Rick Baker

Makeup Artist


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

In his nearly two-hour interview, Rick Baker talks about his desire to become a doctor when he grew up, and having an epiphany that the doctor he actually wanted to be was "Dr. Frankenstein," so he could make monsters. He describes his youthful interest in monster magazines and model kits and discusses producing his own 8mm version of Frankenstein. He talks about the influence of television in his formative years and how being in front of the "box" led him to his career path, discovering the world of makeup through the horror/sci-fi television series of the 1960s and the Million Dollar Movie which ran classic films. He talks about his first professional job, when he was a teenager, at the (Art) Clokey Studios, where he was a puppet designer for the stop-motion animation series Davey and Goliath. He discusses writing a letter to his mentor, legendary makeup artist Dick Smith, who invited him to his house, showed him his makeup lab, and taught him the tricks of the trade. He speaks about their continued association that culminated in Baker assisting Smith on the feature film The Exorcist. He talks about the Emmy award-winning work he did with Stan Winston on the landmark television movie The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, in which the lead character ages to 110 years old. He discusses how, due to the fact that he was not in the union, he was paired with Winston and how their collaboration was complicated due to their divergent techniques. He describes his memorable work on the Cantina sequence in the movie blockbuster Star Wars. He speaks about his groundbreaking, Academy Award-winning work for An American Werewolf in London, which featured werewolf metamorphosis sequences that did not rely on optical effects. Additionally, Baker discusses his work on Michael Jackson's "Thriller" music video, the series Beauty and the Beast, and the feature film Ed Wood, in which he transformed Martin Landau into Bela Lugosi. Stephen J. Abramson conducted the interview on February 24, 2003 in Glendale, CA.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"I was told I was never going to get in, because I was this rebel guy that did different things and didn't go through the process. I've been called by my union the worst thing that ever happened to the art of makeup. Not so much now, they finally had to accept me."

People Talking About ...
Highlights
Rick Baker on his first job, working at Clokey Studios who produced Gumby and Davey and Goliath
01:42
Rick Baker on aging Cicely Tyson for The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman
07:26
Rick Baker on working with actors David Naughton and Griffin Dunne on "American Werewolf in London"
05:30
Rick Baker on doing the makeup for Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video
12:25
Rick Baker on doing makeup for Beauty and the Beast
03:29
Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his early life and influences
On his first job, working at Clokey Studios who produced Gumby and Davey and Goliath; on working for Ruth Clokey at Clokey Studios on Davey and Goliath; on the stop motion animation of Davey and Goliath
On stop motion animation movies he made as a kid; on meeting Dick Smith, and on becoming interested in makeup

Chapter 2

On working with makeup artist Dick Smith; on working on the feature film "The Exorcist" with Dick Smith; on the use of prosthetics in makeup
On the materials used for prosthetics in makeup; on aging Cicely Tyson for The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman; on the process of applying makeup to Cicely Tyson for The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, and on working with different actors

Chapter 3

On the production of The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman and winning the Emmy Award; on working on various commercials; on working on the cantina sequence in the original 1977 Star Wars
On the "club" of special makeup effects people, and competition among them; on doing makeup for the feature film "American Werewolf in London" directed by John Landis; on working with actors David Naughton and Griffin Dunne on "American Werewolf in London"

Chapter 4

On doing the makeup for Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video
On doing makeup for Beauty and the Beast; on choosing his projects
Shows

Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, The

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Rick Baker on aging Cicely Tyson for The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman
07:26
Rick Baker on the process of applying makeup to Cicely Tyson for The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, and on working with different actors
04:51
Make-up artist Rick Baker on the production of The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman and winning the Emmy Award
03:12

Beauty and the Beast

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Rick Baker on doing makeup for Beauty and the Beast starring Ron Pearlman
03:29

Davey and Goliath

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Rick Baker on his first job, working at Clokey Studios who produced Gumby and Davey and Goliath
01:42
Rick Baker on working for Ruth Clokey at Clokey Studios on Davey and Goliath
01:21
Rick Baker on the stop motion animation of Davey and Goliath
04:06

Gumby

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Rick Baker on his first job, working at Clokey Studios who produced Gumby and Davey and Goliath
01:42
Topics

Advice

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Rick Baker on advice to an aspiring special effects makeup artist
01:43

Creative Influences and Inspiration

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Rick Baker on meeting makeup artist Dick Smith
04:08

Emmy Awards

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Rick Baker on the production of The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman and winning an Emmy for the show
03:12

Pivotal Career Moments

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Rick Baker on meeting makeup artist Dick Smith
04:08

Television Industry

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Rick Baker on advice to an aspiring special effects makeup artist
01:43
Professions

Animator

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Rick Baker on his first job, working at Clokey Studios; on stop-motion animation; on working on Davey and Goliath
08:04

Makeup Artist

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Rick Baker on the use of prosthetics in makeup
03:11
Rick Baker on the "club" of special makeup effects people, and competition among them
02:19
Rick Baker on choosing his projects
01:41
Rick Baker on advice to an aspiring special effects makeup artist
01:36

Stylists

View Profession
Rick Baker on the use of prosthetics in makeup
03:11
Rick Baker on the "club" of special makeup effects people, and competition among them
02:19
Rick Baker on choosing his projects
01:41
Rick Baker on advice to an aspiring special effects makeup artist
01:36
Genres

Animation

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Rick Baker on his first job, working at Clokey Studios who produced Gumby and Davey and Goliath
07:09

Commercials

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Rick Baker on working on various commercials
03:55

TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

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Rick Baker on aging Cicely Tyson for The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman
12:17
Rick Baker on the production of The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman and winning the Emmy Award
03:12
People

Cicely Tyson

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Rick Baker on aging Cicely Tyson for The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman
07:26
Rick Baker on the process of applying makeup to Cicely Tyson for The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, and on working with different actors
04:51

Dick Smith

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Rick Baker on meeting Dick Smith, and on becoming interested in makeup
04:00
Rick Baker on how he started working with his mentor, makeup artist Dick Smith
01:35
Rick Baker on working on the feature film "The Exorcist" with Dick Smith
04:00

John Landis

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Rick Baker on doing makeup for the feature film "American Werewolf in London" directed by John Landis
14:32

Michael Jackson

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Rick Baker on doing the makeup for Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video
12:25

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