Rick Baker

American Werewolf

A record-holding winner of seven Academy Awards for Makeup out of eleven nominations, Rick Baker is a lifelong “monster kid” who won the first competitive Oscar awarded in that category for his innovative work on An American Werewolf in London (1981), one of several collaborations with director John Landis. His apprenticeship under one of the industry’s greatest makeup artists, Dick Smith (including working as his assistant on The Exorcist), prepared him for a career providing cutting-edge makeup effects in many genres ranging from comedy to science fiction to horror, with titles including Ed Wood (1994), The Nutty Professor (1996) and Men in Black (1998). 

Now let’s take a look at the remarkable life and career of Rick Baker, who literally changed the look of American movies.

An American Werewolf in London
John Landis on the Set
How Rick Baker Got His Start
Rick Baker with His First Oscar
Rick Baker and John Landis
Testing an American Werewolf
The Creation of An American Werewolf in London
An American Werewolf in London's Oscar
Harry and the Henderson's Makeup Oscar
Gremlins 2: The New Batch
Ed Wood Wins Makeup
The Nutty Professor
A Nutty Professor Reunion
Men in Black's Makeup Oscar
"How the Grinch Stole Christmas"
Dick Smith's Honorary Oscar
2011 Governors Awards
Men in Black III
The Wolfman's Makeup Oscar
Rick Baker Caricature
Collection Close-Up