Frank Griffin obit

 

Frank Griffin, Steve Martin’s Makeup Man on ‘Roxanne’ and Much More, Dies at 95

The former actor and brother of actress Debra Paget also worked on films including ‘Westworld,’ ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’ and ‘Pee-wee’s Big Adventure.’

He was not on the list.

Frank Griffin, who nosed out another makeup artist to work with Steve Martin on Roxanne, just one of the 20 movies they did together, has died. He was 95.

Griffin died Wednesday of cancer at his home in Studio City, his daughter Roxane Griffin, a veteran Hollywood hairstylist (Avatar, Transparent, 80 for Brady), told The Hollywood Reporter.

Frank Griffin started out in Hollywood as an actor and studio laborer before turning to makeup in the mid-1960s, and he went on to work on Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970), Scarecrow (1973), Westworld (1973), Cinderella Liberty (1973), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), Urban Cowboy (1980), Midnight Run (1988), Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), Vacation (1983), Revenge of the Nerds (1984) and Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985).

Survivors also include his sister Debra Paget, who starred in such films as Broken Arrow (1950), Love Me Tender (1956) — Elvis Presley’s first movie — and The Ten Commandments (1956).

His other two sisters were actresses as well: Lisa Gaye, who starred in the 1956 musical films Rock Around the Clock and Shake Rattle & Rock!, and Teala Loring, who did lots of B-movies. They died in 2016 and 2007, respectively.

Ric Sagliani, Martin’s regular makeup artist, had employed Griffin to work with him on Martin’s Pennies From Heaven (1981) and Three Amigos! (1986). But with the actor set to wear a large prosthetic nose for more than three months in Roxanne (1987), a modern retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac, Sagliani decided to pass on that gig, leaving it to Griffin.

“Ric was a lovely guy, but he didn’t want to tackle that nose,” Griffin told Steve Rubin on a 2022 episode of his Saturday Night at the Movies podcast. “I said [to Martin], ‘Fine, I’ll have you for this picture, and Ric can have you back for the next one.’”

That next one was Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987), which Sagliani turned down as well, not wanting to go on location, Griffin noted. “So I guess if you say no to Steve twice, that is it,” he said. “I just stuck with him from then on. He was such a delight.”

Griffin then worked with Martin on Parenthood (1989), My Blue Heaven (1990), Father of the Bride (1991), L.A. Story (1991), Grand Canyon (1991), HouseSitter (1992), Leap of Faith (1992), A Simple Twist of Fate (1994), Father of the Bride Part II (1995), Sgt. Bilko (1996), The Spanish Prisoner (1997), Bowfinger (1999), Novocaine (2001), Cheaper by the Dozen (2003), Bringing Down the House (2003) and Shopgirl (2005), his final credit.

The second of four kids, Frank Henry Griffin Jr. was born in Denver on June 25, 1929. His mother, Margaret, was a vaudeville performer who gave her children stage names that she thought were “the perfect length for a movie marquee.” His father, Frank Sr., was a house painter and later a laborer at Columbia Pictures.

The family ultimately settled in Los Angeles in 1942 after Paramount signed Teala, who was seven years his senior, to a contract, and for a time they lived across the street from the lot. Later, Debra landed a deal at 20th Century Fox.

Griffin and Debra attended the Hollywood Professional School and studied acting with Queenie Smith. While she became a star right away, he got a job as a laborer at Columbia, just like his dad, before he made his acting debut in Lightning Guns (1950).

Billed as Reull Shayne, he had bit parts in such films as Fort Savage Raiders (1951), Teen-Age Crime Wave (1955) and The Giant Claw (1957), and on TV shows including Death Valley Days, Sergeant Preston of the Yukon and U.S. Marshal.

“I was never happy [acting], I had always felt I was poorly trained,” he told Rubin. “Had I really wanted to do it, I would’ve had to have had the balls to go back to New York and study there.”

Griffin returned to studio labor before he got makeup jobs at CBS and then Fox, working on The Tammy Grimes Show and The Green Hornet. His first film as a makeup artist was Sam Whiskey (1969), starring Burt Reynolds and Angie Dickinson.

He also handled makeup for A Man Called Horse (1970), The Hired Hand (1971), Black Gunn (1972), Demon Seed (1977) and She’s So Lovely (1997), and on the first two seasons (1977-79) of CBS’ Lou Grant, starring Ed Asner.

He said Asner — whom he lovingly called “Uncle Waldo” — and Martin were his favorite actors to work with.

