Get to Know Jack Pierce: Father of the Universal Monsters
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- Опубликовано: 10 сен 2024
- My family started Universal Studios, and I make videos about their work and legacy. Legendary makeup artist Jack Pierce is responsible for creating many of our favorite monsters' iconic looks. As head of the makeup department of Universal Studios from 1931-1943, he designed for Boris Karloff in Frankenstein, Elsa Lanchester in the Bride of Frankenstein, the Karloff again in the Mummy, and Lon Chaney Jr. in the Wolfman, among countless others. He was meticulous in his technique, and his vision was unmatched. Today, many filmmakers site Jack Pierce as inspiration for their work.
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Antonia Carlotta
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You can't talk about these great films without mentioning Jack Pierce. These are iconic images that still live on today. A brilliant man.
I think Jack Pierce's appearance on "This Is Your Life" episode for Boris Karloff was especially wonderful. You can tell they were friends that respected each other greatly. Jack gave Boris one of the neck "electrodes" from the movies.
I agree Jack pierce is the father of the universal monsters he is the one that created the awesome monster makeup his makeup style was awesome he made the wolfman look terrifying and Frankenstein monster terrifying with his special makeup effects what a artist even Boris karloff said he was the best makeup artist in the world lon Chaney sr was brilliant doing his own makeup style which was terrifying also what a talented man he was and Jack pierce was brilliant I love Rick baker makeup style also great makeup artists indeed thanks for sharing Antonia 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Which leads to I wonder if Lon Chaney sr. had still been alive, would he had been head of the make up department if given the opportunity? If so, would he retired from films to focus on the makeup department?
He was so awesome at what he did, bravo always to him!
When you watch the old Universal monster movies, they show what a great director, make up man and camera man can do with black and white films. These movies still hold up today. The old black and white movies are still better that some of the movies today.
Bless your soul for taking an interest in this subject.
I wish Jack Pierce was still at Universal when they did Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.
I think Pierce gets extremely underrated when looking at the history of special FX makeup. I hear people bring up Rick Baker as the one who "invented" FX makeup, and while I adore his work, Pierce deserves so much more credit. He was a brilliant artist.
Thank you Ms. Carlotta. Your uncle is a legend. Your work is important.
I'm happy you're back, as a new viewer I love your videos because they give a background history of Universal. I was born in SoCal about forty minutes from Universal so I've always had a love for the studio and learning it's history.
Probably my favorite movie that he worked on would be Frankenstein. Something about the makeup and costume just seems revolutionary. I’m not really sure what kind of film that I want to imagine him doing the makeup for. Maybe the Conjuring franchise? Also, nothing like learning about film history on my birthday!
Antonia, your research and knowledge of Universal is absolutely LEGENDARY!
Welcome back, AC -- you were missed!
Best Jack Pierce make-up job: Frankenstein Monster
Worst Jack Pierce make-up job: Karloff in The Raven
Thank you! What makes it "worst" for you? The quality of the makeup or that you just don't like the look?
Great video on Jack Pierce who was a legend and he created some of the most iconic characters ever in the horror genre.
Hey! A new video!! 😁
Awesome video!! 👍👍
Keep up the good work!
He was an icon and legend!
He was one of the best makeup artists ever, some of the things that he did and Chaney Sr. did still amazes me, the Frankenstein monster and Wolf Man are my 2 favorites
So excited to see a new video in my feed! Excellent topic too, as usual 👍
❤ In My Opinion; Mr Pierce Was Hollywoods Best Make- Up Artist • ❤
Well done, Antonia!!
Great Video. Jack Pierce is probably the first actual Make-Up artist for the movies. Lon Chaney was an actor and performed his own make-up, but Mr. Pierce was the first of his kind really. It's too bad that he was forgotten later in life because his monsters live on. For a man who had no kids he sure gave birth to a legacy that is eternal. I'm sure he's a very proud father.
