Jerry Moss, who brought life to dozens of blockbuster movies including "Lemony Snicketts: A Series of Unfortunate Events," "Big Fish," "Minority Report," "Amistad" and  "Jurassic Park," during his three-decade career as a property master, has died. He was 49. Moss, of Westlake Village, died Wednesday (April 20, 2005) at Encino-Tarzana Regional Medical Center, following an eight-month battle with lung cancer. His illness forced his mid-production withdrawal from the filming of "Pirates of the Caribbean II and III," said Gregg Bilson, Jr., president of Independent Studio Services, the largest prop company in the country.  Working in tandem with many top directors, production designers and set decorators, Moss created the mood and provided the creative touches to more than 40 movies during his distinguished career.  "Whether it was the head of the studio or the head ditch-digger, everyone considered himself Jerry's best friend," said Bilson. Moss was a critical component of every movie he worked on, he added. Film-making also provided an ideal canvas for Moss' sharp wit as he quickly grasped a director's vision for whatever project he was on, Bilson said.  Moss conceived of using a petrified mosquito encased in an amber-like plastic for "Jurassic Park." In "Jaws," he created a device that propelled the giant shark figure through the sea, with only its menacing fin protruding the surface. He once created a stove upon which he and his crew cooked five-foot wide pancakes that were transformed into a huge, multi-tiered birthday cake in the John Hughes hit, "Uncle Buck," staring the late John Candy, according to industry officials.  Film credits include: "Hulk," "A.I.: Artificial Intelligence," "An Officer and a Gentleman," "Bugsy," and "Mars Attacks," among dozens of others, industry officials said. Born in Chicago, Illinois, the youngest of five children, Moss moved with his family to California in the early 1960s. He grew up in Glendale then moved to Eagle Rock, where he attended grammar and high school. He began his career as a part-time set painter at Universal while he attended college in pursuit of a marine biology degree. With a life-long love of the sea, Moss also was an accomplished dive master and surfer. He also was an accomplished guitarist and played on an amateur ice hockey team, family members said. He purchased his first home at age 22 soon after he postponed his college education to launch his own prop company, they added. The divorced father of three children, Moss loved the outdoors and spending time with family, friends and his fiancé, Julie Gilchrist, of Westlake Village. "It was a privilege to have known and loved him," she said. Predeceased by his parents and one brother, Moss is survived by his daughter, Monica, and son, Michael, both of Westlake Village; and a son, Austin, of Calabasas. He also leaves his sister, Donna Janes, and brother, the Hon. Robert Moss, both of Newport Beach; and brother, John Moss, of Escondido. A memorial service is to be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 30, at Pierce Brothers Griffin Mortuary, 101 E. Wilbur Road, Thousand Oaks. Moss' family suggests that memorial donations in lieu of flowers be sent to he American Cancer Society, The Surfrider Foundation-Malibu Chapter or Heal the Bay. -written by Jerry's sister, Donna

From the Entertainment Insiders website (http://www.einsiders.com/features/columns/apr05obituaries.php) JERRY MOSS Died Apr. 20, 2005 Veteran property master Jerry Moss died of lung cancer two months shy of his 50th birthday. The I.A.T.S.E. Local 44 member worked on some of the most popular films of the last 25 years. This is a very simplified explanation that really doesn’t due justice to those men and women working as property masters, but remember this, if you see an object on screen, there is a property master who had to create it and make sure it got in front of the cameras. If you think back to all of the "stuff" onscreen in the following films, you will realize how busy a man Jerry Moss was. His film credits include "Minority Report," "Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events," "Big Fish," "A.I.," "The Lost World: Jurassic Park," "Mars Attacks!," "Jurassic Park" (he created the insect trapped in amber!), "A Few Good Men," "Bugsy," "Clean and Sober" and "Somewhere in Time." Mr. Moss had to withdraw from "The Pirates of the Caribbean II" because of his illness. Prayers of comfort for his family and friends.

From our Local 44 IATSE union website and also featured in Below The Line magazine: Prop master Jerry Moss died April 20, after a battle with lung cancer. He was 49. A member of Local 44 and a 30-year veteran of the film business, Moss most recently worked on Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Hulk and Big Fish. At the time of his death he was prepping for Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3. “When he broke the news of his illness while we were prepping a movie together, he spoke of it with typical Jerry straightforwardness and lack of self pity despite how devastating the news must have been for him,” says Pirates production designer Rick Heinrichs, with whom Moss had worked closely on several features. “He chose to continue to work with enthusiasm and energy for as long as he could through his treatment and when he decided the time had come he helped with the transition to another propmaster. “He was enormously brave as well as professional, warm, funny and humane,” continues Heinrichs. “He was a renaissance man and an exceptionally fine craftsman who wasn’t afraid to take his craft to the level of art. His loss is a terrible blow.” Moss began his Hollywood career as a diving instructor, working as a dive master on films such as Airport 77 and Jaws 2. By the age of 25 he’d moved into prop mastery, first on Jeannot Szwarc’s Somewhere in Time and going on to work with celebrated directors including Tim Burton, Steven Spielberg and Ang Lee. Originally printed in the April 2005 issue of Below the Line.

Jerry's son Austin (left) and daughter Monica (center)                  Jerry with brothers John and Bob, and sister Donna