Seraphic Secret

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

Friday Photos: True Hollywood Confessions

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“I’ve never had a dull moment in my life. I’ve always wanted to try something new. When I was a child, I wouldn’t wear what the other kids had. I won’t now. I had the first pantie girdle, the first broadtail suit, the first sack dress — from Givenchy. I was even the first Gloria. Everybody named their children after me. I can always tell how old Glorias are.”
—Gloria Swanson
Photo by Charles Sheldon, 1925

Jacques Henri Lartigue (French, 1894-1986) Havanna, Cuba, 1957 Ektachrome 6 x 6 cm

 

Myrna Loy with Jack Benny and Basil Rathbone, 1940s.

 

Blue Green Red by Ellsworth Kelly (American, Newburgh, New York 1923–2015 Spencertown, New York) 1963, Oil on canvas 91 x 82 in.

 

L to R: Director Tod Browning, Carroll Borland, and Bela Lugosi on the set of Mark of the Vampire 1935.

 

1918 WWI Waltham “Admiral Evans” Trench Watch

 

“We play in pictures which cost thousands of dollars, sometimes more than a million dollars. Huge sums of money are spent to build up a star’s personality. The story, the production values, the camera, makeup, lights, dialogue, all contribute to make her a glamorous personality. We create an illusion when we are on the screen. We should sustain that illusion. We owe it to the studio. We owe it to the public. But we can’t be perfectly poised all of the time. Dear knows, I can’t….I just like to be comfortable when I’m not working, so I try to keep out of the public eye as much as possible.”
—Jean Arthur

 

Jacques Henri Lartigue, Florette, Venice, May 1954 Ektachrome, 6 x 6 cm

 

Myrna Loy in The Great Ziegfeld, 1936
Photo by Edward Steichen

 

Felix Vallatton
Interior With Woman in Red from Behind
1903
oil on canvas
Height: 36.61 in., Width: 27.95 in.

 

Polish VIS-35 semi automatic pistol which was used by German forces during World War II. This weapon was captured by American forces and a clever GI modified it with “honeymoon” grips featuring pictures of Betty Grable and Rita Hayworth. American ingenuity.

 

Rick McGinnis
Ferry terminal, Tobermory, Ontario, 2019

 

“Kirk Douglas and I both came from… well, shall we say, humble beginnings. We were both young, brash, cocky, arrogant. We knew everything, were highly opinionated. We were invincible. Nobody liked us.”
—Burt Lancaster

 

Jacques Henri Lartigue (French, 1894-1986) Florette 1964 Ektachrome 6 x 6 cm

 

A 1939 Delahaye 165 Figoni and a Falaschi Cabriolet
H/T Bill Brandt

 

Louise Brooks & Gustav Diessl in Pandora’s Box (1929, dir. G.W. Pabst)

 

This eye-catching poster for the 1957 comedy film was designed by the great Saul Bass.

 

Christmas shopping rush at Macy’s, 1948. By Nina Leen.

 

Green Vurcel Chanukah Menorah. Serves as wall decoration when not in use. Designed for a competition at The Maurice Spertus Museum, Chicago. Anodized aluminum; L / W 12.5″x7.5″. More here.

 

Yours truly, somewhere in the Catskills, 1952.

 

Maayan, Livia, and Lielle wish all our friends and relatives a lovely Shabbat.

 

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Comments

  1. Great photo of Lancaster & Douglas from Seven Days in May (1964). That was directed by John Frankenheimer during the years my dad was Frankenheimer’s business manager: those awesome Frankenheimer 1960s. My dad was involved in those productions, in ways I’m unaware, to an extent that my dad was required to join the Producer’s Guild. I met Frankenheimer in my dad’s office back then. At the time, this is what Frankenheimer looked like: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001239/mediaviewer/rm4261290496

  2. I second Michael’s observations about the Jean Arthur quote. Can’t add to it. It seems so quaint today. I was thinking with that quote why stars have to be so vocal and opinionated these days. That is the main reason viewership at the Oscars is so far down. Don’t they know they are selling an image?

    That picture of you in the Catskills is cute!

    I really didn’t know much about them – just heard about them – until I saw The Marvelous Mrs Maisel. Loved that series.

  3. “I wish more actors followed Jean Arthur’s advice…”

    Boy is that the truth. She was a bit of a hermit, I understand but they are far too vocal about things they know nothing about. We plan to see Clint Eastwood’;s new movie tonight. What will we do without him. He’s 89 and can’t live forever.

    I love that painting by Vallatton.

    Burt Lancaster lived across the canyon from my in-laws and both lost their homes in the Bel Air fire 1961. Red Skelton lived down the hill and, when he got word of the fire,. ordered a gasoline powered pump to be delivered that day to his house. He took his crew from his studio home and they pumped out his pool and saved his house.

  4. Beautiful pictures today, Robert. I can never get enough of Gloria Swanson.

    I do like that on-set shot of “Mark of the Vampire.” I remember the first time I saw that movie and felt cheated at the end when you find out it was all a hoax. Carroll Borland was stunning, though.

    I saw on another thread that you’re reading Jeanne Basinger’s “The Movie Musical!” I bought that as an early Christmas gift for myself, as I enjoyed her last books, “Silent Stars” and “The Star Machine.” How do you like it?

  5. Awesome photos this week, Robert. I love the candid photo of Myrna Loy and company. The gentlemen seem very intent on Myrna, but I want to know who the other woman is in the photo. She looks happier than the 3 main characters.

    I like that Waltham watch. Clean and simple face with beautiful numerals.

    I love Rick’s photo. The colors and shapes provide a wonderful contrast.

    I wish more actors followed Jean Arthur’s advice…

    The Delahaye designs are so futuristic, they probably would fit in as a Star Wars vehicle.

    Love the menorah’s clean, artistic design and, as always, your family photos!

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