Tom Savini

Thomas Vincent Savini (born November 3, 1946) is an American prosthetic makeup artist, actor, stunt performer, and film director. He is best known for his makeup and special effects work on films directed by George A. Romero, including Martin (1977), Dawn of the Dead (1978), Creepshow (1982), Day of the Dead (1985), and Monkey Shines (1988). He also created the special effects and makeup for cult films such as Friday the 13th (Parts I and IV), Maniac (1980), The Burning, The Prowler (both 1981), and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986). Savini directed Night of the Living Dead, the 1990 remake of Romero's 1968 film Night of the Living Dead. His other directing credits include three episodes of the television series Tales from the Darkside and a segment in The Theatre Bizarre. As an actor and stunt performer, he has appeared in films such as Martin (1977), Dawn of the Dead (1978), Knightriders (1981), From Dusk till Dawn (1996), Planet Terror (2007), Machete (2010), Django Unchained (2012), and Machete Kills (2013). Tom has a son and two daughters. In mid August 2026, he lost his home and 2 pets, both cats, in an electrical fire, alongside many of his work and props. He and his wife were reported as both surviving the fire. A $50,000 fundraiser was started to help in reconstruction and replacement efforts.