Ben Lane, one of the 1937 founding members of our Motion Picture
Guild, passed away of natural causes on Sunday, June 10, 2007. A
Chicago native who started his film career as a makeup artist working
on the film "The Good Earth" in 1934, Ben Lane worked on some of the
best known faces in Hollywood during the "Golden Era", and was named
director of Make-up for Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, Warner
Brothers Television and Warner Brothers in 1955 and held that position
until his retirement in 1980. Ben was a lifetime honorary member of
the International Society of Makeup Artists and Los Angeles Mayor, Sam
Yorty proclaimed January 14, 1972 "Ben Lane Day" when Ben was
installed as President of the Show Business Shrine Club. During his
career, Ben was internationally known for his make-up work on such
stars as Cary Grant, Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra, Greer Garson,
Ava Gardner, Spencer Tracy, Judy Garland and many, many more. Ben
contributed greatly to the film industry during the transition from
black and white to color by developing natural-looking makeup. He felt
that his crowning achievement was for his transformation of actor
Godfrey Cambridge from a black to a white man for the film "The
Watermelon Man". He received national media attention which was rare
for a makeup artist at that time, and Look Magazine preserved the
achievement with photographs and text of Lane at work on Cambridge.
Ben put himself through a different kind of transformation as a part
of his work for charity. He was a frequent volunteer for the City of
Hope and the Masons and used to perform as a clown for the Shriner's
annual circus. He became an advisor to clowns nationwide. Ben was a
33rd degree Mason, Masonry's highest honor and was a founding member
of the Scottish Rite in Palm Springs. He was also a disguise
consultant to the Los Angeles Police Department, the United States
Department of Justice, and Federal Bureau of Investigation. In 1980
Ben was nominated for an Emmy award for his work on "Salem's Lot."
Even in retirement, Ben was constantly asked to write a tell-all book,
give speeches and makeup demonstrations but he always told them the
same thing - no, I'm tired. Services for Ben Lane are private and for
family only. He will be interred at Hillside Memorial Park in West Los
Angeles beside his mother, brother, sister and son. He is survived by
his wife of more than 67 years, Edith; sister Trudy (Schoenfeld); and
his son, Robert. Ben's other son, Steve was also a 706 makeup artist
who passed away in 1969 and his brother, Lou Lane was also a makeup
artist with local 706 who passed away in 1980. Ben was also brother-in-
law to Don Schoenfeld, former Makeup Department Head for Lorimar
Studios, and uncle of Kenneth Paul Schoenfeld, Journeyman makeup
artist. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made
in Ben's name to St. Jude's Hospital or a charity associated with the
Masons.
Published in The Desert Sun on 6/21/2007.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0485241/
His first credit was in 1955, but that appears to be typical for old
films, which didn't often credit a makeup artist at all.
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