Jack Pierce

Jack Pierce

Known for: Costume & Make-Up
Biography: 1889-05-05
Deathday: 1968-07-19 (79 years old)

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Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Jack Pierce (born Janus Piccoula; May 5, 1889 – July 19, 1968) was a Hollywood make-up artist best remembered for creating the iconic makeup worn by Boris Karloff in Frankenstein (1931), along with various other classic monster make-ups for Universal Studios.


In the 1920s, Pierce embarked on a series of jobs in cinema—cinema manager, stuntman, actor, even assistant director, but within a few years he settled on mastering makeup. The head of Universal, Carl Laemmle, was won over with his creative abilities and hired full-time by the studio.


Universal's first "talkie" horror film, Dracula (1931), eschewed elaborate horror make-up. Pierce designed a special color greasepaint for Bela Lugosi for his vampire character, but Lugosi insisted on applying his own make-up. For all film appearances of the character thereafter, Pierce instituted a different look entirely, recasting Dracula as a man with graying hair and a mustache. The most significant creation during Pierce's time at the studio was Frankenstein (1931), with Lugosi originally cast as the Monster. Pierce came up with a design which was horrific as well as logical in the context of the story. So, where Henry Frankenstein has accessed the brain cavity, there is a scar and a seal, and the now famous "bolts" on the neck are actually electrodes: carriers for the electricity used to revive the stitched-up corpse.


As the head of Universal's make-up department, Pierce is credited with designing and creating the iconic make-ups for films like Frankenstein, The Mummy (1932), The Wolf Man (1941), and their various sequels associated with the characters. Utilizing his "out-of-the-kit" techniques, Pierce's make-ups were often very grueling and took a considerable amount of time to apply. Pierce was always reluctant to use latex appliances, favoring his technique of building facial features out of cotton and collodion, or nose putty. Pierce eventually started using latex appliances, most notably a rubber nose for Lon Chaney Jr. in The Wolf Man (1941) (the edges of the appliance are clearly visible through most of the film), and a rubber head piece for Boris Karloff in Bride of Frankenstein (1935) and Son of Frankenstein (1939).


He did a great many historical, old age and character make-ups in TV anthology series such as Screen Directors Playhouse, You Are There and Telephone Time. One episode of that show, a drama called The Golden Junkman, featured Lon Chaney Jr. as an unlettered but kindly Armenian junk dealer who ages from his 30s to his 70s in the course of the story, which Pierce handled with aplomb.


Pierce died in 1968 from uremia.


Jack Pierce's enduring work at Universal has become a huge influence to many in the entertainment field, including make-up artists Rick Baker and Tom Savini. In 2003, Pierce was recognized with a lifetime achievement award from the Hollywood Make-up Artist and Hair Stylist Guild. In May 2013, Cinema Makeup School in Los Angeles dedicated a memorial gallery in his honor.

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Filmography

all 99

Movies 98

self 2

TV Shows 1

Self (archive footage)
Jack Pierce: The Man Who Made the Monsters

Jack Pierce: The Man Who Made the Monsters (2015)

Movie
Self (archive footage)
He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art of Jack Pierce

He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art of Jack Pierce (2008)

Movie
Grady Felton
Midsomer Murders

Midsomer Murders (1997)

TV
6
Makeup Artist
The Creation of the Humanoids

The Creation of the Humanoids (1962)

Movie
Makeup Artist
Beyond the Time Barrier

Beyond the Time Barrier (1960)

Movie
Makeup Artist
The Amazing Transparent Man

The Amazing Transparent Man (1960)

Movie
Makeup Artist
I Bury the Living

I Bury the Living (1958)

Movie
Makeup Artist
Giant from the Unknown

Giant from the Unknown (1958)

Movie
Makeup Artist
The Brain from Planet Arous

The Brain from Planet Arous (1957)

Movie
6
Makeup Artist
No. 5 Checked Out

No. 5 Checked Out (1956)

Movie
Makeup Artist
No Escape

No Escape (1953)

