Nancy Carroll

May 23, 2015, 6:13 pm

≫ Next: Katherine Grant (Silent Actress)

$

0

0

"I didn't really care about money; all I wanted was to be famous and get fans' letters." ~ Nancy

Nancy Carroll was born Ann Veronica Lahiff on November 19, 1903 in New York City. She was the youngest of seven children. When she was a teenager she and her sister began performing in local talent competitions. Nancy was a gifted dancer and appeared in several Broadway musicals. In 1925 she married writer Jack Kirkland and had a daughter named Patricia. Nancy made her film debut in the 1927 comedy Ladies Must Dress and was offered a contract with Paramount. She starred in a string of successful talkies including The Shopworn Angel and Close Harmony. In 1930 she was nominated for Academy Award for her role in Devil's Holiday. That same year her marriage Jack to ended. After a brief affair with Joseph P. Kennedy she married Francis Bolton Mallory, a Life magazine editor. Their marriage lasted only three years. Although Nancy was one of Hollywood's most popular actresses she had developed a reputation for being difficult. Paramount released her from her contract in 1933.

Nancy continued to make movies but she was no longer an A-list star. She played supporting roles in That Certain Age and There Goes My Heart. Unhappy with the way her career was going she decided to quit making movies in 1938. She returned to the stage and starred in the Broadway show For Heaven's Sake Mother. During the 1950s Nancy made guest appearances on numerous television shows. She also costarred with her daughter, Patricia Kirkland, in the series The Egg And I. Nancy married international businessman C.H. "Jappe" Groen in 1953. The couple split their time between Mexico and Indonesia. At the age of  fifty-nine Nancy was cast in the play Never Too Late. It was a success and she toured with the show for two years. On the evening August 6, 1965 she didn't show up for her performance. Tragically she was found dead in her New York apartment. Nancy had died of an aneurism at the age of sixty-one. She was buried with her parents at Calvary Cemetery in Queens, New York.

~ Original biography by Elizabeth Ann 2015

An autograph (from my personal collection)

---

Katherine Grant (Silent Actress)

December 4, 2015, 9:10 am

≫ Next: Let's Celebrate Christmas

≪ Previous: Nancy Carroll

$

0

0

Katherine Grant was born on May 1, 1904 in Los Angeles, California. Her parents divorced and her father passed away in 1921. At the age of eighteen she won the Miss Los Angeles beauty contest and competed in the Miss America pageant. Katherine worked as a professional dancer and to make extra money she posed nude for an art study project. She made her film debut in the comedy short Saturday Morning and was offered a contract with Hal Roach. In 1923 she appeared in more than a dozen films including A Man About Town and Frozen Hearts. As her career took off the photographer who had taken her nude photos started to extort her. Katherine reported the man to the police and the scandalous photos did not hurt career. By 1925 she had become one of Hal Roach's favorite comedy vamps and he signed her to a new five year contract. Katherine worked with Oliver Hardy in Wild Papa and with Charley Chase in The Uneasy Three.

She and Charley also performed in a vaudeville act together. Unfortunately Katherine struggled with her weight and went on starvation diets to stay thin. On December 8, 1925, she was the victim of a hit-and-run accident. Doctors told her to take a break from acting but she returned to work a few days later. In the Spring of 1926 Katherine suffered a nervous breakdown on the set and was put in a sanitarium. Newspaper reports blamed the breakdown on her extreme dieting. Sadly Katherine would never make another film. Her health continued to get worse and she started suffering from dementia. Eventually she was sent to to Patton State Hospital in San Bernardino where she would live the rest of her life. Katherine died on April 2, 1937 from pulmonary tuberculosis. She was only thirty-two years old. Katherine is buried in an unmarked grave at Evergreen cemetery in Los Angeles, California.

Martha Sleeper, Fay Wray, Katherine, and Marjorie White

With Jack Hoxie

Let's Celebrate Christmas

December 14, 2015, 5:13 pm

≫ Next: Irene Lentz (Fashion Designer)

≪ Previous: Katherine Grant (Silent Actress)

$

0

0

Celebrate Christmas with some of our favorite classic beauties ...

Norma Shearer

 Jean Harlow

Clara Bow

Nancy Carroll

 Cecilia Parker

Marion Davies

Irene Lentz (Fashion Designer)

December 18, 2015, 12:58 am

≫ Next: Sunshine Hart (Silent Character Actress)

≪ Previous: Let's Celebrate Christmas

$

0

0

"Anything new and beautiful makes one think beautiful thoughts." ~ Irene

Irene Maud Lentz was born on December 8, 1901 in Baker. Montana. When she was a teenager she moved to Hollywood to become an actress. She found work as a Mack Sennett bathing beauty and appeared in the comedies Picking Peaches and A Tailor-Made Man.  Irene married director F. Richard Jones in 1929. Tragically he died a year later from tuberculosis. To make extra money Irene decided to open a dress shop. In 1933 she was asked to design the clothes for Lily Damita in Goldie Gets Along. She quickly became one of Hollywood's top costumes designers. Irene had a passionate affair with actor Gary Cooper. She later said he was the only man she really loved. In 1936 she married Elliot Gibbons, a writer. Irene became the head costume designer at MGM where she created iconic costumes for Lana Turner and Judy Garland.

