Willis H. O'Brien

Willis O'Brien
O'Brien in 1931
Born
Willis Harold O'Brien

(1886-03-02)March 2, 1886
DiedNovember 8, 1962(1962-11-08) (aged 76)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting placeChapel of the Pines Crematory
Other names"Obie"
Occupation(s)Oscar Award winning
Stop motion model animator
Years active1915–1962
Spouse(s)Hazel Ruth Collette (1925–1930; divorce)
Darlyne Prenett (1934–1962; his death)
Children2
AwardsAcademy Award Best Visual Effects (1950); Winsor McCay Award (1997)

Willis Harold O'Brien (March 2, 1886 – November 8, 1962), known as Obie O'Brien, was an American motion picture special effects and stop-motion animation pioneer, who according to ASIFA-Hollywood "was responsible for some of the best-known images in cinema history," and is best remembered for his work on The Lost World (1925), King Kong (1933), The Last Days of Pompeii (1935) and Mighty Joe Young (1949), for which he won the 1950 Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.[1]

  1. ^ Nichols, Kelii (December 15, 2005). "O'BRIEN, Willis – Cartoon Hall of Fame". ASIFA-Hollywood. Retrieved February 2, 2012.