In addition to Roxane — so named because Cyrano was a favorite love story of his — survivors include his other children, Beau (a grip in Hollywood), Garrett, Frank and Gayle; his grandchildren, Brandon, Jesse, Cassandra, Griffin, Kelsey and Lindsay; and former Hollywood hairstylist Linda Trainoff, with whom he lived for the past 43 years.

Makeup Department

Claire Danes, Steve Martin, and Jason Schwartzman in Shopgirl (2005)

Shopgirl

6.3

makeup artist: Mr. Martin

2005

 

Steve Martin, Bonnie Hunt, Paula Marshall, Piper Perabo, Hilary Duff, Steven Anthony Lawrence, Kevin G. Schmidt, Jacob Smith, Tom Welling, Liliana Mumy, Brent Kinsman, Shane Kinsman, Alyson Stoner, Morgan York, Blake Woodruff, and Forrest Landis in Cheaper by the Dozen (2003)

Cheaper by the Dozen

5.9

hair stylist: Steve Martin

makeup artist: Steve Martin (as Frank H. Griffin Jr.)

2003

 

Steve Martin and Queen Latifah in Bringing Down the House (2003)

Bringing Down the House

5.6

makeup artist: Mr. Martin

2003

 

Steve Martin in Novocaine (2001)

Novocaine

5.8

hair stylist: Mr. Martin

makeup artist: Mr. Martin

2001

 

Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy in Bowfinger (1999)

Bowfinger

6.5

makeup artist: Mr. Martin

1999

 

Campbell Scott in The Spanish Prisoner (1997)

The Spanish Prisoner

7.2

hair stylist: Mr. Martin

makeup artist: Mr. Martin

1997

 

John Travolta, Sean Penn, and Robin Wright in She's So Lovely (1997)

She's So Lovely

5.9

makeup artist: Mr. Travolta (as Frank H. Griffin Jr.)

1997

 

Tom Hanks, Liv Tyler, Johnathon Schaech, Steve Zahn, Ethan Embry, and Tom Everett Scott in That Thing You Do! (1996)

That Thing You Do!

7.0

key makeup artist (as Frank H. Griffin Jr.)

1996

 

Steve Martin in Sgt. Bilko (1996)

Sgt. Bilko

5.8

makeup artist: Mr. Martin (as Frank H.Griffin Jr.)

1996

 

Steve Martin and Kimberly Williams-Paisley in Father of the Bride Part II (1995)

Father of the Bride Part II

6.1

additional makeup artist (as Frank H. Griffin Jr.)

1995

 

Steve Martin in A Simple Twist of Fate (1994)

A Simple Twist of Fate

6.3

makeup artist

1994

 

Anna Chlumsky and Austin O'Brien in My Girl 2 (1994)

My Girl 2

5.3

makeup artist (as Frank H. Griffin Jr.)

1994

 

Leap of Faith (1992)

Leap of Faith

6.1

makeup artist: Mr. Martin (as Frank H. Griffin Jr.)

1992

 

Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn in HouseSitter (1992)

HouseSitter

6.2

makeup artist: Steve Martin (as Frank H. Griffin Jr.)

1992

 

Kevin Kline, Steve Martin, Danny Glover, Mary-Louise Parker, Mary McDonnell, and Alfre Woodard in Grand Canyon (1991)

Grand Canyon

6.8

makeup artist: Mr. Martin (as Frank Griffin Jr.)

1991

 

Steve Martin and Kimberly Williams-Paisley in Father of the Bride (1991)

Father of the Bride

6.6

makeup artist: Steve Martin

1991

 

Bette Midler and James Caan in For the Boys (1991)

For the Boys

6.4

makeup artist

1991

 

Sylvester Stallone in Oscar (1991)

Oscar

6.5

makeup artist

1991

 

Steve Martin in L.A. Story (1991)

L.A. Story

6.7

makeup artist: Mr. Martin

1991

 

Steve Martin and Rick Moranis in My Blue Heaven (1990)

My Blue Heaven

6.2

makeup artist (as Frank Griffin Jr.)

1990

 

Paul Newman in Fat Man and Little Boy (1989)

Fat Man and Little Boy

6.5

makeup artist (as Frank H. Griffin Jr.)

