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A pair of Primetime Emmy Award® nominations and a pair of lifetime achievement awards for renowned makeup artist Dick Smith. In 1967, Smith won an individual achievement award in makeup for the Primetime Emmy Awards®. Later, he was nominated in 1968 for his work on The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and received an Honorary Member For Life for Lifetime Achievement from the Florida Motion Picture & Television Association. Another lifetime achievement award was given jointly by live event entertainment company Creation Entertainment and beloved horror magazine Fangoria to legendary SFX makeup artist Dick Smith on Halloween of 1991. From 1985 to 2009, Creation and Fangoria co-produced semi-annual Weekend of Horrors conventions celebrating the artists and stars of horror cinema. Smith created groundbreaking makeup for a number of classic films in the genre, including The Exorcist, Scanners, and Altered States.
This lot originates from the collection of Dick Smith. It consists of two wood nomination plaques detailing the honoree, Smith, and his work; one award made of acrylic with a wood display base; and custom-made placard engraved for Smith, dated "October 31st 1991," set into a metallic frame with olive branch-shaped detailing. In recent years, the 1991 award underwent sympathetic restoration to resecure the placard in the frame. This lot shows wear consistent with handling and age. Dimensions: (largest) 12.75" x 9.25" x 3" (32.5 cm x 23.5 cm x 7.75 cm)
Estimate: $1,000 - 2,000
View all lots from DICK SMITH
View all lots from Dick Smith Collection
Regarded as "The Godfather of Makeup," renowned special makeup effects artist and author Richard Emerson Smith, known professionally as Dick Smith, was a pre-med student at Yale University when he encountered the theatrical makeup book Paint, Powder and Makeup that changed the trajectory of his life. After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, Smith began his illustrious career in television as the first makeup director of WNBC. Entirely self-taught, Smith pioneered the development of prosthetic and practical makeup with techniques that are now considered the standard in film and television, such as making prosthetics in multiple pieces to allow actors full range of facial expression. He is also credited with creating realistic age makeup as an alternative to prosthetics, blending special effects with hidden bladders and squibs, and for innovating the combination of makeup with on-set "practical" effects, as seen in William Friedkin's The Exorcist (1973).
In a time where makeup artists were secretive about their techniques and unions purposely suppressed the sharing of knowledge, Smith proved to be a generous soul, mentoring and training many younger artists who went on to accomplished careers in cinema, including Rick Baker, Mike Marino, Greg Cannom, and many more. Smith went as far as publishing an instructional book in 1965 titled Dick Smith's Do-It-Yourself Monster Make-up Handbook as a special edition of Forrest J. Ackerman's "Famous Monsters of Filmland" series.
With a career that spanned over six decades, Smith is today best known for his work on such classics as Little Big Man (1970), The Godfather (1972), Taxi Driver (1976), Altered States (1980), Scanners (1981), The Hunger (1983), Starman (1984), and Death Becomes Her (1992). In 1985, he won an Academy Award® for Best Makeup for his work on Amadeus, as well as a BAFTA® the following year. He was honored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences twice with special tribute ceremonies in 2009 and again in 2011, the latter including an Honorary Academy Award® presented by his most acclaimed protégé, Rick Baker. Smith left an indelible legacy in film and television, represented by a curated collection he carefully maintained throughout his career. Propstore is pleased to present these select artifacts from this legendary artist's personal collection, reflecting a distinguished career spanning decades in Hollywood and beyond.
This item comes with a Propstore Certificate of Authenticity.