Jack Pierce: The Man Behind The Monsters

Scott Essman

Jun 2000 · Scott Essman

About this ebook

JACK PIERCE - THE MAN BEHIND THE MONSTERS chronicles the career exploits of Universal's classic monster creator, Jack Pierce, who was with the studio during their horror heyday of 1928-1947. After freelancing in Hollywood's earliest days as an actor, stuntman and assistant director, Pierce flourished in makeup in the 1910s and 1920s, first making himself into any variety of movie extras called for on fledgling studio lots. Then, from 1930-1947, Pierce created some of cinema history's most distinguishable icons of fright, including Frankenstein's Monster, The Mummy, The Bride of Frankenstein, Ygor, The Wolf Man, and The Phantom of the Opera among his many classic creations. Contained in this unique publication are detailed text and photos from every significant film of Pierce's career, spanning the mid-1910s to the mid-1960s.

About the author

 Scott Essman is the Creative Director of Visionary Media, A Multimedia Organization first created in New York in 1988 and reformed in Los Angeles in 1995.  He teaches mass media, filmmaking, screenwriting, directing, and digital video editing at the University of La Verne, The Art Institute of California, and California Polytechnic State University, Pomona.  Mr. Essman has been writing and producing projects about motion picture craftsmanship and Hollywood history since the 1980s. In 1996, he created his first special live event, a tribute to the greatest living makeup artist, Dick Smith. He is also the creator of many subsequent tributes programs such as tributes to: John Chambers and Planet of the Apes; The Wizard of Oz in concert with Warner Bros Studios; Jack Pierce—The Man Behind The Monsters; silent film star Lon Chaney at Universal Studios' CityWalk; and the Westmores of Hollywood at the first Monsterpalooza convention. Since 2002, he has also created numerous DVD documentaries and video interviews for Universal Studios Home Entertainment, including featurettes for Van Helsing, Dawn of the Dead, and The Chronicles of Riddick.  He also published seven issues of Directed By Magazine which highlighted feature film directors and their craft.  In 2008, Mr. Essman won a Rondo Award for Best Feature Film Commentary for his work on the Legacy Set of Universal Studios Home Entertainment's The Mummy (1932 version). Working for the American Cinema Editors, Below the Line News, MovieMaker, Cinefex, Variety, The Los Angeles Times, and many other print outlets and websites, Mr. Essman has also published over 500 articles about people who work behind-the-scenes in movies.  Mr. Essman wrote and directed the narrative short film Ten Men on the Field in spring 2011, which was selected for screening at The National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York for its baseball film festival.  Next, he directed the short film Potluck in summer and fall 2011.  In winter 2012, he wrote and directed the short Trane and Miles which is has been completed and is being considered for short film festivals.