PORTRAIT OF A CHAMPION: TOMMYKINS MEOWS HIS WAY TO SUCCESS

There is a story behind this vintage press photo. The year is 1930. Miss Lucille Armstrong is holding a large trophy won by her two months old kitten, named Tommykins. According to the notes on the reverse of the photograph, the kitten is an orange persian tabby. The caption reports that Tommykins “meowed his way in the innermost social circles of the cat-world by winning a first prize”. The location of the tabby’s great success was the Beresford Cat Club show in Beresford, Illinois. The Beresford Cat Club of America was organized in Chicago, Illinois in 1899. The Beresford Club held one of the first cat shows in the United States and started the first American Stud Book on Cats. The club also established the first American Cat Show rules. This photograph comes from the archives of the “Acme News Pictures Company”. This vintage press photograph measures about 5″ x 7″ and is in excellent condition (see scans).  (SOLD)

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Published in: on June 13, 2018 at 12:00 pm  Comments (1)  
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IMMIGRATION IN AMERICA (1939 STYLE): ISA MIRANDA, ITALIAN FILM STAR GETS CITIZENSHIP

This press photo was taken in 1939 and it captures Italian film star, Isa Miranda taking an oath of allegiance and receiving her U.S. citizenship papers. Paramount studios had brought the actress to Hollywood just two years before. The caption for this photograph states that during the short stint that she lived in the United States, she had become “completely Americanized”. The photograph shows Miss Miranda, her husband (Alfred Guarini) and the government clerk. Guarini (1901-1981) was an Italian screenwriter, film producer and director. Alfred Guarini was active in show business between 1935 and 1963. He is noted for his management of Isa Miranda’s career both before, and after their marriage. In the mid 1930’s, he encouraged her to work in a variety of different countries for the purpose of making her an international star. Isa Miranda (1909-1982) was born in Milan, Italy. She worked as a typist as she studied to be a stage actress at the “Accademia dei Filodrammatici” in Milan. She began her film career playing bit parts in Italian films. She achieved great success after appearing in the film “Everybody’s Woman” (1934). The film launched her career and she was given a contract with Paramount Pictures which billed her as the “Italian Marlene Dietrich”. She played several “femme fatale” roles for Paramount. After the outbreak of World War II, she returned to Italy where she acted on stage and in film. Her performance in “The Walls of Malapaga” (1949) earned her an award at the Cannes film festival. This press photo is from the Los Angeles bureau of the Illustrated Daily News and belonged to Acme News, located in New York City. In the 1960’s she began a television career in England. The IMDb credits Miss Miranda with appearing in 95 films between 1933 and 1978. The photograph measures about  9″ x 7″.  (SOLD)

Published in: on May 22, 2018 at 12:00 pm  Comments (1)  
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