Tom Woodruff Jr.
Tom Woodruff Jr. | |
|---|---|
| File:Tom Woodruff Jr - Alien vs Predator (187046320).jpg Woodruff in 2003. | |
| Born | January 21, 1959 Williamsport, Pennsylvania |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Lycoming College |
| Occupations | |
| Years active | 1984–present |
Tom Woodruff Jr. (born January 21, 1959) is an American actor, director, producer and special effects supervisor. He won an Academy Award for Best Special Effects for his work on the 1992 dark fantasy film Death Becomes Her; that same year he was also nominated for the same award for Alien 3.
Some of his most notable works include: The Santa Clause (1994), Starship Troopers (1997), Cast Away (2000), It (2017) and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018).[2]
Early life
Woodruff Jr. was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania on January 21, 1959. He grew up in nearby Loyalsock Township, Pennsylvania and attended Loyalsock Township High School and graduated in 1977. Upon graduating high school he enrolled at Lycoming College in Pennsylvania where he earned a dual-degree in business administration and theater.[3]
Career
Woodruff was first credited in the 1984 film The Terminator as an assistant special effects supervisor. In the 1980s Woodruff was a crucial part of numerous films and television programs. In 1986 he was part of the Stan Winston Studios Effects Crew on The Vindicator. Also in 1986 Woodruff made his debut on screen, he played a Salvager and also worked as the creature effects coordinator on Aliens.[4][5]
In 1988, Woodruff and fellow Stan Winston alumni Alec Gillis founded effects studio Amalgamated Dynamics, which soon became highly requested in Hollywood, with movies such as Alien 3, Death Becomes Her (both nominated for the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, won by the latter), Demolition Man, Wolf and Starship Troopers.[6] In the 2010s, Woodruff has continued to do practical effects in films such as Grown Ups 2, Ender's Game, Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2, Harbinger Down, Unnatural, It, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and Godzilla: King of the Monsters.[7] Woodruff has also played many creatures in the movie he did effects for, such as Gill-man in the 1987 comedy-action film The Monster Squad, the eponymous demon from Pumpkinhead, and the Alien.
Filmography
Film
Television
| Year | Series | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Monsters | Herbert | |
| 1990 | Tales from the Crypt | Utility Monster | |
| 1998 | Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction | Gorilla | |
| 1999 | Chicago Hope | Stevie | |
| 1999 | Seven Days | Kiki the Gorilla | |
| 2011 | The Tonight Show with Jay Leno | Bernie the Gorilla | |
| 2012 | Harry's Law | Gorilla | |
| 2013 | Blood and Guts with Scott Ian | Himself | |
| Horror Halku | Demon Rufus | ||
| 2016 | Zoo | Gorilla Suit Performer | |
| 2019 | Room 104 | Elmer |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Film | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Saturn Awards | Best Special Effects | Tremors | Nominated | Nomination shared with
|
| 1992 | Academy Awards | Best Visual Effects | Death Becomes Her | Won | Win shared with
|
| Alien 3 | Nominated | Nomination shared with
| |||
| British Academy Film Awards | Best Special Effects | Death Becomes Her | Won | Win shared with
| |
| Alien 3 | Nominated | Nomination shared with
| |||
| 1993 | Awards Circuit Community | Best Special Effects | Death Becomes Her | Won | Win shared with
|
| Alien 3 | Nominated | Nomination shared with
| |||
| Saturn Awards | Best Special Effects | Death Becomes Her | Won | Win shared with
| |
| Alien 3 | Nominated | Nomination shared with
| |||
| 1995 | Saturn Awards | Best Make-Up | The Santa Clause | Nominated | Nomination shared with
|
| 1998 | Saturn Awards | Best Special Effects | Starship Troopers | Won | Win shared with
|
| Alien Resurrection | Nominated | Nomination shared with
| |||
| 1999 | Saturn Awards | Best Make-Up | The X-Files | Nominated | Nomination shared with
|
| 2001 | Saturn Awards | The 6th Day | Nominated | Nomination shared with
| |
| 2012 | Rondo Hatton Awards | Best Short Film | Joe Comes to Life | Nominated | — |
| Saturn Awards | Best Make-Up | The Thing | Nominated | Nomination shared with
| |
| 2017 | Fangoria Chainsaw Awards | Best Makeup & SFX | The Monster | Won | Win shared with
|
| 2018 | Hawaii Film Critics Society | Best Makeup | It | Nominated | Nomination shared with
|
| 44th Saturn Awards | Best Makeup | It | Nominated | Nomination shared with
|
See also
References
- ^ "Tom Woodruff Jr. Net Worth". Retrieved March 9, 2018.
- ^ "With horror industry heavy hitters already in place from the 1970s, the 1980s built upon that with the rise of brilliant minds in makeup and effects artists, as well as advances in technology". Bloody-Discusting.com. March 6, 2018. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
- ^ Rashid, Jerry. "A special homecoming" (PDF). Lycoming magazine. No. Spring 2011. Lycoming College. p. 14.
- ^ "One of Tom Woodruff Jr.'s most abiding memories of playing an alien in the Alien movies". Vanity Fair. May 18, 2017. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
- ^ "The Worst Parts of Playing the Xenomorph in Alien". CinemaBlend.com. May 19, 2017. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
- ^ VFX Artists Tom Woodruff & Alec Gillis Of StudioADI Celebrate 30 Years
- ^ "Tom Woodruff Jr working on Monsters FX Inbound". May 23, 2017.
External links
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
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