Rick Baker
Known for Costume & Make-Up · 66 credits
- Born
- 1950-12-08 (age 75)
- Place of birth
- Binghamton, New York, USA
- Also known as
- Richard A. Baker · Richard Baker
Biography
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.
Known For
TV Shows (4)
Movies (62)
Men in Black II
2002
as MIB Passport Control Agent
Michael Jackson's Thriller
1983
as Zombie Opening the Crypt (uncredited)
Men in Black 3
2012
as Brain Alien
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
2000
as Puppeteer
Planet of the Apes
2001
as Old Ape #2
The Wolfman
2010
as Gypsy Man / First Killed
King Kong
1976
as King Kong
Into the Night
1985
as Drug Dealer
V/H/S/Halloween
2025
as Rich (segment "Home Haunt")
The Incredible Shrinking Woman
1981
as Sidney
The Kentucky Fried Movie
1977
as Dino (segment "A.M. Today") (as Richard A. Baker)
The Perfect Scary Movie
2005
as Self
RKO Production 601: The Making of “Kong, the Eighth Wonder of the World”
2008
as Self
Masters of Illusion: The Wizards of Special Effects
1994
as Self
The AGFA Mystery Mixtape Vault
2020
as (archive footage)
House of Wax: Unlike Anything You've Seen Before!
2013
as Self
It's Alive: The True Story of Frankenstein
1994
as Self
King Cohen: The Wild World of Filmmaker Larry Cohen
2018
as Self
The Art of Imagination: A Tribute to Oz
2005
as Self
Creature Designers: The Frankenstein Complex
2015
as Self
The Sci-Fi Boys
2006
as Self
Monster by Moonlight! The Immortal Saga of 'The Wolf Man'
1999
as Self
Making Apes: The Artists Who Changed Film
2019
as Self
The Making of Captain EO
1986
as Self
Cult of Terror
2017
as Self - Make-up Designer
Beware the Moon: Remembering 'An American Werewolf in London'
2009
as Self
Fangoria's Weekend of Horrors
1986
as Self
Mummy Dearest: A Horror Tradition Unearthed
2000
as Self
AGFA Mystery Mixtape #1
2020
as Self
The Making of Men in Black
1997
as Self
Making Michael Jackson's Thriller
1983
as Self
The 'Frankenstein' Files: How Hollywood Made a Monster
1999
as Self
Working with a Master: John Landis
2006
as Self
Ed Wood: Making Bela
2004
as Self
The Thing with Two Heads
1972
as Gorilla
She's Alive! Creating 'The Bride of Frankenstein'
1999
as Self
He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art of Jack Pierce
2008
as Self
Ray Harryhausen: The Early Years Collection
2005
as Self
The Wolf Man: From Ancient Curse to Modern Myth
2010
as Self
Pure in Heart: The Life and Legacy of Lon Chaney, Jr.
2010
as Self
Old Time Radio: Dance With Me
as Caretaker
The Making of David Cronenberg's Videodrome
1982
as Interviewee
Monsterland
2009
as Self
Teddy Scares
2006
as Hester Golem (voice)
Metamorphosis of 'Men in Black'
2000
as Self
The Scanners Way: Creating the Special Effects in 'Scanners'
2014
as Himself
Fear and Love: The Story of The Exorcist
2024
as Self
King Kong! The Living Legend
1986
as Self / King Kong
Videodrome: Forging the New Flesh
2004
as Self
A Tribute to the Wizard of Oz
1999
as Himself
Old Time Radio: Your Move
2023
as The Caretaker
The Road to 'Dracula'
1999
as Self
MonsterKids: The Impact of Things That Go Bump In The Night
2017
as Self
Keep the Gaslight Burning
2018
as Mr Maxwell
Birth Pains
2015
as himself
Tales Beyond Madness
2019
The Beast Inside: Creating 'Wolf'
2017
as Rick Baker
Rick Baker: Alien Maker
2002
as Self
I Walked with a Werewolf
2009
as Himself
Old Time Radio: The Specter of Christmas
2025
as The Caretaker
Charlie Gemora: Uncredited
2016
as Himself
The Night Turkey
1973
as Little Kathy's Date
About Rick Baker
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… With 66 credits spanning from 1972 to 2025, Rick Baker has appeared in 62 films and 4 TV shows.
Fans searching for Rick Baker movies, Rick Baker filmography, or the latest projects starring Rick Baker can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Rick Baker Movies
- Men in Black II (2002) — as MIB Passport Control Agent
- Michael Jackson's Thriller (1983) — as Zombie Opening the Crypt (uncredited)
- Men in Black 3 (2012) — as Brain Alien
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) — as Puppeteer
- Planet of the Apes (2001) — as Old Ape #2
Where to Watch Rick Baker Films
Most Rick Baker movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Rick Baker, check our movies catalogue and browse page.