John Dapper (born December 8, 1923 in Huntington Park, California) has
worked as a scenic designer and art director on dozens of classic
films, numerous television episodes, and blockbuster theatrical
productions on Broadway.
As a young man, Dapper took courses in architecture and design at the
University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of Southern
California. In 1945, he began his career at 20th Century Fox, first
starting in the mail room, where he met
Lyman Hallowell, an apprentice editor
who was to become his lifelong partner and eventually, his husband.
Dapper quickly rose in the art department, and soon worked as a set
designer on such notable films as
Der Scharfschütze (1950),
Alles über Eva (1950), and
Der Tag, an dem die Erde stillstand (1951).
In 1955, he moved to MGM Studios, designing sets for
Der Teufelshauptmann (1949),
Oklahoma (1955) and
Schwere Jungen, leichte Mädchen (1955) at Goldwyn.
In 1956, he moved to New York City and worked under the direction of
the Tony Award winning scenic designer
Oliver Smith on many Broadway
musicals including the original productions of Hello, Dolly! My Fair
Lady, and The Sound of Music. He also created set designs for the Negro
Ensemble Company, and for ballets by Paula Lang. He lived in Brooklyn
Heights, and socialized with
Truman Capote, who lived in the flat below
him.
Dapper maintained a working schedule between New York and Hollywood for
the next 10 years, returning to 20th Century Fox in 1957 to work on
Die große Liebe meines Lebens (1957).
In this production, he designed the sets in the ocean liner scenes
based on sketches he made aboard the American Export ship Constitution
while on a transatlantic voyage from Europe to New York earlier that
year. Other notable films he worked on during this period include
Junges Glück im April (1957),
Eine Frau, die alles weiß (1957),
Eva mit 3 Gesichtern (1957),
Glut unter der Asche (1957), and
Sirene in blond (1957)
In 1968, he co-founded Times Four Productions along with Wylie Hance,
Robert Delaney, and Earl Barnes. Dapper served as art director, and
that year the company produced the film El Greco, shot on location in
Spain. In 1977, Dapper (along with Romain Johnston and Robert Checchi)
was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Art Direction for a
Comedy-Variety or Music Special for
They Said It with Music: Yankee Doodle to Ragtime (1977).
During this time, Dapper and his partner Lyman Hallowell purchased a
farmhouse outside of Tinicum, PA on Geigel Hill Road. They named their
home "Giggle Hill" and hosted numerous weekend pool parties during the
summer months, attracting dozens of artists, musicians, actors, and New
York City bohemians.
After leaving Times Four in 1974, he worked as an independent
contractor and was the art director on
Der Pate 2 (1974),
Inseln im Strom (1977),
Ragtime (1981),
A Chorus Line (1985), and
The Untouchables: Die Unbestechlichen (1987).
On August 14, 2008 in San Diego, California, he legally married
Lyman Hallowell, his partner of 63
years, on the anniversary of their first meeting (VJ Day, 1945). Both
men were the subject of the award-winning documentary
Johnny and Lyman: A Life Together (2010).
He is a retired member of United Scenic Artists.
