Vintage Paparazzi Fashions

Smart investment for now and later is this rayon suit with its tiny, fashion-wise checks. Soft roll collar, curved hip pockets give it dress-up charm. Figure-flattering, it comes in sizes 7 to 15, 10 to 20, 10 plus to 20 plus. In navy or black with white check, gray with yellow or tan with cream. A Weathervane suit by Handmacher, $25.00 at Kresge—Newark, N. J., Schuneman’s, St. Paul, Minn.

Spring tonic: On above—a Jaunty Juniors reproduction of the Liz Scott—Michael Woulfe bolero suit. In the new bright blue, it has youthful appeal with removable white pique trim on waist-length jacket. Slim skirt has soft pleats stitched below the waist. In rayon flannel, it also comes in tan or gray, sizes 7-15. Around $39.95 at Charles F. Berg, Portland, Ore., Jenny’s, Cincinnati, O. Pearls by Marvella.

A lady enters the picture—in a suit designed for every smart occasion. In worsted sheen gabardine, distinctive jacket has double link closing, tiny check trim outlining the wide lapels. Skirt has stitched center pleat faced with the same check, Sizes 10-18 in navy, black, beige or gray, all with check trim. Around $65.00 by Lilli Ann at Saks 34th St., New York, N. Y. The May Co., Los Angeles, Cal. Straw roller by Stetson

Photoplay’s Pattern Of The Month

 

It’s that exhilarating time of the year when the girl who sews is ready to wear—a dress like this. Easy to make, its simple lines show off the tiny checks that are smart this season. Crisp white pique dickey sets off revere front. Deep pique cuffs are removable. Try it in Celanese’s Feathercheck—a rayon that feels like flannel.

MARCH AIRS

 

This was the month in which premieres took precedence over parties—that’s for sure. And provided just as much fun and excitement, especially with some of the late spot doings that followed the super-duper pre-showings and openings. We’ll take up the doings and datings and duds in chronological order and, believe us, some of the datings and some of the duds were full of surprises! First came the colorful opening of Warner’s “Breakthrough.” Movies, we should tell you, often open later in their home town than they do elsewhere in the country. In the big turnout that laughed, cried and loved it, was John Agar, one of its stars, beauing Susan Morrow, just when everybody thought Mona Knox was the gal he couldn’t do without. Also, Wanda Hendrix, looking real cute in a shortish white evening gown, topped by a little black evening wrap with tiny matching muff, was with newsman Nils Larson (but her newest crush is designer Bob Boyle); and Ann Miller was with Charles Isaacs (Eva Gabor’s ex) and not hotel man Conrad Hilton, as everyone would expect.

What’s more, Ann got lost from Charles and, when we last saw her, she was wandering around the parking lot looking for him or his car. Ann was all done up in a slinky, floor-length, very tight silver lame gown and a white mink cape-stole. (You couldn’t imagine a more divine costume for searching—huh?) . . . Joan Crawford was there man-less, with the Frank Love-joys—and Frank is so-o-o good in “Breakthrough.” Ditto for David Brian who with his wife, Adrian Booth, drove up in an Army jeep and got a big hand from the crowd in front of the theater.

There were a lot of Marine generals and Army brass at the inspiring ceremonies on stage preceding the picture. Others who enjoyed them were the Gordon MacRaes, Janet Leigh, with Tony Curtis (she wore bouffant blue taffeta, mucho tiny flowers in the center of the bodice and more in her hair), Gene Nelson with Miriam Franklin Nelson, Bob Stack with Claudette Thornton, stunning in a rather tailored blue faille, floor-length evening gown. She’s his best girl—and don’t let anyone tell you different! He even goes shopping with her and helps pick out some of the lovely things she wears. We know because we caught ’em at it in Beverly Hills!

Tall, statuesque Pat Neal was stunning in a very elegant gown that was a pale yellow sheath, embroidered all over in paillettes that shaded from yellow to gold. It had a new feature in a strapless bodice of gray taffeta that looked almost like a “raised sash”—with its hanging drape starting from just above the waistline, that terminated in two wide panels sweeping almost to the floor. She wore a lot of heavy gold jewelry—so knockout with the knockout color combination of yellow and gray, anyway!

Mocambo really has started (?) something with its Monday night Community Sings! Sure—we know this sorta thing has been going on for years and you may ask, “How corny can they get in Filmtown? But the supposed sophisticates around here went m-a-a-d for the old fashioned tunes, the colored slides flashed on the portable screen at the end of the dance floor and joined in with such vigor, we couldn’t help but wonder where in heck did all ‘these ringsiders, including plenty of almost youngsters, learn all the words???

