David M. Jones obit

David M. Jones, Visual Effects Artist on ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind,’ Dies at 74

His résumé also included 'Alien 3,' 'Starship Troopers,' 'Batman Returns,' 'Tales From the Crypt' and an Emmy nomination.

 

He was not on the list.

David M. Jones, a visual effects artist who contributed to such landmark sci-fi films as Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Alien 3 and Starship Troopers, has died. He was 74.

Jones died April 8 of cancer at his Winnetka home in Los Angeles, his lifelong friend and ex-wife, Janice Gerson, announced.

Jones was employed at ILM, Universal Hartland and Boss Film Studios for most of his career.

As a model shop supervisor or visual effects supervisor at Boss, he worked on Batman Returns (1992), The Scout (1994), Outbreak (1995), Air Force One (1997) and Starship Troopers (1997), among other movies.

At the start of his career, Jones built miniature models and worked in the optical effects unit for Star Wars and served as a consultant on Close Encounters of the Third Kind. (Both films were nominated for the visual effects Oscar in 1978, with Star Wars prevailing.)

He earned an Emmy nomination in 1996 for his work on the Fox series Space: Above and Beyond and did effects for HBO’s Tales From the Crypt from 1989-95.

His résumé also included Space Academy (1977), Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979), The Hunt for Red October (1990), Cliffhanger (1993) and Desperate Measures (1998).

Born in Sacramento, California, Jones spent time during his childhood years on U.S. Air Force bases as far away as Anchorage, Alaska, and Freeburg, Illinois. When he was in the first grade, he purchased his first model airplane kit.

He graduated with a bachelor of science degree in industrial design from Cal State Long Beach, then entered the film industry as a model maker.

Jones also directed the 1983 short film Choose Your Tomorrow for Horizons at Disney World’s Epcot Center and handled effects for “Bud Bowl” Super Bowl commercials for Budweiser in 1989-90 and the innovative “Orcas” spot for United Airlines in 1992.

Nicknamed “Details Dave,” Jones enjoyed piloting radio-controlled model aircraft, fly-fishing and restoring his 1965 Lotus Elan.

Survivors also include his son, Hunter, a mechanical engineer who builds rocket ships at SpaceX in Hawthorne, California.