Person Biography:
Michael George Westmore is a renowned make-up artist and scion of the Westmore family, a dynasty of make-up artists in Hollywood. Born into a family with a rich history in the industry, Michael is the 13th generation to pursue a career in make-up. His grandfather, George Westmore, was the head of MGM's make-up department, while his father, Monte Westmore, headed the make-up department at Selznick International Pictures.
Michael's uncles were also prominent figures in the industry, including Bud Westmore, who worked at Universal and created the molded foam rubber suit for the Creature from the Black Lagoon; Wally Westmore, who headed the make-up department at Paramount; Ern Westmore, who occupied the same position at RKO; and Perc Westmore, chief make-up artist at Warner Brothers.
After graduating from the University of California-Santa Barbara, Michael started his career at Universal in 1961. He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming Assistant Department Head of Make-Up before turning freelance in the 1970s. During this time, he worked on a variety of films, including Trilogy of Terror, Rocky, and Capricorn One.
Michael's particular forte is making actors age in the course of a film, which he demonstrated in The Amazing Howard Hughes and True Confessions. He has also excelled in the design and production of prosthetics, latex masks, and special visual effects.
In 1986, Michael joined the Star Trek franchise as make-up supervisor and stayed on for 18 years. During this time, he designed the looks for characters such as Data and Lal, as well as creating prosthetics and make-up to bring the Ferengi, Cardassians, and Borg to life. He also redesigned the Klingons, giving them more pronounced forehead ridges and nose ridges.
Michael has won nine Primetime Emmy Awards and an Oscar for his work on the film Mask. He has also published two books, The Art of Theatrical Makeup for Stage and Screen and Makeup Man: From Rocky to Star Trek: The Amazing Creations of Hollywood's Michael Westmore.
