Costume & Make-Up

Rick Baker

69 movies as actor

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…

Known for

Men in Black 3

2012 · Action, Comedy

Men in Black II

2002 · Action, Comedy

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

2000 · Family, Comedy

Planet of the Apes

2001 · Thriller, Sci-Fi

The Wolfman

2010 · Horror

King Kong

1976 · Adventure, Horror

Michael Jackson's Thriller

1983 · Horror, Music

The Kentucky Fried Movie

1977 · Comedy

Into the Night

1985 · Thriller, Comedy

V/H/S/Halloween

2025 · Horror, Thriller

The Incredible Shrinking Woman

1981 · Comedy, Family

The Thing with Two Heads

1972 · Comedy, Sci-Fi

Rick Baker movies

Old Time Radio: Dance With Me

Caretaker

Gremlins, an american nightmare!

2026 · Himself

V/H/S/Halloween

2025 · Rich (segment "Home Haunt")

Old Time Radio: The Specter of Christmas

2025 · The Caretaker

Fear and Love: The Story of The Exorcist

2024 · Self

Old Time Radio: Your Move

2023 · The Caretaker

AGFA Mystery Mixtape #1

2020 · Self

The AGFA Mystery Mixtape Vault

2020 · (archive footage)

The Creeper: Rondo Hatton at Universal

The Creeper: Rondo Hatton at Universal

2020 · Self

Tales Beyond Madness

2019

Making Apes: The Artists Who Changed Film

2019 · Self

Keep the Gaslight Burning

2018 · Mr Maxwell

King Cohen: The Wild World of Filmmaker Larry Cohen

2018 · Self

The Beast Inside: Creating 'Wolf'

2017 · Rick Baker

Cult of Terror

2017 · Self - Make-up Designer

MonsterKids: The Impact of Things That Go Bump In The Night

2017 · Self

Charlie Gemora: Uncredited

2016 · Himself

Creature Designers: The Frankenstein Complex

2015 · Self

Birth Pains

2015 · himself

The Scanners Way: Creating the Special E

The Scanners Way: Creating the Special Effects in 'Scanners'

2014 · Himself

House of Wax: Unlike Anything You've Seen Before!

2013 · Self

Men in Black 3

2012 · Brain Alien

The Wolfman

2010 · Gypsy Man / First Killed

The Wolf Man: From Ancient Curse to Modern Myth

2010 · Self

Pure in Heart: The Life and Legacy of Lon Chaney, Jr.

2010 · Self

I Walked with a Werewolf

I Walked with a Werewolf

2009 · Himself

Beware the Moon: Remembering 'An American Werewolf in London'

2009 · Self

Monsterland

2009 · Self

RKO Production 601: The Making of “Kong, the Eighth Wonder of the World”

2008 · Self

He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art of Jack Pierce

2008 · Self

Dark Reel

2008 · First Mate

Teddy Scares

Teddy Scares

2006 · Hester Golem (voice)

Working with a Master: John Landis

2006 · Self

The Sci-Fi Boys

2006 · Self

The Perfect Scary Movie

2005 · Self

The Art of Imagination: A Tribute to Oz

2005 · Self

Ray Harryhausen: The Early Years Collection

2005 · Self

Ed Wood: Making Bela

2004 · Self

Videodrome: Forging the New Flesh

2004 · Self

Rick Baker: Alien Maker

2002 · Self

Men in Black II‎: Creature Featurettes

2002 · Self

Men in Black II

2002 · MIB Passport Control Agent

Planet of the Apes

2001 · Old Ape #2

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

2000 · Puppeteer

Metamorphosis of 'Men in Black'

2000 · Self

Mummy Dearest: A Horror Tradition Unearthed

2000 · Self

The Road to 'Dracula'

1999 · Self

The 'Frankenstein' Files: How Hollywood Made a Monster

1999 · Self

She's Alive! Creating 'The Bride of Frankenstein'

1999 · Self

Monster by Moonlight! The Immortal Saga of 'The Wolf Man'

1999 · Self

A Tribute to the Wizard of Oz

1999 · Himself

The Making of Men in Black

1997 · Self

It's Alive: The True Story of Frankenstein

1994 · Self

Masters of Illusion: The Wizards of Special Effects

1994 · Self

Amazing Worlds of Science Fiction and Fa

Amazing Worlds of Science Fiction and Fantasy

1991 · Self

The Making of Captain EO

1986 · Self

King Kong! The Living Legend

King Kong! The Living Legend

1986 · Self / King Kong

Fangoria's Weekend of Horrors

1986 · Self

Into the Night

1985 · Drug Dealer

Making Michael Jackson's Thriller

1983 · Self

Michael Jackson's Thriller

1983 · Zombie Opening the Crypt (uncredited)

The Making of David Cronenberg's Videodrome

1982 · Interviewee

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Monsters ... But Were Afraid!

1981 · self

Making an American Werewolf in London

1981

The Incredible Shrinking Woman

1981 · Sidney

The Kentucky Fried Movie

1977 · Dino (segment "A.M. Today") (as Richard A. Baker)

King Kong

1976 · King Kong

The Night Turkey

1973 · Little Kathy's Date

The Thing with Two Heads

1972 · Gorilla

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