Douglas Trumbull, who worked on the special effects of several impressive films, has died at age 79.

Trumbull created visual effects for “2001: A Space Odyssey,” “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” “Blade Runner,” and many more films.

He was also a director and directed the video from “Back to the Future: The Ride,” which previously existed at multiple Universal theme parks. He made a cameo in the ride as an IFT scientist, alongside pre-show director David de Vos.

Feature films he directed include “Silent Running” and “Brainstorm.”

He was nominated for and awarded several filmmaking awards, and served as vice chairman of IMAX for three years.

He is survived by his wife Julia Hobart Trumbull, daughters Amy Trumbull and Andromeda Stevens, stepchildren Emily Irwin, John Hobart Culleton, Ethan Culleton, and John Vidor, nine grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and his four sisters.

Source: Variety