From my collection: an original press photo of Jean Harlow, from a portrait taken by George Hurrell in his Hollywood studio for Saratoga publicity, April 1937. One of the last professional portrait sittings with her before she crossed through the mortal plane.
Snipe on verso from day of publication, the day after Harlow’s funeral, June 10, 1937:
“IN ROLE SHE NEVER COMPLETED. Hollywood, Cal..This photo of the late Jean Harlow was made as the platinum beauty was made up for her role in the film, “Saratoga”, on which she was working when stricken by the fatal illness. In the role, Miss Harlow played a pensive and subdued character, as contrasted with some of the more blatant ladies she so skillfully depicted.”
This particular photoshoot actually mixed elements from Personal Property (in circulation at the time) and the upcoming Saratoga—Harlow’s persistent illnesses over the spring prevented her from posing for a final Personal Property-exclusive shoot with Hurrell after its completion. By the time she arrived, Saratoga had started, thus the logical answer: why not both?
Here, Harlow poses in a Dolly Tree creation featured in Personal Property that she wore a copy of to FDR’s Fourth Annual Birthday Ball that January. Note the two straps: Tree originally designed the gown with only one, which is how it appears in earlier publicity photos. As an open shoulder was a little risqué for a presidential affair, a second strap was added by Harlow’s dressmaker for her personal duplicate. (I like it with one sleeve better, but both look great.)
Harlow Heaven 