American special and visual effects artist
Thomas Glenn Robinson
Born (1914-09-20 ) September 20, 1914Idaho, USA
Died March 27, 2002(2002-03-27) (aged 87)Los Angeles, California, USA
Occupation Visual effects artist Years active 1936–1984 Children 5
Thomas Glenn Robinson , better known as Glen Robinson (September 20, 1914 – March 27, 2002), was an American special and visual effects artist, winner of six Academy Awards : two Academy Awards for Technical Achievement [ 1] Special Achievement Academy Awards .[ 2] special effects artist, his career spans over six decades from the mid-1930s to the mid-1980s, having worked literally on dozens of films.
Glen Robinson was born Thomas Glenn Robinson in Idaho on September 20, 1914. When aged twelve his family moved to Los Angeles city and in 1932, at the age of 18, he graduated from Venice High School . In 1936 he was hired by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer company, where he became the studio's top special effects coordinator.
Alongside his special effects career, Robinson was an engineer of roller coaster and double Ferris wheel attractions at amusement and theme parks that included Magic Mountain (Golden, Colorado ; Valencia, California ), Pleasure Island (Wakefield, Massachusetts ), Freedomland U.S.A. (New York ) and Space City USA (near Huntsville, Alabama ). In the book, Freedomland U.S.A.: The Definitive History (Theme Park Press, 2019), Robinson is credited for his work at the park. However, his specific contributions to Freedomland remain undetermined. Space City USA never was completed.
Glen Robinson died of natural causes on March 27, 2002, at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills , Los Angeles , California . He died on the same day as three other Hollywood stars: actor Dudley Moore , comedian Milton Berle and film director and screenwriter Billy Wilder .[ 3] [ 4]
Selected filmography [ edit ] The Wizard of Oz Forbidden Planet The Rat Patrol The Last Chance Raid (1967)Two for One Raid (1967)The One That Got Away Raid (1967)The Bamboo Saucer Battle of Britain Tora! Tora! Tora! Earthquake The Hindenburg Logan's Run King Kong Demon Seed Hurricane Meteor Kaala Patthar Flash Gordon Island Claws Pennies from Heaven Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid Amityville II: The Possession Meatballs Part II Two Academy Awards for Technical Achievement [ edit ] 1952 (24th ): "for the development of a new music wire and cable cutter "
1960 (32nd ): "for the design of a multiple-cable, remote-controlled winch ", shared with Winfield Hubbard and Luther Newman, both from the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio Construction Department Four Special Achievement Academy Awards [ edit ]
^ Glen Robinson as mentioned in the Oscars.org Awards Database [permanent dead link ] ^ David Samuelson, Hands-on Manual for Cinematographers ISBN 978-0-240-51480-2 (p. 21)
^ Crean, Ellen (29 March 2002). "Sad Week In Show Business" . CBS News . Retrieved 20 October 2023 . ^ Doug Galloway, Thomas ‘Glen’ Robinson: Special Effects Pioneer Variety.com (US Edition)
1963–1980
Emil Kosa Jr. – Cleopatra Peter Ellenshaw , Eustace Lycett , and Hamilton Luske – Mary Poppins John Stears – Thunderball Art Cruickshank – Fantastic Voyage L. B. Abbott – Doctor Dolittle Stanley Kubrick – 2001: A Space Odyssey Robie Robertson – Marooned A. D. Flowers and L. B. Abbott – Tora! Tora! Tora! Alan Maley , Eustace Lycett , and Danny Lee – Bedknobs and Broomsticks L. B. Abbott and A. D. Flowers – The Poseidon Adventure Frank Brendel , Glen Robinson , and Albert Whitlock – Earthquake Albert Whitlock and Glen Robinson – The Hindenburg Carlo Rambaldi , Glen Robinson , and Frank Van der Veer – King Kong John Stears , John Dykstra , Richard Edlund , Grant McCune , and Robert Blalack – Star Wars Les Bowie , Colin Chilvers , Denys Coop , Roy Field , Derek Meddings , and Zoran Perisic – Superman H. R. Giger , Carlo Rambaldi , Brian Johnson , Nick Allder , and Dennis Ayling – Alien Brian Johnson , Richard Edlund , Dennis Muren , and Bruce Nicholson – The Empire Strikes Back 1981–2000
