Local 706 - The Artisan

Winter 2020

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THEARTISAN WINTER 2020 • 73 In 1939, there were 318 names on the Union Eligibility List which included 143 make-up artists, 11 make-up appren- tices, 138 hair stylists and 26 body make-up artists. Today, there are more than 2,000 members. Many of the well-known, unknown, talented and respected artisans of former years and decades were listed there as available young men and women, each one a lifetime achiever. Over my time as a youth and early career behind the camera I have met, been mentored by and worked alongside more than 50 percent of them. Our Guild can be proud of all the active and retired members that have given so much to the motion picture and television industry. Along with advancements in all the crafts, the new Tech- nicolor process using high-intensity lights gave movie audi- ences a state-of-the-arts visual experience. The art of studio make-up was advanced with a new cosmetic formula and col- ors. There was also a new wave in how make-up techniques were applied and styled. It all came down to a new term in Hollywood, called "The Natural Appearance." An event occurred this year (2019) that inspired me to share this history of our Guild and my families' connection to the Golden Year of Hollywood. Just outside of Atlanta is a town called Marietta that was very much involved with the real Civil War. On the front of the grounds where the Georgia Military Institute used to stand before the war is Brumby Hall (built in 1851). This colonial edifi ce is where Col. Brumby, the superintendent of the institute, resided. Presently, Brumby Hall is the home of the Marietta Gone with the Wind Museum. It houses a magnifi cent collection of GWTW memorabilia, photos, paintings and costumes. This is a private collection owned by Dr. Christopher Sullivan and directed by Mrs. Connie Sutherland. This year being the 80th anniversary of Gone with the Wind, Marion and I were invited to attend their (2019) convention. It gave me a great opportunity to lecture about my father, his assistants and the unions involvement in the production of the fi lm plus showing on-set photos, make-up tests and sections of the black book. It was amazing. What other movie has con- tinuous fans that would assemble year after year from all over the world to celebrate the number one fi lm in Hollywood's history?• Top left and center: Monty Westmore applying make- up to actor Carroll Nye; fi lm poster. Second row from left: Westmore with Vivien Leigh; the Marietta Gone with the Wind Museum at Brumby Hall in Georgia.

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