Legendary movie makeup artist Dick Smith passed away at age 92

[mego73]

Ladies and gentlemen, the makeup artist to end all makeup artists has passed away at age 92. Dick Smith was more than a makeup artist, he was a mentor to the makeup industry. Innovating, taking young, would be makeup artists under his wing, offering encouragement. The iconic movies he did makeup for are too many to list: The Exorcist, The Godfather(s), Taxi Driver, Altered States, Little Big Man and on and on. The people he mentored and encouraged went on to be big too, Rick Baker, for example. Dick Smith has been like a rock star to me ever since I started to learn how they did movie/stage makeup. I thought he was going to live forever and he will, just in a different way. Rest in peace.

[Hedji]

Goodbye, Dick Smith.

I have a well worn copy of his do it yourself monster makeup book. I will sometimes stare at it for hours, and marvel at how he would accomplish makeup appliances with exotic substances such as mortician's wax, crepe hair, and spirit gum.

Over the years, I've used his book as a guide to do the Mummy and Wolf Man makeups you see below.





His work will live on in all the others he's inspired.

[Gorn Captain]

Together with Jack Pierce, they were the true pioneers of makeup.
From what I've read, he was very generous with his time, tutoring beginners that later became masters themselves...

[CrimsonGhost]

The Dick Smith Makeup kit was my first foray into painting, mold making, and an idea how monster makeup was accomplished.

[palitoy]

My buddy took the Dick Smith course back in the early 90s, he's quite gainfully employed as a creature maker to this day.

[mego73]

If you want to see uncanny makeup genius, look at The Exorcist. No, I am not talking about Linda Blair's makeup (although that was scary fabulous) I am talking about the makeup on Max Von Sydow. Max was in his early 40's in 1973 and he had to be aged into looking 70's/80's. And the makeup had to hold up in closeup and shooting in harsh sunlight as well as shooting on the refrigerated sound-stage of Regan's bedroom (hot and cold are not kind to makeup). Almost everybody who saw The Exorcist thought Max Von Sydow was a true blue senior citizen, so much so that he had trouble getting work for a bit. And the top of it all is that now that Max is really that age, the makeup basically matches the reality. On the left, Max in makeup in 1973, on the right is a recent picture of Max.

[madmarva]

It is sad to see greatness pass.

Hadji, your werewolf and Mummy make-ups look great.

Mego73, Those two photos of Sydow does show off Smith"s greatness.

[Earth 2 Chris]

I was admittedly ignorant of his name until a few years ago, but his resume speaks for itself!

Chris

[Mikey]

He's the guy that told Brando to put cotton balls in his mouth for the Godfather

RIP

[PNGwynne]

I'm saddened to hear this--I have his handbook as well. It, and Bud Westmore's excellent book, provided me with plenty of instruction & inspiration for Hallowe'en and college/community theatre.

I don't think Smith ever created something unconvincing; his age make-ups set the standard. Mike's post as a perfect example. And Smith certainly raised the bar for TV make-up when he headed the department at NBC. RIP sir.

Thanks for sharing the pix, Hedji!

[Iron Mego]

I loved his make-up kit! I went to school one day with a bullet-hole in my head, probably around third grade or something. I think I got self-conscious and tore it off (not easy to do, btw) before I made it to my classroom though. I doubt it would have gone over very well with my teacher anyway.