Ursula Thiess's First Film

Ursula Thiess

Actress Ursula Thiess, telling columnist Earl Wilson about her forthcoming film in which she swims nube:  "It was my first picture and I did what they told me."




[Source:  Quick Magazine; January 5, 1953]

Ursula Thiess

Ursula Thiess (May 15, 1924 - June 19, 2010)  born in Hamburg, Germany.  RKO brought her to America for a test in 1952 and she was voted most promising newcomer by Modern Screen (along with Marilyn Monroe).  While starring in a mere 5 films, she is probably best known for her marriage to Robert Taylor.  They met on a studio-arranged blind date.  They fell in love and were married May 24, 1954 until Taylor's death on June 8, 1969.  She had 2 children with Taylor.  Ursula basically retired from the screen after she married Taylor and concentrated on her family.  Her last screen appearance was in 1972.

Robert Taylor and Ursula Thiess

Anita Loos Remains a Brunette

Anita Loos, author of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, when asked why she remained a brunette:  "Personally, I don't prefer gentlemen."




[Source:  Point;  August 1954]

Anita Loos and Jean Harlow

Anita Loos was the author or contributor to some of my favorite films such as Red-Headed Woman, Another Thin Man, The Women, Susan and God, and When Ladies Meet.  

John Emerson and Anita Loos

Loos had two troublesome marriage:  First, to Frank Palma, Jr (from 1915-1919); and secondly to actor, writer, director John Emerson (married from 1919 to his death in 1956).  Emerson and Loos never officially divorced, but their marriage consisted of economic strife and Emerson's mental illness.  

Foreign Beauties # 3 - Fifi D'Orsay

"Fifi D'Orsay has graced these pages regularly of late, and why not? Letters continue to arrive, asking for more pix of this personable Parisian." (Film Fun, 1941)

Fifi D'Orsay (April 16, 1904 - December 2, 1983) was born Yvonne Lussier in Montreal, Canada. Nicknamed "The French Bombshell", Fifi started out in The Greenwich Village Follies at age 20. Appearing on vaudeville and in 24 films, Fifi dies at age 79 of cancer. These clips of her are fantastic. I would love to see the full length films. Maybe they'll come out someday.

Fifi will be appearing on TCM:
September 23, 2010 - 6:15 am est - The Life of Jimmy Dolan
December 2, 2010 - 10:15 am est - The Life of Jimmy Dolan

Vintage Inspiration September 4th - Maria Montez

Maria Montez

Six Lessons from Madame La Zonga

I have to admit I don't think I've seen any of "Mexican Spitfire" Lupe Velez's films. She was obviously a stunner and died way too young. Here are some stills from her film Six Lessons From Madame La Zonga, released by Universal in 1941. Lupe is posing with one of her co-stars Guinn "Big Boy" Williams.

Barbara Stanwyck ages 100 years in only 1 film!

"Barbara Stanwyck plays the oldest heroine ever depicted on the screen, a 100-year-old granny in Pioneer Woman. That might have been a tough job yesterday, but not now. They all look alike in slacks on Hollywood Boul" (Film Fun, 1941)

I looked everywhere for the film Pioneer Woman, and couldn't find anything with that title starring Barbara Stanwyck - or even everything near the year of publication with that title. Either the film was never made, or the title was changed to The Great Man's Lady (1942). In it, Barbara plays Hannah Sempler, a 100-year-old woman who tells the story of her life through flashbacks. Star crossed lovers, the Gold Rush, and the fabulous Stanwyck aging 80 years - how can you go wrong? The Great Man's Lady is appearing September 8, 2010 on TCM at 8 pm est and is available on The Barbara Stanwyck Collection.

Lana's Sweater Starts a Cat Fight

"MEOW: Said one gal to another as she watched Lana Turner go by: "Take away her sweaters, and what has she got?" Well, there are a lotta folks who'd rise up and say "Pu-lenty." (Film Fun, 1941)"

New Warner Brothers Stars for 1941

Warner Brothers astrologers have discovered five new stars, and names them. They are:

Eddie Albert

Brenda Marshall (from Circa)

Dennis Morgan (from Find a Grave)

Ronald Reagan (seen here with Adele Gergans at Mogambo)

and James Stephenson (from Wikipedia)

Girl to Watch: Joan Leslie

Girl To Watch: Joan Leslie, now appearing in High Sierra, with Humphrey Bogart and Ida Lupino.

High Sierra will be on TCM September 11, 2010 at 10 pm est and October 16, 2010 at 12 pm est.

Vivien Leigh is Gone With The Wind to England

One never knows what Movietown will do to a girl - Lady Hamilton becomes That Hamilton Woman. And as far as the star of the picture, Vivien Leigh, is concerned in Hollywood, she has gone with the wind, and returned to her native England for war work.

That Hamilton Woman will be on TCM September 21, 2010 at 9:45 pm est in conjunction with Vivien Leigh as Star of the Month.

If Your a Brunette - Colors You Look Fabulous In!

