Thol 'Si' Simonson, the special effects artist who made George Reeves fly on the "Adventures of Superman", has passed away at his Arizona home at the age of 98.

Prior to Simonson joining the show in 1953, Reeves had been flying for a year on via a makeshift (and uncomfortable) rig under his costume which stuntmen lifted by wires. All of these effects were sufficient but for the show to have any future, the work would need to improve.

Simonson, who had been an anonymous effects artist without any screen credit at Paramount and RKO Studios, when RKO cameraman Hal Stine recommended him for TAOS. Simonson was told the horror stories of wires snapping and breakaway doors not giving way during the show's first season and tasked with creating effects that would not only look more convincing but wouldn’t put the star's health in jeopardy.

Audiences that have closely examined the show's second season know that Simonson succeeded beyond anyone's expectations. A prime example of his work is showcased in the episode "Panic in the Sky" which features Superman swooping toward and above the audiences heads as he goes after a rogue meteor. In the show's later years, when time and money were both tightened, 'Si' still turned out solid work as witnessed in the invisible Superman fight in "The Phantom Ring" and the impressive shower of sparks from the Man of Steel's hand in "The Man Who Made Dreams Come True." It's no wonder producer Whitney Ellsworth saw to it that Simonson's salary increased each year.

Simonson is survived by two sons.

Thank you to Jim Hambrick for the lead on this story.