Johnny Borgese obit

Johnny Borgese Has Died

 

He was not on the list.

For Johnny Borgese, the business of special effects is a family one. Johnny, as a child, would go with his father, Vincent, to Charlie Chaplin's studio, where his father worked as a stand-in and a stunt man for Chaplin himself. While accompanying his father on the set, Chaplin even taught Johnny his famous walk. Chaplin used Vincent's watch in one of his scenes. Johnny never forgot these encounters. Vincent also did construction, props, special effects in movies such as Them! (1954) and The Old Man and the Sea (1958), among others. Vincent retired from Warner Brothers in 1968 after two decades with the studio. After returning from the Korean War, Johnny followed his father's footstep and joined the Local 44 Union in 1955.

During his more than four decades of career, Johnny worked with many prominent directors and producers, such as Steven Spielberg, Kenneth Johnson, Nick Corea, Don Richardson and Irwin Allen, "the Master of Disaster". His collaboration with Allen lasted over a decade yielding three movies and four TV series, including the hit show "Lost in Space", which, according to Wikipedia, was also the favorite show of John F. Kennedy, Jr.

Johnny has a passion for cars. He enjoyed doing modifications on the Batmobile for the original Batman movie (1966). He still sees the original designer/builder of the Batmobile, George Barris, in various functions, including several car shows.

Johnny retired in 1995. He enjoyed watching the shows worked on such as Batman, Lost in Space, and The Incredible Hulk being replayed on Syfy Channel.

 

Special Effects

Sirens (1993)

Sirens

6.8

TV Series

special effects foreman (uncredited)

1994–1995

22 episodes

 

Arnold Schwarzenegger in True Lies (1994)

True Lies

7.3

special effects (uncredited)

1994

 

Bruce Campbell in The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (1993)

The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.

8.3

TV Series

special effects supervisor (uncredited)

1993–1994

27 episodes

 

Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes in Demolition Man (1993)

Demolition Man

6.7

special effects

1993

 

Harrison Ford in The Fugitive (1993)

The Fugitive

7.8

special effects (uncredited)

1993

 

Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Laura Dern, Sam Neill, Ariana Richards, BD Wong, Joseph Mazzello, Martin Ferrero, and Bob Peck in Jurassic Park (1993)

Jurassic Park

8.2

special effects (uncredited)

1993

 

Johnny Depp in Arizona Dream (1993)

Arizona Dream

7.2

special effects

1993

 

Embeth Davidtz and Bruce Campbell in Army of Darkness (1992)

Army of Darkness

7.4

special effects (uncredited)

1992

 

Scott Baio and Mary Page Keller in Baby Talk (1991)

Baby Talk

3.9

TV Series

special effects crew (uncredited)

1991–1992

33 episodes

 

Angela Lansbury in Murder, She Wrote (1984)

Murder, She Wrote

7.2

TV Series

special effects technician (uncredited)

1987–1991

110 episodes

 

Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Terminator 2: Judgment Day

8.6

special effects (uncredited)

1991

 

Liam Neeson in Darkman (1990)

Darkman

6.4

special effects (uncredited)

1990

 

The Abyss (1989)

The Abyss

7.5

special effects (uncredited)

1989

 

Bruce Willis in Die Hard (1988)

Die Hard

8.2

special effects (uncredited)

1988

 

Geena Davis, Winona Ryder, Alec Baldwin, Jeffrey Jones, Michael Keaton, and Catherine O'Hara in Beetlejuice (1988)

Beetlejuice

7.5

special effects (uncredited)

1988

 

Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Running Man (1987)

The Running Man

6.6

special effects (uncredited)

1987

 

Nancy Allen, Peter Weller, Miguel Ferrer, and Kurtwood Smith in RoboCop (1987)

RoboCop

7.6

special effects (uncredited)

1987

 

Arnold Schwarzenegger in Predator (1987)

Predator

7.8

special effects (uncredited)

1987

 

Eddie Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)

Beverly Hills Cop II

6.6

assistant special effects

1987

 

Sigourney Weaver and Carrie Henn in Aliens (1986)

Aliens

8.4

special effects (uncredited)

1986

 

Ernest Borgnine, Jan-Michael Vincent, and Alex Cord in Airwolf (1984)

