Fred Sersen

Fred Sersen was an American cinema special effects artist working mainly at 20th Century Fox Studios from the 1930's to the 1950's with credits in over 200 movies. He won two Academy Awards for Best Effects, Special Effects (photographic), in 1940 for The Rains Came, and in 1944 for Crash Dive. An artificial lake created for the former movie was named in his honor.

Biography

Fred Sersen was born Ferdinand Sersen, February 24, 1890, in Czechoslovakia. His first credited film was "A Connecticut Yankee" (1931). In 1937 he recreated the 1871 Great Chicago Fire on the screen for the movie "In Old Chicago".

He died December 11, 1962 in Los Angeles, California.

Awards

*Academy Award for The Rains Came (1939)
*Academy Award nomination for The Blue Bird (1940)
*Academy Award nomination for A Yank in the R.A.F. (1941)
*Academy Award nomination for The Black Swan (1942)
*Academy Award for Crash Dive (1943)
*Academy Award nomination for Wilson (1944)
*Academy Award nomination for Captain Eddie (1945)
*Academy Award nomination for Deep Waters (1948)

References

* [http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg&sql=2:110859~T1 Biography at All Movie Guide]
* [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0785731 IMDb entry]
* [http://theoscarsite.com/whoswho2/sersen_f.htm Short biography and list of films from theoscarsite.com]