Ralph McQuarrie Dies

Production designer and artist Ralph McQuarrie, who was responsible more than anyone for the look of STAR WARS, has died aged 82.

McQuarrie's designs for sets and characters infused the film series and gave it many of its influential design statements such as C-3PO, the stormtroopers uniforms and the like.

He won an Oscar for his work on the pensioners rejuvenated by alien swimming pool comedy COCOON and was also responsible for the ships and Cylons of the original BATTLESTAR GALACTICA.

He will be most remembered by the SciFiFreak Site team, however, for designing the mothership that gave us an almost religious moment in CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND.