Willis H. O’Brien

E14772
person special effects artist stop-motion animator

Willis H. O’Brien was a pioneering stop-motion animator and special effects artist best known for revolutionizing visual effects in early monster and adventure films.

Observed surface forms (4)

Surface form Occurrences
Ray Harryhausen 3
Willis Harold O’Brien 1
Willis O'Brien 1
Willis O’Brien 1

Statements (44)

Predicate Object
instanceOf person ⓘ
special effects artist ⓘ
stop-motion animator ⓘ
activeYearsEnd 1960s ⓘ
activeYearsStart 1910s ⓘ
awardReceived Academy Award for Best Visual Effects ⓘ
awardReceivedFor Mighty Joe Young ⓘ
birthName Willis H. O’Brien self-linksurface differs ⓘ
surface form: Willis Harold O’Brien
causeOfDeath heart attack ⓘ
countryOfCitizenship United States of America ⓘ
dateOfBirth 1886-03-02 ⓘ
dateOfDeath 1962-11-08 ⓘ
employer First National Pictures ⓘ
RKO Radio Pictures ⓘ
fieldOfWork cinematic special effects ⓘ
stop-motion animation ⓘ
genre adventure film ⓘ
monster film ⓘ
influenced Willis H. O’Brien self-linksurface differs ⓘ
surface form: Ray Harryhausen

special effects in monster movies ⓘ
knownFor pioneering stop-motion animation ⓘ
visual effects for King Kong ⓘ
visual effects for The Lost World (1925 film) ⓘ
movement Hollywood Golden Age ⓘ
surface form: Golden Age of Hollywood
name Willis H. O’Brien self-link ⓘ
nationality American ⓘ
notableWork King Kong ⓘ
Mighty Joe Young ⓘ
Son of Kong ⓘ
The Ghost of Slumber Mountain ⓘ
The Lost World ⓘ
occupation film director ⓘ
screenwriter ⓘ
special effects artist ⓘ
stop-motion animator ⓘ
placeOfBirth Oakland ⓘ
surface form: Oakland, California, United States
placeOfDeath Los Angeles ⓘ
surface form: Los Angeles, California, United States
residence Los Angeles ⓘ
surface form: Los Angeles, California, United States
spouse Darlene Pratt ⓘ
Hazel Ruth Collette ⓘ
workedOn film King Kong (1933) ⓘ
surface form: King Kong (1933 film)

Mighty Joe Young ⓘ
surface form: Mighty Joe Young (1949 film)

Son of Kong ⓘ
surface form: Son of Kong (1933 film)

The Lost World ⓘ
surface form: The Lost World (1925 film)

Referenced by (14)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Willis H. O’Brien → birthName → Willis H. O’Brien self-linksurface differs ⓘ
this entity surface form: Willis Harold O’Brien
Bernard Herrmann → collaboratedWith → Willis H. O’Brien ⓘ
this entity surface form: Ray Harryhausen
Ernest B. Schoedsack → collaboratedWith → Willis H. O’Brien ⓘ
this entity surface form: Willis O'Brien
The Ghost of Slumber Mountain → director → Willis H. O’Brien ⓘ
Willis H. O’Brien → influenced → Willis H. O’Brien self-linksurface differs ⓘ
this entity surface form: Ray Harryhausen
Willis H. O’Brien → name → Willis H. O’Brien self-link ⓘ
film King Kong (1933) → specialEffectsBy → Willis H. O’Brien ⓘ
subject surface form: King Kong (1933 film)
Mighty Joe Young → specialEffectsBy → Willis H. O’Brien ⓘ
subject surface form: Mighty Joe Young (1949 film)
this entity surface form: Willis O’Brien
Mighty Joe Young → specialEffectsBy → Willis H. O’Brien ⓘ
subject surface form: Mighty Joe Young (1949 film)
this entity surface form: Ray Harryhausen
Son of Kong → specialEffectsBy → Willis H. O’Brien ⓘ
The Lost World → specialEffectsSupervisor → Willis H. O’Brien ⓘ
The Ghost of Slumber Mountain → stars → Willis H. O’Brien ⓘ
The Ghost of Slumber Mountain → writer → Willis H. O’Brien ⓘ