Movie
Makeup Artist
Tales of Robin Hood

Tales of Robin Hood (1951)

Movie
Makeup Artist
Blades of the Musketeers

Blades of the Musketeers (1950)

Movie
Makeup Artist
The Pilgrimage Play

The Pilgrimage Play (1949)

Movie
Makeup Artist
Master Minds

Master Minds (1949)

Movie
6
Makeup Artist
Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc (1948)

Movie
Makeup Artist
Time Out of Mind

Time Out of Mind (1947)

Movie
Makeup Artist
The Egg and I

The Egg and I (1947)

Movie
Makeup Artist
Buck Privates Come Home

Buck Privates Come Home (1947)

Movie
Makeup Artist
Doctor Jim

Doctor Jim (1947)

Movie
Makeup Department Head
Magnificent Doll

Magnificent Doll (1946)

Movie
Makeup Artist
Temptation

Temptation (1946)

Movie
Makeup Artist
The Brute Man

The Brute Man (1946)

Movie
6
Makeup Department Head
The Killers

The Killers (1946)

Movie
4
Makeup Supervisor
Black Angel

Black Angel (1946)

Movie
Makeup Artist
Canyon Passage

Canyon Passage (1946)

Movie
Makeup Artist
Tangier

Tangier (1946)

Movie
Makeup & Hair
Her Adventurous Night

Her Adventurous Night (1946)

Movie
Makeup Department Head
Dressed to Kill

Dressed to Kill (1946)

Movie
4.33
Makeup Artist
She-Wolf of London

She-Wolf of London (1946)

Movie
5.5
Makeup Artist
The Cat Creeps

The Cat Creeps (1946)

Movie
Makeup Artist
House of Horrors

House of Horrors (1946)

Movie
1
Makeup Artist
The Spider Woman Strikes Back

The Spider Woman Strikes Back (1946)

Movie
Makeup Artist
Little Giant

Little Giant (1946)

Movie
Makeup Department Head
Terror by Night

Terror by Night (1946)

Movie
4.33
Makeup Department Head
Little Miss Big

Little Miss Big (1946)

Movie
Makeup Artist
Scarlet Street

Scarlet Street (1945)

Movie
6
Makeup Artist
House of Dracula

House of Dracula (1945)

Movie
5.64
Makeup Department Head
Pursuit to Algiers

Pursuit to Algiers (1945)

Movie
4
Makeup Artist
The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry

The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry (1945)

Movie
10
Makeup Artist
The Jungle Captive

The Jungle Captive (1945)

Movie
Makeup Artist
The Naughty Nineties

The Naughty Nineties (1945)

Movie
Makeup Artist
Sudan

Sudan (1945)

Movie
Makeup Artist
The Mummy's Curse

The Mummy's Curse (1944)

Movie
5.36
Makeup Artist
House of Frankenstein

House of Frankenstein (1944)

Movie
5.35
Makeup Artist
The Climax

The Climax (1944)

Movie
Makeup Artist
Gypsy Wildcat

Gypsy Wildcat (1944)

Movie
Makeup Artist
The Mummy's Ghost

The Mummy's Ghost (1944)

Movie
5.37
Makeup Artist
Jungle Woman

Jungle Woman (1944)

Movie
Makeup Artist
Cobra Woman

Cobra Woman (1944)

Movie
Makeup Artist
The Mad Ghoul

The Mad Ghoul (1943)

Movie
6
Makeup Artist
Son of Dracula

Son of Dracula (1943)

Movie
5.63
Makeup Artist
Flesh and Fantasy

Flesh and Fantasy (1943)

Movie
Makeup Artist
Phantom of the Opera

Phantom of the Opera (1943)

Movie
Makeup Artist
Captive Wild Woman

Captive Wild Woman (1943)

Movie
Makeup Artist
White Savage

White Savage (1943)

Movie
Makeup Artist
Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man

Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943)

Movie
5.64
Makeup Artist
The Mummy's Tomb

The Mummy's Tomb (1942)

