Photos Of Old Hollywood Stars Behind The Scenes
We're used to seeing the glitz and glamor of old Hollywood, but when the cameras weren't rolling, our favorite stars were just regular people trying to make it through another day. Some actors had totally different personas off-camera.
Seeing Audrey Hepburn doing her own makeup before accepting an Oscar or seeing Cary Grant joking around by the pool will completely change what you know about these old Hollywood stars. Celebrities really are just like us.
James Dean And Marlon Brando
Both James Dean and Marlon Brando are thought of as very serious actors, but this behind-the-scenes photo proves that they loved goofing around on set as well. This shot was taken in the Twentieth Century Fox backlot in 1954. Brando was in the middle of filming Henry Koster's Desiree. Brando was playing the role of Napoleon and James Dean came to visit him on set.
This photo was taken just one year before Dean died in a tragic car accident.
Humphrey Bogart
This is a photo of American actor Humphrey Bogart on the set of Battle Circus with his young son, Stephen. Humphrey is actually older than he looks in this photo. He became a father when he was 49, and his son looks to be at least five or six years old in this shot.
He never expected to have children so late and enjoyed having his son on set with him whenever possible. Stephen went on to become an author and host a show for Turner Classic Movies.
Judy Garland And Liza Minnelli
You can really see the resemblance between Judy Garland and daughter Liza Minnelli in this photo. This picture was taken behind the scenes of the new British television show they were about to star in together.
Garland was 42 years old in this photo and she had just finished filming The Judy Garland Show. The show didn't last very long, but it was nominated for several awards. Liza is 18 years old in this photo.
Jack Nicholson, Lauren Bacall, And Warren Beatty
What did we do to deserve a shot of these three megastars goofing around in the mid-'70s? This photo was taken at the CBS Inaugural Gala in 1977. Warren Beatty and Lauren Bacall are both reaching out to pinch Nicholson's cheeks. These three had been very good friends since the early '60s. Warren Beatty and Jack Nicholson, in particular, had a very close friendship.
Both of them allegedly even had tunnels running directly from their Hollywood homes to the Playboy Mansion.
Julie Andrews
Can you believe that this lanky 14-year-old became the legendary Julie Andrews? This photo was taken in 1950 when Julie was performing on a radio show on the BBC alongside a ventriloquist.
Five years later, Andrews would move to America and begin an illustrious film career. She landed her first major role in Disney's Mary Poppins in 1963. Julie Andrews is now a household name, but back in the day she was just a freckle-faced little girl.
Katharine Hepburn
What's better than running into Katharine Hepburn? Running into Katharine Hepburn with a dog, of course. This photo was taken in 1938 on a movie set while Katharine was taking a break from filming for a minute.
At the time, Hepburn was being labeled "box office poison." A slew of commercial failures caused her to be practically blacklisted in Hollywood. She managed to make a comeback, though. She's still synonymous with classic Hollywood royalty.
Bette Davis
This photo was taken on the set of the 1944 film Hollywood Canteen. In this film, Bette Davis (on the left) makes a cameo appearance as herself. The film was based on the real-life canteen that she and John Garfield founded in 1942. The real Hollywood Canteen was run off donations from various guilds and unions around Hollywood.
If you were a U.S. serviceman, you could get into the canteen for free. You could also get free food and drinks. Stars such as Davis, Bette Grable, and Marlene Dietrick even waited on tables and provided entertainment.
Elizabeth Taylor
Apparently, when Elizabeth Taylor isn't being super dramatic in front of a camera, she likes to kick back and drive a bumper car with her son. This photo of Elizabeth and her son Michael was taken in 1961. Just one year prior, Taylor won the Academy Award for Best Actress and finally left her controlling contract with MGM Grand.
Michael is Taylor's eldest child. Taylor went on the have three other children (and many other husbands).
Kirk Douglas
The world recently lost the legendary Kirk Douglas, which makes this photo all the more heartwrenching. Look how much fun Kirk used to have with his kids! In this photo, you can see Kirk lifting his two sons, Joel (left) and Michael (right) with a pole beside their Hollywood swimming pool in 1955.
