Seraphic Secret

Robert J. Avrech: Emmy Award winning screenwriter. Movie fanatic. Helplessly and hopelessly in love with my wife since age nine.

Friday Photos: Everything But the Kitchen Sink

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“I’VE WORKED WITH A LOT OF GREAT GLAMOROUS GIRLS IN MOVIES AND THE THEATER. AND I’LL ADMIT, I’VE OFTEN THOUGHT IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL TO BE A FEMME FATALE. BUT THEN I’D ALWAYS COME BACK TO THINKING THAT IF THEY ONLY HAD WHAT I’VE HAD - A FAMILY, REAL LOVE, AN ANCHOR - THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN SO MUCH HAPPIER DURING ALL THE HOURS WHEN THE MARQUEES AND THE FLOODLIGHTS ARE DARK.” Eve Arden
“I’ve worked with a lot of great glamorous girls in movies and the theater. And I’ll admit, I’ve often thought it would be wonderful to be a femme fatale. But then I’d always come back to thinking that if they only had what I’ve had — a family, real love, an anchor — they would have been so much happier during all the hours when the marquees and the floodlights are dark.”
— Eve Arden

Baltimore. Garland, Texas. Iran. Yemen. ObamaCare. Iraq. Syria. Shia. Sunni. Clinton Cash. IslamoNazis. IRS. Benghazi. Lois Lerner. Thug. Federal Deficit. Islamic State. Hillary. Server. Delete 30,000 emails. War on police. Minimum wage.  Mohammed cartoons. Racist. Transgender. Income inequality. BDS. Beheadings. Chemical weapons. Iranian nukes…

How about some pictures to help set aside—at least for a few precious minutes—the age of Obama.

 

Kim Novak in Hitchcock's masterpiece, “Vertigo.”
Kim Novak in Hitchcock’s masterpiece, “Vertigo.”

 

“I’m not an abstractionist. I’m not interested in the relationship of color or form or anything else. I’m interested only in expressing basic human emotions: tragedy, ecstasy, doom, and so on.” ~Mark Rothko
“I’m not an abstractionist. I’m not interested in the relationship of color or form or anything else. I’m interested only in expressing basic human emotions: tragedy, ecstasy, doom, and so on.”
~Mark Rothko

 

“PUBLICITY CAN BE TERRIBLE. BUT ONLY IF YOU DON’T HAVE ANY.” Jane Russell
“Publicity can be terrible, but only if you don’t have any.”
— Jane Russell

 

John Singer Sargent. Mademoiselle Jourdain, 1889.
John Singer Sargent. Mademoiselle Jourdain, 1889.

 

Still from “Dancing Lady” ('33) photo by Ted Allan.
Still from “Dancing Lady” (’33) photo by Ted Allan.

 

Degas, "The Green Dancer" 1879
Degas, “The Green Dancer” 1879

 

Swan Lake, Stuttgart Ballet, c1954.
Swan Lake, Stuttgart Ballet, c1954.

 

Twelve year old Brigitte Bardot in ballet class, Paris, 1946.
Twelve year old Brigitte Bardot in ballet class, Paris, 1946.

 

“EVERYBODY HAS A HEART. EXCEPT SOME PEOPLE.” Bette Davis
“Everybody has a heart — except some people.”
— Bette Davis

 

James Nares executes his paintings using special brushes while being physically suspended above the canvas. Each painting is one continuous pearlescent-paint brushstroke across an iridescent background.
James Nares executes his paintings using special brushes while being physically suspended above the canvas. Each painting is one continuous pearlescent-paint brushstroke across an iridescent background.

 

Myrna Loy signs autographs for fans. The sunglasses are too cool.
Myrna Loy signs autographs for fans. The sunglasses are too cool.

 

Clyfford STILL United States of America 1904 – 1980 1952-no.2 1952 oil on canvas
Clyfford Still
1952-no.2 1952
oil on canvas

 

“A man is more interested in a woman who is interested in him than he is in a woman-- any woman-- with beautiful legs.” ― Marlene Dietrich
“A man is more interested in a woman who is interested in him than he is in a woman—any woman—with beautiful legs.”
― Marlene Dietrich

 

Wayne Thiebaud, Hamburger Counter, 1961. Oil on canvas, 50.8 x 81.2 cm.
Wayne Thiebaud, Hamburger Counter, 1961. Oil on canvas, 50.8 x 81.2 cm.

 

Clara Bow in a 1927 Cadillac Dual Cowl Phaeton in the driveway of her home at 512 N. Bedford Drive, Beverly Hills, CA.
Clara Bow in a 1927 Cadillac Dual Cowl Phaeton in the driveway of her home at 512 N. Bedford Drive, Beverly Hills, CA.

 

Whistler, Nocturne in Grey and Gold, 1876.
Whistler, Nocturne in Grey and Gold.

 

government-issued identification card for Anna May Wong, the silent film actress. Starting in 1909, Chinese entering or residing in the U.S. were required to carry such ID at all times.
Government-issued identification card for the great actress Anna May Wong, 1924. Starting in 1909, Chinese entering or residing in the U.S. were required to carry such ID at all times.

 

Milton Avery, Rolling Surf, 1958.
Milton Avery, Rolling Surf, 1958.

 

Norma Jean (Marilyn Monroe) and her first husband Jim Dougherty.
Norma Jean (Marilyn Monroe) and her first husband Jim Dougherty.

 

John McLaughlin, "#2", Oil on canvas, 1975, 60 x 48 inches.
John McLaughlin, “#2”, Oil on canvas, 1975, 60 x 48 inches.

 

Norma Jean Baker models for Argoflex Cameras, c. 1946.
Norma Jean Baker models for Argoflex Cameras, c. 1946.

 

Great photo from 1910. Don't know who took it.
Great photo from 1910. Don’t know who took it.

 

Jewish girl of Debdou, Morocco.
Jewish girl of Debdou, Morocco.

 

Audrey Hepburn
Audrey Hepburn

 

Karen and I take a walk together.
Karen and I take a walk together.

 

Toshiru Mifune's hair is in the classic Samurai top knot tradition.
Toshiru Mifune’s hair is in the classic Samurai top-knot.

 

Livia Yarden shows off her new Samurai top know and wishes all our friends and relatives a lovely and inspirational Shabbat.
Livia Yarden shows off her new Samurai top-knot, and wishes all our friends and relatives a lovely and inspirational Shabbat.

 

You just knew I'd throw this in, right?
You just knew I’d throw this in, right?

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Your pictures are always great, Robert. Didn’t know BB had ballet as a background – I know Audrey Hepburn wanted to be a ballet dancer but couldn’t (forget why).

    Eve Arden and Marlene Dietrich – savvy women!

    Norma Jean – I have to wonder if by the time she died alone in Bel Air – having been used up by the Kennedys – if she wished she’d never pursued fame and just stayed Norma Jean.

  2. Robert, I always look forward to your Friday photos.

    I worked as church secretary at Grace Brethren Church of North Long Beach back in the early 80’s. We had a retired woman who would come in and help in the office. I can’t remember her name, but her brother was Jim Dougherty’s sister. She said she remembers the time that she helped Jim and Norma Jeane move into a house they bought. That’s the closest I’ve ever been to Marilyn Monroe. Here’s a paragraph from Wikipedia about them:

    On June 19, 1942, Dougherty and Monroe married at the home of his friend Chester Howell in Los Angeles. After they met, she affectionately nicknamed him “Jimmie.”[6] In 1943, Dougherty joined the United States Merchant Marine. Prior to that he had worked with Robert Mitchum in a defense plant. He was ordered to boot camp on Santa Catalina Island, California, where Norma Jeane lived with him. In 1944, he was sent overseas, much to Norma Jeane’s dismay. Norma Jeane started to work for Radioplane Company where she was included in a series of morale-boosting photographs, launching her career as a model and actress.[7] She moved out of her mother-in-law’s home and stopped writing to Dougherty. She filed for divorce in Las Vegas, Nevada, while he was in Shanghai, China; it was finalized on September 13, 1946. In the book To Norma Jeane With Love, Dougherty stated he was so depressed after his breakup with Monroe that he considered taking his own life, but he could not bear the thought of his mother finding his body.

    • I just read what I wrote and it made no sense — sorry! What I meant to say was that this lady was Jim Dougherty’s sister. Long week, Friday – that’s my excuse!

  3. Eve Arden was great in “Anatomy of a Murder” one of my favorite movies. Joseph N Welch, who played the judge, became friends with the author, a Michigan Supreme Court Justice, and they traveled together with their wives.

    Jane Russell was a very smart and savvy lady. She supported her whole family and was a very good real estate investor. My wedding reception was at her house.

  5. That bit about “Each painting is one continuous pearlescent-paint brushstroke” reminds me of Chinese/Japanese calligraphy. At least in the more cursive styles, one of the basic rules is that each character must be executed as a single continuous brush stroke.

  6. I so look forward to your Friday Photos, Robert.

    Eve Arden had her head on straight — in an industry without a track record for that sort of thing.

    Myrna Loy was cool no matter what she wore! 🙂

    Jane Russell is the definition of sultry… especially in this photo!

    I love designer kitchen sinks — nicely done!

    Awesome granddaughter you and Karen have there. Her eyes are gorgeous and that grin…

    Nice loafers, but I prefer the saddle shoes you featured in the past (hint, hint).

    As far as the art… I’ve always preferred realism or naturalism.

    [I don’t know if I’m using those terms correctly. Formal art education is one of my great weaknesses. I have always gotten by with the “I know what I like” philosophy.]

    I like artists to present something my eye can compare to real life. I want him (or her) to create a canvas so “real” and “inviting” that my mind puts my body (no, my senses) into the picture. I’ve immensely enjoyed the Vermeer paintings you have featured and I have an affinity for Seurat.

    Yet, each time you present (what I would call “abstract art”) I find I like more and more of it. I like the Rothko, McLaughlin, Clyfford Still and especially the James Nares picture. There is something about the shapes, colors and textures that calls out to my soul, not my senses. Thank you for that…

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