The Westmores

The Westmores are a family based in Hollywood, California, who include four generations of very successful Hollywood makeup artists.  George Westmore (1879-1931) set up the first ever makeup department at a film studio (Metro Pictures) in 1917 and the family have become so well known and respected in the film industry that they have a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 

George Westmore
http://westmoremuseum.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/georgecrop.jpg?w=227&h=300

George Westmore was born in England, but emigrated to the States to find work as a hairstylist, where he learnt to be a wigmaker and makeup artist.  At the time film actors were responsible for their own makeup and hair, but George gradually developed a reputation for his skills, at first visiting the stars at their own homes, leading to him setting up his makeup department.  He then taught his skills to his six sons, so that they could assist him with his work, and they all went on to head up departments in major Hollywood studios: Monte (Seiznick – including Gone with the Wind & Rebecca); Ern (20^th Century Fox – he won the first ever Oscar for makeup for Cimarron); Perc (Warner Bros –nominated for an Emmy for The Third Bill Cosby Special ); Wally (Paramount – including Rear Window and Vertigo); Frank (Paramount Pictures – won an Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Makeup for Kung Fu); and Bud (Universal – including The Virginian and To Kill a Mocking Bird). 

Monte Westmore and Hazel Rogers preparing

Olivia de Havilland for Scarlett's Wedding in Gone With the Wind

http://iwanttobeamakeupartist.com/montague-monte-westmore.html

One of Michael's Star Trek aliens, The Xindi.http://www.startrek.com/article/michael-westmore-interview-part-2

Some third generation Westmores also became involved in makeup. Monty (1923-2007) began working for his uncle Perc at Warner Bros and went on to work with stars such as Paul Newman, Joan Crawford and Dustin Hoffman, working on over 100 films.  Marvin (born 1934) has worked on over 76 films and series, including Blade Runner and Escape from LA and Michael (born 1938) has won an Oscar for his work on Mask (1985) and received numerous other award nominations, including for his work on Star Trek.

Joan Crawford and Bette Davis in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane.http://www.cinemaretro.com/index.php?/archives/1103-VETERAN-M
AKEUP-MAN-MONTY-WESTMORE-DIES-AT-AGE-84.html

There is now a fourth generation of Westmores working in the business, with Pamela Schumacker (nee Westmore) winning a Hollywood Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist Guild Awards award for Best Contemporary Makeup for her work on Prisoners in 2014.  She has worked on over 76 films/TV series and has become Sandra Bullock’s personal makeup artist, working with her on such films as Gravity and Miss Congeniality. Marvin’s daughter, Kandace, and son, Kevin, are also successful makeup artists, working on such projects as Columbo, Murder, She Wrote and The Rat Pack. Both have won an award for their work.

Sandra Bullock in Miss Congeniality 2.http://www.themakeupgallery.info/disguise/prosth/congeniality.htm

The Westmores have had their own cosmetic lines and published books, including charts explaining how to achieve certain looks. In 1934 Wally Westmore was involved in a meeting of the Southern California Cosmetologists when actress Sylvia Sidney's face was chosen as the 'perfect' face of the time. Wally Westmore is quoted as saying 'The elliptical symmetry of Miss Sidney's features made our choice an easy one'. In 1935 the Westmores set up an elegant salon on Sunset Boulevard, LA, called The House of Westmore, which operated until 1965. Later, in 1981, Marvin set up the Westmore Academy Of Cosmetic Arts in Burbank, California (though this has now closed) and the more recently established George Westmore Research Library and Museum, originally established for use by the Academy’s students, is still running. 

Since 1971, Marvin Westmore has also been involved with therapeutic makeup for victims of facial burns, diseases and accidents, teaching people how to use makeup to make them feel more confident to go out.

Wally Westmore's face chart of Sylvia Sidney.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2435686/Sylvia-Sidney-What-ideal-face-looked-like-1934.html

The House of Westmore
http://iwanttobeamakeupartist.com/percival-perc-westmore.html

An Advert for the Westmore's cosmetic line.http://iwanttobeamakeupartist.com/percival-perc-westmore.html