Tuesday, January 14, 2020

BEFORE THEY WERE MONSTERS: HENRY HULL


Henry Watterson Hull (October 3, 1890 – March 8, 1977) was born in Louisville, Kentucky and began acting at an early age. His most famous role was as Dr. Henry Glendon in Universal's WEREWOLF OF LONDON (1935).

Resisting the plan to be covered with a face full of makeup man Jack Pierce's yak hair, Hull went over Pierce's head and got studio head Carl Laemmle Jr. to use less so that his face could be recognizable as Glendon's -- a cinematic spoiler if there ever was one. Needless to say, Pierce was miffed, of course, but patience won out as he was allowed to use "the full meal deal" on Lon Chaney Jr. in THE WOLF MAN (1941). Ironically, Hull would never play a monster or appear in another horror film for the rest of his career.

The photo shown today is from the November 1934 issue MOTION PICTURE MAGAZINE and was taken before his started filming his role as Abel Magwitch in Dickens' GREAT EXPECTATIONS. He would be in one more film before starring in WEREWOLF OF LONDON. The photograph is by Ben Pinchot.


These two photos show Hull in Jack Pierce's "minimalist" makeup.


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