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Thomas Vincent Savini (born November 3, 1946) is an American
prosthetic makeup Prosthetic makeup also known as special makeup effects or FX prosthesis, is the process of using prosthetic sculpting, molding and casting techniques to create advanced cosmetic special effects, effects. Prosthetics are used on stage and screen ...
artist, actor, stunt performer and film director. He is known for his makeup and special effects work on many films directed by George A. Romero, including ''
Martin Martin may refer to: Places Antarctica * Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land * Port Martin, Adelie Land * Point Martin, South Orkney Islands Europe * Martin, Croatia, a village * Martin, Slovakia, a city * Martín del Río, Aragón, Spain * M ...
'', '' Dawn of the Dead'', ''
Day of the Dead The Day of the Dead () is a holiday traditionally celebrated on November 1 and 2, though other days, such as October 31 or November 6, may be included depending on the locality. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pa ...
'', '' Creepshow'', and '' Monkey Shines''; he also created the special effects and makeup for many cult classics like '' Friday the 13th'' (parts I and IV), '' Maniac'', '' The Burning'', '' The Prowler'', and ''
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 ''The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2'' (also known as ''The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2'') is a 1986 American black comedy slasher film co-composed and directed by Tobe Hooper, and written by L. M. Kit Carson. It is the sequel to ''The Texas Cha ...
''. Savini directed ''
Night of the Living Dead ''Night of the Living Dead'' is a 1968 American Independent film, independent zombie horror film directed, photographed, and edited by George A. Romero, written by Romero and John A. Russo, John Russo, produced by Russell Streiner and Karl Har ...
'', the 1990
remake A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same s ...
of Romero's 1968 ''
Night of the Living Dead ''Night of the Living Dead'' is a 1968 American Independent film, independent zombie horror film directed, photographed, and edited by George A. Romero, written by Romero and John A. Russo, John Russo, produced by Russell Streiner and Karl Har ...
''; his other directing work includes three episodes of the TV show '' Tales from the Darkside'' and one segment in '' The Theatre Bizarre''. As an actor and stuntman, he has appeared in films such as ''
Martin Martin may refer to: Places Antarctica * Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land * Port Martin, Adelie Land * Point Martin, South Orkney Islands Europe * Martin, Croatia, a village * Martin, Slovakia, a city * Martín del Río, Aragón, Spain * M ...
'', '' Dawn of the Dead'', '' Knightriders'', ''
From Dusk till Dawn ''From Dusk till Dawn'' is a 1996 American action horror film directed by Robert Rodriguez and written by Quentin Tarantino from a concept and story by Robert Kurtzman. Starring Harvey Keitel, George Clooney, Tarantino, Ernest Liu, and Juliet ...
'', '' Planet Terror'', ''
Machete A machete (; ) is a broad blade used either as an agricultural implement similar to an axe, or in combat like a long-bladed knife. The blade is typically long and usually under thick. In the Spanish language, the word is possibly a dimin ...
'', ''
Django Unchained ''Django Unchained'' ( ) is a 2012 American revisionist Western film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. Produced by Tarantino's A Band Apart and Columbia Pictures, it stars Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry W ...
'', and '' Machete Kills''.


