GLORIA GRAHAME QUEEN OF THE NOIR

Grahame was a wonderful actress who worked both in film and theatre. Beginning her career at MGM, she was later moved to RKO where she appeared in various film noir classics. In fact she received a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Crossfire (1947) for one such role.

Grahame made her film debut in Blonde Fever (1944). Grahame also starred with Humphrey Bogart in the 1950 film “In a Lonely Place”, a favourite of mine. I also think she was great in “The Man Who Never Was”.

Here is a wonderful circus costume worn by Gloria Grahame in the film “The Greatest Show on Earth” which was another Cecil B. DeMille epic focusing on the lives of circus people in times of both financial and personal hardships.

The red performance outfit with gold lame inserts is highlighted by faux pearls and beading. Gloria Grahame portrays the elephant girl who attracts the unwanted attentions of Lyle Bettger who plays an elephant trainer but secretly pines for Charlton Heston. Costumes were designed by Edith Head and Dorothy Jeakins and Miles White undertaking the circus costumes.

The costume is worn in a great scene involving Grahame and an elephant threatening to crush her. You can see the costume being used in the following video. You can see the costume come in at just over a minute.

The film was nominated and won the Best Picture Oscar for 1952.

Grahame actually won an Oscar for her role in The Bad and the Beautiful (1952).

Sadly Grahame became ill with stomach cancer and refusing to accept that she was ill and receive treatment, she passed away in 1981 following complications.

And yes she did marry her own stepson.

GINGER ROGERS SHALL WE DANCE?

Ginger Rogers will always be remembered as one of the true dancing legends of all time and more so as being half of the partnership that will always be considered the most memorable on screen dance partnership of Astaire and Rogers. They danced well together with elegance and style. And as they said, Ginger did everything Fred did on screen…but she had to do it backwards!

Rogers has appeared in many memorable film classics including “Top Hat”,” “Shall We Dance”, “ Black Widow”, “The Barkley’s of Broadway”, “Roxie Hart” and “I'll Be Seeing You”.

This first costume is a two-piece single-breasted brown suit with a cream blouse worn by Ginger Rogers in the 1944 Paramount film “Lady In The Dark”. The film is an adaption of the Kurt Weill stage musical of the same name. Rogers plays Liza Elliott, an unhappy female editor of a fashion magazine, “Allure”, who is undergoing psychoanalysis.

Pictures here show Ms Rogers in costume.

The second costume is a two-piece period gown worn in Rogers last RKO film, “The First Travelling Saleslady” RKO 1956. Edward Stevenson designed the costumes.

The film tells the story of turn of the century Rogers and ex-showbiz friend, Carol Channing who become involved as female steel sellers. When they find themselves unsuccessful selling corsets, they turn to selling barbed wire to Texas cowboys.

The following photo shows the costume as it appears on screen.



Here is a copy of the original Edward Stevenson sketch for the costume.

Miss Rogers also appeared on Broadway and on the London stage in shows such as “Hello Dolly” and “Mame”.

Another much loved film favourite of mine!

MARTHA RAYE THE BIG MOUTH

Martha Raye was a much-loved comic actress and singer who performed in movies as well as television in her later years.

A singer in big bands, Raye also travelled during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War to entertain American troops.



Here is a wonderful complete matador costume worn by Martha Raye in the 1938 Paramount comedy ‘Tropic Holiday”. This four piece costume consists of a a bolero style jacket of black silk velvet having silver bullion epaulets and heavily ornamented with silver sequins and silver bullion balls. The costume comes with matching knicker pants of heavily embroidered velvet, a cotton dickie with small self-collar and front ruffle trimmed with silver bullion. A bull’s ears hat having black silk crocheted balls and black piping completes the costume.






Raye wears this costume in a funny sequence in which she masquerades as a bullfighter and is forced to defend herself against a vicious bull.



Edith Head designed the costumes for the film.



The costume also appears in many production stills for the film’s release including various costumes poses as seen below.





This is a copy of the original Edith Head costume sketch for this costume piece.



Raye had her own television program in the 50’s with The Martha Raye Show.
In her final years she was remembered for her ongoing role on the CBS sitcom comedy “Alice” as Mel Sharples' mother, Carrie.



She was married seven times.

SUSAN HAYWARD FIRERY RED HEAD

The one word, which can be used to describe this amazing actress, is survivor. Starting her career as a fashion model, Hayward later travelled to Hollywood. Susan Hayward has performed in some very memorable films.

The first gown is a floor length sequined gown with matching scarf worn by Susan Hayward in the 1947 Universal film “Smash-Up: Story of a Woman”. The gowns for Susan Hayward were designed by the legendary Travis Banton who also designed for such film greats as Marlene Dietrich and Mae West.







The gown is worn by Hayward as nightclub singer Angie Evans and her problems with alcoholism. The gown is worn in a party scene in which Hayward begins the evening glamorous and sober and descends into a drunken catfight with co star Marsha Hunt. The gown is worn by Hayward during the fight.







Hayward achieved recognition for her dramatic abilities with the first of five Academy Award nominations for Best Actress that year.

The next gown was worn by Hayward in the 1952 biographical film of singer Jane Froman “With A Song In My Heart”.



The film was made at 20th Century Fox Studios. The film tells the story of the turbulent life of the great singer and entertainer.



The gown consists of a black silk bodice with layers of black tulle forming the skirt. Long see through sleeves complete the costume. Hayward can be seen wearing the costume in a nightclub scene with co star David Wayne.







There is a tradition in Hollywood when it comes to film costumes and props, which is to reuse. The sad realisation for many film costumes is that they no longer exist due to many costume pieces having been cut, changed, even dyed a different color for reuse in later productions. Whilst this costume remained relatively unchanged, it appeared again in another Fox film in 1956 being “The Man In The Gray Flannel Suit”. Actress Ann Harding wore the costume in the film with the Peter Pan collar removed. Harding starred opposite Fredric March in the film.





Costumes were designed for Susan Hayward by Charles Le Maire. Hayward was also nominated for best actress that year for her portrayal.



The final piece is worn by Hayward in the historical retelling of the life of President Andrew Jackson. The film was called “The President’s Lady” and was made by 20th Century Fox studios in 1953. Hayward portrayed the wife of President Jackson who was played by Charlton Heston.







Below is a costume test showing Hayward in costume with indication of "wrong shoes".



The costumes for the film were deigned by Charles LeMaire and Renie.

Hayward died at age 57 on March 14, 1975, of pneumonia-related complications of brain cancer. There has always been speculation that she was exposed to radioactive fallout from atomic bomb tests while making “The Conqueror” with John Wayne.

Susan Hayward is and always will be, a true star in every sense of the word.