The black-haired, dark-eyed women in this group can wear either black or rich brown as a basic color. Becoming to them also are white, peach, apricot, brick Chinese red, russet, sage green, bright greens provided they do not make the skin seem sallow, mustard, burnt orange, henna, tan, and beige.

Norma Shearer

If the hair is medium brown, skin is tanned, and eyes are blue or gray, brown is the most flattering basic color, especially in tobacco and in russet shades. Other flattering colors are dull gold, dusty rose, woodsy greens, soft dull blue and muted orange-reds.

Gail Patrick And now, to end on an optimistic note - no brunette need envy a blonde. Her type of beauty wears better, is not so fragile, and she can flaunt it more - use more daring perfume, brighter make-up, more striking coiffures. But she does have to work a little harder to get her effects! Gail Patrick

This ends lovely Ruth Murrin's beauty advice based on hair color. I hope this gives everyone ideas for how to be a fabulous 1938 beauty.

Carmen Miranda

I've been reading some fun vintage beauty and house keeping books from the 1930s and 1940s. Not sure what I will be posting next, but possibly some advice from one of the vintage books.

Ann Blythe

If you are a brunette - Makeup tips Part 2

By far the largest number of brunettes have warm coloring. Their skin tone ranges from light olive to a deep tan.

They look best when they use dark rachel, beige, ocher, or tan powder as dark as their complexions. Lighter powder makes this type of skin look muddy.

A yellowish cast can be avoided by choosing shades livened with red. Lipstick and rouge should be orange-red, the intensity of tone depending on the vividness of the individual.

Many women of this type look best without rouge. Mascara should be black or brown and eye shadow green, gray, or brown.

If You Are a Brunette - Coloring Part 1

Here's a Ruth Murrin's 1938 take on Brunette coloring - Part 1

With a clear complexion and shiny dark hair set off by perfect grooming, a brunette has a fine start. But to complete the picture, she must know her color schemes. There are warm brunettes and cool brunettes, and a girl must know to which side she belongs.

The most famous example of the cool group is the Irish type - black or dark brown hair, milky skin, pink cheeks, blue eyes. She looks best with creamy powder, rose rouge and lipstick, black mascara, blue eye shadow. She wears blue beautifully in every shade except harsh, bright blue. Powder blue is especially becoming. Black and navy are good basic colors for her, and she can wear purple bluish orchid, turquoise, gray, rose, ruby, and emerald.

Then there is the dark-haired, brown-eyed girl whose medium skin has lots of pink in it. Her best make-up is a pinky rachel powder, medium bluish red rouge and lipstick, black mascara, brown, purple, or green eye shadow. She like her "cool" sister avoids brown and chooses black or navy as her basic color. She looks well in bluish greens, bright jade green, warm pinkish gray, deep blue, pure soft yellow, crimson, American Beauty, wine, and all the deep bluish reds.

Part 2 coming soon!

If You Are a Brunette . . . What about your skin?

If you are a Brunette by Ruth Murrin (from June 1938 Good Housekeeping)

The trouble with being a brunette is that there are so many of them. The competition is formidable. This situation daunts Miss Lazy Bones and Mrs Timid Soul, who think, "What's the use?" and let themselves go. But to any girl with an ounce of enterprise, it's a challenge. Perhaps that is why so many dark-haired girls with no looks to speak of grow up to be chic, distinguished-looking women.

These successful brunettes know that their effectiveness depends largely on contrast - dark hair framing a clear skin. They know, too, that among their liabilities is a tendency to murky complexion. In the teens and early twenties they are subject to oiliness and blackheads and blemishes that may accompany it, and as they grow older and their skins become dryer, they complain of the "dirty beige" color their faces take on instead of the bright, fresh aspect they need to set off dark hair.

At the oily age brunettes who are intelligent about their cosmetics use soap and water plentifully. They keep on hand liquid cleansers and tingly skin tonics. They use masks for cleaning and freshening. A starch mask, which is simple and inexpensive, interests them especially just now. When choosing face powder, they demand sticking power and suede finish; and because "Clean up before make-up" is a law for oily skins, they carry cleansing pads in their purses.

It is a canny brunette who knows when her skin has stopped making too much oil and actually has too little. Then her routine changes to include cream cleansing and cream at bedtime, for if she lets her skin get dry and scaly, it will soon look coarse, dark, and neglected. She stocks and uses preparations that protect her face from wind and sun, and likes a light, fine powder.

I am not quite sure why Ruth is so harsh on Brunettes! I know not just brunettes have oily skin issues. And I think I might be Mrs Timid Soul ;)

Starch mask – this mask helps to make enlarged pores less evident and restore healthy glow to the cheeks.

Ingredients are:. 1 tablespoon corn starch and warm water

Massage your face gently with a little olive oil, then apply starch mask on the face and neck and leave on for 20 minutes. Rinse off thoroughly with warm water.

(from http://www.indianwildlifeclub.com/mainsite/beauty.asp)

Next up - Brunette hair care