94 years ago in Harlow History, October 19, 1932: Solemn and sad-eyed (but still beautiful) Jean Harlow makes a modest appearance in probate court following her husband Paul Bern’s death the previous month. Here, she was named executrix of his estate. At least the last photograph was taken by Frank Bentley (photo and accompanying credit … Continue reading Harlow, Executrix
Tag: Harlow History
Harlow at Warner Bros (October 6, 1933)
93 years ago today in Harlow History, October 6, 1933: Jean Harlow (and Irving Thalberg) represent MGM at a Warner Bros luncheon for members of the U.S. Naval Affairs committees in the House and Senate. The point of events like this was to portray Hollywood as gracious and accommodating instead of a land of sin … Continue reading Harlow at Warner Bros (October 6, 1933)
A Century Ago: Harlow at Ferry Hall (Part 2)
100 years ago today in Harlow History, October 1, 1926: As part of a series of back-and-forth communications providing information on future student Harlean Carpenter (AKA Jean Harlow), the headmistress of girl’s boarding school Ferry Hall, Eloise Ruthven Tremain, asks the fifteen-year-old’s doctor whether there was any truth behind her claim that she was forbidden … Continue reading A Century Ago: Harlow at Ferry Hall (Part 2)
A Century Ago: Harlow at Ferry Hall (Part 1)
100 years ago today in Harlow History, September 8, 1926: Jean Harlow, at this point still fifteen-year-old Harlean Carpenter from Kansas City, gets a letter of reference from the manager of Kline’s Department Store in the same city advocating for her mother’s financial standing before admittance to swanky Ferry Hall, a girl’s boarding school in … Continue reading A Century Ago: Harlow at Ferry Hall (Part 1)
Catch of the Day: The Libeled Lady Marlin
90 years ago today in Harlow History, September 4, 1936: a “Mother” Jean-signed letter is typed and postmarked to Virginia pen pal Nellie, one of a handful of women Harlow and Co. readily and repeatedly corresponded with, which bolstered her image as a grateful and accessible woman. Though in this case, Harlow seemed to have … Continue reading Catch of the Day: The Libeled Lady Marlin
The Prizefighter and the Platinum Blonde
93 years ago today in Harlow History, September 3, 1933: Jean Harlow squeezes the shapely bicep of boxer Primo Carnera behind the scenes of The Prizefighter and the Lady (1933), which she was originally slated to star in with Clark Gable. Ironically, Harlow’s attentions were on another prizefighter: she was already at the center of … Continue reading The Prizefighter and the Platinum Blonde
Harlow at the Hotel St. Francis (December 27, 1932)
This wonderful, uncommon candid is courtesy of the Fang family photographic archive in the digital collections of the Bancroft Library at UC Berkeley: Jean Harlow at the Hotel St. Francis in San Francisco on December 27, 1932, for a week’s post-Christmas shopping sojourn, according to the local Examiner. P.S. The wallpaper’s one thing, and the … Continue reading Harlow at the Hotel St. Francis (December 27, 1932)
A real “Double Wedding”!
August 31, 1936: Jean Harlow and William Powell—lovers as well as costars—leave the set of Libeled Lady at MGM to attend the wedding of Powell’s lookalike double, Warren ‘Doc’ Dearborn, to Miss Edith Bresnahan. As you can tell, I’m very pleased with myself over the joke in the title; Doc was in that one, too. … Continue reading A real “Double Wedding”!
Harlow History: Bombshell
August 11, 1933: Jean Harlow models a phenomenal gold lamé costume in publicity for Bombshell (1933), crafted by Adrian for Lola Burns, the flighty, exuberant heroine of the same movie. The high in Los Angeles on this day was an apparent 92 degrees, which renders Harlow (and everyone else at the studio that day) a … Continue reading Harlow History: Bombshell
Harlow History with Eleanor Roosevelt
Eleanor Roosevelt and Jean Harlow celebrating FDR’s fifty-fifth birthday inside the Wardman Park Hotel eighty-six years ago tonight, January 30, 1937. This was just one leg of the festivities, as previously mentioned; FDR’s fourth annual birthday ball was held in numerous hotels throughout D.C. and was being celebrated nationwide. Harlow pairs a white ermine wrap … Continue reading Harlow History with Eleanor Roosevelt