Early life

Savini was born on November 3, 1946, in
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...
,
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
, and is of Italian descent. He was raised
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
and graduated from Central Catholic High School. As a boy, his inspiration was actor Lon Chaney: Savini attributes his earliest desires to create makeup effects to Chaney and the film '' Man of a Thousand Faces''. Experimenting with whatever medium he could find, the young Savini practiced creating makeup effects on himself, later convincing his friends to let him practice his craft on them. He also discovered another passion: acting. Combining his makeup applications and homemade costumes, he especially enjoyed scaring his friends. Among the many talents Savini nurtured as a young man were
fencing Fencing is a combat sport that features sword fighting. It consists of three primary disciplines: Foil (fencing), foil, épée, and Sabre (fencing), sabre (also spelled ''saber''), each with its own blade and set of rules. Most competitive fe ...
and gymnastics. He is also accomplished with a bullwhip and can do motorcycle stunts. Many of his characters would be bikers or madmen who are hardened and eerily evil. Savini attended
Point Park University Point Park University is a private university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Formerly known as Point Park College, the school name was revised in 2004 to reflect the number of graduate programs being offered. In 2021, it had a total undergraduate ...
for three years before enlisting in the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
. Savini served as a combat photographer during the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
. In a 2002 interview, he told the ''
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', also known simply as the PG, is the largest newspaper serving Greater Pittsburgh, metropolitan Pittsburgh in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Descended from the ''Pittsburgh Gazette'', established in 1786 as the fi ...
,'' "When I was in Vietnam, I was a combat photographer. My job was to shoot images of damage to machines and to people. Through my lens, I saw some hideous
tuff Tuff is a type of rock made of volcanic ash ejected from a vent during a volcanic eruption. Following ejection and deposition, the ash is lithified into a solid rock. Rock that contains greater than 75% ash is considered tuff, while rock co ...
To cope with it, I guess I tried to think of it as special effects. Now, as an artist, I just think of creating the effect within the limitations we have to deal with." He continued to practice with makeup in Vietnam, often frightening indigenous peasants by appearing to suddenly transform into a "monster". Using the lens of his camera, Savini separated himself from the real-life horrors of war,Interview in the documentary ''Scream Greats Volume I - Tom Savini Master of Horror FX''; Starlog Films/Paramount Home Video, 1985. although the images still haunted his mind. Savini said his wartime experiences influenced his eventual style of gory effects: "I hated that when I watched a war movie and someone dies. Some people die with one eye open and one eye half-closed, sometimes people die with smiles on their faces because the jaw is always slack. I incorporated the feeling of the stuff I saw in Vietnam into my work." In 1969, while on guard duty on Cantho Airfield, a
flare A flare, also sometimes called a fusée, fusee, or bengala, bengalo in several European countries, is a type of pyrotechnic that produces a bright light or intense heat without an explosion. Flares are used for distress signaling, illuminatio ...
was triggered in the jungle area Savini was watching. Against military protocol, Savini fired into the bush without informing his superiors. Other soldiers likewise began firing until a duck wandered from the bush completely unharmed. Due to his failure to follow orders, Savini was taken off guard duty from his bunker on the following evening. That same evening, the bunker came under attack and several soldiers were wounded or killed. As a result of this incident, Savini earned the nickname "Duck Slayer" and to this day will not eat
duck Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family (biology), family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and goose, geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfam ...
.Interview in the magazine '' Bizarre'', February 2006. After his tour in Vietnam, he attended
Carnegie-Mellon University Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is a Private university, private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The institution was established in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie as the Carnegie Technical Schools. In 1912, it became t ...
, as the first undergraduate to be awarded a full fellowship in the acting and directing program. He appeared in stage productions throughout college and continued on stage long after his tour of duty in
Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...
.


