kids encyclopedia robot

John Richardson (special effects designer) facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
John Richardson
Born (1946-06-10) June 10, 1946 (age 79)
Brentford, Middlesex, England
Occupation Special effects supervisor
Awards

John Richardson was born in England on June 10, 1946. He is a British expert who creates amazing special effects for movies. Special effects are all the cool explosions, magical spells, and realistic creatures you see in films that aren't real. John Richardson has worked on many famous movies, helping to bring their exciting scenes to life!

He is especially known for his work on the James Bond film series and all the Harry Potter movies. He also worked on the action-packed film A Bridge Too Far (1977) and the sci-fi classic Aliens (1986).

For his incredible work on Aliens, John Richardson won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects in 1987. This is one of the biggest awards in the movie world! He also won a BAFTA Award for Best Special Visual Effects for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 in 2011. He was even nominated for another Academy Award for that Harry Potter film.

In 2019, John Richardson wrote a book called "Making Movie Magic." In this book, he shared many details about his exciting career in the film industry and how he created some of the most memorable special effects.

Famous Movies with John Richardson's Special Effects

John Richardson has helped create the magic in many movies. Here are some of the most well-known films he worked on:

James Bond Films

John Richardson was a key part of making the action and gadgets in many James Bond movies look real.

  • 1979: Moonraker
  • 1983: Octopussy
  • 1985: A View to a Kill
  • 1987: The Living Daylights
  • 1989: Licence to Kill
  • 1997: Tomorrow Never Dies
  • 1999: The World Is Not Enough
  • 2002: Die Another Day

Harry Potter Films

He was the special effects supervisor for all the Harry Potter films, bringing the wizarding world to life!

Other Notable Films

Here are some other important movies where John Richardson's special effects made a big difference:

  • 1967: Casino Royale
  • 1970: Leo the Last
  • 1975: Rollerball
  • 1976: The Omen
  • 1977: A Bridge Too Far
  • 1978: Superman
  • 1986: Aliens
  • 1988: Willow
  • 1993: Cliffhanger
  • 1997: Starship Troopers
  • 1999: Deep Blue Sea
kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
John Richardson (special effects designer) Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.