This vintage real photo postcard features actress Caroline May Blaney. Biographical information about Miss Blaney is elusive. However, some information was uncovered. Miss Blaney acted in Western shows. At the time, “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show” was quite popular. The show toured the US, Canada, and Europe. The success of this show spawned a number of other wild west shows. Miss Blaney performed in such shows. She is known for her performances with Young Buffalo, an American actor and entertainer. A photograph of the pair can be seen below. A review in the Brighton and Hove Society (1911) describes one of these performance. The show took place in the United Kingdom, at the Alhambra Theatre. The review mentions Caroline May Blaney. She received billing just below Young Buffalo. The show was called “King of the Wild West”. The reviewer wrote that Blaney deserved praise for her rendition of “My Pony Boy”. The writer adds that she received “hearty applause”. A sad and interesting aside reported in the article is that in order to bring the Native Americans actors to England, a five thousand dollar bond had to be deposited with the United States to “procure” the right to take them on the foreign tour. The Native Americans were from the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. The portrait of Miss Blaney appearing on this postcard shows her in costume as “Wild Nell” in the “King of the Wild West Show”. “The New York Dramatic Mirror” (1910) published an article which included news about Miss Blaney. It reported that she was managed by her brother, Charles E. Blaney (1866-1944). He was a well known theatrical producer, director, and writer. The article tell the story of Blaney’s learning that her mother was in a serious car accident. She received the telegram in between the second and third acts of a play in which she was a performing. The show must go on, so Blaney wore street clothes during the third act enabling her to immediately dash to the local train station (Buffalo, New York) to catch a train to her mother’s home (Columbus, Ohio). The portrait was photographed by Foulsham & Banfield. Foulsham & Banfield were well known celebrity photographers. Frank Foulsham and A. C. Banfield operated a studio in the 1900’s through the 1920’s. (SOLD)
The lovely actress seen in this vintage real photo postcard is named Gerda Maurus (1903-1968). She is posed next to a beautiful Airedale terrier. This unusual profile photograph was taken by celebrity photographer Alex Binder. His studio was located in Berlin, Germany. Maurus was active in film and television between 1928 and 1968. She was an Austrian actress of Croatian descent. Maurus was the daughter of an engineer/inventor. She grew up in Vienna and received training as a singer and dancer. She hit the stage at age fifteen. The IMDb biography of Maurus describes her as ” a strikingly beautiful blonde with high cheekbones an expressive blue eyes”. She began her career on the stages of Vienna. She was “discovered” by director Fritz Lang and he cast her in the female lead in the silent film “Spione” (1928). Lang was smitten by maurus and his marriage was destroyed. She then appeared in a number of German films during the Weimar and Nazi eras. Maurus married director Robert A. Stemmie in 1937. He directed her in “Daphne and the Diplomat” (1937). Like many actresses of her time, her acting career was hurt by the introduction of “talkies”. Further complicating matters was her nebulous association with Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels. This relationship had negative impact on her career after World War II. Due to lack of film offers, Maurus retreated to the German stage. The IMDb filmography of Gerda Maurus lists 33 credits. Here is a side note about Airedales. The first World War increased the popularity of Airedales because they became famous for their bravery on the battlefield. In the US, Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge, and Warren Harding all owned Airedales. In the 1920’s, Airedales became the most popular dog in the US. This postcard was published by Ross Verlag and is part of a series (no. A1320/1). (SOLD)
This vintage real photo postcard features Danish actress, Lillian Ellis (1907-1951). She made fer film debut in 1928. Many of her roles were in German films. Her stardom in Germany peaked at the end of the 1920’s. The IMDb credits Ellis with 18 acting roles between 1928 and 1959. This vintage postcard was published by Ross Verlag and was part of a series (no. 5281/1). The photographer who took this photograph was Alex Binder, a celebrity photographer located in Berlin, Germany. This portrait postcard is in very good condition.
