- Named as a communist before the 'House Un-American Activities Committee' by fellow directors Edward Dmytryk and Frank Tuttle in 1952. This caused Dassin, who had quit the Communist Party in 1939 after a brief membership, to be blacklisted and forced him to move to France where he became more successful and famous than he ever was in the United States.
- Became an assistant to Alfred Hitchcock in 1940.
- His film Rififi (1955) was called "the benchmark all succeeding heist films have been measured against," by the LA film critic Kenneth Turan when the film was re-released in 2000.
- Directed two actors to Oscar nominations: Melina Mercouri (Best Actress, Never on Sunday (1960)), and Peter Ustinov (Best Supporting Actor, Topkapi (1964)). Ustinov won an Oscar for his performance.
- His son, Joe Dassin (1938-1980), became one of France's most popular singers, with hits such as "Bip Bip", "L'Eté Indien" and "Aux Champs-Èlysées.".
- In 1968, was nominated for two Tony Awards: as Best Director (Musical) and as author of the book of Best Musical nominee "Ilya, Darling," a musical version of his film Never on Sunday (1960).
- Rififi (1955) is widely considered the prototype for films such as Ocean's Eleven (1960) and Mission: Impossible (1996). Dassin himself made another film based on "Rififi," his 1964's Topkapi (1964).
- Member of 'Official Competition' jury at the 32nd Cannes International Film Festival in 1979.
- He has directed one film that has been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: The Naked City (1948).
- Had at least three children (two daughters and one son).
- Member of 'Official Competition' jury at the 34th Berlin International Film Festival in 1984.
- Father of Julie Dassin.
- Biography in: John Wakeman, editor. "World Film Directors, Volume One, 1890-1945". Pages 190-195. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1987.
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