AMPAS® Presents 'A Tribute to Dick Smith: The Godfather of Special Makeup Effects'

Paul LeBlanc and Dick Smith backstage

1984 (57th) Academy Awards ceremony
Photo: Courtesy of the Margaret Herrick

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will present “A Tribute to Dick Smith: The Godfather of Special Makeup Effects,” on Wednesday, June 17, at 7:30 p.m. in the Samuel Goldwyn Theater. Six-time Oscar-winning makeup artist Rick Baker will host the evening, which will be attended by Dick Smith himself and will feature a panel discussion including writer-director Guillermo del Toro, actor Hal Holbrook and makeup artists Greg Cannom, Kazuhiro Tsuji and Andrew Clement, among others.

The evening will highlight Smith's innovative career, which began in 1945 when he became NBC's first makeup man. Smith is known for his makeup artistry on such films as "The Godfather," "The Exorcist" and "Taxi Driver," but it was his work with Paul LeBlanc on "Amadeus" (1984), that finally earned him an Oscar.

Tickets for "A Tribute to Dick Smith" are $5 for the general public and $3 for Academy members and students with a valid ID. They may be purchased beginning May 26 online at www.oscars.org, in person at the Academy box office or by mail. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. All seating is unreserved. The Academy is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. For more information, call (310) 247-3600. For the latest updates on panelists and program details, visit www.oscars.org.

YYY

Makeup Nominees To Add Glamour To Oscar® Week Event

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will present the Makeup Artist and Hairstylist Symposium, a program spotlighting the work of the 2008 Academy Award® nominees in the Makeup category, on Saturday, February 21, at 2:30 p.m. at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.

Academy Makeup Branch Governor, Leonard Engelman
2007 Makeup Symposium

The program, moderated by Academy governor Leonard Engelman, will feature a discussion of the nominees’ creative process as well as present film clips, photographs and models of their work. I attended the 79th Academy Awards Makeup Symposium and had a blast! I had a delightful conversation with Oscar® winner Montse Ribe who discussed her work on Pan's Labyrinth.

The 2008 Makeup nominees are:

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” Greg Cannom, special makeup creator and applicator

“The Dark Knight,” John Caglione, Jr., Heath Ledger’s makeup artist; Conor O’Sullivan, prosthetic supervisor

“Hellboy II: The Golden Army,” Mike Elizalde, creative and makeup effects designer; Thom Floutz, Abe Sapien makeup artist

Admission is free, but advance tickets are required and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets can be obtained online at www.oscars.org, by mail, or at the Academy’s box office during regular business hours beginning Monday, February 2, at 9 a.m.

The Samuel Goldwyn Theater is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. All seating is unreserved. For more information, please call the Academy at (310) 247-3600 or visit www.oscars.org.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2008 will be presented on Sunday, February 22, 2009, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.