Rick Baker
Personal Info
Known for
Costume & Make-Up
Gender
Male
Birthday
1950-12-08 (74 years old)
Place of Birth
Binghamton, New York, USA
Rick Baker
Biography
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."
Acting
Dance With Me
as Caretaker
(2025)
(2025)
(2024)
(2023)
Old Time Radio: Your Move
as The Caretaker
(2020)
AGFA MYSTERY MIXTAPE #1
as Self
(2019)
(2019)
(2018)
King Cohen
as Self
(2018)
Keep the Gaslight Burning
as Mr Maxwell
(2017)
Cult of Terror
as Self - Make-up Designer
(2017)
(2017)
The Beast Inside: Creating 'Wolf'
as Rick Baker
(2016)
Charlie Gemora: Uncredited
as Himself
(2015)
(2015)
Birth Pains
as himself
(2014)
(2013)
(2012)
Men in Black 3
as Brain Alien
(2010)
(2010)
(2010)
The Wolfman
as Gypsy Man / First Killed
(2009)
(2009)
Monsterland
as Self
(2009)
I Walked with a Werewolf
as Himself
(2008)
(2006)
The Sci-Fi Boys
as Self
(2006)
Teddy Scares
as Hester Golem (voice)
(2006)
(2005)
(2005)
(2005)
The Perfect Scary Movie
as Self
(2004)
(2004)
Ed Wood: Making Bela
as Self
(2002)
Men in Black II
as MIB Passport Control Agent
(2002)
(2002)
Rick Baker: Alien Maker
as Self
(2001)
Planet of the Apes
as Old Ape #2
(2000)
(2000)
(2000)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
as Puppeteer
(1999)
(1999)
(1999)
The Road to 'Dracula'
as Self
(1999)
A Tribute to the Wizard of Oz
as Himself
(1997)
The Making of Men in Black
as Self
(1994)
(1994)
(1986)
King Kong! The Living Legend
as Self / King Kong
(1986)
The Making of Captain EO
as Self
(1986)
(1985)
Into the Night
as Drug Dealer
(1983)
(1983)
Michael Jackson's Thriller
as Zombie Opening the Crypt (uncredited)
(1982)
The Making of David Cronenberg's Videodrome
as Interviewee
(1981)
The Incredible Shrinking Woman
as Sidney
(1977)
The Kentucky Fried Movie
as Dino (segment "A.M. Today") (as Richard A. Baker)
(1976)
King Kong
as King Kong
(1972)
The Thing with Two Heads
as Gorilla
Crew
(2014)
Maleficent
Makeup Artist
(2012)
Men in Black 3
Makeup Artist
(2010)
The Wolfman
Makeup Effects Designer, Special Effects Makeup Artist
(2010)
TRON: Legacy
Makeup Artist
(2007)
Enchanted
Special Effects Makeup Artist
(2007)
Norbit
Makeup Artist
(2006)
Click
Special Effects Makeup Artist
(2005)
Cursed
Special Effects Makeup Artist
(2004)
Skinned Deep
Thanks
(2002)
The Ring
Makeup Effects, Makeup Artist
(2002)
Men in Black II
Makeup Artist
(2001)
Planet of the Apes
Makeup Effects Designer
(2000)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Makeup Effects Designer
(2000)
Nutty Professor II: The Klumps
Special Effects Makeup Artist
(1999)
Wild Wild West
Makeup Effects Designer
(1998)
Mighty Joe Young
Special Effects, Makeup Artist
(1998)
Psycho
Makeup Artist
(1997)
Ghosts
Makeup Effects, Makeup Artist
(1997)
Men in Black
Makeup Artist
(1996)
The Nutty Professor
Makeup Effects Designer
(1996)
The Frighteners
Makeup Artist
(1996)
Escape from L.A.
Makeup Artist
(1995)
The Amazing Panda Adventure
Special Effects
(1995)
Batman Forever
Makeup Artist
(1994)
Ed Wood
Makeup Designer
(1994)
Wolf
Makeup Artist
(1994)
Baby's Day Out
Makeup Artist
(1993)
Matinee
Makeup Effects, Makeup Artist
(1993)
Body Bags
Makeup Artist
(1991)
The Rocketeer
Makeup Artist
(1990)
Gremlins 2: The New Batch
Special Effects, Special Effects Supervisor, Creature Design, Co-Producer
(1990)
Dark Avenger
Makeup Artist
(1988)
Coming to America
Makeup Effects, Makeup Artist
(1988)
Gorillas in the Mist
Makeup Artist
(1988)
Missing Link
Makeup Artist
(1987)
Summer School
Makeup Artist
(1987)
Harry and the Hendersons
Makeup Artist
(1986)
Max My Love
Makeup Effects Designer, Sequence Lead
(1986)
Captain EO
Makeup Artist
(1986)
Ratboy
Makeup Artist
(1985)
Silver Bullet
Visual Effects
(1985)
My Science Project
Makeup Artist
(1984)
Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes
Makeup Artist
(1983)
Videodrome
Makeup Effects Designer
(1983)
Michael Jackson's Thriller
Makeup Effects Designer
(1981)
An American Werewolf in London
Makeup Effects, Makeup Artist
(1981)
The Howling
Special Effects Makeup Artist
(1981)
The Funhouse
Special Effects Makeup Artist
(1981)
Ghost Story
Special Effects Makeup Artist, Makeup Artist
(1981)
The Incredible Shrinking Woman
Makeup Artist
(1980)
Tanya's Island
Special Effects
(1980)
Altered States
Special Effects Makeup Artist, Makeup Artist
(1980)
The Empire Strikes Back
Makeup Artist
(1979)
An American Christmas Carol
Makeup Artist
(1978)
It Lives Again
Makeup Effects, Makeup Artist
(1978)
The Fury
Makeup Effects, Makeup Artist
(1977)
Cop Killers
Makeup Artist
(1977)
The Incredible Melting Man
Makeup Artist
(1977)
Star Wars
Makeup Artist
(1976)
Squirm
Makeup Designer
(1976)
Track of the Moon Beast
Makeup Artist
(1976)
King Kong
Makeup Artist
(1976)
Zebra Force
Makeup Artist
(1974)
The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman
Makeup Artist
(1974)
It's Alive
Special Effects Makeup Artist, Makeup Artist
(1973)
Schlock
Makeup Artist, Special Effects
(1973)
Black Caesar
Special Effects, Makeup Designer, Makeup Artist
(1973)
The Exorcist
Special Effects Assistant
(1972)
The Thing with Two Heads
Special Effects
(1972)
Bone
Makeup Designer, Special Effects
(1971)
Octaman
Costume Design