John Chambers (make-up artist)
Encyclopedia
John Chambers was a famous make-up artist who became a veteran in both television and film.
hospital at Hines, Illinois
.
In 1953 he joined the NBC
American television network working for many live shows for a six-year period. He worked on his first movie, Around the World in Eighty Days
, then joined Universal Pictures
. He attracted attention for his work in The List of Adrian Messenger
that featured the gimmick of having the audience guess which famous stars were under Chambers' makeup. Chambers also worked on The Munsters
and The Outer Limits
TV series.
His work became known worldwide in the Planet of the Apes
series, for which he won a special Academy Award
. Chambers worked on the pilot of Mission Impossible and created the pointed ears worn by Leonard Nimoy
in the original Star Trek
television series.
For his work in movies, Chambers has a "star" on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
.
John Chambers was also given the highest civilian award from the CIA for his help with numerous transformations. Some of his work can be seen at the International Spy Museum
in Washington D.C. He also set up the cover story of a film crew planning to shoot a science fiction film in Iran for his special effects colleague Tony Mendez
in order to rescue some American embassy personnel who escaped capture by the Iranian militants in November 1979.
Chambers was also accused of creating the Sasquatch in the Patterson-Gimlin film
, a charge he denied.
Biography
Following service as a medical technician during World War II, Chambers found employment repairing faces and making prosthetic limbs for wounded veterans at the United States Department of Veterans AffairsUnited States Department of Veterans Affairs
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs is a government-run military veteran benefit system with Cabinet-level status. It is the United States government’s second largest department, after the United States Department of Defense...
hospital at Hines, Illinois
Hines, Illinois
Hines is an unincorporated community in Cook County, Illinois, United States.The Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, is located at 5000 South Fifth Avenue in Hines.-Government and infrastructure:...
.
In 1953 he joined the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
American television network working for many live shows for a six-year period. He worked on his first movie, Around the World in Eighty Days
Around the World in Eighty Days (1956 film)
Around the World in 80 Days is a 1956 adventure film produced by the Michael Todd Company and released by United Artists. It was directed by Michael Anderson. It was produced by Michael Todd, with Kevin McClory and William Cameron Menzies as associate producers. The screenplay was written by James...
, then joined Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures
-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...
. He attracted attention for his work in The List of Adrian Messenger
The List of Adrian Messenger
The List of Adrian Messenger is a 1963 black and white crime thriller about a retired British intelligence officer investigating a series of apparently unrelated deaths. It is directed by acclaimed film director John Huston...
that featured the gimmick of having the audience guess which famous stars were under Chambers' makeup. Chambers also worked on The Munsters
The Munsters
The Munsters is a 1960s American family television sitcom depicting the home life of a family of monsters. It starred Fred Gwynne as Herman Munster and Yvonne De Carlo as his wife, Lily Munster. The series was a satire of both traditional monster movies and popular family entertainment of the era,...
and The Outer Limits
The Outer Limits (1963 TV series)
The Outer Limits is an American television series that aired on ABC from 1963 to 1965. The series is similar in style to the earlier The Twilight Zone, but with a greater emphasis on science fiction, rather than fantasy stories...
TV series.
His work became known worldwide in the Planet of the Apes
Planet of the Apes (1968 film)
Planet of the Apes is a 1968 American science fiction film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, based on the 1963 French novel La Planète des singes by Pierre Boulle. The film stars Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, James Whitmore, James Daly and Linda Harrison...
series, for which he won a special Academy Award
Academy Honorary Award
The Academy Honorary Award, instituted in 1948 for the 21st Academy Awards , is given by the discretion of the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to celebrate motion picture achievements that are not covered by existing Academy Awards, although prior winners of...
. Chambers worked on the pilot of Mission Impossible and created the pointed ears worn by Leonard Nimoy
Leonard Nimoy
Leonard Simon Nimoy is an American actor, film director, poet, musician and photographer. Nimoy's most famous role is that of Spock in the original Star Trek series , multiple films, television and video game sequels....
in the original Star Trek
Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
television series.
For his work in movies, Chambers has a "star" on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
.
John Chambers was also given the highest civilian award from the CIA for his help with numerous transformations. Some of his work can be seen at the International Spy Museum
International Spy Museum
The International Spy Museum is a privately owned museum dedicated to the field of espionage located within the 1875 Le Droit Building in the Penn Quarter neighborhood of Washington, D.C., across the street from the Old Patent Office Building and one block south of the Gallery Place Metro...
in Washington D.C. He also set up the cover story of a film crew planning to shoot a science fiction film in Iran for his special effects colleague Tony Mendez
Tony Mendez
Tony Mendez is a former CIA technical operations officer. His job was to support clandestine and covert CIA operations...
in order to rescue some American embassy personnel who escaped capture by the Iranian militants in November 1979.
Chambers was also accused of creating the Sasquatch in the Patterson-Gimlin film
Patterson-Gimlin film
The Patterson-Gimlin film is a famous short motion picture of an unidentified subject the film makers purported to be a "Bigfoot", that was supposedly filmed on October 20, 1967, by Roger Patterson and Robert Gimlin on the Klamath River outside of Orleans,...
, a charge he denied.
External links
- Obituary http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/john-chambers-729387.html