Savini, Tom 1946-

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Savini, Tom 1946-

PERSONAL

Born November 3, 1946, in Pittsburgh, PA; married Nancy Hare, 1984; children: Lia (an actress). Education: Attended Carnegie-Mellon University.

Career:

Actor, special effects makeup artist, special effects supervisor, director, stunt performer, and stunt coordinator. Tom Savini Ltd. (special effects company), principal; Terrormania (haunted house attraction), Pittsburgh, PA, owner; Douglas School of Business, Monessen, PA, teacher of makeup special effects classes. Worked as a teenager in a traveling group that presented horror and magic shows at movie theatres; other work as a teenager included volunteer monster creator and makeup designer for a local television program called Chiller Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA; Optic Nerve Studios, Inc., special effects creator, 1994. Military service: Served as combat photographer in Vietnam.

Awards, Honors:

Saturn Award nomination, best makeup, Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films, 1980, for Dawn of the Dead; Saturn Award, best makeup, 1986, for Day of the Dead; Lifetime Achievement Award, New York City Horror Film Festival, 2003.

CREDITS

Film Appearances:

Arthur, Martin, Libra Films International, 1979.

Blades, Dawn of the Dead (also known as Dawn of the Living Dead, George A. Romero's "Dawn of the Dead," Zombie: Dawn of the Dead, Zombies, Zombies: Dawn of the Dear, and Zombi), United Film Distribution, 1979.

Nicky, Effects (also known as Death's Director and The Manipulator), International Harmony, 1980.

Disco boy, Maniac, Analysis Film Releasing, 1980.

Morgan, Knightriders (also known as George A. Romero's "Knightriders"), United Film Distribution, 1981.

Second garbage man, Creepshow (also known as Cuentos de ultratumba), Warner Bros., 1982.

Himself, Il mondo dell'orrore di Dario Argento (documentary; also known as Dario Argento's World of Horror"), Vidmark Entertainment, 1985.

Himself, Document of the Dead, 1985.

Spirit of Jack the Ripper, The Ripper, Liberty Home Video, 1986.

The creep, Creepshow 2, New World, 1987.

Himself, Drive-in Madness! (documentary; also known as Screen Scaries), Imagine Video, 1987.

(Uncredited) The monomaniac, "The Black Cat" segment, Due occhi diabolici, Taurus Entertainment, 1991.

Himself, Dario Argento: Master of Horror (documentary), Vidmark Entertainment, 1991.

News photographer, Innocent Blood (also known as A French Vampire in America), Warner Bros., 1992.

Lieutenant Ron Vargo, Heartstopper (also known as Dark Craving), 1993, Tempo Video, 1996.

Roland, The Demolitionist, Simitar Video, 1995.

Sex Machine, From Dusk to Dawn, Dimension Films, 1996.

Himself, Halloween … The Happy Haunting of America! (documentary), Chuck Williams Productions/Whiz Bang Entertainment, 1997.

Deputy Hughs, Children of the Living Dead, Spartan Home Entertainment, 2001.

Eddie Rao, Eyes Are Upon You (also known as Demon Lust), 2001.

Uncle Joe, The Monster Man, 2001.

Rouge, Web of Darkness, Renegade Films/Savage Armadillo Productions, 2001.

Salt Lake City detective, Ted Bundy (also known as Bundy), First Look International, 2002.

Stranger, Blood Bath, 2002.

Jesus Christ, Zombiegeddon, Nickel Duck Productions/Wild Range Productions, 2003.

Kane, Vicious, MTI Home Video, 2003.

County sheriff, Dawn of the Dead, Universal, 2004.

The higher power, The Absence of Light, New Illusions Pictures, 2004.

Victor Tonelli, Unearthed, Pheromone Films, 2004.

Himself, UnConventional (documentary), Revolution Earth Productions, 2004.

Man, "The Psychic" segment, Death 4 Told, Asylum, 2005.

