Lena Horne | Hollywood Yesterday

Lena Horne and Ernest Whitman, Stormy Weather

October 12, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Lena Horne and Ernest Whitman, Stormy Weather

If you’ve never seen the 1943 musical Stormy Weather (link to the movie on Prime Video), I hope you’ll see it as soon as possible. The movie stars Lena Horne, Bill Robinson, Cab Calloway and His Cotton Club Orchestra, Fats Waller, The Nicholas Brothers, Ernest Whitman, Ada Brown and more.

Trust me, it’s a cast few others can even begin to touch.

The charismatic movie is sort of a compilation of genres – comedy, musical, and drama. It’s unique and it’s wonderful.

You can also find Stormy Weather on dvd (link to the dvd on Amazon).

Beautiful Lena Horne

Lena Horne and Gonzo… The Muppet Show!

September 23, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Lena Horne and Gonzo

I absolutely love this picture of Lena Horne from her guest appearance on The Muppet Show in 1976. You can tell she enjoyed the experience and, understandably, Gonzo is obviously under her spell!

I knew I just had to have Lena Horne as my picture of the day (sometimes she is the only star that will do) and I thought this one was too cute not to use.

Hope your day gives you a million reasons to smile.

Hollywood in Kodachrome: A Book You MUST Have if You Love Old Hollywood

August 10, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Hollywood in Kodachrome

I believe I’ve mentioned on the Old Hollywood blog (as well as on my Old Hollywood Twitter page) just how cruel July treated me. Obviously, I’m in the same quarantine boat with everyone else as this global pandemic tragically carries on. However, July gave me a few more blows. My MUCH loved 17 year old cat died in my arms (gut-wrenching to say the least), and then the next day (while cooking and crying… not a good mix), I badly burned my arm and chest with hamburger grease.

Talk about pain! The emotional and physical pain sort of battled it out to see which one would bring me down first. Naturally, this lasted for weeks… long, long weeks.

My daughter Brittany bought me a book (the gorgeous one you see here, Hollywood in Kodachrome by David Wills) to lift my spirits. The fact that she DID it lifted them sky high (I swear, I have the sweetest family – I thank God for them every single day). Each time I look at the book – which sits out, prominently, because it’s such a work of art, I think about Brittany and smile.

(Review Continued Below….)

Judy Garland and Lena Horne

I’ve been anxious to tell y’all about Hollywood in Kodachrome (link to the book on Amazon) because it’s one I know you’ll love as much as I do. I look through it so often and, each time, notice something about a photograph or star I hadn’t noticed before.

I love to look at the photographs and dissect the colors used, the makeup (when applicable… literally), clothes, props, lighting, etc. Like acting, SO much goes into photography… and yet, when it’s done extraordinarily well, you don’t see the effort… you just see the magic.

This book is one work of magic after the other after the other after the other.

Book Description from Amazon:

Hollywood in Kodachrome is a stunning portfolio of the stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age, captured in rich, deeply saturated color photographs reproduced from original Kodachrome negatives and curated by collector David Wills and designer Stephen Schmidt, the creative team behind Marilyn Monroe: Metamorphosis and Audrey: The 60s.

From Elizabeth Taylor, Ava Gardner, and Rita Hayworth to Fred Astaire, Humphrey Bogart, and Gregory Peck—and many more—the silver screen’s elite are all here, in the full blush of youth, captured as if they were taken yesterday. But the true star is the medium itself: late-1940s sheet Kodachrome, a film stock that remains legendary for its rich tonal range, precise color, and detail.

Including a foreword by Golden Age star Rhonda Fleming, and featuring more than 200 photos from classic films and publicity shoots, Hollywood in Kodachrome is a magnificent tribute to Hollywood’s most beloved icons, captured at their glamorous best.

There are 329 pages in this extraordinary book – savoring the photos reminds me of walking through my kind of art gallery… one with only photos of Old Hollywood stars!

