Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Vivien Leigh turns 100

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Vivien Leigh. To celebrate her birthday, I decided to share some of my favorite photos of her.

Vivien preferred performing before an audience, on stage, as opposed to making movies. Therefore, she only made nineteen films, in her 32 year career as an actress.

Here she is as Titania, from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, in a 1937 theater production.


In the movie, Dark Journey, she plays the very fashionable spy, Madeleine Goddard.


Vivien also posed for many fashion magazines and famous photographers. Angus McBean, Cecil Beaton, Lazslo Willinger, Vivienne and Bassano are just a few of the photographers who attempted to capture her beauty.


I first saw Vivien Leigh in Gone With The Wind when the movie debuted on television. My mom was so excited about this movie, that my sisters and I caught her enthusiasm for GWTW before we ever saw it. It aired over two nights and we were allowed to stay up past our bedtime, which was a really big deal, to finish watching it each night.


No matter how many times I watch this movie, I still love it. The barbecue scene is one of my favorites. Below, Scarlett and Rhett embrace. This image is from a lobby card.
 

While filming Gone With The Wind, Vivien was involved (& had been for a couple of years) in a real-life, love affair with Laurence Olivier. Since both were still married to other people, the studio kept it hush-hush. This photo is one of my absolute favorites of the two of them.

 
This candid of  Vivien was snapped in a parking lot, near Lux Radio Theater, circa 1940, in Los Angeles.
 

Here, Vivien tries her hand as the Egyptian Queen, Cleopatra. This movie was based on George Bernard Shaw's play, Caesar and Cleopatra. A few years later, Olivier and her would bring the play to the stage.


Simply a lovely portrait.


Laurence Olivier in make-up for his stage role in Titus Andronicus, along with a bewigged Vivien Leigh. This pic was taken in Paris, opening night, 1957. In the 1950s, it was fashionable for "older" women to wear their hair short. This was a trend that Vivien followed. When I see her in wigs, such as this one, I can't help but think that longer hair made her look years younger.

 
As the beautiful Karen Stone in The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone, costarring Warren Beatty. Vivien played an aging actress preyed upon by a young gigolo.


In the garden of her home, Tickerage Mills, with her friend Godfrey Winn.


I hope you've enjoyed this photographic journey in the life of Vivien Leigh.

Thanks for your visit today!
~Michelle

Aynsley Tea Cup and Saucer

This week I'm sharing an Aynsley tea cup and saucer set.
 

I love the birds on the cup and saucer, unfortunately I don't know the name of this design.



All the colors are really vibrant in person.

 
There's a lot of gold trim going on!
 


Thanks for your visit today!
~Michelle

I'm linking up to:
Terri at Artful Affirmations
Martha at Martha's Favorites
Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Versace Barbie

I haven't posted in awhile, so I thought I'd start things off with a return to one of my favorite things: Barbie. I love collecting vintage Barbies, but I also love when Mattel creates special dolls.


This is the Versace Barbie doll, created by Donatella Versace. Versace Barbie was released in 2004. She wears a floor length taupe colored gown with matching heels.


There is so much detail on this gown. Her form fitting bodice laces up in the front and extends to her hips.


The bottom half of her taupe gown falls to the floor in a cascade of ruffles and has a thigh high split.


Underneath the box's lid, the doll is protected with a second, plastic lid. The plastic covering acts like a mirror, so I had to remove it to photograph the doll. Otherwise, all you'd see is me!


Lifetime recently debuted a movie, "House of Versace", based on Donatella Versace's life, before and after her brother's death. The movie stars Gina Gershon as Donatella and Enrico Colantoni as her brother, Gianni. It's not the best movie, but it should be watched simply for Gina Gershon's performance. She's completely amazing as Donatella.

 
 
 Thanks for your visit today!
~Michelle