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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“When you start acting as a child, you grow up ahead of your movies.”
— Hayley Mills (b. 1946 – )

Elvis Presley with his mother Gladys, 1940s.

 

Live action reference models for the mermaids for Disney’s Peter Pan, 1953, Margaret Kerry, Connie Hilton, and June Foray.

 

Art Nouveau building, 7th Arrondissement, Paris

 

The dedication of the Hollywoodland sign, 1923.

 

1949 Plymouth Special De Lux convertible

 

“I went away when I was 9 to a ballet school. I thought I wanted to be a dancer, but eight years of ballet cured me of that.”
— Juliet Mills (b. 1941 – )

 

RCA portable record player from 1937 by the great industrial designer John Vassos.

 

Photo by Flor Garduño

 

Rick McGinnis
Elora, Ontario
2021

 

“The only part of the conduct of anyone for which he is amenable to society is that which concerns others. In the part which merely concerns himself, his independence is, of right, absolute. Over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign.”
— Sir John Mills CBE (born Lewis Ernest Watts Mills; 1908 – 2005)

 

Theodore Robinson (American, 1852 – 1896)
“A Normandy Garden”, c. 1891
oil on canvas: 46,4 X 55.9 cm.
Private collection

 

Ruby Keeler and Lee Dixon dancing on a typewriter in Ready, Willing and Able, 1937.

 

The Andersen Geneve Jumping Hours 40th-Anniversary Watch is a true work of art. More here.

 

Chanukah in the Posner home, directly across the street from the local Nazi headquarters, shortly before the Nazis came to power and the Germans, along with millions of enthusiastic collaborators, murdered 6 million European Jews. Kiel, Germany 1932

 

Maayan Ariel wishes all our friends and relatives a peaceful Shabbat and a joyous Chanukah.

 

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Comments

  2. Good to see your back and healing Robert!

    Seeing that picture of Haley Mills today jogged a thought with me.

    Movie stars for us always seem to be frozen in time. We’re shocked when we see how they are today.

    I still think of Haley Mills as this cute blonde teenager in The Parent Trap.

    My dad was three years old in Los Angeles when that picture was taken. I told him once that he really grew up in a Los Angeles during its heyday.

    If you can imagine he and his cousin used to ride their bicycles early in the morning down the middle of Hollywood Boulevard.

    Another shock from those times. I went to visit his house sometime ago which thanks to Garmin I found easily.

    As an aside it’s always a shock when what is in your imagination comes to reality and the house he grew up in was only a few miles away in Studio City from the house he bought for us in the 50s.

    I had always imagined it far, far away. It was on Sunnyside Terrace if I remember correctly.

    But looking at that picture from 1923 and driving on his residential street they were a lot narrower in those days.

    These days you have opposing traffic and somebody generally pulls over to let the other one through. Model A’s and model Ts were a lot narrower I guess

    I was reminded of this when a friend and I visited Tiburon California a few days ago. I think Marin County is the wealthiest county in California but I’m not sure.

    But she showed me the street where Robin Williams lived.

    Just normal looking middle class houses along a narrow street all of whom had backs overlooking the bay. Ordinary looking houses that I know would be in the millions of dollars.

    Again glad to see you back Robert.

  3. Welcome back, Robert, and thank you for today’s wonderful edition. I hope you are feeling back to your self again, or at least making great strides in recovery.

    That watch is spectacular! I love the design of the RCA record player and the Art Nouveau entrance is superb. Kudos to the designers and craftsmen who have left us with the gems.

    Am I the only one who thinks Gladys Presley looks a little like Rosie O’Donnell in that photo?

    I hope you are having a Blessed Chanukah.

  4. Nice to see you back and with another nice collection.

    I had a 1949 Plymouth convertible like the photo. I bought it in 1962 when I was in college for $650. I loved it. It was a sort of gold/yellow.

  5. So nice to have you back again, Robert.

    I don’t know much about Hayley Mills except, of course, for “The Parent Trap” and that she co-starred with silent star Pola Negri in 1964s “The Moon-Spinners.” It appears she has had a good life and is content with herself, which, of course, is the best thing.

    I love that Art Nouveau entrance. Pictures like that remind me how grateful we should be to the German general who disobeyed Hitler’s order to destroy Paris.

    The record player intrigues me. I wouldn’t think that by 1937 you would have to crank it up, unless of course it didn’t have an electrical cord.

    A lovely weekend to you and yours.

    • Christopher:

      I just read “Forever Young,” Hayley Mills’ memoir. It’s quite good. She had had her share of heartbreak and tragedy. Especially when the English government taxed her Trust at 91%, basically wiping out all the money she earned as a child star. Socialism is theft.

      • I cannot stand this kind of thinking in Britain or anywhere else. Coming to our neighborhood shortly when the imbecile we have elected giggles and brags about racing our taxes. Put Biden up for adoption.

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