On Sunday night, a light went out in the Hollywood firmament. Stan Winston, probably the industry's most famous technician ever, passed away from multiple myeloma. The loss was made more poignant as Winston never stopped working. As well as his effects studio, he owned a toy company and created his own comics, but he saw himself primarily as an artist. "My work is a joy," he said. "I go in and I love what I do... I love creating characters and telling wonderful stories."
Winston first arrived in Hollywood wanting to be an actor, but found it impossible to get work, so he took up an apprenticeship as a make-up artist at Walt Disney Studios. It was a life-changing decision. Before long he came to the attention of Dick Smith, one of the industry's most successful make-up creators, who came to feel that his own talents were outshone by those of his protégé. The two worked together for over a decade, as Winston set up his own studio and won acclaim for his work on Gargoyles, receiving an Emmy. Recognition from the industry meant a lot to him, and it was partly his campaigning which eventually led to the creation of the Make-Up Effects Oscar.
Winston's big break came in 1984, when he was commissioned to provide special effects for The Terminator. It was a ground breaking moment in cinema history and his iconic creation made him famous overnight, winning him a legion of loyal fans. He gained their respect partly because he shared many of their enthusiasms. "I go to movies and see the most bizarre things in the world, and go... Wow that is really sick, how fun is that?" he said, arguing that horror movies are cathartic and offer a really healthy way of dealing with the stresses of modern life.
Over the decades which followed, Winston worked on a number of unforgettable films. His giant dinosaurs for Jurassic Park stand proudly alongside the work he did for the Alien and Predator movies, and recently fans have enjoyed his Iron Man creations. He was doing major work on Terminator IV, though it is not currently known how much of this he managed to complete. In the past, he also created creatures for Congo, The Relic, Galaxy Quest, Interview With The Vampire and Edward Scissorhands.
Described by producer Gale Ann Hurd as "The nicest man in the industry," Winston also enjoyed enormous personal popularity. "Stan’s unique ability was to bring unique, non-human characters to life, so that the audience accepted them as living, breathing beings," said Hurd. "Not only was he a legend, redefining character make-up and armatures, but Stan’s joie de vivre made collaborating with him an absolute pleasure."
Stan Winston died peacefully at home in Malibu, California, surrounded by the family he loved. He requested that fans wishing to commemorate him make donations to UNICEF, the Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research, and the Los Angeles Free Arts for Abused Children project.
