Skip to main content
The Horror CodexBeta
HomePeopleJ. Michael Riva
No photo

J. Michael Riva

Art·1948–2012·Manhattan, New York, USA

6 horror films·Refine with search →

John Michael Riva (June 28, 1948–June 7, 2012), better known as J. Michael Riva, was an American production designer.

Riva was born in Manhattan to William Riva, a Broadway set designer, and Maria Elisabeth Sieber, a German-born actress and the daughter of Marlene Dietrich. Riva had three brothers (John Peter, John Paul, and John David). Riva attended the prep school Institute Le Rosey in Switzerland for six years before attending UCLA. Married to Wendy Mickell, he had four sons, Jean-Paul, Mikey, Daniel, and Adam.

Riva had a long and prestigious career as an art director and production designer on numerous films, including the 1985 film The Colour Purple, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Art Direction. Other credits include The Goonies (1985), Lethal Weapon (1987), A Few Good Men (1992), Spider-Man 3 (2007), Iron Man (2008), and Iron Man 2 (2010).

Scrooged

Scrooged

Production Designer · Production Designer

1988 4.0
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension

Production Designer

1984 4.0
Halloween II

Halloween II

Production Designer

1981 3.1
The Hand

The Hand

Production Designer

1981
I Never Promised You a Rose Garden

I Never Promised You a Rose Garden

Production Designer

1977
Ilsa: Harem Keeper of the Oil Sheiks

Ilsa: Harem Keeper of the Oil Sheiks

Production Designer

1976