Both Joel and Michael went on to work in the family business. Joel became a film producer and Michael Douglas became an actor.
Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock was a master of horror, but in this photo, you can tell that he truly loved to monkey around. This photo was taken in 1960 at the Taronga Park Zoo. At the time, the public was used to seeing Hitchcock in behind the scenes moments looking serious and scary as he worked on films like Rear Window and Psycho.
We weren't used to seeing Alfred Hitchcock like this. You know, walking down the street holding hands with two gibbons.
John Wayne
John Wayne takes a moment from the set of The Sea Chase to visit his 15-year-old son, Pat Wayne, who is starring on a nearby set for Mr. Roberts. Taken in 1954, Pat was one of Wayne's seven children.
Many of Wayne's kids entered the Hollywood industry like their father, but Pat was the most successful. He made over forty films, of which eleven of them he starred alongside his dad.
Paul Newman
Paul Newman jokingly throws his racket in the air while playing tennis in the 1960s. The American actor was at the top of his game in the 1960s with roles in films like The Hustler, Cool Hand Luke, and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
Even though Newman was most popular in the 1960s, he didn't win an Academy Award until 1986 for his performance in The Color of Money.
Marlene Dietrich
Actress Marlene Dietrich is caught hiding under a table in a New York City restaurant in 1967. The German actress who was known for her beauty, grace, and poise shows off a playful side in this candid photo.
Dietrich found her start in silent films in the 1910s and was one of the few actresses who transformed seamlessly to talking motion pictures. Despite being German, she held American citizenship and was known for her humanitarian efforts during the war.
Eartha Kitt
American singer Eartha Kitt is shown here enticing a man to join her on the Ferris wheel at an amusement park in the United Kingdom. The singer and songwriter rose to fame in Britain before gaining prominence back in America. Her most iconic recording, the Christmas song "Santa Baby," is still a popular song today.
Kids today might know her better for being the voice of the villain Yzma in The Emperor's New Groove, but in the 1950s people like Orson Welles considered her "the most exciting woman in the world."
Marilyn Monroe
A man does a double-take as he goes to board the subway in Grand Central Station in March of 1955. He can hardly believe that actress Marilyn Monroe is waiting nearby for the same train.
1955 was a big year for the Hollywood star. She had previously been suspended from Hollywood acting because she refused to do a film her agents wanted, but then returned to star in one of her biggest films The Seven Year Itch. After the film's success, she was able to renegotiate her contract and begin her own acting company.
Audrey Hepburn
Audrey Hepburn reapplies her lipstick backstage in the Center Theatre, moments before accepting the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Roman Holiday. The film was Hepburn's first American film and shot her into the limelight.
At the time this photo was taken in 1954, Hepburn had just rushed over from the 46th Street Theatre where she was starring in Ondine, a play which would land her a Tony Award for Best Performance.
Marlon Brando
Legendary movie star Marlon Brando proudly shows off his passport to the press in 1953. He was supposed to set sail for a promotional tour in Europe a week before but his luggage and passport had been stolen from a friend's car. He tried to board the ship anyways, but even his famous face didn't allow him to get on the boat.
This passport was actually the fifth one that he's lost and he had to wait one week for the State Department to issue him an emergency passport.
Jayne Mansfield
This behind-the-scenes photo of Jayne Mansfield shows a different side of the American sex symbol. Just like any other mother, she reads a bedtime story to her daughter and their cats in their Hollywood home.
Mansfield was one of the early Playboy playmates and while she had a successful Hollywood career in the 1950s and 1960s, she became more well-known for her wardrobe malfunctions and affairs with men like Robert and John F. Kennedy.
Cary Grant and Randolph Scott
Cary Grant and Randolph Scott were two of Old Hollywood's first leading men. They both began their careers in the 1930s and it was during this time that the two moved in together. The bachelors lived on and off together in Hollywood for twelve years.
Many have speculated that the two likely had a gay romantic relationship that they couldn't make public at the time. While there's no evidence of it and both men ended up having multiple marriages, they are still considered early gay icons.
