In Memoriam John M. Dwyer, Founding Member SDSA International
SDSA International - Friday, October 5th, 1:17 pm
In Memoriam
John M. Dwyer SDSA International
John M. Dwyer, an SDSA International founding member and recipient of the organization’s Lifetime Achievement Award, has died. The talented and respected Set Decorator died September 15 of complications from Parkinson's disease at a hospital in Encinitas, California. He was 83 years old.
Dwyer received an Academy Award® nomination for the Loretta Lynn biopic COAL MINER’S DAUGHTER, an Emmy® nomination for the original STAR TREK series, another for the acclaimed NBC miniseries CENTENNIAL and won the Emmy Award® for THE GANGSTER CHRONICLES, also on NBC. In 2012, he was honored with the Earl Cooperman Lifetime Achievement Award from the Set Decorators Society of America International.
A towering 6’6” with a booming voice and wide smile, John was a longstanding member of the STAR TREK universe, his start being the famous Trouble with Tribbles episode. After helping launch several other television series, Dwyer came back to STAR TREK in 1986 and continued with the franchise films and episodic series over the years including: STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME, STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION, STAR TREK V: THE FINAL FRONTIER, STAR TREK: GENERATIONS, STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT, STAR TREK: INSURRECTION and STAR TREK: NEMESIS.
Additional credits from his rather prolific body of work include classic films JAWS, BEVERLY HILLS COP, THE THING, BUSTIN’ LOOSE and PATRIOT GAMES. Television credits include THE VIRGINIAN, NIGHT GALLERY, MAGNUM P.I. and KOJAK.
A native of Los Angeles and a Navy veteran, John worked many years at Universal Studios in the old studio filmmaking system and retired from Set Decoration in 2002.
He is survived by his wife of 29 years, Anita, and son Matthew.
Donations in memory of John M Dwyer can be made to the Motion Picture & Television Fund.
