KATHLEEN CLIFFORD : FRED HARTSOOK : MALE IMPERSONATOR : VAUDEVILLE : VINTAGE PHOTO

This vintage photograph features American stage and film actress, Kathleen Clifford (1887-1962). The IMDb credits her with 14 film credits between 1917 and 1932. She is known for “Richard the Lion-Hearted (1923)”, When the Clouds Roll by (1919)”, and “Who is Number One? (1917)”. She often played leading roles in her films for Paramount. During her film career, she worked alongside Douglas Fairbanks Sr., Betty Compson, and Wallace Beery. She appeared on the Broadway stage six times between 1909 and 1916. Clifford was famous as a Vaudeville comedienne and male impersonator. She was billed as “The Smartest Chap in Town”. At one point in her vaudeville career, she worked as a duo with female impersonator, Bothwell Browne. Like many movie performers, she left acting with the advent of sound films. During the early years of World War I, she served as a Red Cross Nurse with the British Army in France. Upon retirement, she became a business woman and owned “Broadway Florist” in Hollywood. Clifford also wrote a novel about her time in Hollywood. She was married to Miomir Peter Illitch for over 35 years. He was a banker. This original photographic portrait of Kathleen Clifford was taken by a highly talented and esteemed American photographer, Fred Hartsook (1876-1930). He owned a California studio chain that, at that time, was considered to be the largest photographic business in the world. His celebrity clients included President Woodrow Wilson, Henry Ford, Mary Pickford, and Charles Lindbergh. He also owned a resort and two ranches in Southern California where he raised Holstein cattle. He was married to Bess Hesby, queen of the San Francisco Pan-Pacific Exposition of 1915.  SOLD

ELEANOR HOLM : GOLD MEDAL SWIMMER : EXPELLED FROM 1936 OLYMPICS : PRESS PHOTO

This vintage press photo (1936) features Eleanor Holm (1913-2004), an accomplished American swimmer and Olympian. She participated in the 1928 and 1932 Olympics. In 1932 she won a gold medal in the backstroke. She was selected to the 1936 Olympic team but was expelled from the team by Avery Brundage, President of the American Olympic Committee. On the way to the Olympics, Eleanor attended a drinking party aboard the ship that was taking her and her fellow athletes to Europe. Apparently she drank way too much. The team doctor found her in a near coma state. She also had been rude to a team chaperone. There were a number of charges; Eleanor did not deny them. Later in time, she stated that Brundage had a grudge against her because she had rejected him after he propositioned her. She ended up watching the swim events from the stands. Eleanor appears to have liked the limelight. In 1932, shortly after the Olympics, she had screen tests at a number of Hollywood’s major studios. That same year, she was named a WAMPAS baby star in the same class as Ginger Rogers. One of her first jobs with Warner Brothers involved barnstorming the country supporting both the movie “42nd Street” as well as the newly elected president, Franklin Roosevelt. In 1933 she married Art Jarrett (pictured in this photo), a singer and bandleader at the Cocoanut Grove nightclub. Holm appeared in four films playing herself and in one feature film, “Tarzan’s Revenge” (1938). Holm’s husband divorced her in 1938 1938. He stated he was humiliated by Holm’s expulsion from the Olympics as well as her having an affair. Holm married impresario Billy Rose in 1939. He had just divorced Fanny Brice. Also in 1939, Holm performed in Rose’s “Acquacade” at the World’s Fair. Holm’s marriage to Rose ended in 1954 in divorce. The divorce trial was sensational and was labelled “The War of the Roses”. Some months post divorce, Holm married again. Her new husband was an oil executive.  SOLD

MAI TAI SING : PIONEERING ASIAN AMERICAN ACTRESS : NIGHT CLUBS : PRESS PHOTO

This vintage press photo features pretty American actress and businesswoman, Mai Tai Sing (1923-2018). She was born in California but spent much of her younger years in Hong Kong. She and her family moved back to California when she was about fourteen years of age. One of her first jobs was as a waitress at the Forbidden City nightclub. Her experience there sparked her interest in performing. In the early 1940’s she became a chorus girl there. She met Wilbur and Jessie Tai Sing, a dancing duo at the club. She not only replaced Jessie in the act, but also married Wilbur. In 1953, she appeared with Tony Curtis in the film, “Forbidden”. Her last film role was in “Strange Portrait”. She became romantically involved with the film’s star, Jeffry Hunter. In the 1950’s and 1960’s she also performed in television roles. Mai Tai was also involved with nightclub management. She ran a club in San Francisco named “The Rickshaw”. In the 1970’s, she relocated to Hawaii. She managed clubs there for 28 years and retired in 2003. The IMDb gives her 9 film and television credits between 1951 and 1990. Mai Tai was a pioneering Asian American actress. She did not play stereotypical Asian roles or speak in stereotypical broken pidgin English. This vintage press photo has Mai Tai Sing’s name printed on it’s reverse as well as the word “Rickshaw”. There is little doubt that this photograph was taken at the Rickshaw nightclub, where Mai Tai was hostess and manager. The photographer is identified as Kenneth Lee. His name is ink stamped on the reverse of the photo. SOLD