Jane Birkin
English actress Jane Birkin is shown here in a candid shot on the set of the controversial French film Je T'aime Moi Non Plus (I Love You, I Don't). The film was directed by Birkin's husband Serge Gainsbourg and shook up American audiences for a number of reasons.
The film is a love triangle at its core but involved one gay trucker leaving another gay trucker for Birkin, who was meant to be portrayed as a boyish-looking woman.
Sidney Poitier
African American actor and director Sidney Poitier is seen here directing on the set of Hanky Panky. Poitier spent his life in Hollywood breaking down barriers for African Americans. He spent the 1940s and 1950s gaining prominence in Hollywood until, finally in 1964, he became the first black male to win an Academy Award for Best Actor thanks to his starring role in Lilies of the Field.
While Poitier was known for his acting he also broke down barriers behind the camera. His best film, Stir Crazy, starred Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder.
Sammy Davis Jr.
Sammy Davis Jr. is caught here in 1968 working out with an elastic chest expander. Although Davis Jr. began acting and singing at the age of three, the 1960s were the peak of his career. In 1960, he appeared alongside Rat Pack actors in Ocean's 11, then landed starring roles on Broadway and even his own TV variety show.
Davis Jr. believed strongly in staying fit and in shape after a car accident in 1954 nearly killed him.
Sean Connery
Scottish actor Sean Connery is seen here relaxing on the set of Thunderball in 1965. Connery wasn't actually looking to break into the acting business, but his physical size and prowess caught the attention of many scouts in the early 1950s. He worked backstage on production for extra money and was slowly cast in smaller roles and as an extra.
Connery's big break, of course, was when he landed the role of British secret agent James Bond. He appeared in seven Bond films, with Thunderball being the fourth.
Elvis
Elvis Presley is seen here on his base in Friedberg, Germany giving his autograph to teenagers. Presley being drafted to the army was a huge deal in 1958. He was photographed doing everything from boarding the bus to setting off for basic training.
Presley said he didn't want to be treated any different in the army and other soldiers admitted her was as able and ordinary as anyone else. His army service worked in his favor because it was while on duty in Friedberg that he met his future wife, Priscilla Beaulieu.
Lucille Ball
Lucille Ball kisses her son, Desi Arnaz Jr., while he plays in the backyard of their home in Los Angeles. The actress, best known for her role as Lucy Ricardo in I Love Lucy, had two children with her husband Desi Arnaz.
Ball made waves in 1953 with the birth of Desi Jr. because her pregnancy was written into the show's plot. She was the first woman to be shown pregnant on television, even though CBS wouldn't allow for the show to use the words "pregnant" or "expecting."
Charlie Chaplin
An aging Charlie Chaplin is seen here browsing a menu with his then-wife Paulette Goddard in 1950. While Chaplin's career was at its peak in the 1920s-1940s, he was still acting and directing in the 1950s before being banned from the United States.
Chaplin had been visiting Britain for inspiration when, upon his return to America, the attorney general James McGranery refused him entry unless he did an interview about his political beliefs. Rather than subject himself to the interview, he simply refused and lived abroad until his death in 1977.
Mildred Harris
Leading lady Mildred Harris is caught here applying makeup on the beach between scenes. Harris began her career in Hollywood when she was 11 years old. She was extremely successful in the early 1920s, but found it difficult to transition to the "talkies" era of film.
Harris was also famously the first wife of Charlie Chaplin. After the death of their only child in 1919, the two separated and through a nasty divorce, Harris received $100,000 (about $1.3 million in today's cash).
Clint Eastwood
Actor Clint Eastwood dances with his first wife Maggie in their dismal living room. Taken in 1965, Eastwood was just beginning to rise to fame with the role of Rowdy Yates in the western television series Rawhide.
Although Eastwood and his first wife Maggie were married for more than 30 years, he was known for his numerous open affairs. Between proposing to Maggie and marrying her, he even had an affair that allegedly ended up with a child being put up for adoption.
