/internal/media/dispatcher/48839/fullPlastic Halloween mask in the shape of a caricature of Harold Macmillancirca 1960Overall: 10 1/4 x 7 3/4 x 6 1/2 in. (26 x 19.7 x 16.5 cm)Plastic; Metal; Fibers, Man-madeThe Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza Collection2002.033.00050One molded, plastic, painted, caricature Halloween mask meant to be Harold Macmillan.
Mask has exaggerated features. Hair, eyebrows, and mustache are painted gray, lips painted red-orange. Holes cut in mask for eyes, nostrils, and slit for mouth above white teeth; brown paint in circle around eye holes with rest of eye area painted white. Eye wrinkles and face lines are emphasized with painted brown lines. Plastic is an all-over peachish color to suggest skin tone. Cheeks, tip of nose, forehead, chin, and around eyes are painted in similar red-orange color as lips to suggest more defined facial features of the mask. Black line painted on each lower lid of eye holes; blurry dark eye lashes painted on upper lids of eye holes. Brown speckles of paint underneath chin. Molded ears stick out from the sides of the mask; painted brownish color on insides to add depth to the mask's features.
Two small metal grommets with a puncture hole in the middle of each one are just above each ear with a piece of pink elastic cord strung through for wearing; elastic is stretched out and tied in a bow.
"MADE IN FRANCE" stamped in relief onto lower back edge of mask in double-chin area.
Mask is in good condition. Highest relief areas of mask have some paint loss and staining. Inside of mask is dirty; black flecks present throughout that are possibly mold. Removed by Stephanie Allen and Jan Masterson 04/11/2017. (JM 04/11/2017)Artifacts6623819.685000000026.035000000022105Mask16.5100000000Plastic Halloween mask in the form of a caricature of Harold Macmillan. This would have been a costume representing one of the nation's allies, the Prime Minister of Britain (1957-1963). The mask has holes cut in it for eyes and nostrils, as well as a small slit for the mouth. Two small metal grommets, one just above each ear, are connected with a piece of elastic strung through for wearing.
"MADE IN FRANCE" is stamped in relief on the reverse side of the mask.Pop CultureHalloweenMaskWorld leadersToysCaricaturesCostumeMacmillan, HaroldFranceThis early 1960s Halloween mask was apparently part of a world leaders series that also included President Charles de Gaulle of France, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, Cuban president Fidel Castro and U.S. president John F. Kennedy. The Museum has examples of all of these except for President Kennedy, though we have other Kennedy masks that are not part of this series.
Although we know little about these masks, three examples - Kennedy, Castro and Khrushchev - make brief appearances in the 1962 Universal Pictures film, Forty Pounds of Trouble, starring Tony Curtis. In the film, these masks were ostensibly purchased at Disneyland, though in reality the Anaheim theme park never sold political masks. -- Stephen Fagin, Curator