Airwolf

6.7

TV Series

special effects coordinator

1984–1986

44 episodes

 

Michael J. Fox in Back to the Future (1985)

Back to the Future

8.5

special effects (uncredited)

1985

 

Fairuza Balk in Return to Oz (1985)

Return to Oz

6.8

special effects (uncredited)

1985

 

Ghostbusters (1984)

Ghostbusters

7.8

special effects (uncredited)

1984

 

Diane Lane and Michael Paré in Streets of Fire (1984)

Streets of Fire

6.7

special effects (uncredited)

1984

 

Zach Galligan and Howie Mandel in Gremlins (1984)

Gremlins

7.3

special effects (uncredited)

1984

 

Tales of the Gold Monkey (1982)

Tales of the Gold Monkey

8.0

TV Series

special effects supervisor

1982–1983

22 episodes

 

The Sting II (1983)

The Sting II

4.9

special effects

1983

 

The Thing (1982)

The Thing

8.2

special effects (uncredited)

1982

 

Henry Thomas and Pat Welsh in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

7.9

special effects (uncredited)

1982

 

Heather O'Rourke in Poltergeist (1982)

Poltergeist

7.3

special effects (uncredited)

1982

 

Lou Ferrigno and Bill Bixby in The Incredible Hulk (1977)

The Incredible Hulk

7.0

TV Series

special effects coordinator (uncredited)

1978–1982

76 episodes

 

Zoot Suit (1981)

Zoot Suit

6.7

special effects (as John Borgese)

1981

 

Pen 'n' Inc.

TV Movie

special effects coordinator

1981

 

The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island (1981)

The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island

4.2

TV Movie

special effects supervisor (1981)

1981

 

Adrienne Barbeau, Donald Pleasence, and Kurt Russell in Escape from New York (1981)

Escape from New York

7.1

special effects (uncredited)

1981

 

Gene Hackman, Dennis Quaid, and Barbra Streisand in All Night Long (1981)

All Night Long

5.5

special effects

1981

 

The Munsters' Revenge (1981)

The Munsters' Revenge

5.9

TV Movie

special effects coordinator (1981)

1981

 

The Black Hole (1979)

The Black Hole

5.9

special effects (uncredited)

1979

 

Alien (1979)

Alien

8.5

special effects (uncredited)

1979

 

Marlon Brando and Martin Sheen in Apocalypse Now (1979)

Apocalypse Now

8.4

special effects technician (uncredited)

1979

 

Christine Freeman and Bruce in Jaws 2 (1978)

Jaws 2

5.8

special effects (uncredited)

1978

 

The Bionic Woman (1976)

The Bionic Woman

6.7

TV Series

special effects coordinator

1976–1978

57 episodes

 

Gray Lady Down (1978)

Gray Lady Down

6.2

special effects (uncredited)

1978

 

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

7.6

special effects (uncredited)

1977

 

King Kong (1976)

King Kong

6.0

special effects (uncredited)

1976

 

Jenny Agutter, Farrah Fawcett, Michael York, Roscoe Lee Browne, and Richard Jordan in Logan's Run (1976)

Logan's Run

6.8

special effects (uncredited)

1976

 

David McCallum in The Invisible Man (1975)

The Invisible Man

6.6

TV Series

special effects

1975–1976

13 episodes

 

Anne Bancroft, Charles Durning, George C. Scott, William Atherton, Burgess Meredith, Jean Rasey, Roy Thinnes, and Gig Young in The Hindenburg (1975)

The Hindenburg

6.3

special effects

1975

 

Lee Majors in The Six Million Dollar Man (1973)

The Six Million Dollar Man

7.1

TV Series

special effects

1974–1975

47 episodes

 

Susan Backlinie and Bruce in Jaws (1975)

Jaws

8.1

special effects (uncredited)

1975

 

Fred Astaire, William Holden, Paul Newman, Richard Chamberlain, Steve McQueen, Faye Dunaway, O.J. Simpson, Robert Vaughn, Robert Wagner, Susan Blakely, and Jennifer Jones in The Towering Inferno (1974)

The Towering Inferno

7.0

special effects (uncredited)

1974

 

Charlton Heston, Victoria Principal, Geneviève Bujold, Ava Gardner, Lorne Greene, George Kennedy, Marjoe Gortner, Lloyd Nolan, Richard Roundtree, and Barry Sullivan in Earthquake (1974)