Jerry Lee Lewis
Country rockabilly singer Jerry Lee Lewis poses on his motorcycle alongside his 13-year-old wife Myra. Not even Lewis's immense fame in the 1950s could stop this marriage from being controversial. Not only was Myra underage, but she was Lewis's third wife and he was only 22 years old, and she was his first cousin once removed.
This photo was taken one month after the public got wind of the marriage and Lewis was blacklisted from most radio stations. It wasn't until the 1960s that he made a full comeback.
Clark Gable
The King of Hollywood, Clark Gable, sits in costume while he gets his shoes shined before filming in 1938. Although Gable had been rising in the ranks of Hollywood for years beforehand, it wouldn't be until the next year in 1939 when he became a household name for playing the lead in Gone With The Wind.
Gable actually didn't want to play the lead and many actors in Hollywood thought the film would be a major flop.
Esther Williams
Actress Esther Williams has a look of disbelief while she listens to the director of Jupiter's Darling explain how the camera will work underwater. Even today, underwater camera shots can be very tricky. In 1954, the result was a waterproof shell for the original equipment and even the cameraman was forced to wear scuba gear.
Williams was perfect for the "aqua-musical" because she actually was a competitive swimmer before becoming an actress. She'd even later serve as a commentator for swimming in the Olympics.
Oliver Hardy And Stan Laurel
In 1928, the iconic comedy duo Oliver Hardy and Stan Laurel are shown taking a break on the back lot of the MGM studios before heading back to film "Towed In A Hole." Over the course of their career, the two filmed 107 short and feature-length films.
The two began working together in 1927 and became known for their slapstick comedy. Hardy would usually play the pompous bully character, while Laurel would act clumsy and childlike.
John Payne
Payne, who was once a wrestler before turning to acting, shows off his strength while doing pull-ups on a beach. He was keeping fit while shooting Wings of the Navy on location. Before landing more serious roles, Payne was mostly cast in westerns thanks to his physique.
Later in his career, he became known for being the leading man in many film noir crime stories and musical films. Payne's most notable role was in Miracle on 34th Street.
Jiggs The Chimpanzee And Dorothy Lamour
Actress Dorothy Lamour and her co-star Jiggs hang out together backstage on the set of The Jungle Princess. The film was only Lamour's second role, but it solidified her fame. In the film, she wore a tropical sarong-style dress that she became known for in later roles.
From 1936-1939, Lamour starred in other "sarong" roles like Her Jungle Love and Tropic Holiday. The film style became so popular that in 1940, she even starred in a spoof "sarong" film, Road to Singapore.
Audrey Hepburn And George Peppard
Hepburn, dressed up as her most famous character Holly Golightly, plays guitar for her co-star while on break from shooting Breakfast at Tiffany's. The co-stars were rumored to be dating at the time of filming, but she was married to actor Mel Ferrer at the time.
The 1961 film cemented Hepburn's already dominating status in Hollywood. Her character's little black dress, high chignon hairstyle, and oversized cigarette holder is one of the 20th century's most memorable film costumes.
Joe DiMaggio And Gina Lollobrigida
Baseball star Joe DiMaggio is pictured here on the set of Trapeze visiting Italian film star Gina Lollobrigida. Lollobrigida was filming in Paris in 1955 and DiMaggio had flown to meet her. Their "friendship" came only one year after Dimaggio's relationship with actress Marilyn Monroe fell apart.
Monroe and DiMaggio separated on the grounds of "mental cruelty" after only nine months of marriage which sparked the ball playe to completely change his life around. He stopped drinking and underwent therapy.
Henry Fonda And His Daughter, Jane
A five-year-old Jane Fonda is pictured here playing with a sailboat by the Fonda family pool. Her father, Henry Fonda, made his mark as a Broadway actor and began dominating Hollywood in 1935. It wasn't until the 1940s though that Henry would become a Hollywood heavyweight with films like The Grapes of Wrath and 12 Angry Men.
His daughter Jane became interested in acting in her teens and landed her first film role in 1960 with the movie Tall Story.