Career

Savini is primarily known for his groundbreaking work in the special make-up effects known as prosthetic makeup. His signature style and techniques bring vivid realism to genre films. Early in Savini's career, Dick Smith—known for his groundbreaking work in ''
The Exorcist ''The Exorcist'' is a 1973 American supernatural horror film directed by William Friedkin from a screenplay by William Peter Blatty, based on The Exorcist (novel), his 1971 novel. The film stars Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Jason Miller (play ...
—''became an inspiration and a guide, and later an associate at Savini's Special Make-up Effects Program. Savini got his breakthrough working with Pittsburgh filmmaker George A. Romero, providing a convincing wrist-slashing effect in the opening scenes of ''
Martin Martin may refer to: Places Antarctica * Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land * Port Martin, Adelie Land * Point Martin, South Orkney Islands Europe * Martin, Croatia, a village * Martin, Slovakia, a city * Martín del Río, Aragón, Spain * M ...
'' (1978). The following year, working with a larger budget on '' Dawn of the Dead'', Savini created his signature palette of severed limbs and bite-marks. In the 1980 slasher film '' Friday the 13th'', Savini expanded his repertoire of blood and gore. He continued to perfect those techniques in 1980's '' Maniac''. and 1981's '' The Burning'' and '' The Prowler.'' Savini earned the nickname "The Sultan of Splatter". In 1982, he created more traditional horror effects in '' Creepshow'', a movie directed by Romero from a script written by
Stephen King Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author. Dubbed the "King of Horror", he is widely known for his horror novels and has also explored other genres, among them Thriller (genre), suspense, crime fiction, crime, scienc ...
. In 1984, he agreed to work on '' Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter'', where he killed his creation
Jason Voorhees Jason Voorhees () is a fictional character and the antagonist of the Friday the 13th (franchise), ''Friday the 13th'' series. He first appeared in ''Friday the 13th (1980 film), Friday the 13th'' (1980) as the young son of camp-cook-turned-kil ...
. Returning to the zombie genre in 1985, Savini won the year's
Saturn Award The Saturn Awards are American awards presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films. The awards were created to honor science fiction, fantasy, and horror in film, but have since grown to reward other films bel ...
for Best Makeup Effects for his work on the Romero's ''
Day of the Dead The Day of the Dead () is a holiday traditionally celebrated on November 1 and 2, though other days, such as October 31 or November 6, may be included depending on the locality. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pa ...
''. In 1986, Savini worked with director
Tobe Hooper Willard Tobe Hooper (; January 25, 1943 – August 26, 2017) was an American filmmaker, best known for his work in the horror film, horror genre. The British Film Institute cited Hooper as one of the most influential horror filmmakers of al ...
on the film ''
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 ''The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2'' (also known as ''The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2'') is a 1986 American black comedy slasher film co-composed and directed by Tobe Hooper, and written by L. M. Kit Carson. It is the sequel to ''The Texas Cha ...
''. Savini has also worked on films by Italian director
Dario Argento Dario Argento (; born 7 September 1940) is an Italian film director, screenwriter and producer. His influential work in the horror film, horror and giallo genres during the 1970s and 1980s has led him to being referred to as the "Master of the ...
: 1990's '' Two Evil Eyes'' and 1993's '' Trauma''. In the 1991 film ''Heartstopper'', he created special effects for director John A. Russo. In 2011, he supervised the effects for the Australian film ''Redd Inc''. Savini has also acted in many of the same films he created effects for. His first appearance was a relatively straight, innocuous character in ''Martin'' in 1978. He then played Blades, a menacing biker, in ''Dawn of the Dead'', a role he reprised in zombie form with a
cameo appearance A cameo appearance, also called a cameo role and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief guest appearance of a well-known person or character in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking on ...
in the 2005 continuation of the series, '' Land of the Dead''. In ''Maniac'', he briefly appeared before facing the maniac's shotgun and having his head blown off in a spectacular display. Savini had a more prominent role as biker and antagonist Morgan, the Black Knight, in Romero's '' Knightriders'' (1981). Savini played the whip-wielding, vampire-fighting biker "Sex Machine" in the 1996
Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American filmmaker, actor, and author. Quentin Tarantino filmography, His films are characterized by graphic violence, extended dialogue often featuring much profanity, and references to ...
/
Robert Rodriguez Robert Anthony Rodriguez ( ; born June 20, 1968) is an American filmmaker, composer, and visual effects supervisor. He shoots, edits, produces, and scores many of his films in Mexico and in his home state of Texas. Rodriguez directed the 1992 ...
film ''
From Dusk till Dawn ''From Dusk till Dawn'' is a 1996 American action horror film directed by Robert Rodriguez and written by Quentin Tarantino from a concept and story by Robert Kurtzman. Starring Harvey Keitel, George Clooney, Tarantino, Ernest Liu, and Juliet ...
''. In 2007, Savini had a role in '' Planet Terror'', one of two stories in the ''
Grindhouse A grindhouse or action house is an American term for a theatre that mainly shows low-budget horror, splatter, and exploitation films for adults. According to historian David Church, this theater type was named after the "grind policy", a f ...
'' film, directed by Robert Rodriguez. Savini plays Deputy Tolo, who fights to save his town from an infestation of zombie-like creatures. In another Rodriguez film, ''
Machete A machete (; ) is a broad blade used either as an agricultural implement similar to an axe, or in combat like a long-bladed knife. The blade is typically long and usually under thick. In the Spanish language, the word is possibly a dimin ...
'', based on a fake movie trailer played during the film ''Grindhouse'', Savini played Osiris Amanpour, hired to track and kill the protagonist Machete. Savini reprised his role in the sequel '' Machete Kills''. Cameos include roles as the vampire David Van Etten in '' Lost Boys: The Tribe;'' as the sheriff in the 2004 '' Dawn of the Dead'' remake; and the tongue-in-cheek Jesus Christ in ''Zombiegeddon'' (2003). In 2006, Savini essayed the role of