Earthquake

5.9

special effects (uncredited)

1974

 

Charlton Heston, Linda Blair, Karen Black, George Kennedy, Myrna Loy, Sid Caesar, Susan Clark, Helen Reddy, Gloria Swanson, Roy Thinnes, and Efrem Zimbalist Jr. in Airport 1975 (1974)

Airport 1975

5.7

special effects (uncredited)

1974

 

Westworld (1973)

Westworld

6.9

special effects (uncredited)

1973

 

Lew Ayres, John Huston, Roddy McDowall, Claude Akins, Severn Darden, Natalie Trundy, and Paul Williams in Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973)

Battle for the Planet of the Apes

5.4

special effects technician (uncredited)

1973

 

Soylent Green (1973)

Soylent Green

7.0

special effects (uncredited)

1973

 

Ernest Borgnine, Gene Hackman, Leslie Nielsen, Red Buttons, Roddy McDowall, Stella Stevens, Shelley Winters, Jack Albertson, Carol Lynley, Pamela Sue Martin, Arthur O'Connell, and Eric Shea in The Poseidon Adventure (1972)

The Poseidon Adventure

7.1

special effects (uncredited)

1972

 

Deliverance (1972)

Deliverance

7.6

special effects (uncredited)

1972

 

Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)

Conquest of the Planet of the Apes

6.1

special effects technician (uncredited)

1972

 

Bruce Dern in Silent Running (1972)

Silent Running

6.6

special effects (uncredited)

1972

 

Gene Hackman and Marcel Bozzuffi in The French Connection (1971)

The French Connection

7.7

special effects (uncredited)

1971

 

Gene Wilder, Paris Themmen, Jack Albertson, Rudy Borgstaller, George Claydon, Julie Dawn Cole, Malcolm Dixon, Walker Edmiston, Günter Meisner, Denise Nickerson, and Peter Ostrum in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

7.8

special effects (uncredited)

1971

 

Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)

Escape from the Planet of the Apes

6.3

special effects technician (uncredited)

1971

 

James Olson and Robert Soto in The Andromeda Strain (1971)

The Andromeda Strain

7.2

special effects (uncredited)

1971

 

Bill Cosby in The Bill Cosby Show (1969)

The Bill Cosby Show

6.1

TV Series

special effects (uncredited)

1969–1970

6 episodes

 

Martin Balsam, Joseph Cotten, Jason Robards, E.G. Marshall, Tatsuya Mihashi, Koreya Senda, Takahiro Tamura, Eijirô Tôno, James Whitmore, and Sô Yamamura in Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970)

Tora! Tora! Tora!

7.5

special effects (uncredited)

1970

 

Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)

Beneath the Planet of the Apes

6.0

special effects technician (uncredited)

1970

 

Stefan Arngrim, Gary Conway, Kurt Kasznar, Deanna Lund, Don Marshall, Don Matheson, and Heather Young in Land of the Giants (1968)

Land of the Giants

7.1

TV Series

special effects supervisor

1969–1970

39 episodes

 

Walter Matthau and Barbra Streisand in Hello, Dolly! (1969)

Hello, Dolly!

7.0

special effects (uncredited)

1969

 

June Lockhart, Angela Cartwright, Mark Goddard, Jonathan Harris, Marta Kristen, Bill Mumy, and Guy Williams in Lost in Space (1965)

Lost in Space

7.2

TV Series

special effects supervisor

special effects technician

1965–1968

83 episodes

 

Maurice Evans in Planet of the Apes (1968)

Planet of the Apes

8.0

special effects (uncredited)

1968

 

Doctor Dolittle (1967)

Doctor Dolittle

6.2

special effects (uncredited)

1967

 

Camelot (1967)

Camelot

6.5

special effects (uncredited)

1967

 

The 39th Annual Academy Awards (1967)

The 39th Annual Academy Awards

7.2

TV Special

special effects supervisor (uncredited)

1967

 

The Time Tunnel (1966)

The Time Tunnel

7.5

TV Series

special effects (uncredited)

1966–1967

30 episodes

 

Candice Bergen, Steve McQueen, and Emmanuelle Arsan in The Sand Pebbles (1966)

