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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“The luckiest thing that ever happened to me was being born a woman.” —Marilyn Monroe
“The luckiest thing that ever happened to me was being born a woman.”
—Marilyn Monroe

Adolph Menzel (1815–1905) My Sister Emily Sleeping circa 1848 Oil on paper and canvas Dimensions Height: 47 cm (18.5 in). Width: 60 cm (23.6 in). Kunsthalle Hamburg

Adolph Menzel (1815–1905)
My Sister Emily Sleeping
circa 1848
Oil on paper and canvas
Dimensions Height: 47 cm (18.5 in). Width: 60 cm (23.6 in).
Kunsthalle Hamburg

 

Nick DeWolf Near Milan, Northern Italy, April-May, 1959
Nick DeWolf
Near Milan, Northern Italy, April-May, 1959

 

Fede Galizia (1574-16 Judith with the Head of Holofernes, 1596. The figure of Judith is believed to be a self-portrait.
Fede Galizia (1574-1630)
Judith with the Head of Holofernes, 1596.
The figure of Judith is believed to be a self-portrait.

 

Bert Hardy Off Duty Usherette ca. 1954
Bert Hardy
Off Duty Usherette
ca. 1954

 

William Michael Harnett (1848–1892) 1879 Oil on canvas 30 x 25 in. (76.2 x 63.5 cm)
William Michael Harnett (1848–1892)
1879
Oil on canvas
30 x 25 in. (76.2 x 63.5 cm)

 

Untitled (Dancing Man) Joel Shapiro (United States, New York, New York City, born 1941) United States, 1981 Sculpture Cherry wood, oil, and paint 55 x 28 1/2 x 31 in. (139.7 x 72.39 x 78.74 cm)
Untitled (Dancing Man)
Joel Shapiro (United States, New York, New York City, born 1941)
United States, 1981
Sculpture
Cherry wood, oil, and paint
55 x 28 1/2 x 31 in. (139.7 x 72.39 x 78.74 cm)

 

“Everything makes me nervous — except making films.” —Elizabeth Taylor
“Everything makes me nervous — except making films.”
—Elizabeth Taylor

 

Gabriele Münter Breakfast of the Birds 1934 Oil on board 18 x 21 ¾ in
Gabriele Münter (1877-1962)
Breakfast of the Birds
1934
Oil on board
18 x 21 ¾ in

 

First public payphones in Los Angeles, California, installed in 1899 LA Public Library
First public payphones in Los Angeles, California, installed in 1899
LA Public Library

 

Dirck Jacobsz c. 1550 Jacob Cornelisz van Oostsanen (the artist’s father) Painting a Portrait of his Wife.
Dirck Jacobsz c. 1550
Jacob Cornelisz van Oostsanen (the artist’s father) Painting a Portrait of his Wife.

 

Nina Leen Popular shoulder length hairstyle worn by teenagers. 1947
Nina Leen
Popular shoulder length hairstyle worn by teenagers.
1947

 

Charles Demuth (1883-1935) My Egypt 1927 Oil, fabricated chalk, and graphite pencil on composition board 35 15/16 × 30 in.
Charles Demuth (1883-1935)
My Egypt
1927
Oil, fabricated chalk, and graphite pencil on composition board
35 15/16 × 30 in.

 

High Sierra, 1941 Screenplay by John Huston and W.R. Burnett Based on High Sierra by W.R. Burnett
High Sierra, 1941
Screenplay by John Huston and W.R. Burnett
Based on High Sierra
by W.R. Burnett

 

Marie Antoinette's gold Breguet pocket watch, ca. 1827
Marie Antoinette’s gold Breguet pocket watch, ca. 1827

 

“I get self-conscious, you see. I really think about the people who will go to a movie if I’m in it because they expect to see something that’s a little bit better or different.” —Henry Fonda
“I get self-conscious, you see. I really think about the people who will go to a movie if I’m in it because they expect to see something that’s a little bit better or different.”
—Henry Fonda

 

Stuart Davis Lucky Strike, 1921 Oil on canvas
Stuart Davis
Lucky Strike, 1921
Oil on canvas

 

Ruth Orkin Iraqi Jewish Refugees Arrive at Lydda Airport, Tel Aviv, Israel, 1951
Ruth Orkin
Iraqi Jewish Refugees Arrive at Lydda Airport, Tel Aviv, Israel, 1951

 

Edward Hopper (1882–1967), Sun in an Empty Room, 1963. Oil on canvas, 28 3/4 × 39 1/2 in. (73 × 100.3 cm)
Edward Hopper (1882–1967), Sun in an Empty Room, 1963. Oil on canvas, 28 3/4 × 39 1/2 in. (73 × 100.3 cm)

 

Olga Chekova was Hitler's favorite actress. But according to Antony Beevor in his fascinating book, The Mystery of Olga Chekova, the popular actress was a Soviet sleeper agent.
Olga Chekov, niece of playwright Anton Chekov, was Hitler’s favorite actress. But according to Antony Beevor in his fascinating book, The Mystery of Olga Chekova, the popular actress who lived in Germany was a Soviet sleeper agent.

 

Jeff Gusky ‘Former Jewish Home in Use as a Public Toilet’ Dzialoszyce, Poland 1996
Jeff Gusky, ‘Former Jewish Home in Use as a Public Toilet,’ Dzialoszyce, Poland 1996

 

Sabbath Candlesticks Adam Tihany, Israeli, b. Transylvania, 1948 Manufacturer: Orfèvrerie Christofle Paris, France, 2004 Silver plate: cast Each: 8 × 2 1/8 × 3 in.
Sabbath Candlesticks
Adam Tihany, Israeli, b. Transylvania, 1948
Manufacturer: Orfèvrerie Christofle
Paris, France, 2004
Silver plate: cast
Each: 8 × 2 1/8 × 3 in.

 

Robert J. Avrech, Love Me Tender, High Line, N.Y. 2016
Robert J. Avrech, Love Me Tender, High Line, N.Y. 2016

 

Lielle Meital wishes all our friends and relatives a lovely and inspirational Shabbat.
Lielle Meital wishes all our friends and relatives a lovely and inspirational Shabbat.

 

Buster Keaton’s “The Frozen North” 1922

Reader Interactions

Comments

  4. Although I’m sure both are staged, the photos of Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor look very “natural”. I am puzzled by Gusky’s photo of the former Jewish house being used as a public restroom — beautiful doorway, but I was expecting this to be a World War II era photo, not from the last 20 years!

    Finally, Marie Antoinette’s Breguet watch is a combination of precision engineering, impeccable design and artisan craftsmanship. Stunning and very expensive, I’m sure.

  5. Thought provoking artwork as usual Robert! Seeing that picture of Elizabeth Taylor made me think that she never really had a normal childhood did she? Pampered Hollywood star from her early teens.

    The picture of Dirck Jacobsz seems surprisingly contemporary and not 500 years old.

    The B & W photo of Dirck Jacobsz seems a bit surrealistic. Maybe nit the best term but I like it for its lines, shading and simplicity.

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