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Chris Walas(I)

  • Special Effects
  • Make-up Department
  • Actor
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Chris Walas
Chris Walas is an American film director, special effects expert, and make-up artist. He was born in Chicago, Illinois.

Walas rose to fame in the 1980s, with effects for films such as "Airplane!" (1980), "Dragonslayer" (1981), and "Return of the Jedi" (1983). In the film "Raiders of the Lost Ark" (1981), Walas created the effects for a scene where the Nazi villains' faces melt from the intense heat generated by the Ark of the Covenant. In 1984, Walas was credited for the design of the gremlins in the film "Gremlins", a film that grossed 153.1 million dollars at the box office.

After creating the creature effects for "The Fly" (1986), Walas was invited to direct the sequel film "The Fly II" (1989), His directing debut earned about 39 million dollars at the worldwide box office. His only other credit as a film director was the horror comedy "The Vagrant" (1992), depicting a man who believes himself stalked by a stranger. The film received a limited release in 8 movie theaters.

In the 1990s, Walas film credits for effects and make-up included such films as the black comedy "Arachnophobia" (1990), the science fiction film "Naked Lunch" (1991), the virtual reality-themed science fiction film "Virtuosity" (1995), and the erotic thriller "Jade" (1995). None of them was particularly successful.

Walas' special effects were less in demand in the 2000s. His last film credit to date was creating the angels for the horror film "Dark Heaven" (2002).
Bornc. 1955
  • More at IMDbPro
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    • Agent info
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Bornc. 1955
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 3 wins & 4 nominations total

    Photos1

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    Known for

    Jeff Goldblum in The Fly (1986)
    The Fly
    7.6
    • Special Effects
    • 1986
    Dennis Quaid and Louis Gossett Jr. in Enemy Mine (1985)
    Enemy Mine
    6.9
    • Special Effects
    • 1985
    Zach Galligan and Howie Mandel in Gremlins (1984)
    Gremlins
    7.3
    • Special Effects
    • 1984
    Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington in Virtuosity (1995)
    Virtuosity
    5.5
    • Makeup Department
    • 1995

    Credits

    IMDbPro

    Special Effects



    • Magnus Danger Magnus in Emu War: A Subtle Examination of the Sheer Caucasity of Colonialism (2024)
      Emu War: A Subtle Examination of the Sheer Caucasity of Colonialism
      • Emu Miniature Advisor
      • 2024
    • Chris Walas and Kian Doughty in Made You Look (2018)
      Made You Look
      5.7
      Short
      • special effects
      • 2018
    • Jonathan Kos-Read, Douglas Tait, Erroll Shand, Sasha Jackson, and Jiahang Su in Journey to the Forbidden Valley (2017)
      Journey to the Forbidden Valley
      5.1
      • creature design: Yeren
      • special makeup effects designer
      • 2017
    • Jason 'Wee Man' Acuña in Elf-Man (2011)
      Elf-Man
      3.5
      • special effects prosthetics designer
      • 2011
    • Naked Lunch (1991)
      Naked Lunch
      6.9
      • special creatures & effects (uncredited)
      • 1991
    • Charlie Sheen in Hot Shots! (1991)
      Hot Shots!
      6.7
      • animal special effects & prosthetics
      • 1991
    • Curse III: Blood Sacrifice (1991)
      Curse III: Blood Sacrifice
      4.0
      • creature design
      • 1991
    • Arachnophobia (1990)
      Arachnophobia
      6.5
      • creature effects supervisor
      • 1990
    • The Fly II (1989)
      The Fly II
      5.2
      • effects designer and creator: Chris Walas Inc.
      • 1989
    • House II: The Second Story (1987)
      House II: The Second Story
      5.4
      • makeup and creature effects designer
      • 1987
    • Jeff Goldblum in The Fly (1986)
      The Fly
      7.6
      • creature effects
      • 1986
    • Dennis Quaid and Louis Gossett Jr. in Enemy Mine (1985)
      Enemy Mine
      6.9
      • aliens creator and designer: Chris Walas Inc.
      • special creature makeup and effects director: Chris Walas Inc.
      • 1985
    • Zach Galligan and Howie Mandel in Gremlins (1984)
      Gremlins
      7.3
      • creator: Gremlins
      • 1984
    • Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, James Earl Jones, Warwick Davis, David Prowse, Billy Dee Williams, Michael Carter, and Larry Ward in Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
      Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi
      8.3
      • creature consultant
      • creature design & effects (uncredited)
      • 1983
    • Peter MacNicol and Caitlin Clarke in Dragonslayer (1981)
      Dragonslayer
      6.6
      • close-up dragon: ILM (as Christopher Walas)
      • 1981

    Makeup Department



    • Dark Heaven (2002)
      Dark Heaven
      2.7
      • creator: angel
      • 2002
    • Jade (1995)
      Jade
      5.4
      • special makeup effects
      • 1995
    • Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington in Virtuosity (1995)
      Virtuosity
      5.5
      • special makeup effects
      • 1995
    • Universal Studios Florida: Now Open 9AM to 9PM (1990)
      Universal Studios Florida: Now Open 9AM to 9PM
      5.4
      Video
      • special makeup effects artist: Brundlefly (uncredited)
      • 1990
    • Tales from the Crypt (1989)
      Tales from the Crypt
      8.0
      TV Series
      • special effects makeup
      • 1990
    • DeepStar Six (1989)
      DeepStar Six
      5.4
      • creature effects
      • 1989
    • The Kiss (1988)
      The Kiss
      5.5
      • special makeup effects artist
      • 1988
    • Dennis Quaid and Louis Gossett Jr. in Enemy Mine (1985)
      Enemy Mine
      6.9
      • special makeup effects artist
      • 1985
    • Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Wolf Kahler, Ronald Lacey, and Terry Richards in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
      Raiders of the Lost Ark
      8.4
      • special makeup effects: ILM (as Christopher Walas)
      • 1981
    • Dennis Quaid, Barbara Bach, Shelley Long, John Matuszak, and Ringo Starr in Caveman (1981)
      Caveman
      5.8
      • creator: abominable snowman (as Christopher Walas)
      • 1981
    • Michael Ironside in Scanners (1981)
      Scanners
      6.7
      • special makeup
      • 1981
    • Galaxina (1980)
      Galaxina
      3.7
      • special makeup effects (as Christopher J. Walas)
      • 1980
    • Barbara Bach, Claudio Cassinelli, and Richard Johnson in The Island of the Fishmen (1979)
      The Island of the Fishmen
      5.3
      • special makeup effects: additional sequences, US version
      • 1979

    Actor



    • Chris Walas and Kian Doughty in Made You Look (2018)
      Made You Look
      5.7
      Short
      • Creature
      • 2018
    • Will Ryan and Nick Santa Maria in The Adventures of Biffle and Shooster (2015)
      The Adventures of Biffle and Shooster
      8.6
      • 'Charles Gemora' as Schlomo, the Gorilla
      • 2015
    • Bride of Finklestein
      Short
      • 'Charles Gemora' as Schlomo (the Gorilla)
      • 2015
    • DeepStar Six (1989)
      DeepStar Six
      5.4
      • (uncredited)
      • 1989
    • Starstruck (1979)
      Starstruck
      3.9
      TV Movie
      • Mary-John
      • 1979

    • In-development projects at IMDbPro

    Personal details

    • Alternative names
      • Christopher J. Walas
    • Born
      • c. 1955
      • Chicago, Illinois, USA
    • Children
      • Zena Walas
    • Relatives
        Anina Walas(Niece or Nephew)
    • Publicity listings
      • 4 Interviews
      • 1 Article

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