FILM DIRECTOR

Willis H. O'Brien

1886 - 1962

Photo of Willis H. O'Brien

Icon of person Willis H. O'Brien

Willis Harold O'Brien (March 2, 1886 – November 8, 1962), known as Obie O'Brien, was an American motion picture special effects and stop-motion animation pioneer, who according to ASIFA-Hollywood "was responsible for some of the best-known images in cinema history," and is best remembered for his work on The Lost World (1925), King Kong (1933), The Last Days of Pompeii (1935) and Mighty Joe Young (1949), for which he won the 1950 Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. Read more on Wikipedia

His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Willis H. O'Brien is the 868th most popular film director (up from 1,110th in 2019), the 6,136th most popular biography from United States (up from 7,175th in 2019) and the 226th most popular American Film Director.

Memorability Metrics

Loading...

Page views of Willis H. O'Brien by language

Loading...

Among FILM DIRECTORS

Among film directors, Willis H. O'Brien ranks 868 out of 2,041. Before him are Shinichirō Watanabe, Catherine Hardwicke, Joe Wright, Alain Cavalier, Barry Jenkins, and Steno. After him are Raoul Coutard, Ralph Nelson, Tomás Gutiérrez Alea, Ari Folman, Bruno Dumont, and Esfir Shub.

Most Popular Film Directors in Wikipedia

Go to all Rankings
Load previousLoad previous

Contemporaries

Among people born in 1886, Willis H. O'Brien ranks 203. Before him are Austin Osman Spare, Lupu Pick, Alfonso López Pumarejo, Bogoljub Jevtić, Leo G. Carroll, and Alexander Wetmore. After him are Eddie Owen, Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman, Friedebert Tuglas, Ed Wynn, Jenő Károly, and Hiratsuka Raichō. Among people deceased in 1962, Willis H. O'Brien ranks 138. Before him are Otto Froitzheim, Joe Profaci, Ellen Osiier, Josef Uridil, Ernst Grünfeld, and Henri Oreiller. After him are Hans Rosbaud, Rudolf von Bünau, Fidel Dávila Arrondo, Vladimir Sokoloff, Pontus Hanson, and Archduchess Maria Christina of Austria.

Others Born in 1886

Go to all Rankings
Load previousLoad previous

Others Deceased in 1962

Go to all Rankings
Load previousLoad previous

In United States

Among people born in United States, Willis H. O'Brien ranks 6,136 out of 20,380. Before him are Dexter Holland (1965), Jacob Perkins (1766), Barry Jenkins (1979), Jamie Gillis (1943), George Herbig (1920), and Stephen J. Cannell (1941). After him are Alice Hamilton (1869), Omarosa Manigault Newman (1974), Hart Crane (1899), Cameron Mitchell (1918), Charles Geschke (1939), and Ruth Ford (1911).

Others born in United States

Go to all Rankings
Load previousLoad previous

Among FILM DIRECTORS In United States

Among film directors born in United States, Willis H. O'Brien ranks 226. Before him are William Cameron Menzies (1896), Tate Taylor (1969), Kevin Smith (1970), Hamilton Luske (1903), Catherine Hardwicke (1955), and Barry Jenkins (1979). After him are Ralph Nelson (1916), Antoine Fuqua (1966), Todd Haynes (1961), Charles Shyer (1951), Mary Lambert (1951), and Mimi Leder (1952).

American born Film Directors

Go to all Rankings
Load previousLoad previous