One day while I was in my apartment, I wondered if I would run into any celebrities sometime. I pulled out the phone book and looked up a few names before thinking, “Of course they’re not going to be listed, you dummy!” I then thought of Frank Westmore, the author of the book I had read, “The Westmores of Hollywood.” I turned to the W’s and looked for his name. There it was, complete with address and phone number. I wondered if it was the same Frank Westmore though.
I was too chicken to call and find out so I decided to write him a letter instead. I wrote and asked if he was the author and said that I really enjoyed the book as I was serious about becoming a make-up artist myself. I told him about my plans to go to this make-up academy (I won’t mention the name here because the school is still around even after all these years), and how I had worked and saved up my money to move to Los Angeles from San Diego. I mailed the letter off not expecting to get a reply, but hoping for one nonetheless.
About a week later I received a letter in the mail. Yes, it was indeed the same Frank Westmore! He thanked me for the very nice letter but advised me not to waste my time or money with the makeup school. He said that I seemed sincere and sounded serious about it so he told me to give him a call and he’d give me some more information.
It took a few days, but I finally gathered up my courage, picked up the phone and dialed. “Hello,” a male voice answered. “Hi, is this Frank Westmore?” I asked. “Yes, it is,” the voice replied. I couldn’t believe it! I was talking to the actual Frank Westmore, one of the most famous make-up artists in Hollywood! I told him who I was and thanked him for replying to my letter. He again thanked me for my letter and once again advised me not to go to that make-up school. He said that they’re a dime a dozen and are usually run by some retired or out of work artist or actor and that most of them are just rip-offs after your money.
“Let me tell you what,” he said. “You seem like you’re pretty sincere and serious about this. Why don’t you come over to the Universal Studios and visit me on the set, and we’ll talk. Then if you still want to do this I’ll tell you where to go to sign up as an apprentice and you’ll be able to learn and work on a set with a real working artist, and it won’t cost you a dime.”
Oh wow! I couldn’t believe my luck! “Do you know where Universal Studios is?” he asked. “Yes, I do!” I replied. I told him how I went there every day to watch the make-up show and talk with the artists afterwards. “Just come up to the gate there tomorrow morning around 8:00 or so and I’ll leave a pass for you. Tell the guard that you’re there to see Frank Westmore and he’ll give you directions on where to go.” He then told me what sound stage studio he would be at, working on the TV show, Switch. After thanking him and saying goodbye, I hung up the phone, hardly believing what had just happened. I’ve NEVER had that kind of luck before, and I was just totally ecstatic about it! And to think, no one thought I could ever do it!
The next morning I got up early, showered, and had a quick bowl of cereal. I took off for Universal and when I arrived I told the guard at the gate that Frank Westmore had asked me to come and visit him. He handed me a pass and told me how to get to the sound stage, but said to make sure the red light was off before I went inside. I found it without any problem.
Once I was inside I realized that I didn’t even know what Frank Westmore looked like now and had no idea how to find him. I asked one of the men I saw standing around and he said they were just getting ready to tape another scene, and he took me over and had me sit in a chair to wait. The whole idea of being in an actual studio was exciting! There were Robert Wagner and Eddie Albert in person, and I was actually there watching them film a scene of a TV show that I had watched every week!
It didn’t take long to tape the scene, and afterwards, a man walked over to me and said, “You must be Donna.” Looking up at him I replied, “Yes, I am. And you’re Mr. Westmore?”
“I’m afraid so,” he said, smiling. “Follow me and we can talk while I work.” I followed him off to another side of the set where he did some touch-up work on the actors’ make-up in between takes. He introduced me to Robert Wagner and Eddie Albert. I remember shaking their hands and noticing how baby-soft Robert Wagner’s hand was. My dad’s hands were always rough from working. I’d never met a man with such soft hands (they literally felt like a baby’s skin!) and I thought, “He must never do any kind of physical work besides acting!” Then again, he really didn’t have to, did he? I also noticed that he had the most beautiful blue eyes and I wondered if they were really his or if they were contacts to make them appear more blue on film.
Mr. Westmore and I had a good discussion about the film make-up industry … how it can be fun, but also very demanding with very early or very late working hours at times because schedules always seem to change. I told him I was a hard worker and was willing to do whatever it takes.
He was impressed, and then told me about the apprenticeship program. He gave me an address down in Beverly Hills somewhere and told me to go sign up and put him down as the referral. “The waiting list is about a year long,” he said, “but it’s better than wasting your money on those rip-off schools!”
I was so grateful for his willingness to help me out and for the fact that someone like him would actually believe in and encourage me when no one, not even family or those I loved, would. It gave me hope and confidence in myself like I never felt before. At that moment, I felt like I could do anything in the world that I set my heart on doing!
I thanked him for his help and for taking the time to talk with me, and he replied by saying that it wasn’t often you meet someone who really seems sincere. It seems a lot of people come to Hollywood chasing their dreams, but then they end up getting messed up or doing other things.
When I got back home, I thought about what had just happened, and I thought how great this move has been already! The shy, quiet girl from San Diego who hardly spoke a word to anyone in school, was now out here on her own which has forced her to talk to people. And look where it’s gotten me! I don’t think I could have felt any happier than I did at that moment!