 Dad, unidentified actress (perhaps Claire Bloom?) and Smith applying makeup. Image courtesy of makeupartistmag.com |  Another view of Dad, Dick Smith and unidentified person. Image courtesy of makeupartistmag.com |
On July 30, 2014, the cinema world lost one of its giants, Award winning makeup artist Dick Smith. For many fans and fellow makeup artists, Smith was known as "The Godfather of Makeup," an ode to his work on "The Godfather" and on his incredible influence in the movie industry. He began his career at NBC in 1945, where he literally created one of the most well-respected makeup departments in the world. Both ABC and CBS had their own departments, but NBC's team was the one getting all the attention. NBC didn't shy away from lavish productions and, as Smith notes in an interview, he hired many people who had come from a wide variety disciplines. Together, they pretty much learned it all on the job during the Golden Age of Television. How amazing and unimaginably stressful world that must have been.
Smith's death hits home for me personally because he was my father's first employer. Hired by Smith in 1950, my father, a struggling actor who often made himself up, became a member of Dick's elite team. and eventually took over as head of the department from 1959 to 1966. During his tenure, Dad thrived and eventually, the industry took notice. He won THE first ever Emmy award for his stunning work on Hallmark Hall of Fame's "Victoria Regina" and a second one in 1965 for "The Magnificent Yankee." Though he and my father rarely kept in touch, Smith's name often came up in our house as I was growing up. I knew a few stories about him, including how he injured and ultimately lost his left ring finger. I knew that there was a respect and even a bond between them, but I don't know any real specifics about their work together. In my own archives, I have no photos of them together. I also have no specific anecdotes about their work life. As word spread about Dick's death, I DID manage to find a few gems on the internet. Thanks to a video posted on www.makeupartistmag, I found two amazing photos of Dick and my father applying makeup to an actress. I THINK it may be Claire Bloom in an earlier production of "Victoria Regina," but I cannot be sure(see above). I'm also posting only part of a lengthy interview Smith had done years ago about his illustrious career. In it, he discusses the difficulties and challenges of working at NBC back then and, incredibly, mentions my father. Unfortunately, it's not the most complimentary remembrance, but it provides some invaluable information as to how my father was hired at NBC. He begins discussing my dad at around 3:30.
Smith's death hits home for me personally because he was my father's first employer. Hired by Smith in 1950, my father, a struggling actor who often made himself up, became a member of Dick's elite team. and eventually took over as head of the department from 1959 to 1966. During his tenure, Dad thrived and eventually, the industry took notice. He won THE first ever Emmy award for his stunning work on Hallmark Hall of Fame's "Victoria Regina" and a second one in 1965 for "The Magnificent Yankee." Though he and my father rarely kept in touch, Smith's name often came up in our house as I was growing up. I knew a few stories about him, including how he injured and ultimately lost his left ring finger. I knew that there was a respect and even a bond between them, but I don't know any real specifics about their work together. In my own archives, I have no photos of them together. I also have no specific anecdotes about their work life. As word spread about Dick's death, I DID manage to find a few gems on the internet. Thanks to a video posted on www.makeupartistmag, I found two amazing photos of Dick and my father applying makeup to an actress. I THINK it may be Claire Bloom in an earlier production of "Victoria Regina," but I cannot be sure(see above). I'm also posting only part of a lengthy interview Smith had done years ago about his illustrious career. In it, he discusses the difficulties and challenges of working at NBC back then and, incredibly, mentions my father. Unfortunately, it's not the most complimentary remembrance, but it provides some invaluable information as to how my father was hired at NBC. He begins discussing my dad at around 3:30.
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