New York City. May 15th,
2009. After sixty years, Bob
Kelly is still working every day
at the age of 85 at the second
oldest profession in the world;
wig making. Bob has designed
and made wigs for more Broadway
shows and movies around the
world than he can count. He’s
been in business since 1958. Bob
started a theatrical cosmetic
company in 1968. His most recent
project is Shrek, the Broadway
Show. Bob has worked with
Saturday Night Live since its
inception in 1976. He even did
the hair and make-up for the
Beatles first US performance on
the Ed Sullivan Show in the
1960’s.
Visiting his shop on West 46th
Street in the heart of Time’s
Square’s Theatre district, I
found myself wishing the old
cliché, “If these walls could
talk.” Never could anyone
imagine the true artistry of wig
making without visiting
legendary Bob Kelly, the east
coast king of cosmetic and wig
design. I felt as if I had
stepped back in time to a place
that had stayed frozen in space.
My head was spinning just
reading the famous names on the
wooden blocks custom made for
wig sizing. There was Heidi Klum,
Seal, Will Farrell, many casts
of Broadway shows, film stars
(Linda Blair) from The Exorcist
to name a few. Indeed, Bob’s
accomplishments would take up
this entire page. I asked Bob
what his favorite task was, he
replied, “South Pacific,” but it
was a difficult choice.
Daughter, make-up artist Barbara
Kelly was more than enthusiastic
about her fathers shop. Barbara
opened drawer after drawer of
hair samples from humans, yaks,
short hair, red hair, green
hair, long hair, toupees, and
just about any thing you allow
your imagination about hair to
see…it was all there…like a bank
for hair. The shop is a close
knit family. Barbara introduced
me to Bill Urban and Maria who
have worked with her father for
about 50 years. Employees shared
memories about all the famous
people who have had their
creations made at Bob Kelly’s.
Some of Bob’s other credits are;
Tommy, West Side Story, The
Little Mermaid, Cats, Guys and
Dolls, Fiddler on the Roof,
Pippin’, Camelot, Beauty and the
Beast , A Funny Thing Happened
on the way to the Forum,
Chicago, 42nd Street,
Carousel, Legally Blonde, The
Lion King, Mary Poppins, and
many more. Bob even designed
the wig that Tina Faye wore on
Saturday Night Live when she had
the challenge of impersonating
Sara Palin. The list of credits
is vast.
Bob Kelly, you are a genius and
a legend. My hat or should I say
wig is off to you!
Story and Photo by Sara
Herbert-Galloway
sara@blacktiemagazine.com
To view more pictures please
visit:
www.herbertcollection.com
We are making a collection of
memorabilia and stories in Bob
Kelly’s honor. If you have
anything you would like to share
with Bob and his daughter
Barbara please send it to
barbkellymakeup@gmail.com