In Memoriam: BEN LANE (1912-2007)

[AaronHandy3]

Another member of The Monkees' celebrated crew is remembered:

Ben Lane, one of the 1937 founding members of our Motion Picture Guild, passed away of natural causes on Sunday, June 10, 2007. A Chicago native who started his film career as a makeup artist working on the film "The Good Earth" in 1934, Ben Lane worked on some of the best known faces in Hollywood during the "Golden Era", and was named director of Make-up for Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, Warner Brothers Television and Warner Brothers in 1955 and held that position until his retirement in 1980. Ben was a lifetime honorary member of the International Society of Makeup Artists and Los Angeles Mayor, Sam Yorty proclaimed January 14, 1972 "Ben Lane Day" when Ben was installed as President of the Show Business Shrine Club.



During his career, Ben was internationally known for his make-up work on such stars as Cary Grant, Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra, Greer Garson, Ava Gardner, Spencer Tracy, Judy Garland and many, many more. Ben contributed greatly to the film industry during the transition from black and white to color by developing natural-looking makeup. He felt that his crowning achievement was for his transformation of actor Godfrey Cambridge from a black to a white man for the film "The Watermelon Man". He received national media attention which was rare for a makeup artist at that time, and Look Magazine preserved the achievement with photographs and text of Lane at work on Cambridge. Ben put himself through a different kind of transformation as a part of his work for charity.



He was a frequent volunteer for the City of Hope and the Masons and used to perform as a clown for the Shriner's annual circus. He became an advisor to clowns nationwide. Ben was a 33rd degree Mason, Masonry's highest honor and was a founding member of the Scottish Rite in Palm Springs. He was also a disguise consultant to the Los Angeles Police Department, the United States Department of Justice, and Federal Bureau of Investigation. In 1980 Ben was nominated for an Emmy award for his work on "Salem's Lot." Even in retirement, Ben was constantly asked to write a tell-all book, give speeches and makeup demonstrations but he always told them the same thing - no, I'm tired. Services for Ben Lane are private and for family only. He will be interred at Hillside Memorial Park in West Los Angeles beside his mother, brother, sister and son.



He is survived by his wife of more than 67 years, Edith; sister Trudy (Schoenfeld); and his son, Robert. Ben's other son, Steve was also a 706 makeup artist who passed away in 1969 and his brother, Lou Lane was also a makeup artist with local 706 who passed away in 1980. Ben was also brother-in-law to Don Schoenfeld, former Makeup Department Head for Lorimar Studios, and uncle of Kenneth Paul Schoenfeld, Journeyman makeup artist. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made in Ben's name to St. Jude's Hospital or a charity associated with the Masons.


Published in The Desert Sun on 6/21/2007.

His screen credit as Make-Up Supervisor is forever immortalized in the end titles of The Monkees television series, which of course is part of his magnamous resume.


To absent friends...