Photographer Nicholas Vasu dies

Mark R. Madler

Nicholas G. Vasu, owner of an award-winning animation photography

studio, has died. He was 78.

Vasu died Monday at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center.

His animation photography company, Nick Vasu Inc., became a

training ground for special effects creators and animators and for

many years did work for “Charlie Brown” animated specials and Warner

Bros. cartoons, said Chuck Martin, Vasu’s stepson.

“He had by far the biggest camera service in Hollywood at the time

and the most prestigious,” Martin said.

The company moved to Burbank a dozen years ago and continued on

with Martin at the helm after Vasu retired at 67.

Vasu’s beginnings in the animation business were much more humble,

his wife Donna recalled.

When he started out in the 1950s, the Ohio native operated his

first camera service from the back of a Chinese laundry, Donna Vasu

said.

“That’s all he could afford to find at the time,” she added.

As his career continued, Vasu worked on the first simulated space

flight with Walter Cronkite and special effects on the shark in

“Jaws,” Donna Vasu said.

One of his stepfather’s other passions was horse racing, and he

was part-owner of several horses, Martin said.

“He also loved children and tinkering around at home,” Martin

added. “He was always Mr. Fix-It. Everyone knew who to go to if

something was broken.”

Along with his wife and stepson, Vasu is survived by a brother,

Victor; nieces and nephews; and grand-nieces and grand-nephews.

Services were Friday at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood

Hills.