1989

 

Steve Martin, Keanu Reeves, Martha Plimpton, Tom Hulce, Rick Moranis, Jason Robards, Dianne Wiest, and Mary Steenburgen in Parenthood (1989)

Parenthood

7.1

makeup artist: Mr. Martin

1989

 

Ami Dolenz and Tony Danza in She's Out of Control (1989)

She's Out of Control

5.4

makeup artist

1989

 

Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin in Midnight Run (1988)

Midnight Run

7.5

makeup artist

1988

 

Sherman Hemsley in Amen (1986)

Amen

6.8

TV Series

makeup artist

1988

2 episodes

 

Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987)

Planes, Trains & Automobiles

7.6

makeup artist

1987

 

Roxanne (1987)

Roxanne

6.6

makeup artist: Mr. Martin

1987

 

Angie Dickinson and Ben Gazzara in Police Story: The Freeway Killings (1987)

Police Story: The Freeway Killings

6.3

TV Movie

makeup artist

1987

 

Steve Martin, Chevy Chase, and Martin Short in Three Amigos! (1986)

Three Amigos!

6.5

makeup artist

1986

 

Kathleen Turner in Peggy Sue Got Married (1986)

Peggy Sue Got Married

6.4

makeup artist

1986

 

Spies Like Us (1985)

Spies Like Us

6.4

makeup artist

1985

 

Paul Reubens in Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985)

Pee-wee's Big Adventure

7.0

makeup artist

1985

 

C. Thomas Howell in Secret Admirer (1985)

Secret Admirer

6.5

additional makeup artist

1985

 

Candice Bergen, Burt Reynolds, Charles Durning, George Segal, and Dar Robinson in Stick (1985)

Stick

5.6

makeup artist

1985

 

Sharon Stone, James Earl Jones, and Rock Hudson in The Vegas Strip War (1984)

The Vegas Strip War

5.5

TV Movie

makeup artist

1984

 

Anthony Edwards, Robert Carradine, Donald Gibb, Ted McGinley, Julia Montgomery, and Matt Salinger in Revenge of the Nerds (1984)

Revenge of the Nerds

6.6

makeup artist

1984

 

John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in Two of a Kind (1983)

Two of a Kind

4.7

makeup artist

1983

 

Sigourney Weaver, Chevy Chase, and Gregory Hines in Deal of the Century (1983)

Deal of the Century

4.6

makeup artist

1983

 

Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, and Christie Brinkley in Vacation (1983)

Vacation

7.3

makeup artist

1983

 

Noah Beery Jr., Karen Austin, Perry King, and Ray Vitte in The Quest (1982)

The Quest

7.5

TV Series

makeup artist

1982

1 episode

 

Sean Penn in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)

Fast Times at Ridgemont High

7.1

makeup artist

1982

 

I Ought to Be in Pictures (1982)

I Ought to Be in Pictures

6.1

makeup artist

1982

 

Pennies from Heaven (1981)

Pennies from Heaven

6.5

makeup supervisor

1981

 

James Caan in Thief (1981)

Thief

7.4

makeup artist

1981

 

Urban Cowboy (1980)

Urban Cowboy

6.4

makeup artist

1980

 

Angel on My Shoulder (1980)

Angel on My Shoulder

6.3

TV Movie

makeup artist

1980

 

James Caan, Heather Bicknell, and Andy Fenwick in Hide in Plain Sight (1980)

Hide in Plain Sight

6.4

makeup artist (as Frank H. Griffin Jr.)

1980

 

Diary of a Teenage Hitchhiker (1979)

Diary of a Teenage Hitchhiker

5.3

TV Movie

makeup artist (as Frank Griffith)

1979

 

Susan Anton in Goldengirl (1979)

Goldengirl

4.9

makeup artist (as Frank Griffin Jr.)

1979

 

Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams in Laverne & Shirley (1976)

Laverne & Shirley

7.0

TV Series

makeup artist

1979

2 episodes

 

Edward Asner in Lou Grant (1977)

Lou Grant

7.3

TV Series

makeup artist

1977–1979

27 episodes

 

Angie Dickinson in Overboard (1978)

Overboard

6.2

TV Movie

makeup artist

1978

 

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

7.6

extraterrestrial mask designer (uncredited)

1977

 

Demon Seed (1977)

Demon Seed

6.3

all special makeup: Burman Studios

1977

 

Audrey Rose (1977)

Audrey Rose

5.8

makeup artist

1977

 

Blood Voyage (1976)

Blood Voyage

4.4

makeup artist

1976

 

Roger Moore in Sherlock Holmes in New York (1976)

Sherlock Holmes in New York

5.8

TV Movie

makeup artist

1976

 

Embryo (1976)

Embryo

5.1

makeup designer

1976

 

Barbary Coast (1975)

Barbary Coast

6.8

TV Series

makeup artist

1975

3 episodes

 

The Ghost Busters (1975)

The Ghost Busters

7.1

TV Series

head makeup artist

1975

15 episodes

 

The Bank Shot (1974)

The Bank Shot

5.4

makeup artist

1974

 

Cinderella Liberty (1973)

Cinderella Liberty

6.7

makeup artist (as Frank H. Griffin Jr.)

