Sydney Guilaroff

Sydney Guilaroff (November 2, 1907 – May 28, 1997)

Guilaroff was born in London, England to Eugene Abraham Guilaroff and Annie Guilaroff née Snitkin, Russian Jewish immigrants who later settled in Canada. They lived in both the cities of Winnipeg and Montreal. His sisters, Olga and Vera,[4] became prominent in the theater. At age 14, Guilaroff left Canada for New York City and found work in the stockroom of Gimbels department store. An on-the-job accident required him to leave, and at times his financial situation forced him to sleep on benches in Central Park.

His fortunes changed when he was hired as a beautician's assistant. His menial responsibilities included sweeping the floor of a hair salon. The owner recognized his energy and enterprise, and mentored him in the hairdressing trade. By age 16, Guilaroff was so proficient a hair stylist that he had established a considerable clientele. However, his blossoming career was interrupted by a diagnosis of tuberculosis, which required his return to Canada. He recovered and returned to New York to continue his profession. During this period, he was reputed to have created silent screen star Louise Brooks' signature bob. He also devised the hair looks for actresses Corinne Griffith and Miriam Hopkins. He subsequently found a position at Antoine de Paris’s, one of the city's most exclusive salons, where he was known as Mr. Sydney.

Career with Metro Goldwyn Mayer

Guilaroff's rise to prominence as a hairdresser to the stars was championed by actress

“…[Guilaroff] gave

Wizard of Oz braids, and cut, curled, coiffed and cosseted virtually every other MGM star in his 40-year reign as Hollywood’s most creative and celebrated hairdresser.”^[1]

When Lena Horne filmed her introductions to her scenes in the MGM musical documentary That's Entertainment! III (1994), she requested that Guilaroff come out of retirement to style her hair, some 50 years after he first styled it in Cabin in the Sky (1943).^[8]

Notable clients

Over his long and distinguished career, Guilaroff's clients included

Guilaroff never married.^[1] In 1938, he became the first single man in the United States to adopt a son, whom he named Jon in honor of Joan Crawford. The state of California opposed the adoption and tried to prevent it, but Guilaroff prevailed. He subsequently adopted another son, named Eugene, and some years later a third, who had been a former employee.^[5]

In his memoir Crowning Glories, Guilaroff claimed he had romantic affairs with Greta Garbo and Ava Gardner.^[10] Esther Williams in her autobiography and Scotty Bowers in his memoir^[11] asserted that Sydney Guilaroff had romantic affairs with Bowers. Bowers also stated to have set him up with his partner Edwin B. Willis.

Death

Guilaroff died in Beverly Hills, California on May 28, 1997, at age 89.^[2]

References

External links

• Sydney Guilaroff at
  IMDb