Biography
Who is Tom Savini?
Early life and education
Thomas Vincent Savini was born on November 3, 1946, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and is of Italian descent. He was raised Catholic and graduated from Central Catholic High School. As a young boy, his primary inspiration was actor Lon Chaney, whose work in the film Man of a Thousand Faces sparked an early desire to create makeup effects. Experimenting with various mediums, he practiced makeup applications on himself and his friends while also discovering a passion for acting and scaring people with homemade costumes.
Makeup and film career
Tom Savini is primarily known for his groundbreaking work in prosthetic makeup and special effects. Early in his career, famous makeup artist Dick Smith became an inspiration and later an associate at Savini's Special Make-up Effects Program. Tom earned his major film breakthrough working with Pittsburgh filmmaker George A. Romero by providing a convincing wrist-slashing effect in the opening scenes of the 1977 film Martin. The following year, he worked on Dawn of the Dead, creating a signature palette of severed limbs and realistic bite-marks that defined his career.
Acting roles and stunt work
Tom Savini has appeared as an actor and stunt performer in many of the films for which he created special effects. His first film appearance was a minor character in the 1977 movie Martin. He then played the menacing biker named Blades in Dawn of the Dead, a role he reprised in zombie form with a cameo appearance in the 2005 continuation Land of the Dead. In Maniac, he made a brief appearance before having his head blown off by a shotgun. He also portrayed the biker and antagonist Morgan in Romero's 1981 film Knightriders.
Birthday and age
Tom Savini was born on November 3, 1946, which makes Tom 80 years old today. That birthday falls under the Scorpio sign. Tom shares the date with 56 other famous people.
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