Wilder asked Charles and Ray Eames to design a narrow lounger chair so he could take only the shortest of naps:
The Eames chaise is soft, comfortable, and just 18 inches wide. When you lie on it, you naturally fold your arms over your chest. Should you doze off, your arms soon fall to your sides, waking you up. [...]
In 1955 while filming on location, director Billy Wilder discovered he could take quick naps on a plank held up by sawhorses. This prompted Wilder to tell his friends Charles and Ray Eames that he needed a narrow office couch. The Eameses remembered that conversation and in 1968 introduced the Eames chaise, giving the first one to Wilder. It has been produced by Herman Miller ever since.
See also: the story of the Eames executive chair and Bobby Fischer. (And more good "design stories" at the Herman Miller website.)
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