Costume & Make-Up
Rick Baker
EN, FR, ES, DE cinema · 134 credits
Born
8 December 1950 (age 75)
Birthplace
Binghamton, New York, USA
Also known as Richard A. Baker · Richard Baker
Richard A. Baker (born December 8, 1950) is a retired American special make-up effects creator and actor, mostly known for his creature effects and designs. Baker won the Academy Award for Best Makeup a record seven times from a record eleven nominations, beginning when he won the inaugural award for the 1981 film An American Werewolf in London. As a teen, Baker began creating artificial body parts in his own kitchen. He also appeared briefly in the fan production The Night Turkey, a one-hour, black-and-white video parody of The Night Stalker directed by William Malone. Baker's first professional job was as an assistant to prosthetic makeup effects veteran Dick Smith on the 1973 film The Exorcist. While working on The Exorcist, Baker was hired by director Larry Cohen to design and create a mutant infant for Cohen's 1974 film It's Alive. Baker received the inaugural Academy Award for Best Makeup for his work on An American Werewolf in London. He also created the werewolf creature Michael Jackson transforms into in the music video Thriller. Subsequently, Baker has been nominated for the Best Makeup Oscar ten more times, winning on seven occasions, both records in his field. Baker claims that his work on Harry and the Hendersons is one of his proudest achievements.[8] On October 3, 2009, he received the Jack Pierce – Lifetime Achievement Award title of the Chiller-Eyegore Awards.[9] He was awarded a Doctorate of Humane Letters from the Academy of Art University San Francisco in 2008. He also contributes commentaries to the web series Trailers from Hell for trailers about horror and science fiction films. Baker received the 2485th star of the Hollywood Walk of Fame on November 30, 2012. The star is located in front of the Guinness World Records Museum. Baker announced his retirement on May 28, 2015: "First of all, the CG stuff definitely took away the animatronics part of what I do. It's also starting to take away the makeup part. The time is right, I am 64 years old, and the business is crazy right now. I like to do things right, and they wanted cheap and fast. That is not what I want to do, so I just decided it is basically time to get out. I would consider designing and consulting on something, but I don't think I will have a huge working studio anymore."
Known for
Filmography
Old Time Radio: Dance With Me
as Caretaker
V/H/S/Halloween
as Rich (segment "Home Haunt")
Old Time Radio: The Specter of Christmas
as The Caretaker
Old Time Radio: Your Move
as The Caretaker
The AGFA Mystery Mixtape Vault
as (archive footage)
The Creeper: Rondo Hatton at Universal
2020
The Creeper: Rondo Hatton at Universal
as Self
Keep the Gaslight Burning
as Mr Maxwell
Cult of Terror
as Self - Make-up Designer
The Beast Inside: Creating 'Wolf'
as Rick Baker
Birth Pains
as himself
Maleficent
Makeup Artist
Men in Black 3
as Brain Alien, Makeup Artist
The Wolfman
as Gypsy Man / First Killed, Makeup Effects Designer, Special Effects Makeup Artist
TRON: Legacy
Makeup Artist
Monsterland
as Self
Dark Reel
as First Mate
Enchanted
Special Effects Makeup Artist
Norbit
Makeup Artist
The Sci-Fi Boys
as Self
Teddy Scares
2006
Teddy Scares
as Hester Golem (voice)
Click
Special Effects Makeup Artist
Cursed
Special Effects Makeup Artist
Skinned Deep
Thanks
Men in Black II
as MIB Passport Control Agent, Makeup Artist
The Ring
Makeup Effects, Makeup Artist
Planet of the Apes
as Old Ape #2, Makeup Effects Designer
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
as Puppeteer, Makeup Effects Designer
Nutty Professor II: The Klumps
Special Effects Makeup Artist
Wild Wild West
Makeup Effects Designer
Life
Special Effects Makeup Artist
Mighty Joe Young
Special Effects, Special Effects Makeup Artist
Psycho
Makeup Artist
Ghosts
Makeup Effects, Makeup Artist
Men in Black
Special Effects Makeup Artist
The Nutty Professor
Makeup Effects Designer
The Frighteners
Makeup Artist
Escape from L.A.
Makeup Artist
The Amazing Panda Adventure
Special Effects
Batman Forever
Makeup Artist
Ed Wood
Makeup Designer
Wolf
Makeup Artist
Baby's Day Out
Makeup Artist
Matinee
Makeup Effects, Makeup Artist
Body Bags
Makeup Artist
The Rocketeer
Makeup Artist
Gremlins 2: The New Batch
Special Effects, Creature Design, Special Effects Supervisor, Co-Producer
Dark Avenger
Makeup Artist
Coming to America
Makeup Effects, Makeup Artist
Gorillas in the Mist
Makeup Artist
Missing Link
Makeup Artist
Harry and the Hendersons
Makeup Artist
Summer School
Makeup Artist
Max My Love
Makeup Effects Designer, Sequence Lead
Ratboy
Makeup Artist
Into the Night
as Drug Dealer
Silver Bullet
Visual Effects
My Science Project
Makeup Artist
Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes
Makeup Artist, Special Effects Makeup Artist, Creature Design
Michael Jackson's Thriller
as Zombie Opening the Crypt (uncredited), Makeup Effects Designer
Videodrome
Makeup Effects Designer
The Making of David Cronenberg's Videodrome
as Interviewee
The Incredible Shrinking Woman
as Sidney, Makeup Artist
An American Werewolf in London
Makeup Effects, Makeup Artist
The Howling
Special Effects Makeup Artist
The Funhouse
Special Effects Makeup Artist
Ghost Story
Special Effects Makeup Artist, Makeup Artist
Tanya's Island
Special Effects
Altered States
Special Effects Makeup Artist, Makeup Artist
The Empire Strikes Back
Makeup Artist
An American Christmas Carol
Makeup Artist
It Lives Again
Makeup Effects, Makeup Artist
The Fury
Makeup Effects, Makeup Artist
The Kentucky Fried Movie
as Dino (segment "A.M. Today") (as Richard A. Baker)
Cop Killers
Makeup Artist
The Incredible Melting Man
Makeup Artist
Star Wars
Makeup Artist
King Kong
as King Kong, Makeup Artist
Squirm
Makeup Designer
Track of the Moon Beast
Makeup Artist
The Zebra Force
Makeup Artist
The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman
Makeup Artist
It's Alive
Makeup Artist, Special Effects Makeup Artist
Flesh Gordon
Special Effects
The Night Turkey
as Little Kathy's Date, Makeup Artist
Schlock
Makeup Artist, Special Effects
Black Caesar
Makeup Designer, Special Effects, Makeup Artist
The Exorcist
Special Effects Assistant
The Thing with Two Heads
as Gorilla, Special Effects
Bone
Makeup Designer, Special Effects
Octaman
Costume Design