# Perc Westmore

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**Percival Harry Westmore** (29 October 1904 – 30 September 1970) was a prominent member of the [Westmore family](/source/Westmore_family) of Hollywood make-up [artists](/source/Make-up_artist). He rose to the position of head of the [Warner Bros.](/source/Warner_Bros.) make-up department, and with his brothers founded the studio "The House of Westmore" on [Sunset Boulevard](/source/Sunset_Boulevard) in Los Angeles. He worked with well-known Hollywood actresses of the period, including [Lauren Bacall](/source/Lauren_Bacall), [Bette Davis](/source/Bette_Davis) and [Kay Francis](/source/Kay_Francis). He was married four times, and collected cuttings relating to the Westmore family throughout his life which were subsequently [donated](/source/Donation) to [Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences](/source/Academy_of_Motion_Picture_Arts_and_Sciences) after his death.

## Biography

The House of Westmore beauty salon was opened on 16 April 1935, on [Sunset Boulevard](/source/Sunset_Boulevard).[1] Perc (pronounced "Perss" not "Perk") was instrumental in finishing the project, as the brothers had run out of money before finishing it. Whilst working on *[Stranded](/source/Stranded_(1935_film))*, he told actress [Kay Francis](/source/Kay_Francis) of their plight. She responded by giving him a blank cheque to complete the project, which he cashed for $25,000. Francis, along with other stars of the day including [Marlene Dietrich](/source/Marlene_Dietrich), [Clara Bow](/source/Clara_Bow) and [Carole Lombard](/source/Carole_Lombard), subsequently helped launch the studio.[2]

Whilst he was head of the Warner Brothers make-up department, he piloted several changes including introducing a description of shades of [hair colour](/source/Human_hair_color) to use different types of make-up more appropriately. Whereas prior to Perc, studios described actresses simply as blonde or [brunette](/source/Brunette), Perc introduced a chart of thirty five shades of blonde alone.[3] During the production of one film, Perc created a detailed [latex](/source/Latex) hand for a close-up shot. According to Perc's brother Frank, the hand was so detailed that he was visited by doctors to study it and the process was adapted for use by the [medical industry](/source/Medical_industry).[4]

Perc was involved in the House of Westmore beauty product range, and one promotion run by the company gave away copies of "Perc Westmore's Make-up Guide".[5] One such advertisement described Perc's achievements as "responsible for the coilfure and make-up of such great stars as [Bette Davis](/source/Bette_Davis), [Ann Sheridan](/source/Ann_Sheridan), [Merle Oberon](/source/Merle_Oberon), [Olivia de Havilland](/source/Olivia_de_Havilland), [Brenda Marshall](/source/Brenda_Marshall)... and at one time or another has worked with practically every great [star](/source/Movie_star) of Hollywood."[6]

He made an onscreen [cameo](/source/Cameo_appearance) in the 1937 film *[Hollywood Hotel](/source/Hollywood_Hotel_(film))*.[7] Perc was the make-up artist for Bette Davis during the filming of *[The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex](/source/The_Private_Lives_of_Elizabeth_and_Essex)* in 1939, where she became the first Hollywood actress to appear bald on screen (although it was actually only a couple of inches of her hairline which was shaved, to appear bald under wigs). This wasn't due to Westmore's ideas, but because Davis wanted to appear historically accurate as [Queen Elizabeth](/source/Elizabeth_I_of_England).[8] He very nearly changed [Lauren Bacall](/source/Lauren_Bacall)'s styling to something similar to Marlene Dietrich when Bacall attended for her screen test prior to her first film for Warner Bros. Bacall panicked at the suggestion and called producer [Howard Hawks](/source/Howard_Hawk) who insisted to Perc that he should leave her the way she was.[9]

In 1951, he worked with the [United States Navy](/source/United_States_Navy) to develop a [hair style](/source/Hairstyle) for female personnel which would stand up to [sea breezes](/source/Sea_breeze) and prevent the hair from falling against the collar, which at the time was against regulations.[10] Perc died of a heart attack on 30 September 1970, at his home in [North Hollywood](/source/North_Hollywood,_Los_Angeles).[11] He is interred at [Glendale's](/source/Glendale,_California) [Forest Lawn Memorial Park](/source/Forest_Lawn_Memorial_Park_(Glendale)). He was posthumously nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Make-up at the [23rd Primetime Emmy Awards](/source/23rd_Primetime_Emmy_Awards) in 1971 for his work on *[The Third Bill Cosby Special](/source/The_Third_Bill_Cosby_Special)*. The award went to [Robert Dawn](/source/Robert_Dawn) for *[Mission: Impossible](/source/Mission:_Impossible_(1966_TV_series))*.[12]

On 3 October 2008, the Westmore family received a star on the [Hollywood Walk of Fame](/source/Hollywood_Walk_of_Fame) for their work in the motion picture industry.[13][14]

## Personal life

Perc was a member of the [Westmore family](/source/Westmore_family), and twin brother of [Ern Westmore](/source/Ern_Westmore).[15] Perc was rumoured to be involved in an [affair](/source/Affair) with [Kay Francis](/source/Kay_Francis), but no reference to it was found in Francis' diaries.[2] He was married on several occasions, to Virginia Thomas, [Gloria Dickson](/source/Gloria_Dickson), Juliette Novis and Margaret Valetta.[16][17] He was also engaged to [Betty Hutton](/source/Betty_Hutton),[18] who broke off the engagement later saying it was because he bored her.[19]

During his marriage to Dickson, she vanished for several days with the story reaching the media.[20] He [adopted](/source/Adoption) a daughter with Virginia Thomas, also named Virginia. When Margaret Valetta's divorce was processed in 1951 on the grounds of cruelty, she had a signed agreement with Perc that she would have [custody](/source/Child_custody) of Virginia.[21]

## Legacy

Perc Westmore collected a number of clippings and recordings featuring himself and his family. The combined collection of 42 scrapbooks, plus recordings and manuscript material were donated by Ola Carroll Westmore to the [Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences](/source/Academy_of_Motion_Picture_Arts_and_Sciences) in 1971 after his death.[22]

