Monte Westmore

Montague "Monte" Westmore (22 July 1902 – 30 March 1940) was a Hollywood make-up artist, the eldest of six sons of George Westmore. He worked for both the Famous Players–Lasky studio and Selznick International Pictures. He was the head of the makeup department at Selznick and worked on films including Gone with the Wind and Rebecca (1940). His death from a heart attack following a tonsillectomy has been credited to the heavy workload on Gone with the Wind. He had three sons, Marvin, Michael, and Monty, all of whom also became make-up artists.

Biography Monte was a member of the Westmore family and the oldest of George Westmore's six sons. His brothers were Perc, Ern, Wally, Bud and Frank, who all went on to work in makeup departments in Hollywood based studios. The family would gain a combined star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2008.

He worked on The Sheik (1921) and convinced actor Rudolph Valentino to allow him to do his makeup creating the clean Latin look in the process.

His work on Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) led to him being hired as the head of the makeup department at Selznick International Pictures. He also worked at the Oddie Beauty Salon, where he coached Constance Nichols who went on to become the personal hairstylist for several Hollywood actors and actresses.

Mutiny on the Bounty resulted in Monte being the head of the makeup department for Gone with the Wind (1939), Intermezzo (1939) and Rebecca (1940). He personally did the makeup for Scarlett O'Hara in the screentests for Gone with the Wind and also oversaw the makeup on the extras seen in the film. He did not receive any screen credit for his work on the film, as makeup artists were not regularly given such credit until the following decade.

Monte had three sons, including Michael Westmore, who won an Oscar for Best Makeup for the film Mask (1985), and nine Emmy Awards. His son Monty Westmore was also nominated for both an Academy Award and Emmy Award. His third son was Marvin Westmore, the founder and CEO of the George Westmore Research Library & Museum.

Partial filmography

The Sheik (1921) The King of Kings (1927) Forbidden (1932) The Crusades (1935) Gone with the Wind (1939) Intermezzo (1939) Rebecca (1940)