Prester John Prester John () was a mythical Christian patriarch, presbyter, and king. Stories popular in Europe in the 12th to the 17th centuries told of a Church of the East, Nestorian patriarch and king who was said to rule over a Christian state, Christian ...
, the mythical villain in the dreamlike '' Sea of Dust''. That year also saw the release of Johannes Roberts' '' Forest of the Damned'', in which Savini played a mad hermit surrounded by angels cast from heaven. In 2008, he made a brief appearance in '' Zack & Miri Make a Porno'' as a thieving
slumlord A slumlord (or slum landlord) is a slang term for a landlord, generally an absentee landlord with more than one property, who attempts to maximize profit by minimizing spending on property maintenance, and usually rents to tenants that they can ...
. He also appeared in ''The Dead Matter'', along with Andrew Divoff and Jim O'Rear. Savini voiced himself on ''
The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It is a Satire (film and television), satirical depiction of American life ...
'' episode " Worst Episode Ever": While making an appearance at Android's Dungeon, Savini performs the "Gutbuster" gag, covering the crowd in "blood and guts" and consequently humiliating the
Comic Book Guy Jeff Albertson, commonly known as the Comic Book Guy (CBG), is a Recurring character, recurring fictional Character (arts), character in the animated television series ''The Simpsons'' and Eisner Awards, Eisner-nominated Spin-off (media), spin-o ...
. In 2012, Savini appeared as a shop teacher, Mr. Callahan, in the Pittsburgh-set teen drama '' The Perks of Being a Wallflower'', starring Logan Lerman. Savini also appeared as one of the Trackers in Quentin Tarantino's ''
Django Unchained ''Django Unchained'' ( ) is a 2012 American revisionist Western film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. Produced by Tarantino's A Band Apart and Columbia Pictures, it stars Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry W ...
''. Future projects include Savini starring in the Nazi zombie film ''The 4th Reich'' directed by Shaun Robert Smith, playing the role of SS-Standartenführer Oskar Dirlewanger. As a
film director A film director or filmmaker is a person who controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfillment of that Goal, vision. The director has a key role ...
, Savini helmed episodes of the syndicated television series '' Tales from the Darkside'', the 1990 color
remake A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same s ...
of ''Night of the Living Dead''; and ''Housecall'', the pilot of the proposed series ''The Chill Factor'', which starred Pittsburgh actor Bingo O'Malley. In 2011, he directed "Wet Dreams", one of six segments to the horror film '' The Theatre Bizarre''. In 2009, Savini announced his plan to direct a new film, ''Death Island'', with special make-up effects by his former protege
Greg Nicotero Gregory Nicotero (born March 15, 1963) is an American Prosthetic makeup, special make-up effects creator, television producer, and director. His first major job in special effects makeup was on the George A. Romero film ''Day of the Dead (1985 fi ...
. On September 1, 2013, Savini began a
crowdfunding Crowdfunding is the practice of funding a project or venture by raising money from a large number of people, typically via the internet. Crowdfunding is a form of crowdsourcing and Alternative Finance, alternative finance, to fund projects "withou ...
project on
Indiegogo Indiegogo is an American crowdfunding website founded in 2008 by Danae Ringelmann, Slava Rubin, and Eric Schell. Its headquarters are in San Francisco, California. The site is one of the first sites to offer crowd funding. Indiegogo allows peo ...
for ''Death Island''. His plans were to begin filming by the end of 2013. In the 2008 novel ''Bad Moon Rising'' by Jonathan Maberry, Savini appears as one of the real-world horror celebrities who are in the fictional town of Pine Deep when monsters attack; other celebrities include
James Gunn James Francis Gunn Jr. (born August 5, 1966) is an American filmmaker. He began his career as a screenwriter in the mid-1990s, starting at Troma Entertainment with ''Tromeo and Juliet'' (1996). He then began working as a director, starting wi ...
, Jim O'Rear, Brinke Stevens, Ken Foree, Stephen Susco,
Debbie Rochon Debbie Ann Rochon (born November 3) is a Canadian actress and former stage performer, best known for her work in independent film and counterculture films. Early life When Rochon was ten years old, her parents were deemed unfit to raise her, ...
, Joe Bob Briggs and blues man
Mem Shannon Mem Shannon (born December 21, 1959, in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States) is an American blues musician. He is currently signed to Toronto's NorthernBlues Music. Shannon is a former taxi-cab driver turned bluesman.Scott Jordan"Mem Shannon' ...
. Savini also briefly took part in
Jerry Lawler Jerry O'Neil Lawler (born November 29, 1949), better known as Jerry "the King" Lawler, is an American retired color commentator and professional wrestler signed to WWE under a Legends contract. Prior to joining the World Wrestling Federati ...
's 2010 revival of the ''Memphis Wrestling'' pro wrestling television show. His on-screen character sent horror-movie monsters (played by wrestlers from the Memphis area) onto the show to get revenge for Savini who blamed Lawler for the death of Savini's friend
Andy Kaufman Andrew Geoffrey Kaufman ( ; January 17, 1949 – May 16, 1984) was an American entertainer and performance artist. He has sometimes been called an "anti-humor, anti-comedian". He disdained telling jokes and engaging in comedy as it was tra ...
; the monsters' handler was manager "Hollywood" Jimmy Blaylock. In 2012, American filmmaker Jason Baker published a biography of Savini entitled ''Smoke and Mirrors: The Story of Tom Savini''. He said during a Q&A with fans that the hardest movie he has ever worked on was '' Creepshow'' because it was "five movies in one". In 2018, Savini announced via his Instagram that he would be directing a horror web series, in collaboration with others, including Tina Romero, Romero's daughter. Special effects for the web series were to be completed by Savini's students at Douglas Education Center. In May 2019, Slipknot frontman
Corey Taylor Corey Todd Taylor (born December 8, 1973) is an American musician, songwriter, author and actor. He is the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Slipknot (band), Slipknot, in which he is designated #8, as well as the lead vocalist, guitarist, ly ...
said in an interview that Savini worked to produce and create his new masks for the upcoming '' We Are Not Your Kind'' album and subsequent tour cycles. Around the same time, Savini was approached by wrestler
Bray Wyatt Windham Lawrence Rotunda (May 23, 1987 – August 24, 2023), better known by his ring name Bray Wyatt, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his tenure in WWE from 2009 until his death in 2023. Rotunda was a third-generati ...
to design the mask for his new "Fiend" character.


