Special effects wizard Winston dead at 62

LOS ANGELES, June 16 (UPI) -- Hollywood special effects titan Stan Winston has died after a seven-year battle against multiple myeloma, a representative from Stan Winston Studio said.

Winston, who earned Oscars for his work on the films "Aliens," "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" and "Jurassic Park," was 62 when he died at his home Sunday night surrounded by family, Variety.com said.

Winston was known for his extraordinary robotic/animatronic creatures and lifelike prosthetic makeup.

"It's a big loss. Our industry has lost one of its giants, someone who has had a tremendous impact on helping tell stories with the use of effects," Eric Roth, executive director of the Visual Effects Society, told the entertainment industry trade paper.

Winston is survived by his wife, Karen; a son, daughter, brother and four grandchildren.