John Shaffner

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John Shaffner

John Shaffner

Photo credit: 
AP

John Shaffner

Birthday: September 13
Birthplace: Missoula, Montana

Production designer John Shaffner and his partner Joe Stewart are the recipients of three Primetime Emmy awards for David Copperfield specials and two Daytime Emmy Awards for The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Shaffner has been also recognized with a Primetime Emmy for The George Lopez Show. The duo has been nominated a total of 32 times for Primetime and Daytime Emmys. They have also received the Art Directors Guild Award.

John Schaffner is an American production designer and art director.

Shaffner has been recognized as an Outstanding Alumnus of the University of Montana, where he earned a B.F.A. and is the recipient of the university’s School of Fine Arts Odyssey Award. He has also been recognized with the Alumni Merit Award from Carnegie Mellon University, where he received an M.F.A. He began his career in New York and regional theatre, designing for the New York Shakespeare Festival in Central Park and the Seattle Repertory Theatre. Prior to serving as chairman and CEO of the Television Academy (from 2008 to 2011), Shaffner served as Governors’ Appointee to the Executive Committee, vice chair and second vice chair and governor of the Art Directors and Set Decorators Peer Group (five years). He chaired the Budget Review Committee and co-chaired the Television Cares Committee, developing the Television Academy Honors, for which he coined the phrase “television with a conscience.”

Shaffner and his partner Joe Stewart are the recipients of three Primetime Emmy awards for David Copperfield specials and two Daytime Emmy Awards for Ellen. Shaffner has been also recognized with a Primetime Emmy for The George Lopez Show. The duo has been nominated a total of 32 times for Primetime and Daytime Emmys. They have also received the Art Directors Guild Award.

As multi-camera designers, their work includes the designs for Conan, The Doctors, Rachael Ray, Craig Ferguson, Mike and Molly, Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, Friends, The Drew Carey Show and Dharma and Greg. Shaffner and Stewart design the annual American Music Awards, Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon and the Miss Universe Shows. The red edition of the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus is their design.

