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Talk About Visual Influence: Oscar-Winning Artist Who Created the Look of ‘Star Wars,’ ‘E.T.’ and ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’ Dies. He Also Designed the Look of the Original ‘Battlestar Galactica’ on TV

Mar 5, 2012  •  Post A Comment

An Oscar-winning conceptual designer and illustrator who is credited with creating the look of the original “Star Wars” trilogy has died, Entertainment Weekly reports. Ralph McQuarrie, 82, died Saturday in Berkeley, Calif., from complications arising out of his long battle with Parkinson’s disease, the story reports.

The story reports: “During the course of his brief but highly influential Hollywood career McQuarrie also contributed to the designs of ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind,’ ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark,’ ‘E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial,’ the original ‘Battlestar Galactica’ TV series, ‘Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home,’ ‘*batteries not included,’ ‘Nightbreed’ and ‘Cocoon,’ for which he won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects in 1986.”

A message posted on McQuarrie’s website, ralphmcquarrie.com, says: “There’s no doubt in our hearts that centuries from now amazing spaceships will soar, future cities will rise and someone, somewhere will say … ‘That looks like something Ralph McQuarrie painted.’"

A statement posted to McQuarrie’s official website Saturday read, “There’s no doubt in our hearts that centuries from now amazing spaceships will soar, future cities will rise, and someone, somewhere will say… that looks like something Ralph McQuarrie painted.”

ralph-mcquarrie.jpgRalph McQuarrie

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