Editing Ralph McQuarrie

{{Crew Data
| image=McQuarrie.jpg
| role=Conceptual designer  
| series=TOS
| born_day=13
| born_month=6
| born_year=1929
| death_month=3 
| death_day=3
| death_year=2012
| nationality=US
| imdb=0574319
|sortkey=McQuarrie, Ralph}}

'''Ralph Angus McQuarrie''' (June 13, 1929 – March 3, 2012) was an American conceptual designer and illustrator responsible for creating the distinctive visual look of the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|original ''Battlestar Galactica'']].<ref group="external" name="washingtonpost_mcquarrie_obit">{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/ralph-mcquarrie-artist-who-drewdarth-vader-c-3po-dies-at-82/2012/03/04/gIQAY2AYrR_story.html#:~:text=Ralph%20Angus%20McQuarrie%20was%20born%20June%2013%2C%201929%2C%20in%20Gary%2C%20Ind.|title=Ralph McQuarrie, artist who drewDarth Vader, C-3PO, dies at 82|publisher=The Washington Post|date=May 20, 2023|accessdate=August 31, 2025}}</ref> 

McQuarrie was born in Gary, Indiana, and raised on a farm near Billings, Montana.<ref group="external" name="locus_mcquarrie_obituary">{{cite web|url=https://locusmag.com/2012/03/ralph-mcquarrie-1929-2012/#:~:text=Ralph%20Angus%20McQuarrie%20was%20born%20June%2013%2C%201929%20in%20Gary%20IN%2C%20and%20grew%20up%20on%20a%20farm%20near%20Billings%20MT|title=Ralph McQuarrie (1929-2012)|publisher=Locus Online|date=March 5, 2012|accessdate=August 31, 2025}}</ref> He served in the United States Army during the [[w:Korean_War|Korean War]], where he survived being shot in the head.<ref group="external" name="whoppers_bunker_mcquarrie">{{cite web|url=http://www.whoppersbunker.com/2012/03/rip-ralph-mcquarrie-1929-2012.html#:~:text=He%20saw%20combat%20with%20the%20U.S.%20Army%20in%20Korea%20and%20survived%20a%20bullet%20to%20the%20head|title=R.I.P. Ralph McQuarrie 1929 - 2012|publisher=Whopper's Bunker|accessdate=August 31, 2025}}</ref> Following the war, McQuarrie moved to California in the 1960s to study at what is now the [[w:Art_Center_College_of_Design|Art Center College of Design]] in Pasadena.<ref group="external" name="scifiorama_mcquarrie_obituary">{{cite web|url=https://www.sci-fi-o-rama.com/2012/03/04/ralph-mcquarrie-june-13-1929-march-3-2012/#:~:text=After%20the%20war%20he%20attended%20what%20is%20now%20known%20as%20the%20Art%20Center%20College%20of%20Design%20in%20Pasadena|title=Ralph McQuarrie (June 13, 1929 – March 3, 2012)|publisher=Sci-Fi-O-Rama|date=March 22, 2020|accessdate=August 31, 2025}}</ref>

Prior to his work on ''Galactica'', McQuarrie was well known for his groundbreaking conceptual designs for the [[w:Star Wars original trilogy|''Star Wars'' original trilogy]], and later gained recognition for his visual contributions to ''[[w:E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial|E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial]]'' and ''[[w:Cocoon (film)|Cocoon]]'', for which he won an Academy Award for Visual Effects in 1985.<ref group="external" name="imdb_cocoon_awards">{{cite web|url=https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0088933/awards/?ref_=tt_awd#:~:text=1986%20Winner%20Oscar%20Best%20Effects%2C%20Visual%20Effects%20Ken%20Ralston%20Ralph%20McQuarrie%20Scott%20Farrar%20David%20Berry|title=Cocoon (1985) - Awards|publisher=IMDb|accessdate=August 31, 2025}}</ref>

