Linwood G. Dunn Biography (1904-1998)

Full name, Linwood Gale Dunn; born December 27, 1904, in Brooklyn, NY; died of cancer, May 20, 1998, in Burbank, CA; married Alice; children: Nancy, Pamela, Gayle, Judy. Career: Special effects technician and optical photographer. Projectionist, New York City, 1923-25; assistant camera operator, Pathe, New York then Hollywood, 1925-29; International Photographers Guild, founder, 1928; RKO Radio Pictures, cinematographer and head of photographic effects department, 1929-56; designed special-effects photographic equipment for Eastman Kodak and the U.S. armed forces during World War II; Film Effects of Hollywood, founder and president, 1946-80; also founded the Technology Councilof the Motion Picture and Television Industry. Member: Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (board member), American Society of Cinematographers (president twice, treasurer, board member for 25 years). Awards, Honors: Academy Award, technical achievement award, 1945 (with Cecil Love);Academy Award nomination, best visual effects, 1966, for Hawaii; EmmyAward, best photographic special effects, 1967, for Star Trek(with Darrell Anderson and Joseph Westheimer); Academy Award, Medal of Commendation, 1979 (with Loren L. Ryder and Waldon O. Watson); Academy Award (Scientific orTechnical), 1980 (with Cecil Love and Acme Tool and Manufacturing Company); Academy Award, Gordon E. Sawyer Award, 1984; American Society of Cinematographers, lifetime achievement award, 1990; National Cinephile Society, lifetime achievement award, 1992; Golden Hugo Award, Chicago Film Festival; honorary doctorate, San Francisco Art Institute.

Nationality: American
Gender: Male
Occupation: Special effects technician, Optical photographer
Birth Details: December 27, 1904; Brooklyn, New York, United States
Death Details: May 20, 1998; Burbank, California, United States

Famous Works

CREDITS
Film Special Effects Technician
Danger Lights, RKO Radio Pictures, 1930
Cimarron, RKO Radio Pictures, 1930
The Most Dangerous Game, RKO Radio Pictures, 1932
Bird of Paradise, RKO Radio Pictures, 1932
Flying Down to Rio, RKO Radio Pictures, 1933
Optical photography, King Kong (also known as Kong, TheBeast, King Ape, The Eighth Wonder of the World, and TheEighth Wonder), RKO Radio Pictures, 1933
The Monkey's Paw, RKO Radio Pictures, 1933
Down to Their Last Yacht (also known as Hawaiian Nights), RKO Radio Pictures, 1934
Optical effects, She, RKO Radio Pictures, 1935
The Last Days of Pompeii, RKO Radio Pictures, 1935
Bringing Up Baby, RKO Radio Pictures, 1938
Gunga Din, RKO Radio Pictures, 1939
The Hunchback of Notre Dame, RKO Radio Pictures, 1939
The Swiss Family Robinson, RKO Radio Pictures, 1940
Optical effects, Citizen Kane (also known as American and John Citizen, U.S.A.), RKO Radio Pictures, 1941
Photographic effects, Cat People, RKO Radio Pictures, 1942
The Navy Comes Through, RKO Radio Pictures, 1942
Bombardier, RKO Radio Pictures, 1943
Days of Glory, RKO Radio Pictures, 1944
Experiment Perilous, RKO Radio Pictures, 1944

A Game of Death, RKO Radio Pictures, 1945
Mighty Joe Young (also known as Mr. Joseph Young of Africa), RKO Radio Pictures, 1949
The Thing from Another World (also known as The Thing),RKORadio Pictures, 1951
Androcles and the Lion, RKO Radio Pictures, 1952
The French Line, RKO Radio Pictures, 1953
The Conqueror, RKO Radio Pictures, 1956
Optical effects, Forty Guns, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1957
Special photographic effects, China Gate, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1957
Special effects photography, I Married a Woman, Universal, 1958
Photographic effects and title photography, West Side Story, United Artists, 1961
Photographic effects, It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1963
Special photographic effects consultant, Circus World (also knownas The Magnificent Showman and Samuel Bronston's Circus World), Paramount, 1964
The Great Race, Warner Bros., 1965
The Bible-In the Beginning, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1966
What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?, 1966
Special photographic effects, Hawaii, United Artists, 1966
Airport, Universal, 1969
Special effects photography, Darling Lili, Paramount, 1970
Special photographic effects, The Devil's Rain, Joseph BrennerAssociates, Inc., 1975
Consultant, Star Wars, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1977
Assistance, Spaced Invaders, Smart Egg Releasing Corp., 1990
Television Work
Series
Special effects, Star Trek, NBC, 1966-69
Television Appearances
Episodic
Hollywood: The Golden Years, Arts and Entertainment, 1988
WRITINGS
Books
(With George E. Turner) The ASC Treasury of Visual Effects, Hollywood, 1983
Periodicals
Contributor to American Cinematographer, Journal of the University Film Association, Wide Angle, and Classic Images.

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Books:

Brosnan, John, Movie Magic: The Story of Special Effects in the Cinema, St. Martin's Press (New York City), 1974.
Eyman, Scott, Five American Cinematographers, Scarecrow Press (Metuchen, NJ), 1987.

Periodicals:

American Cinematographer, April 1985, .
Los Angeles Times, May 22, 1998, .*

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