 Irene and Betty Francisco in 1924

She was nominated for an academy Award in 1948 for her work on B.F.'s Daughter. Eventually she left MGM to open her own fashion house. Unfortunately her marriage to Elliot was troubled and they began living apart. In 1960 Irene's close friend Doris Day asked her to design the clothes for Midnight Lace. She received her second Academy Award nomination for her work on the film. By this time Irene had a serious drinking problem and was suffering from depression. On November 15, 1962 Irene checked into the Knickerbocker hotel in Hollywood. She committed suicide by jumping out of a bathroom window. Irene was sixty-one years old. In her suicide note she wrote ""I'm sorry. This is the best way." She was buried next to her first husband at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.

Jeanette MacDonald and Irene

 An autograph from Irene

Sunshine Hart (Silent Character Actress)

January 12, 2016, 7:36 am

≫ Next: Kay Francis

≪ Previous: Irene Lentz (Fashion Designer)

$

0

0

"Laugh and grow fat." ~ Sunshine

Sunshine Hart was born Lucia Adams on July 6, 1886, in Vevay, Indiana. She would later claim that her father was a minister on an Indian reservation and that an Indian nurse gave her the nickname "Sunshine". After high school she started acting in stock companies and spent many years working in vaudeville using the stage "Miss Sunshine". She married Charles W. Hart and in 1912 their daughter Leora was born. At the age of thirty Sunshine made her film debut in the 1916 comedy short A Scoundrel's Toll. She continued to work on the stage and appeared in several of Jack White's Mermaid comedies. By 1924 she had divorced her husband and moved to Los Angeles. Producer Mack Sennett gave Sunshine a part in his short film Scarem Much. She would go on to star in more than two dozen of Sennett's comedies including Crazy To Act, Hoboken To Hollywood, and Smith's Baby.

Sunshine with Mary Pickford and Carmelita Geraghty

Sunshine, who weighed more than 250 pounds, usually played funny mothers. She became a popular character actress and was often called a female Fatty Arbuckle. Despite her age and size she was always willing to do dangerous stunts if it got a laugh. Sunshine loved making films but she told an interviewer her main priority in life was raising her daughter. In 1927 she was cast as Mary Pickford's mother in My Best Girl. During filming she was badly injured when she fell doing an automobile stunt. Although she kept working she never fully recovered from this accident. Sunshine had a small role in the 1930 comedy Midnight Daddies. It would be her last film. She died on January 3, 1930. Sunshine was only forty-three years old. Sadly she had spent the last few weeks of her life bedridden.

Sunshine with Mildred June

Sunshine with Ruth Hiatt

 

Sunshine with Madeline Hurlock 

 

 Sunshine in Spanking Breezes

Kay Francis

December 2, 2015, 4:01 am

≫ Next: Thelma Parr

≪ Previous: Sunshine Hart (Silent Character Actress)

$

0

0

“Beginning a new year - have a resolution to make - not to be a damn fool!" ~ Kay

Kay Francis was born Katharine Edwina Gibbs on January 13, 1905 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Shortly after she was born her father abandoned the family. Her mother was an actress and Kay wanted to follow in her footsteps. At age seventeen she married businessman James Dwight Francis. They divorced two years later. In 1925 she made her Broadway debut and married athlete William Gaston. She appeared in several successful plays and was offered a contract at Paramount. Her career took off quickly and she made twenty-one films between 1929 and 1931. Kay worked with William Powell in numerous films including Jewel Robbery and One Way Passage. After divorcing her husband she married writer John Meehan. She left him when she fell in love with actor Kenneth MacKenna. Kay married Kenneth in 1931 but it didn't last. During this time she had a wild love life that included many one night stands and affairs with women.





By 1936 she was one of Hollywood most popular leading ladies. She became known for playing long suffering heroines in movies like Secrets of an Actress and Comet Over Broadway. Her success ended in 1938 when she was named "box-office poison" by the Hollywood Reporter. The following year she married her fifth husband Eric Barnekow. Sadly this marriage would also end in divorce. Kay never wanted to have children and she had several abortions. In 1942 she joined actresses Carole Landis, Mitzi Mayfair, and Martha Raye on a USO tour to entertain the troops. She also played herself in the musical Four Jills In a Jeep. After appearing in a few low budget movies she decided to quit acting. She moved to New York City and rarely made public appearances. In 1966 she as diagnosed with breast cancer. Kay died on August 26, 1968 at the age of sixty-three. She was cremated and her ashes were scattered.

