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                            VARIABLE LIFE SUPPLEMENT

                                 JULY 31, 2001

                        INTRODUCTION OF 4 NEW PORTFOLIOS

         [NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL LOGO]
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SUPPLEMENT TO THE PROSPECTUS
DATED APRIL 30, 2001

NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL

VARIABLE COMPLIFE
VARIABLE EXECUTIVE LIFE
VARIABLE JOINT LIFE
VARIABLE LIFE
  WHOLE LIFE
  EXTRA ORDINARY LIFE
  SINGLE PREMIUM LIFE

     We have added four new investment options to your Variable CompLife,
Variable Executive Life, Variable Joint Life or Variable Life Policy ("Policy")
and changed the names of two others. This supplement changes the prospectus to
include the new investment options and to reflect the name changes.

     Your Policy now offers 20 investment options. The four new investment
options represent four new divisions of Northwestern Mutual Variable Life
Account, the investment vehicle for your Policy. These new divisions correspond
to four new Portfolios of Northwestern Mutual Series Fund, Inc. The four new
Portfolios are the following:

     -  T. Rowe Price Small Cap Value Portfolio

     -  International Growth Portfolio

     -  Capital Guardian Domestic Equity Portfolio

     -  Asset Allocation Portfolio

     We have changed the names of two of the Portfolios of Northwestern Mutual
Series Fund, Inc., and the names of the two corresponding divisions of the
Variable Life Account, to include the names of the investment subadvisers that
manage these Portfolios. These name changes are as follows:

     -  The International Equity Portfolio is now the Franklin Templeton
        International Equity Portfolio.

     -  The Growth and Income Stock Portfolio is now the J.P. Morgan Select
        Growth and Income Stock Portfolio.

     Attached to this supplement is another supplement to the prospectus for
Northwestern Mutual Series Fund, Inc. The attached supplement includes
additional information about the four new Portfolios.

     As of July 31, 2001 the four new Portfolios have not been approved for all
of the states. For information about your state please ask your Northwestern
Mutual Financial Representative or visit our Website at northwesternmutual.com.

     This supplement must be preceded by the prospectus for your Variable
CompLife, Variable Executive Life, Variable Joint Life or Variable Life Policy
dated April 30, 2001. Please review that prospectus for other important
information about your Policy. You may obtain a new prospectus dated July 31,
2001 from your Northwestern Mutual Financial Representative, or we will send you
a new prospectus if you call us at (866) 424-2609 or write to us at 720 East
Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53202. The new prospectus is also available on
our Website at northwesternmutual.com.

            THE DATE OF THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT IS JULY 31, 2001.
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EXPENSES FOR THE PORTFOLIOS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
SERIES FUND, INC.

     The following table shows the annual expenses for each of the Portfolios of
Northwestern Mutual Series Fund, Inc., as a percentage of the average net
assets, based on 2000 operations. Expenses for the four new Portfolios which
were not in operation during 2000 are estimated.

                     NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL SERIES FUND, INC.



                                        INVESTMENT
                                         ADVISORY      OTHER       TOTAL
PORTFOLIO                                  FEE        EXPENSES    EXPENSES
- ---------                               ----------    --------    --------
                                                         
Small Cap Growth Stock................        .62%     .05%         .67%
T. Rowe Price Small Cap Value*........        .85%     .23%        1.08%
Aggressive Growth Stock...............        .51%     .01%         .52%
International Growth*.................        .75%     .47%        1.22%
Franklin Templeton International
  Equity..............................        .66%     .07%         .73%
Index 400 Stock.......................        .25%     .07%         .32%
Growth Stock..........................        .42%     .01%         .43%
J.P. Morgan Select Growth and Income
  Stock...............................        .57%     .00%         .57%
Capital Guardian Domestic Equity*.....        .65%     .13%         .78%
Index 500 Stock.......................        .20%     .00%         .20%
Asset Allocation*.....................        .60%     .16%         .76%
Balanced..............................        .30%     .00%         .30%
High Yield Bond.......................        .50%     .03%         .53%
Select Bond...........................        .30%     .00%         .30%
Money Market..........................        .30%     .00%         .30%


     * T. Rowe Price Small Cap Value Portfolio Northwestern Mutual Series Funds'
advisor, Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC ("NMIS") has contractually
agreed to waive, at least until December 31, 2006, a portion of its 0.85%
management fee, up to the full amount of that fee, equal to the amount by which
the Portfolio's total operating expenses exceed 1.00% of the Fund's average
daily net assets on an annual basis and to reimburse the Portfolio for all
remaining expenses after fee waivers which exceed 1.00% of the average daily net
assets on an annual basis. Taking the fee waivers into account, the estimated
annual total operating expenses were 1.00% of the average net assets of the T.
Rowe Price Small Cap Value Portfolio.

