Sidney B. Factor, 89; Expanded Father’s Cosmetics Empire

Sidney B. Factor, who helped build Max Factor & Co., the cosmetics firm his father founded, into an internationally known name, has died. He was 89.

Factor died Thursday of natural causes at his home in Beverly Hills, said his granddaughter, Jenny Factor.

Factor learned the family business at a young age by working after school with his father, Max Factor Sr., who launched the business in St. Louis at the World’s Fair of 1904. At first, the firm specialized in wigs, rouge and face creams. After relocating to Los Angeles several years later, Factor added a line of professional makeup for motion pictures in 1914.

In 1928, the company moved into the Art Deco building in Hollywood that is now a Los Angeles historic landmark and home of the Hollywood Museum. The products were manufactured on the upper floors, while the lower floors contained makeup salons.

The array of cosmetics grew to include false eyelashes and other items originally created for Factor’s movie clientele.

Sidney Factor joined the business in 1936. Through the 1950s, he helped expand it into Canada, Australia, Japan, Latin America and South America.

When he retired in 1962 as executive vice president in charge of international markets, his division led the company in sales. The Factor family sold the business in 1973, and it was later acquired by Procter & Gamble.

Factor went on to establish Sidney Factor Enterprises to breed and race thoroughbred horses.

Born in 1916 in Los Angeles, Factor was one of seven children, a number of whom went into the family business.

A graduate of Beverly Hills High School and USC, Factor was an accomplished athlete who won tennis tournaments starting in high school and later took up golf, winning more than 100 amateur trophies.

Besides his granddaughter Jenny, Factor is survived by his wife of 65 years, Dorothy; a daughter, Maxine Factor Nazworthy; two sons, Max Factor III and James Factor; a grandson; and a great-grandson.

Services will be held at noon today at Hillside Memorial Park and Mortuary, 6001 Centinela Ave., Los Angeles.

Donations can be made to the Friends of Julia Ann Singer Center, a family health services center, 3321 Edith Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90064.