Brian Terrence Gaughan

Brian Terrence Gaughan
Brian T. Gaughan, 64, of Pasadena, California, died suddenly of heart failure on June 22, 2025, while visiting Universal Studios to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Jaws, one of his favorite films. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him to be one of the most positive, social, helpful, and knowledgeable people in their lives.
Brian was born on August 10, 1960, to John and Barbara Gaughan in Chicago, Illinois. At the age of nine, he moved to California, first to Yorba Linda and then Newport Beach, where frequent trips to the local movie theater sparked a lifelong fandom for popular culture. He attended Loyola Marymount University, where he studied film. After graduating, Brian worked as production assistant and assistant editor on the Britt Ekland-starring film Demon Rage, leading to more crew work on productions like Mannequin, Masters of the Universe, and Gleaming the Cube. On the creative side, he wrote an episode of Hanna-Barbera's The Pirates of Dark Water animated series. In the movie Arachnophobia, the extermination company name "Bugs-B-Gone" is an Easter egg tribute to Brian, based on its similar pronunciation to "B. Gaughan."
During the late '90s, Brian became a familiar face to audiences at Laemmle's Sunset 5, as he introduced midnight screenings of Spike and Mike's Sick and Twisted Festival of Animation, and sold merchandise. Following the death of Mike Gribble, Brian also worked in acquisitions for Craig "Spike" Decker, attending festivals to spot the best up-and-coming animated shorts for possible inclusion in the program.
For over 25 years, he became a fixture at San Diego Comic-Con, where he worked the booth for his dear friend and mentor, painter and production designer William Stout (Masters of the Universe, Disney's Dinosaur).
In 1999, a chance encounter with an Armenian music instructor quickly revealed itself to be love at first sight, and he married Liana Aghajanyan that November, beginning a family life that would last 26 years until his death. After fathering two children, Devin and Brianna, he dedicated himself to becoming a full-time father, throwing himself into their after-school activities and giving them an unofficial education in popular art and media at home from his vast, lifelong collection.
In 2022, Brian became the new cohost of Looking at Lucasfilm, a podcast dealing with all things related to Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and beyond. The popular production is rated 4.7 out of 5 on Spotify as of this writing.
A self-proclaimed proud geek, Brian will be remembered most as a dedicated family man, for his ability to use his vast knowledge of pop culture to bring people together in person and online, and his constant willingness to help anyone in need.
Brian is survived by his wife Liana, his children Devin and Brianna, his brothers Dennis and Kevin and their families, and his mother Barbara.
He is buried at Sierra Madre Pioneer Cemetery