My favorite Jack Pierce creation probably ties between The Monster, and The Mummy.
and I think he should have worked on Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, that would have been really great.
apart from Universal, I think he could have done something special with Val Lewton. He could have been really great for films like Cat People, or The Leopard Man.
Lon Chaney Sr. ruled. His Phantom makeup was iconic.
Frankenstein is the one that stands out for me. I would love to have seen what he could have done on 1951's, The Thing from Another World.
I love your videos. Glad to see a new one.
I love your videos! I have read many books about old Hollywood and it’s really great to learn new things from a descendant of Hollywood royalty. Thank you so much!
I dont Have A Shovel but I Dig it. Haha. Jack Was So Talented, its A shame how they treated him. A Forever Legacy who Created these Legends. GREAT Video.
His makeup for Frankenstein’s monster in the 1931 film is iconic and still holds up. It looks so organic to this day.
Glad to see a new video from you! :)
The best makeup man in the business.
I’d have to say Frankenstein is my favorite and the most iconic. Bela’s Dracula may be a close second because you can’t hear either monster’s babe without conjuring the images of these classic looks. Even young kids who have never seen Frankenstein would draw a tall, lumbering creature with a flat head as it’s been so ingrained in our culture.
i went to his grave last year in glendale, california! the same cemetery that dwight frye and lon chaney sr are buried, along with maria ouspenskaya at forest lawn glendale.
My favorite Jack Pearce make up is his werewolf design for Henry Hull in Werewolf of London(1935). Dont get me I think The Wolf Man is a far superior film in just about every way, I just always found Hulls werewolf creepier. Sometimes less is more.
Fantastic video as always Antonia
Jack Pierce was the master of all.
I’m Actually writing a Research paper on Jack Pierce detailing his firing and Bud Westmores hiring, along with going over there differences when designing the Monsters!
My first movie of his was The Wolf Man so it has to be my favorite. Not ignoring the others as they all set the stage for what we have today. The Westmores were great but if you watch the monster movies they did in the 50's, they all look the same. Granted they took monster make up to a new level and they deserve their reputation, it wasn't the same with out Jack Pierce.
I have a huge poster of 'The Wolfman' proudly hanging in my bedroom!
My favorite Jack Pierce creation is still the Frankenstein monster. As far as a movie that I wish he had worked on, I would have loved to have seen what he might have done with Freddy Krueger's makeup.
Such a sad end for such a genius. His impact on Universal, the horror genre, and cinema in general, is incalculable
I was surprised to find out that was his end. I agree it's so sad, especially in contrast with the impact he had in his lifetime.
So glad you’re back
He really needs a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
My favorite Jack Pierce make up is The Frankenstein Monster and I would have like to see do the Tim Burton Batman films.
Yes yes yes!!
Yay you're back!!!!
I'm back! Hoping to release videos more consistently again!
How do you not have more subs yet? I've been following you when you were around 400subs and I thought "she's gonna blow up soon". Your content is amazing!!
Thank you so much! Still waiting to "blow up" but having fun in the meantime 😉
Hi, Antonia! I enjoyed your Pierce "Memoriam," but, although you hinted that Jack wasn't "a team player," you rather glossed over "why" he didn't remain at Universal until he retired or died.
Wikipedia sums it up: "Jack Pierce was unceremoniously fired from Universal in 1946, after twenty years of service. More to the point, the new management at the studio, now called Universal International, wanted to upgrade the company image from B-pictures and programmers to prestige pictures. The Westmore brothers, whose name was as well known in the industry as Max Factor, leaned on the studio to hire their youngest brother, Bud, to head the department. Though Bud Westmore's professional experience was limited to minor films for PRC, he was photogenic, charming, and young, unlike Pierce. Universal got the cache of the Westmore name, and Bud Westmore became the head of the department for the next twenty years, and Jack Pierce was out of a job."
Jack's genius pulled Universal back from near bankruptcy during the 30s--- Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, Bride of Frankenstein. Had it not been for his iconic creations... maybe we wouldn't be talking about the Universal "monsterdom" today; maybe we wouldn't be talking about Universal, at all.