Some of the stars include:

Maureen O’Hara
Rita Hayworth
Lucille Ball
Lena Horne
Judy Garland
Yvonne DeCarlo (one particular photo that’ll make your jaw drop!)
Humphrey Bogart
Lauren Bacall
Clark Gable
Bette Davis
Frank Sinatra
Errol Flynn
Lana Turner
Elizabeth Taylor
Marilyn Monroe
and just about every star from the 40s you can name… with many featured more than once.

Many of the publicity shots are never-before-seen… something I can attest to and vouch for. I’ve spent my life up to my chin in Old Hollywood photographs and films and there are countless photos in this gorgeous book I’ve never seen before.

I don’t want to post many of the inside photographs, here, for several reasons:

It wouldn’t be fair to the authors, publishers, or photographers. I wouldn’t want people using the photos online without their consent. These professionals work extremely hard and give us so much – I want to always be fair to them. I only use the gorgeous Judy Garland and Lena Horne photos (above) to give you an idea just how big and gloriously beautiful the photos are. I carefully cropped them in a manner where they can’t be used anywhere online and made certain to leave the photographers’ names intact. I also thought these two photos illustrated what I was talking about when it comes to looking at the background colors, clothing, and makeup. Their lipsticks just pop with the colors around them!
I want you to have the same extraordinary experience I did each time I turned the page, wondering who I’d “meet” next! It was unspeakably fun to come across so many unexpected pictures and stars. I want you to experience that for yourself.

(Review Continued Below…)

Hollywood in Kodachrome

I also love the “outtakes” (previously unpublished) of stars in famous ad campaigns (Max Factor, Lipton, Lucky Strike, Lux, Royal Crown Cola…).

I took the picture above to try and give you an idea just how big this magnificent book is – by using one of my coffee mugs and a tumbler as comparison… and yet I’m still not convinced it captures just how big and beautiful this book is!

This is simply a breathtakingly beautiful collection of photographs of the greatest stars the world has ever known. It’s a celebration of their lives, their spark, and their magic.

You can find Hollywood in Kodachrome (link to the book on Amazon) on Amazon. When you click through the link, you’ll notice it is available “used” as well as “new.”

I couldn’t possibly recommend this showcase any more than I do. It not only lifted my spirits when they needed them most, it provides joy on a regular basis.

And Lauren looks so gorgeous sitting out to greet me each time I walk into the room!

Hollywood in Kodachrome (link to the stunning book on Amazon)

Hollywood in Kodachrome: A Spectacular Book for Anyone Who Loves Old Hollywood, Beauty, and Photography

July 20, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Hollywood in Kodachrome by David Wills

As I said in a previous post, I’ve had a really, really rotten July. I just did my makeup, so I won’t get into the details again.. runny mascara isn’t much of a look on anyone not named Ava Gardner.

To lift my spirits, one of my daughters (Brittany) bought me the book you see here, Hollywood in Kodachrome. Knowing my GREAT love for Old Hollywood, she knew I’d lose myself in its pages at a time when losing myself would be just what I needed.

This book is absolutely spectacular – if you love old Hollywood and/or photography, this is the next book you’ll want to add to your collection. Each time I sit, looking through the gorgeous photos, I think how it feels this book was made just for me… just for now.

However, that’s dangerously short-changing the book. Hollywood in Kodachrome is an ideal book for anyone – whether their spirits need to be lifted or their spirits are soaring just fine, thank you very much.

Photographers, understandably, are very particular about where, when, and how their photos are shared with others, so I don’t want to include any here in the post. When you click through one of the links in this post, you can see some of the photos in a preview on Amazon. Even though they appear there, I’m just not comfortable publishing them, here.

I will tell you a few names you can expect to see gorgeous photos of:

Lena Horne
Maureen O’Hara
Henry Fonda
Veronica Lake
Rita Hayworth
Lana Turner
Frank Sinatra
John Wayne
Martha Vickers
Marilyn Monroe
Bette Davis
And many, many, many more.

Many of these photos are never-before-seen!

