From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mel Berns (September 27, 1897 - May 7, 1977) was an American make-up artist. He was the Head of Makeup at RKO Pictures for more than twenty years.
Berns began his career in the entertainment industry while working as an agent at the William Morris Agency. Later he became the Head of Makeup at RKO Pictures for more than twenty years, creating the makeup for Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers and Katharine Hepburn's screentest. He was a lifelong friend of Ginger Rogers, who makes ample reference to their friendship in her autobiography: Ginger: My Story.
He worked extensively in television after leaving RKO, notably the Perry Mason series. "The crew is giving it the best of Hollywood's techniques," Burr told columnist Erskine Johnson. The crew included veteran make-up artist Berns.
The baseball player Babe Ruth had severe scarring from acne on his face. Mel Berns developed makeup for Ruth so that Ruth could feel more comfortable in public. A picture of Ruth and Berns shows Ruth in a smock and Berns applying makeup to his face. The picture is autographed to Berns by Babe Ruth.
Known For
Top Hat
(1935)
Makeup Artist
Out of the Past
(1947)
Makeup Department Head
The Magnificent Ambersons
(1942)
Makeup Department Head
Love Affair
(1939)
Makeup Artist
Mighty Joe Young
(1949)
Makeup Artist
King Kong
(1933)
Makeup Supervisor
Notorious
(1946)
Makeup Artist
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
(1939)
Makeup Department Head
The Hitch-Hiker
(1953)
Makeup Artist
The Outlaw
(1943)
Makeup Artist
Bringing Up Baby
(1938)
Makeup Artist
Gunga Din
(1939)
Makeup Department Head
The Big Sky
(1952)
Makeup Artist
Suspicion
(1941)
Makeup Artist
The Pride of the Yankees
(1942)
Makeup Artist
The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer
(1947)
Makeup Artist
Full Filmography
Costume & Make-Up
The Gay Diplomat
(1931)
Makeup Artist
Smart Woman
(1931)
Makeup Artist
The Animal Kingdom
(1932)
Makeup Artist
Girl Crazy
(1932)
Makeup Artist
What Price Hollywood?
(1932)
Makeup Artist
Little Orphan Annie
(1932)
Makeup Artist
The Lost Squadron
(1932)
Makeup Artist
A Bill of Divorcement
(1932)
Makeup Artist
Sweepings
(1933)
Makeup Artist
Christopher Strong
(1933)
Makeup Artist
Flying Down to Rio
(1933)
Makeup Artist
King Kong
(1933)
Makeup Supervisor
Melody Cruise
(1933)
Makeup Artist
Morning Glory
(1933)
Makeup Artist
Lost in Limehouse or Lady Esmerelda's Predicament
(1933)
Makeup Artist
Little Women
(1933)
Makeup Artist
Rafter Romance
(1933)
Makeup Artist
Chance at Heaven
(1933)
Makeup Artist
Professional Sweetheart
(1933)
Makeup Artist
Ann Vickers
(1933)
Makeup Artist
The Son of Kong
(1933)
Makeup Department Head
Kentucky Kernels
(1934)
Makeup Department Head
Of Human Bondage
(1934)
Makeup Department Head
Anne of Green Gables
(1934)
Makeup Artist
Finishing School
(1934)
Makeup Artist
Spitfire
(1934)
Makeup Artist
Down to Their Last Yacht
(1934)
Makeup Department Head
Sing and Like it
(1934)
Makeup Artist
Two Alone
(1934)
Makeup Artist
The Little Minister
(1934)
Makeup Artist
Sylvia Scarlett
(1935)
Makeup Artist
Star of Midnight
(1935)
Makeup Artist
Murder on a Honeymoon
(1935)
Makeup Artist
Top Hat
(1935)
Makeup Artist
Alice Adams
(1935)
Makeup Artist
The Nitwits
(1935)
Makeup Department Head
