Born Brian Johncock in the UK, Johnson intended to be a pilot. He was medically advised against it, and instead he joined a company making TV commercials. He became a camera assistant, working on documentaries and films, before national service in the RAF. After this he joined special effects veteran Les Bowie as a special effects technician, working on THE DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE (1961) and PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1962). Johnson joined the special effects team of Derek Meddings at AP Films, working first on Anderson's FIREBALL XL5. He worked on STINGRAY and directed the second unit effects on the second series of THUNDERBIRDS. He was also working with Bowie on Hammer films, including TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA (1969) and WHEN DINOSAURS RULED THE EARTH (1969). He also worked on 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968), in particular on the lunar and moonbase scenes. After MOSQUITO SQUADRON (1970) he returned to Anderson to work on "The Protectors" (1971-1973). In early 1973 Johnson directed the effects on REVENGE OF THE PINK PANTHER (1974) and was recruited for "Space: 1999." When the project entered a hiatus in mid-1973 he went to Barbados to film THE TAMARIND SEED, but had returned when special effects filming began on "Space: 1999" in November 1973. Johnson also handled the effects for Anderson's INTO INFINITY (1975), and the ALIEN ATTACK Anderson commercial (1977). In 1976 he had been approached for STAR WARS (1977), but was commited to "Space: 1999"'s second season at the time. He directed the effects for GLITTERBALL (1977), THE MEDUSA TOUCH and THE REVENGE OF THE PINK PANTHER (both 1978), ALIEN (1979, for which he won an Oscar®), THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980, and his second Oscar), and DRAGONSLAYER (1981, and an Oscar nomination), THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE (1983), LEGEND, SPIES LIKE US and THE NEVERENDING STORY (all 1985), ALIENS, ENEMY MINE and LABYRINTH (all 1986) TELEPATHY (1987), SLIPSTREAM (1989), THE NEVERENDING STORY II (1990), HIGHLANDER III: THE SORCERER (1994), and DRAGONHEART and SPACE TRUCKERS (both 1996).  Visual Effects 1979: ALIEN (w. Carlo Rambaldi, H. R. Giger, Nick Allder & Denys Ayling)  Special Achievement Award 1980: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK - Visual Effects (w. Richard Edlund, Dennis Muren & Bruce Nicholson)  Nominated for Visual Effects 1981: DRAGONSLAYER (w. Dennis Muren, Phil Tippett & Ken Ralston) 2 nominations, 1 Award, 1 Special Achievement Award