JACK AND CARTOONIST FEG MURRAY

Ex-athlete turned cartoonist Feg Murray befriended Jack and often included his makeup creations in his strip "Seein' Stars". This example of Boris Karloff in Son of Frankenstein (1939) is from Pierce's scrapbook.

LIZARD'S LEG AND OWLET'S WING

Aired on October 26, 1962, "Lizard's Leg and Owlet's Wing" cast Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney, Jr. and Peter Lorre in a special Halloween episode of Route 66. Chaney appeared as The Hunchback of Notre Dame and the Wolfman (for the final time). Chaney's grandson, Ron made an appearance as the little boy in the opening scene. The three actors appeared as themselves on the show.

This episode also marked the last time Karloff would play the Frankenstein monster on film. The photo above shows makeup artist Ben Lane making up Karloff using a reference photo from Son of Frankenstein. Lane was assisted by Abe Haberman and Maurice Seiderman.

Lane had a busy career as the makeup artist on many TV shows. Seiderman was uncredited for his work on Citizen Kane. He also worked on the genre films The Monster Maker, Bride of the Monster and They Saved Hitler's Brain. Haberman was Pierce's assistant for ten years during the 1930s and 1940s. He learned a lot of his trade from Jack and applied what he learned in later makeups, including those for the Route 66 show and The Munsters.

Pierce did not work on this program as he was busy on another TV show, Mr. Ed.

A BIT OF FUN ON THE SET OF TOWER OF LONDON

Above is a shot of Jack shaving Boris Karloff's head for his role of Mord in Universal's historical drama, The Tower of London (1939). The image below shows Karloff returning the favor!

WHAT'S IN A (MUMMY'S) FACE?

A great look at the Karloff as Im-ho-tep makeup in this one-pager from THE NEW MOVIE MAGAZINE (January 1933). The inset shows a photo of Karloff with his wife, Dorothy Stine and Karl Freund, the film's director. Fred Archer was hired as the stills photographer, but these images are credited to "Freulich" (Jack or Roman?). Pierce participated in this photo-op, but he is not shown here.

JACK PIERCE VILLAIN MAKEUP

Pictured is Jack's makeup for Boris Karloff as Morgan in the creepy/funny THE OLD DARK HOUSE (Universal, 1932). The photograph is by Universal staff photographer Jack Freulich.

MONSTERS IN THE MAKING

This image shows Jack applying makeup to both Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi in an unidentified movie magazine. The clipping is dated 1932, but Lugosi's images clearly show his makeup for Ygor, which didn't appear on screen until the release of SON OF FRANKENSTEIN, in 1939.

CREATING THE "SON OF FRANKENSTEIN"

THIS ARTICLE FROM the January 14, 1939 issue of PIX shows Karloff in the makeup chair with Pierce for "The Son of Frankenstein" (Universal, 1939).

FRANKENSTEIN MONSTER TEST MAKEUP

The photo above of Karloff in a test makeup by Jack Pierce for FRANKENSTEIN was most likely a promo still that was distributed by Universal after the film was released. Below is a colorized photo of Pierce beginning his ministrations and on his way to a makeup masterpiece.

HOW TO MAKE A FRANKENSTEIN MONSTER

This article, written by Don Sheppard, appeared in the third issue of Fantastic Monsters of the Films (1962), wherein Jack Pierce's technique for the monster in Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein is revealed. Even early on, film monster magazine editors were acknowledging Pierce's craft.

The article actually focuses on Boris Karloff, who tells of the hours sitting in the makeup chair while Pierce made him into the monster. Karloff emphasizes the discomfort that he went through to endure the iconic transformations.

JACK PIERCE IN 'MONSTER WORLD'

Jack is seen here putting the finishing touches on Tom Tyler for his role in Universal's THE MUMMY'S HAND (1940). The photo is from the first issue of Warren Publications' MONSTER WORLD (1964).

THE "HIDDEN" JACK PIERCE

A promotional still taken by Universal staff photographer Jack Freulich for THE MUMMY (1932) shows director Karl Freund giving a last minute shine to Im-ho-tep's mystical scarab ring. Hidden by a lighting fixture is Jack Pierce tending details to Karloff's makeup of collodion and Fuller's earth. Scattered around the feet of Pierce are numerous cigarette butts, an indication of how long Karloff had been sitting there.

Pierce would later win a well-deserved 1932 makeup award from the HOLLYWOOD FILMOGRAPH for his efforts.

PHOTO: Heritage Auctions

The reverse of the still showing Jack Freulich's credit.