Local 706 - The Artisan

62 • THE ARTISAN SUMMER 2021 Hollywood Wigmakers: Our Unsung Heroes I wanted to sing the praises of our (sometimes) unsung heroes with a series of conversations illustrating unique contribu- tions and exploring what working friendships have meant to them over the years making wigs for film, TV and theater in Hollywood. I don't know about you, but without a well-made wig, transforming an actor into the character they envision can take a lot of hair styling trickery. A custom-made wig can instantly transform hair color and texture without damaging the actor's hair and can save on styling time in the chair. They are simply hand-made miracles. My first department head job was with a Paul Huntley wig. I have since worked with many wigs from many wigmakers. I took my journeyman test borrowing a lace wig from Vivian Walker when she owned the wig stock from MGM and rented them out through Favian Wigs (since purchased by George and Natascha Ladek and still in business). It wasn't until years later that I had the pleasure of having one of many wigs made by Renate. This toupee she made for me still looked a little thick over the actor's slicked down hair and she said to me, "dahrling, you could read a newspaper through B Y D A N I E L C U R E T J O U R N E Y M A N H A I R S T Y L I S T that thing, why don't you try shaving his head?' Sage advise, it did the trick. With more than 61 credits on IMDb and countless of uncredited wigs made, Renate Leuschner has had a roster of actors, hair stylists, make-up artists, producers and directors seek out her talent. She has now retired, closed up shop and offered her wig stock up for sale. Renate, when did you get your start? I got my start in Germany. In the the- ater as an apprentice. First in a beauty salon, then as an apprentice in the the- ater classified as a "künstlerlehrling" (which means a make-up apprentice and doing everything) for three years. I learned all the period hair styling. My first boss would give me wigs to work on and had me copy his period work. He taught me how to see the "big picture" in designing for shows. He taught me a lot. In those days, they didn't pay very much. Then I got to do the big shows. When did you get to Hollywood? I wanted to see America. I had no intention to stay. In those days, there were immigration programs you could apply for and somehow I got a job at a beauty salon in Chicago which I hated. Through a mutual acquaintance from Germany, I met Ziggy, who did beautiful men's hairpieces. We communicated and he helped me come out west. At 26 or 27, I took the cross country train to Los Angeles. He got me my first job in a wig-styling salon and gave me a few hairpieces to work on. I wasn't a very good wigmaker in those days. I was mostly a hair stylist. He also introduced me to Roselle Friedland, the wig supervisor on The Carol Burnett Show and I worked with her and the costume designer Bob Mackie for a few years. I returned home for vacation and was laid off from that job. Bob contacted me to help an actress with very long hair apply a wig. Later on, the same actress' hair stylist was having problems wrapping her hair under another wig and she asked Bob to "get me that German girl!" That is how I met, and, got to work with Cher for The Sonny & PART 1: RENATE LEUSCHNER

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