Rex Harrison And Samantha Egger
Dressed as the parts in the 1966 film Doctor Dolittle, Rex Harrison and Samantha Eggar take a break in between scenes to watch the Football World Cup Final. Both Harrison and Eggar were British and needed to catch the final match between England and West Germany.
Harrison went on to be one of the most respected British actors in Hollywood. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor in 1964 and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1989.
Sofia Loren
Italian actress Sophia Loren struggles to push her Mercedes back onto the paved road. Loren had been driving to avoid excited fans and gone off the side of the road so she wouldn't run into someone. The actress was at the height of her career in 1956 after starring in films like Two Nights with Cleopatra and Houseboat.
Loren starred in multiple films every year throughout the '50s and '60s until she became a mother and slowed down.
James Dean And Natalie Wood Welcome Perry Lopez
Here Natalie Wood has a laugh with actors James Dean and Perry Lopez on the set of Rebel Without a Cause. In 1955, Lopez was an up and coming actor who had just signed with Warner Bros. Studios, who also produced Rebel Without a Cause.
James Dean and Natalie Wood starred in Rebel Without a Cause, directed by Nicholas Ray. Dean plays the forlorn teen Jim Stark, who has a hard time coping with his life at home. Sal Mineo and Natalie Wood were both nominated for Academy Awards for their supporting roles, while director Nicholas Ray was nominated for Best Writing.
Cary Grant's Furry Friend Offered Moral Support
Cary Grant had a furry friend to run lines with on the set of the 1953 film Dream Wife. Grant plays Clemson Reade, a businessman who leaves his hardworking fiancée for someone who fits his idea of the perfect wife and will take care of him and their future kids.
During Hollywood's Golden Age, Grant acted in at least 75 films. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor only two times throughout his career — for 1941's Penny Serenade and 1944's None but the Lonely Heart.
The Future Princess Of Monaco Needed A Rest
Grace Kelly worked so many long hours, that sometimes she had to take a nap on set! In 1953, Kelly starred alongside Clark Gable and Ava Gardner in Mogambo, directed by John Ford. Kelly plays Linda Nordley, who arrives in Africa with her husband to film gorillas. She won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for the role and was also nominated for an Academy Award.
Mogambo was a remake of Victor Fleming's 1932 film Red Dust, which also starred Gable. Both films were adapted from a 1928 play written by Wilson Collison.
Jerry Lewis Put His Director In A Sticky Situation
Comedic actor Jerry Lewis must have gotten into all kinds of antics on set, including taping director Norman Taurog to his chair. This photo was taken in 1956 when Taurog directed Lewis in Pardners. The western musical comedy also featured Dean Martin. Since 1946, Lewis and Martin were a popular comedy duo who made several films together.
Norman Taurog also worked with Jerry Lewis for 1959's Don't Give Up the Ship and 1960's Visit to a Small Planet. While filming Pardners, Lewis allegedly filmed a 16 mm documentary behind the scenes.
Life Was Easygoing For Hollywood Stars
Actors Jane Russell and Robert Ryan enjoyed their time off from the studio by splashing around in the pools of their Hollywood homes. In 1955, Russell and Ryan starred alongside Clark Gable in The Tall Men, directed by Raoul Walsh. Produced by 20th Century Fox, The Tall Men was shot in Sombrerete, Mexico at Sierra de Órganos National Park.
It can't be said that anything went on between Russell and Ryan. Ryan was married to wife Jessica Cadwalader throughout his career. Around the time this photo was taken, Russell was married to her high school sweetheart, Bob Waterfield.
These Rear Window Stars Had To Take A Break From Being Serious
Grace Kelly and Jimmy Stewart had some downtime in between filming for Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window. On at least one occasion, they let off some steam at the Paramount Studios lot by riding bikes and playing with Rosemary Clooney's Great Dane puppy.
In this 1954 mystery thriller, Stewart plays L.B. Jeffries, a photographer who begins spying on his neighbors when he is bound to a wheelchair. Rear Window was nominated for four Academy Awards. It is widely considered one of Hitchcock's greatest films.
