The pretty actress in this risque vintage real photo postcard is Mabel Poulton (1901-1994). She was a popular English film actress during the silent film era. Poulton was born in England. Her family was poor. Her father worked as a “clicker”, someone who cuts patterns for shoes and boots. Her father belonged to a social club and took Mabel to see a play. After the experience, Mabel became determined to become an actress. Before entering films, she worked as a secretary at London’s Alhambra Theatre. While employed at the theatre, she was asked to impersonate actress Lillian Gish, dead on stage. She was Gish’s double in a death scene in the play’s prologue. It was noted that Poulton had theatrical talent. As a result, she was given a screen test and aced it. Her debut role was in “Nothing Else Matters (1920)”. Noted actress Betty Balfour also made her debut in this film. The film was a success. Over the next several years Poulton appeared in many films. She tended to land parts playing feisty and mischievous characters. She was blonde and petite. Poulton became a major celebrity of her time and was noted for her fashion sense. In 1928, she starred in “The Constant Nymph” and was highly acclaimed for her performance. By the end of the 1920’s, she and Betty Balfour were considered Britain’s leading film actresses. It is said that “all good things come to an end”, That was especially true for many successful silent film performers with the arrival of “talking pictures”. Mabel Poulton was one of those victims. Her cockney accent did not fit for the roles she tended to play. An attempted comeback in the mid 1930’s was a failure. Her last significant film appearance was in 1938. She spent her final years working on a script about a young British starlet who gets raped by a film director and due to the trauma, becomes an alcoholic. Sadly, the plot appears to have been autobiographical. In fact, she eventually wrote in the character’s real names. She accused director Thomas Bentley of the crime. The pair had worked together on two films. The first of these films was shot in 1921, when Mabel Poulton was about twenty years old. Poulton was married in 1939 to an oil engineer. The IMDB credits Poulton with 29 film roles between 1920 and 1943. This vintage portrait postcard was published by Iris Verlag/Amag and is part of a series (no. 5887). 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.The photo was taken while she was working for Gaumont Film. She is scantily dressed (for her time) and smoking a cigarette. This risque vintage postcard is in very good condition. A glance at the reverse of the postcard indicates that it formerly resided in someone’s postcard album. This postcard portrait of Mabel Poulter is uncommon. (SOLD)
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).
This vintage real photo postcard is another member of the Cabinet Card Gallery’s collection of international silent film stars. The beautiful actress featured on this postcard is Italian silent film star Pina Menichelli (1890-1984). She began her career in theater and in a number of small film roles. When she appeared in the lead role of “The Fire” (1916), she became elevated to stardom. For the next nine years, Menichelli appeared in many films and became a global star. She frequently appeared in roles where she played the role of a diva. She also showcased her, what wikipedia calls, her “decadent eroticism”. She retired in 1924 at the ripe old age of 34. Menichelli was born in Sicily to parents who were both touring theater actors. Her three siblings also became actors. She began acting as a child. Her theater travels took her to Argentina in 1908 and she married and relocated there. She returned to Italy in 1912 and acted in 35 films between 1913 and 1915. In 1918, one of her films was banned from theaters by Italian censors because Menichelli was “too fascinating” in the film. The IMDb website credits her with 62 film appearances between 1913 and 1925. A YouTube video biography of Miss Menichelli can be seen below. This postcard was published by Alberto Traldi of Milan, Italy. He was a publisher there beginning 1902, and according to one source, he ended his Milan business in 1918. This postcard was part of a series (no. 408). After World War II he returned to publishing postcards, including pin-up and cinema postcards. (SOLD)
Postcard 2
close up of postcard 2
reverse of top postcard
reverse of bottom postcard
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 