A towering figure in the history and evolution of motion picture special effects, Ray Harryhausen created some of the most memorable creatures ever to stalk, slither and sail across movie screens in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. A tutelage under effects pioneers George Pal and Willis O’Brien inspired Harryhausen’s own stop motion animation, which gave vivid life to aliens and monsters of myth in such iconic fantasy and science fiction films as “The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms” (1953), “The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad” (1958), “One Million Years B.C.” (1966) and “Clash of the Titans” (1981).