Ann Blyth Should Have Been More Famous
Ann Blyth must have been having a bit of fun on a studio lot in this photo from 1955. Around that time, Blyth was cast in lead roles for the films The King's Thief and Kismet.
Blyth was signed to Universal Pictures but was loaned to Warner Bros. to play Veda Pierce in the 1945 film Mildred Pierce. Blyth starred alongside Joan Crawford, who won the Academy Award for Best Actress for the titular role. Blyth was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Despite her success in the role, a broken back prevented her from taking on more movies right away.
Even The Most Private Scenarios Weren't That Private
The intimate scenes in Autumn Leaves might have been shocking to audiences back then, but here you'll see that filming the scene wasn't very private at all. Director Robert Aldrich hovered over Joan Crawford and Cliff Robertson while filming their bed scenes. Crawford plays Milly Hanson in the 1956 drama about an older woman who falls in love with a younger man who is haunted by past demons.
Crawford believed that Autumn Leaves was a fantastic movie that got overshadowed by her other work. She once said, "The cast was perfect, the script was good, and I think Bob [Aldrich] handled everything well."
Ruby Dee Starred In Jackie Robinson's Movie
Legendary baseball player Jackie Robinson proved he could also act in The Jackie Robinson Story. He starred as himself alongside Ruby Dee, who played his wife Rae. The biopic was directed by Alfred E. Green and produced by Eagle-Lion Films. The New York Times wrote that Robinson "displays a calm assurance and composure that might be envied by many a Hollywood star."
Robinson had already broken boundaries when he started playing Major League Baseball. By the time the film was made in 1950, the second baseman was the highest-paid Dodger up to that point.
No Monkey Business Backstage
There were a number of chimpanzees employed as animal actors throughout Hollywood's Golden Age. Most of the chimps played Cheeta, the animal sidekick in numerous Hollywood productions of Tarzan films and television shows.
Zippy was one such chimp to play Cheeta in 1951. Zippy was owned by animal trainer Ralph Quinlan. His most memorable portrayal of Cheeta was in Gordon Scott's Tarzan's Hidden Jungle. At least 18 male and female chimpanzees were employed to play Cheeta over the years. In each production, more than one chimp took turns playing the role, depending on what talents the scene called for.
Marlene Dietrich Accompanied Mike Todd To Oklahoma
Actress Marlene Dietrich attended the Hollywood premiere of Oklahoma on the arm of producer Mike Todd in 1955. At this point, the esteemed German actress had already established a lengthy stage and film career. At the onset of the '50s, Dietrich primarily performed cabaret shows in major cities around the world.
Mike Todd developed Todd-AO with the American Optical Company. Todd-AO is a widescreen, 70 mm film format that was first used commercially in the 1955 film adaptation of Oklahoma. The following year, Todd produced his most memorable film, Michael Todd's Around the World in 80 Days.
Just Monkeying Around Behind The Scenes
Actor Johnny Weissmuller sometimes served as the personal makeup artist for Neal, the chimpanzee named Tamba in the 1950's television series Jungle Jim. Fresh off his popularity from the Tarzan films, Weissmuller went on to star in Jungle Jim, as the titular character who is an explorer in Africa.
Jungle Jim was based on a comic strip of the same name created by Alex Raymond and Don Moore. The television show also starred Martin Huston as Jungle Jim's son Skipper, as well as actors Dean Fredericks and Paul Cavanagh.
Jack Carson Probably Felt Honored To Work With Ginger Rogers
Actor Jack Carson was just horsing around with Ginger Rogers when he pretended to feed her some hay in her stall on set. In 1951, Carson and Rogers co-starred together in The Groom Wore Spurs. Rogers plays lawyer A.J. Furnival, who bails out "tough guy" Ben Castle, played by Carson. After marrying the "tough guy," Furnival quickly discovers that it was all just an act.
By the '50s, Ginger Rogers was already established as one of the most popular actresses of Hollywood's Golden Age. Carson was one of four alternating hosts on NBC's Four Star Revue.
