Cast & creator
Rick Baker
Best known for Star Wars, Men in Black II, Men in Black II
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."
Also known as: Richard A. Baker, Richard Baker
165
film credits
5
television credits
73
1971–2026 · acting roles
6.4
average across scored titles
Signature credits
Known for
Across film & television
Filmography (170)
Showing 170 of 170 credits
Star Wars
Makeup Artist
1977
Men in Black II
MIB Passport Control Agent
2002Men in Black II
Makeup Artist
2002
TRON: Legacy
Makeup Artist
2010
The Exorcist
Special Effects Assistant
1973
Men in Black
Special Effects Makeup Artist
1997
Planet of the Apes
Old Ape #2
2001Planet of the Apes
Makeup Effects Designer
2001
The Empire Strikes Back
Makeup Artist
1980
Click
Special Effects Makeup Artist
2006
Men in Black 3
Brain Alien
2012Men in Black 3
Makeup Artist
2012
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Puppeteer
2000How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Makeup Effects Designer
2000
The Ring
Makeup Effects
2002The Ring
Makeup Artist
2002
Enchanted
Special Effects Makeup Artist
2007
Face Off
Guest Judge
2011
Maleficent
Makeup Artist
2014
Batman Forever
Makeup Artist
1995
An American Werewolf in London
Makeup Effects
1981An American Werewolf in London
Makeup Artist
1981
Coming to America
Makeup Effects
1988Coming to America
Makeup Artist
1988
The Wolfman
Gypsy Man / First Killed
2010The Wolfman
Makeup Effects Designer
2010The Wolfman
Special Effects Makeup Artist
2010
Wild Wild West
Makeup Effects Designer
1999
Gremlins 2: The New Batch
Special Effects
1990Gremlins 2: The New Batch
Creature Design
1990Gremlins 2: The New Batch
Special Effects Supervisor
1990Gremlins 2: The New Batch
Co-Producer
1990
Norbit
Makeup Artist
2007
Baby's Day Out
Makeup Artist
1994
The Nutty Professor
Makeup Effects Designer
1996
Escape from L.A.
Makeup Artist
1996
The Frighteners
Makeup Artist
1996
King Kong
King Kong
1976King Kong
Makeup Artist
1976
Mighty Joe Young
Special Effects
1998Mighty Joe Young
Special Effects Makeup Artist
1998
The Rocketeer
Makeup Artist
1991
Michael Jackson's Thriller
Zombie Opening the Crypt (uncredited)
1983Michael Jackson's Thriller
Makeup Effects Designer
1983
Videodrome
Makeup Effects Designer
1983
Life
Special Effects Makeup Artist
1999
Silver Bullet
Visual Effects
1985
V/H/S/Halloween
Rich (segment "Home Haunt")
2025
The Howling
Special Effects Makeup Artist
1981
Ed Wood
Makeup Designer
1994
Harry and the Hendersons
Makeup Artist
1987
Nutty Professor II: The Klumps
Special Effects Makeup Artist
2000
Wolf
Makeup Artist
1994
Psycho
Makeup Artist
1998
Altered States
Special Effects Makeup Artist
1980Altered States
Makeup Artist
1980
Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes
Makeup Artist
1984Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes
Special Effects Makeup Artist
1984Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes
Creature Design
1984
Into the Night
Drug Dealer
1985
DC Daily
Self
2018
Cursed
Special Effects Makeup Artist
2005
The Funhouse
Special Effects Makeup Artist
1981
Gorillas in the Mist
Makeup Artist
1988
Summer School
Makeup Artist
1987
The Kentucky Fried Movie
Dino (segment "A.M. Today") (as Richard A. Baker)
1977
Ghost Story
Special Effects Makeup Artist
1981Ghost Story
Makeup Artist
1981
Flesh Gordon
Special Effects
1974
The Fury
Makeup Effects
1978The Fury
Makeup Artist
1978
Body Bags
Makeup Artist
1993
The Amazing Panda Adventure
Special Effects
1995
My Science Project
Makeup Artist
1985
The Incredible Melting Man
Makeup Artist
1977
It's Alive
Makeup Artist
1974It's Alive
Special Effects Makeup Artist
1974
Squirm
Makeup Designer
1976
The Incredible Shrinking Woman
Sidney
1981The Incredible Shrinking Woman
Makeup Artist
1981
Matinee
Makeup Effects
1993Matinee
Makeup Artist
1993
Ghosts
Makeup Effects
1997Ghosts
