BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., March 19, 2000 – Rene Russo, the actress, didn’t win any awards for her head-turning performance in “The Thomas Crown Affair.” But tonight here at the Beverly Hilton, Rene Russo, the haircut, did. Welcome to the first-ever Hollywood Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist Guild Awards, where the above-the-title stars take back seats to behind-the-scenes primping professionals.
Yes, it was the beauty folks’ turn to make Oscar-like acceptance speeches and bask in the praise of thankful A-list celebrities who they’ve made look good, “day after day, year after year, facelift after facelift,” as host Rita Rudner drolly put it.
“It’s the American dream that I’ve heard so much about. It’s happening to me right now,” hair stylist Enzo Angileri said, accepting the so-called Georgie award for doing Russo’s do in “Thomas Crown,” named best contemporary hairstyling work.
Decades ago, hair and make-up people were treated like celebrities themselves. But the list of big names attending the awards ceremony showed that, while movie and TV beauticians may no longer make it into the gossip columns, they nonetheless are held in high esteem by those who do.
“It’s an art form,” said actor Billy Bob Thornton, an award presenter. As if to prove that point, Thornton showed up in full make-up (complete with oily gray hair) and costume (a Slim Whitman-meets-Colonel Sanders outfit) from “Waking Up In Reno,” a film he’s now shooting, in which he plays an aging country singer.
“A lot of people don’t realize how much time we spend in make-up, how many hours we spend being literally transformed by these artists,” he said.
Other name brands handing trophies included: Holly Hunter, Brendan Fraser (greeted by cat-calls from the audience), Ellen Burstyn, Mimi Rogers, and cast members from TV shows like “That 70’s Show,” “Freaks and Geeks,” and “Providence.” Before the event, crowds of fans and electronic lined the Beverly Hilton lobby as the stars rolled in.
Tony Curtis presented the lifetime achievement award to makeup artist Monty Westmore, who recently retired after a 50-plus-year career that included more than 100 films, ranging from “The Treasure of Sierra Madre” with Humphrey Bogart to the forthcoming “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” with Jim Carrey.
Unlike the Oscars, which have been plagued by mishaps this year despite 72 years of experience, the Georgies basically survived their first go-round with almost no problems. Ballots were mailed out to the 1,100 members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 706, who voted on the 17 different award categories. And the golden statuettes, which look vaguely Oscar-like, didn’t disappear en route to the event.
But note the phrase: Almost no problems. Amid the celebration, two important items were missing: The champagne and sunglasses. The champagne ordered for the ceremonies never arrived, and was believed to have been delivered to another hotel. And the Calvin Klein shades that were to be supplied by the designer label and given out to the presenters, also were no-shows.
When informed of this caper, actress Christina Applegate (of “Jesse” fame) was understandably dejected.
“Was I supposed to get some glasses?” Applegate said. “Darn.”
Here’s a complete look at the night’s winners:
FILM
Best Contemporary Makeup (Feature) Toni G and Will Huff “The General’s Daughter.”
Best Period Makeup (Feature) Leonard Engleman, “Tea With Mussolini.”
Best Character Makeup (Feature) Kevin Yagher, Peter Owen, Elizabeth Tag and Paul Gooch, “Sleepy Hollow.”
Best Effects Makeup (Feature) Greg Cannom and Wesley Wofford, “Bicentennial Man.”
Best Contemporary Hair Styling (Feature) Enzo Angileri “The Thomas Crown Affair.”
Best Period Hair Styling (Feature) Vivian McAteer, for Cher in “Tea With Mussolini.” Television TELEVISION
Best Contemporary Makeup (For a Single Episode of a Regular Series – Sitcom, Drama or Daytime) James MacKinnon and Stephanie Fowler, “Thank You Providence,” “Providence.”
Best Period Makeup (For a Single Episode of a Regular Series – Sitcom, Drama or Daytime) Cheri Montesanto-Medcalf, Kevin Westmore and LaVerne Basham, “Triangle,” “The X-Files.”
Best Character Makeup (Television) Jennifer Aspinall, Felicia Linsky and Ed French, Episode #507, “Mad TV.”
Best Makeup Effects (For a Single Episode of a Regular Series – Sitcom, Drama or Daytime) Kenny Myers, Todd A. McIntosh, Robin Beauxchesne, Douglas Noe, and Brigette Myre-Ellis, “Living Conditions,” “Buffy The Vampire Slayer.”
Best Period Makeup (For a Mini-Series or Movie of the Week) Sue Cabel, Matthew Mungle and Joe Hailey, “And The Beat Goes On: The Sonny and Cher Story.”
Best Character Makeup (For a Mini-Series or Movie of the Week) Douglas Noe, for Cicely Tyson in “A Lesson Before Dying.”
Best Contemporary Hair Styling (For a Single Episode of a Regular Series – Sitcom, Drama or Daytime) Darrell Fielder, Jonathan Hanousak and Joy Zapata, “The Final Frontier,” “Mad About You.”
Best Period Hair Styling (For a Single Episode of a Regular Series — Sitcom, Drama or Daytime) Gabriella Pollino, Deborah Piper, Valerie Scott and Cindy Costello, “Prom Night,” “That 70’s Show.”
Best Character Hair Styling (For a Single Episode of a Regular Series – Sitcom, Drama or Daytime) Josee Normand, Charlotte Parker and Gloria Montemeyor, “Bride of Chaotica,” “Star Trek Voyager.”
Best Innovative Hair Styling (For a Single Episode of a Regular Series – Sitcom, Drama or Daytime) Josee Normand, Charlotte Parker and Gloria Montemeyor, “Dragon’s Teeth,” “Star Trek Voyager.”
Best Period Hair Styling (For a Mini-Series or Movie of the Week) Marlene Williams and Tim Jones “And The Beat Goes On: The Sonny & Cher Story.”
