Brian Johnson: key obituary facts
Is Brian Johnson dead? Yes. Brian Johnson died on June 15, 2026, at age 86.
Cause of death: Brian Johnson's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Brian Johnson known for?
He was known as British designer and director of film and television special effects.
More about Brian Johnson
Born: 29 June 1939.
Place of birth: Surrey.
Gender: male.
Occupation: film director.
Nationality: United Kingdom.
Awards: Special Achievement Academy Award, Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.
Occupations: Special effects artist, film director.
Years active: 1957–2006.
Brian Johnson, the British designer and director of film and television special effects, died on June 15, 2026.
Born Brian Johncock on June 29, 1939, in Surrey, he changed his surname to Johnson in the 1960s. His early career began with Les Bowie Films on productions including On the Buses and later work for Hammer Films.
Johnson became known for special effects on the television series Thunderbirds and for films such as Alien, which brought him an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. His work on Space: 1999 also influenced the effects style of the Star Wars films.