Robert "Rob" Legato (born 6 May 1956; age 56) is a director and visual effects coordinator from Ocean Township, New Jersey, who worked on Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

He received several Emmy Award nominations for his work in the special and visual effects deprtament of Star Trek. The nominations for Outstanding Achievement in Special Visual Effects include the episodes "Tin Man" in (1990, along with Gary Hutzel, Steve Price, Don Greenberg, Erik Nash, Don Lee, and Michael Okuda), "The Best of Both Worlds" (1991, along with Gary Hutzel, David Takemura, Michael Okuda, Don Greenberg, Erik Nash, Steve Price, Syd Dutton, Robert Stromberg, Bill Taylor, and Don Lee), and "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II" (1991, along with Gary Hutzel, David Takemura, Patrick Clancy, Steve Price, Michael Okuda, Erik Nash, Syd Dutton, Don Lee, and Bill Taylor).

In addition, the team won two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Special Visual Effects for the episodes "Conundrum" (1992, along with Gary Hutzel, David Takemura, Patrick Clancey, Adrian Hurley, Adam Howard, Don Lee, and Dennis Hoerter) and "Emissary" (1993, along with Gary Hutzel, Michael Dallas Gibson, and Dennis Blakey).

Legato's name can be seen on a panel in the episode "The Child" and was referenced in several other episodes as Robert Legato (Vice Admiral)

In 1996 he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects for his work on the drama Apollo 13 which he shared with Star Trek: The Motion Picture visual effects artist Leslie Ekker. Two years later in 1998 he received an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects for his work on James Cameron's drama Titanic.

He worked with director Martin Scorsese on the films The Aviator and The Departed, both as visual effects coordinator and second unit director. More recent projects include Scorsese's horror thriller Shutter Island (2010) on which he worked as visual effects supervisor and James Cameron's science fiction films Avatar (2009) and Battle Angel (2011) on both as virtual cinematography system creator and visual effects pipeline engineer.

In 2012, Legato won an Academy Award for Best Achievement in Visual Effects for his work on Martin Scorcese's adventure Hugo.

Star Trek credits Edit

Star Trek interviews Edit

• Reading Rainbow, Season 6, Episode 1: "The Bionic Bunny Show" (1988)
• The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine Issue 19 (June 1992)
• DS9 Season 1 DVD special feature "Deep Space Nine Scrapbook Year One"/ "Building the Station", interviewed on 30 September 1992)
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Behind the Scenes (1993)
• Movie Magic, Season 1, Episode 11: "Models and Miniatures: A Model of Perfection" (1994)
• TNG Season 5 DVD special feature "Departmental Briefing Year Five" ("Visual Effects", "Image G", "Shooting Elements"), interviewed on 4 April 2002
• TNG Season 5 DVD special feature "A Tribute to Gene Roddenberry" ("Gene Roddenberry Building Dedicated to Star Trek's Creator"), interviewed on 4 April 2002

External linkEdit

• Robert Legato at the Internet Movie Database