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Awards & Nominations

33 Nominations | 4 Emmys
Outstanding Production Design For A Narrative Program (Half-Hour) - 2021
  • Nominee
  • John Shaffner, Production Designer
  • United States Of Al
  • "Pilot"
  • CBS
  • Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television
Outstanding Production Design For A Variety Special - 2021
  • Nominee
  • John Shaffner, Production Designer
  • Friends: The Reunion
  • HBO Max
  • Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in association with Bright, Kauffman, Crane, Fulwell 73 Productions and Warner Horizon for HBO Max
Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Program (Half Hour or Less) - 2017
  • Nominee
  • John Shaffner, Production Designer
  • The Big Bang Theory
  • "The Dependence Transcendence"
  • CBS
  • Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television
Outstanding Production Design For A Narrative Program (Half-Hour Or Less) - 2016
  • Nominee
  • John Shaffner, Production Designer
  • The Big Bang Theory
  • "The Positive Negative Reaction, The Big Bear Precipitation, The Fermentation Bifurcation"
  • CBS
  • Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television
Outstanding Production Design For A Narrative Program (Half-Hour Or Less) - 2015
  • Nominee
  • John Shaffner, Production Designer
  • The Big Bang Theory
  • "The First Pitch Insufficiency, The Clean Room Infilltration, The Skywalker Incursion"
  • CBS
  • Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television
Outstanding Art Direction For A Contemporary Program (Half-Hour Or Less) - 2014
  • Nominee
  • John Shaffner, Production Designer
  • The Big Bang Theory
  • "The Hofstadter Insufficiency, The Locomotive Manipulation, The Proton Transmogrification"
  • CBS
  • Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television
Outstanding Art Direction For A Multi-Camera Series - 2013
  • Nominee
  • John Shaffner
  • The Big Bang Theory
  • "The Date Night Variable, The Bakersfield Expedition, The Love Spell Potential"
  • CBS
  • Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television
Outstanding Art Direction For A Multi-Camera Series - 2013
  • Nominee
  • John Shaffner
  • Two And A Half Men
  • "Avoid The Chinese Mustard, Grab A Feather And Get In Line, My Bodacious Vidalia"
  • CBS
  • Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc., The Tannenbaum Company in association with Warner Bros. Television
Outstanding Art Direction For A Multi-Camera Series - 2012
  • Nominee
  • John Shaffner
  • Mike & Molly
  • "Goin' Fishin', Valentine's Piggyback, The Wedding"
  • CBS
  • Bonanza Productions, Inc. in association with Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. and Warner Bros. Television
Outstanding Art Direction For A Multi-Camera Series - 2011
  • Nominee
  • John Shaffner
  • The Big Bang Theory
  • "The Love Car Displacement, The 21-Second Excitation, The Agreement Dissection"
  • CBS
  • Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television
Outstanding Art Direction For A Multi-Camera Series - 2011
  • Nominee
  • John Shaffner
  • Mike & Molly
  • "Pilot"
  • CBS
  • Bonanza Productions, Inc. in association with Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. and Warner Bros. Television
Outstanding Art Direction For A Multi-Camera Series - 2010
  • Nominee
  • John Shaffner, Production Designer
  • The Big Bang Theory
  • "The Gothowitz Deviation, The Adhesive Duck Deficiency"
  • CBS
  • Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television
Outstanding Art Direction For Variety, Music Or Nonfiction Programming - 2010
Outstanding Art Direction For A Multi-Camera Series - 2009
  • Nominee
  • John Shaffner
  • The Big Bang Theory
  • "The Hofstadter Isotope; The Vegas Renormalization; The Lizard-Spock Expansion"
  • CBS
  • Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television
Outstanding Art Direction For A Multi-Camera Series - 2005
  • Nominee
  • John Shaffner, Art Director
  • Two And A Half Men
  • CBS
  • Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc., The Tannenbaum Company in association with Warner Bros. Television
Outstanding Art Direction For A Multi-Camera Series - 2004
  • Nominee
  • John Shaffner, Production Designer/Art Director
  • Two And A Half Men
  • CBS
  • Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc., The Tannenbaum Company in association with Warner Bros. Television
Outstanding Art Direction For A Multi-Camera Series - 2003
  • Nominee
  • John Shaffner, Production Designer
  • Friends
  • NBC
Outstanding Art Direction For A Multi-Camera Series - 2001

