Ray Harryhausen

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Arts & Culture

Ray Harryhausen

American filmmaker

Also known as: Raymond Frederick Harryhausen

Written by Alison Eldridge

Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Mar 22, 2024 • Article History

Category: Arts & Culture

In full:: Raymond Frederick Harryhausen

Born:: June 29, 1920, Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Died:: May 7, 2013, London, England (aged 92)

Awards And Honors:: Academy Award (1992)

On the Web:: BFI - Celebrating Ray Harryhausen’s centenary: 10 essential films from the stop-motion genius (Mar. 22, 2024)

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Ray Harryhausen (born June 29, 1920, Los Angeles, California, U.S.—died May 7, 2013, London, England) American filmmaker best known for his pioneering use of stop-motion animation effects. Harryhausen grew up in Los Angeles, acquiring a love of dinosaurs and fantasy at a young age. His parents encouraged his interests in films and in models, and he was inspired by the cinematic effects in such movies as The Lost World (1925) and King Kong (1933). After seeing the latter, he began experimenting with marionettes and stop-motion animation, making short films in his parents’ garage. At about age 18 he met noted ...(100 of 460 words)

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