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What comes to mind when you
think of movies like Planet of the Apes, The Fly, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,
Gone with the Wind or The King and I? Well- the legendary makeup artist
Ben Nye Sr., is the distinguished artist behind these classic films. Ben
Nye Sr.’s career spans four decades of Hollywood’s "Golden
Era" as Makeup Director for 20th Century Fox. He was responsible
for every aspect of makeup design for over 500 feature films. Now
that’s a career! Ben Nye left his mark on the Hollywood makeup artists’
kit as he created staples like Silver Grey Hair Color, Natural Lipstick,
Old Age Wrinkle Stipple and specialty bruise and old age texture shades.
He was one of the first to design natural foundation colors for African-American,
Hispanic and Asian performers. Makeup artists cannot be without these
cosmetic essentials in our kits today. Thank you Ben Nye! Most of us might
have started out using a Ben Nye Student Makeup Kit in high school or
college to learn the basics of theatrical, TV and film makeup application.
In 1967, Ben Nye Sr., retired and started the Ben Nye Makeup Company,
leaving his youngest son Mr. Dana Nye as CEO and President of the Nye
Company. Dana, a working makeup artist, and CEO for 25 years with the
company has introduced over 200 new products to the Ben Nye Cosmetic Line.
An internationally recognized leader in the cosmetic industry, the Ben
Nye Company holds its own in the spotlight of Hollywood Makeup Artists!
I had the privilege of interviewing Dana Nye at the Ben Nye Company and
got to literally see makeup being made. I got the grand tour of the lab
where all the makeup magic gets mixed, poured, sealed, contained and shipped
out. What an amazing sight! Dana was busy on his daily routine of checking
in on colors being mixed by the on-site chemist. I watched as Dana carefully
analyzed and tested each Magic Cake color for consistency, clarity and
accurate color.
Dana is friendly, personable and genuinely cares about all his employees.
The Ben Nye Makeup Company is a down home, friendly, happy place to be.
I felt as if I was back home in Texas with all the hospitality extended
to me on my visit! Dana travels at least once a month checking on all
his customers to make sure all is well with the product line. His brother
Ben Nye Jr., is no stranger to the makeup world as he is a top makeup
artist in the industry as well. The family tradition continues in the
Nye family with Dana as the brains and power behind the successful Ben
Nye Company. Dana enjoys spending time with his wife, and two sons, Adam
9, and Eric 7, when he’s not busy making makeup or putting it on
someone! He also has a unique hobby restoring vintage Volkswagen buses!
Read more about Dana’s 25 years in the makeup industry.
What was it like growing up with your Dad, Ben Nye Sr., a working makeup
artist, in Hollywood?
 Life
seemed pretty normal. The most normal part of being from a makeup family
was my father did not have to go out on location because he was a department
head at Fox Studios. He had to go to work early, but was always around.
What do you remember most of your dad past his association as a famous
makeup artist?
He had a number of interests that revolved around the outdoors. When I
got older I went out fishing with him. He had gone ocean fishing numerous
times with the Studio Club. They would charter a bus from the Fox lot
and go down to San Felipe for the weekend to fish. There were a lot of
activities he enjoyed that were associated with the Fox family. There
was a feeling of comradeship to the environment at Fox that he liked.
Do
you feel his influence as a makeup artist made you follow in his footsteps?
Or did you actually have another career goal in mind for yourself?
I never really had another career goal in mind. I didn’t know that
I was going to be a makeup artist growing up. I didn’t think my brother
Ben Jr., did either. I went to college at University of the Pacific in
Stockton, California, where I studied business. I still didn’t have
a career goal. During the first part of college, my dad was still working
at Fox, but retired from the business my sophomore year, in 1967. He then
started his own makeup business. I was left with two more years of college,
so he was running the makeup business by himself. In 1966, I started working
as a makeup artist at Fox with my dad. That was his last full year. I
took lessons from him so I could stand by on the set. He gave me lessons
at the studio, I went home with my makeup case, and practiced on my mom,
neighbors and friends. Practicing, that is what you want to do if you
want to be a makeup artist.