FX education

Savini runs the Tom Savini's Special Make-Up Effects Program at the Douglas Education Center in Monessen, Pennsylvania. Savini says he refers offers he receives for movie make-up effects projects to his students and graduates of his school. Savini is the author of several books on special effects, including ''Grande Illusions'' I and II (1983, 1994), which detail the production and mechanical workings of many of his famous film effects. In ''Horror F/X'', a 1989 direct-to-video interview conducted by frequent collaborator Russo, Savini explains many of his effects techniques, illustrated by film clips and behind-the-scenes video footage. He is also associated with other books in the horror genre including ''
Book of the Dead The ''Book of the Dead'' is the name given to an Ancient Egyptian funerary texts, ancient Egyptian funerary text generally written on papyrus and used from the beginning of the New Kingdom of Egypt, New Kingdom (around 1550 BC) to around 50 BC ...
'' and ''Horror 101'' for which he wrote the foreword. Savini has also appeared in public demonstrating his effects, including appearances in the 1980s on ''
Late Night With David Letterman ''Late Night with David Letterman'' is an American television talk show broadcast by NBC. The show is the first installment of the '' Late Night''. Hosted by David Letterman, it aired from February1, 1982 to June 25, 1993, and was replaced by ...
'' in which he demonstrated such effects as "fire gel" and a gunshot to the head on
Letterman Letterman may refer to: * Letterman (sports), a classification of high school or college athlete in the United States People * David Letterman (born 1947), American television talk show host ** ''Late Night with David Letterman'', talk show that ...
himself.


Filmography


As an actor

Films Television Video game


As a make-up artist/special effects technician


Films

Video game


As a director


Bibliography

* ''Grande Illusions: A Learn-By-Example Guide to the Art and Technique of Special Make-Up Effects from the Films of Tom Savini'' * ''Grande Illusions II'' * ''Bizarro!'' (A reissue of ''Grande Illusions'', arbitrarily re-titled by its publisher)


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Savini, Tom 1946 births Living people Male actors from Pittsburgh American male film actors Film directors from Pennsylvania American make-up artists United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War American photographers American stunt performers Carnegie Mellon University College of Fine Arts alumni American horror film directors Point Park University alumni American special effects people American people of Italian descent United States Army soldiers Central Catholic High School (Pittsburgh) alumni