From the Back Cover

Kodachrome film saturated the 1940s with an unprecedented explosion of color. Movie audiences, accustomed to seeing photographs of their favorite stars on magazine covers, billboards, and cinema marquees in monochrome or black-and-white, were suddenly enthralled as their idols came to life in vibrant hues as flesh-and-blood human beings. For the first time, the world was treated to the glory of Rita Hayworth’s auburn hair, Gary Cooper’s blue eyes, Betty Grable’s rosy cheeks, and the multicolored fruit bouquets of Carmen Miranda’s hats.

Curator and photographic preservationist David Wills has amassed one of the world’s largest private collections of original Kodachromes and color photographs from the 1940s. Now, in Hollywood in Kodachrome, he has gathered spectacular, museum-quality work from many of the great photographers of Hollywood’s golden era—George Hurrell, Clarence Sinclair Bull, John Engstead, Paul Hesse, Ernest Bachrach, Bernard of Hollywood, Robert Coburn, Ray Jones, Bud Fraker, Frank Powolny, Eugene Robert Richee, and many others—to create this stunning portfolio of images that pays homage to the richest, clearest, most brilliant, and archivally dependable film stock in history.

Among the highlights:

Rare and classic images digitally restored from their original 4×5, 5×7, and 8×10 Kodachrome sheet transparencies, vintage Carbro and dye transfer prints, and modern Cibachrome prints.

Never-before-seen publicity photos, scene stills, and work shots from many of Hollywood’s most beloved films of the 1940s.

Previously unpublished portraits of Clark Gable, Bette Davis, Cary Grant, Lana Turner, Errol Flynn, Lucille Ball, Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, John Wayne, Marilyn Monroe, and many others.

Rare “posed candids” and behind-the-scenes photos of stars at play, poolside, relaxing at home, and with family.

Unpublished outtakes of stars in famous ad campaigns, including Max Factor, Lux, Lipton Tea, Lucky Strike, and Royal Crown Cola.

Never-before-seen WWII patriot photography of stars in service uniform and posing with the American flag.

Pairing more than 250 first-generation photographs with vintage magazine covers, advertisements, movie posters, quotes from photographers, and a personal foreword by Hollywood’s “Queen of Technicolor,” Rhonda Fleming, Hollywood in Kodachrome is an unforgettable showcase of a time when movies were truly glamorous and color photography reigned supreme at its most luscious.

Find this extraordinary book on Amazon (Hollywood in Kodachrome) or in a bookstore. You’re going to love it each time you look through it. Talk about a fascinating coffee table book – only problem is, you’ll lose your guest’s attention entirely as they look through this very, very large 352 page book!

Cabin in the Sky Lobby Card: Cannot Begin to Tell You How Much I Love This One…

July 8, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

I love when a Lobby Card or movie poster don’t just capture the actors and actresses involved but also capture the “energy” of the film. This lobby card for the wonderful Cabin in the Sky does just that. This is a very unique, colorful, and bold musical – one that very much marches to the beat of its own drum. This particular lobby card pretty much announces that to the world!

If you’ve never seen this one, I hope you get a chance to check it out soon. Lena Horne, Ethel Waters, Eddie Anderson, Rex Ingram (outstanding!), and the rest of the cast are breathtakingly good and this film deserves so much more attention than it currently gets.

I’m kind of on a mission to make that happen!

Watch Cabin in the Sky on Amazon Prime or add the dvd to your collection. The dvd linked to, on Amazon, has some of the wonderful artwork above on the cover. Gotta have it for my collection, even though I already have the dvd!

Eddie Anderson, Lena Horne, and Rex Ingram: Great Behind the Scenes Picture

June 13, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Eddie Anderson, Lena Horne, and Rex Ingram – Behind the Scenes of Cabin in the Sky

I’ve professed my love countless times for “behind the scenes” pictures and this particular one is a perfect example of why I love them so much! You can get such a great look at the stars’ personalities with these photos. I love Eddie Anderson’s adorable face, Lena Horne’s beautiful and teasing smile, and Rex Ingram’s enjoyment of the whole thing!