Makeup Artist
1997
Ray Harryhausen: The Early Years Collection
Self
2005
Making Apes: The Artists Who Changed Film
Self
2019
Black Caesar
Makeup Designer
1973Black Caesar
Special Effects
1973Black Caesar
Makeup Artist
1973
The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman
Makeup Artist
1974
The AGFA Mystery Mixtape Vault
(archive footage)
2020
Creature Designers: The Frankenstein Complex
Self
2015
The Thing with Two Heads
Gorilla
1972The Thing with Two Heads
Special Effects
1972
Unchained Reaction
2012
An American Christmas Carol
Makeup Artist
1979
RKO Production 601: The Making of “Kong, the Eighth Wonder of the World”
Self
2008
Max My Love
Makeup Effects Designer
1986Max My Love
Sequence Lead
1986
Masters of Illusion: The Wizards of Special Effects
Self
1994
It Lives Again
Makeup Effects
1978It Lives Again
Makeup Artist
1978
Monster by Moonlight! The Immortal Saga of 'The Wolf Man'
Self
1999
The Making of Captain EO
Self
1986
Tanya's Island
Special Effects
1980
The Perfect Scary Movie
Self
2005
Ratboy
Makeup Artist
1986
Beware the Moon: Remembering 'An American Werewolf in London'
Self
2009
The 'Frankenstein' Files: How Hollywood Made a Monster
Self
1999
Fangoria's Weekend of Horrors
Self
1986
Face Off: Game Face
Self - Judge
2017
Beauty and the Beast
Creature Design
1987
AGFA Mystery Mixtape #1
Self
2020
The Art of Imagination: A Tribute to Oz
Self
2005
King Cohen: The Wild World of Filmmaker Larry Cohen
Self
2018
The Wolf Man: From Ancient Curse to Modern Myth
Self
2010
The Zebra Force
Makeup Artist
1976
Hollywood Goes Ape!
Thanks
1994
Keep the Gaslight Burning
Mr Maxwell
2018
Schlock
Makeup Artist
1973Schlock
Special Effects
1973
Cult of Terror
Self - Make-up Designer
2017
It's Alive: The True Story of Frankenstein
Self
1994
Fear and Love: The Story of The Exorcist
Self
2024
Ed Wood: Making Bela
Self
2004
The Making of Men in Black
Self
1997
Metamorphosis of 'Men in Black'
Self
2000
The Sci-Fi Boys
Self
2006
Working with a Master: John Landis
Self
2006The Creeper: Rondo Hatton at Universal
Self
2020
Videodrome: Forging the New Flesh
Self
2004
House of Wax: Unlike Anything You've Seen Before!
Self
2013Amazing Worlds of Science Fiction and Fantasy
Self
1991
Dark Avenger
Makeup Artist
1990
The Road to 'Dracula'
Self
1999
A Tribute to the Wizard of Oz
Himself
1999
She's Alive! Creating 'The Bride of Frankenstein'
Self
1999
Monsterland
Self
2009
Birth Pains
himself
2015
Mummy Dearest: A Horror Tradition Unearthed
Self
2000
He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art of Jack Pierce
Self
2008
Skinned Deep
Thanks
2004
Rick Baker: Alien Maker
Self
2002The Scanners Way: Creating the Special Effects in 'Scanners'
Himself
2014
Old Time Radio: Dance With Me
Caretaker
Making Michael Jackson's Thriller
Self
1983King Kong! The Living Legend
Self / King Kong
1986
Men in Black II: Creature Featurettes
Self
2002
Gremlins, an american nightmare!
Himself
2026
Pure in Heart: The Life and Legacy of Lon Chaney, Jr.
Self
2010
Old Time Radio: The Specter of Christmas
The Caretaker
2025
Bone
Makeup Designer
1972Bone
Special Effects
1972I Walked with a Werewolf
Himself
2009Teddy Scares
Hester Golem (voice)
2006
Track of the Moon Beast
Makeup Artist
1976
The Night Turkey
Little Kathy's Date
1973The Night Turkey
Makeup Artist
1973
Dark Reel
First Mate
2008
Octaman
Costume Design
1971
Old Time Radio: Your Move
The Caretaker
2023
MonsterKids: The Impact of Things That Go Bump In The Night
Self
2017
The Making of David Cronenberg's Videodrome
Interviewee
1982
Missing Link
Makeup Artist
1988
The Beast Inside: Creating 'Wolf'
Rick Baker
2017
Charlie Gemora: Uncredited
Himself
2016
Cop Killers
Makeup Artist
1977
Making an American Werewolf in London
1981
Tales Beyond Madness
2019Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Monsters ... But Were Afraid!
self
1981