Crafting Stars: The Westmore Makeup Dynasty - Part One

[00:00:00] Welcome to Perf Damage. Welcome. This is the show where we talk about the forgotten histories of Hollywood. That's right, and this week we are going to talk about a family that you may have never heard of who we really have to think for make up in Hollywood.

[00:00:15] The makeup departments make up unions. Yeah, the Academy Award getting acknowledged for make up. They started in the 20s and the first one had lots of children and those children, and those children about children, and they've all worked in make up.

[00:00:33] Yeah, since from the silent era to the current era. Yeah, so we're going to focus today about the beginning. So just the original and then the first wave. So like the first wave. Yes, we're talking about George and all of his children.

[00:00:49] Yeah, George Westmore and all of his sons that got into the make up industry. Yes, they're all men. So with you, want to hear more about the Westmoreers and hear a little bit about Hollywood history about the makeup in Hollywood. You're in the right place. Stay tuned.

[00:01:06] Hey movie lovers, I'm Adam. And I'm Charlotte. And welcome to Perf Damage. Where a movie obsessed has been a white team who work in the film industry. I oversee film restoration at the oldest studio in Hollywood. And I bring the inside track from film development and production.

[00:01:32] And we love to explore the hidden tales of movies past and present. So join us for a cinematic journey like no other. From classic gyms to examining the art of the double feature. This is Perf Damage. Popcorn pop? Why not the ready? Let's press play.

[00:01:55] All right. So we're going to tell the tale of the Westmore family, which starts with George. George the dad and then how many sons? He has six sons. Mont is the oldest. Okay. Got Mont. Then he has the two twins. Perth and Perth. Nern. Wally. Wally.

[00:02:23] But and then Frank. And then Frank. All right. And those are the ones we're going to focus on. And those aren't even his only children. No, there was a daughter too. But she's not in our story today. She never did make up for the movie for the studios.

[00:02:35] Yeah. So that's what we're focusing on today. So let's get into it. All right. Oh, it. Oh, she has a, they say all the movie stores use Westmore. Yes. We gotta have the best or they trip out. But all they would to best. But who was that one?

[00:03:01] All right. So let's talk about the Westmores and the best place to start is with Pop a Westmore. Yeah, George Westmore. He was originally from the UK and he became famous by doing Winston Churchill's hair while he was in the army. Random?

[00:03:20] Well I mean he was known for his barber skills. His barber skills. Yeah. Winston Churchill actually sought him out. Then that's kind of what he built his career on was that that famous person. Yeah.

[00:03:30] Big there and then got too big for the aisle and left for the US. He didn't come directly to Hollywood. His ultimate destination was Hollywood, but he'd always been a big movie watcher like a huge movie watcher. And he realized that all these people looked terrible on screen.

[00:03:48] I said that they were garrish. Some of them look like they were dead because they wore too much makeup. Right. And because at the time all the actors were doing their own makeup. They were doing their own wardrobe, doing their own makeup. So the makeup wasn't consistent.

[00:04:01] It was like man Hollywood needs my help. So you had some really good stories about George on his way to California. He and his young family moved into what they thought was a hotel.

[00:04:12] They saw a bunch of people coming in and out all day long, but it happened all night long too. And so they eventually found out that it was a horse house that they had moved into. But George being George, he saw this as an opportunity.

[00:04:28] He said that he could give the madam of the house the most beautiful women in the entire state. So it was sort of like he was seeing in the movies where their makeup was just not good. And he was thinking, I can make these babes look better.

[00:04:43] So he said, you know what? Why don't you let me work on your girls? It'll be great practice for me. And I can pick up a little extra cash. Yeah, right. In the meantime.

[00:04:53] So you know, this work was actually kind of pioneering because he was able to do things because he wasn't just strictly working on their facial makeup. He was doing body makeup as well. So he was doing contouring really early on and pioneering a bunch of new makeup techniques

[00:05:10] that he then took to Hollywood with him. His wife realized that he just kept coming home later and later. And she never saw any of this supposed money he was supposed to be earning because basically he got paid and trade. Yeah, money did not leave the house.

[00:05:25] Yeah, it never left the house. Oh, George. Oh, George. That's a interesting guy. Let's cut to George gets to Hollywood. As soon as he got to Hollywood, he went to the most famous salon in the area. It was called Maison Saisar.