Frequently, brilliant artists are obstreperous, agreed; Jack's unerring genius gave him wide latitude at the studio. It's been said that he could be tyrannical, obstinate, perfection-driven. Agreed.
My feeling, though, with talent like Jack's, you let him work his magic, regardless--- you (aka Universal) honor him and his work--- and you (aka Universal) don't cut him loose until he decides to go.
I doubt Laemmle Sr. would have treated Jack thusly. There was loyalty "back in the day."
Just some thoughts to share.
Mel
Thank you for this well-crafted portrait of the incomparable Jack Pierce. He is sadly another example of Hollywood's tendency to devour its own. There is probably another story to be told regarding the role Pierce's assistant Mr. Westmore may have played in his downfall. I have always wondered what Pierce would have done with the Creature from the Black Lagoon.
I've never heard a good thing about the Westmores 😬
1 - The Wolf Man (1941), btw today would have been Creighton Tull Chaney (Lon Jr.)'s 116th birthday.
2 - I would have loved to see what Mr. Pierce could have done with the Predator if he were alive in '87.
I saw that it was his birthday today! I'm happy he got some mentions in this video, but perhaps I should have released a Lon, Jr. video today instead
And Predator is a great pick!
How can you leave out the make up Jack Pierce did for my favorite actor, Conrad Veidt, in the 1928 Universal silent film "The Man Wo Laughs"? Great movie and the look Pierce created for Veidt's character is credited with being the inspiration for the Joker in Batman comics.
Funny you mention it, I included Conrad Veidt and The Man Who Laughs in some of the bonus content I put on my Patreon! (Joker fact and all!)
I heard for Dracula, Pierce made some greacepaint for Lugosi. Also I wonder if Lon Chaney sr. had still been alive, would he had been head of the make up department if given the opportunity? If so, would he retired from films to focus on the makeup department?
Got to work with Michael Westmore on the Star Trek series. Are there connection to this artist?
He was also driven out of the studio by the Westmores who also robbed Millicent Patrick of credit for creating the Creature's design for decades.
I know a bit about the Westmores at Universal, and have heard about how they treated Millicent Patrick, but admit I haven't done a deep dive of them otherwise. May have to be a future video...
You missed out his work in The Man Who Laughed.
That's true! It's tough to cover everything every time. I touch upon it in this video about Conrad Veidt! ruclips.net/video/c1_8Sxo-T2U/видео.htmlsi=A2hn3_KhAiyRkI4H
Hey- Great vid as usual. Question- in a TV interview, GLORIA JEAN was talking about her Universal days, and said she loved to go DOWN to the make up dept and watch Jack work on Karloff as the monster. Where was the make-up dept? sounds like it mightve been on the basement level. I thought this would make sense in those pre- air conditioning days. Can you confirm? Many thanks, Steven Beasley
Ooh what a great question! I'm not immediately sure if she means "down" like basement, or "down" in a more general sense talking about the lot. I'll see if I can get an answer for you!
@@AntoniaCarlotta Thanks! I dont mean to bombard you, but 2 burning questions Ive always wanted the answer to- Did any of the Karloff 'Frankenstein' wardrobe survive?
and... Are there any old photos of the portion of the backlot where Carla and other relatives resided? Whenever I wonder about that, I picture everyone living in a gypsy wagon! Ha! the power of Hollywood..
Is there any truth to the rumor that Jack Pierce actually knew and was friends with Lon Chaney, Sr.?
I imagine their paths must have crossed, but I couldn't find anything definitively to say they were friends. I hope the rumor turns out to be true though!
When are we gonna see a Millicent Patrick video?
I read Lady from the Black Lagoon a while back and LOVED it. I have a Creature video in the works (probably an April release) where I'll talk about Millicent Patrick a bit, but will have to look for an opportunity in the future to make a whole video about her!