As we look back on the cinematic pioneers of the 20th century, no individual is more significant
in his field than genius makeup artist Jack Pierce, the legendary monstermaker who worked in the 1930s and 1940s at Universal Studios during their classic horror period.

In 1930, “Dracula” was first produced, and though Béla Lugosi refused to let Pierce apply his makeup (the actor had come from the stage where he always did his own work), Pierce came up with the styling for the vampire character and his many female victims.

Immediately following the success of “Dracula,” Junior wanted a follow-up, which led to the production of “Frankenstein: in 1931. Though many have argued as to whether director James Whale, actor Boris Karloff, or Junior himself contributed to the makeup, the driving force behind
the look of the character unquestionably belonged to Jack Pierce. Every morning, Karloff sat for
four uncomfortable hours, suffering the makeup’s high levels of toxicity, as Pierce and his assistants applied the head, facial buildup and layers of padding and costume modifications
that would make him into the movies’ most memorable monster. For the 43-year-old Karloff and 42-year-old Pierce, it was a remarkable achievement; their legend would have been guaranteed even if they had stopped their unique artist-performer collaboration right then and there.

Furthering their reputation, though, Pierce and Karloff teamed the following year to create “The Mummy.” Though the actual creature is only seen on film for a matter of seconds, it was another unforgettable achievement in cinema horror when Im-Ho-Tep came alive and paraded across an unearthed Egyptian tomb. Karloff spent most of the picture as Ardath Bey, another Pierce incarnation, as the doomed prince looking for his lost bride.

Revamping his first version of the monster for “Bride of Frankenstein,” Pierce also created the famous makeupand designed the electric hairstyle for Elsa Lanchester’s bride. Once again,
Pierce created an iconic movie character who only appeared on screen very briefly at the end
of the film. For Béla Lugosi, with whom Pierce had locked horns several years earlier on “Dracula,” Pierce created Ygor in 1939’s “Son of Frankenstein . ” Conceived as a man who couldn’t be hanged, the gnarledtoothed wretch became Lugosi’s most original character in years.

Two years later, Pierce pulled out all the stops for “The Wolf Man” with Lon Chaney, Jr. in the title
role. Though the two did not reportedly get along—Chaney did not like wearing the makeup or undergoing the lengthy application and removal period - Pierce excelled again with his werewolf concept, utilizing a design he had created for Karloff a decade earlier. Originally intended as a B movie, “The Wolf Man” was a true horror classic, and Pierce’s version of the character has been the model for the numerous werewolves that have since come to the screen.

The final, original Pierce makeup arrived in 1943 with “Phantom of the Opera.” Starring Claude Rains, it would be the only Jack Pierce monster movie shot in color.Though his treatment of Rains’ makeup—revealed only at the end of the film—was cut down at the request of the producers (Pierce’s original concept was considered too hideous!), it stands as another horror movie landmark.

In the 1940s, there were many monster sequels at Universal, many of which featured a version of The Mummy, The Monster, Count Dracula, or the Wolf Man, and Jack Pierce did the makeup on all of them. Lon Chaney, Jr. played all of the monsters at one time or another! The last Universal Frankenstein of the Jack Pierce era was Glenn Strange who played the monster twice for Pierce and once in “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.”

Jack Pierce’s reign at Universal ended shortly after WWII when the studio merged with International Pictures and replaced many of its department heads. He had been a makeup supervisor for 19 years and worked at the studio for 30 years, but Pierce ended his career working in low-budget independent films and television projects during the final 20 years of his life. Unthinkably, he died in virtual obscurity in 1968, but his work stands up today as landmark horror cinema.

About the Author
Scott Essman has been writing about makeup and movie craftsmanship since 1995. As part of his company, Visionary Cinema, Essman has also created memorable tributes to makeup history, including special events to honor Dick Smith, John Chambers, and Jack Pierce. In 1998, his tribute to the makeup for “The Wizard of Oz” was celebrated on Hollywood Boulevard at the historic Mann’s Chinese Theater. In 2000, Essman published his first book, “Freelance Writing for Hollywood,” and that same year, he published a 48-page special magazine about the work of Universal Studios’ makeup legend, Jack Pierce. In 2001, he was joined with Universal to nominate Pierce for a star on Hollywood Boulevard’s Walk of Fame.

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