Robert Stephanoff

In 1941, Virginia L. Stephanoff filed for divorce against Blagoe Stephanoff, something the papers then routinely reported in long lists.

In 1930, his son, Wayne Lee Stephanoff was born.

Petroff, in 1929 the Bulgarian Minister to Albania; and, also in 1929, one of three heirs to a large estate in Macedonia left by an aunt. How much of all this was true, who is to say?He was reported to speak English, French, Turkish, Russian, Bulgarian, Greek, Serbian, Polish, Montenegrin, Bohemian, Albanian, Belgian, and Spanish. Another list, for good measure, added Rumanian and Armenian. One clipping, in fact, indicated his first studio work was as an interpreter, not as an actor or makeup artist.

In 1928, the papers published his notice of intention to marry Virginia Lee Curtis, then 21.

Robert "Bob" Stephanoff seems to have had a knack for charming newspaper reporters who may have been wandering studio back lots in search of a good story for the entertainment or women's pages. He was quoted, for instance, on matters of women's posture, recipes for the custom-manufacture of makeup, and for tips about avoiding skin damage from excessive sunshine. In 1927, he was touted as the first expert to win the title "makeup technician," when he was signed to United Artists. Later, he was reported to work for the Samuel Goldwyn Studio, and to have enough time in the business to rank as "dean" of such artists. His background made for especially colorful copy, and it seemed to get more exotic with every telling. Under the real full name of Blagoe Stephanoff-Pop-Petroff, he was born to wealthy Bulgarians, but in an area of the world that was then part of Turkey; his father was working a contract there to build railroad bridges. At various times, he was said to formerly be a well-known portrait painter of Europe; a member of an ancient Balkan family; a scion of Bulgarian nobility; a baron; a nephew to Srebren P.

In 1919, he decided to specialize in screen makeup, quitting touring.

His mother tongue was Bulgarian. He immigrated to the United States in 1912, and was an actor before he became a makeup artist.

Here's a chronological outline of the rest of his life, as, again, compiled from newspaper clippings: In 1910, he emigrated to the U. S. , and acted in films and on stage.

Stephanoff died in a fire at his apartment at 1607 N. Gower St., Los Angeles; officials blamed it on smoking in bed.