1973

 

Westworld (1973)

Westworld

6.9

makeup artist

1973

 

Robert Blake in Electra Glide in Blue (1973)

Electra Glide in Blue

7.0

makeup artist

1973

 

Scarecrow (1973)

Scarecrow

7.2

makeup artist

1973

 

Black Gunn (1972)

Black Gunn

5.8

makeup

1972

 

Maria Potts and Cliff Potts in Cry for Me Billy (1972)

Cry for Me Billy

5.9

makeup artist

1972

 

The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid (1972)

The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid

6.1

makeup artist (uncredited)

1972

 

The Scarecrow (1972)

The Scarecrow

6.9

TV Movie

makeup artist

1972

 

Insight (1960)

Insight

7.5

TV Series

makeup artist

1970–1971

2 episodes

 

Neighbors (1971)

Neighbors

7.3

TV Movie

makeup

1971

 

Lemonade (1971)

Lemonade

7.6

TV Movie

makeup

1971

 

The Typists (1971)

The Typists

7.6

TV Movie

makeup artist

1971

 

The Hired Hand (1971)

The Hired Hand

6.9

makeup artist

1971

 

The Andersonville Trial (1970)

The Andersonville Trial

7.9

TV Movie

makeup artist

1970

 

Richard Harris and Corinna Tsopei in A Man Called Horse (1970)

A Man Called Horse

6.8

make-up: Richard Harris

1970

 

James Brolin, Keir Dullea, Ricardo Montalban, Annie Fitzgerald, and France Nuyen in Black Water Gold (1970)

Black Water Gold

5.8

TV Movie

makeup artist

1970

 

Sam Whiskey (1969)

Sam Whiskey

5.9

makeup artist

1969

 

Actor

Book of Choices (2017)

Book of Choices

5.5

Mysterious Reader

2017

 

Cinderella Liberty (1973)

Cinderella Liberty

6.7

Obstetrician (as Frank H. Griffin Jr.)

1973

 

Dick Powell in Zane Grey Theatre (1956)

Zane Grey Theatre

7.5

TV Series

Stantup

1960

1 episode

 

The Ann Sothern Show (1958)

The Ann Sothern Show

7.8

TV Series

Man

1959

1 episode

 

John Bromfield in U.S. Marshal (1958)

U.S. Marshal

7.4

TV Series

Deputy

1959

1 episode

 

Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (1958)

Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse

8.0

TV Series

1959

1 episode

 

Rhonda Fleming and Guy Madison in Bullwhip (1958)

Bullwhip

5.2

Keeler

1958

 

How to Marry a Millionaire (1957)

How to Marry a Millionaire

8.0

TV Series

Brooks Davis

1958

1 episode

 

Dick Simmons and Yukon King in Sergeant Preston of the Yukon (1955)

Sergeant Preston of the Yukon

7.5

TV Series

Constable Dignum (as Ruell Shayne)

1957

1 episode

 

Debra Paget and Cornel Wilde in Omar Khayyam (1957)

Omar Khayyam

5.9

Assassin

Assassin Teacher (uncredited)

1957

 

The Giant Claw (1957)

The Giant Claw

4.6

Pete - Pilot (as Ruell Shayne)

1957

 

Robert Shayne in Navy Log (1955)

Navy Log

8.0

TV Series

Sailor

1955–1957

2 episodes

 

Elvis Presley, Richard Egan, and Debra Paget in Love Me Tender (1956)

Love Me Tender

6.2

Minor Role (uncredited)

1956

 

Jane Russell in The Revolt of Mamie Stover (1956)

The Revolt of Mamie Stover

6.4

Military Policeman (uncredited)

1956

 

Teen-Age Crime Wave (1955)

Teen-Age Crime Wave

3.6

Ben Grant

1955

 

Death Valley Days (1952)

Death Valley Days

7.5

TV Series

Steve

1955

1 episode

 

Dangerous Mission (1954)

Dangerous Mission

5.7

Tedd (uncredited)

1954

 

Devil's Canyon (1953)

Devil's Canyon

5.4

Guard (uncredited)

1953

 

Trevor Bardette, Smiley Burnette, John Dehner, and Charles Starrett in Fort Savage Raiders (1951)

Fort Savage Raiders

6.6

Rog Beck

1951

 

Smiley Burnette, Gloria Henry, and Charles Starrett in Lightning Guns (1950)

Lightning Guns

6.4

Jim Otis (uncredited)

1950