 Mitzi Mayfair, Martha Raye, Kay, and Carole Landis

An autographed photo from Kay

Thelma Parr

January 23, 2016, 12:42 pm

≫ Next: Margaret Roach

≪ Previous: Kay Francis

$

0

0

Thelma Parr was born Betty Selby on October 10, 1906 in Grant's Pass, Oregon. Her parents were Glenn Oswald Silland Leonora L. Paine. Thelma claimed to be a descendant of Thomas Paine, one of the founding fathers of the United States. When she was fourteen Thelma moved to California with her parents. Soon after the pretty brunette was discovered by producer Mack Sennett and became one of his bathing beauties. Thelma married banjo player William E. Goman in 1925. That same year she made her film debut in the comedy short Her Marriage Vow. Over the next three years she appeared in more than thirty short films. She starred opposite Ralph Graves in several movies including Hooked At The Alter and The Funny Mooners. Thelma was gifted comedic actress and was considered one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood.

One newspaper said she was "the perfect type of American beauty". Her film career came to a sudden end in 1928 after she was seriously injured in a car accident. She suffered facial injuries and her mouth was permanently scarred. Two years after the accident she attempted a comeback with a small role in the comedy My Harem. Thelma divorced her husband and retired from acting. She married her second husband, Emmanuel Titelman, in 1933. The couple lived in Florida where they raised two daughters. After her husband passed away in 1966 Thelma moved to San Clemente, California. She died on February 13, 2000 at the age of ninety-three.

Thelma (in the middle) with other bathing beauties

With Ralph Graves

* Thank you to Thelma's relative, Bonnie Martin Fazio, for providing information *

Margaret Roach

January 27, 2016, 1:39 am

≫ Next: Martha Raye's Dress From Four Jills In A Jeep

≪ Previous: Thelma Parr

$

0

0

Margaret Roach was born on March 21, 1921 in Los Angeles, California. Her father was movie producer Hal Roach. When she was a teenager Margaret worked in the theater and sang at nightclubs. She changed her name to Diane Rochelle and made her film debut in the 1938 comedy Swiss Miss. Her father didn't want her to be an actress and initially refused to help her. However in 1940 he cast her in his film Road Show. When the press called Margaret "plump" she went to a sanitarium to lose weight. In 1941 she announced her engagement to Geoffrey Steele but they broke up before the wedding. The following year she married Lieutenant E.L. Hinton. After her mother's death Margaret became estranged from her father.

Carole Landis and Margaret

She continued to get small roles in films like Niagara Falls and Test Tube Babies. Margaret divorced E.L. and married actor and writer Robert Livingston in 1947. The couple had one son named Addison. Although she made more than a dozen films Margaret never became a leading lady. She retired after appearing in the 1949 crime drama The Devil's Sleep. Her marriage to Robert ended after four years. Sadly on November 25, 1964 Margaret passed away at the young age of forty-three. She was buried near her mother at Holy Cross cemetery in Los Angeles. Margaret's son Addison Randall also became an actor.

Margaret with her brother and father Hal Roach

John Hubbard, Margaret, and Carole Landis

  

Patsy Kelly, Margaret, and Adolphe Menjou 

With Charles Butterworth

With William Gargan

---

Martha Raye's Dress From Four Jills In A Jeep

February 8, 2016, 9:18 pm

≫ Next: Let's Celebrate Easter

≪ Previous: Margaret Roach

$

0

0

In 2015 I purchased a dress Martha Raye wore in Four Jills In A Jeep. I bought it from actress Debbie Reynolds. It was designed by Yvonne Wood. Martha played herself in the Four Jills In A Jeep. Her costars were Carole Landis, Kay Francis, and Mitzi Mayfair.

Here is a clip of Martha wearing the dress ...

Let's Celebrate Easter

February 19, 2016, 5:41 am

≫ Next: Janet Gaynor's Oil Paintings

≪ Previous: Martha Raye's Dress From Four Jills In A Jeep

$

0

0

Celebrate Easter with some of our favorite classic beauties ...

 Alice White and Bernice Claire

 Colleen Moore

 Doris Dawson, Estelle Bradley, June Collyer, and Ethlyne Clair

Jane Winton

Janet Gaynor's Oil Paintings

March 1, 2016, 11:24 am

≫ Next: Eugenia Gilbert (1920s Starlet)

≪ Previous: Let's Celebrate Easter

$

0

0

Although I'm not an art collector I do own two still life oil paintings done by Hollywood legend Janet Gaynor.  She appeared in more than sixty films and won the first Best Actress Academy Award in 1929. Janet retired from making movies and moved to a farm in Brazil. She started painting as a hobby after receiving some paint as a Christmas gift. Her gardens inspired her to paint colorful flowers and leafy vegetables. She said "I believe painting has to come from the heart and soul".

