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The HEADLIGHT HERALD
Career begins with a ‘paper cut’

9/9/97
By Linda L. Ediger
Headlight-Herald staff

ROCKAWAY BEACH - How many careers begin by selling 'paper cuts' for 10 cents a piece?

"I really wanted to be a veterinarian," explained make-up artist E. Larry Day, "I really loved animals." But spending time in the library before school began led Day to the reference books. "I found a book on stage make-up that explained how to make fake blood," chuckled Day. "I made up this stuff out of food coloring and glycerine, played around with it, and started selling 'paper cuts' for 10 cents a piece. Kids would go up to the teacher, ‘I cut myself, may I go to the bathroom to wash it off?' Now what kind of teacher is going to deny a child permission?" Day said, as he laughed uproariously. "The kids would go smoke in the bathroom. I was pretty popular 14-year-old." He made $4 dollars before the teachers caught on to him.

It's been a long-time since the 'paper cuts' or since a counselor tried to help Day in his career choice. "When I was a senior I knew I wanted to be a make-up artist. The school counselor said if that's what I wanted to do, she would find me a college. A week later, she said she couldn't find a college that majored in make-up, but maybe a vocational school. A week later, she again told me, no vocational school, maybe an apprenticeship. Well, you guess it, no apprenticeship. She was not sure where to turn then," explained Day. "All I knew was I wanted to be a makeup artist and that was that." And that's exactly what he did. He has been a makeup artist for 25 years.Actors would sometimes do their own make-up, but Day was the first official make-up artist in Portland. He learned by hands-on-experience and training under the guidance of other makeup artists. The list includes Dick Smith "grand master of make-up according to Day. Smith did the make-up for such remarkable effect films as The Exorcist and Little Big Man.

"Today, make-up artists tend to specialize, but I was taught to be well rounded. Now that its been so many years, the commercial people think of me as effects only. The people in LA know me as more rounded," said Day.

Day has worked with numerous actors. "By dealing with the actors through the course of a film a make-up artist is able to reflect on the actor's emotions. An example of this was in Dead By Sunset, "Make-up was used to enhance the performance of what the actor was doing," explained Day. Some of the performers Day has worked with include Roddy McDowall, Paul Simon, Rick Schroder, Ed Marinaro, Gary Busey, Heather Locklear, Michael Beck, Cicely Tyson, George Clooney, Linda Gray and Cloris Leachman. "And more than 85 percent of Portland/Vancouver/Seattle local actors," added Day.

One of the challenges Day has experienced is aging a 35 year old couple to the age of 85. "The guy came out great, the woman ended up looking like hell," said Day. His mentor, Smith, asked Day what he thought his role as a make-up artist was. Day answered, "The face is my canvas." Smith replied, "Wrong. The face is a finished portrait and you are just enhancing that look."

Now residing in Rockaway Beach, while visiting Day it is a good idea to keep your 'guard up.' A burnt and mangled arm hangs from the rafters in his studio, props fill the shelves and various 'heads' eye you from the corners. "We even had one guy get trapped up there," said Day, pointing to the rafters. A trapped hand, fingers moving feebly, causing Day to break out in his 'can't help but join him' laughter.

Day's current project is Fifteen and Pregnant, A Nice Girl's Story. Besides doing the make-up for the movie of the week, Day was also asked to do a prosthesis, or mold depicting a pregnancy.

"Kirsten Dunst, who was in Interview with a Vampire, and Park Overall star in the movie, which will be shown on Lifetime," said Day. Dunst, plays the pregnant teenager. The pregnant 'mold' will have to not only look believable, but not be overly heavy. Day, with admittedly little experience concerning pregnancy, has researched the Internet for pictures of pregnant women, "There are way too many pregnant women on the net," chuckled Day. He has also interviewed pregnant women, willing to show their tummy to him.

"Park Overall is a hoot and a half. She looked at me and said, 'So, you got a Harley?' chuckled Day, a big man who can be a little intimidating at first glance. "I said 'No, I don't have one, but if you're thinking about going riding with me, I just might buy one." Day's laughter bounces off the walls.

Day is working with others, such as the Oregon Media Production Association, to bring the movie of the week business back to the United States, especially the Pacific Northwest area. "We lost the business about two years ago to Canada," explained Day. That meant the loss of more than $500 million a year. "We want to bring some of that money back," said Day, who added " to do that the union must be brought on board."

"There is a delicate balance between crew, location, actor. Working together we can have a resurgence in this type of product which is the bread and butter of the business," Day said. This resurgence is being shown by movies shot in the PNW, Texas and North Carolina.

Other movies of the week Day has worked on include: To My Daughter With Love; Save the Last Dance For Me; Without Warning: Terror in the Towers; Preying Mantis; Fade to Black; Perfect Family; Home Wrecker; Body Language; Chrome Soldiers; Duplicates; Deadly Game; Child of Darkness, Child of Light.

He has also worked on the television series Under Suspicion, Medicine Ball, America’s Most Wanted and Rescue 911.

Day has an impressive portfolio. He is also passionate about his work and his love of life. Apparently, as a 14-year-old ‘cooking up paper-cuts’ he made the right career move.

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