Colin Cantwell, who is loved in the Star Wars Universe, died at the age of 90, according to The Hollywood Reporter’.
What's Happening:
- Colin Cantwell passed away at the age of 90 on Saturday in his Colorado home. His partner of 24 years, Sierra Dall, confirmed his death.
- He is known in the Star Wars Universe for designing iconic spacecraft, including the X-wing Starfighter, TIE fighter, and Death Star.
- Cantwell was diagnosed with tuberculosis as well as a partial retinal detachment in his youth.
- During a Reddit Ask Me Anything interview in 2016, he said the cure was to be confined to a dark room with a heavy vest across his chest to prevent coughing fits. He said "I spent nearly two years of my childhood immobilized in this dark room. Suffice to say, nothing else could slow me down after that!"
- As a graduate from the University of California, he had a degree in animation before being invited by Frank Lloyd Wright to attend his School of Architecture.
- During the historic ’60s space race between the U.S. and Russia he worked for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and NASA. He created programs to help the public better understand flights.
- Cantwell worked for Walter Cronkite during the moon landing in 1969. It was indeed Cantwell who was on the communication line between NASA and the astronauts, getting updates and returning that information broadcast to the world on live TV.
- Not only was he successful in film work, he wrote science fiction novels, CoreFires 1 and CoreFires 2.
- Our deepest condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time.