Had you had any other makeup training or experience prior to the training
you received from your dad at Fox?
: No. He didn’t really encourage it, he just let it happen to see
what Ben and I would want to do.
So the makeup bug rubbed off more than you thought it would?
Yes. It seemed like an exciting opportunity as a summer job. That first
year as a makeup artist I worked on the James Coburn film, In Like Flynn,
the Erwin Allen television shows, Time Tunnel and Lost In Space. Everywhere
I went there were makeup artists who were doing the shows who had been
around Fox Studios for years. I got to work on Batman, The Green Hornet
and Peyton Place. In 1966, because all of the union makeup artists were
working, I was able to work full-time on a show because there were not
enough artists to fill the jobs.
Did you then go on to complete your college degree?
Yes. My dad had been in business for a couple of years. He needed someone
to market the business for him. He had good formulas, good colors, but
he was all by himself and needed help.
Were you primarily working as a makeup artist or with your dad at the
Ben Nye company?
In
1967, I did Planet of the Apes. I worked on Hello Dolly during the summer
of 1968, then made makeup with my dad over in North Hollywood. He had
a little hole-in-the-wall place in North Hollywood. His quest was to make
makeup available to all makeup artists.
You have worked in all venues of media: TV, Film and Stage. Which media
did you enjoy the most?
I never did live stage. I worked for my dad about five years straight
before going back into full-time makeup in 1975. I have done sitcoms,
assisted on feature films, but never had time to do a full length feature
film, I was always busy in the makeup manufacturing business. I started
doing sitcoms in 1985 at Paramount Studios. The show that was most successful
for me, was Dear John. I did that show for three years. I also did a show
for Showtime, called Brothers. Brothers was enormously successful and
lasted for two years. There was a sense of camaraderie on the show and
was well organized. I felt I was making a good contribution to the show.
I was also working a couple of days a week with the makeup business, so
it was a nice balance. Later, I did other shows such as The Jeffersons,
Good Times and Going Tandem for Norman Lear. The last show I did full-time
was The Mommies and the last season of The John Laraquette Show.
What
is the feeling like for you jumping from the CEO of the Ben Nye Company
back into the role of a makeup artist on a sitcom?
It’s exciting to be part of a crew. I miss that. I am suddenly thrust
back into professional work with other makeup artists and hair stylists
which gives me inspiration to look at what’s happening in the business.
It gives me ideas to fill in the gaps that are in professional cosmetics.
I was the third makeup artist on Frasier a couple of weeks ago. I hadn’t
worked in about a year, it was exciting. I did a nice job on the people
I worked on and I had a great time.
What is your greatest asset or strength that sets you apart from being
in the CEO role, back into the makeup role?
I have been doing makeup for 25 years. When I go back to work I might
be "senior" to some artists; but I could very well be working
with some contemporaries. I dig back into the experience from my dad Ben
Sr., my brother Ben Jr., and Bruce Hutchinson have always been allies
to me. We all come from the same mold. I work off of what I can remember,
or I get the input or insight from others who have been there.
Is it safe to say that you are out of makeup artistry on a full-time basis?
Would you go back into artistry full-time if offered the chance?
Yes, nobody is calling right now let’s say that. I’m looking
for a full-time sitcom job right now, but I haven’t been looking
too hard to find it. I would love to go back and do a show, so I hope
something comes up where I am needed.
What’s the desire for you wanting to go back into makeup artistry
full-time?
: I like working as a makeup artist. There is a feeling of accomplishment
when I leave the Ben Nye Company. I’m Dana, when I go out there to
be an artist, and I don’t talk about makeup. I like the anonymity
of just being an artist and I have always avoided a connection to the
makeup business. I’m just part of the crew at that point.
What was your father’s vision when he formed the Ben Nye Makeup Company?
He wanted to serve the professional. He had a creative eye, which allowed
him to see color, texture and he was extremely talented with detail. The
Fly head he created was on the cutting edge of prosthetics. His colors
were complicated with color and subtle nuances. We have tried to maintain
that quality and complexity of color within his vision.