==Career==

===Early Work and ''Star Wars''===
Initially working as an illustrator for a dental company drawing teeth and equipment, McQuarrie later became a technical artist for Boeing in the 1960s, where he created diagrams for the 747 construction manual.<ref group="external" name="washingtonpost_mcquarrie_boeing">{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/ralph-mcquarrie-artist-who-drewdarth-vader-c-3po-dies-at-82/2012/03/04/gIQAY2AYrR_story.html#:~:text=As%20a%20technical%20artist%20for%20Boeing%20in%20the%201960s%2C%20he%20drew%20diagrams%20for%20a%20manual%20on%20constructing%20the%20747%20jumbo%20jet|title=Ralph McQuarrie, artist who drewDarth Vader, C-3PO, dies at 82|publisher=The Washington Post|date=May 20, 2023|accessdate=August 31, 2025}}</ref> In the late 1960s, he worked as an illustrator for CBS, creating animation sequences for the network's coverage of NASA's Apollo space missions.<ref group="external" name="bostonglobe_mcquarrie_cbs">{{cite web|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/obituaries/2012/03/08/ralph-mcquarrie-artist-drew-star-wars-characters/TZVWjxSkuNxRgiFVmgT20O/story.html#:~:text=later%20was%20an%20illustrator%20animating%20sequences%20of%20the%20Apollo%20space%20missions%20for%20NASA%20and%20CBS%20News|title=Ralph McQuarrie; artist drew 'Star Wars' characters|publisher=The Boston Globe|date=March 8, 2012|accessdate=August 31, 2025}}</ref>

McQuarrie's association with science fiction began when director [[w:George_Lucas|George Lucas]] commissioned him in 1975 to create concept paintings for ''[[Star Wars]]''. These illustrations were instrumental in convincing 20th Century Fox to fund Lucas's ambitious space opera, as the studio executives were initially reluctant to greenlight such an expensive science fiction project.<ref group="external" name="washingtonpost_mcquarrie_starwars">{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/ralph-mcquarrie-artist-who-drewdarth-vader-c-3po-dies-at-82/2012/03/04/gIQAY2AYrR_story.html#:~:text=Lucas%20enlisted%20Mr.%20McQuarrie%27s%20help%20to%20show%20movie%20executives%20his%20story.%20Using%20Lucas%27%20script%20for%20inspiration%2C%20Mr.%20McQuarrie%20drew%20scenes%20of%20a%20space%20battle,-Lucas%2C%20armed%20with%20the%20images%2C%20quickly%20won%20funding%20from%2020th%20Century%20Fox|title=Ralph McQuarrie, artist who drewDarth Vader, C-3PO, dies at 82|publisher=The Washington Post|date=May 20, 2023|accessdate=August 31, 2025}}</ref>

