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Bau, Gordon

Born July 1, 1907 in Minnesota, USA

Died July 21, 1975 in Los Angeles, California, USA

Chief of Warner Bros. Makeup Department, brother to makeup artist George Bau and uncle to makeup artist Robert Bau and body makeup artist Beverly Bau-Turner. [1]

In the late 1930s, Gordon and his brother George worked together at Rubbercraft, a California-based company specializing in designing rubber parts for industrial uses. There, the brothers learned to create reuseable appliance from inexpensive, lightweight foam latex. This knowledge gave them the opportunity to moonlight for Hollywood where they produced rubber eye prosthetics for Caucasian actors to look Asian, as well as many other makeup innovations. They are known for creating the makeup for Charles Laughton's Hunchback of Notre Dame and the "The House of Wax." Their work has led to the retail business of off-the-shelf rubber monster makeup and other gruesome appliances.

During World War II, Gordon created special prosthetics for soldiers disfigured in the war. [2]