FOUR PORTRAITS OF PROVOCATIVE GERMAN SILENT FILM STAR RUTH WEYHER

POSTCARD 1
weyher
POSTCARD 2 (SOLD)

                             

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is ruth-weyher_0001.jpgPOSTCARD 3  (SOLD)

RUTH WEYHER : SULTRY GERMAN SILENT FILM ACTRESS : RPPC - Picture 1 of 3

POSTCARD 4  (SOLD)

Postcard 1 is a vintage real photo postcard that features German silent film actress, Ruth Weyher (1901-1983). She was born in Neumark, East Prussia, Germany.  Weyher grew up in Danzig where she studied painting until she switched to a conservatory to study singing. An illness robbed her of her singing voice and in 1919 she travelled to Berlin where she studied a Max Reinhardt’s theatre school. Reinhardt was a well known director and producer. She appeared in 48 films between 1920 and 1930. She starred in director Georg Wilhelm Pabst’s film “Secrets of the Soul” (1926). She also produced a film in 1929. During her career, Weyher only appeared in a few sound movies and she abandoned acting after marrying publisher Hans Geiselberger in 1932. It is reported that she retired at her husband’s request. The video clip below features Miss Weyher in her appearance in the film “Shadows: A Nightly Hallucination” (1923). The film title translation was done by “google translate”. Weyher’s costar in this film was Austrian stage and film actor Fritz Kortner (1892-1970). A review of this film describes Weyher as “beautiful and passionate”.  Ruth Weyher’s appearance in this film can be described as risque or provocative. One of the themes of this film is infidelity. This postcard was published by Ross Verlag and is part of a series (no. 3529/1). The portrait of Miss Weyher was taken by Alex Schmoll, a photographer located in Berlin, Germany. There is Italian print on the reverse of the postcard that roughly translates as “Exclusive sale publisher: Ballerini and Fratini, Firenze (Florence, Italy). A bit of research reveals that the publishing house, Ballerini & Fratini Montespertoli began in Florence in the year 1912.                                     

Postcard 2 features Ruth Weyher and was published by Ross Verlag. The postcard is part of a series (no. 3089/1). This portrait of Miss Weyher  has her posed in position to display her bare back. She has an engaging smile and holds a large fan of dark feathers. Some may find this image somewhat sexually provocative. The photographer of this photograph is Kiesel of Berlin, Germany.  (SOLD)

Postcard 3 is a vintage real photo postcard that features Miss Weyher holding an adorable kitten. This postcard was published by Iris Verlag and is part of a series (no. 892). The portrait of Miss Weyher was taken by Kiesell, a photographer located in Berlin, Germany. This postcard has remnants of it’s former scrapbook home on back of card. It is in  overall good condition (see scans).   (SOLD)

Postcard 4 was published by Ross Verlag and is part of a series (no. 3318/1). The portrait of Miss Weyher was taken by the Kiese studio in Berlin, Germany.   (SOLD)

 

PORTRAIT OF JEANNE SAMARY :ARTIST MODEL FOR RENOIR :STAGE ACTRESS : CABINET CARD

This cabinet card photograph features a portrait of French stage actress, Jeanne Samary (1857-1890). Samary was born into a family of artists. Her father was a cellist at the Paris Opera and she had two aunts and a grandmother who were actresses at the the Comedie-Francaise. At age fourteen, she entered the Conservatoire and in three years later, won the first prize for comedy. She made her debut at the Comedie-Francaise in 1874. She is not as well known for her acting as for her posing for several portraits by Pierre Auguste Renoir. She was his model between 1877 and 1880. She appeared in Renoir’s painting, “Le Dejeuner des canotiers” (Luncheon of the Boating Party). Samary was an actress who was perceived as a woman “of the people”. She could not get major roles on the stage. She played minor roles and often was cast as a maid. Samary wanted to be a famous actress but instead is famous for being one of Renoir’s models. This photograph of Samary was taken by the W. & D. Downey studio (London).  SOLD

