John Stears
John Stears | |
|---|---|
Stears c. 1999. | |
| Born | 25 August 1934 |
| Died | 28 April 1999 (aged 64) Pacific Palisades, California, United States |
| Occupation | Special effects artist |
| Years active | 1956–1999 |
| Spouse |
Brenda Livy (m. 1960) |
| Children | 2 |
John Stears (25 August 1934 – 28 April 1999) was an English special effects artist. A two-time Academy Award winner, nicknamed the "Dean of Special Effects," he was responsible for creating a host of iconic movie gadgets and effects, including James Bond's lethal Aston Martin DB5, Luke Skywalker's Landspeeder, the Jedi Knights' lightsabers, the Death Star, and the robots R2-D2 and C-3PO.