## Partial filmography

- *[The Greater Glory](/source/The_Greater_Glory)* (1925)
- *[The Lost World](/source/The_Lost_World_(1925_film))* (1925)
- *[The Man Who Played God](/source/The_Man_Who_Played_God_(1932_film))* (1932)
- *[Mystery of the Wax Museum](/source/Mystery_of_the_Wax_Museum)* (1933)
- *[The Roaring Twenties](/source/The_Roaring_Twenties)* (1939)
- *[Dodge City](/source/Dodge_City_(film))* (1939)
- *[The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex](/source/The_Private_Lives_of_Elizabeth_and_Essex)* (1939)
- *[It All Came True](/source/It_All_Came_True)* (1940)
- *[They Drive by Night](/source/They_Drive_by_Night)* (1940)
- "[The Bride Came C.O.D.](/source/The_Bride_Came_C.O.D.)" (1941)
- *[The Maltese Falcon](/source/The_Maltese_Falcon_(1941_film))* (1941)
- *[High Sierra](/source/High_Sierra_(film))* (1941)
- *[The Nurse’s Secret](/source/The_Nurse%E2%80%99s_Secret_(film))* (1941)
- *[Sergeant York](/source/Sergeant_York_(film))*
- *[The Strawberry Blonde](/source/The_Strawberry_Blonde_(film))* (1941)
- *[They Died with Their Boots On](/source/They_Died_with_Their_Boots_On)* (1941)
- *[Gentleman Jim](/source/Gentleman_Jim_(1942_film))* (1942)
- *[Larceny, Inc.](/source/Larceny,_Inc.)* (1942)
- *[Now, Voyager](/source/Now,_Voyager)* (1942)
- *[All Through the Night](/source/All_Through_the_Night_(film))* (1942)
- *[Casablanca](/source/Casablanca_(film))* (1942)
- *[Action in the North Atlantic](/source/Action_in_the_North_Atlantic)* (1943)
- *[Destination Tokyo](/source/Destination_Tokyo)* (1943)
- *[Passage to Marseille](/source/Passage_to_Marseille)* (1944)
- *[Arsenic and Old Lace](/source/Arsenic_and_Old_Lace_(film))* (1944)
- *[Mr. Skeffington](/source/Mr._Skeffington)* (1944)
- *[The Mask of Dimitrios](/source/The_Mask_of_Dimitrios)* (1944)
- *[To Have and Have Not](/source/To_Have_and_Have_Not_(film))* (1944)
- *[Objective, Burma!](/source/Objective,_Burma!)* (1945)
- *[Mildred Pierce](/source/Mildred_Pierce_(film))* (1945)
- *[Night and Day](/source/Night_and_Day_(1946_film))* (1946)
- *[Humoresque](/source/Humoresque_(1946_film))* (1946)
- *[Deception](/source/Deception_(1946_film))* (1946)
- *[The Time, the Place and the Girl](/source/The_Time,_the_Place_and_the_Girl_(1946_film))* (1946)
- *[My Wild Irish Rose](/source/My_Wild_Irish_Rose)* (1947)
- *[Possessed](/source/Possessed_(1947_film))* (1947)
- *[Dark Passage](/source/Dark_Passage_(film))* (1947)
- *[The Treasure of the Sierra Madre](/source/The_Treasure_of_the_Sierra_Madre_(film))* (1948)
- *[Romance on the High Seas](/source/Romance_on_the_High_Seas)* (1948)
- *[Two Guys from Texas](/source/Two_Guys_from_Texas)* (1948)
- *[Adventures of Don Juan](/source/Adventures_of_Don_Juan)* (1948)
- *[One Sunday Afternoon](/source/One_Sunday_Afternoon_(1948_film))* (1948)
- *[Key Largo](/source/Key_Largo_(film))* (1948)
- *[Rope](/source/Rope_(film))* (1948)
- *[Flamingo Road](/source/Flamingo_Road_(film))* (1949)
- *[Beyond the Forest](/source/Beyond_the_Forest)* (1949)
- *[The Fountainhead](/source/The_Fountainhead_(film))* (1949)
- *[White Heat](/source/White_Heat)* (1949)
- *[Chain Lightning](/source/Chain_Lightning_(1950_film))* (1950)
- *[The Damned Don't Cry](/source/The_Damned_Don't_Cry)* (1950)
- *[Caged](/source/Caged_(1950_film))* (1950)
- *[Bright Leaf](/source/Bright_Leaf)* (1950)
- *[Storm Warning](/source/Storm_Warning_(1951_film))* (1951)
- *[The Good Guys and the Bad Guys](/source/The_Good_Guys_and_the_Bad_Guys)* (1969)
- *[There Was a Crooked Man...](/source/There_Was_a_Crooked_Man..._(1970_film))* (1970)

## Published works

- Westmore, Perc (1956). *The Westmore Beauty Book*. Chicago: Melvin Korshak Publishers.

## References

1. Williams, Greg (2005). [*The Story of Hollywood: An Illustrated History*](https://books.google.com/books?id=9W4R_CZtFe8C&pg=PA400). BL Press. p. 209. ISBN 9780977629909.

1. Kear, Lynn & Rossman, John (2006). [*Kay Francis: A Passionate Life And Career*](https://books.google.com/books?id=QWRWZu2EsKAC&pg=PA87). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. p. 87. ISBN 9780786423668.

1. ["Blonde to You – Thirty-five Different Types to Westmore"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7mRjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=I0kNAAAAIBAJ&pg=3687,1341418&dq=perc+westmore&hl=en). *Rochester Evening Journal*. 24 January 1935. Retrieved 18 November 2012.

1. Nichols, Harmon W. (10 March 1953). ["Invention of Make-up Artist Aids Handicapped"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NGg1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=xCMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5205,2907317&dq=perc+westmore&hl=en). *The Times-News*. Retrieved 18 November 2012.

1. ["Here's Westmore's Amazing Waterproof Foundation Cream in Action!"](https://books.google.com/books?id=b0kEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA77). *Life*. Vol. 6, no. 25. 19 June 1939. p. 77. Retrieved 18 November 2012.

