Westmore family

The Westmore Family is a prominent family in Hollywood make-up. Led by their patriarch, George Westmore, the family has had four generations serve Hollywood as make-up artists in various capacities since George's establishment of Hollywood's first make-up department in 1917.

The English wigmaker George Westmore, for whom the Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist Guild's George Westmore Lifetime Achievement Award is named, founded the first (and tiny) film makeup department, at Selling studio in 1917. He also worked at Triangle but soon was freelancing across the major studios. He understood that cosmetic and hair needs were personal and would make up stars such as Mary Pickford (whom he relieved of having to curl her famous hair daily by making false ringlets) or the Talmadge sisters (Norma and Constance) in their homes before they left for work in the morning.

He fathered three legendary and scandalous generations of movie makeup artists, beginning with his six sons—Perc, Ern, Monte, Wally, Bud, and Frank—who soon eclipsed him in Hollywood. By 1926, Monte, Perc, Ern, and Bud had penetrated the industry to become the chief makeup artists at four major studios, and all continued to break ground in new beauty and horror illusions until the end of their careers. In 1921, after dish washing at Famous Players-Lasky, Monte became Rudolf Valention's sole makeup artist. (The actor had been doing his own.) When Valentino died in 1926, Monte went to Selznick International  where, thirteen years later, he worked himself to death with the enormous make-up demands for Gone with the Wind(1939).

Prominent Family Members;

• George Henry Westmore 
• Monte George Westmore
• Monty George Westmore Jr.
• Michael George Westmore
• McKenzie Westmore
• Marvin George Westmore
• Kandace Westmore
• Kevin Westmore
• Percival Harry Westmore
• Ernest Henry Westmore
• Walter James Westmore
• Pamela Westmore
• Mark Westmore
• Bud Westmore
• Frank C.Westmore

References:

Wikipedia. 2014. Westmore family. [ONLINE] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westmore_family. [Accessed 13 July 2014 at 02:11.].