Beatles Film Production Supervisor John Coates Dies

John Coates, a film production supervisor who worked on a number of animated movies including the Beatles' 'Yellow Submarine,' has passed away after a battle with cancer.

According to IMDB, Coates was in his 90s. He reportedly passed away at his home in Kent on Sunday (Sept. 16). The BBC reports that Coates remained active in the movie industry up until his death, most recently finishing work on a follow-up to the 1982 film 'The Snowman.'

A spokewoman for Lupus Films, the production company behind the sequel, stated, "It's very sad news. He was very involved [in the new film]." The sequel, titled 'The Snowman and the Snowdog,' will be screened on the BBC's Channel 4 over Christmas.

Prior to his work in film, Coates was a soldier who served in World War II as an army officer. After leaving the military, he became a film distributor in Asia and eventually returned to England where he began producing animated movies.

His best-known work may have been the 1968 animated Beatles classic 'Yellow Submarine.' He also had a hand in the animated '80s rock flick 'Heavy Metal.' Coates was also responsible for producing the TV projects 'The Wind in the Willows' and 'The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends.'