Movie
5.64
Makeup Artist
The Ghost of Frankenstein

The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942)

Movie
5.16
Makeup Artist
The Wolf Man

The Wolf Man (1941)

Movie
5.61
Makeup Artist
Man-Made Monster

Man-Made Monster (1941)

Movie
7.5
Makeup Artist
The Mummy's Hand

The Mummy's Hand (1940)

Movie
5.41
Makeup Artist
The House of the Seven Gables

The House of the Seven Gables (1940)

Movie
Makeup Artist
Black Friday

Black Friday (1940)

Movie
6
Makeup Artist
Tower of London

Tower of London (1939)

Movie
6
Makeup Artist
Son of Frankenstein

Son of Frankenstein (1939)

Movie
5.39
Makeup Artist
Wives Under Suspicion

Wives Under Suspicion (1938)

Movie
Makeup Artist
Let Them Live

Let Them Live (1937)

Movie
Makeup Artist
Night Key

Night Key (1937)

Movie
1
Makeup Artist
Two in a Crowd

Two in a Crowd (1936)

Movie
Makeup Artist
Show Boat

Show Boat (1936)

Movie
1
Makeup Artist
Dracula's Daughter

Dracula's Daughter (1936)

Movie
5.53
Makeup Artist
The Invisible Ray

The Invisible Ray (1936)

Movie
5
Makeup Designer
The Raven

The Raven (1935)

Movie
5.83
Makeup Artist
Werewolf of London

Werewolf of London (1935)

Movie
5.59
Makeup Artist
Bride of Frankenstein

Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

Movie
5.73
Makeup Artist
Imitation of Life

Imitation of Life (1934)

Movie
Makeup Artist
Great Expectations

Great Expectations (1934)

Movie
Makeup Artist
Half a Sinner

Half a Sinner (1934)

Movie
Makeup Artist
The Black Cat

The Black Cat (1934)

Movie
6.17
Makeup Artist
By Candlelight

By Candlelight (1933)

Movie
Makeup Artist
The Invisible Man

The Invisible Man (1933)

Movie
5.3
Makeup Artist
The Kiss Before the Mirror

The Kiss Before the Mirror (1933)

Movie
Makeup Artist
The Big Cage

The Big Cage (1933)

Movie
Makeup Artist
Back Street

Back Street (1932)

Movie
Makeup Artist
White Zombie

White Zombie (1932)

Movie
5.33
Makeup Artist
Murders in the Rue Morgue

Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932)

Movie
5.73
Makeup Designer
The Mummy

The Mummy (1932)

Movie
5.66
Makeup Artist / Makeup Designer
Frankenstein

Frankenstein (1931)

Movie
5.47
Makeup Artist
Dracula

Dracula (1931)

Movie
5.88
Makeup Artist
King of Jazz

King of Jazz (1930)

Movie
Second Reporter
Masquerade

Masquerade (1929)

Movie
Makeup Artist
The Last Warning

The Last Warning (1928)

Movie
Makeup Artist
The Man Who Laughs

The Man Who Laughs (1928)

Movie
Man Operating Ropes (uncredited)
The Circus

The Circus (1928)

Movie
4.57
Actor
Isle of Sunken Gold

Isle of Sunken Gold (1927)

Movie
Makeup Artist
The Lady of the Harem

The Lady of the Harem (1926)

Movie
Makeup Artist
The Wanderer

The Wanderer (1925)

Movie
Pete Gushard
Riders of the Law

Riders of the Law (1922)

Movie

Ratings

Average 5.75
Based on 646 Thousand movie and tv ratings over time
1922
1935
1944
1937
2015
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Information

Known For
Costume & Make-Up

Gender
Male

Birthday
1889-05-05

Deathday
1968-07-19 (79 years old)

Birth Name
Γιάννης Πίκουλας

Birth Place
Greece, Greece

Citizenships
United States of America

Also Known As
Janus Piccoulas, Jack P. Pierce, Janus Piccoula, John Pierce, Jack P. Pearce, Jack Pearce


This article uses material from Wikipedia.
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