Trivia

While filming Predator (1987), Winston returned to his hotel one day, to find his shower crawling with frogs. Convinced that this was a prank by Arnold Schwarzenegger, he called in the help of members of his special effects crew in catching the frogs in a pillow case and releasing them into Arnold's bed. Neither Stan nor Arnold dared to bring up the subject the next day. Years later, Winston was on a talk-show and recounted the entire story, knowing Arnold would be a guest in that show the next day. But the next day, Arnold commented on the story by swearing he had nothing to do with the prank, upon which Winston's crew members finally confessed they had played the prank on him. They knew Arnold was innocent but had decided to let Winston get even with him anyway.

Only the second special effects artist to be honored with a star on Hollywood's Walk of Stars.

Stan Winston claimed of all the films he worked on in his lengthy career, Steven Spielberg's A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) was the most ambitious.

Helped out on some Special Effects scenes in The Thing (1982) when Rob Bottin was suffering from exhaustion at the time due to his immensely heavy workload.

Made a living as a stand-up comedian before moving into make-up effects.

He has become known primarily as a "creature creator." His first such assignment was for the TV movie Gargoyles (1972).

One of the founders of visual effects companies Digital Domain, Stan Winston Digital and Stan Winston studios.

He studied painting and sculpture at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville and graduated in 1968.

He moved to Hollywood in 1968. At first he wanted to be an actor, but no jobs came his way and the following year he became an apprentice in the Makeup Department at Walt Disney Studios.

Co-founded special effects company Digital Domain together with director and personal friend James Cameron. When Cameron quit as chairman in the late 1990s due to a falling out with the board, Winston also left the company out of sympathy.

He was awarded the Virginia Film's Festival Virginia Film Award in 1999 and was a member of the festival's advisory board.

Father-in-law of Amy Smallman.

Father of actor Matt Winston and daughter.