Richard A. "Rick" Baker (born December 8, 1950) is a Hollywood special makeup effects artist known for his realistic creature effects. He is the winner of 6 Academy Awards for Best Makeup.
Baker was born in Binghamton, New York, the son of Doris (née Hamlin) and Ralph B. Baker, a professional artist. As a teen, Baker began creating artificial body parts in his own kitchen. Baker's first professional job was as an assistant to Dick Smith on the film The Exorcist. The first Academy Award for Best Make-Up was awarded to Baker for his work on An American Werewolf in London and he has also been nominated 10 more times since (winning a total of 6 as stated above). Baker claims that his work on Harry and the Hendersons is one of his proudest achievements.
Baker had a cameo as the pilot and gunner (with Peter Jackson) who shot down Kong in the 2005 remake of King Kong.
In 1981 he was the very first recipient of the Oscar for Best Make-Up for "An American Werewolf in London" when the category was first introduced. Baker appeared in Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video as the hobbling zombie whose arm falls off.
A.k.a. Richard Baker (I). Occasional actor, better known as Oscar-winning special effects makeup artist.
Interesting details about Baker's career, especially his early fascination with gorillas and his work in three movies featuring them is told in the TV documentary "Gorillas: Primal Contact."
Formed the Cinovation Studios in 1981.
As a high school senior he was already experimenting with old age make up and had planned to make up a 14 year old freshman as a very old man trying to pass him off as his grandfather and registering him into an old folks home.
He attended Northview High School, Covina California. In high school Rick made his own gorilla costume and would sometime be found swinging from the football field goal posts. He also would go to drive-in movies showing Planet of the Apes, secretly change into his ape outfit and sneak up to occupants of cars watching the movie scaring them out of their wits.