In Person
(1935)
Makeup Artist
Annie Oakley
(1935)
Makeup Artist
Romance in Manhattan
(1935)
Makeup Artist
Break of Hearts
(1935)
Makeup Artist
Follow the Fleet
(1936)
Makeup Artist
Swing Time
(1936)
Makeup Artist
A Woman Rebels
(1936)
Makeup Artist
Breakfast for Two
(1937)
Makeup Artist
Stage Door
(1937)
Makeup Artist
New Faces of 1937
(1937)
Makeup Department Head
The Toast of New York
(1937)
Makeup Artist
The Life of the Party
(1937)
Makeup Artist
Shall We Dance
(1937)
Makeup Artist
Quality Street
(1937)
Makeup Artist
The Mad Miss Manton
(1938)
Makeup Artist
Vivacious Lady
(1938)
Makeup Artist
Bringing Up Baby
(1938)
Makeup Artist
Having Wonderful Time
(1938)
Makeup Artist
Carefree
(1938)
Makeup Artist
Room Service
(1938)
Makeup Artist
Bachelor Mother
(1939)
Makeup Artist
The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle
(1939)
Makeup Artist
Love Affair
(1939)
Makeup Artist
In Name Only
(1939)
Makeup Artist
The Flying Deuces
(1939)
Makeup Artist
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
(1939)
Makeup Department Head
The Great Man Votes
(1939)
Makeup Artist
Gunga Din
(1939)
Makeup Department Head
The Saint in London
(1939)
Makeup Artist
Stranger on the Third Floor
(1940)
Makeup Artist
Primrose Path
(1940)
Makeup Artist
Lucky Partners
(1940)
Makeup Artist
My Favorite Wife
(1940)
Makeup Artist
Dance, Girl, Dance
(1940)
Makeup Artist
They Knew What They Wanted
(1940)
Makeup Artist
Curtain Call
(1940)
Makeup Artist
Kitty Foyle
(1940)
Makeup Artist
Anne of Windy Poplars
(1940)
Makeup Artist
The Saint Takes Over
(1940)
Makeup Artist
Tom, Dick and Harry
(1941)
Makeup Artist
The Devil and Miss Jones
(1941)
Makeup Artist
Ball of Fire
(1941)
Makeup Artist
Suspicion
(1941)
Makeup Artist
Footlight Fever
(1941)
Makeup Artist
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
(1941)
Makeup Artist
Play Girl
(1941)
Makeup Artist
The Saint In Palm Springs
(1941)
Makeup Artist
The Pride of the Yankees
(1942)
Makeup Artist
Once Upon a Honeymoon
(1942)
Makeup Artist
Joan of Paris
(1942)
Makeup Artist
The Magnificent Ambersons
(1942)
Makeup Department Head
The Big Street
(1942)
Makeup Department Head
Government Girl
(1943)
Makeup Designer
The Outlaw
(1943)
Makeup Artist
The Sky's the Limit
(1943)
Makeup Artist
Above Suspicion
(1943)
Makeup Artist and Hairstylist
Higher and Higher
(1943)
Makeup Artist
Stage Door Canteen
(1943)
Makeup Artist
Behind the Rising Sun
(1943)
Makeup Artist
Mr. Lucky
(1943)
Makeup Artist
Ladies' Day
(1943)
Makeup Artist
Hitler's Children
(1943)
Makeup Artist
Marine Raiders
(1944)
Makeup Artist
Action in Arabia
(1944)
Makeup Artist
Mademoiselle Fifi
(1944)
Makeup Artist
Music in Manhattan
(1944)
Makeup Artist
Gildersleeve's Ghost
(1944)
Makeup Artist
Days of Glory
(1944)
Makeup Artist
Bride by Mistake
(1944)
Makeup Artist
Murder, My Sweet
(1944)
Makeup Artist
Youth Runs Wild
(1944)
Makeup Artist
Step Lively
(1944)
Makeup Artist
Seven Days Ashore
(1944)
Makeup Artist
Tender Comrade
(1944)
Makeup Artist
None But the Lonely Heart
(1944)
Makeup Artist
A Night of Adventure
(1944)
Makeup Artist
The Curse of the Cat People
(1944)
Makeup Artist
Show Business
(1944)
Makeup Artist
The Falcon Out West
(1944)
Makeup Artist
Johnny Angel
(1945)
Makeup Artist
The Spanish Main
(1945)
Makeup Department Head
Cornered
(1945)
Makeup Artist
