Photo Friday: Betty

It's always interesting to find out what a star's name was before the studio had it changed.

Betty Grable = Elizabeth Ruth Grable

Photo Friday: Betty

Taken in 1943, Betty auctions off her stockings at a War Loan Drive. I wonder how much money she raised?

Photo Friday: Betty Grable

Grab a cola, a Betty movie, and have a fabulous weekend!

Betty

Taking a break from the 1944 Photoplay articles, I thought I'd share some photos of the lovely Betty Grable.

Photoplay 1944

Last month I purchased the October 1944 issue of Photoplay magazine. I'm trying to collect all the magazines with Lana Turner on the cover. Since I don't have a scanner, I'm working on typing up the articles. So, over the next few weeks I'll be posting them for your vintage pleasure. :) Up first, Inside Stuff — Cal York's Gossip of Hollywood (Part 1). Enjoy!

Inside Stuff

Cal York’s Gossip of Hollywood

In the Cummings Corner: A lot of people were surprised to see Bob Cummings and K.T. Stevens being a dinner twosome in a cozy corner. Of course, Hollywood fashion, the gossips tried to fashion a new “romance” out of the combination. But they must have short memories — or no faith in friendship at all. For Bob, though rumored “engaged” to Faye McKenzie, still has his heart in the safekeeping of Mary Constant, attractive widow of the famous flier, Max Constant — and it’s Cal’s guess they’ll marry. Then how come K.T.? Well, it just so happens that she has directly and indirectly played a big part in Bob’s life from the very moment he started his picture career — and they are very close friends — and that’s all. Not only is K.T. a pal of Bob’s ex-wife’s, but it was she who got her dad, the big director Sam Wood, to give Bob his first real break in pictures at Universal — and then again when Wood took up the megaphone for “King’s Row.”

Style Note: Lana Turner probably started a new fad or something — by walking into the Trocadero wearing a low-necked black dinner dress, with a scarlet red chiffon handkerchief (an enormous one) knotted tightly around her neck Apache fashion. The effect was startling — and the copycats promptly started making mental notes.

Married — and Happy:

Harry James and Betty Grable came back to Hollywood from Harry’s band-

playing jaunt back East absolutely exhausted — and with plenty of work looming ahead for both of them. Betty made her first public professional appearance since becoming a momma at a Brooklyn Bond rally with Harry when she cleaned up for her Uncle Sam. And of all the unromantic things! They had to spend their first wedding anniversary doing a one-night stand in Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania. But they’re so romantic about each other it really wouldn’t matter where they were spending the evening. They wouldn’t know!

Crosby Corner: Just to show you how un-hammy some actors can be, here’s a cute and true story about the one and only Bing. In all the years that he’s been famous (and it’s a good many) Crosby has never clipped or saved a single line that ever appeared about him in print. Most stars have scrapbooks a foot thick — but not Bing. But at last he’s impressed enough by something (notice we said something — and not himself) to want to keep some of the swell things that are being written about him. It’s the reviews and reams of comment that have been written not only about the picture “Going My Way” which is one of the all-time best, but about the Bing too. After all these years as a singing star, it’s so swell that he should now be gaining recognition as a fine actor for the first time — and evidently he thinks so too. Because the other day he called up his pal, Leo McCarey, who directed the film, and after clearing his throat in a rather embarrassed way, Bing asked “Say — Leo, how do you go about keeping a scrapbook?” ( ! )

Just a few photos . . .

Here are a few pictures I found sitting on my computer. Enjoy! :)

Photo Friday: Carole Landis

I love this picture of Carole Landis! She was so beautiful. And check out that stunning bath robe! I found this picture at Simply Classics. Simply Classics is a fabulous website with an outstanding gallery of High Quality photos of the stars.

Carole Landis had a very tragic life. She was in a string of successful movies in the 1940's. Two of my favorites being "I Wake up Screaming" with Betty Grable and Victor Mature, and "Orchestra Wives" with Ann Rutherford and George Montgomery. Landis often played the second female lead.

During WWII, she toured with a USO troupe in England and North Africa. She also entertained soldiers in the South Pacific with Jack Benny. Carole Landis spent more time visiting troops than any other actress during the war. She contracted amoebic dysentery and malaria while traveling and almost died.

Carole Landis was also an author! She penned several newspaper and magazine articles about her war experiences, as well as the book Four Jills in a Jeep (which I am currently scouring eBay for!) that was later made into a movie.

Plagued by depression all her life, Carole attempted suicide in 1944 and 1946. Her career was declining and her marriage was falling apart in 1948. She had an affair with Rex Harrison who was currently married to Lilli Palmer. The story is that Landis was crushed when Harrison would not divorce his wife for her; unable to cope any longer Carole commited suicide at her home by taking an overdose of Seconal. She was only 29 years old. Her final night alive was July 4th. Harrison and the maid found Carole on the bathroom floor on the afternoon of July 5th. Some sources say that Landis left two suicide notes, one for her mother and the second for Harrison. During a coroner's inquest, Harrison denied knowing any motive for Carole's suicide, as well as denying the existence of a second suicide note.

Cesar Romero, Van Johnson, and Pat O'Brien were among the celebrities at her funeral. Carole Landis has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1765 Vine Street.

Her life was so sad. My heart breaks for her. Did anyone try to reach her? To show her that her life was valuable? That Jesus loved her and treasured her?