Monster Makers

If you are like me and love the old, black and white UNIVERSAL MONSTER films you must know who Janus Piccoula was? or you might remember him as Jack Pierce.

He was born in Greece May 5, 1889  he imigrated with his family to the U.S. in his teens.

He was a cinema manager, stuntman, actor, even assistant director—which would eventually lead to his mastery of in the field of makeup.

 

Creating ICONIC monsters, such as the iconic makeup worn by Boris Karloff in Universal Studios (1931) Frankenstein or  The Mummy (1932),Lon Chaney in The Wolf Man (1941).

A stubborn man, continually resisted to change his old ways. Pierce was eventually let go from Universal in 1946 after over a decade of creating make-ups. It had become difficult for him to adapt to more modern and less costly methods. Jack was a man of tradition to his own executed designs. In the 1950s, things took a turn for the worse as television broadcasting came onto the scene. The Hollywood studios saw television as competition. Universal started the process of cutting their costs by selling needless studio assets, and trashing the unnecessary things they thought at the time were questionable.

Jack Pierce died on July 19, 1968. He won no Oscars, he has no star on the Hollywood walk of fame. Jack Pierce´s Legacy goes beyond that. He is remembered by his creations, he influenced some of FILMS most brilliant make up artists such as RICK BAKER (11 oscar nominations and 7 wins) and TOM SAVINI.

Jack Pierce changed make up for horror movies forever. 
Just remember how many times Make Up Artists
help a character....

(Stewart Freeborn)

 (John Chambers)

 (Dick Smith)

(Rick Baker)

Pierce's final credit as makeup artist was for the TV show Mister Ed.

The Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling is the Oscar given to the best achievement in makeup and hair-styling for film. This category was created until 1981.

 Usually, only three films are nominated each year rather than five as in most categories.
This year,  when you WATCH  the Academy Awards and hear..." And the nominees for BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING are..."

FOXCATCHER
Bill Corso and Dennis Liddiard


THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

Frances Hannon and Mark Coulier


GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY
Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou and David White

Remember the work of Jack Pierce, I can only hope the Academy Awards, some day could do the proper tribute to the Original MONSTER MAKER ...JACK PIERCE.