René Lagler is an Emmy Award-winning Production Designer of more than 2500 television shows and major events. He is known for his contemporary and classic designs for awards shows and specials, sit-coms, talk shows such as The View, network news shows, and game shows, the first of which was Hollywood Squares. He's also designed retail establishments such as Porsche Design in Beverly Hills and Villa Real at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, as well as designed the world’s largest Bow Sundial sculpture in St Petersburg FL and the 505 sculpture in Nashville T
René designed the 57th Academy Awards for which he won an Emmy; the Grammy Awards from 1983 to 1987; the Emmy Awards; and the County Music Awards from 1991 to 2006. He was Production Designer for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, and for seven events for David Wolper's Liberty Weekend in 1986, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty, for which he won an Emmy.
He designed specials and television series for Barbara Streisand, Frank Sinatra, George Burns, Billy Crystal, Julie Andrews, Carol Burnett, Glen Campbell, Dolly Parton, Barry Manilow, Tony Orlando, and Neil Diamond.
Other projects include Encore: Three Tenors at Dodger Stadium and the Three Tenors - World Cup in Paris at the Eiffel Tower.
He created the stage environments for all three Popes that have ever come to America. 1995 in Central Park for Pope John Paul II, in 2008 at Yankee Stadium, for Pope Benedict XVI and in 2015 for Pope Francis in Philadelphia .
Rene designed television celebrations for three separate 50th Anniversary of Israel shows, and the 50th Anniversary of NATO in 1999.
He redesigned the main newsroom studio for CNN in Atlanta, as well as CNN studios and shows in New York, Los Angeles and Washington.
René designed the 50th anniversary of Mount Rushmore, and We the People 2000 in Philadelphia, and since 2000, has been designing the Capitol Concerts for Memorial Day and the 4th of July on the lawn of our nation's capitol. He designed the Democratic National Convention in Atlanta in 1988, New York in 1992, Chicago in 1996 and Los Angeles in 2000, as well as two Presidential Inaugural Galas in 1993 and 1997.
Other projects include Inaugurals for Governor Rendell of Pennsylvania and the Teamster Conventions of 2002 and 2007. In 2005 & 2019, he designed the 16,038-seat Lakewood Church in Houston, and has since designed thirty additional church projects around the world, and recently
The CheapTrick Concert Tour at Paris Hotel, Las Vegas.
Rene has also done three large scale sculptures, the world’s largest “Bow Sundial” in St Petersburg Florida. The Special Olympic Torch at Boise ID Airport and the 505 Building number at 5th & Church in Nashville TN.
René was born in Zurich, Switzerland and graduated from Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles.
He has lived in the mile high city of Lake Arrowhead California since 1996
His work has been recognized with 5 Emmys and 18 nominations and in 2017 Rene was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Art Directors Guild