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The Interviews 25th Anniversary
Industry Architects, Academy News
Lynn Roth and John Shaffner at the 2017 Television Academy Honors at the Montage Hotel on Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Beverly Hills, California.
John Shaffner speaks at the Honoring Leo Chaloukian event in Los Angeles.
John Shaffner and guests at the Art Directors/Set Decorators Nominee Reception in Beverly Hills, California.
James Connelly, Barbara Casel, John Shaffner, Francoise Cherry-Cohen and Ann Shea at the Art Directors/Set Decorators Nominee Reception in Beverly Hills, California.
Melissa McCarthy, John Shaffner & Joshua Jackson at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations Ceremony
Melissa McCarthy & John Shaffner at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations Ceremony
Melissa McCarthy & John Shaffner at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations Ceremony
Joshua Jackson, Melissa McCarthy & John Shaffner at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations Ceremony
John Shaffner and Mark Burnett at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations Ceremony
John Shaffner and Mark Burnett at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations Ceremony
John Shaffner, Jane Lynch, Mark Burnett
John Shaffner, Jane Lynch, Mark Burnett
John Shaffner
Television Academy Honors 2010 - Lynn Roth and John Shaffner
John Shaffner, Jane Lynch, Mark Burnett
Joshua Jackson, Melissa McCarthy & John Shaffner at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations Ceremony
Melissa McCarthy, John Shaffner and Joshua Jackson at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations Ceremony
Melissa McCarthy, John Shaffner and Joshua Jackson at the 63rd Primetime Emmy® Awards Nominations Ceremony
Joshua Jackson, Melissa McCarthy & John Shaffner at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations Ceremony
Joshua Jackson, Melissa McCarthy & John Shaffner at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations Ceremony
Melissa McCarthy, John Shaffner & Joshua Jackson at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations Ceremony
Dana Delany, John Shaffner and Lynn Roth at the 5th Annual Television Academy Honors
Lynn Roth and John Shaffner at the 5th Annual Television Academy Honors
Dana Delany, John Shaffner and Lynn Roth arrive at the 5th Annual Television Academy Honors
Dana Delany, John Shaffner and Lynn Roth arrive at the 5th Annual Television Academy Honors
(L-R) Television Academy chairman John Shaffner and National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences president Neil Portnow
(L-R) John Walsh and John Shaffner at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences 2011 Primetime Creative Arts Emmys
Elayne Boosler, John Shaffner, Mary Lynn Rajskub at Ladies Who Make Us Laugh
Dana Delany & John Shaffner at the Fourth Annual Television Academy Honors
Dana Delany, John Shaffner and Lynn Roth at the Fourth Annual Television Academy Honors
Bill Lawrence, Christa Miller and John Shaffner at An Evening with Cougar Town
Diahann Carroll
John Shaffner
Diahann Carroll, Cloris Leachman
Nancy Bradley Wiard & John Shaffner at the 45 Years Of Days Of Our Lives event
John Shaffner, Jon Jordan & Ken Corday at the 45 Years Of Days Of Our Lives event
Jimmy Fallon, director Glenn Weiss & ATAS CEO John Shaffner at the red carpet rollout for the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards
Sofia Vergara and Television Academy CEO John Shaffner
Sofia Vergara and John Shaffner at the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations Ceremony
Sofia Vergara, John Shaffner and Joel McHale at the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations Ceremony
Sofia Vergara, John Shaffner and Joel McHale at the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations Ceremony
Television Academy CEO John Shaffner
Actress and Television Academy Hall of Fame member Betty White with the Academy's chairman and CEO, John Shaffner.
Dick Smothers, Tom Smothers, Candice Bergen, John Shaffner, Amy Poehler, Bob Stewart, Charles Lisanby, Don Pardo, Rod Roddenberry
Fill 1
Fill 1
The Interviews 25th Anniversary
Camera

Jonathan Murray, from left, Judy Crown, Julie Ann Johnson, Margaret Loesch, Lori Openden, Alan Perris, Asaad Kelada, James Hong, Geri Jewell, John Shaffner, Dr. Walter Dishell, Don Enright, Bob Mackie, Lloyd J. Schwartz, JoAnne Worley, J. Michael Straczynski, Michael Learned, Ron Cowen, Sandra Lee Gimpel and Daniel Lipman at The Interviews 25th Anniversary Celebration.

Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP images
Industry Architects, Academy News
Camera

emmy magazine's Editor In Chief Juan Morales greets former Television Academy Chairman/CEO and Emmy-winning production designer John Shaffner at “Industry Architects: A Dialogue with David Nevins,” on January 31, 2020 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, Beverly Hills, California.

Invision/AP
Lynn Roth and John Shaffner at the 2017 Television Academy Honors at the Montage Hotel on Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Beverly Hills, California.
Camera

Lynn Roth and John Shaffner at the 2017 Television Academy Honors at the Montage Hotel on Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Beverly Hills, California.

Invision/AP
John Shaffner speaks at the Honoring Leo Chaloukian event in Los Angeles.
Camera

John Shaffner speaks at the Honoring Leo Chaloukian event in Los Angeles.

Vince Bucci/Invision
John Shaffner and guests at the Art Directors/Set Decorators Nominee Reception in Beverly Hills, California.
Camera
John Shaffner and guests at the Art Directors/Set Decorators Nominee Reception in Beverly Hills, California.

 

Invision/AP
James Connelly, Barbara Casel, John Shaffner, Francoise Cherry-Cohen and Ann Shea at the Art Directors/Set Decorators Nominee Reception in Beverly Hills, California.
Camera

James Connelly, Barbara Casel, John Shaffner, Francoise Cherry-Cohen and Ann Shea at the Art Directors/Set Decorators Nominee Reception in Beverly Hills, California.