Janet never considered herself a professional artist until her friends convinced her to display her work. Her best friend Mary Martin was the first person to buy one of her paintings. During the 1970s Janet's paintings were displayed in galleries all over the country. Her exhibit at Findlay Galleries in Chicago completely sold out. Janet loved her new career as an artist and she spent up to six hours a day painting. She said she hoped her paintings "add a little brightness and cheer to a room just as a bouquet of fresh flowers would".

With Henry Fonda at an art exhibit

 With Lillian Gish at an art exhibit

 

I also have this autographed card from Janet in my collection

Eugenia Gilbert (1920s Starlet)

March 7, 2016, 7:42 am

≫ Next: Anny Ahlers (German Actress)

≪ Previous: Janet Gaynor's Oil Paintings

$

0

0

 "I like an honest-to-God business man - not a dancing sheik. It would be pleasant if he could remember that courtesy counts." ~ Eugenia

Eugenia Gilbert was born Eugenia Knapp on November 18, 1902 in East Orange, New Jersey. She attended high school in New York City and went to Mallborough College in Los Angeles. When her father became ill she quit school and got a job as a dancer. She made her acting debut in the 1920 short film Paul's Peril. Eugenia began entering beauty pageants and in 1923 she won the title of Miss Los Angeles. She became one of Mack Sennett's bathing beauties and he signed her to a long term film contract. Eugenia starred in dozens of comedies including A Rainy Night, Sinners In Silk, and A Broadway Butterfly (she was often credited as Eugenie Gilbert).

In 1927 she starred in the action serial The Crimson Flash. She was also Leo Mallory's leading lady in three Westerns. Eugenia was considered one of the most versatile starlets in Hollywood. In her spare time she liked to go to a cabin she bought in the mountains. Although she made more than sixty films she never became a major star. At the age of twenty-seven Eugenia decided to quit making movies. Her final film was the 1929 comedy Courtin' Wildcats. During the 1930s she worked as a model in fashion shows. She eventually got married and changed her last name to Enders. Eugenia spent her final years living in Santa Monica. She died from heart failure on December 8, 1978 and was cremated.




Eugenia (second from right) with Rudolph Valentino

 
Eugenia Gilbert and Ruth Hiatt

Anny Ahlers (German Actress)

March 30, 2016, 4:53 am

≫ Next: Faith Bacon (Burlesque Dancer)

≪ Previous: Eugenia Gilbert (1920s Starlet)

$

0

0

 Anny Ahlers was born on December 21, 1907 in Hamburg Germany. At the age of four she began her career performing in the circus. When she was a teenager Anny studied ballet and singing. In 1928 she made her film debut in the German film Casanova. She had a beautiful voice and starred in successful operettas in Berlin and Vienna. Audiences loved her and she quickly became one of Europe's most popular stars. Anny landed leading roles in the films True Jacob and The Company's In Love. She went to London in 1932 to star in the musical The DuBarry. Although she did not speak English her singing won rave reviews. Critics called her "vivacious" and said she was destined for Hollywood stardom. She fell in love with the show's producer Stanley Scott but their romance didn't last.

During a performance in September of 1932 she had a nervous breakdown on stage. The show closed while she recovered at a seaside resort. Rumors began that she had developed an addiction to morphine and sleeping pills. She started dating Sir Merrik Burrell, a recently divorced millionaire. He gave her an emerald ring and commissioned a portrait of her from artist Philip Alexius de Laszlo. By the Spring of 1933 Anny was suffering from tuberculosis and had severe insomnia. On March 14, 1933 she died after falling from her second floor balcony. Anny broke her neck and was killed instantly. She was only twenty-five years old. Her maid told reporters that Anny was a sleepwalker and might have fallen. However the coroner ruled that her death was a suicide. She was cremated and her ashes were buried in Hamburg. Merrik was given a lock of her red hair which he kept for the rest of his life.

