You don’t find it, it finds you. Learn the art, and if you’re good you’ll work your way into it.

Gary Archer

Gary Archer, also known as the "Godfather of Teeth," is a Hollywood legend. Gary has worked on everything from the entire Austin Powers trilogy to all of your favorite TV shows and movies, and it would almost be insulting to try to list them all here because he's done so much work for us film lovers. If you've seen something with teeth, Gary had a say in the matter. The Godfather deserves some serious credit for some of the classic scenes he's helped shape over the years, with over 300 certified titles and many more on the way. We talked to him about his literal sweet tooth for the film industry, as well as what has kept him here for so long.

You've worked with some of the biggest names in the business, and you're

known as the "godfather of FX teeth" because of your more than 300 creditable

positions as a dental technician in films. Where did you begin your career, and

what made you decide to focus on dental prostheses within the field of makeup?

GARY:

It all started with a phone call no dental lab technician ever expects to receive. We were asked by one of our dentists if “ We could make a set of teeth that would fall out of somebody’s mouth into a glass of water…..”

It turned out, the dentist had a famous makeup designer (Greg Cannom) in his chair and it was Greg who had asked the question. The dentist put us in touch with Greg, and the teeth turned out to be for the late Robin Williams in Mrs Doubtfire.

Careers in the film and television industry are diverse and exciting, including

those in the makeup department. How would you describe being a dental

technician in the entertainment industry to someone who has never considered

going into that profession?

GARY:

You don’t find it, it finds you !! You can’t go banging on doors, it doesn’t work that way. If you go into FX and makeup you’ll go to a school to learn the art, if you’re good you’ll go to work at an FX shop or as a makeup artist trainee and work your way into it.

Which film or television show has been your favorite to work on so far in your

career, and why?

GARY:

Most definitely the Austin Powers Trilogy, Ma Rainey, Interview With a Vampire (Both the 94 film and the 2022 Series)

You must be an excellent brusher; do you ever become obsessed with your own

teeth, whether it's through brushing and flossing them frequently or monitoring

their state several times a day?

GARY:

Not really. Ive had veneers since I was 19 due to a condition called Tetracycline staining where my teeth were discoloured as a kid. I didn’t help that as an avid footballer I managed to knock a a few out as well (I was a goalkeeper for 40 years)

Is there any type of film genre or type of dental work that you haven't had the

opportunity to work on yet that you'd like to work on in the near future?

GARY:

I've pretty much done them all, Marvel, Star Wars, from A to Z so I’m happy doing whatever comes along next!

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