Dick Smith was, in every sense of the word, a genius. I met him several times in the 1970's and 1980's, and you couldn't help but be impressed and amazed by the man and his knowledge. One time, he even gave an impromptu lecture to a theatrical makeup class I was teaching.

He was the first head of a makeup department in the new medium of television, after World War II. He established the NBC makeup department in New York City, and ran it for several years.

He was a man who didn't mince words, and wasn't one for small talk. But, if you had a question about makeup or makeup techniques, he would always give you very detailed answers - it was best to take notes when Dick spoke! He didn't believe in keeping everything a "trade secret", and was always amazingly helpful to up-and-coming young makeup artists. Rick Baker was an early protégée of his.

In addition to GF1 & 2, and the other films SC mentioned, he also made up Dustin Hoffman in Little Big Man, Hal Holbrook in Mark Twain Tonight!, Anthony Quinn in Requiem for a Heavyweight and Marco the Magnificent, Jack Palance in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, David Bowie in The Hunger, William Hurt and Blair Brown in Altered States, and many, many more. He received an Academy Award for his makeup on F. Murray Abraham in Amadeus, but so many of his greatest makeup creations were done before the Makeup category was added to the Oscars.

The last few years were not good, health-wise. From what I heard, he had dementia and needed full-time care. So many makeup artists who started out years ago (myself included) owe such a debt to this man - a booklet that he wrote back in the 1960's (Dick Smith's Monster Make-up Handbook) is still in print, I believe, and may just be inspiring new generations.

R.I.P., Dick - you were truly one-of-a-kind.


Signor V.