Anny Sings I Give My Heart

Faith Bacon (Burlesque Dancer)

April 16, 2016, 7:57 am

≫ Next: Bella Darvi (1950s Starlet)

≪ Previous: Anny Ahlers (German Actress)

$

0

0

"I want a man -  a man to love! I want a husband, a home, a kitchen, and what goes with it." ~ Faith

Faith Bacon was born Francis Yvonne Bacon on July 19, 1910 in Los Angeles, California. She was an only child and her parents divorced when she was young. Faith dreamed of becoming a doctor but she decided to pursue a show business career instead. Although she had no formal dance training she moved to Paris and started dancing in burlesque shows. In 1928 she went to Broadway and starred in Earl Carroll's Vanities. Faith became famous doing a racy "fan dance" in which she appeared nude on stage covered only by ostrich feathers. She made headlines in 1930 when she was arrested for performing an "indecent show". Faith was given a starring role in The Ziegfeld Follies and she was one of the featured attractions at the 1933 World's Fair. Florenz Ziegfeld called her the "most beautiful woman in the world". When rival dancer Sally Rand starting doing her own fan dance Faith sued her claiming she had stolen the idea. Faith told reporters that her dream was to retire and start a family. She married songwriter Sanford H. Dickinson but the couple separated.

In 1936 Faith was seriously injured when she fell during a performance. She sued the owners of the show for $100,000 although she eventually settled the case for much less. Faith got a small part in the 1938 drama Prison Train. It would be her only film role. She was arrested in 1939 for disorderly conduct after staging a nude publicity stunt on Park Avenue. All the bad press hurt her reputation and by the time she was thirty her career was over. Faith would spend the next decade dancing in strip clubs and carnivals across the country. She also danced semi-nude in some short films. In June of 1948 she suffered a nervous breakdown after suing a carnival owner for unpaid wages. A few years later she was homeless and living on the streets of Seattle. She attempted suicide in 1954 by overdosing on sleeping pills. Faith decided to move to Chicago and tried to find work. She lived in a small hotel room with a friend. On September 26, 1956 Faith committed suicide by jumping out her third story window. She was only forty-six years old. Faith was buried at Wunder's Cemetery in Chicago, Illinois.

Bella Darvi (1950s Starlet)

May 7, 2016, 11:47 pm

≫ Next: Lucille Ricksen (Child Star)

≪ Previous: Faith Bacon (Burlesque Dancer)

$

0

0

"I had the usual experiences of hunger and humiliation and I try not to remember them or discuss them although, of course, I shall never forget them." ~ Bella

Bella Darvi was born Bajla Wegier on October 23, 1928, in Sosnowiec, Poland. She was Jewish and tragically her entire family was jailed during World War 2. One of her brothers died in a concentration camp. Bella was freed when she was fourteen years old. She moved to Paris, France where she began working as a nurse. In 1950 Bella married wealthy businessman Alban Calvalcade. The couple spent their time traveling through Europe and attending fashion shows. Bella was discovered by Virginia Zanuck, the wife of Fox President Darryl Zanuck. She signed a contract with Fox and made her film debut in the 1954 drama Hell and High Water. Bella divorced her husband and moved in with the Zanuck's in Los Angeles. Soon after Bella and Darryl Zanuck started having and affair and he left his wife to be with her. Darryl ended the relationship when he found out Bella was
bi-sexual.

Bella was given high profile roles in The Egyptian and The Racers but her movie career stalled because of her strong accent. She returned to France where she appeared in a few low budget European films. Bella had romances with Aly Khan and Jeanne-Pierre Aumont, the widow of Maria Montez. She married Claude Rouas, a waiter from San Francisco, in 1960. They divorced a year later. By this time Bella was bankrupt and had a serious gambling problem. She was forced to sell all her clothes and jewelry. Her former lover Darryl Zanuck gave her money to help pay off her gambling debts. In 1964 she opened a cafe in Paris. Bella continued to struggle financially and attempted suicide several times. On September 11, 1971 Bella committed suicide in her Monte Carlo apartment by gas poisoning. Unfortunately her body was not discovered for ten days. She was only forty-two years old. Bella was buried at The City Of Paris Cemetery in France.

 With Darryl Zanuck

---

Lucille Ricksen (Child Star)

May 13, 2016, 3:32 pm

≫ Next: Phyllis Barry (1930s Starlet)

≪ Previous: Bella Darvi (1950s Starlet)

$

0

0

Lucille Ricksen was born Ingeborg Erickson on August 22, 1910, in Chicago, Illinois. She worked as a child model and made her film debut at the age of five. Her parents separated and her mother took her to Hollywood in 1920. Ten year old Lucille was offered a contract with Samuel Goldwyn and starred in a series of short films. She often had to work long hours but she always said she was having fun. In 1922 she starred opposite Marie Prevost in The Married Flapper. The following year Lucille was given a starring role in the drama The Rendevous. Although she was only thirteen the studio lied and said she was actually sixteen. The press called her "the youngest leading lady in movies". Lucille developed a close relationship with producer Sydney Chaplin (brother of Charlie Chaplin) who was twenty-five years older than her. She became one of Hollywood busiest starlets and was chosen as one of the WAMPAS Baby Stars.

