Grant Lee McCune, best known as the Oscar winner for the models he made for the motion picture “Star Wars: Episode IV-A New Hope,” died of pancreatic cancer Dec. 27 at his home in Hidden Hills. He was 67.
Katharine, McCune’s wife of 28 years, said her husband began his special effects career while vacationing in Martha’s Vineyard, where Steven Spielberg was shooting “Jaws.” Grant McCune and his friend, veteran special effects engineer, Bill Shourt, were hired onto the crew that was challenged to make a giant white shark model behave like a real shark. Neither man was credited for his work in that film, but their careers were launched.
He worked on three dozen films as a partner at Apogee Productions, and then on more than 20 films as owner of Grant McCune Design (GMD).
He was nominated for a visual effects Oscar for “Star Trek: The Motion Picture.” His career included work on such movies as “ Die Hard,” “ Space Balls,” “Never Say Never Again,” “Big,” “Caddyshack,” “Speed,” “Batman Forever,” “U.S. Marshals,” “Red Planet,” “U-571,” “Spiderman” and “Serenity.”
He also designed and oversaw the construction of his home in Hidden Hills. He was a photographer. A self-taught musician, he played guitar, piano and most any other instrument.
McCune was a craftsman who worked with many materials, but preferred fine woods. He was renowned for his museum quality coffee table boxes made from exotic woods with uniquely designed hinges, for which he holds patents.
“ If you had a question, whether it was in the field of science, math, medicine, or the arts, he would have an answer––not some half-baked fabrication, but a clear, informed, articulate response,” said Monty Shook, head of GMD’s model shop for 16 years.
McCune was born in Los An- geles in 1943. He received a bachelor’s degree in biology from Cal State Northridge.
He is survived by wife Katherine; two children, Cole, 22, and Lily, 18; and a sister, Shelley McCune.
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