Mystery Behind Richard Conway's Death: Terry Gilliam Collaborator, Renowned Special Effects Supervisor was 79
Richard Conway, a renowned special effects supervisor in famous Hollywood films and a frequent collaborator of Terry Gilliam, has passed away at the age of 79.
His family confirmed the tragic news to Variety, but they didn't reveal his cause of death.
During the 1960s, Conway's career skyrocketed when he started working in the television industry. Some of his known works are in the series "Thunderbirds," "Joe 90," and "Captain Scarlet.
While working on the abovementioned shows, he met George Gibbs, a pioneer in the industry of visual effects. Later, the two collaborated and worked together on the 1969 classic "The Battle of Britain."
Directed by Guy Hamilton, the movie revolves around World War II, and British Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding needed to defeat Hitler's camp despite his pilots being outnumbered.
Later in his career, he delved into the world of film, where he became a senior effects supervisor in the movie "Flash Gordon," directed by Dino De Laurentiis.
Conway is known for creating colored skies around Mongo and the other fictional planets surrounding it.
Aside from "Flash Gordon," Conway also worked in the films "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom," "Sunshine," "Conan the Barbarian," and more.
He also collaborated with Terry Gilliam, in which they worked on the projects "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen," "Brazil," "Monty Python's Meaning of Life," and more.
His collaborator was able to snag a nomination for best visual effects at the 1990 Oscars.
A longtime friend and filmmaker, Danny Boyle, issued a statement to the outlet, saying he's heartbroken and sorry for the devastating news.
He added, "I know he was facing a bleak prognosis but we texted back and forth a few times recently and I reminded him of how wonderful his work was and how wonderful he was to work with."
Boyle also mentioned that one of his proudest films would be "Sunshine," and he praised him for his "patience and imagination."
"Not least how to behave graciously under pressure. Courage is grace under pressure and he was a lion," he went on.
Conway's survivors include his wife Dawn and two children, Daniel and Sam.