In 1924 she made ten films including Vanity's Price, The Galloping Fish, and The Valley Of The Wolf. Unfortunately the fourteen year old started suffering from exhaustion and malnutrition. She was diagnosed with tuberculosis and became bedridden. Lucille's mother kept a bedside vigil but the stress caused her to have a fatal heart attack. Following her mother's death Lucille was cared for by family friends including actress Lois Wilson. During one of her conscious moments Lucille said "Mother wouldn't want me - die - Mother said - Wonderful future - Going to do big things - Won't die! I won't!" Sadly on March 13, 1925 she passed away from complications of tuberculosis. Lucille was only fourteen years old. There were rumors that her death had actually been caused by a botched abortion. Lucille was cremated and she was buried with her mother at Forest Lawn in Glendale, California. Her final film, The Denial, came out ten days after her death.

Phyllis Barry (1930s Starlet)

May 27, 2016, 12:58 am

≫ Next: Handwritten Letters From Classic Actresses

≪ Previous: Lucille Ricksen (Child Star)

$

0

0

Phyllis Barry was born Gertrude Hillyard on December 7, 1908, in Leeds, England. She was a gifted dancer and at the age of fourteen she joined an Australian cabaret troupe. Phyllis starred in many stage musicals including No No Nannette and Lady Be Good. She made her film debut in the 1925 Australian film Painted Daughters. At the time her stage name was Phyllis DuBarry. In 1930 she toured America in a production of Rio Rita. Prodicer Samuel Goldwyn saw her on stage and offered her a supporting role in the film Cynara starring Kay Francis. Unfortunately the movie flopped and her performance got mixed reviews. She married vaudeville performer Albert Nordlund (also known as Al Nord) in 1932.

The following year she got the lead role in the comedy What - No Beer? opposite Buster Keaton. Phyllis and Albert had a rocky marriage and they separated several times. She divorced him in 1936 and said "he told me he didn't think my career meant anything".  Soon after she married decorator Gilbert M. Caldwell. She continued to make movies but by 1939 her career had stalled. Phyllis had a bit part in the drama Waterloo Bridge and she appeared in The Three Stooges short Three Little Sew and Sews. Her last film role was playing a waitress in the 1947 drama Love From A Stranger. Phyllis and her husband moved to a small house in West Hollywood. She became increasingly depressed about her failed Hollywood career. On July 1, 1954 she committed suicide by taking an overdose of medication. Phyllis was only forty-five years old.

With Buster Keaton

With Ronald Colman

Handwritten Letters From Classic Actresses

May 31, 2016, 12:22 am

≫ Next: Marilyn Monroe

≪ Previous: Phyllis Barry (1930s Starlet)

$

0

0

I have been collecting classic Hollywood autographs for many years. My favorite autographs are the handwritten letters from classic actresses. These letters are very rare and they give us a glimpse into their personal lives. Here are some of the handwritten letters in my collection ...

   A love letter from Lucille Ball her husband Gary Morton

 A 1954 letter from Linda Darnell to a friend

 A letter from Betty Grable to her assistant

 A 1949 letter from Norma Shearer to her mother Edie

 A letter from Marion Davies to a writer

 A handwritten birthday card from Jeanette MacDonald to a fan

A letter from Bette Davis to a friend

A letter from Janet Gaynor to a fan

A 1931 letter from Marie Dressler to a friend

Marilyn Monroe

June 1, 2016, 4:49 am

≫ Next: Let's Celebrate The 4th Of July

≪ Previous: Handwritten Letters From Classic Actresses

$

0

0

"I don't mind making jokes, but I don't want to look like one." ~ Marilyn

Marilyn Monroe was born Norma Jeane Baker on June 1, 1926, in Los Angeles, California. She never knew her father and her mother was mentally ill. Marilyn spent most of her childhood in foster homes where some sources claim she was sexually abused. At age sixteen she married her neighbor, James Dougherty. After their divorce in 1946 she dyed her hair blond and began modeling. Marilyn appeared on hundreds of magazine covers and often posed nude to earn extra money. She started dating Hollywood agent Johnny Hyde who helped her get small roles in The Asphalt Jungle and All About Eve. He also convinced her to have cosmetic surgery on her nose and chin. When Johnny died in 1950 Marilyn was so distraught she attempted suicide. She was offered a contract with 20th Century Fox and landed the lead roles in Niagara and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Critics dismissed her as a dumb blonde but audiences made her the most popular actress in Hollywood. Marilyn made headlines when she married baseball player Joe DiMaggio in 1954. The marriage lasted just nine months but they remained close friends. She also enjoyed brief romances with Frank Sinatra and Marlon Brando.

