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Harrison Ellenshaw

b. 1945

American artist

Painter Special effects artistFilm director
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About Harrison Ellenshaw

Born 1945. Harrison Ellenshaw is an American painter, special effects artist, film director and visual effects.

Harrison Ellenshaw (born Peter Samuel Ellenshaw, July 20, 1945, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania) is an American matte painter, following his British father Peter Ellenshaw. He started his career at Walt Disney Studios. He later joined George Lucas's effects studio Industrial Light and Magic (ILM), where he produced many of the matte visual effects backgrounds for the films Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back (1980). He then returned to Disney and worked on the 1979 film The Black Hole, for which he and his father were nominated for an Academy Award for their work. He also worked on The Watcher in the Woods (1980), and Tron (1982), for which he was Visual Effects Supervisor, and Dick Tracy (1990). He eventually headed Disney Studio's effects department, Buena Vista Visual Effects (BVVE).

Harrison Ellenshaw is now pursuing his passion for fine art painting. His son Michael Ellenshaw has directed a short film while his sister Lynda Thompson is also a visual effects artist.

Selected filmography The Man Who Fell To Earth (1976), special photographic effects - credited as P.S. Ellenshaw Star Wars (1977), matte artist The Black Hole (1979), matte artist and effects (Academy Award nominee for visual effects) The Empire Strikes Back (1980), matte artist Tron (1982), visual effects supervisor and associate producer Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987), visual effects supervisor and second unit director Dick Tracy (1990), matte artist Prop Culture (2020), himself, Episode: "Tron"

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Awards
Art Directors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award

People in Harrison Ellenshaw's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Harrison Ellenshaw's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Harrison Ellenshaw?

American artist

When was Harrison Ellenshaw born?

Harrison Ellenshaw was born on 20 July 1945 in Harrisburg.

What is Harrison Ellenshaw's occupation?

Harrison Ellenshaw is a painter, special effects artist, film director and visual effects.

What nationality is Harrison Ellenshaw?

Harrison Ellenshaw is American.

Sources & further reading

Β· Wikipedia: Harrison Ellenshaw

Β· Wikidata: Q5665601

Β· DBpedia: Harrison Ellenshaw

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Harrison Ellenshaw. https://biography.guide/harrison-ellenshaw/

MLA: "Harrison Ellenshaw." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/harrison-ellenshaw/.

Chicago: "Harrison Ellenshaw." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/harrison-ellenshaw/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-22 Β· Spot an error? Report a correction.

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