Dr. Marc Hannah, a co-founder of now-defunct technology company Silicon Graphics, was the mind responsible for programs that helped propel the special effects of several Hollywood blockbusters. Hannah’s work also fueled the graphics capabilities of other major entities over the course of his career.
Hannah was born October 13, 1956 in Chicago, Ill. He graduated from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1977 before heading the following year to Stanford University to obtain his M.S. and Ph. D degrees in 1978 and 1985 respectively. While still in graduate school, Hannah, Jim Clark and five other colleagues co-founded Silicon Graphics.
Early on, Hannah was named the principal scientist of computer programs for SGI and the company’s early technology fueled the special effects of films like Jurassic Park, Terminator 2, Field of Dreams and several other big screen hits. SGI also worked with entities such as Monday Night Football and software and video game company Nintendo.
The company became defunct in 2009 as other technology companies began to surpass SGI’s once innovative designs. These days, Hannah co-owns a construction company in Oakland, Calif.