Richard Edlund , Kit West , Bruce Nicholson , and Joe Johnston – Raiders of the Lost Ark Carlo Rambaldi , Dennis Muren , and Kenneth F. Smith – E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Richard Edlund , Dennis Muren , Ken Ralston , and Phil Tippett – Return of the Jedi Dennis Muren , Michael J. McAlister , Lorne Peterson , and George Gibbs – Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom Ken Ralston , Ralph McQuarrie , Scott Farrar , and David Berry – Cocoon Robert Skotak , Stan Winston , John Richardson , and Suzanne M. Benson – Aliens Dennis Muren , Bill George , Harley Jessup , and Kenneth F. Smith - Innerspace Ken Ralston , Richard Williams , Edward Jones , and George Gibbs – Who Framed Roger Rabbit John Bruno , Dennis Muren , Hoyt Yeatman , and Dennis Skotak – The Abyss Eric Brevig , Rob Bottin , Tim McGovern , and Alex Funke – Total Recall Dennis Muren , Stan Winston , Gene Warren Jr. , and Robert Skotak – Terminator 2: Judgment Day Ken Ralston , Doug Chiang , Douglas Smythe , and Tom Woodruff Jr. – Death Becomes Her Dennis Muren , Stan Winston , Phil Tippett , and Michael Lantieri – Jurassic Park Ken Ralston , George Murphy , Stephen Rosenbaum , and Allen Hall – Forrest Gump Scott E. Anderson , Charles Gibson , Neal Scanlan , and John Cox – Babe Volker Engel , Douglas Smith , Clay Pinney , and Joe Viskocil – Independence Day Robert Legato , Mark Lasoff , Thomas L. Fisher , and Michael Kanfer – Titanic Joel Hynek , Nicholas Brooks , Stuart Robertson , and Kevin Mack – What Dreams May Come John Gaeta , Janek Sirrs , Steve Courtley , and Jon Thum – The Matrix John Nelson , Neil Corbould , Tim Burke , and Rob Harvey – Gladiator 2001–2020
Jim Rygiel , Randall William Cook , Richard Taylor , and Mark Stetson – The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Jim Rygiel , Joe Letteri , Randall William Cook , and Alex Funke – The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Jim Rygiel , Joe Letteri , Randall William Cook , and Alex Funke – The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King John Dykstra , Scott Stokdyk , Anthony LaMolinara , and John Frazier – Spider-Man 2 Joe Letteri , Brian Van't Hul , Christian Rivers , and Richard Taylor – King Kong John Knoll , Hal Hickel , Charles Gibson , and Allen Hall – Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest Michael L. Fink , Bill Westenhofer , Ben Morris , and Trevor Wood – The Golden Compass Eric Barba , Steve Preeg , Burt Dalton , and Craig Barron – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Joe Letteri , Stephen Rosenbaum , Richard Baneham , and Andrew R. Jones – Avatar Paul Franklin , Chris Corbould , Andrew Lockley , and Peter Bebb – Inception Robert Legato , Joss Williams , Ben Grossmann , and Alex Henning – Hugo Bill Westenhofer , Guillaume Rocheron , Erik-Jan de Boer , and Donald R. Elliott – Life of Pi Tim Webber , Chris Lawrence , Dave Shirk , and Neil Corbould – Gravity Paul Franklin , Andrew Lockley , Ian Hunter , and Scott R. Fisher – Interstellar Mark Williams Ardington , Sara Bennett , Paul Norris , and Andrew Whitehurst – Ex Machina Robert Legato , Adam Valdez , Andrew R. Jones , and Dan Lemmon – The Jungle Book John Nelson , Gerd Nefzer , Paul Lambert , and Richard R. Hoover – Blade Runner 2049 Paul Lambert , Ian Hunter , Tristan Myles , and J. D. Schwalm – First Man Guillaume Rocheron , Greg Butler , and Dominic Tuohy – 1917 Andrew Jackson , David Lee , Andrew Lockley , and Scott R. Fisher – Tenet 2021–present
L. B. Abbott , A. D. Flowers (1972)Frank Brendel , Glen Robinson , Albert Whitlock (1974)Peter Berkos / Albert Whitlock , Glen Robinson (1975)Carlo Rambaldi , Glen Robinson , Frank Van der Veer / L. B. Abbott , Glen Robinson , Matthew Yuricich (1976)Ben Burtt / Frank Warner (1977)Les Bowie , Colin Chilvers , Denys Coop , Roy Field , Derek Meddings , Zoran Perisic (1978)Alan Splet (1979)Brian Johnson , Richard Edlund , Dennis Muren , Bruce Nicholson (1980)Ben Burtt , Richard L. Anderson (1981)Richard Edlund , Dennis Muren , Ken Ralston , Phil Tippett (1983)Kay Rose (1984)Stephen Hunter Flick , John Pospisil (1987)Richard Williams (1988)Eric Brevig , Rob Bottin , Tim McGovern , Alex Funke (1990)John Lasseter (1995)Alejandro González Iñárritu (2017)