[00:05:41] It was the salon of the stars at the time. Yeah, they went directly. He went directly to that place to secure a job and spent hours demonstrating his makeup and hair dressing skills. Holy family, his family sat in the car just waiting for him.

[00:05:56] That was not an uncommon thing for his family. Unfortunately. So he gets hired at this place. Saisar, whom on the place? The great Saisar. Great Saisar. Well, oh, oh, make an animation for these sauces Saisar. It's great to share for long Saisar. Well, don't you realize me?

[00:06:31] Hey, no. Decided that he couldn't let this guy go. He had to have him. So he gave a job on the spot and then they went and looked for an apartment afterwards. That was really close by.

[00:06:43] After his first day of work, he got really upset that he didn't see anybody famous. And so he lost. He got home. He's like, the state's been a totally off. The neighbor boy is going to, oh, here they go. This is a waste of my time.

[00:06:57] You know, I'm not working on anybody famous yet. And so he takes things into his own hands. And he goes driving and he goes into Griffith Park. And he sees somewhat shooting movie there. And he drives on set. This is the silent era.

[00:07:13] So you're able to do that. So this is 1917, by the way. Purely in the silent era. So they weren't worried about people interrupting. People often set and watched Pete. So yeah, he sees these guys shooting and Griffith Park.

[00:07:28] And he goes up to the director and he says, hey, I'm the greatest makeup man. And I want to do makeup for your movie. So they give me a job. $15 a week. And he starts the very first movie studio makeup department. It was for selling studios.

[00:07:45] Basically, he would, he would work on a lot of the animals. The animals. Yeah. Selling on to zoo and a lot of his movies revolved around animals. Cowboys and animals basically were the kind of movies he was making.

[00:07:58] And he didn't quit his other job while he did this. No, no, no, no. He would drive to set at 4am. He'd comb out the lion and comb the lion's legs. Do up all the cowboys and that kind of stuff.

[00:08:11] And then he'd go to his job at Maison Sezar. After the day was in full swing around 10 or 11, he'd roll in and take clients. George actually created the first lace wig. It was a brand new style of wigmaking. They called it ventilating.

[00:08:28] He would punch all of the hair singly into the lace wig. Right, except the time they were done in strip. And straight. Yep. They would sew them in strip. She pwigs done that way. Yeah. But he created the lace wig.

[00:08:40] And so he was known as the greatest wig maker in the world. And he taught person earn how to do that very young. He also got them jobs at Maison Sezar. They would sweep up hair and do that kind of stuff.

[00:08:52] After selling studios, he started working for triangle studios. And triangle studios was eventually bought by Warner Brothers and absorbed by them. But at the time it was one of the A-list studio. Tell me, which sisters worked there. Constance and Norma. Yep. Constance and Norma.

[00:09:07] And he became their hair guy and their makeup got. And Black Pirate, God. Why can't I never remember that guy's name? Douglas Fairbanks. Yes. For Douglas Fairbanks, he also created his famous mane. Yeah. Layers. His hair. He was the guy that created his signature haircut.

[00:09:23] He also created Mary Pickford's very famous curls. And he charged her $50 a curl and he would deliver them in their own carrying case. So they weren't her curls. They were not her curls. They were like kind of clipping kind of extensiony kind of things.

[00:09:38] Yeah, exactly to fill out her hair. So you will never believe where he actually got the hair to make these curls. I think I will believe it. He got him from the ladies of the night. The ladies of the night.

[00:09:50] So he would get the hair and he would from them. And then he would make her famous curls and charge her $50 a curl for it. Wow, you just clunked your head against that. I was waiting for it. So he was getting his name out there.

[00:10:04] Everybody was starting to know the Westmore name. Because like she's going to be very distraughty. This is as to and she air looks a lot. Yes, she does. She's 15. So you know, bless her heart. Anyhow. His oldest son, Mont Westmore.

[00:10:22] He didn't want to use the family name to get in. And so he ended up working for Paramount in the commissary. And there was a young star there, a name Valentino. And so he saw that Valentino was putting in a stable on the lot for his horses.

[00:10:40] He overheard him while they were building that. Rudolph Valentino said, man, I wish that my horses could get more exercise because I'm always on set. I don't get to ride them enough. So Mont, who really despised horses didn't like them at all, started to take writing

[00:10:57] lessons afterward so that when the opportunity presented itself he could be that guy. He jumped on the horses early one morning before work and he's like writing them around, working them out, and Valentino walks in and he goes, oh, wow. I'm so happy that someone's writing them.

