POSTCARD 2 (SOLD)
POSTCARD 3 (SOLD)
POSTCARD 4 (SOLD)
These vintage real photo postcards feature actress Billie Dove. Billie Dove (1903-1997) was an American actress. Her parents were Swiss immigrants. During her teenage years, she worked as a model to support her family. Florenz Ziegfeld hired her as a teenager to appear in the Ziegfeld Follies Revue. She was not a particularly talented dancer or singer, her beauty and acting ability were her major assets. In the early 1920’s she moved to Hollywood and began appearing in silent films. It has been written that Ziegfeld’s wife, actress Billie Burke, helped facilitate Dove’s transition to films. Apparently, Burke was trying to separate Dove from her husband because the pair were having an affair. It did not take long for her to become one of the more popular actresses of the 1920’s. Among her better known films was “The Black Pirate” (1926) with Douglas Fairbanks, and “The American Beauty” (1927). Dove was a ravishing beauty and was very photogenic. She married director, Irvin Willat, in 1923. The marriage had a six year duration. She then had a three year romance with Howard Hughes. Dove’s other interests included being a pilot, painter, and poet. After her last film, “Blondie of the Follies” (1932), Dove retired from films. It is thought that she retired because she was distraught about her role in her last film being “trimmed” by her co-star’s (Marion Davies) influential boyfriend (William Randloph Hearst). Hearst was upset because Miss Davise’s acting was overshadowed by Dove’s acting. Mr Hearst owned Cosmopolitan Productions which produced the movie. After retirement, Dove married oil executive Robert Kenaston in 1933 and the couple remained together until Kenaston’s death in 1970. She had a brief third marriage to an architect. It is interesting to note that jazz singer, Billie Holiday, borrowed Billie Dove’s first name when picking out her own stage name. Miss Holiday was an admirer of Miss Dove. The IMDb lists 50 movie credits for Billie Dove between 1921 and 1962.
Postcard 1 is a profile portrait was published by Cinemagazine – Paris Edition (no.313). (SOLD)
Postcard 2 was published as by Ross Verlag as part of a series (No.3687/1). Billie Dove looks beautiful in this portrait taken by Defina. The logo for First National Pictures can be seen in the image’s lower right corner. (SOLD)
Postcard 3 features Billie Dove looking beautiful in this provocative portrait. The card is risque, considering Dove’s pose and revealing tight dress. Billie Doves portrait seen on this postcard was taken by Defina. This card was published by Ross Verlag’s Italian Edition (Bellerini & Fratini, Florence, Italy). Casa Editrice Bellerini & Fratini was one of the most renowned Italian publishers. The firm began publishing film postcards in the early 1920’s and later became a distributor for Ross Verlag. As of 1918, the firm was still in existence. (SOLD)
Postcard 4 accentuates Billie Dove’s beauty and elegance. She is reclining gracefully on an ornate, upholstered sofa. Her expression is soft and alluring, with a slightly playful or flirtatious gaze directed toward the camera. She is wearing a light, likely beaded or embellished, sleeveless gown that exudes 1920s sophistication and glamour. A long, delicate strand of pearls adorns her neck, adding to the vintage style and suggesting wealth or high social status. Her accessories include dangling earrings, a bracelet, and what looks like a feather boa or decorative fur near her arm. Her hair is styled in the characteristic short, wavy fashion of the 1920s. Her makeup is subtle yet elegant, with attention to her eyes and lips to accentuate her facial features. The atmosphere is glamorous and romantic. The soft pose and luxurious backdrop suggest themes of wealth, fame, and vintage Hollywood allure. The sofa has an intricate pattern that matches the era’s lavish interior design aesthetic. The background fabric and curtains complement the overall tone of refinement. This postcard was published by Ross Verlag (Berlin, Germany) as part of a series (no.4305/1). SOLD
POSTCARD 1
POSTCARD 2 (SOLD)
POSTCARD 3
POSTCARD 4
This vintage real photo postcard portrait feature British silent film actress, Marjorie Villis (1891-1981). Miss Villis is quite pretty and has a wonderful smile. This photograph captures her in a risque pose and a risque costume. What an amazing elaborate and busy costume. When I first saw this image, I immediately became motivated to find information about this provocative actress. I met little success in learning about Marjorie Villis. Photographs of her appear to be uncommon, and I could not find the postcard above anywhere online. I did learn that she sat for seven postcard portraits that can be found in the UK’s National Portrait Gallery, All of the portraits were taken by celebrated photographer, Alexander Bassano. The IMDb credits Villis with 15 film roles between 1915 and 1922. Villis was most noted for her roles in “The Rugged Path (1918), “A Romany Lass (1918)”, and “Brenda of the Barge (1920). She had a relatively short career. I wonder why her career ended so abruptly? The first talkie feature film did not get released until 1927, so we know that, unlike many other silent film stars, Villis was not shut out of the film industry because of an unsuitable voice or foreign accent. This postcard was published by J. Beagles & Company (London) as part of a series (no.142 J). The wonderful portrait of Miss Villis was taken by S. Ward. This vintage postcard is in very good condition (see scans)
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