Biography
Distinguished American production designer Dennis Gassner began his film career working closely with Francis Ford Coppola, first as a production assistant on
Apocalypse Now (1979) and then as part of Zoetrope Studios for a few years before making his own debut as a production designer in Coppola's highly acclaimed
Rumble Fish (1983). Gassner has gone on to work on other major projects including the Coen Brothers'
Barton Fink (1991),
Field of Dreams (1989) and
The Grifters (1990). In 1991, Gassner won an Oscar for "Best Production Design" on Bugsy. Before coming to films, Gasner was a highly touted college linebacker and was offered a try-out with the LA Rams, but he refused the offer in favor of continuing to study graphic design. After college Gassner designed record covers until getting involved in film. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide