
In last week’s Friday Fashion post we observed that designers frequently clothe women utilizing fur, feathers and animal patterns.
For as long as fashion has existed, animal metaphors have been an indispensible part of the designer’s lexicon. Hollywood, during its golden age, a leading arbiter of taste, heightened and refined the animal analogy with brilliant costume designers turning ravishing movie stars into expressions of animal desire.









Karen and I wish all our friends and relatives a lovely and fashionable Shabbat.
Martha Hyer projected that ladylike demeanor in The Sons of Katie Elder. In that she was entirely disgusted with the behavior of the brothers compared with the love she had for their mother.
It is widely believed that Agatha Christie based her plot in The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side on the story of how Gene Tierney contracted rubella that ravaged her daughter. What amazed me was that her daughter was born in 1943, yet in 1944 she made Laura, my favorite of her roles.
The picture of Harlow and the bear is great. But even though she’s not a Hollywood beauty, the picture of Palin siting on a couch with the grizzly bear her father shot is classic.
Another wonderful selection of photographs, Robert. I particularly like the shot of Martha Hyer, she’s so gosh-durned CUTE! Her outfit and overall look remind me of girls I knew in my early 20s. (Add lace-up high-heel knee boots and a leather jacket for the after-dark look.)
Gene Tierney was quite an attractive actress, but the story of her oldest daughter’s birth (and life) was a hopelessly sad affair. Supposedly, Tierney appeared (only 1 time) at the Hollywood Canteen while she was pregnant. She contracted Rubella (I believe) which cause her daughter to be born prematurely and VERY underweight. If memory serves me, the daughter was deaf, legally blind and (what they categorized back then as) severely retarded. Some time later Tierney met a woman who said she had slipped out of quarantine (with Rubella) just to go meet her hero (Tierney) at the Hollywood Canteen. Reportedly, Gene Tierney said nothing to the woman, but later said at that point in time, she never again cared if she was anyone’s favorite actress.
I believe mega-millionaire Howard Hughes (an old friend of Tierney’s) made sure that her daughter had the best medical care and paid the bills himself. One last tidbit, Gene Tierney was supposedly linked to JFK and they dated, but he broke if off because of his political ambitions. After he was elected President, Tierney admitted that she voted for Nixon because she felt he would make a better president.
Bill:
Who would not want to bed Martha Hyer. Good looks and sensuality, along with talent and intelligence, constitue quite an aphrodisiac.
Agreed Barry – – but I was referring to Huston having these stars under his control and wanting extra curricular activities. As to Martha how sad to fall to the clutches of Loan sharks – There were a few big stars who fell to that level I think –
Robert – I am trying to picture these formidable Hollywood starts of the 30s-50s meeting PETA today – I think Dietrich alone would steamroll them 😉
On Martha Hyer – still trying to digest John Huston wanting to bed his leading ladies – that the stuff women had to put up with working with some of these Hollywood figures.
As your wonderful Hollywood history lessons have taught me being a star does not always equate to happiness.