JACK'S WOLFMAN MASK?

It has been well reported that Lon Chaney Jr. was no fan of sitting in Pierce's makeup chair. He complained of the chemicals and adhesives that Jack applied on his face and hands, especially when it came time to remove them after the day's shoot.

A publicity photo of Jack and Lon (see above) during the filming of Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman (1943) was meant to be humorous, but there was also no small truth behind Chaney's real feelings about his makeup ordeal.

Pierce applies foundation greasepaint and shadows to Lon Chaney Jr.

According to the description of  Lot 114A listed in a Guernsey's Auction in 2008 of The Pugliese Pop Culture Collection, this full-head latex mask was purported to have been made by Pierce for Chaney to use in "long or obstructed shots" in order to avoid some of the makeup sessions. The inside markings on the mask read: "Chaney, JP, O.U.P.C. #1279", and it appears that this is what authentication was based on.

When Pierce was later asked if he liked working with Chaney, he diplomatically replied: "Yes and no. That's about all I can say."

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).