[00:11:13] You know, they really need that. And he said, I just love horses. I'd love to do this for you. And from that moment on, he became Valentino's valetina's valetina's dresser and then

[00:11:24] from that point one day he was on set and he just happened to bring his makeup kit with him of course. And he goes, you know, I'm a Wesmore and Valentino was very familiar with the Wesmore name. And so he totally revolutionized his look. He plucked his eyebrow.

[00:11:42] He removed a lot of the heavy eye makeup that he wore. He had a very signature look with that slick back hair. Valentino would use actual grease for that and Mont saw an opportunity to use like a more professional pomade that would be less greasy looking on camera.

[00:11:59] Yeah, he kind of created the whole Valentino look. The two of them were tied together until Valentino was really early death unfortunately. Yeah. But that wasn't it for Mont. Mont, you know, he's he was a go getter.

[00:12:12] So after Valentino, he did King of Kings for Cecil B. Nammil, he ended up becoming the makeup department head at Selznik Studios. We worked on Rebecca going with the wind. That brings us to the twins. Perse and earn Wesmore. Perse became the most powerful Wesmore.

[00:12:41] In fact, he was actually called the fifth Warner brother at certain points in the story. Yeah, he was really, really tight with Jack Warner. There was a story about how Humphrey Bogart walked off the set of one of his movies.

[00:12:55] And Jack Warner called Perse because he had a really close relationship with Bogart. And he said, hey, can you do something about this? We need him back on set tomorrow. So Perse worked as magic. He invited Mont to dawn the beach comor which was his place.

[00:13:10] You know, they got a little bit hammered and finally goes, hey, you know, Jack Warner called me and he said he really needed to do the film. And you know, he needs you back on set tomorrow. And Humphrey Bogart looked at him and he goes, damn it.

[00:13:25] I knew that Jack got to you and that's why we were having such a good time. So Perse was associated with Warner Brothers for over 20 years. He was super powerful. He was the guy that kind of curated the name of Westmore.

[00:13:39] He became the head of the family after George died. Perse saw the name as a dynasty. He actually kind of wanted to curate the idea that they were royalty too. Now, this is actually that kind of leads into a funny story about him and Charles Lotton.

[00:13:53] So Charles Lotton and Perse did not get along at all. In fact, when Perse told him that they were royalty and showed him this code of arms that he had made to Charles Lotton. Charles Lotton said to him, you're so full of shit your eyes are brown.

[00:14:10] So he had a code of arms made for Westmore. Yes. A Westmore code of arms is on all of the makeup when they started their makeup company. And he tried to pretend like they were British royalty. Do you think that George might have actually told him that?

[00:14:30] I mean, he could have, yeah, George liked to make up stories. Yeah, that's what I'm wondering. But Charles Lotton knew he knew all of British royalty. And so he knew he, he, he, he, he, he looked, took one look at that and said, this is total garbage. Yeah.

[00:14:44] And so that kind of got him off on the wrong foot. And then they ended up working together. This is how highly sought after Perse was. He was loaned out like a star was to RKO studios to do makeup for that. That's incredible.

[00:14:56] For the hunchback of Notre Dame. So, well, the makeup and that is incredible. It's not just makeup, it's special effects. Yes, he, well, I mean, he did physical rigs for that. Like the hump was this big 15 pound hump that he made that was strapped on to Charles

[00:15:12] Lotton through a series of leather straps. Yeah, because he wanted to be a real like quasi mode would of. Yeah. And then it was also makeup effects and prosthetics. The eye that kind of drops down in droops.

[00:15:27] He actually created a rig underneath the prosthetic that attached to his other eyelid so that when he blinked, that eye blinked as well. And this had never been done before. The stuff that he was doing there. Yeah, so they didn't get along like the entire time.

[00:15:43] And the two of them fought like dogs on that movie set at one point, the head of the studio had to come in and arbitrate between the two of them. And they sent the both home for two weeks while they were doing pre-production.

[00:15:57] Yeah, so, uh, first created this like elaborate scam to get back at Charles Lotton. In fact, he brought Frank the youngest brother of the Westmars to be a witness. So he brought him to set under the auspices that he was going to learn that day from

[00:16:16] him and he definitely learned from him. What he learned was you don't mess with purse. So when Charles Lotton's trailer, he gets down on on fours. It's the only way you can attach the hump.