What type of vision do you bring to the Ben Nye Company as CEO?
We have come full circle now. When I started with my dad, people in live
theatre did not want to use our makeup, because it was a movie makeup.
Fifteen years ago, I had makeup artists saying, "We know of your
makeup, it’s a stage makeup line." In the second half of this
thirty-year period, we have spent a great deal of time pioneering on colors
and makeup products that are oriented to the professional. Colors have
changed and we have added substantially to our line. I think I have a
sense that my father had about what the professional needs. I have used
my dad’s sense of providing carefully crafted colors that will serve
the world marketplace.
: What is a day-in-the-life of Dana Nye, CEO of the Ben Nye Company like?
My life is very hectic here. It got more hectic in 1996, when we folded
in a company that was founded after Max Factor went out of business. We
brought in a company that served as a private cosmetic label source in
Southern California for twenty years. The gentleman that owned the company
was in his eighties, and he passed away shortly after we bought his company.
We hired his chemist, bought his equipment and the things he made for
us, we started making it for ourselves. The past three years have been
utilizing the talents of our chemist, to create new neutralizers and foundations
for film, fashion and a number of other products. I approve each color
batch that is made in our lab. We created a lot of new colors and sometimes
a dozen color batches are made to get the right shade. I am looking at
raw color and approving the use of that color over the course of a twelve-month
period. I bring new products to the lab, and communicate with our customers.
I write copy and advertising. I look at the overall facility to see that
we are keeping clean and neat. I have my hands in a lot of different venues.
I travel to visit clients. We don’t have sales people, so I am the
one that goes out to check on our customers. We have longevity with our
employees; some have been with us for fifteen years. They are truly talented
professionals and take their job to heart. This company is a unique operation.
Looking ahead for the millennium, has the company set any specific goals
or new vision for what’s upcoming?
I think the last five years have catapulted us into the millennium with
our expanded capabilities. The vision is to take advantage of the talents
we have here at the Nye Company. When we get an idea that is viable, we
try to follow through as carefully and quickly as possible. We’ve
had a couple of gratifying experiences with products in our line, specifically
the Lumiére line. We want to continue to improve our product quality
and keep our colors as consistent as possible. We have gained a global
vision with Europe, Australia and Canada. We thrive on our customer feedback.
What is your favorite product from the Ben Nye Company?
The Lumiére line, Grande Luxe powder is my favorite. The line has
so many possibilities wet or dry. The loose powder makes a fantastic dust
or can be used wet to make its own paint. This line is enormously successful
and satisfying as a palette for the makeup artist. Most recently, the
LiquiSet and Final Seal has been an overnight success. Artists tell us
they’re painting and sealing their makeups with a product that dries
matte, is smudge-proof, waterproof and alcohol-free. We have a broader
palette overall, and have come up with some extra-ordinary makeup, like
body makeup.
If we took a look into your makeup kit, would you be a spokesperson for
Ben Nye Cosmetics or do you have a little bit of everything?
I try to keep
Ben Nye bases, Estee Lauder face powders and MAC lipsticks. My makeup
kit is pretty broad.
Can you give us a trick of the trade makeup tip?
I did a cream stubble beard on an actor on Brothers. We shot on tape,
so I did it very lightly and subtle. The actor was sent back to the makeup
trailer three times to get it darkened. I ended up using a cream highlight
for a salt and pepper look to make the beard look crisp, sharp and full
of life.
What type of person would your employees describe you as?
They would say I’m an energetic person and I have a vision that may
or may not materialize. I am always trying to come up with a new solution
to a problem. I am very creative. I let other people actively create their
own successes as well.
What
is the magic behind the scenes of the Ben Nye Company?
We have collaboration and teamwork. We assemble people with common interests
who like what they do. Those who are not sure if they belong here ultimately
will move on. We want people who love the makeup business; it’s a
common goal that we share and makes it so successful here!
What’s something we don’t know about you, all this makeup business
aside?
I restore Volkswagen buses. I have two buses, a 1967 vintage and older.
I have a small five-car collection. I get satisfaction from restoration;
it’s just me and the bus!
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