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Film special effects artist Harry Redmond passes away

Film special effects artist Harry Redmond passes away

Harry Redmond, who worked as a special effects artist during Hollywood’s golden era, has passed away. He was 101.

Mr. Redmond followed in his father’s footsteps in working on special effects. Harry snr worked for First National Pictues and his son, when still a schoolboy, would spend time with him on film sets.

After leaving school Mr. Redmond began working with his dad. Their first film together was Chances (1931), which starred Douglas Fairbanks Jnr.

But among their most famous work was for the 1933 film King Kong (see below)— a low-budge B-movie which became a box office hit.

The story of a monster gorilla terrorising New York relied on a series of memorable special effects, including the scenes where star Fay Wray was held in the beast’s giant hand.

Although by today’s standards the special effects would be regarded as crude, when the movie was released they were sensational.

Mr. Redmond also worked on the follow-up Son Of Kong (1933). 

He worked on a range of other movies during the 1930s including Flying Down To Rio (1933), Lost Horizon and The Prisoner Of Zenda (both 1937).

During the Second World War he made films for the U.S. Army before returning to Hollywood to work with directors such as Howard Hughes (The Outlaw, 1943), Fritz Lang (The Woman In The Window, 1944), and Orson Welles (The Stranger, 1946).

In the early 1950s Mr. Redmond teamed-up with producer Ivan Tors in what was to become a long and successful association.

The pair worked together on films and a number of telelvision shows which included Daktari and Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

Their films included the children’s favourites Flipper (1964), Clarence The Cross-Eyed Lion and Zebra In The Kitchen (both 1965).

In retirement Mr. Redmond would occasionally work with young filmmakers.

To view an excerpt from the film King Kong click here.

 

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