Invision/AP
Melissa McCarthy, John Shaffner & Joshua Jackson at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations Ceremony
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Melissa McCarthy & John Shaffner at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations Ceremony
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Melissa McCarthy & John Shaffner at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations Ceremony
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Joshua Jackson, Melissa McCarthy & John Shaffner at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations Ceremony
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John Shaffner and Mark Burnett at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations Ceremony
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John Shaffner and Mark Burnett at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations Ceremony
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John Shaffner, Jane Lynch, Mark Burnett
John Shaffner, Jane Lynch, Mark Burnett
John Shaffner
Television Academy Honors 2010 - Lynn Roth and John Shaffner
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Mathew Imaging
John Shaffner, Jane Lynch, Mark Burnett
Joshua Jackson, Melissa McCarthy & John Shaffner at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations Ceremony
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Melissa McCarthy, John Shaffner and Joshua Jackson at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations Ceremony
Camera
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Melissa McCarthy, John Shaffner and Joshua Jackson at the 63rd Primetime Emmy® Awards Nominations Ceremony
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Joshua Jackson, Melissa McCarthy & John Shaffner at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations Ceremony
Camera
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Joshua Jackson, Melissa McCarthy & John Shaffner at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations Ceremony
Camera
PictureGroup
Melissa McCarthy, John Shaffner & Joshua Jackson at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations Ceremony
Camera
PictureGroup
Dana Delany, John Shaffner and Lynn Roth at the 5th Annual Television Academy Honors
Camera
PictureGroup
Lynn Roth and John Shaffner at the 5th Annual Television Academy Honors
Camera
PictureGroup
Dana Delany, John Shaffner and Lynn Roth arrive at the 5th Annual Television Academy Honors
Camera
PictureGroup
Dana Delany, John Shaffner and Lynn Roth arrive at the 5th Annual Television Academy Honors
Camera
PictureGroup
(L-R) Television Academy chairman John Shaffner and National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences president Neil Portnow
(L-R) John Walsh and John Shaffner at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences 2011 Primetime Creative Arts Emmys
Elayne Boosler, John Shaffner, Mary Lynn Rajskub at Ladies Who Make Us Laugh
Camera
PictureGroup
Dana Delany & John Shaffner at the Fourth Annual Television Academy Honors
Camera
PictureGroup
Dana Delany, John Shaffner and Lynn Roth at the Fourth Annual Television Academy Honors
Camera
PictureGroup
Bill Lawrence, Christa Miller and John Shaffner at An Evening with Cougar Town
Camera
Mathew Imaging
Diahann Carroll
Camera
Mathew Imaging
John Shaffner
Camera
Mathew Imaging
Diahann Carroll, Cloris Leachman
Camera
Mathew Imaging
Nancy Bradley Wiard & John Shaffner at the 45 Years Of Days Of Our Lives event
Camera
Mathew Imaging
John Shaffner, Jon Jordan & Ken Corday at the 45 Years Of Days Of Our Lives event
Camera
Mathew Imaging
Jimmy Fallon, director Glenn Weiss & ATAS CEO John Shaffner at the red carpet rollout for the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards
Camera
Mathew Imaging
Sofia Vergara and Television Academy CEO John Shaffner
Camera
Mathew Imaging
Sofia Vergara and John Shaffner at the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations Ceremony
Sofia Vergara, John Shaffner and Joel McHale at the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations Ceremony
Camera
Mathew Imaging
Sofia Vergara, John Shaffner and Joel McHale at the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations Ceremony
Television Academy CEO John Shaffner
Camera
Mathew Imaging
Actress and Television Academy Hall of Fame member Betty White with the Academy's chairman and CEO, John Shaffner.
Camera
Mathew Imaging
Dick Smothers, Tom Smothers, Candice Bergen, John Shaffner, Amy Poehler, Bob Stewart, Charles Lisanby, Don Pardo, Rod Roddenberry
Camera
Mathew Imaging
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