===''Battlestar Galactica''===
Following the success of ''Star Wars'', McQuarrie was contacted by Glen A. Larson about his concept for ''Battlestar Galactica''. In an interview, McQuarrie recalled: <blockquote>"Following the opening of ''Star Wars'' I was contacted by Glen A. Larson. When I went in to talk to him he described his idea for a 'Wagon Train' in outer space. It sounded interesting so I agreed to do it."<ref group="commentary" name="filmsketchr_mcquarrie_larson">{{cite web|url=http://filmsketchr.blogspot.com/2010/06/ralph-mcquarrie-made-battlestar.html#:~:text=Following%20the%20opening%20of%20Star%20Wars%20I%20was%20contacted%20by%20Glen%20A.%20Larson.%20When%20I%20went%20in%20to%20talk%20to%20him%20he%20described%20his%20idea%20for%20a%20%27Wagon%20Train%27%20in%20outer%20space.%20It%20sounded%20interesting%20so%20I%20agreed%20to%20do%20it|title=Ralph McQuarrie Made Battlestar Galactica Look Cool First|publisher=Film Sketchr|date=October 25, 2019|accessdate=August 31, 2025}}</ref></blockquote>Larson confirmed McQuarrie's central role in the project. <blockquote>"The first people I hired were [[John Dykstra|John [Dykstra]]], Ralph McQuarrie, and [[Joe Johnston]] (Star Wars effects illustrator.) John helped advise me as to some of the people he considered extremely helpful; he had discovered a lot of them."<ref group="production" name="larson_dykstra_interview_1978">{{cite web|url=https://members.tripod.com/john_larocque/tns/sffilm.html#:~:text=The%20first%20people%20I%20hired%20were%20John%2C%20Ralph%20McQuarrie%2C%20and%20Joe%20Johnston%20%28Star%20Wars%20effects%20illustrator.%29%20John%20helped%20advise%20me%20as%20to%20some%20of%20the%20people%20he%20considered%20extremely%20helpful%3B%20he%20had%20discovered%20a%20lot%20of%20them|title=Glen Larson and John Dykstra interviews from Science and Fantasy Film Classics (October 1978)|accessdate=August 31, 2025}}</ref> </blockquote>When asked about his involvement in the ship designs, Larson stated:<blockquote>"I had certain preconceived notions about what I wanted certain ships to look like. I asked John Dykstra to help bring a staff together, and one of the people that he recommended was Ralph McQuarrie who had done brilliant work for CBS during the NASA launches, and of course, had done great work on Star Wars."<ref group="commentary" name="larson_fantastic_films_1979">{{cite web|url=https://members.tripod.com/john_larocque/tns/larson79.html#:~:text=I%20asked%20John%20Dykstra%20to%20help%20bring%20a%20staff%20together%2C%20and%20one%20of%20the%20people%20that%20he%20recommended%20was%20Ralph%20McQuarrie%20who%20had%20done%20brilliant%20work%20for%20CBS%20during%20the%20NASA%20launches%2C%20and%20of%20course%2C%20had%20done%20great%20work%20on%20Star%20Wars|title=Interview with Glen Larson, from Fantastic Films (Feb. 1979)|accessdate=August 31, 2025}}</ref></blockquote>McQuarrie worked closely with George Lucas during this period, noting: <blockquote>"[[w:The_Empire_Strikes_Back|The Empire Strikes Back]] had not started yet so I came to George and explained the job, he said go ahead. Over time as I was introduced to the characters and the similarities began to come out."<ref group="commentary" name="filmsketchr_mcquarrie_lucas">{{cite web|url=http://filmsketchr.blogspot.com/2010/06/ralph-mcquarrie-made-battlestar.html#:~:text=The%20Empire%20Strikes%20back%20had%20not%20started%20yet%20so%20I%20came%20to%20George%20and%20explained%20the%20job%2C%20he%20said%20go%20ahead.%20Over%20time%20as%20I%20was%20introduced%20to%20the%20characters%20and%20the%20similarities%20began%20to%20come%20out|title=Ralph McQuarrie Made Battlestar Galactica Look Cool First|publisher=Film Sketchr|date=October 25, 2019|accessdate=August 31, 2025}}</ref> </blockquote>This comment refers to the visual similarities between the two productions that later led to Lucas's unsuccessful lawsuit against the series.

McQuarrie's contribution to ''Battlestar Galactica'' extended beyond individual ship designs to creating the overall aesthetic of the [[The Fleet (TOS)|Colonial fleet]] and technology. Glen Larson's office was described as having "beautiful framed Ralph McQuarrie drawings of ''Galactica'' production designs" dominating one wall, highlighting the importance of his visual concepts to the series.<ref group="production" name="larson_office_mcquarrie_art">{{cite web|url=https://members.tripod.com/john_larocque/tns/sffilm.html#:~:text=One%20wall%20of%20Larson%27s%20office%20is%20dominated%20by%20beautiful%20framed%20Ralph%20McQuarrie%20drawings%20of%20Galactica%20production%20designs|title=Glen Larson and John Dykstra interviews from Science and Fantasy Film Classics (October 1978)|accessdate=August 31, 2025}}</ref> His design work included the [[Galactica (TOS)|iconic battlestar itself]], the Colonial [[Viper (TOS)|Vipers]], and various other spacecraft and technological elements that defined the visual identity of the series.

Some of McQuarrie's early concept art for ''Battlestar Galactica'' featured the insectoid [[Ovions]] rather than the [[Centurion (TOS)|Cylon Centurions]], suggesting that the alien threat in the series underwent significant development during the pre-production process.<ref group="external" name="space1970_mcquarrie_ovions">{{cite web|url=http://space1970.blogspot.com/2012/10/battlestar-galactica-1978-art-by-ralph.html#:~:text=what%20I%20find%20most%20intriguing%20is%20that%20in%20McQuarrie%27s%20original%2C%20it%20is%20the%20insectoid%20Ovions%20that%20are%20featured%20in%20the%20lower%20left%20quadrant%2C%20instead%20of%20the%20Cylon%20Centurions%20pictured%20in%20Solie%27s%20version|title=BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (1978) Art by Ralph McQuarrie|publisher=Space: 1970|accessdate=August 31, 2025}}</ref> His artwork for the series maintained his characteristic style of being "slightly more streamlined and spindly" than the final produced models, a quality that many considered enhanced the elegance of the designs.

