WHEN THE MUMMY COMES TO LIFE, WHEE!

Universal's in-house publication, The Universal Weekly, was distributed as an advertising periodical to various theater owners and distributors across the country. Publication began soon after Carl Laemmle and his associates formed Universal Pictures until it ceased publishing in 1936 when the Laemmle's--then the sole owners--were forced to give up their company for non-payment of a large cash loan from Standard Capitol Corporation.

The cartoon shown below is from the January 14, 1933 issue. It is drawn by Ralph C. "Woodrow" Faulkner. Faulkner was born in 1890 in San Antonio, Texas. He worked in vaudeville and on the stage where he became quite popular as an impersonator, especially that of President Woodrow Wilson during his administration. He was also a reporter for east coast newspapers, as well as a cartoonist for the San Francisco Daily News.

Faulkner turned his talents to acting and is reported to have begun his career at the Albuquerque Film Company in the early 1910's. He also worked for Thanhauser in at least one film and continued his acting career into the late 1930s. He died on August 28, 1940.

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 LAUDED

JACK PIERCE GARNERED HIGH PRAISE for his "masterful" makeups for Boris Karloff in "The Mummy" (1932) and The Old Dark House (1932) in this snippet from the Hollywood Filmograph fro December 17, 1932. Pierce would go on to win the magazine's second (and last) award for best makeup artist. This would be the only official award that Pierce received in his career.

A PIECE OF MAKEUP HISTORY

What could pass as a piece of fabric from The Shroud Of Turin is the only known surviving bit of the wrapping Jack Pierce created and used on Boris Karloff in The Mummy.

This historic artifact was auctioned off as a part of Forrest J Ackerman's vast collection after his passing.

NOTE: A photo of Lon Chaney Jr. as Kharis was erroneously added to the auction listing.

THE "UNHIDDEN" JACK PIERCE

The previous post showed Jack Pierce at work on Boris Karloff before the cameras rolled in a scene for THE MUMMY (Universal, 1932). However, he was partially obscured by a lighting fixture.

In this picture from the January 1933 issue of MOVIE CLASSIC, we see more of him in a different shot. The caption reads, "the Universal make-up expert at his four-hour task". One wonders if there were more taken during this session . . .

THE HIDDEN JACK PIERCE

This 8x10 movie still shows Jack Pierce (hidden behind the studio light) and Karl Freund attending to some last minute touch ups to Boris Karloff as THE MUMMY (Universal, 1932). Pierce the perfectionist is seen applying eye liner to Karloff while director Freund polishes up Karloff's scarab ring.

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.