ENTERTAINMENT
surveying all the make-up
equipment and thinking, "I
have no idea what to do with
it!" In- spite of his lack of ex-
perience, Kenneth liked what
he saw and Bruce was hired.
Being at Kenneth's at that
time — 1964 — proved to be a
propitious opportunity. "I had
clients like Jacqueline Ken-
nedy and Lauren Bacall," he
recalls. Bruce's appearance, at
age 17, on the New York
fashion scene, was big news,
and Women's Wear Daily did
a two-page feature on this
cosmetics prodigy.
At 20, Bruce took advan-
tage of another golden oppor-
tunity, joining cosmetics
take full
responsibility for
anything bad that's
ever happened to
me and for
anything good
that's ever
happened to me:
Bruce's behind-the scenes beauty pageant work led to television exposure.
Make-Up!
Jeffrey Bruce started a successful career in the
entertainment field by being a cosmetician to the stars.
JOANNE ZUROFF
Special to The Jewish News
J
effrey Bruce was
17 when he
launched his-
career as make-up
artist to the rich
and famous. Moving from one
success to another, this
straight-talking, energic ar-
tist burst upon Detroit's
fashion and entertainment
scene about 10 years ago.
Local recognition and
popularity were firmly
established through his
repeated appearances on
"Kelly and Co.," Channel 7's
morning talk show, where
Bruce first appeared as a
guest and later as the show's
occasional guest host.
Born Jeffrey Hirsch in New
York, Bruce was always an ar-
tistic child. He enjoyed draw-
ing, painting, tracing and
doodling. "When I was doodl-
ing, I'd draw eyes," he says.
But pursuing a career in art
never occurred to him, and at
17, Bruce began college, pur-
suing a business curriculum.
His academic progress was
interrupted -when a friend
who worked at the famous
Kenneth Salon in Manhattan
called Bruce with a once-in-a-
lifetime opportunity. He was
looking for a make-up artist,
preferably Bruce. But Bruce's
immediate response was, "I
don't know of anyone." The
friend persisted, pointing out
Bruce's knowledge of high-
lighting, and contouring, and
eventually persuaded him to
try out for the job.
Realizing he wasn't meant
to sit behind a desk, Bruce
kept the date. His model was
actress Phylis Neuman, who
is "still a client and a good
friend." Bruce remembers
magnate Estee lauder as
training director. He was
responsible for training all
the sales people behind the
Lauder cosmetic counters.
"That was a wonderful job,"
muses Bruce.
Two years later, he was
lured to Revlon where he was
appointed director of
cosmetics. "This was a very
heavy title and a very big job,"
Bruce notes. "They expected
. you to look good and they ex-
pected blood." He left Revlon
2
when his contract expired,
co frustrated by the lack of
specialized products for
various skin types.
Bruce's next career move
took him to California, where
he became Ann-Margret's
personal make-up artist. Two-
and-a-half years later, he
began to think about having
his own business. He
developed a line of aloe-based
cosmetics, including make-up
and skin-care products, which
is now based in his Manhat-
tan studio and distributed
nationally.
Getting onto television was
a direct result of his expertise
as a make-up artist. Because
of his prior experience work-
ing on beauty pageants, Miss
Michigan of 1980, Heide Hep-
pler chose him to be her
make-up artist. Her mother,
who had numerous media
contacts because of her
daughter's beauty pageant
experiences was able to ar-
range his first appearance on
Kelly and Co. Six weeks later,
he was hosting the show.
From that point, Bruce
knew exactly what he wanted
his media image to be. "It was
(GOING PLACES
I
WEEK OF
JUNE 9-JUNE 15
COMEDY
COMEDY CASTLE
2593 Woodward, Berkley,
Barry Diamond, today
and Saturday; Roger
Behr, Tuesday through
June 17, admission,
542-9900.
THEATER
DETROIT
REPERTORY
THEATER
13103 Woodrow Wilson
Ave., Detroit, Enchanted
Night, Charlie and Out
At Sea, now through
June 25, admission,
868-1347.
PERFORMANCE
NETWORK
408 W Washington, Ann
Arbor, Death Drinks a
Beer and That'll be the
Day, Thursday through
June 25, admission,
435-7859.
SHAW FESTIVAL
Niagara-on-the-Lake,
Ontario, Man and
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Oct. 15; Berkeley Square,
now through Oct. 14;
and Once in a Lifetime,
now through July 23,
admission, (416)
468-2172.
BIRMINGHAM
THEATRE
211 S. Woodward,
Birmingham, The Nerd,
now through June 18,
admission, 644-3533.
HENRY FORD
MUSEUM THEATER
Henry Ford Museum and
Greenfield Village,
Dearborn, The Gazebo,
now through July 22,
admission, 271-1620.
BARRIER FREE
THEATRE
Performance Network,
408 W. Washington, Ann
Arbor, Au Renoir A2, 8
p.m. today and Saturday,
3 p.m. Sunday,
admission, 747-6331.
MUSIC
TROY HILTON INN
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admission, 583-9000.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
65