Rick Baker
Costume & Make-Up
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
Costume & Make-Up65
movieMaleficent
2014
Makeup Artist
movieMen in Black 3
2012
Makeup Artist
movieTRON: Legacy
2010
Makeup Artist
movieThe Wolfman
2010
Makeup Effects Designer, Special Effects Makeup Artist
movieEnchanted
2007
Special Effects Makeup Artist
movieNorbit
2007
Makeup Artist
movieClick
2006
Special Effects Makeup Artist
movieCursed
2005
Special Effects Makeup Artist
movieThe Ring
2002
Makeup Artist
movieMen in Black II
2002
Makeup Artist
moviePlanet of the Apes
2001
Makeup Effects Designer
movieHow the Grinch Stole Christmas
2000
Makeup Effects Designer
movieNutty Professor II: The Klumps
2000
Special Effects Makeup Artist
movieWild Wild West
1999
Makeup Effects Designer
movieLife
1999
Special Effects Makeup Artist
movieMighty Joe Young
1998
Special Effects Makeup Artist
moviePsycho
1998
Makeup Artist
movieGhosts
1997
Makeup Artist
movieMen in Black
1997
Special Effects Makeup Artist
movieEscape from L.A.
1996
Makeup Artist
movieThe Frighteners
1996
Makeup Artist
movieThe Nutty Professor
1996
Makeup Effects Designer
movieBatman Forever
1995
Makeup Artist
movieEd Wood
1994
Makeup Designer
movieBaby's Day Out
1994
Makeup Artist
movieWolf
1994
Makeup Artist
movieBody Bags
1993
Makeup Artist
movieMatinee
1993
Makeup Artist
movieThe Rocketeer
1991
Makeup Artist
movieDark Avenger
1990
Makeup Artist
movieMissing Link
1988
Makeup Artist
movieGorillas in the Mist
1988
Makeup Artist
movieComing to America
1988
Makeup Artist
movieSummer School
1987
Makeup Artist
movieHarry and the Hendersons
1987
Makeup Artist
movieMax My Love
1986
Makeup Effects Designer
movieRatboy
1986
Makeup Artist
movieMy Science Project
1985
Makeup Artist
movieGreystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes
1984
Makeup Artist, Special Effects Makeup Artist
movieMichael Jackson's Thriller
1983
Makeup Effects Designer
movieVideodrome
1983
Makeup Effects Designer
movieGhost Story
1981
Special Effects Makeup Artist, Makeup Artist
movieAn American Werewolf in London
1981
Makeup Artist
movieThe Funhouse
1981
Special Effects Makeup Artist
movieThe Incredible Shrinking Woman
1981
Makeup Artist
movieThe Howling
1981
Special Effects Makeup Artist
movieAltered States
1980
Special Effects Makeup Artist, Makeup Artist
movieThe Empire Strikes Back
1980
Makeup Artist
movieAn American Christmas Carol
1979
Makeup Artist
movieIt Lives Again
1978
Makeup Artist
movieThe Fury
1978
Makeup Artist
movieThe Incredible Melting Man
1977
Makeup Artist
movieStar Wars
1977
Makeup Artist
movieCop Killers
1977
Makeup Artist
movieKing Kong
1976
Makeup Artist
movieSquirm
1976
Makeup Designer
movieTrack of the Moon Beast
1976
Makeup Artist
movieThe Zebra Force
1976
Makeup Artist
movieThe Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman
1974
Makeup Artist
movieIt's Alive
1974
Special Effects Makeup Artist, Makeup Artist
movieThe Night Turkey
1973
Makeup Artist
movieSchlock
1973
Makeup Artist
movieBlack Caesar
1973
Makeup Designer, Makeup Artist
movieBone
1972
Makeup Designer
movieOctaman
1971
Costume Design
Acting69
movieV/H/S/Halloween
2025
Rich (segment "Home Haunt")
movieOld Time Radio: The Specter of Christmas
2025
The Caretaker
movieOld Time Radio: Your Move
2023
The Caretaker
movieThe AGFA Mystery Mixtape Vault
2020
(archive footage)
movieKeep the Gaslight Burning
2018
Mr Maxwell
tvDC Daily
2018
Self
movieCult of Terror
2017
Self - Make-up Designer
tvFace Off: Game Face
2017
Self - Judge
movieBirth Pains
2015
himself
movieMen in Black 3
2012
Brain Alien
tvFace Off
2011
Guest Judge
movieThe Wolfman
2010
Gypsy Man / First Killed
Teddy Scares
2006
Hester Golem (voice)
movieMen in Black II
2002
MIB Passport Control Agent
moviePlanet of the Apes
2001
Old Ape #2
movieInto the Night
1985
Drug Dealer
movieMichael Jackson's Thriller
1983
Zombie Opening the Crypt (uncredited)
movieThe Kentucky Fried Movie
1977
Dino (segment "A.M. Today") (as Richard A. Baker)
movieKing Kong
1976
King Kong
movieThe Night Turkey
1973
Little Kathy's Date
movieOld Time Radio: Dance With Me
Caretaker
Crew18
movieSkinned Deep
2004
Thanks
movieThe Ring
2002
Makeup Effects
movieMighty Joe Young
1998
Special Effects
movieGhosts
1997
Makeup Effects
movieThe Amazing Panda Adventure
1995
Special Effects
movieMatinee
1993
Makeup Effects
movieGremlins 2: The New Batch
1990
Special Effects
movieComing to America
1988
Makeup Effects
movieMax My Love
1986
Sequence Lead
movieAn American Werewolf in London
1981
Makeup Effects
movieTanya's Island
1980
Special Effects
movieIt Lives Again
1978
Makeup Effects
movieThe Fury
1978
Makeup Effects
movieThe Exorcist
1973
Special Effects Assistant
movieSchlock
1973
Special Effects
movieBlack Caesar
1973
Special Effects
movieThe Thing with Two Heads
1972
Special Effects
movieBone
1972
Special Effects
Visual Effects4
movieGremlins 2: The New Batch
1990
Special Effects Supervisor, Creature Design
tvBeauty and the Beast
1987
Creature Design
movieSilver Bullet
1985
Visual Effects
movieGreystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes
1984
Creature Design
Production1
movieGremlins 2: The New Batch
1990
Co-Producer