Colin Chilvers obit

Fort Erie loses a legend, Colin Chilvers dies at 79

One of Fort Erie’s most celebrated and accomplished residents, Colin Chilvers, died Tuesday morning at age 79.

 He was not on the list.

Chilvers was a Hollywood legend who won an Oscar for producing the special effects which wowed audiences in the 70s and 80s on the original ‘Superman’ films. His work transformed Christopher Reeves into the titular Superman, scoring Chilvers the Oscar for Best Special Effects in 1979.

His storied career spanned decades, including work on the two subsequent Superman sequels before he went on to direct segments of Michael Jackson’s iconic ‘Moonwalker’ music video, and through to the modern superhero era where he worked as the special effects coordinator on the first ‘X-Men’ movie.

“He was a highly skilled special effects wizard,” said Ward 1 Councillor George McDermott, who fondly remembered Chilvers for his tireless donation of time and advice to students from the Fort Erie Secondary School (FESS) drama program. “He will be greatly missed, as he was a legend, and a one of a kind trailblazer in the field of movie special effects.”

Outside of Hollywood, he also plied his trade locally, producing dazzling commercials for the Fort Erie Race Track back in the 90s. To honour his work and contributions, the track will be hosting a Colin Chilvers Memorial Race during the 2025 season.

When he wasn’t passing on sage advice to students at FESS, he could be found hitting the greens at Bridgewater Country Club, or just enjoying time with his wife, Colleen, and their cats from his beautiful lakefront home in Crystal Beach.

Never one to let idle hands take hold, in retirement Chilvers became enamored with wood carving and produced an impressive body of work which includes intricate wood sculptures, canes, and trinkets. He spent many years serving as president of the Niagara Woodcarvers Association.

“Everyone who met him instantly got along well with him, he was that kind of guy,” recalled Alain Huard, a fellow member of the Woodcarvers. “He was such a very interesting gentleman, and he would do anything and everything to keep himself busy. He even wrote a book. I have a copy, it’s a great read and you can really learn a lot about him.”

Chilvers’ memoir, ‘Believing a Man Can Fly: Memories of a Life in Special Effects and Film,’ published in 2019, is still available on Amazon.

Special Effects

Monica Bellucci, Paul Giamatti, and Clive Owen in Shoot 'Em Up (2007)

Shoot 'Em Up

6.6

special effects coordinator

2007

 

Terence Stamp, Christopher Reeve, Sarah Douglas, and Jack O'Halloran in Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut (2006)

Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut

7.6

director of special effects

2006

 

Tim Allen, Spencer Breslin, Kate Mara, Ryan Whitney, and Michael Cassidy in Zoom (2006)

Zoom

4.4

special effects coordinator

2006

 

Vin Diesel, Brittany Snow, Max Thieriot, Morgan York, Kegan Hoover, Logan Hoover, Bo Vink, and Luke Vink in The Pacifier (2005)

The Pacifier

5.6

special effects coordinator

2005

 

Chow Yun-Fat, Seann William Scott, and Jaime King in Bulletproof Monk (2003)

Bulletproof Monk

5.5

special effects consultant

2003

 

Harrison Ford in K-19: The Widowmaker (2002)

K-19: The Widowmaker

6.7

special effects coordinator

2002

 

Kirsten Dunst, Ben Foster, and Sisqó in Get Over It (2001)

Get Over It

5.7

special effects coordinator

2001

 

Driven (2001)

Driven

4.6

special effects coordinator

2001

 

Patrick Stewart, James Marsden, and Hugh Jackman in X-Men (2000)

X-Men

7.3

special effects coordinator

2000

 

Jennifer Tilly and Brad Dourif in Bride of Chucky (1998)

Bride of Chucky

5.6

special effects coordinator

1998

 

Chevy Chase, Sandra Bernhard, John Candy, Joe Flaherty, Waylon Jennings, and Dave Thomas in Follow That Bird (1985)

Follow That Bird

6.7

special effects director

1985

 

Spasms (1983)

Spasms

4.4

special effects consultant (as Collin Chilvers)

1983

 

Richard Pryor and Christopher Reeve in Superman III (1983)

Superman III

5.0

director of special effects and miniatures

1983

 

Curtains (1983)

Curtains

5.6

director of special effects: act I

1983

 

The Wars (1982)

The Wars

6.4

special effects

1982

 

Stefan Arngrim, Neil Clifford, Lisa Langlois, and Timothy Van Patten in Class of 1984 (1982)

Class of 1984

6.5

special effects

1982

 

The Incubus (1981)

The Incubus

5.5

special effects director

1981

 

Barbara Carrera and Michael Crawford in Condorman (1981)

Condorman

5.7

special effects supervisor

1981

 

Escape from Iran: The Canadian Caper (1981)

Escape from Iran: The Canadian Caper

6.7

TV Movie

special effects

1981

 

