Douglas Trumbull, Star Trek: The Motion Picture’s effect supervisor, dies at 79

Douglas Trumbull effectively saved Star Trek: The Motion Picture

Douglas Trumbull was a film direction and a special effects supervisor for movies like 2001: A Space Odyssey, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Star Trek: The Motion Picture. A busy man in the 1970s, he turned down the opportunity to provide the effects for Star Wars, but he undertook the task for Close Encounters of the Third Kind. And it was Close Encounters that prevented him for originally accepting Paramount’s offer to supervise the effects for Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Thankfully, things worked out to put Trumbull in the pilot’s seat for special effects of the very first Star Trek movie, which launched a fleet of follow-up movies and effectively saving Star Trek: The Motion Picture when Robert Abel and Associates weren’t up to the task. Star Trek fans will always be grateful for his intervention, and we grieve today upon learning of his death at the age of 79.

Star Trek pays tribute to Douglas Trumbull

Michael Okuda, the graphic designer who designed the Enterprise bridge for Star Trek IV: A Voyage Home and many other Star Trek projects, called Trumbull a “legend,” “an artist, inventor, and personal hero.” And David C. Fein, who produced Robert Wise’s Director’s cut of The Motion Picture, said “Doug created the future. He lived with ‘what could be’ and inspired going beyond limitations. His passion was infectious, his vision was boundless. While he’ll be dearly missed, his influence will be with us forever.”

In a moving post, Todd Vaziri, the sequence supervisor for Star Trek 2009, shared name cards that highlight Trumbull and his work with special photographic effects and a simple “Douglas Trumbull.” “Thank you.”

Trumbull’s contribution to the Star Trek community will never be forgotten. Because of his dedication and drive, we got to return to the Enterprise in all its glory back in 1979.