The Sand Pebbles

7.5

special effects (uncredited)

1966

 

Fantastic Voyage (1966)

Fantastic Voyage

6.8

special effects (uncredited)

1966

 

Adam West, Cesar Romero, Frank Gorshin, Burgess Meredith, Lee Meriwether, and Burt Ward in Batman: The Movie (1966)

Batman: The Movie

6.5

special effects (uncredited)

1966

 

The Flight of the Phoenix (1965)

The Flight of the Phoenix

7.5

special effects (uncredited)

1965

 

Natalie Wood, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon in The Great Race (1965)

The Great Race

7.2

special effects (uncredited)

1965

 

Von Ryan's Express (1965)

Von Ryan's Express

7.1

special effects (uncredited)

1965

 

John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! (1965)

John Goldfarb, Please Come Home!

5.0

special effects (uncredited)

1965

 

The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)

The Greatest Story Ever Told

6.5

special effects

1965

 

Peyton Place (1964)

Peyton Place

7.3

TV Series

special effects crew (uncredited)

1964

2 episodes

 

Edd Byrnes, Roger Smith, and Efrem Zimbalist Jr. in 77 Sunset Strip (1958)

77 Sunset Strip

7.7

TV Series

special effects

1958–1964

176 episodes

 

Bonanza (1959)

Bonanza

7.3

TV Series

special effects crew

special effects (uncredited)

1959–1963

146 episodes

 

It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)

It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World

7.5

special effects technician (uncredited)

1963

 

PT 109 (1963)

PT 109

6.6

special effects (uncredited)

1963

 

Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, and Rex Harrison in Cleopatra (1963)

Cleopatra

7.0

special effects (uncredited)

1963

 

Richard Burton, Henry Fonda, Robert Mitchum, John Wayne, Sean Connery, Sal Mineo, Eddie Albert, Richard Beymer, Red Buttons, Jeffrey Hunter, Roddy McDowall, Rod Steiger, Robert Wagner, Paul Anka, Arletty, Mel Ferrer, Steve Forrest, Gert Fröbe, Fabian, Jean-Louis Barrault, Bourvil, Ray Danton, Irina Demick, Leo Genn, Henry Grace, John Gregson, Paul Hartmann, Werner Hinz, Curd Jürgens, Alexander Knox, Peter Lawford, Christian Marquand, Kenneth More, Edmond O'Brien, Ron Randell, Madeleine Renaud, Robert Ryan, Tommy Sands, Richard Todd, Tom Tryon, Peter van Eyck, and Stuart Whitman in The Longest Day (1962)

The Longest Day

7.7

special effects (uncredited)

1962

 

Peter Lorre, Red Buttons, Barbara Eden, Fabian, Cedric Hardwicke, Richard Haydn, BarBara Luna, and Chester the Chimp in Five Weeks in a Balloon (1962)

Five Weeks in a Balloon

5.7

special effects (uncredited)

1962

 

Gardner McKay in Adventures in Paradise (1959)

Adventures in Paradise

8.1

TV Series

special effects

1959–1962

53 episodes

 

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961)

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea

6.0

special effects (uncredited)

1961

 

Rod Taylor in Hong Kong (1960)

Hong Kong

8.0

TV Series

special effects (uncredited)

1960–1961

25 episodes

 

High Time (1960)

High Time

6.0

special effects

1960

 

Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959)

Journey to the Center of the Earth

7.0

special effects (uncredited)

1959

 

Coral Browne, Peggy Cass, Fred Clark, Patric Knowles, Rosalind Russell, Roger Smith, and Forrest Tucker in Auntie Mame (1958)

Auntie Mame

7.9

special effects (uncredited)

1958

 

Walt Disney, Kevin Corcoran, Annette Funicello, Sharon Baird, Lonnie Burr, Tommy Cole, Tim Considine, Jimmie Dodd, Lynn Fields, Darlene Gillespie, Don Grady, Cheryl Holdridge, Tommy Kirk, Cubby O'Brien, Karen Pendleton, David Stollery, Roy Williams, Lynn Ready, and Linda Hughes in The Mickey Mouse Club (1955)

The Mickey Mouse Club

7.6

TV Series

special effects

1955–1958

124 episodes

 

Adventure in Dairyland

7.8

TV Series

special effects

1956

1 episode