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Betty Sturm, who played a follower of Timothy Carey’s cult leader in the infamous Frank Zappa-scored The World’s Greatest Sinner, died Sunday of Alzheimer’s disease at her home in Clinton, New Jersey, her son, William Winckler, announced. She was 89.

Carey wrote, directed, produced and starred as an insurance salesman who transforms himself into the dictatorial God Hilliard in The World’s Greatest Sinner (1962). The film has rarely been seen in theaters and is perhaps best known for its Zappa connection. Martin Scorsese is said to be a fan.

In the 2012 making-of documentary Making Sinner, Sturm was interviewed by Romeo Carey, Timothy Carey’s son. She explained that because of The World’s Greatest Sinner‘s yearlong shooting schedule and a financial dispute, she did not return for one last scene, so an extra stepped in for her to play a saxophone.

Raised in Spain and Germany,...

In October, Rick Baker appeared in an Academy-approved video, touring industry outsiders around his makeup studio, a treasure trove of special effects wonderment. The inside look came tinged with sadness; With modern blockbusters opting for more CG effects over practical makeup, Baker’s craft has slowly faded into the history books, prompting him to move out of his sprawling warehouse. For those left weeping over the video comes a hint of good news: The Make-up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild Awards will honor the monster movie make-up master during its 2015 ceremony. Iatse, Local 706 announced today that Baker and hair stylist Kathryn Blondell were the honorees of the guild’s annual lifetime achievement awards. Baker is a seven-time Academy Award winner, holding the record for the most wins and nominations bestowed upon any make-up artist. His prosthetics and nightmarish visions have appeared in "American Werewolf in London", "Harry and the Hendersons", "Ed Wood,...