     International Growth Portfolio NMIS has contractually agreed to waive, at
least until December 31, 2006, a portion of its 0.75% management fee, up to the
full amount of that fee, equal to the amount by which the Portfolio's total
operating expenses exceed 1.10% of the Fund's average daily net assets on an

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annual basis and to reimburse the Portfolio for all remaining expenses after fee
waivers which exceed 1.10% of the average daily net assets on an annual basis.
Taking the fee waivers into account, the estimated annual total operating
expenses were 1.10% of the average net assets of the International Growth
Portfolio.

     Capital Guardian Domestic Equity Portfolio NMIS has contractually agreed to
waive, at least until December 31, 2006, a portion of its 0.65% management fee,
up to the full amount of that fee, equal to the amount by which the Portfolio's
total operating expenses exceed 0.75% of the Fund's average daily net assets on
an annual basis and to reimburse the Portfolio for all remaining expenses after
fee waivers which exceed 0.75% of the average daily net assets on an annual
basis. Taking the fee waivers into account, the estimated annual total operating
expenses were 0.75% of the average net assets of the Capital Guardian Domestic
Equity Portfolio.

     Asset Allocation Portfolio NMIS has contractually agreed to waive, at least
until December 31, 2006, a portion of its 0.60% management fee, up to the full
amount of that fee, equal to the amount by which the Portfolio's total operating
expenses exceed 0.75% of the Fund's average daily net assets on an annual basis
and to reimburse the Portfolio for all remaining expenses after fee waivers
which exceed 0.75% of the average daily net assets on an annual basis. Taking
the fee waivers into account, the estimated annual total operating expenses were
0.75% of the average net assets of the Asset Allocation Portfolio.

ADVISORY SERVICES FOR NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL SERIES FUND, INC.

     The investment adviser for the Fund is Northwestern Mutual Investment
Services, LLC ("NMIS"), our wholly-owned company. The investment advisory
agreements for the respective Portfolios provide that NMIS will provide services
and bear certain expenses of the Fund. For providing investment advisory and
other services and bearing Fund expenses, the Fund pays NMIS a fee at an annual
rate which ranges from .20% of the aggregate average daily net assets of the
Index 500 Stock Portfolio to a maximum of .85% for the T. Rowe Price Small Cap
Value Portfolio. Other expenses borne by the Portfolios range from 0% for the
Select Bond, Money Market and Balanced Portfolios to .47% for the International
Growth Portfolio. We provide the people and facilities NMIS uses in performing
its investment advisory functions and we are a party to the investment advisory
agreement. NMIS has retained four sub-advisers to provide investment advice to
four of the Portfolios. J. P. Morgan Investment Management, Inc. advises the
J.P. Morgan Select Growth and Income Portfolio. Templeton Investment Counsel,
LLC advises the Franklin Templeton International Equity Portfolio. T. Rowe Price
Associates, Inc. advises the T. Rowe Price Small Cap Value Portfolio. Capital
Guardian Trust Company advises the Capital Guardian Domestic Equity Portfolio.

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INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES FOR THE NEW PORTFOLIOS

     The investment objectives and types of investments for each of the four new
Portfolios of Northwestern Mutual Series Fund, Inc. are set forth below. There
can be no assurance that the Portfolios will realize their objectives. For more
information about the investment objectives and policies, the attendant risk
factors and expenses see the attached supplement to the prospectus for
Northwestern Mutual Series Fund, Inc.

     T. ROWE PRICE SMALL CAP VALUE PORTFOLIO.  The investment objective of the
T. Rowe Price Small Cap Value Portfolio is long-term growth of capital. The
Portfolio seeks to achieve this objective by investing primarily in small
companies whose common stocks are believed to be undervalued.

     INTERNATIONAL GROWTH PORTFOLIO.  The investment objective of the
International Growth Portfolio is long-term capital appreciation. Normally, the
Portfolio invests at least 80% of its assets in non-U.S. securities. In addition
to common stocks, the Portfolio may invest in preferred stocks, convertible
bonds, warrants and money market instruments.

     CAPITAL GUARDIAN DOMESTIC EQUITY PORTFOLIO.  The investment objective of
the Capital Guardian Domestic Equity Portfolio is long-term growth of capital
and income. The Portfolio seeks to achieve this objective by investing primarily
in the stocks of larger American companies.

     ASSET ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO.  The investment objective of the Asset
Allocation Portfolio is to realize as high a level of total return, including
current income and capital appreciation, as is consistent with reasonable
investment risk. The Portfolio will follow a flexible policy for allocating
assets among common stocks, bonds and cash. Stocks may include foreign stocks
and bonds may include non-investment grade obligations.

TAX UPDATE

     The Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, enacted on
June 7, 2001, made substantial changes to the estate, gift and generation
skipping transfer tax. The Act increases the amount of an estate exempt from tax
from $675,000 in 2001 to $1 million in 2002, $2 million in 2006 and $3.5 million
in 2009. The Act reduces the top estate, gift and generation skipping transfer
tax rate from 55% in 2001 to 45% in 2009. In 2010, the estate tax and generation
skipping transfer tax are repealed and the gift tax is reduced to 35%. All of
these changes are sunsetted or repealed in 2011, unless extended or made
permanent. It is generally believed that the estate tax repeal will not be made
permanent but that further changes may be made.

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