Michael George Westmore, Jr. (born 23 October 1966; age 58) is a prosthetics electrician and makeup artist as well as a film editor who worked on several episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Also credited as Michael Westmore II he was specialized in the creation of the electronic appliances seen inside Data in various episodes and also worked on the Borg eye pieces for Star Trek: First Contact.
He is also credited with writing a section of the Star Trek: The Next Generation Makeup FX Journal about electronic special effects, titled "Androids & Electronics", p.20-25, and was pictured on the 1994 SkyBox trading card #35 of the series The Making of Star Trek: The Next Generation, titled "Electronic Makeup". [1]
According to the article in the Star Trek: The Next Generation Makeup FX Journal, Westmore, Jr. started developing computer systems with a friend in high school. He created mechanical effects for his father on other television series. He remembered his first job on The Next Generation being the blinkies of Geordi La Forge when he was not wearing the VISOR. He then worked on Data's damaged head on the first season episode "Datalore". Other creations include the eye piece laser of Locutus in "The Best of Both Worlds".
On Star Trek: First Contact he was responsible for the blinking Borg eye pieces. He programmed several names such as Rick Berman, Sherry Lansing, and Bonnie, at this time his dog, in Morse code into the eye pieces. [2]
Born in Los Angeles, California, USA, he is the son of Star Trek makeup designer and supervisor Michael Westmore, the brother of actress McKenzie Westmore, the grandson of Monte Westmore, a hair stylist and makeup artist on the classic film Gone With the Wind (1939), the grand-nephew of hair stylist Pat Westmore who worked on Star Trek: The Original Series, and the nephew of Monty Westmore and his wife June Westmore who also worked on Star Trek as makeup artists. Many other members of the Westmore family are famous makeup artists. He was among the family members who were honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on 3 October 2008. [3]
Beside his work on Star Trek, Westmore, Jr. was the assistant editor on the horror sequel Halloween 5 (1989) and received special thanks in the credits of the short documentary Eye of the Beholder (2010), an interview with his father.
Star Trek credits[]
(This list is currently incomplete.)
- TNG:
- "Datalore" - Prosthetic Electronics (uncredited) (Season 1)
- "The Offspring" - Prosthetic Electronics (Season 3, uncredited)
- "The Best of Both Worlds" - Electronics (uncredited)
- "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II" - Prosthetic Electronics (Season 4, uncredited)
- "Brothers" - Prosthetic Electronics (credited as Michael Westmore, II)
- "Legacy" - Prosthetic Electronics (credited as Michael Westmore, II)
- "Qpid" - Prosthetic Electronics (credited as Michael Westmore, II)
- "Ensign Ro" - Prosthetic Electronics (Season 5, credited as Michael Westmore II)
- "The Game" - Prosthetics Electronics (uncredited)
- "Disaster" - Prosthetic Electronics (uncredited)
- "Cause And Effect" - Prosthetic Electronics (credited as Michael Westmore II)
- "Time's Arrow" - Prosthetic Electronics (uncredited)
- "Time's Arrow, Part II" - Prosthetic Electronics (Season 6)
- "All Good Things..." - Assistant Editor (Season 7)