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Frank Van der Veer

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Frank Van der Veer
Born(1921-06-02)June 2, 1921
New York City, USA
DiedJanuary 7, 1982(1982-01-07) (aged 60)
Los Angeles County, California, USA
OccupationVisual effects artist
Years active1950-1982
SpouseVelma "Val" Van der Veer (March 9, 1930 - Oct. 20, 2009)
ChildrenJeff, Michael and Julie[1]

Frank Van der Veer (June 2, 1921 - January 7, 1982) was an American optical and visual special effects artist who won (and shared) a Special Achievement Academy Award at the 49th Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects for the film King Kong[2] (1976). His career spans over three decades from the 1950s until his death in the early 1980s, having participated in the Hollywood special effects industry with notable films such King Kong, as mentioned, but also The Towering Inferno[3] (1974), Killer Bees (1974), Logan's Run (1976), Star Wars (1977), 1941 (1979), Flash Gordon (1980), Clash of the Titans (1981) and Conan the Barbarian (1982).

Frank Van der Veer was the son of the American cinematographer Willard Van der Veer (1894-1963).

Biography

Frank Van der Veer was a veteran of World War II. After the war he started his career in the 1950s working for the Warner Brothers and 20th Century Fox special effects departments. Then, a few years later, on August 13 1963,[4] he founded Van Der Veer Photo Effects with partner Bill Dorney, after having apprenticed with Bill Abbott from 1950-1957 in the 20th Century Fox studios.[5] In 1977 he won a Special Achievement Academy Award for King Kong (1976). This award was shared with Carlo Rambaldi and Glen Robinson.[6] Frank's father, Willard Van der Veer, had also won an Oscar, 47 years before. That was on November 5, 1930, at the 3rd Academy Awards, for Best Cinematography for the film With Byrd at the South Pole[7][8] with Joseph T. Rucker.[9]

In the time he ruled his company, Van der Veer worked both for the television and film industries. For the television medium, for example, he had contributed in the effects of the original Star Trek series[10] (1966) and, in 1978, he was nominated for an Emmy for his work on The Return of Captain Nemo.

Frank Van der Veer died on January 7, 1982. He was buried at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, Los Angeles County, California. His company, Van Der Veer Photo Effects, survived him for 15 years more until it was dissolved on October 4, 1997.[11]

Selected filmography

Credited as Frank Van der Veer

Credited as Van der Veer Photo Effects

Van Der Veer Photo Effects selected filmography (after Frank's death)

References

  1. ^ Velma Van der Veer obituary, mentioning husband and children (Legacy.com)
  2. ^ 49th Academy Awards Ceremony page (Oscars.org)
  3. ^ "Special Effects: Wire, Tape and Rubber Band Style", by L. B. Abbott
  4. ^ California Corporates: Van Der Veer Photo Effects' profile
  5. ^ Plastic Reality: Special Effects, Art and Technology in 1970s U.S. Filmmaking, Julie A. Turnock, ProQuest, 2008, p. 111
  6. ^ 49th Academy Awards Ceremony page (Oscars.org)
  7. ^ http://www.allmovie.com/artist/willard-van-der-veer-p312637
  8. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0886447/awards?ref_=nm_awd
  9. ^ 3rd Academy Awards Ceremony page (Oscars.org)
  10. ^ Frank Van der Veer's biographical resume on Findagrave.com
  11. ^ Wysk B2B Data Hub: Van Der Veer Photo Effects' profile

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