• Robin La Vigne (- 2015)

    ROBIN LA VIGNE -- Journeyman Make-up Artist

    One of the pioneering female make-up artists of Local 706, Robin Dee LaVigne was the daughter of make-up artist Emile LaVigne. After her apprenticeship in the Producers Association training program, she became a Journeyman in 1977. Robin worked on some of the most popular sit-com and nighttime dramas – most notably Seinfeld, Dynasty, Ellen, The Tracey Ullman Show, In the Heat of the Night and The Colbys. The father-daughter make-up team actually got to work together on The Colbys for two episodes in 1986. Her creativity was displayed on The Tracey Ullman Show for which she won an Emmy (along with Carol Schwartz and Tom and Bari Burman). Never complacent, she respectfully challenged the old studio system that only gave credit to the studio make-up department heads. Her reasoning was that while on a distant location, she did all of the work and should be given the proper credit. At that time, the determination was that the studio department head was actually in charge and her request was denied but the production department heads began getting their own credit, little by little. She was a classically trained make-up artist with ability to work in every genre and those talents served her well. Her love of painting translated onto beautiful canvases after she retired, and she was a talented photographer as well.

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  • Julie Palasek (1947-2015)

    Julie Palasek    (1947 - 2015)  

    JULIE PALASEK, Pink Contract Hair Stylist               (1947 – 2015)

    Julie Palasek joined Local 706 as an IATSE Pink Contract theatrical hair stylist member in 1997.  In 2007, a newspaper article described life on the road with The Phantom of the Opera. This production of Phantom came by its apparent effortlessness the hard way: hitting the boards night after night, in city after city. The third national tour of Phantom presented its 6,000th performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber's award-winning musical since the company took the show on the road back in 1992. Not only did the tour have longevity, it had monstrous girth, too. It took 20 semi-trucks to haul the show, which included 157 wigs 230 costumes, 2,700 yards of drapery fabric, a 2-ton motorized chandelier, 213 electric candles, a 1,600-pound portcullis (a metal gate that runs the length of the stage), eight painted backdrops, a life-sized elephant, 11 mannequins, a 10-inch-high deck that rested on top of the theater's actual stage and so much more.  Julie Palasek was responsible for "The Phantom" who affectionately called her "Peanut."  She also toured with "White Christmas' in 2011.

    She started working for Panopoulos Salons and later opened her own salon, JP and Co. in Grand Haven, Michigan. In 2013 she transferred to IATSE Local 26, traveling and styling hair for many Broadway shows and performances 

    Julie worked many jobs, however, her greatest job was that of being grandmother to Sophie, the joy and light of her life. Julie was a very loving and giving person, always willing to help others. She had a contagious smile, was a fantastic cook and loved to entertain her dinner guests with wine, a great meal and sometimes a little tap dancing. She loved to have fun, laugh and would do just about anything to make you laugh too.

    She will be deeply missed and forever cherished by her devoted husband Scott, her loving children Martha Leavitt and Andrew Palasek, and her precious granddaughter Sophie. She is also survived by her siblings Mary Ann O'Neill, Mike and Tony Arsulowicz. Per her request, cremation has taken place.  Special thanks to Spectrum Health Hospice and the staff at Lemon/Holton Cancer Treatment Center for all their help. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to a charity of one's choice. Thank you

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  • Henry Vilardo (1923-2015)

    Henry Vilardo, Journeyman Make-up Artist/ Business Representative and Trustee of the
    Motion Picture Industry Health and Pension Plan (1923-2015)

    Born in Chicago, Henry Vilardo began his 706 apprenticeship at Warner Bros. Studios in 1944. He worked with some of the truly great actors of the time – James Dean, Paul Newman, Jack Lemmon, James Cagney, Doris Day and Sophia Loren and is credited with films The Days of Wine and Roses, A Summer Place, The Young Philadelphians and Boy on a Dolphin and many others. He began serving on the Executive Board in 1956 and became Business Representative for Local 706 in 1959. He was well respected as a contract negotiator and in order to represent the members better, Hank attended law school and achieved a Juris Doctorate to be in a position to do the best possible job. He dealt with exactly the same challenges that are faced in the union today. He attempted to rectify 32 years of “diminishing wage salary inequity” but unfortunately had no better fortune with that subject than make-up artists and hair stylists face today. The Business Representative of the Film Technicians Local 683 wrote in 1973, “It has been a gratifying experience to negotiate, arbitrate and conciliate numerous problems in the Motion Picture and Television Industries with Henry Vilardo. He has demonstrated his integrity and prowess as an extremely competent Labor Representative and one of the most skilled and aggressive negotiators in the Labor Movement. This is complemented by his keen insight and knowledge of the Motion Picture and Television Industries and his ability to communicate practical and reasonable solutions…Mr. Vilardo is well aware of the employees’ problems in the Motion Picture and Television Industries, as related to foreign production and American-interest “runaway” productions and it was my good fortune to serve with him on a Committee appearing in Washington, D.C. before our legislators. I was personally impressed with his ability in expressing the seriousness of Hollywood’s plight and his suggested solutions which are now being considered in legislative form before the 93rd Congressional Session in the House of Representatives.”

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