Stephen, Forest of the Damned (also known as Demonic, Johannes Roberts' "Demonic," and Johannes Roberts' "Forest of the Damned"), American World Pictures, 2005.

Machete zombie, Land of the Dead (also known as George A. Romero's "Land of the Dead," Land of the Dead—Le territoire des morts, and Le terre des morts), Universal, 2005.

Cabby, A Dream of Color in Black and White, Lions Gate Films, 2005.

Fate, 2005.

Sheriff, Beyond the Wall of Sleep, Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment, 2006.

Prester John, Sea of Dust, 309 Productions, 2006.

Himself, American Scary (documentary), Z-Team Productions, 2006.

Deputy Tolo, "Planet Terror" segment, Grindhouse (also known as Quentin Tarantino's "Death Proof" and Robert Rodriguez's "Planet Terror"), Dimension Films, 2007.

Killer, Horrorween, Adirondack International Pictures, 2007.

Matthew, Small Time Crime, 72nd Street Productions, 2007.

Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film (documentary), ThinkFilm, 2007.

Film Work; Makeup Artist or Special Effects Makeup Artist:

Deathdream (also known as Dead of Night, The Night Andy Came Home, Night Walk, The Veteran, Whispers, and Soif de sang), MPI Home Video, 1972.

Deranged (also known as Deranged: Confessions of a Necrophile), American International Pictures, 1974.

Dawn of the Dead (also known as Dawn of the Living Dead, George A. Romero's "Dawn of the Dead," Zombie: Dawn of the Dead, Zombies, Zombies: Dawn of the Dead, and Zombi), United Film Distribution, 1979.

Martin, Libra, 1979.

Effects (also known as Death's Director and The Manipulator), International Harmony, 1980.

Eyes of a Stranger, Warner Bros., 1980.

Friday the 13th, Paramount, 1980.

(And horror sequence designer) The Burning, Filmways, 1981.

(And stunt coordinator) Maniac, Analysis Film Distribution, 1981.

The Prowler (also known as The Graduation and Rosemary's Killer), Sandhurst, 1981.

Nightmares in a Damaged Brain (also known as Blood Splash, Nightmare, and Schizo), 21st Century Film, 1981.

Xiao sheng pa pa (also known as Till Death Do We Scare and Siu sang ong ong), 1982.

(With others) Alone in the Dark, New Line Cinema, 1982.

Creepshow (also known as Cuentos de ultratumba), Warner Bros., 1982.

Midnight (also known as Backwoods Massacre), Independent International Pictures, 1983.

(And special effects supervisor) Friday the 13th—The Final Chapter (also known as Friday the 13th: Last Chapter and Friday the 13th: Part 4), Paramount, 1984.

Day of the Dead (also known as George A. Romero's "Day of the Dead"), United Film, 1985.

Maria's Lovers, Cannon, 1985.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Part 2 (also known as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2), Cannon, 1986.

Invasion U.S.A., Cannon, 1986.

Monkey Shines (also known as Ella and Monkey Shines: An Experiment in Fear), Orion, 1988.

Red Scorpion (also known as Red Exterminator), Shapiro-Glickenhaus Home Video, 1989.

(And supervisor) Due occhi diabolici, Taurus Entertainment, 1991.

Bloodsucking Pharaohs in Pittsburgh (also known as Picking Up the Pieces), Paramount Home Entertainment, 1991.

Trauma (also known as Dario Argento's "Trauma"), Republic, 1993.

Heartstopper (also known as Dark Craving), 1993, Tempo Video, 1996.

Killing Zoe, October Films, 1994.

Backstreet Justice (also known as Dead Wrong), Prism Pictures, 1994.

Special effects supervisor, Cutting Moments (short film), 1997.

Special makeup effects supervisor, Cold Hearts, 1999, Synapse Films, 2002.

Special effects supervisor, Web of Darkness, Renegade Films/Savage Armadillo Productions, 2001.

Ted Bundy (also known as Bundy), First Look International, 2002.