===Later Career===
Beyond ''Star Wars'' and ''Battlestar Galactica'', McQuarrie contributed visual designs to numerous other science fiction productions, including ''[[w:Close Encounters of the Third Kind|Close Encounters of the Third Kind]]'', ''[[w:E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial|E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial]]'', ''[[w:Raiders of the Lost Ark|Raiders of the Lost Ark]]'', ''[[w:Star Trek: The Motion Picture|Star Trek: The Motion Picture]]'', and ''[[w:Cocoon (film)|Cocoon]]''. His work on ''Cocoon'' earned him the Academy Award for Visual Effects in 1985, his only Oscar win.<ref group="external" name="cnn_mcquarrie_cocoon_oscar">{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2012/03/04/showbiz/star-wars-death#:~:text=McQuarrie%27s%20conceptual%20work%20on%20the%201985%20film%2C%20%22Cocoon%2C%22%20won%20him%20the%20Academy%20Award%20for%20Visual%20Effects|title=Star Wars conceptual artist Ralph McQuarrie dies|publisher=CNN|date=March 4, 2012|accessdate=August 31, 2025}}</ref>

==Personal Life==
McQuarrie was married to Joan Benjamin for 29 years.<ref group="external" name="locus_mcquarrie_obituary">{{cite web|url=https://locusmag.com/2012/03/ralph-mcquarrie-1929-2012/|title=Ralph McQuarrie (1929-2012)|publisher=Locus Online|date=March 5, 2012|accessdate=August 31, 2025}}</ref> He died on March 3, 2012, at his home in Berkeley, California, from complications related to Parkinson's disease, at the age of 82.<ref group="external" name="astrodatabank_mcquarrie">{{cite web|url=https://www.astro.com/astro-databank/McQuarrie,_Ralph|title=Ralph McQuarrie, horoscope for birth date 13 June 1929, born in Gary, with Astrodatabank biography|publisher=Astro-Databank|date=August 2, 2018|accessdate=August 31, 2025}}</ref>

==Legacy==
Following McQuarrie's death, George Lucas said: "His genial contribution, in the form of unequalled production paintings, propelled and inspired all of the cast and crew of the original Star Wars trilogy. When words could not convey my ideas, I could always point to one of Ralph's fabulous illustrations and say, 'do it like this'."<ref group="external" name="screencrush_lucas_tribute">{{cite web|url=https://screencrush.com/star-wars-concept-art-ralph-mcquarrie-gallery/#:~:text=His%20genial%20contribution%2C%20in%20the%20form%20of%20unequalled%20production%20paintings%2C%20propelled%20and%20inspired%20all%20of%20the%20cast%20and%20crew%20of%20the%20original%20Star%20Wars%20trilogy.%20When%20words%20could%20not%20convey%20my%20ideas%2C%20I%20could%20always%20point%20to%20one%20of%20Ralph%27s%20fabulous%20illustrations%20and%20say%2C%20%27do%20it%20like%20this%27|title=Amazing 'Star Wars' Concept Art of Designer Ralph McQuarrie|publisher=ScreenCrush|date=February 13, 2015|accessdate=August 31, 2025}}</ref> McQuarrie's influence on science fiction visual design continues to be felt across multiple franchises and productions, establishing him as one of the most important conceptual artists in genre entertainment history.

==References==

===External Sources===
{{reflist|group=external}}

===Commentary and Interviews===
{{reflist|group=commentary}}

===Production History===  
{{reflist|group=production}}

==External links==
* [http://www.ralphmcquarrie.com/ Ralph McQuarrie Official Site]
* [http://www.galactica.tv/battlestar-galactica-1978---news/ralph-mcquarrie-concept-sketches.html Ralph McQuarrie Concept Sketches] and [http://www.galactica.tv/battlestar-galactica-1978---news/ralph-mcquarrie-concept-paintings.html Concept Paintings]