McCune Passes
1 min readGrant McCune, known to Star Trek fans for his visual effects work on Star Trek: The Motion Picture, passed away Monday from pancreatic cancer at the age of sixty-seven.
McCune, Douglas Trumbull, John Dystra, Richard Yuricich, Robert Swarthe and Dave Stewart were nominated for an Oscar for their work on Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1979. The visual effects for Alien won instead.
In 1977, McCune shared an Oscar win for Visual Effects for his work on another science fiction film, Star Wars.
McCune began his career in special and visual effects by helping to create the giant shark for Jaws. He also worked on movies such as Die Hard, Space Balls, Never Say Never Again, Big, Caddyshack, Speed, Batman Forever, U.S. Marshalls, Red Planet, U-571, Spider-Man and Serenity.
“He created a perfect work environment,” said Monty Shook, head of Grant McCune Design’s model shop. “If you had a question, whether it was in the field of science, math, medicine, or the arts, he would have an answer, not some half-baked fabrication, but a clear, informed, articulate response.”
McCune is survived by wife Katherine, a son, daughter and a sister.
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