Crew
Brian Johnson
EN, DE cinema · 72 credits
Born
29 June 1939
Died
15 June 2026 (aged 86)
Birthplace
Surrey, England, UK
Brian Johncock (born 29 June 1939) is a British designer and director of film and television special effects. He changed his surname to Johnson during the 1960s. Joining the team of special effects artist Les Bowie, Johnson started his career behind the scenes for Bowie Films on productions such as On the Buses, and for Hammer Films. He is known for his special effects work on TV series including Thunderbirds (1965–66) and films including Alien (1979), for which he received the 1980 Academy Award for Best Visual Effects (shared with H. R. Giger, Carlo Rambaldi, Dennis Ayling and Nick Allder). Previously, he had built miniature spacecraft models for Stanley Kubrick's 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey. Johnson's work on Space: 1999 influenced the effects of the Star Wars films of the 1970s and 1980s. Impressed by his work, George Lucas visited Johnson during the production of the TV series to offer him the role of effects supervisor for the 1977 film. Having already been commissioned for the second series of Space: 1999, Johnson was unable to accept at the time. He worked on the sequel, The Empire Strikes Back (1980), whose special effects were recognised in the form of a 1981 Special Achievement Academy Award (which Johnson shared with Richard Edlund, Dennis Muren and Bruce Nicholson).
Known for
Filmography
Century 21 Revisited
as Himself
Thunderbirds 60th Anniversary Double Bill - Trapped in the Sky / Terror in New York City
Special Effects Assistant
Prisoners in Space
Special Effects
Family Vanished
as Det. Flynn
Century 21 Slough
as Himself
This Is Supermarionation
Special Effects
The Alien Legacy
as Self
Space Truckers
Special Effects, Visual Effects Supervisor
Highlander III: The Sorcerer
Visual Effects Supervisor
Caged Fury
Stunts
Slipstream
Special Effects, Visual Effects Supervisor
Aliens
Special Effects
Spies Like Us
Special Effects
The NeverEnding Story
Special Effects
The Pirates of Penzance
Special Effects Supervisor
Krull
Special Effects
Journey Through the Black Sun
Special Effects
Countdown to Disaster
Special Effects
Dragonslayer
Special Effects
The Empire Strikes Back
Special Effects
Alien Attack
Special Effects
Alien
Special Effects, Special Effects Supervisor
Revenge of the Pink Panther
Special Effects
The Medusa Touch
Special Effects Supervisor
The Glitterball
Special Effects
The Day After Tomorrow: Into Infinity
Special Effects
When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth
Special Effects
Taste the Blood of Dracula
Special Effects
Moon Zero Two
Special Effects
2001: A Space Odyssey
Special Effects
Quatermass and the Pit
Special Effects Assistant
Thunderbirds: Cry Wolf
Special Effects
Thunderbirds: Martian Invasion
Special Effects
Thunderbirds: City of Fire
Special Effects
Thunderbirds: The Man from MI.5
Special Effects
Thunderbirds: Move - And You're Dead
Special Effects
Thunderbirds: The Duchess Assignment
Special Effects
Thunderbirds: Brink of Disaster
Special Effects
Thunderbirds: Attack of the Alligators!
Special Effects
Thunderbirds: The Imposters
Special Effects
Thunderbirds: Danger at Ocean Deep
Special Effects
Thunderbirds: The Cham-Cham
Special Effects
Thunderbirds: Security Hazard
Special Effects
Thunderbirds: Vault of Death
Special Effects
Thunderbirds: Trapped in the Sky
Special Effects
Thunderbirds: Pit of Peril
Special Effects
Thunderbirds: The Perils of Penelope
Special Effects
Thunderbirds: Terror In New York City
Special Effects
Thunderbirds: Desperate Intruder
Special Effects
Thunderbirds: End of The Road
Special Effects
Thunderbirds: The Uninvited
Special Effects
Thunderbirds: Sun Probe
Special Effects
Thunderbirds: Operation Crash-Dive
Special Effects
Thunderbirds: The Mighty Atom
Special Effects
Thunderbirds: Edge of Impact
Special Effects
Thunderbirds: Day of Disaster
Special Effects
Thunderbirds: 30 Minutes After Noon
Special Effects
First Men in the Moon
Special Effects Assistant
The Kiss of the Vampire
Special Effects Assistant
Captain Clegg
Special Effects Assistant
The Phantom of the Opera
Special Effects
The Day the Earth Caught Fire
Special Effects Assistant
The Trollenberg Terror
Special Effects Assistant
Quatermass 2
Special Effects Assistant