Christopher Tucker was born in Hertford, England and attended Elizabeth College in Guernsey.
He studied at the London Guidhall School of Drama and Music and became an opera singer.
His film career started with no other than a lavish production of ‘Julius Caesar’ with Charlton
Heston and John Gielgud. He was also the creator for all the ageing in ‘I Claudius’ the award
winning series made by BBC. His credits include working with the actors David Niven, Gregory Peck,
Sir John Gielgud, Christopher Reeve, Dame Maggie Smith, Robert de Niro, Terry Jones, Sir Derek
Jacobi, Lord Olivier, Daryl Hannah, Robert Duvall, David Hemmings, Sir Michael Caine, Lilli Palmer,
Janet Suzman, Michael Crawford, John Hurt, Pierce Brosnan, Lee Remick, John McEnroe etc.
The directors he worked with include Ridley Scott,
The directors he worked with include Ridley Scott,
Franklin Schaffner, David Lynch, Stanley
Donen, Jean Jaques Annaud, Tony Scott, Sergio Leone, Warren Beatty, Paul Verhoeven, Neil Jordan’s first film
‘Company of Wolves’ and Fred Zimmerman’s last ‘Five Days One Summer’ just to mention a few.
His reputation as a specialist make-up artist led to design and make ageing, character, fantasy, look-alikes, animatronic make-up effects and prosthetics for the film, television, commercials and stage productions in England and abroad. He has pioneered many techniques and uses of materials such as foam latex, silicones, gelatines etc. He designed the first moving eye for a television commercial.
He made it possible for an American actor to turn into a Werewolf in one take without use of today's
His reputation as a specialist make-up artist led to design and make ageing, character, fantasy, look-alikes, animatronic make-up effects and prosthetics for the film, television, commercials and stage productions in England and abroad. He has pioneered many techniques and uses of materials such as foam latex, silicones, gelatines etc. He designed the first moving eye for a television commercial.
He made it possible for an American actor to turn into a Werewolf in one take without use of today's
computer effects. His early men in ‘Quest for Fire’ won the make-up Oscar.
His interests in science, chemistry, engineering, sculpting and photo-graphy have helped in this changing world of special make-up,
he is also fluent in computer created image making, Photoshop etc.
In the Opera he created the head and the body parts for Philip Glass’ ‘Akhnaten’ plus the daughters’ heads. The Royal Shakespeare theatre asked him to create the hump for Richard III and Cyrano de Bergerac noses for Sir Derek Jacobi.
The peak of his career must have been, when he was asked by David Lynch to save his film ‘The Elephant Man’ and design and make ‘the Elephant Man’ make-up for John Hurt. No other make-up had been so involved, the head had 15
In the Opera he created the head and the body parts for Philip Glass’ ‘Akhnaten’ plus the daughters’ heads. The Royal Shakespeare theatre asked him to create the hump for Richard III and Cyrano de Bergerac noses for Sir Derek Jacobi.
The peak of his career must have been, when he was asked by David Lynch to save his film ‘The Elephant Man’ and design and make ‘the Elephant Man’ make-up for John Hurt. No other make-up had been so involved, the head had 15
different sections, some of them overlapping never done before, made in foam and silicone rubber. It took seven hours to apply and
was used on alternative days of shooting and rehearsing. If anything complicated was requested the producers always came to him as
in the Quest for Fire and the Company of Wolves not forgetting Mr Creosote in the Meaning of Life.
He is responsible for ‘the Phantom of the Opera’ make-up originally designed and made for Michael Crawford in London, which took several months to complete, and since then has been played in every corner of the world, one of the most successful Andrew Lloyd Webber productions.
He has been educating make-up artists home
He is responsible for ‘the Phantom of the Opera’ make-up originally designed and made for Michael Crawford in London, which took several months to complete, and since then has been played in every corner of the world, one of the most successful Andrew Lloyd Webber productions.
He has been educating make-up artists home
and abroad, given lectures and talks to medical world, dentists, plastic surgeons, maxillo facial technicians, television and broadcasting
companies and societies, contributions in text books, documentary videos being made of his work, television appearances in film studios and
festivals.
He is the first award winner for BAFTA film make-up for ‘Quest for Fire’, Sitges Festival Award for ‘The Company of Wolves’, Science Fiction and Fantasy of USA award for ‘Quest for Fire’. His make-up for ‘The Elephant Man’ made the American Academy take notice and create the make-up Oscar. He has been the chairman of the jury on film festivals and award ceremonies. He has been director of special make-up effects and commercials.
He is the first award winner for BAFTA film make-up for ‘Quest for Fire’, Sitges Festival Award for ‘The Company of Wolves’, Science Fiction and Fantasy of USA award for ‘Quest for Fire’. His make-up for ‘The Elephant Man’ made the American Academy take notice and create the make-up Oscar. He has been the chairman of the jury on film festivals and award ceremonies. He has been director of special make-up effects and commercials.
