a tour de force of a clock. There’s also the opening sequence to Walk On The Wild Side, featuring an ominous looking black cat on the prowl.

One little known fact about Bass is that he also designed corporate logos. He created the logo for The Bell System (the original telephone company) back in 1969. He’s also responsible for other famous logos of yesteryear, including the jetstream logo for Continental Airlines and the old tulip logo for United Airlines. Younger generations will likely recognize the AT&T globe-like logo, which he also designed.

Saul Bass has a rich history in graphic arts, spanning several decades. It’s great that Google chose to honor him in way that pays tribute to his artistry.