Marilyn wanted to become a serious actress so she moved to New York and began studying with Lee Strasberg. She formed her own production company and worked with Laurence Olivier in The Prince And The Showgirl. Marilyn married playwright Arthur Miller in 1956. She desperately wanted to be a mother but suffered several miscarriages. It's rumored that when she was young Marilyn has numerus abortions. In 1959 she starred in the comedy Some Like It Hot which became the biggest hit of her career . While making Let's Make Love in 1960 she had an affair with her costar Yves Montand. Marilyn divorced Arthur in 1961 and was hospitalized after suffering nervous breakdown. By this time Marilyn had a serious drinking problem and she was addicted to prescription drugs.  In the spring of 1962 she began filming Something's Got To Give. After missing numerous days of work she was fired. There were also rumors that she was having an affair with President John Kennedy and his brother Robert Kennedy. On August 5, 1962, Marilyn died from an overdose of prescription drugs. She was just thirty-six years old. Her death was ruled a suicide but many believe it was either an accident or murder. Marilyn is buried at Westwood Memorial Park in Los Angeles, California.

 Marilyn posing nude in 1949

Let's Celebrate The 4th Of July

June 18, 2016, 11:27 pm

≫ Next: Actresses & Their Poodles

≪ Previous: Marilyn Monroe

$

0

0

Celebrate the 4th of July with some of our favorite classic beauties ...

Ann Miller

Ava Gardner

Jayne Mansfield

Betty Hutton

Marion Davies

Ann Blyth

Marilyn Monroe

Ann Miller

 Judy Garland

Claudette Colbert

Actresses & Their Poodles

July 5, 2016, 8:38 pm

≫ Next: Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy's Love Story

≪ Previous: Let's Celebrate The 4th Of July

$

0

0

Poodles have always been a very popular pet among Hollywood stars. In fact some classic actresses treated their dogs better than their own children! Here are twelve of the biggest poodle lovers ...

 Betty Grable's poodle Punkin was trained not to bark when she came to the studio

Ann Sheridan's husband George Brent gave her a poodle named Amos


Greer Garson sent her two Standard poodles to "Manners School"

Janet Leigh named her poodle Lewmar because he was a gift from Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin

Natalie Wood often posed for pictures with her poodle Grebel

Joan Crawford said her poodle Cliquot was "miserable when I'm not working. When we go to the studio he is very happy."

Sandra Dee named her poodle Gidget after a the 1957 movie she starred in

Judy Garland's poodle Chou Chou liked to sit on her lap during interviews

Grace Kelly's poodle Oliver was a gift from her co-star Cary Grant

When Claudette Colbert was told that dogs were not allowed on the set she got her poodle Lulu Belle an actor's equity card

Elizabeth Taylor often took her poodle to the set with her

Anne Francis's poodle Smidge appeared in the movie Father's Little Leaguer

Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy's Love Story

July 10, 2016, 3:53 am

≫ Next: Ossi Oswalda (German Actress)

≪ Previous: Actresses & Their Poodles

$

0

0

 

Jeanette MacDonald is one of my favorite actresses. She had a BEAUTIFUL voice and I love seeing her films with Nelson Eddy. Jeanette and Nelson had one of Hollywood's longest lasting and most tragic love stories. They met in the Fall of 1934 when MGM paired the two stars in the musical Naughty Marietta. The movie was a huge hit and audiences instantly fell in love with the singing duo. Off screen Nelson and Jeanette began a very passionate affair. The couple continued to make hit movies together but they kept their real life romance a secret at the insistence of MGM president Louis B. Mayer. They talked about getting married but Nelson wanted Jeanette to give up her career and become a housewife. She was not willing to do that and they broke up. In 1937 thirty-four year old Jeanette married actor Gene Raymond. They had a very rocky marriage and Jeanette had a difficult time dealing with Gene's bi-sexuality.

Nelson was so devastated by Jeanette's marriage that he eloped with Ann Franklin, a friend of his mother. When Jeanette found out he had gotten married she attempted suicide. Unfortunately Ann suffered from mental problems and Nelson rarely spent time with her. Eventually Jeanette and Nelson resumed their secret love affair. Jeanette became pregnant several times but tragically she lost the babies. Although they still loved each other neither of them was ever willing to get a divorce. They were both worried that the scandal would destroy their careers. When Jeanette died in 1965 Nelson was heartbroken. He passed away just two years later. Friends who knew the couple said they never stopped loving each other.

I have a large collection of Jeanette MacDonald memorabilia. One of my favorite items is a handwritten letter Nelson Eddy sent her in 1934.