VIRGINIA MAYO : BEAUTIFUL ACTRESS : PICTUREGOER SERIES : WARNER BROTHERS

This vintage real photo postcard features American actress and dancer, Virginia Mayo (1920-2005). Virginia grew up in St. Louis. She began attending her Aunt’s acting school at age 6. She also took dancing lessons. She began her professional acting career after graduating high school. She began acting and dancing at the St. Louis Municipal Opera Theatre. She then toured the vaudeville circuit for three years. She appeared in some short films and then was “discovered” performing at a Broadway area night club, by Samuel Goldwyn. Goldwyn appreciated her for her talent as well as her beauty. He signed her to an acting contract with his company.  In 1941, she appeared on the Broadway stage with Eddie Cantor. Her first starring role occured in 1944 when she appeared in a film with Bob Hope. The IMDb reports that Mayo had 70 film credits between 1939 and 1997. She performed in one Broadway play (1941-1942). This vintage postcard is part of the “Picturegoer” series (No. D 541). She posed for the postcard’s portrait while under contract with Warner Brothers.  SOLD

ARLETTE MARCHAL : PRETTY FRENCH FILM ACTRESS : SILENT FILM & TALKIES : RPPC

This vintage real photo postcard features French film actress, Arlette Marchal (1902-1984). The IMDb reports that she appeared in 42 films between 1922 and 1951. Marchal was brunette and exotic looking. As a young woman she was very shy and overcame her shyness by entering a beauty contest. She won the contest and one of the judges helped her get a film role. After that appearance, she was in constant demand for both leading and supporting roles in Hollywood silent films. She worked for both MGM and Paramount. She also was a major actress in French and German talkies. Her high in popularity was in the mid 1920’s. The IMDb states that she was most known for “Aux jardins de Murcie” (1923), “Figaro” (1929), “Don Quichotte” (1933), and “The Fighting Pimpernel” (1949). Marchal was noted for her beauty but she also received positive reviews for her acting from American film critics. She retired from acting in 1951 to concentrate on operating her chain of French fashion houses. This postcard was published by Alfred Noyer as part of a series (No.167). Miss Marchal’s photo was taken by the Sartony studio (Paris). SOLD

OCTAVIA HANDWORTH : AMERICAN STAGE AND SILENT FILM ACTRESS : REAL PHOTO POSTCARD

This uncommon vintage real photo postcard features pretty American silent film actress, Octavia Handworth (1887-1978). She was of Danish heritage. She showed much musical talent as a youngster and she was sent to Copenhagen to live with relatives and study music. She returned to the US at age twelve, continued music studies and was hired by an opera company at age sixteen. However, she determined that her real passion was for acting. She was married to Harry Handworth, an actor, producer and film director. Handworth headed Excelsior Feature Film Company. Her second marriage was to actor, Gordon De Main. She began her acting career on stage on the East Coast. She is known for the films “When Fate Leads Trump” (1914), “The Path Forbidden” (1914), “The Great Ruby” (1915), and “Too Much Bull” (1915). Much of her career, she appeared in short films for companies like Pathe, and Lubin. She did however make a half dozen feature films. There was much competition to become a major actress in film, and Octavia failed to reach that status. She retired from acting in 1921 after appearing in the film, “Footlights”. According to the IMDb, Octavia has 61 acting credits between 1910 and 1921. This postcard presents Octavia with a bit of an impish expression. This card was published by Kraus Manufacturing Company (New York) for the Pathe film company. Interestingly, the caption on the front of the card describes Octavia’s appearance. She is said to be blonde, light complexioned, and to have had gray eyes.  SOLD

LOIS MORAN : AMERICAN FILM AND STAGE STAR : AFFAIR WITH F. SCOTT FITZGERALD

This vintage real photo postcard features actress Lois Moran (1909-1990). She was an American stage and film actress.  She was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She lost both her father, and then her step father, at an early age. In 1921, at the age of 12, Moran and her mother moved to Paris, France. She began singing and dancing at the Paris National Opera at the early age of 13 years old. By age 14, she was appearing in silent films. Her debut in a Hollywood film occurred in “Stella Dallas” (1925). Moran’s film experience included musicals. In fact, she appeared with Al Jolson in “Mammy” (1930). The IMDb reports that Moran acted in 39 films between 1924 and 1974. She parlayed her experience in movies to begin acting on the Broadway stage. The IBDb lists Moran as appearing in 3 Broadway plays between 1930 and 1933.  Moran’s personal life included a short affair (1927) with “The Great Gatsby” writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. Interestingly, one of the characters (Rosemary Hoyt) in “Tender is the Night” is said to mirror Moran. In 1935, she married Clarence M. Young, the assistant Secretary of Commerce. This postcard was published by Ross Verlag as part of a series (No.3171/1). In the lower right hand corner is the logo of Fox Films. She was likely under contract with Fox when this photo was taken. The photo was taken by Fox photographer Max Munn Autrey (1891-1971). This vintage postcard is in good condition (see scans).

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ELIZABETH MANET : FRENCH ACTRESS : PHOTO BY SAM LEVIN

This vintage real photo postcard features actress Elisabeth Manet. Manet was born in Paris, France, in 1934. She is remembered for “Young Girls Beware” (1957) and “The Mirror has Two Faces” (1958). He IMDb filmography includes six credits between 1955 and 1959. SOLD