Special-Effects Wizard Ray Harryhausen Dead At 92
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Motion picture special-effect wizard Ray Harryhausen died Tuesday at the age of 92.
Harryhausen died at a London hospital from unknown causes.
His family released the following statement: "Ray's influence on today's film makers was enormous, with luminaries; Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, Peter Jackson, George Lucas, John Landis and the U.K.'s own Nick Park have cited Harryhausen as being the man whose work inspired their own creations," according to CBS News.
Harryhausen became famous for his pioneering use of stop-motion animation with his work in films such as "Jason and the Argonauts."
Other popular films include "The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms," "Valley of the Gwangi," "Might Joe Young" and "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad."
Though his name was little-known by the general public, many directors borrowed Harryhausen's special effects techniques.
George Lucas once said that no other fantasy films had "the same kind of awe" as Harryhausen's movies.
