books classic film general discussion photography the oliviers
Jean Howard’s Hollywood is one of my favorite Old Hollywood photography books of all time. Howard was a starlet-turned-photographer who became In Like Flynn and made friends with Hollywood’s elite over three decades. Her work has been featured in publications such as Vanity Fair, and the stories behind the photos are really interesting.
Today on Summer Under the Stars, Turner Classic Movies is honoring the ethereal and troubled Gene Tierney. If I had to make a list of the most beautiful women ever, in my opinion, Gene would definitely be near the top. She was a beauty from the day she was born in Brooklyn, and with a face like that, it’s obvious she was destined for fashion and the movies. She starred opposite many of Hollywood’s biggest leading men such as Rex Harrison, Tyrone Power and Clark Gable, and worked with the best directors of her time, including Otto Preminger, Fritz Lang, John Ford and Michael Curtiz. She also frequently modeled for Vogue in the 1940s.
classic film general discussion gone with the wind interviews vivien leigh
Today I had the great opportunity to interview Turner Classic Movies host Robert Osborne. We spoke of TCM’s Summer Under the Stars, Gene Tierney, the qualities that make a film “essential”, the merits of GWTW, and of course, the one and only Vivien Leigh.
classic film laurence olivier vivien leigh
Vivien Leigh: November 5, 1913-July 7, 1967
Laurence Olivier: May 22, 1907-July 11, 1989
In Memoriam
In the past, I have done the sort of bi-annual birthday/death day tributes to Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh in which I talk about what they mean to me, what they accomplished in their lifetimes, and why they are still relevant. This time, however, I thought I would let those who knew these marvelous and influential people speak for themselves.
July 16, 1967I can’t even remember the date of the morning Coley came into my suite at the Savoy, suffused with tears, and told me that Vivien had died. The shock was too violent. I mind too deeply about this to go on about it very much. She was a lovely, generous and darling friend, and I shall miss her always. Apparently Jacko [Marivale] came back from the theatre, saw her sleeping peacefully and went to warm up some soup for himself in the kitchen. When he came back a few minutes later she was lying on the floor in a welter of blood having had a haemorrhage. Jacko, with almost incredible courage and tact, cleaned up all the hideous mess because he knew that she would hate anybody, even the doctor, to see her like that. Then he telephoned for the doctor. Jacko is a good and kind man. A day or two later he rang me up and asked me to read the address at her memorial service which is, I believe, to be on the twenty-fourth. I lovingly but very firmly refused. I truly do not believe I could have done it without breaking down and making a shambles of it. I know this was cowardly, but I can’t regret it. The emotional strain would be ghastly, and as I am not feeling any too well at the moment it would possibly cause me great damage. All my own loved ones agree and I can only hope that they’re right. If it could have helped Vivien in any way I would have done anything, but it couldn’t because she’s gone for ever. I loathe and despise the miserable Christian trappings of death.
books classic film collecta-belle the oliviers
My departure for London is coming up fast! In 3 weeks I’ll be moving back home, which mean I have a lot of organizing and packing to do. So, I am having a little online yard sale to downsize my collection.
I have a HUGE stack of photography books (mostly old Hollywood and fashion) that I’ve collected over the past 6 years, which I won’t have room for at my parents’, and frankly, I don’t really need them anymore. I would love to pass these on to someone/people who will really appreciate them. All of these contain photos of either Vivien Leigh or Laurence Olivier.
If you are interested, please email me at vivandlarry@gmail.com with the books you want and your location, and I will send you a paypal invoice. All books will be shipped book rate. Shipping included in listed price.
All proceeds from this little yard sale are going toward my grad school savings fund. Thanks for looking!
*Note: I have already sold/given away some of the books in this photo. The ones that I still have available are listed below.
+ A Japanese Vivien Leigh book (text is all in Japanese, but there are quite a lot of photos) | new | $8
+ Frankly, My Dear: GWTW Revisited by Molly Haskell | new but the dust jacket has a fold down the center of the spine | $8
+ David O. Selznick’s Gone with the Wind by Ronald Haver | used–oversize | $12
+ Life in Hollywood: 75 Years of the Academy Awards (with Liz Taylor on the cover) | used (bought new) | $7
+ The Hollywood Storyteller by Mark Drop | used | $7
+ Vanity Fair Photographs of an Age 1914-1936 | used | $14
+ In Vogue 75 Years of Style by Georgina Howell | used–great condition | $20
+ LIFE Faces by John Loengard | used | $10
+ A Photographer’s Scrapbook by Louise Dahl-Wolfe | used–rare | $12
+ The Films of Clark Gable by Gabe Essoe | used | $7
+ LIFE Classic Photographs by John Loengard | used | $10
+ Laurence Olivier Theatre and Cinema | used | $8 —SOLD
+ Hollywood Color Portraits by John Kobal | used–great condition | $17
+ Niven’s Hollywood by Tom Hutchinson | used | $8
+Vivien Leigh Paper Dolls by Tom Tierney | new | $8