In the early days of cinema, it was common for actors to do their own makeup and wigs, a craft that found its roots in theatre and vaudeville and carried over to the beginnings of the film industry and changed dramatically thanks to the savvy and artistic vision of George Westmore.

George Westmore, whose vision brought him from the Isle of Wight in the UK where he had established himself as a hairdresser and wigmaker, going onto become a leading light in the film industry working his way from Canada to the USA as a wigmaker with his family and taking risks along the way that led to a career and legacy that is still talked about today. 

With an inauspicious entry into cinema: offering his services for hair and makeup to the Selig Polyscope Company at a starting rate of $25 per week to later and by chance, it was Perc Westmore (son) offering support to Adolphe Menjou who had accidentally shaved off part of his mustache, which so impressed the legendary Douglas Fairbanks (senior) that the Westmore’s were hired to create all the wigs and take care of the hairdressing needs thanks to the professionalism of Perc Westmore and his father George Westmore (father of the clan and founder of the makeup artist industry we all know). 

With a client list that reads like the who's who of cinema throughout the years, from the Talmage family, Theda Barr, Douglas Fairbanks to name but a few, it is no surprise that the ethics and work started in early cinema with the Westmore clan have carried on throughout the cinema age into TV and beyond keeping alive a family legacy of excellence and defining a now multi-million-dollar industry.

To learn more about the Westmore family and its legacy see:

The Westmore’s of Hollywood Website

*With Special thanks to the Westmore family for supporting this blog series.