Rick Baker

Where to watch Rick Baker

• Michael Jackson's ThrillerMovie · 1983

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."

Filmography

1. 2025V/H/S/Halloweenas Rich (segment "Home Haunt")
2. 2024Fear and Love: The Story of The Exorcistas Self
3. 2023Old Time Radio: Your Moveas The Caretaker
4. 2020AGFA Mystery Mixtape #1as Self
5. 2019Tales Beyond Madness
6. 2019Making Apes: The Artists Who Changed Filmas Self
7. 2018Keep the Gaslight Burningas Mr Maxwell
8. 2018King Cohen: The Wild World of Filmmaker Larry Cohenas Self
9. 2017The Beast Inside: Creating 'Wolf'as Rick Baker
10. 2017Cult of Terroras Self - Make-up Designer
11. 2017MonsterKids: The Impact of Things That Go Bump In The Nightas Self
12. 2017Face Off: Game Faceas Self - Judge · 7 episodes
13. 2016Charlie Gemora: Uncreditedas Himself
14. 2015Creature Designers: The Frankenstein Complexas Self
15. 2015Birth Painsas himself
16. 2014The Scanners Way: Creating the Special Effects in 'Scanners'as Himself
17. 2012Men in Black 3as Brain Alien
18. 2012Unchained Reaction6 episodes
19. 2011Face Offas Guest Judge · 2 episodes
20. 2010The Wolfmanas Gypsy Man / First Killed
21. 2010Pure in Heart: The Life and Legacy of Lon Chaney, Jr.as Self
22. 2010The Wolf Man: From Ancient Curse to Modern Mythas Self
23. 2009I Walked with a Werewolfas Himself
24. 2009Beware the Moon: Remembering 'An American Werewolf in London'as Self
25. 2009Monsterlandas Self
26. 2008RKO Production 601: The Making of “Kong, the Eighth Wonder of the World”as Self
27. 2008He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art of Jack Pierceas Self
28. 2008Dark Reelas First Mate
29. 2006Teddy Scaresas Hester Golem (voice)
30. 2006The Sci-Fi Boysas Self
31. 2005The Perfect Scary Movieas Self
32. 2005The Art of Imagination: A Tribute to Ozas Self
33. 2005Ray Harryhausen: The Early Years Collectionas Self
34. 2004Ed Wood: Making Belaas Self
35. 2004Videodrome: Forging the New Fleshas Self
36. 2002Men in Black II‎: Creature Featurettesas Self
37. 2002Men in Black IIas MIB Passport Control Agent
38. 2001Planet of the Apesas Old Ape #2
39. 2000How the Grinch Stole Christmasas Puppeteer
40. 2000Metamorphosis of 'Men in Black'as Self
41. 2000Mummy Dearest: A Horror Tradition Unearthedas Self
42. 1999The Road to 'Dracula'as Self
43. 1999Monster by Moonlight! The Immortal Saga of 'The Wolf Man'as Self
44. 1999The 'Frankenstein' Files: How Hollywood Made a Monsteras Self
45. 1999She's Alive! Creating 'The Bride of Frankenstein'as Self
46. 1999A Tribute to the Wizard of Ozas Himself
47. 1997The Making of Men in Blackas Self
48. 1994It's Alive: The True Story of Frankensteinas Self
49. 1994Masters of Illusion: The Wizards of Special Effectsas Self
50. 1986The Making of Captain EOas Self
51. 1986King Kong! The Living Legendas Self / King Kong
52. 1986Fangoria's Weekend of Horrorsas Self
53. 1985Into the Nightas Drug Dealer
54. 1983Making Michael Jackson's Thrilleras Self
55. 1983Michael Jackson's Thrilleras Zombie Opening the Crypt (uncredited)
56. 1982The Making of David Cronenberg's Videodromeas Interviewee
57. 1981The Incredible Shrinking Womanas Sidney
58. 1977The Kentucky Fried Movieas Dino (segment "A.M. Today") (as Richard A. Baker)
59. 1976King Kongas King Kong
60. 1972The Thing with Two Headsas Gorilla