This undated publicity photograph from the 1940s shows Alexis Smith in a sultry pose.
There have been movie stars with the last name Smith. But the big studios encouraged promising actors named Smith to change it to something else.
The most successful Smith actor of all-time was arguably Gladys Smith. But she changed her name to the more glamorous sounding Mary Pickford. Continue reading
Here are four photographs of a Hollywood contract player, several years before she became a well known MGM feature player in many films during the 1930s, 40s and 50s.
She was born on February 24, 1890 as Mary Tomlinson in Acton, Indiana.
Dressed to the nines – circa 1918
Photo via the New York Public Library. c. 1920s
Photo: Apeda studio possibly from the 1918 play “Yes Or No”
The next photo should give it away.
With actor Billy Bevan in The Wrong Road (1937)
Do you have it yet?
Yes, it’s the star of a dozen Ma and Pa Kettle movies, Marjorie Main.
Usually thought of as plain and matronly, Marjorie was attractive enough Continue reading
Sometimes we run across photographs with no logical explanation. When there is no news slug we are left to speculate – what is going on here? This is one of those cases.
Besides being identified on the rear as Rita Hayworth and a United Press International photo, there was nothing else written identifying the action or location.
Fortunately entering “Rita Hayworth” and Penguin in a search engine can solve a mystery. Continue reading
Great Garbo (1905-1990) was never fond of the press. The star’s apocryphal line of “I want to be left alone” did apply to almost everyone outside of her circle of close friends.
So it was rather surprising that Garbo allowed reporters to speak with her, after staying in Europe for ten months. Traveling back to the United States aboard the Swedish American Line MS Kungsholm, 100 reporters gathered in he ship’s lounge to question the Swedish Sphinx. Garbo then cagily semi-answered their questions.
“Did you ever say I want to be left alone?” a reporter queried. Continue reading
Will Remain In Britain For The Duration
Vivien Leigh, who won swift fame as Scarlett of “Gone With The Wind,” plans to return to the American movies, but not until the war is over. Miss Leigh, pictured here in London, and her husband, Laurence Olivier,returned to Britain in January, 1941, during the height of the air blitz. He joined the fleet air arm and she signed for the leading feminine role in “The Doctor’s Dilemma,” by George Bernard Shaw. “Both my husband and I felt that we should return to England,” she said “and we both feel that we should remain here until the war is over.” photo Wide World 3/23/1943
Eight years earlier in May 1935 Leigh debuted in the play The Mask of Virtue at London’s West End. The 21-year-old beauty became famous virtually overnight. Six film companies, three British, three American offered her a film contract. Leigh signed with Alexander Korda for ten pictures in five years for £50,000. Continue reading
Though Yvonne De Carlo (1922-2007) had a long and successful film career, many people may not be aware of that fact.
The news slug on the photo says: Continue reading
River Phoenix and his date Marlee Matlin at Ed Debevic’s Restaurant in Beverly Hills for their first birthday party and a sixth anniversary bash in honor of The Starlight Foundation. September 22, 1988. Photo: John Paschal Celebrity Photo
A few weeks ago when my daughter and her college age friends were searching for a movie to watch I asked if they had ever seen Stand By Me (1986)? The answer was a resounding no. And when describing the film I asked a silly question: if they had ever heard of River Phoenix? Continue reading
Bogy, Baby & Boy
Humphrey Bogart’s wife, Lauren Bacall, known to the public as “Baby”, and their son Stevie, pay Bogart a visit on the set at 20th Century-Fox where he is starring in the newspaper story, “Deadline U.S.A.” Little Stevie takes an active interest in movie production, since he plans to be a movie star like his daddy when he grows up. credit: 20th Century-Fox December 27, 1951
When Humphrey Bogart made Deadline U.S.A. for 20th Century-Fox he was on loan from Warner Bros. to Fox. Maybe that is why the Fox publicity department did not care if they spelled Bogart’s nickname, “Bogey” correctly or not. In September of 1953 Bogart finally ended his long association with Warner Bros. having previously formed his own production company, Santana Productions to make independent productions including six films with Columbia Pictures between 1949 – 1951.
Steohen Humphrey Bogart (born January 6, 1949) did not follow in his father’s footsteps. Continue reading
Charlie Chaplin photo: United Artists
This 1919 portrait of Charlie Chaplin taken at the height of his success shows that behind the make-up and little mustache was a handsome man.
Chaplin, as one of the co-founders of United Artists in 1919 with Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and D.W. Griffith, had many official publicity photographs taken like the one above and below to promote the founding of the company.
The historic moment taken when the papers of incorporation were signed creating United Artists Corporation on April 17, 1919. Left to right in the foreground are the founders. D.W. Griffith, Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin and Douglas Fairbanks, Sr.. In the background are their attorneys, Albert Banzhaf and Dennis O’Brien. photo: United Artists
Hollywood press hoopla at work here.
This is the improbable news slug originally accompanying this publicity photograph: Continue reading
