# Allan "Whitey" Snyder

Allan "Whitey" Snyder (August 7, 1914 – April 16, 1994) was an American Hollywood make-up artist and is best remembered as the personal makeup artist of Marilyn Monroe.

## Career

Allan Snyder began his long career as a makeup artist in 1948. He first began his career as an assistant make-up artist on the film The Walls of Jericho.
Whitey Snyder was Marilyn Monroe's makeup artist throughout her career: from her first screen test at Twentieth Century Fox in 1946 to her funeral makeup in 1962. The pair developed a very close working relationship. Towards the end of her life, Monroe asked Snyder to prepare her face if she were to die before him. This was a promise that he fulfilled, after her death in August 1962. Snyder was also a pall-bearer at her funeral.
For his work, Snyder was twice nominated for Primetime Emmy Awards, under the category of Outstanding Achievement in Make-Up. These nominations came in 1978 for his work on the TV Biopic Marilyn: The Untold Story and in 1981 for Little House on the Prairie. His last project was the 1984 television series Highway to Heaven, which he worked on from 1984 to 1987.

## Personal life

Snyder was married to Beverly Bray from 1937 until their divorce in 1970. They had two children: son Ron, a former makeup artist and ex-husband of film star Kim Basinger, and daughter Sherrill. His second wife, from 1970 until his death, was costumer Marjorie Plecher, who had also worked as the wardrobe director on several of Marilyn Monroe's films.

## Death

Snyder died on April 16, 1994, in Hansville, Washington.

## In popular culture

In the 2022 Netflix film Blonde, Snyder was portrayed by Toby Huss.

## Filmography

Film :
| Year | Title | Notes |
| 1948 | The Walls of Jericho | Assistant makeup artist Uncredited |
| 1948 | That Wonderful Urge | Uncredited |
| 1949 | The Fan | Uncredited |
| 1949 | The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend | Uncredited |
| 1949 | It Happens Every Spring | Uncredited |
| 1948 | Everybody Does It | Credited as Alan Snyder |
| 1949 | Whirlpool | Uncredited |
| 1950 | My Blue Heaven | |
| 1950 | Two Flags West | |
| 1950 | For Heaven's Sake | Credited as Alan Snyder |
| 1952 | Viva Zapata! | Uncredited |
| 1952 | Monkey Business | Makeup artist to Marilyn Monroe Uncredited |
| 1953 | Niagara | Makeup artist to Marilyn Monroe Uncredited |
| 1953 | Gentlemen Prefer Blondes | Makeup artist to Marilyn Monroe Uncredited |
| 1953 | How to Marry a Millionaire | Uncredited |
| 1954 | River of No Return | Makeup artist to Marilyn Monroe Uncredited |
| 1954 | There's No Business Like Show Business | Makeup artist to Marilyn Monroe Uncredited |
| 1955 | The Seven Year Itch | Makeup artist to Marilyn Monroe Uncredited |
| 1956 | Bus Stop | Makeup artist to Marilyn Monroe Uncredited |
| 1956 | Around the World in 80 Days | Uncredited |
| 1957 | Peyton Place | Uncredited |
| 1958 | South Pacific | Uncredited |
| 1958 | The Naked and the Dead | Makeup supervisor |
| 1958 | Earth vs. the Spider | Credited as Allen Snyder |
| 1958 | Rally 'Round the Flag, Boys! | Uncredited |
| 1958 | The Lost Missile | Credited as Alan Snyder |
| 1959 | Verboten! | Credited as Allen Snyder |
| 1959 | The Diary of Anne Frank | Uncredited |
| 1959 | Some Like It Hot | Makeup artist to Marilyn Monroe Uncredited |
| 1959 | Born to Be Loved | |
| 1960 | Let's Make Love | Uncredited |
| 1961 | The Misfits | |
| 1961 | King of the Roaring 20's: The Story of Arnold Rothstein | |
| 1962 | Something's Got to Give | Makeup artist to Marilyn Monroe Uncredited |
| 1963 | Tammy and the Doctor | |
| 1965 | Boeing Boeing | |
| 1966 | What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? | |
| 1968 | The Party | Makeup supervisor |
| 1968 | Rosemary's Baby | |
| 1970 | Darling Lili | Credited as Allen Snyder |
| 1970 | The Moonshine War | |
| 1970 | How Do I Love Thee? | Makeup artist to Maureen O'Hara |
| 1971 | Pretty Maids All in a Row | |
| 1971 | Big Jake | Uncredited |
| 1971 | The Marriage of a Young Stockbroker | Credited as Alan Snyder |
| 1971 | The Steagle | |
| 1971 | Diamonds Are Forever | Uncredited |
| 1972 | 1776 | |
| 1972 | The Poseidon Adventure | |
| 1973 | Scream Blacula Scream | Credited as Alan Snider |
| 1976 | A Star Is Born | |
| 1977 | The Goodbye Girl | Credited as Allan Whitey Snyder |
| 1984 | Racing with the Moon | |
| 1984 | Sam's Son | |
Television :
| Year | Title | Notes |
| 1973 | The Red Pony | Television movie |
| 1974 | The Underground Man | Television movie |
| 1974-1983 | Little House on the Prairie | 190 episodes |
| 1975 | The 1975 Fashion Awards | Television special |
| 1976 | Brenda Starr | Television movie |
| 1976 | The Loneliest Runner | Television movie |
| 1978 | Mitzi... What's Hot, What's Not | Television special |
| 1980 | Marilyn: The Untold Story | Television movie |
| 1981 | Father Murphy | Episode: "Father Murphy" |
| 1983 | Love is Forever | Television movie |
| 1984 | Little House: The Last Farewell | Television movie |
| 1984 | Little House: Bless All the Dear Children | Television movie |
| 1984-1987 | Highway to Heaven | 68 episodes |