There's A Lot More People Behind The Camera Than You Think
This image shows actress Patrice Wymore filming a scene as Johanna Carter in Rocky Mountain. The film starred Errol Flynn and was directed by William Keighley. Wymore was a replacement for the more popular Lauren Bacall, who turned down the part. Because Bacall was assigned to the role under her contract, Warner Bros. studios suspended her but she would end up terminating the contract.
Westerns filmed in the 1950s were big productions, especially when they were filmed on location. In scenes where there are just two people, there are at least a dozen on the other side of the camera.
Getting Made Up Was Half Of Their Day
Actors George Sanders and Märta Torén spent a lot of time in the makeup chair behind the scenes of the film Assignment – Paris! in 1952. Taking place during the Cold War, the film noir follows a news reporter to Budapest, where he gets framed for espionage.
Assignment – Paris! was filmed on location in Europe. These actors can attest to long days on set, where only a fraction of that time was actually spent acting. Time while not filming is spent setting up scenes and putting the actors through makeup and wardrobe like you see in this picture.
Director George Stevens Was Into His Shots
On the set of A Place in the Sun, director George Stevens determined the best angles for actors Montgomery Clift and Raymond Burr. Produced by Paramount Pictures, A Place in the Sun was based on Theodore Dreiser's 1925 novel, An American Tragedy.
The 1951 drama stars Montgomery Clift as George Eastman, a working-class man who gets involved with two women from different sides of the track, played by Shelley Winters and Elizabeth Taylor. A Place in the Sun earned six Academy Awards, including Best Director for George Stevens.
You Can See The Love In Eddie Fisher's And Debbie Reynold's Eyes
Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds apparently couldn't keep their eyes off each other while rehearsing for a show on CBS. The night before this photo was published in 1954, Fisher and Reynold had announced their engagement.
The couple married in 1955, but the marriage wouldn't make it out of the decade. Fisher caused an uproar when he was outed for a relationship with Elizabeth Taylor. The romance began when Fisher began consoling Taylor over the death of her third husband, Mike Todd. Reynolds was publicly humiliated by the ordeal and left to care for their two kids when Fisher married Taylor.
Bette Davis Wearing Fur in the Desert
Bette Davis was one of the most iconic actresses of the Golden Age of Hollywood. Here she's shown between takes, sitting in Director William Keighley's chair on the set of The Bride Came C.O.D.
The film was shot in Death Valley, so you can imagine just how hot it is sitting in the direct sunlight waiting for the next take. While she’d probably rather be in a bathing suit, Davis is dressed in a fur coat for the next scene, kicking around sand.
Joan Crawford on the Set of Chained
This photo taken on June 12, 1934 shows actress Joan Crawford on the set of director Clarence Brown's drama, Chained. This was the fifth of eight collaborations between Clark Cable and Brown, seen in the background here.
This was the first film that Crawford worked with cinematographer George J. Folsey, who had discovered a lighting scheme that emphasized her best features. Folsey found that using soft light best highlighted Crawford's eyes and cheekbones. Crawford was elated with the result, and requested Folsey’s lighting on every film after.
Gene Tierney and Walter Lang on the Set of On The Riviera
Leading actress Gene Tierney was admired for her incredible beauty and she had the talent to back it up. Her top films include Leave Her to Heaven, Heaven Can Wait, The Razor's Edge, and The Ghost and Mrs. Muir.
Here Tierney is pictured on the set of the musical comedy film On The Riviera in 1951, receiving direction from Director Walter Lang. The film was nominated for two Academy Awards, for Best Music and Best Art Direction.
Actress Jean Harlow on the Set of Red-Headed Woman in 1932
Actress Jean Harlow stood out with her platinum blonde hair and stunning figure. She caught the eye of Howard Hughes, who signed her on for her first major appearance in the film Hell's Angels in 1930. By the late 1930s, Harlow was one of the biggest film stars in the world.
Here she's pictured on the set of the comedy Red-Headed Woman, for which she received a pay of $1,250 a week. It’s one of the few films that Harlow appeared without her signature platinum blonde hair, instead wearing a red wig.