Film Work; Other:

Director, Night of the Living Dead, Columbia, 1990.

Stunt coordinator, Children of the Living Dead, Spartan Home Entertainment, 2001.

Television Appearances; Specials:

A Night of Movie Magic, The Discovery Channel, 1995.

The American Nightmare, Independent Film Channel, 2000.

Dario Argento: En Eye for Horror, 2000.

Hollywood Goes to Hell, 2000.

Bogeyman II: Masters of Horror, Sci-Fi Channel, 2004.

Dream of the Dead: George Romero, 2005.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

A-Z of Horror (also known as Clive Barker's "A-Z of Horror"), 1997.

The 100 Scariest Movie Moments, Bravo, 2004.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

"Horror Makeup: Fright Factories," Movie Magic, 1995.

Peter Reynolds, "Lost Boy," Sheena, 2000.

Voice, "Worst Episode Ever," The Simpsons (animated), Fox, 2001.

"Frightvition 2002," The Midnight Movie, 2002.

Appeared in "Halloween Candy," Tales from the Darkside, syndicated.

Television Appearances; Other:

Motorcyclist, The Boy Who Loved Trolls, 1984.

Chemical/weapons engineer, Mr. Stitch, Sci-Fi Channel, 1996.

Television Makeup Effects Specialist:

The Assassination File (also known as Out in the Cold), 1996.

(And designer) Mr. Stitch, Sci-Fi Channel, 1996.

Television Director; Episodic:

Directed an episode of Tales from the Dark Side, syndicated.

RECORDINGS

Videos:

Scream Greats, Vol. 1: Tom Savini, Master of Horror Effects (also known as Scream Greats, Vol. 1), Paramount Home Video, 1986.

Il mondo di Dario Argento 2: Il museo degli orrori di Dario Argento, 1997.

The Dead Walk: Remaking a Classic, Columbia TriStar Home Video, 1999.

Two Masters' Eyes, 2003.

Savini's EFX, 2003.

The Many Days of "Day of the Dead," 2003.

Behind the House: Anatomy of the Zombie Movement, Artisan Entertainment, 2004.

Creature Feature: 50 Years of the Gill-Man, Cinematic Heroes/Gill Film, 2004.

Tom Savini: The Early Years, Blue Underground, 2004.

Interviewee and director, Chill Factor: House Call (also known as Tom Savini's "Chill Factor"), 2004.

The Dead Will Walk, Anchor Bay Entertainment, 2004.

(In archive footage) Nightmares in Foam Rubber, 2004.

After Effects: Memories of Pittsburgh Filmmaking, Synapse Films, 2005.

The Shark Is Still Working, Finatic Productions, 2006.

The Witch's Dungeon: 40 Years of Chills, Colorbox Studios, 2006.

Texas Frightmare Weekend 2006, Triple C Productions, 2006.

Flesh Wounds: Seven Stories of the Saw, Dark Sky Films, 2006.

It Runs in the Family: The Making of a Sequel, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 2006.

Appeared as teacher and created special makeup effects for the music video "Twisted Sister: Come Out and Play," Atlantic Video, 1986; appeared in and created makeup for "Be Chrool to Your Scuel" by Twisted Sister.

WRITINGS

Nonfiction:

Grande Illusions, Imagine, 1983, reprinted as Bizarro!, Harmony Books, 1986, then as Grande Illusions: A Learn-by Example Guide to the Art and Technique of Special Make-up Effects from the Films of Tom Savini, 1993.

Grande Illusions, Book II, Michelucci, 1988.

Contributor to periodicals.

OTHER SOURCES

Books:

International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, Volume 4: Writers and Production Artists, 4th edition, St. James Press, 2000.

Periodicals:

Aspire!, January, 2000, pp. 4-6.

Dark Side, December, 2002, pp. 26-32.

Fangoria, March, 1996, pp. 64-68.

Electronic:

Tom Savini Official Site,http://www.savini.com, April 13, 2007.

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