This vintage real photo postcard features Hungarian actress Camilla von Hollay (1899-1967). She was born in Budapest. Her father was a factory director and as she entered young adulthood her parents tried to steer her into going to medical school. Instead, Camilla pursued acting. She was active in film during the silent film era. IMDb credits her with sixty-eight film credits between 1916 and 1930. Early in her movie career she appeared in films with Bela Lugosi. Later, he became known in the US for his portrayal of Dracula. Camilla was blonde and attractive. Many of her films in the 1920’s were filmed in Germany. Her first acclaimed role was in “The Lightship” (1922). Camilla is quoted as stating that film “offers me the opportunity to live my life, to walk in many different forms, and to see myself in a hundred mirrors of just as many human figures”. It is believed that Camilla’s acting career disappeared with the advent of sound film. It is likely her Hungarian accent was seen by film companies as unsuitable for significant roles. She was married to a journalist. Nothing is known about her post acting life. This portrait postcard was published by Iris Verlag/Amag. Iris Verlag was a popular Austrian postcard producer. Amag (Albrecht & Meister) was a publisher located in Berlin. The company took over Aristophot in 1909. Amag ceased production in 1920. This photo portrait postcard is in excellent condition (see scans).
I wish I knew more about this young lady. She has an infectious smile. Her dress is frilly and has rows of lace. Judging by her attire, my guess is that she is a “dancehall girl” or actress. Perhaps a viewer of this vintage old photo postcard has another opinion as to the story behind this image. Please share via leaving a comment. Some might consider this photo a bit risque. The woman seen in this image is wearing a very short dress for her era. An ink stamp on the reverse of the postcard reveals that this photograph was taken at the Avery studio. We only know that the studio was located on King’s Cross Road. King’s Cross is an area located in Central London. It may follow that Avery’s studio was located in London.
This vintage real photo postcard features German/Hungarian actress Lottie Loder (1910-1999). She was born in Nuremberg, Germany. Loder started her career as a dancer in Vienna. She was a “talkie” film actress (Warner Brothers). She was known for “A Soldier’s Plaything (1930), “Oh, Sailor Behave! (1930), and “Men of the Sky (1931). Her career was brief. The brunette leading lady, according to IMDb, acted in just five films between 1930 and 1931. Warner Brothers brought her to Hollywood to compete with MGM’s Greta Garbo, and Paramount’s Marlene Dietrich. Note Loder’s “dutch cut” hairstyle. She clearly copied Colleen Moore’s 1920’s trademark hair style. Loder was in good company. Celebrated actress, Louise Brooks, also copied Miss Moore’s “dutch cut”. Loder died in Miami, Florida at about 89 years of age. This postcard portrait was published by Ross Verlag and was part of a series (no. 6042/1). The postcard promotes Warner Brothers films. This photo portrait postcard is in good condition. The postcard has a pinhole in the center of it’s top border above the image (see scans).
This vintage real photo postcard features Hungarian actress Gitta Alpar (1903-1991). She starred in operas and operettas. This photograph is risque relative to the time it was taken. Miss Alpar is wearing a tight bathing suit. Note that the swim suit has a nice design on it’s front. She is posing in front of a large rattan chair. Gitta was born in Budapest, Hungary. She was the daughter of a Jewish cantor. From an early age, she studied singing and piano at the Academy of Music. In 1923, she made her debut at the Budapest State Opera House. She had a long career and she performed at the great opera houses of Vienna, Berlin, an many other international venues. Alpar’s first films were made in Germany. In 1931 she married an actor, Gustav Frohlich. Their marriage ended in 1935 because Alpar was Jewish and the marriage was against the law in Nazi Germany. A related fact is that both of her brothers, a pianist, and a violinist, were concentration camp survivors. Alpar appeared on Hitler’s anti semitic “hit list”. She left Germany in 1933, and then did some globe hopping. She first went to Austria, followed by Hungry, England, and the United States. She continued her singing and film career in the US. The IMDb credits Alpar with nine acting credits from 1932 through 1941. Alpar’s accent ruined her chance to be a successful Hollywood actress. After the war, she primarily worked as a singing teacher. For a sample of Miss Alpar’s singing voice and acting, click on the YouTube segment below. This postcard was published by Ross Verlag and is part of a series (no.6683/2). Alpar’s photo was taken by FFG (Froehlich-Flm GmbH). (SOLD)
