Born in Jacksonville, Florida, he was forced to leave school at a young age to support his mother and younger brother.

After a series of odd-jobs and a brief stint in his own band, Tuttle moved to Los Angeles in 1930 and began taking art classes at the University of Southern California, where he would meet his future collaborator Charles Schram.

Tuttle created makeup for many of Hollywood's biggest stars, among them Judy Garland (“Summer Stock”, 1950); Gene Kelly (“Singin’ in the Rain”, 1952); Katharine Hepburn (“Pat and Mike”, 1952) and Esther Williams (“Million Dollar Mermaid”, 1952).

In the 1950s, he would be responsible for the makeup in Singin' in the Rain, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, Forbidden Planet, North by Northwest and The Time Machine.

William Tuttle died, aged 95, from natural causes at his home in Pacific Palisades, California, survived by his wife, Anita and his daughter, Teresa.