QUIET GIANT

‘The Godfather II’ Oscar-Winner Dies at 93

He died Wednesday night in a Paris hospital of natural causes.

A behind-the-scenes force who helped shape some of Hollywood’s most enduring films has died. Dean Tavoularis, the Oscar-winning production designer best known for his work on The Godfather trilogy and Apocalypse Now, died Wednesday night in a Paris hospital of natural causes. He was 93. Over decades, he became a central creative partner to director Francis Ford Coppola, working on 13 of his films and helping craft the visual worlds that came to define them. Tavoularis won an Academy Award for The Godfather Part II and earned multiple nominations for other Coppola projects, including Apocalypse Now and The Godfather Part III. His work ranged from recreating early 20th-Century New York streets to building elaborate, large-scale sets, including a Las Vegas replica constructed entirely on soundstages. He began his career in animation at Disney before moving into live-action film, gaining early recognition as art director on Bonnie and Clyde. His collaborations with Coppola became a hallmark of his career, with both men describing a close working relationship. Tavoularis is survived by his wife and two daughters.