Asides - Covers and Cards

Time to share a few recent acquisitions, including the covers from three issues of Motion Picture magazine. Motion Picture was one of the earliest film publications, dating back to at least 1916. All the issues featured in this post are from the late twenties. Next we have a couple of postcards, and finally four small cigarette cards from the Will's 1928 series.

Click on the images for a larger view

All three of these covers were created by artist Marland Stone. Marland's birthdate is unknown, but he died in 1975 after a very successful career as an illustrator and artist.

Motion Picture, March 1928 - Joan Crawford

Motion Picture, August 1928 - Norma Shearer

Motion Picture, June 1929 - Mary Duncan

A young Peggy Shannon in happier days

What can you say - taken during the filming of Shanghai Express

These cigarette cards are four from a series of 25 entitled Cinema Stars. The artwork harkens back to an earlier style than any cards subsequently produced by Will's or the other cigarette firms. Quite beautiful. Remember these are only about 1.5x3 inches and when viewed larger, lose some of their charm.

Clara Bow and Norma Talmadge

Pola Negri and Billie Dove

Asides - Post 100!

Yep-I can't believe it, but this is my 100th post. I just want to thank all who have visited and commented and I hope you will continue to drop in from time to time. This post is not specific to any one actresss, but contains 13 newly scanned and cleaned up magazine cover images from our small but slowly expanding collection. Gee, deja vu all over again, we started with a small postcard collection and...

Click on the images for a larger size view.

Enjoy.

Screen Secrets, September, 1929 - Lily Damita. Artist: Edwin Bower Hesser

Picture Play, May, 1932 - Frances Dee. Artist: Modest Stein

Silver Screen, September, 1931 - Marlene Dietrich. Artist: John Rolston Clarke

Motion Picture, October, 1933 - Adrienne Ames. Artist: Marland Stone

Photoplay, April 1932 - Norma Shearer. Artist: Earl Christy

Photoplay, July, 1930 - Jeanette Mac Donald. Artist: Earl Christy

Photoplay, October, 1932 - Irene Dunne. Artist: Earl Christy

Picture Play, March, 1930 - Mary Brian. Artist: Modest Stein

Modern Screen, October, 1932 - Constance Bennett. Artist: Uncredited

Motion Picture, June 1930, - Mary Nolan. Artist: Marland Stone

Hollywood, October, 1931 - Billie Dove. Artist: Edwin Bower Hesser

New Movie Magazine, September, 1931 - Marian Marsh. Artist: Rolf Armstrong

Photoplay, April, 1927 - Lois Wilson. Artist: Carl Van Buskirk

Bille Dove (Third of 3 postings)

Read the main Billie bio in post #1.

The multi-talented Billie was also a poet, a painter, and an airplane pilot.

Billie Dove - What do you think? Allure?

Billie Dove (Second of 3 postings)

Read the main Billie bio in post #1.

For a time Billie surpassed Mary Pickford, Gloria Swanson and Greta Garbo at the box-office. She was renowned for her physical perfection, her complexion so flawless that she was a natural choice for some of the earliest films in Technicolor.

Like so many others on this blog, Billie appeared with a very young Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in several films. He recalled: "I was as smitten as any male of any age would be. She was not only lovely to look at but perfectly charming to work with. However, there was an added obstacle to my expressing myself: The director, Irvin Willat, was her husband!"

Billie Dove - What do you think? Allure?

Billie Dove - (First of 3 postings)

Billie was born Lilian Bohny in New York City in 1900. As a teen, she worked as a model and was hired at the age of 15 by Florenz Ziegfeld to appear in his Ziegfeld Follies Revue. She migrated to Hollywood in 1922 and began appearing in films.

Her beauty and easily recognizable name helped her become one of the most popular actresses of the 1920s. She was soon dubbed The American Beauty, which was also the title of one of her films.

Billie had a huge legion of male fans and one of her most persistent was Howard Hughes. She shared a three-year romance with Hughes. Billie allegedly lost enthusiasm for the movie business after William Randolph Hearst ordered extensive recutting of Blondie of the Follies (1932) because she outshone Marion Davies, Hearst's mistress. She retired after making 50 films.

She was a favorite of singer Billie Holiday, who changed her first name from Eleanora to Billie after her idol. Billie died in 1997 at the age of 97.

Billie Dove - What do you think? Allure?