Linwood G. Dunn began his career as a projectionist in New York in 1923, joined Pathé in 1925 and was sent to Hollywood as an assistant cameraman. He joined RKO Radio Pictures in 1928 and during the following 28 years worked as a special effects cameraman, a director of photography and as head of the photographic effects department. There, he created special photographic effects for virtually all of RKO's production's including "Flying Down to Rio," "King Kong," "Cimarron" and "Citizen Kane" as well as for the 1949 Academy Award-winner for special effects, "Mighty Joe Young."

During World War II, Eastman Kodak and the U.S. Government commissioned Dunn to design and supply special effects optical printers to armed forces photographic units throughout the world. The result was the Acme-Dunn Special Effects Optical Printer, which he developed in collaboration with Cecil D. Love.

Dunn was a pioneer in 16mm special optical effects and in 1946, while still at RKO, he founded Film Effects of Hollywood where he made the first feature film blow-up from 16mm to 35mm color internegative. Among his film credits are "West Side Story," "The Great Race," "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World," "Hawaii" and "The Bible."

Dunn received a Scientific or Technical award in 1944 "for the design and construction of the Acme-Dunn Optical Printer." In 1981 Dunn received an Oscar "for the concept, engineering and development" of the printer. He received an Academy Award nomination in 1966 in the Special Visual Effects category for "Hawaii." In 1978 he received the Academy's Medal of Commendation.

In addition to his Academy Awards, Dunn has been recognized by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) with Life Fellowship and the Herbert T. Kalmus Gold Medal Award (1971). The Society bestowed its highest award, Honorary Membership, in 1984. Dunn was the recipient of the Golden Hugo from the 8th Annual Chicago International Film Festival, was given an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree by the San Francisco Art Institute. Dunn died in 1998.