I’ve posted quite the wealth of Ted Allan portraits — not only does he capture Harlow’s loveliness like no other, his portraits also document a transitional period in her career. In the midst of revamping her image, Jean had not just changed her hair. Her flashy primary designer Adrian was replaced by Dolly Tree—and Ted … Continue reading Today in Harlow History: Portraits by Ted Allan, 1936
Jean in the Long Beach Quake, 1933
Eighty seven years ago today, a terrific 6.4 temblor led to widespread chaos all around the greater Los Angeles area. The 1933 Long Beach earthquake had been one of the most destructive in recent years -- comparisons were immediately made to the infamous 1906 San Francisco quake, which was still fresh in public memory. The … Continue reading Jean in the Long Beach Quake, 1933
Harlow in Rochester, 88 Years Ago
Jean Harlow’s tumultuous personal appearance tour would last from December 1931 to April 1932, when she finally returned to Los Angeles to claim an MGM contract. In just about four and a half months, Jean visited Loew’s theaters all over the central and eastern United States, promoting her recent string of loan outs. Focus was … Continue reading Harlow in Rochester, 88 Years Ago
The Birth of Harlean Carpenter
One quiet evening on March 3, 1911, an affluent neighborhood in central Kansas City, Missouri, was about to produce a child that would go on to make indelible marks on the world; the catch being nobody yet knew it. Perhaps Jean Carpenter had the keenest sense of what was to come; leading up to this … Continue reading The Birth of Harlean Carpenter
Harlow by Irving Chidnoff, c. 1931
I found myself writing way too much about these portraits to keep it within the character limit of social media — so here I am. Today I thumbed through several Harlow photos, as I do every day, and noticed I’ve never really paid special attention to the work of photographer Irving Chidnoff. His portraits of … Continue reading Harlow by Irving Chidnoff, c. 1931
FDR’s Birthday Ball, Numero Uno; Harlow in Oakland, 1934
A lot of us are quite familiar with Jean's January 1937 visit to Washington, D.C. with Robert Taylor; the pair departed right after completing work on Personal Property. The costars attended President Roosevelt's fourth annual "Birthday Ball", having been personally invited. The purpose of these Birthday Balls was purely charity; all money raised went directly … Continue reading FDR’s Birthday Ball, Numero Uno; Harlow in Oakland, 1934
“Extra Girl Gets Her First Close-Up” by Jean Harlow
Starting off, it's fairly well known that Jean was a voracious reader and writer from childhood. She tended to write long and wordy personal letters; she even penned a poem titled "I Have Found God" at the tender age of ten. Multiple times over the years in different interviews, she expressed her love for writing … Continue reading “Extra Girl Gets Her First Close-Up” by Jean Harlow
Harlow as Kansas City Kitty (1931, part 1)
I have myriads of favorite Harlow portraits, as we all do. This is one of them. Jean looks impossibly angelic as she’s candidly photographed with a bouquet of flowers on December 8, 1931. Image courtesy of the Kansas City Public Library. On this day, Jean and her mother had been invited to lunch with some … Continue reading Harlow as Kansas City Kitty (1931, part 1)
The Strangest Things “Turnip”
Sorry for that title, I really am. Anyway, perusing Newspapers this morning I did a random search for Jean and found something totally new to me in every way. Mr. Hauser was described as a revered "physiological chemist", but he was really more of a food faddist when we look back at his work. Considering … Continue reading The Strangest Things “Turnip”
From My Collection: Harlow at the Mayfair Ball, December 1934
A lovely Jean Harlow is pictured embracing Harriet Parsons, the only child of her good friend Louella Parsons, at Hollywood’s annual Mayfair Ball in December 1934. Held at the Beverly-Wilshire, a torrent of celebrities flooded the exclusive members-only event. Image is from my personal collection. An excerpt from columnist Dan Thomas’ description of the event, … Continue reading From My Collection: Harlow at the Mayfair Ball, December 1934