If you’ve never seen Cabin in the Sky, I hope you’ll find it as soon as possible. It may sound corny… and I apologize if it does… but it is simply a delightful film. The talent is through the roof, the joy is palpable, and it’s simply a very, very, very “feel good” movie.

Eddie Anderson, Lena Horne, and Rex Ingram

Picture of the Day: Lena Horne and Judy Garland, The Judy Garland Show

June 2, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Lena Horne and Judy Garland, 1963

The Judy Garland Show was made up of episodes where the wonderful Judy Garland sang and visited with other wonderful performers. One such performer was one of my absolute favorite stars of all time – the legend, herself, Lena Horne. (Click HERE to see a video of the beautiful ladies singing a duet)

The Cabin in the Sky Lobby Card… LOVE IT!

May 25, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Cabin in the Sky Lobby Card: Rex Ingram, Kenneth Spencer, Eddie Anderson, and… of course, Lena Horne!

I’ve already declared my undying love for Lobby Cards – the design, the font, the colors… I am obsessed. I’ve begun collecting them and am having the time of my life.

The one above is one I’d like to get my mitts on. First of all, I collect anything and everything related to Lena Horne, so this is a must have for my collection. Also, I love the colors and the overall design of this lobby card. Bonus… the movie, itself, is outstanding!

You can find Cabin in the Sky (link to dvd on Amazon) on dvd or Watch on Prime. I haven’t been able to find any Cabin in the Sky lobby cards on Amazon yet, but there are a few gorgeous posters – including one very similar to the lobby card above as well as one (shown below) featuring the wonderful art on the front of the dvd.

As you’d imagine, the collector in me is beside herself.

Lena Horne: Someone to Watch Over Me

May 21, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

I have many things that are such a part of my daily routine that I do them without even thinking… feeding my cats, drinking coffee (cup after cup…), reading from an Agatha Christie book (even books I’ve read before), etc. Another of these “dailies” is listening to Lena Horne. There’s just something about her beautiful voice that I’m so drawn to, I make sure I don’t go a day without it.

While I normally pop in my cds, I do enjoy videos on YouTube (after all, like the one above, they come with such gorgeous pictures!). The song above, “Someone to Watch Over Me” is one of my favorites.

I know you’ll love it (and the pictures!) just as much.

The Gorgeous and Talented Lena Horne

Lena Horne and Richard Widmark: Death of a Gunfighter

May 9, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Lena Horne, Death of a Gunfighter

I love Lena Horne for a lot of reasons – she was beautiful, talented, strong, intelligent, stylish, classy, and had the voice of an angel… the star angel in God’s choir.

I also love her because she was one of the musicians and actresses my mom and I agreed on!

She loved Elizabeth Taylor and Grace Kelly the way I loved Maureen O’Hara, Rita Hayworth, Ava Gardner, and Ann-Margret.

She loved The Waltons… I loved Little House on the Prairie.

She loved Lawrence Welk… I preferred Hee Haw.

She loved Cary Grant best… I preferred John Wayne and Clint Eastwood.

(Continued Below…)

Lena Horne and Richard Widmark, Death of a Gunfighter

We even differed with books – She loved reading romance novels… I loved Agatha Christie and Nancy Drew and would need to be PAID to read a romance novel!

But when it came to Lena Horne, we were both in absolute awe of her. If she were on the television, we froze and hung on her every move. If she were on the radio or we were playing her music in the house… we knew every word of every song. We had one lovely entertainer we could agree on! Because of this, I think of my mom anytime I see a Lena Horne photo or film.

So, as you can see, the wonderful Lena Horne has a special place in my heart.

The photos shown here are from her 1969 film, Death of a Gunfighter. I am absolutely in love with the fact that she was cast as Richard Widmark’s wife… the gorgeous girlfriend of the protagonist who just happens to be a woman of color.

We may not think twice about that now, but back then? It was bold casting that paid off in a big way. She was wonderful in the film and had palpable chemistry with Richard Widmark.

If you’ve never seen it, I hope you’ll check it out.