Oscar-winning special effects icon, Greg Cannom, has died - famous for Mrs Doubtfire, Bram Stoker's Dracula, The Lost Boys, Blade, Hannibal and Van Helsing

A Hollywood legend whose work on films including Mrs Doubtfire and Bram Stoker's Dracula earned him four Oscars, has passed away at the age of 74 after a period of declining health. Make-up artist Greg Cannom spent more than 40 years working on a host of projects, specialising in prosthetics and special effects (SFX).

SFX star Rick Baker was among those who paid tribute to the expert, having worked alongside him on films including The Incredible Melting Man and It Lives Again. He said: “I just heard the sad news of the passing of one of the great make up artists. Greg Cannom.

“Greg started with me in the 70’s his first job with me was the sequel to It’s Alive where he not only assisted me in making the baby but also played one of the baby monsters . When I moved out of my first garage workshop Greg moved in . When I out grew my first industrial unit Greg took that over. His work will be remembered long after his passing. Sad news indeed. RIP Greg you and your work will be missed.”

Comments on Baker’s post to Instagram flooded in including from theprostheticsstudio who said: “Very sad news. I loved the work that Greg did. Some iconic pieces of work. RIP.” Another, calling themselves bunp3al, added: “Sad indeed, talent like this is few and far between.”

Cannom was nominated for 14 Academy Awards throughout his career, picking up four, for his work on Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Mrs Doubtfire, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and Vice.

In 2005, Cannom was honoured alongside Wesley Wofford with a Technical Achievement Award for “the development of their special modified silicone material for makeup applications used in motion pictures”, after they worked on proprietary modified silicone makeup. In 2019, he received the Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

A horror specialist, Cannom was behind many memorable on-screen monsters and bad guys, including in scare features like The Lost Boys, Fright Night Part 2, Subspecies, and Blade, as well working on The Howling, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, The Exorcist III, Alien 3, Idle Hands, Hannibal (2001), Van Helsing, and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.