1. ["You Can Have Your Hair Restyled by Perc Westmore"](https://books.google.com/books?id=b0kEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA77). *Life*. Vol. 10, no. 20. 19 May 1941. p. 124. Retrieved 18 November 2012.

1. Fleming, E.J. (2005). [*Carole Landis: A Tragic Life In Hollywood*](https://books.google.com/books?id=PCKwhIFDYx0C&pg=PA40). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. pp. 38–40. ISBN 9780786422005.

1. Latham, Bethany (2011). [*Elizabeth I in Film and Television: A Study of the Major Portrayals*](https://books.google.com/books?id=50zStEopKDIC&pg=PA80). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. p. 80. ISBN 9780786437184.

1. Magee, Sean (2012). [*Desert Island Discs: 70 Years of Castaways*](https://books.google.com/books?id=ny5VTtPLLiIC&pg=PA200). London: Bantam. p. 200. ISBN 9780593070062.

1. ["New Hairdo Designed for Wave Uniform"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=44stAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XJ0FAAAAIBAJ&pg=6591,2898261&dq=perc+westmore&hl=en). *Reading Eagle*. 9 February 1951. Retrieved 18 November 2012.

1. ["Perc Westmore"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-CYxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0gEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5576,198091&dq=perc+westmore&hl=en). *Toledo Blade*. 1 October 1970. Retrieved 18 November 2012.

1. ["Outstanding Achievement in Make-up 1971"](http://www.emmys.com/nominations/1971/OUTSTANDING%20ACHIEVEMENT%20IN%20MAKEUP). Emmys.com. Retrieved 18 November 2012.

1. ["The Westmores | Hollywood Walk of Fame"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160403094130/http://walkoffame.com/westmores). *www.walkoffame.com*. Archived from [the original](http://www.walkoffame.com/westmores) on 3 April 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.

1. ["The Westmores"](http://projects.latimes.com/hollywood/star-walk/the-westmores/). *Los Angeles Times*. Retrieved 24 July 2016.

1. ["The Mask Maker Make-up Man Creates Film Characters, Transforms Disfigured Faces"](http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=LA&p_theme=la&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EF50D8B15BD4DA2&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM). *Daily News of Los Angeles*. 19 March 1986. Retrieved 18 November 2012. (subscription required)

1. ["Perc Westmore to Wed Again"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OSBPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=bE0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4327,4375741&dq=perc+westmore&hl=en). *St. Petersburg Times*. 5 November 1942. Retrieved 18 November 2012.

1. ["Perc Westmore Divorced"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=S0UjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=S5kFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2266,8692189&dq=perc+westmore&hl=en). *The Gazette*. 24 April 1951. Retrieved 18 November 2012.

1. ["St. Petersburg Times – Google News Archive Search"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=888&dat=19421105&id=OSBPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=bE0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4327,4375741&hl=en). Retrieved 24 July 2016.

1. Graham, Sheilah (21 February 1943). ["With the Hollywood Gadabout"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6gUoAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8iIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3597,3035472&dq=perc+westmore&hl=en). *The Milwaukee Journal*. Retrieved 18 November 2012.[dead link]

1. ["Movie Actress is Reported Missing"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0BcxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=W-EFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3945,5094864&dq=perc+westmore&hl=en). *Reading Eagle*. 28 February 1940. Retrieved 18 November 2012.

1. ["Perc Westmore's Fourth Wife Sues"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=d0UpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=I2cFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2741,7309432&dq=perc+westmore&hl=en). *Lewiston Evening Journal*. 27 March 1951. Retrieved 18 November 2012.

1. ["Perc Westmore Papers"](http://collections.oscars.org/ics-wpd/exec/icswppro.dll?AC=qbe_query&TN=CollMgr&RF=WebPapers&MF=oscarsmsg.ini&NP=255&BU=http://collections.oscars.org/index.htm&QY=find+Collection+Number+%3d81). Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 18 November 2012.

## External links

- [Perc Westmore](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0922884/) at IMDb
- [Perc Westmore](https://www.aenigma-images.com/2015/07/perc-westmore/) at [aenigma](https://www.aenigma-images.com/)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Perc Westmore](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perc_Westmore) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perc_Westmore?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.