[00:16:31] So he's down on all fours and he's strapping him in with the big leather bands and he says, watch this. He always gets all sweaty and he wants something to drink and Charles Lotton goes, ah, water. Water, I need water.

[00:16:44] And so, purse goes, oh, you need water, do you? So he grabs the bro. Pushes in his face and Charles Lotton looks at him and he goes, you wouldn't. You wouldn't. They sprays him in the face right?

[00:16:58] And he said, that's for being such a jerk to me this whole time. And I brought my brother Frank as a witness so that you can't tell on me because he'll stay there. I didn't ever do this.

[00:17:10] A lot of the brothers didn't like purse though because purse was so. Here's the boss. Yeah. Overbearing, I would say. You know, and he demanded that they demanded excellence. Yeah, they live up to his standards and his standards were really difficult. You know?

[00:17:27] And that's where he and his twin brother earned really didn't get a lot. The two of them had a hard time from childhood. Yeah, well, you told some stories to me about how George sort of pitted them against each other and even called them person or, right?

[00:17:44] Yeah, he claimed that he didn't know. Couldn't tell them apart. They didn't know their names. Yeah, even though they're not even identical twins. They're not identical twins. But I think it was just a power play to who can get daddy's love retention.

[00:17:55] Well, if he did that, he pitted them against each other all the time. Yeah, so. And purse was the most like his father. He was very competitive and he always wanted to win and earn was more like they said

[00:18:05] that earn was the most naturally talented of all of them. Yeah. He didn't care if he won. He cared if he got it right. If he if it looked good. So he would take longer, you know, purse would race to the finish. But earns work was always better.

[00:18:27] There's just so much going on behind the scenes. There are there are. I just stop you from doing individual episodes on each person. Well, I think we might still do a couple because there's so many stories to tell. Anyways. Tell us something.

[00:18:51] So yeah, this is a really fun. So in 1929, RKO was looking for the first head of their makeup department and everybody thought George would be a shoe in for that because he was, you know, the biggest freaking West bar in town.

[00:19:03] But he was the most powerful Westmore in town behind the scenes. And purse knew that if George got that job, he couldn't be controlled because he was the father. He was going to eff it up. Yeah, well, he was the authoritarian too.

[00:19:15] He wouldn't listen to to purse and purse was steering the ship basically for the Westmores. So he stopped his dad from getting that job. And he recommended earn his twin instead. So he went find his back and stopped him from getting the gig. So did George find out?

[00:19:33] George, yeah, he definitely found out. And that wasn't the only time that he did this. So when Paramount was looking for a head of their makeup department, you know, everybody thought the George was going to get it again. Right. But purse was like, no, no, no, no.

[00:19:47] I don't think so. I was like in the animated character. Yes, he was. And he was like, no, why don't you get my young brother, Wally for this? Wally was just 20 years old when when he got the head of Paramount Studio. That's insane. Isn't that crazy? Yeah. Yeah.

[00:20:08] But he did it because he knew that these guys would fall in line with whatever he said plus he could get dirt from them from the other studios that he could pass to Jack Warner. Jack Warner. Now that, now there's a character. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:20:21] He stopped his dad on two separate occasions from getting jobs. So that's that's not cool. Well, it just kind of speaks to how bad their home like must have been. Yeah. Yeah. That you don't want your dad to do that. Yeah.

[00:20:36] George Westmore traveled from Britain to America with nothing more than talent and a drink. He knew that movies were the 20th century art form. And he knew that he could make them better. He convinced the studios that they needed to make up department, but more importantly,

[00:20:54] he convinced the stars that they couldn't live without his talents. His son, Perse in many ways, he served his father, creating a legacy around their family and first built up the power and he realized that his father George had no place in the empire that he was building.

[00:21:11] West's dynasty in Jeopardy, Perse was cutting his father out, but the Westmore name was being undermined at every turn by his twin brother, Ern. Well, Perse be able to turn things around. Don't forget to tune in next week, diligent viewers, to find out how the Westmore's

[00:21:27] turnaround is calamity and transform themselves into the greatest family of makeup artists in history. See you guys next time. So thanks for joining us. Here. On Perf damage. Carry on. You're using the dog. I'm not. That's just about to knock everything over. No. Oh. Down. Okay.

[00:22:25] Alright, crisis averted.