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'MythBusters' Host Grant Imahara Dead at Age 49

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One of the men of “MythBusters” has died.

Grant Imahara, who was a co-host of the popular science show “MythBusters” on the Discovery Channel and contributed to the production of the “Star Wars” franchise and other major films, is thought to have died of a brain aneurism Monday, The New York Times reported.

He was 49.

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“We are heartbroken to hear this sad news about Grant,” a “MythBusters” Twitter post stated Tuesday morning. “He was an important part of our Discovery family and a really wonderful man. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.”

“MythBusters” co-host Adam Savage tweeted his reaction to the news late Monday, calling Imahara a “brilliant engineer, artist and performer” – but also much more.

“I’m at a loss. No words. I’ve been part of two big families with Grant Imahara over the last 22 years. Grant was a truly brilliant engineer, artist and performer, but also just such a generous, easygoing, and gentle PERSON. Working with Grant was so much fun. I’ll miss my friend.”

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Imahara was a Los Angeles native who studied electrical engineering at the University of Southern California.

He also wanted to become a screenwriter, however, and went to work at Lucasfilm’s THX labs after graduation and also worked for Lucasfilm’s Industrial Light and Magic division, according to THR.

During his nine years with Lucasfilm, the production company founded by “Star Wars” creator George Lucas, Imahara became the “chief model maker specializing in animatronics.” He worked on the “Star Wars” prequels as well as “The Matrix Reloaded” and “The Matrix Revolutions” with Keanu Reeves, “The Lost World: Jurassic Park” and “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,” among other projects.

The New York Times reported Imahara operated R2-D2, the iconic android, in the “Star Wars” prequels.

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He worked on “MythBusters” from 2005 to 2014, The New York Times reported.

“MythBusters” co-hosts Tory Belleci and Kari Byron, who also worked with Imahara on the Netflix series “White Rabbit Project,” posted their regrets on news of his passing.

“My heart is broken,” Belleci wrote.

“You taught me so much,” Byron wrote.

Imaraha’s death comes less than a year after the death of former “MythBusters” co-host Jessi Combs.

According to The New York Times, no further details about Imahara’s death were available.

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Joe has spent more than 30 years as a reporter, copy editor and metro desk editor in newsrooms in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Florida. He's been with Liftable Media since 2015.
Joe has spent more than 30 years as a reporter, copy editor and metro editor in newsrooms in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Florida. He's been with Liftable Media since 2015. Largely a product of Catholic schools, who discovered Ayn Rand in college, Joe is a lifelong newspaperman who learned enough about the trade to be skeptical of every word ever written. He was also lucky enough to have a job that didn't need a printing press to do it.
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