Leonard Engelman, an Emmy-nominated makeup artist, who successfully lobbied for makeup artists to be included in the Academy Awards, died on Thursday in Los Angeles at the age of 83.
Engelman’s death was confirmed by the Cinema Makeup School in Los Angeles, although the cause remains unclear, reported The Hollywood Reporter.
In a career that spanned over five decades, he was known best for his work on films such as “The Princess Diaries,” “Rocky IV,” “Batman & Robin,” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” as well as for doing Cher’s makeup for over 30 years.
Born in Burbank in 1941, Engelman was the son of a Hollywood makeup artist and would earn his first film credit on Alfred Hitchcock’s “Topaz” in 1969.
He served as Cher’s personal makeup handler during her time acting in numerous films, including, “Moonstruck” (1987), “Suspect” (1987), “The Witches of Eastwick” (1987), “Burlesque” (2010), and others.
As a passionate advocate for makeup artists, Engelman lobbied for the establishment of a makeup branch within the Academy, achieving success in 2006 when he was elected its first governor. He also played a key role in including hairstylists in the branch.
Throughout his illustrious career, Engelman received Emmy nominations for an episode of “Night Gallery” in 1972 and for the miniseries “Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis” in 2001.
He also worked as a dedicated mentor, training several generations of artists at the Cinema Makeup School in Los Angeles.
In 2017, he was honored with a lifetime achievement award from the Hollywood Makeup Artists & Hair Stylists Guild.
Engelman is survived by his wife Esther Engelman, their children Steven, Kimberly, Anna, and Jennifer, who is also a makeup artist, and six grandchildren.