A defining role:
Reading sides on a leaning board.
Jean Harlow chats with visiting director Edmund Goulding. To her left is cast member Edmund Lowe and director George Cukor.
Photograph by George Hurrell of Jean Harlow in a gown by Adrian designed for “Dinner at Eight”.
Hi, Vickie,
Just saw a great program on TCM the other night: Hollywood, My Hometown with Ken Murray. From 1965, it was a show comprised of home movies that Ken Murray had shot during his years in Hollywood, starting in 1927. I believe you can get it on Youtube. If you haven’t seen it, check it out. Wonderful shots of Hollwyood in the golden years.
How cool! I will find it.
That dress is so beautiful. And, well before Spanx. It looks like it is just poured over her.
Young and beautiful…
Incredible images! Simply exquisite!
[…] (Found at Beguiling Hollywood.) […]
I’d never paid much attention to Jean Harlow (though I knew about her, and the poor woman’s tragic end) but I saw a great documentary Screen Goddesses a few nights ago and it showed clips of her in Dinner at Eight, wow! It also showed the scene from Red Dust in which she bathes naked and flusters the young Gable. What a fantastic star she was. Those scenes show her as funny, lively, naughty, and gorgeous. Such an icon. I get it now. The documentary was great, other stars included Audrey, Marilyn, inimitable Bette Davis, Joan Crawford (amusingly bitchy in an interview with a priggishly condescending BBC man), Garbo, and Louise Brooks.
I have to admit when I was young I didn’t get many classic movie star’s appeal, esp. Harlow’s… As an adult you can see the sophistication in her performances – and the joy. She was a treasure. I think roles for women were better in that era, the intriguing parts in our time are mostly confined to television.
A great repost! I think I missed your wonderful reply to me, you are so *right*.
And back to Ms Harlow: Spectacular! In Dinner At Eight, Red Dust and others. Funny, vulgar, sophisticated, full of life. Oh, and in *that* dress. Ahem!
*sighs*
the way that satin falls……….b e a u t i f u l.
That leaning board is genius!
And satin is so very beautiful, I agree on team Gloria.
[…] were simply called “Jean Harlow dresses.” Harlow was sewn into the fitted gown and required a leaning board to rest between takes. Sitting was […]