Mary Kraus started her career with Local 706 in April of 1982. She was one of our esteemed Body Make-up members. At the time our Body Make-up members, were not on the Industry Experience Roster, but came in and stayed as Associate Make-up Artists. They worked in all areas of production as their skills were needed. She was most proud of her work on Young & the Restless, a network television production. Her work also included many shows at CBS, Santa Barbara-NBC, and Knotts Landing & Dallas for Lorimar.

From the 1930s and 40s to 1999, a separate Roster category for Body Make-up Artists was held by women who practiced this very specific craft. When it was first developed, there were no female make-up artists, only men. In order to maintain a sense of dignity and avoid embarrassment for female actors, (male) make-up artists were only allowed to apply make-up on women within specific boundaries. They were not allowed to paint the skin lower than the collarbones, and only below the elbow to the hands. The torso, shoulders and legs were the domain of the Body Make-up Artists. Primarily they used pancake make-up on sea sponges and they were responsible for making sure the actresses skin looked flawless. They did everything from hiding bruises to covering (rare back then) tattoos, birthmarks, blemishes. They could highlight and contour the body parts to look like velvet, or they could be called upon to assist the make-up artist to do wounds and injuries - whatever the script called for. 

Mary was predeceased by her husband Albert and her son David, and survived by her daughter Kathryn Mahon (Kraus). Services were held in late February exclusively for family.

.