Gene Hackman, Terence Stamp, Christopher Reeve, Jackie Cooper, Sarah Douglas, Margot Kidder, Jack O'Halloran, and Valerie Perrine in Superman II (1980)

Superman II

6.8

director of special effects

1980

 

Kirk Douglas, Harvey Keitel, and Farrah Fawcett in Saturn 3 (1980)

Saturn 3

5.1

special effects

1980

 

Gene Hackman, Terence Stamp, Ned Beatty, Christopher Reeve, Jackie Cooper, Sarah Douglas, Jeff East, Margot Kidder, Jack O'Halloran, Valerie Perrine, and Susannah York in Superman (1978)

Superman

7.4

creative supervisor & director of special effects

1978

 

Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977)

Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger

6.4

special effects (uncredited)

1977

 

Jenny Agutter, Michael Caine, Robert Duvall, and Donald Sutherland in The Eagle Has Landed (1976)

The Eagle Has Landed

6.9

special effects technician (uncredited)

1976

 

The Ritz (1976)

The Ritz

6.8

special effects

1976

 

Lisztomania (1975)

Lisztomania

6.1

special effects

1975

 

Tim Curry in The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

7.4

special effects

1975

 

Jack Nicholson, Ann-Margret, Oliver Reed, Eric Clapton, Roger Daltrey, Elton John, Keith Moon, John Entwistle, Paul Nicholas, Robert Powell, Pete Townshend, and Tina Turner in Tommy (1975)

Tommy

6.6

special effects supervisor (uncredited)

1975

 

John Gielgud, James Mason, Jane Seymour, David McCallum, Nicola Pagett, Ralph Richardson, Michael Sarrazin, and Leonard Whiting in Frankenstein: The True Story (1973)

Frankenstein: The True Story

7.1

TV Movie

special effects technician (uncredited)

1973

 

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1972)

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

5.7

special effects technician

1972

 

Peter O'Toole in The Ruling Class (1972)

The Ruling Class

7.2

special effects technician (uncredited)

1972

 

200 Motels (1971)

200 Motels

5.6

special effects

1971

 

Peter O'Toole in Murphy's War (1971)

Murphy's War

6.7

special effects (uncredited)

1971

 

Bernard Bresslaw, Adrienne Corri, Dudley Foster, Ori Levy, Warren Mitchell, James Olson, and Catherine Schell in Moon Zero Two (1969)

Moon Zero Two

4.5

special effects assistant

1969

 

Laurence Olivier, Michael Caine, Christopher Plummer, Robert Shaw, Trevor Howard, Harry Andrews, Curd Jürgens, Ian McShane, Kenneth More, Nigel Patrick, Michael Redgrave, Ralph Richardson, Patrick Wymark, and Susannah York in Battle of Britain (1969)

Battle of Britain

6.9

junior assistant: Glen Robinson (uncredited)

1969

 

Alan Arkin in Inspector Clouseau (1968)

Inspector Clouseau

4.8

special effects supervisor

1968

 

Director

Home Beyond the Sun (2004)

Home Beyond the Sun

6.5

TV Movie

Director

2004

 

Michael Jackson in Michael Jackson: Number Ones (2003)

Michael Jackson: Number Ones

8.6

Video

Director (video Smooth Criminal)

2003

 

Michael Jackson in Michael Jackson: HIStory on Film - Volume II (1997)

Michael Jackson: HIStory on Film - Volume II

8.4

Video

Director (video Smooth Criminal)

1997

 

Bros: Too Much

Music Video

Director

1989

 

Gerard Christopher in Superboy (1988)

Superboy

6.0

TV Series

Director

1988

5 episodes

 

Michael Jackson in Michael Jackson: Smooth Criminal (II) (1988)

Michael Jackson: Smooth Criminal (II)

8.5

Director (directed by)

1988

 

Michael Jackson, Sean Lennon, Brandon Quintin Adams, and Kelley Parker in Moonwalker (1988)

Moonwalker

6.1

Director (segment Smooth Criminal, directed by)

1988

 

Michael Jackson in Michael Jackson: Smooth Criminal (1988)

Michael Jackson: Smooth Criminal

8.8

Music Video

Director

1988

 

Alex Cord in War of the Worlds (1988)

War of the Worlds

6.5

TV Series

Director

1988

3 episodes

 

Kingdom Chums (1986)

Kingdom Chums

6.5

TV Movie

Director (live action)

1986

 

ABC Weekend Specials (1977)

ABC Weekend Specials

7.7

TV Series

Director

1985

1 episode

 

Urgent: Running Back

Music Video

Director

1985

 

Art Department

Harry Hamlin and Judi Bowker in Clash of the Titans (1981)

Clash of the Titans

6.9

model maker

1981

 

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

2001: A Space Odyssey

8.3

art department assistant (uncredited)

1968