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Willis H. O'Brien (1886–1962)

Special Effects | Director | Visual Effects

In 1949, 16 years after his ground breaking work on "King Kong", Willis O'Brien worked as Chief Technician on another gorilla picture for Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Shoedsack called "Mighty Joe Young". A young Ray Harryhausen would animate most of the animation, but O'Brien did come up with the designs for the film... See full bio »

Born:

in Oakland, California, USA

Died:

(age 76) in Los Angeles, California, USA
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Filmography

Hide HideSpecial Effects (10 titles)
1957 The Black Scorpion (supervisor of special effects - as Willis O'Brien)
 
1949 Mighty Joe Young (technical creator - as Willis O'Brien)
 
1933 The Son of Kong (special effects technician - uncredited)
 
1931 Creation (special effects)
 
1925 The Lost World (special effects - uncredited)
 
1918 The Ghost of Slumber Mountain (short) (special effects - uncredited)
 
1916 Prehistoric Poultry (short) (special effects)
 
1916 R.F.D. 10,000 B.C. (short) (special effects)
 
1915 Morpheus Mike (short) (special effects)
 
1915 The Dinosaur and the Missing Link: A Prehistoric Tragedy (short) (special effects)
 
Show ShowDirector (9 titles)
1931 Creation (uncredited)
 
1920 Along the Moonbeam Trail (short)
 
1918 The Ghost of Slumber Mountain (short) (uncredited)
 
1917 Curious Pets of Our Ancestors (short)
 
1917 The Birth of a Flivver (short)
 
1916 Prehistoric Poultry (short)
 
1916 R.F.D. 10,000 B.C. (short)
 
1915 Morpheus Mike (short)
 
1915 The Dinosaur and the Missing Link: A Prehistoric Tragedy (short)
 
Show ShowVisual Effects (6 titles)
1963 It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (visual effects - uncredited)
 
1960 The Lost World (effects technician - as Willis O'Brien)
 
1959 The Giant Behemoth (special effects designer and creator - as Willis O'Brien)
 
1956 The Animal World (documentary) (effects technician)
 
1936 Dancing Pirate (photographic effects)
 
1933 King Kong (visual effects supervisor - uncredited)
 
Show ShowMiscellaneous Crew (5 titles)
1987 The Puppetoon Movie (Puppetoon creative artist: United States - as Willis O'Brien)
 
1935 The Last Days of Pompeii (chief technician - as Willis O'Brien)
 
1933 The Son of Kong (chief technician - as Willis O'Brien)
 
1933 King Kong (chief technician)
 
1925 The Lost World (researcher, technical director)
 
Show ShowWriter (5 titles)
1969 The Valley of Gwangi (earlier film project "Gwangi" - uncredited)
 
1962 King Kong vs. Godzilla (story "King Kong vs. Frankenstein" - uncredited)
 
1956 The Beast of Hollow Mountain (from an idea by / as Willis O'Brien)
 
1931 Creation (uncredited)
 
1918 The Ghost of Slumber Mountain (short) (uncredited)
 
Show ShowCinematographer (2 titles)
Show ShowArt Department (1 title)
1952 This Is Cinerama (documentary) (paintings contribution - uncredited)
 
Show ShowActor (1 title)
1918 The Ghost of Slumber Mountain (short)
Ghost of 'Mad Dick', the Hermit (uncredited)
 
Show ShowThanks (1 title)
1993 Dinosaur Movies (video documentary) (dedicatee - as Willis O'Brien)
 
Show ShowSelf (1 title)
1994 Movie Magic (TV series documentary)
Himself
– Stop Motion Animation: One Step at a Time (1994) … Himself (as Willis O'Brien)
 
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Personal Details

Publicity Listings:

5 Print Biographies  | 5 Articles  | See more »

Alternate Names:

Willis O'Brien
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Did You Know?

Trivia:

On the day he received back the first printed footage of King Kong in motion he noticed that the fur covering the puppet moved because it was disturbed by his fingers during filming. He had to show the footage to the film's producer that day and was worried his boss would notice this supposed mistake and fire him... See more »

Nickname:

Obie See more »

Star Sign:

Pisces