The Body Snatcher
(1945)
Makeup Artist
It's a Pleasure
(1945)
Makeup Artist
Breakfast in Hollywood
(1946)
Makeup Artist
From This Day Forward
(1946)
Makeup Artist
Undercurrent
(1946)
Makeup Department Head
The Locket
(1946)
Makeup Artist
Sunset Pass
(1946)
Makeup Artist
Badman's Territory
(1946)
Makeup Artist
Bedlam
(1946)
Makeup Artist
Notorious
(1946)
Makeup Artist
Heartbeat
(1946)
Makeup Artist
Born to Kill
(1947)
Makeup Artist
Trail Street
(1947)
Makeup Artist
The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer
(1947)
Makeup Artist
Out of the Past
(1947)
Makeup Department Head
Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven
(1948)
Makeup Artist
The Babe Ruth Story
(1948)
Makeup Artist
Jungle Patrol
(1948)
Makeup Artist
A Song Is Born
(1948)
Makeup Department Head
An Innocent Affair
(1948)
Makeup Artist
The Boy with Green Hair
(1948)
Makeup Artist
Cover Up
(1949)
Makeup Artist
Outpost in Morocco
(1949)
Makeup Artist
Mighty Joe Young
(1949)
Makeup Artist
The Great Dan Patch
(1949)
Makeup Artist
The Big Wheel
(1949)
Makeup Artist
The Window
(1949)
Key Makeup Artist
The Secret Fury
(1950)
Makeup Artist
Dynamite Pass
(1950)
Makeup Artist
Rider from Tucson
(1950)
Makeup Artist
The White Tower
(1950)
Makeup Artist
Border Treasure
(1950)
Makeup Artist
Armored Car Robbery
(1950)
Makeup Artist
Storm Over Wyoming
(1950)
Makeup Artist
Gambling House
(1950)
Makeup Artist
Never a Dull Moment
(1950)
Makeup Artist
Quicksand
(1950)
Makeup Artist
Where Danger Lives
(1950)
Makeup Artist
Stromboli
(1950)
Makeup Artist
The Company She Keeps
(1951)
Makeup Artist
My Forbidden Past
(1951)
Makeup Artist
Best of the Badmen
(1951)
Makeup Artist
Flying Leathernecks
(1951)
Makeup Artist
Sealed Cargo
(1951)
Makeup Artist
Payment on Demand
(1951)
Makeup Artist
On Dangerous Ground
(1951)
Makeup Artist
Two Tickets to Broadway
(1951)
Makeup Artist
Behave Yourself!
(1951)
Makeup Artist
His Kind of Woman
(1951)
Makeup Artist
The Racket
(1951)
Makeup Artist
Macao
(1952)
Makeup Artist
The Half-Breed
(1952)
Makeup Artist
A Girl in Every Port
(1952)
Makeup Artist
The Big Sky
(1952)
Makeup Artist
The Lusty Men
(1952)
Makeup Artist
Androcles and the Lion
(1952)
Makeup Artist
Beware, My Lovely
(1952)
Makeup Artist
Clash by Night
(1952)
Makeup Artist
Blackbeard, the Pirate
(1952)
Makeup Artist
The Las Vegas Story
(1952)
Makeup Artist
One Minute to Zero
(1952)
Makeup Artist
At Sword's Point
(1952)
Makeup Artist
The Hitch-Hiker
(1953)
Makeup Artist
Second Chance
(1953)
Makeup Artist
Affair with a Stranger
(1953)
Makeup Artist
Angel Face
(1953)
Makeup Artist
Split Second
(1953)
Makeup Artist
Devil's Canyon
(1953)
Makeup Artist
The French Line
(1954)
Makeup Department Head
Susan Slept Here
(1954)
Makeup Artist
Dangerous Mission
(1954)
Makeup Artist
She Couldn't Say No
(1954)
Makeup Artist
Underwater!
(1955)
Makeup Artist and Makeup Supervisor
The Phenix City Story
(1955)
Makeup Artist
Pearl of the South Pacific
(1955)
Makeup Artist
Tennessee's Partner
(1955)
Makeup Artist
Son of Sinbad
(1955)
Makeup Artist
A Bullet for Joey
(1955)
Makeup Artist
Bundle of Joy
(1956)
Makeup Artist
The Conqueror
(1956)
Makeup Artist
Slightly Scarlet
(1956)
Makeup Artist
Jet Pilot
(1957)
Makeup Department Head
The Girl Most Likely
(1958)
Makeup Artist
Gidget Goes to Rome
(1963)
Makeup Supervisor