FAY DAY!

[A very young Fay Wray photographed by William Mortenson in the mid-1920's.]

Come back later today for more!

ABBOTT & COSTELLO'S MONSTER MASKS

At about 55:35 of Universal's classic (and I really do mean classic) horror comedy, ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (1948), we see the boys trying on their masks for the masquerade party. Lou's looks like a Mr. Hyde character, but Bud's is definitely a werewolf mask, which, of course, doesn't sit too easily with the person they're showing it off to -- Larry Talbot!

We may be under the assumption that the masks are made of rubber, but we can plainly see that they are quite rigid when worn. That's because the material is really papier mache. They were made by makeup artist, Emile Lavigne, who also helped to apply the makeup to Chaney's Wolfman, Glenn Strange's Frankenstein monster, and Lugosi's Dracula (I think by this time Lugosi acquiesced to having someone else apply his makeup).

The makeup crew for A&C MEET FRANKENSTEIN was star-studded: Bud Westmore was at the helm (naturally), and Lavigne and Jack Kevan assisted. Carmen Dirigo, who also worked with Jack Pierce, tended to the hair and wigs. I suspect that with two supremely capable talents like Lavigne and Kevan, Westmore -- as he did in CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON -- mainly supervised. Lavigne and Kevan nevertheless went uncredited.

Incredibly, the two masks survived the years and were sold at auction in 2007 for a combined total of nearly $20,000. Lavigne held on to them as keepsakes until his death in 1990, when his family assumed his estate.

I can't end this post without mentioning that, after Bud and Lou show their masks to Talbot, the dialogue leads into one of the funniest lines ever in a horror comedy film:

Talbot: I know you think I'm crazy but, in a half an hour the moon will rise and ... I'll turn into a wolf.
Lou: Yeah, you and 20 million other guys!

TOPSTONE TUESDAY: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT!

[SOURCE: TUMBLR]

EARLY MOVIE MAKEUP RUBBER APPLIANCES

Heralded in the March 1938 issue of POPULAR SCIENCE as a "new development for make-up on stage and screen", a rubber plastic material by DuPont was utilized in the making of molded pieces to be applied for character makeup. The unnamed material had already been used in 1930's industry to make such varied products as gas pump hose, printing rollers, and protective covering for electric cables, when an actor by the name of Lucien Littlefield came up with the idea to form the rubber material into different shapes on plaster face casts and to then apply them to the face for the desired special effect.

Lucien Littlefield (1895 - 1960) was an actor that played roles both in the silent and sound eras, including appearing in a number of TV shows as a character actor (including an eccentric inventor in an episode in The Adventures of Superman). He is most noted for his role as "The Doctor" in the 1927 silent film THE CAT AND THE CANARY. He played another eccentric professor/inventor with Laurel and Hardy in DIRTY WORK. He also appeared as Gaston beside Rudolph Valentino in THE SHEIK (1921).

As a character actor, Littlefield no doubt was looking for ways to avoid, as the article describes, "the painful skin-stretching, padding, and other uncomfortable expedients of the type used by the late Lon Chaney when he made himself up for his character parts." The article goes on to show in detail the steps he employed to produce his rubber makeup pieces, beginning with the plaster cast of his face to the application of the finished molded part with the addition of grease paint and hair.

It is unclear exactly what product is being described in the article. It is alternately characterized by "plastic", "rubber", and "plastic rubber". DuPont invented neoprene in 1930 and marketed it in 1931 as DuPrene. It has been used for everything from waders, to drum pads, training knives and swords, and laptop sleeves. It is also cited for its flexibility and strength. However, in Step 5 of the article, the caption states that "artificial latex" is poured into the cotton-lined mold.

It is cited in the article that this process was invented by Littlefield himself, so it is likely that his technique was expanded upon by other makeup artists after the information became available. While other synthetic and polymerized materials are available and more popular for use by today's makeup and special effects artists, latex rubber is still around for low-cost makeup effects and mask-making.

It is ironic to note that Littlefield discovered and employed this process as early as 1938, when the article was published. It probably wasn't very long after that it was utilized across the industry. Could this have been the beginning of the end for makeup legend Jack Pierce, who insisted on his method of "building up" makeup instead of using formed appliances, and in effect, eventually putting himself out of a job?

LANGDON AFTER MIDNIGHT

I wrote about famous makeup and special effects artist Rick Baker a few days ago here at MONSTER MAGAZINE WORLD. Another makeup man whose specialty was monster masks was a fellow by the name of Verne Langdon. Mr. Langdon was responsible for the FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND "Zombie Mask" that has become the stuff of legend.

Forry Ackerman included an article by Bud Philips (who writes very much in the style of FJA) on Langon in FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND #102 (October 1973). In it, he talked about Langon's fabulous career and his work on the Zombie Mask, that is actually a she-zombie originally named Creepy Suzette!

NEW 'GOON MASK

The venerable Creature from the Black Lagoon has had more than his fair share of the limelight, and for good reason -- he's one of the most unique and original of the atom-age monsters. There's just something about the Gill Man that fans love, me included.

Making the rounds lately is the latest in a long line of rubber masks, this one from Forum Novelties, a wholesaler of, among other "novelties", Halloween costumes and accessories. From the pictures, the over-the-head mask is a beaut and a helluva lot nicer than the Rubie's Costume Co. version that came out a few years ago. The mask retails for $79.99. Now if they would just make a life-size Julie Adams figure . . .

 BONUS: Since this is a blog primarily about monster magazines, how about this article from the May 1954 MECHANIX ILLUSTRATED? It has made the rounds , but any Monsterologist worth his wolfbane wouldn't pass up the chance to read it one more time here at MONSTER MAGAZINE WORLD!

MONSTERPALOOZA MASKS 'N MODELS

I DREAMED I WAS A VAMPIRE GIRL IN MY VACUFORMED MASK

While not quite as popular or well-known, the legendary Topstone mask company sold a line of vacuformed plastic monster masks in addition to the rubber masks so often seen in monster magazines. Many of them were cheaper (no pun intended) knock-offs of the same designs made famous by Topstone's top masketeer, Keith Ward.

One excellent example of these vacuformed Topstone's was a 2011 eBay auction of the Vampire Girl mask. Offered in apparent like-new condition, it was up for bid at a price of $499.99. I came across this after the auction had ended so I don't know if it was sold or not.

For the sake of historical preservation and Monsterologists everywhere who might have missed it, I have included the complete series of images that accompanied the listing.