FAMOUS MONSTERS' TRIBUTE TO JACK PIERCE

After Jack's passing on July 19, 1968, this remembrance of him was published in the May 1969 issue of Famous Monsters of Filmland. It was written by editor Forrest J Ackerman and included a selected filmography by Gary Dorst and Jim Warren.

Ackerman wrote: "He made them [Pierce's makeups] the hard way, the old way, the original way that took half a day of tireless effort..."

Included was an excerpt of Frank Taylor's obituary for Jack from the Los Angeles Times on August 8, 1968.

Ray Bradbury added a poignant comment: "Jack Pierce's creation [of the Frankenstein monster] will be remembered for hundreds of years to come. And so, in a way, Jack Pierce created & signed his own epitaph."

JACK, GLENN AND THE BOWERY BOYS

Pierce was hired as the makeup artist for Monogram Pictures' 1949 horror-comedy film Master Minds, starring The Bowery Boys (aka East Side Kids, aka Dead End Kids). It also featured the towering hulk of a man, Glenn Strange (known by "Peewee" to his buddies) billed as "Atlas The Monster".

Much like Boris Karloff, Jack and Strange became friends and Pierce had already had him in his makeup chair several times, including for roles in House of Frankenstein (1944) and House of Dracula (1945).

How he got there makes for an interesting tale: the story goes that while working on a film at Universal he noticed Pierce kept staring at him. The following has two versions: that he was invited to Pierce's studio for a test makeup after his day's shoot for an extra $25, or that he was sent there after Pierce asked for him. Pierce went to work and when he pulled the cover off his mirror, Strange claimed, "I look like Boris Karloff!" Pierce called producer Paul Malvern and told him he had his Frankenstein monster. Strange also benefited by having Karloff on the set of House of Frankenstein, who graciously coached him on "acting like the monster".

A colorized photograph of Glenn Strange as Atlas, The Monster.

Pierce and Strange would work together again a few years later on Monogram's Bowery Boys vehicle, Master Minds. Jack turned Strange into the hirsute Atlas, The Monster, replete with wig, beard, facial scar, "wolfman hands" and an abundance of yak hair that Jack had plenty of previous experience applying.

And yes, Jack received screen credit:

JACK AND THE JUNGLE CAPTIVE

Below is a rather uncommon production still of Jack with Vicky Lane in the chair enjoying a quick smoke break while she is being made up as Paula Dupree, the "Wild Woman" in JUNGLE CAPTIVE (Universal, 1945).

CAPTIVE WILD WOMAN

On a recent video post by Carl Laemmle's grandniece, Antonia Carlotta discusses the career of actress Acquanetta, the only woman to play a Universal monster twice (CAPTIVE WILD WOMAN, JUNGLE WOMAN). In it she mentions Jack's "wild woman" makeup, commenting that it's "very detailed".

HAPPY FALL!

"Even a man who is pure in heart,

and says his prayers by night,

may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms,

and the autumn moon is bright!"

Jack applying another layer of yak hair on Lon Chaney Jr.:

ANTONIA CARLOTTA ON JACK PIERCE

Antonia Carlotta is the grand-niece of Carl Laemmle and cousin of Junior Laemmle.

Visit her channel's main page HERE.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!