FEATURED
GUESTS
FILM
MAKERS
SPECIAL
EFFECTS SET DESIGNER
MECHANICAL EFFECTS ENGINEER
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FRANK
WURMSER
Retirement
Card signed and presented by "JAWS" Crew
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Frank
Wurmser worked in motion pictures for over 20 years. He started
out as an engineer and one of his many design jobs -- perhaps
not as dramatic or as well known but certainly a valuable bit
of machinery and still in use today, is the Pineapple- Picking
Machine used by the DOLE PINEAPPLE COMPANY.
However,
the more lucrative prospects of Hollywood film making was an irresistible
lure and he and his wife, the beautiful actress, singer and dancer,
Margaret Byrson, left Hawaii and returned to the Main land where
he then use his artistic talents and training as an engineer to
make more than 150 feature films working for almost every major
film studio in town. .
Some
of Frank's engineering efforts are easily recognizable. In one
joint effort he and Bob Mattey and Joe Alves, designed the mechanical
workings of Great White Shark for JAWS.
For
Universal Studios Tours he engineered the Burning House. He designed
the turbulence of the lake in JAWS. One other impressive engineering
design, is the GREAT WHITE'S MOUTH. He is responsible for engineering
the Sharks' mobility. "It was a real challenge. The collapsing
Wharf? The collapsing wharf and the barrels; were relatively simple
in comparison. "
Frank
wanted everything to be just 'right'. His making certain that
everything was 'perfect', resulted in many of his structures continuing
to stand. In fact, once the filming the movie AIRPORT ended, the
Minneapolis International Airport, purchased many of the film's
props to use as permanent ticket counters.
The
Sheriff’s Office, City Hall, Saloon, Church and Hotel in
Old Tucson, Arizona are his. “EL DORADO was filmed there,
and now, in addition to being a working set, it’s also a
tourist attraction.”
A
BRIEF FILMOGRAPHY
IN
HARMS WAY
THE SONS OF KATIE ELDER
THE STING
AIRPORT
BEGUILED
EARTHQUAKE
HELLO DOLLY
ROLLER COASTER
DOCTOR DOLITTLE
EL DORADO
JAWS
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Universal's
"BURNING HOUSE"
A tourist attraction at Universal Studio Tours
Figure: Frankenstein
Frank Wurmser Archives
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"JAW'S
LAKE"
A tourist attraction at Universal Studios Tours
Frank Wurmser Archives
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Frank
inside Magic Mountain's Roller Coaster
Getting ideas for the film "ROLLER COASTER"
Frank Wurmser Archives
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FRANK
WURMSER
Contact: FilmMakers@MentorHuebnerArt.com
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The Internet Movie Database
www.imdb.com
www.moviedatabase.com
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