J.B. Nethercutt, 91, Cosmetics. Car Expert, Los Angeles Times, 11 December 2004
"Los Angeles-J.B. Nethercutt, 91, who made a fortune in beauty products for women as the co-founder of Merle Norman Cosmetics and used much of that wealth to assemble one of the world's finest automobile collections, has died.
"Nethercutt died Monday at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, according to his son, Jack Nethercutt. The elder Nethercutt had been in failing health for some time.
"Respected in the beauty industry as an expert on cosmetic chemistry, Nethercutt created a number of his firm's most popular products, including blush rouge, perfume and lipsticks.
"But Nethercutt is perhaps better known to the general public for his private car collection, housed in two buildings in Sylmar and open for viewing.
"The Nethercutt Collection and Museum contains nearly 250 automobiles, as well as a nationally known automobile library and a state-of-the-art restoration shop. It has become a mecca for car enthusiasts and collectors since it opened in the 1970s.
". . .
"Jack Boison Nethercutt was born in South Bend, Ind., on Oct. 11, 1913. He moved to Southern California when he was 9, after his mother's death, to live with his aunt, Merle Nethercutt Norman. After graduating from Santa Monica High School, he studied chemistry at California Institute of Technology.
"Working out of a house in Santa Monica, Nethercutt's aunt had started a small business producing cosmetics for sale locally in 1931. Nethercutt dropped out of college and joined the venture, establishing Merle Norman Cosmetics.
"Nethercutt subsequently bought out his aunt, her husband and the other shareholders in the company and eventually created a firm with $100 million in sales. There are now about 2,000 Merle Norman franchises across the United States.
"Nethercutt loved the cosmetics business, his son said, and was active in the firm's management until his health began to decline in August.