Read below about the 45+ year career of this award-winning set decorator who created so many iconic sets from STAR TREK (the original TV series) and JAWS to PATRIOT GAMES and ALIEN: RESURRECTION!
Watch the exclusive video directed and edited by Keith Salmon on our SDSA Set Decorators Vimeo Channel:
JOHN DWYER SDSA
As a third generation L.A. movie brat, award-winning Set Decorator John Dwyer SDSA has the business in his genes. Both his dad and grandfather worked in the industry in its infancy. Dwyer spent his spare time working behind the scenes at theaters like the Huntington Hartford, tackling everything from Flyman to Stage Manager.
After graduating from Marshall High in Silverlake, realizing it was a matter of time before Uncle Sam called, he declined a UCLA basketball scholarship and enlisted. He spent much of the next four years off the MIG-heavy Korean coast on board the Navy aircraft carrier USS Oriskany. After he returned stateside, he did a stint as an air traffic controller at Monterey Air Naval Station. What other job would’ve given him experience keeping a cool head and juggling a dozen balls at once, basics for any successful Set Decorator?
His military service completed, he enrolled at the Chouinard School of Fine Arts, now CIA. Education finished he began working at Universal Studios. He was low-man on the totem pole, but within 5 years he had become one of a battery ‘go to” Set Decorators who’d often be doing multiple shows and running 3 or 4 crews at the same time.
Dwyer grew up in a growing industry and managed to accumulate an awe-inspiring body of work. His credits encompass some of the best films and television made to date.
A true pro, his visual authenticity and painstaking research of the Plains Indians' way of life for the mini-series CENTENNIAL earned him an Emmy nomination. His imagination, ingenuity and creativity gave us the look we associate with the future in space. Dwyer did 2 l/2 years of the 3-year run of the original STAR TREK series. His budget was usually only $500 per episode, so he would squirrel away money from one episode for another by scrounging through trash. He’d transform packing materials, plastic coffee lids, whatever he could get his hands on into the Enterprise's and multiple alien environments! In 1980, his strong period sets for GANGSTER CHRONICLES won an Emmy.
In the film world, Dwyer used his Navy experience to detail every square inch of Quint’s character-illuminating shack for the terrifying film, JAWS. The steely cold look of the future for TERMINATOR II created by Dwyer and Production Designer Joseph Nemec received a BAFTA nomination for Art Direction and Set Decoration. He respected the dignity and practicality of lives in Butcher Holler, Kentucky. The choices made for COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER not only garnered an Academy Award nomination for him and Production Designer Arthur Schmidt, but also the praise and approval of Loretta Lynn.
Dwyer had begun to do features but his early and ongoing career involved lots of television, including several gems: ALONG CAME BRONSON. ROD SERLING'S NIGHT GALLERY, DRAGNET, ELLERY QUEEN, KOJAK, THE VIRGINIAN, LAREDO, MCHALE'S NAVY, MACGYVER, MAGNUM P.I....the list goes on.
In 1967, his long association with the STAR TREK franchise began when Gene Roddenberry asked him to do the original STAR TREK series. By the mid-70s, with JAWS under his belt, he was dividing his time between TV and an impressive array of features.
In 1987 Dwyer teamed up with his friend, Production Designer Herman Zimmerman, to create a new vision for the future with STAR TREK, THE NEXT GENERATION television series. The pair went on to do six STAR TREK features together, as well.
After more than 45 years in the business, Dwyer retired in 2002 and, with his writer wife Anita (Doohan) Dwyer, moved to the laid-back beach town of Encinitas, not far from San Diego.Travel enthusiasts, they have spent a decade roaming the world, usually with a stop in France either coming or going, allowing them to indulge their passion for good food and even better wine. When not traveling, they make a point of seeing the latest films and best TV. Graphic artist son Matt visits often. At 77, Dwyer is lively and sharp but needs a second hip replacement...his first was an unusual retirement gift. Though his usual brisk pace has slowed for the moment, he still volunteers as docent on the19th century clipper ship "Star of India", and is leisurely re-reading CEASAR'S COMMENTARIES.
Does he miss being on set? "Yes, sometimes, but it’s a younger person's game." He admires the splendid work today's Set Decorators are accomplishing despite the challenges and undoubtedly skimpy budgets inherent in today's marketplace....and he’s downright THRILLED to never again have to set the alarm for a 5 a.m. call.
SET DECORATOR JOHN M. DWYER SDSA
Film:
2001 STAR TREK: NEMISIS
1999 HOLLOW MAN
1998 STAR TREK: INSURRECTION
1997 ALIEN: RESURRECTION
1996 STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT
1995 LARGER THAN LIFE
1993 STAR TREK: GENERATIONS
1993 JUDGEMENT NIGHT
1992 PATRIOT GAMES
1991 TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY
1990 ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS
1990 ROCKY V
1989 BLACK RAIN
1988 STAR TREK V
1987 JAWS, THE REVENGE
1986 STAR TREK IV
1984 THE FEVER
1984 BEVERLY HILLS COP
1984 TEACHERS
1983 ICE PIRATES
1982 V
1981 THE THING
1981 BUSTIN' LOOSE
1980 THIEF
1979 COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER
1977 I WANNA HOLD YOUR HAND
1977 THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN, PART II
1977 WHICH WAY IS UP
1976 TWO MINUTE WARNING
1976 GREY LADY DOWN
1975 MIDWAY
1974 EIGER SANCTION
1974 JAWS
Televison: (Selected credits)
1996 THE PENTAGON WARS, TV Movie
1987 STAR TREK, NEXT GENERATION, PILOT, TV Series
1985 MCGYVER, Pilot
1980 GANGSTER CHRONICLES, Mini-series
1980 MAGNUM P.I., Pilot
1978 CENTENNIAL, Mini-series
1975 ELLERY QUEEN, TV Series
1974 ELLERY QUEEN, Pilot
1973 GET CRISTY LOVE, TV Series
1973 AMY PRENTISS, TV Series
1973 KOJAK, TV Series
1972 HEC RAMSEY, TV Series
1972 NIGHT GALLERY, TV Series
1971 SUDDENLY SINGLE, TV Movie
1971 NIGHT GALLERY, TV Series
1970 ESCAPE, TV Movie
1970 YOUNG LAWYERS, TV Series
1969 THEN CAME BRONSON, TV Series
1968 STAR TREK, TV Series
1967 STAR TREK, TV Pilot
1966 DRAGNET, TV Series
1966 IT TAKES A THIEF, Pilot
1966 STRANDED, TV Movie
1966 BREAKOUT, TV Movie
1966 DEATHTRAP, TV Movie
1966 LEAGUE OF FRIGHTENED MEN, TV Movie
1965 MCHALE'S NAVY, TV Series
1965 MUNSTERS, TV Series
1965 TAMMY, TV Series
1965 LAREDO, TV Series
1965 ROAD WEST, TV Series
1965 THE VIRGINIAN, TV Series
1965 MR. TERRIFIC, TV Series
1965 CHRYSLER THEATRE, TV Series
Awards:
1981 EMMY: GANGSTER CHRONICLES
1981 OSCAR Nomination: COAL MINER’S DAUGHTER
1979 EMMY Nomination: CENTENNIAL
1969 EMMY Nomination: STAR TREK
Feature film LARGER THAN LIFE
