Beauty Boy: A godfather of makeup

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Dick Smith applying makeup for The Exorcist film.

There are tons of celebrities in the media spotlight for various reasons — from starring in the latest movie to having the current top hit song to starting a hot new fashion trend — but you rarely see a makeup artist in the spotlight.

When people think of a makeup artist, they usually think of one who creates glamorous looks that strut down the runways during various fashion weeks or one who does a celebrity's makeup for when they are in a photo shoot. Makeup artists in TV and film are often overlooked but are usually the ones who can create some pretty extraordinary effects, whether it's the dirt on an actor's beard or a full prosthetic that completely changes their appearance. One of these fabulous makeup artists has not only worked on some of the most iconic films of all time, but has also revolutionized the way we do makeup.

Richard Emerson “Dick” Smith was born on June 26, 1922 in Larchmont, New York. He started his life by going to school at Yale with the intention of pursuing a career in dentistry, but later decided to get his Master's degree in zoology. It wasn't until later in Dick's life, when he read a book on Hollywood makeup secrets, that he was inspired to do makeup and eventually become the administrator for makeup for the Yale drama group.

As he continued practicing and studying, Dick found his place in TV, where he served NBC for 14 years as their first makeup director. He worked on shows such as The Twilight Zone, Dark Shadows and Way Out, where he started inventing his own methods and tricks to applying makeup. His technique using small foam latex to create prosthetics was highly criticised at first but eventually became industry standard.

Later on in Dick's life, he began to work on films, which really brought his name to fame in the movie industry. He was able to combine makeup with onset practical special effects, which made his makeups look much more real and lifelike. Many of his fabulous techniques were seen in The Exorcist, House on Haunted Hill and the Godfather trilogy. He then achieved one of the greatest awards a makeup artist can achieve in his or her career: Dick won an Academy Award for Best Makeup for the film Amadeus, where he transformed a young man into an elderly one.

To further Dick's accomplishments, in 2012 he received an honourary Academy Award for his amazing career, which is an outstanding life achievement.

While Dick hasn't done many recent films, he continues to share his expertise and innovative techniques with aspiring makeup artists.

All of Dick Smith's accomplishments combined has made him one of the godfathers of makeup. Next time you are watching a film, check to see who the key makeup artist is and find out what other movies they have done; it could be one of your favourites!