"Dear Miss MacDonald, Thank you for the wire. It was terribly sweet of you and I appreciate it more than I can tell you. One day I hope to get up courage enough to tell you I think you're the grandest person in the world. Very gratefully yours, Nelson Eddy"

To learn more about Jeanette and Nelson's love story please visit MacEddy.com

---

Ossi Oswalda (German Actress)

July 11, 2016, 7:21 am

≫ Next: Regina Doyle (1920s Starlet)

≪ Previous: Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy's Love Story

$

0

0

Ossi Oswalda was born Oswalda Staglich on February 2, 1899 in Berlin, Germany. She trained to be a ballerina and worked in chorus lines when she was a teenager. Director Ernst Lubitsch discovered her and cast her in his 1916 film The Shoe Palace. Over the next five years she appeared in many of Lubitsch's comedies including The Doll, The Oyster Princess, and I Don't Want To Be A Man. She usually played spoiled, child-like characters and even appeared in drag. Ossi became one of  Europe's most bankable stars earning her the nickname "The German Mary Pickford". She and Ernst Lubitsch became very close friends but their relationship was never romantic. In 1919 she married Hungarian Baron Gustav von Koczian. Ossi and her husband started their own production company but they only made five films together.

Their marriage ended in 1925 and Ossi began a high profile romance with Crown Prince Willhelm. She signed a contract with an American producer in 1926 and tried to change her image by playing more glamorous characters. Unfortunately her career suffered with the arrival of sound films. Her last role was in the 1933 drama The Star Of Valencia. Ossi continued to work on the stage appearing in operettas in Germany and Vienna. Eventually she moved to Czechoslovakia with her boyfriend Julius Aussenberg, a former producer. In 1943 she wrote the story for the film Fourteen At The Table. Sadly by the Spring of 1947 Ossi was bankrupt and suffering from numerous health problems. She died on July 17, 1947 in Prague. Ossi was only forty-eight years old. She is buried in Olsany Cemetery in in the Czech Republic.

An autographed photo from my collection

Regina Doyle (1920s Starlet)

August 25, 2016, 12:16 am

≫ Next: Lya de Putti (Hungarian Actress)

≪ Previous: Ossi Oswalda (German Actress)

$

0

0

Regina Alice Doyle was born on September 2, 1907 in Chicago, Illinois. Her father, John Doyle, was a fireman. Regina was educated at the Grenshaw Conservatory. Her family moved to Los Angeles when she was seventeen. On July 2, 1925 Regina married thirty-one year old Stewart Gilbert Cornelius. They had one child together and divorced in 1927. By this time Regina was pursing an acting career. She appeared in several western shorts including The Lone Prairie and The Scrapping Ranger. In 1929 she was given the lead opposite Edmund Cobb in Beyond The Smoke. They would make three more films together.

With Edmund Cobb

Regina seemed destined for stardom but after several years at Universal Studios she stopped making movies in 1930. On September 29, 1931 Regina crashed her car into a freight train on Highland Avenue in Hollywood. She was thrown from the car and died almost instantly. Regina was only twenty-four years old. The coroner ruled that the accident was caused by reckless driving. She is buried at Calvary Cemetery in Los Angeles. Just a few days before Regina's death her mother had a premonition something terrible was going to happen. She warned her daughter to "Drive slowly".

Lya de Putti (Hungarian Actress)

September 6, 2016, 12:10 am

≪ Previous: Regina Doyle (1920s Starlet)

$

0

0

"I have never appeared in talking pictures but I hope my voice and my English will permit me." ~ Lya

Lya de Putti was born Amalia Putti on January 10, 1897, in Hungary. Her father was a baron and her mother was a countess. When Lya was sixteen she married Zoltan Szepessy, a county magistrate. The couple had two daughters together. Lya performed in vaudeville and danced in the Berlin ballet. In 1918 she made her film debut in Hungarian movie The Emperor's Soldiers. She left Zoltan and their daughters so she could pursue her career. Zoltan was so angry that he told the girls their mother had died. Lya would never see her children again. She married Ludwig Christensen, a Norwegian merchant, in 1920 but tragically he died just two years later from tuberculosis. By 1926 she had become a popular actress in Europe and was earning more than $800 a week. She moved to Hollywood after D.W. Griffith cast her in The Sorrows of Satan. The film included a controversial scene where she appears semi-nude. She had a well-publicized affair with Count Ludwig von Salm-Hoogstraeten which ended when he refused to leave his wife.

With her dark hair and exotic looks Lya found herself  typecast as a vamp. She worked with Zasu Pitts in Buck Privates and with Ben Lyon in Prince Of Tempters. Unfortunately her thick Hungarian accent made it difficult for her to get good roles. Lya studied English and appeared in a few Broadway shows but her career stalled. Her last movie was the 1929 drama The Informer. Lya nearly died in August of 1930 when the small pane she was flying in crashed. A year later she was was hospitalized for blood poisoning. Then in November of 1931 she had to have an operation to remove a chicken bone from her throat. Lya developed a serious infection and spent eight days fighting for her life in a New York hospital. Sadly she died from pneumonia on November 27, 1931. Lya was only thirty-four years old. She was buried at Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York. A few months after her death Zoltan Szepessy, her first husband, committed suicide.