Anyway, with Harry Crocker as m.c. and radio star Art Baker “conducting” (and singing) the vocals; with an impromptu barroom quartet composed of Bob Stack, restaurateur Dave Chasen, sports writer Vince Flaherty, and Charlie Farrell singing “By the Sea” plus “When Irish Eyes are Smiling”; and other celebrity volunteers winning such prizes as a turkey, a sack of oranges, a live pig and a case of champagne, it was really fun. Mocambo is replacing its Charleston nights with the Community Sings—at least for a while—and they’re sure going over! And why not, when Freddie Carger, whose great and for the most part, hot little band hat plays most of the better parties, gives with the dance music on these occasions?

Barbara Payton and Franchot Tone, a two soon to be one, Vic Damone with Susan Cabot, Louella O. Parsons, Yvonne De Carlo with Jock O’Mahoney (her ex-fiance) who are dating again—after busting up with all those recriminations—remember? Janie Powell and Geary Steffen, the Ezio Pinzas, Marta Toren and Ronald Reagan—were just a handful who joined the chorus.

At Mocambo, late the other night, we saw Lana Turner, Bob Topping, Ava Gardner with her manager, Ben Cole, and the Van Heflins tabled together. Also producer Bill Dozier with Linda Darnell, Linda, smart gal, knows that a gorgeous brunette looks even more gorgeous in simple white and was gowned thusly.

Lana looked more luscious than usual (if that’s possible) in a low-cut black satin gown, even lower than that in a heart shape cut at center bodice where she pinned her beautiful wing-like diamond clips. Her hair was piled very high with very blonde braids (falsie or otherwise) and we were sitting close enough to note that the three or four small diamond clips that studded her hair-do were either a couple of pairs of diamond earrings she wasn’t using that evening, or a few odd diamond clips she had lying around the house. But they weren’t rhinestones, Toots!

Jeanne Crain with Paul Brinkman (she in deep rose satin, white ermine wrap and lots of rhinestone jewelry), the Danny Kayes, Joan Crawford in a dream dress of red taffeta (one bare shoulder—the other heavily covered with deeper red roses), Glenn Ford and Eleanor Powell were other stay-up-laters.

Knowing how much Linda Darnell and Bill Dozier are seeing each other, and ditto for Joan Fontaine and Collier Young, we really had to blink catching Dozier and Joan F. cozily and happily laffing over dinner together at La Rue a few nights later. She looked so smart that evening in a street dress that was a long-sleeved sheath of emerald-green wool jersey, over which she wore a belted, sleeveless jerkin of rust-colored velveteen with a huge “jewel” encrusted gold arrow thrust through the belt of rust-colored leather. The Robin Hood effect was completed with Joan’s tiny, green felt peaked hat from which a long stiff quill jutted forward.

Then, of course, there was an opening of another sort—meaning the Hollywood Park race track. And that certainly has never been nor would be complete without hoss owners and hoss lovers, Betty Grable and Harry James. La Grable was wearing another of her perennial favorites at the track that day, a pencil-straight, slim-hipped (wot else?) dressmaker suit of light cocoa-brown wool. Tailored, yet with feminine touches in the way of stitching and shaping in the matter of its coat collar and cuffs, and with buttons covered with the suit material. Hip-length coat was slightly nipped in at the waist. Only one pocket—a breast pocket on the jacket. The skirt was so tight that only its slit permitted walking with ease. Betty’s gloves, shoes and bag were of darker brown cobra. Her hat was a matching tiny flat felt with a little grosgrain ribbon cockade toward the front.

Now then, we come to just about the most enjoyable “opening” of ’em all! But with the movies of such quality already mentioned, how can we or anyone say “most” anything about it? However, we never expect to witness a more hilarious event than the press preview (though it turned out to be a “ball” for the town’s toppers besides!) of “Born Yesterday”! And take our word, a new star was born. Of course, we mean Judy Holliday, who scored a hit in the play on Broadway, who almost didn’t get the screen version for her very own!

And that’s what the picture turned out to be—her very own! We sure hope the rumor that it won’t be released for many months yet, isn’t true. What a treat you-all have coming in this hilarious movie that Judy just wraps up and walks away with! Never have heard such raves from old-timers and newcomers as those that were heard when the lights went up.

You could still hear them later at Mocambo because it happened to be the same night that Carl Brisson bowed in at that spot. And what a big success he scored. His dotter-in-law, Rosalind Russell, wasn’t the only applauder for Carl, whose vitality and attractiveness continues to amaze everyone. Van Johnson got up and sang a chorus of “Oh, You Beautiful Doll” with him, as did Red Skelton. Adele Jergens, in a lovely short evening gown of amethyst chiffon, Betty Garrett and Larry Parks, Esther Williams and Ben Gage, Patricia Medina (in a short, simple, puff-sleeved black velvet cocktail dress) with Richard Greene (together but not yet reconciled), Terry Moore and Roddy McDowall, the John Dereks, Rhonda Fleming with Ronald Reagan (he sure gets around!), the Jerome Courtlands—were some of the ringsiders who called Brisson back for more and more encores.

And oh, gee!—nearly forgot—Shelley Winters was re-dating with Farley Granger. But what we started to say was that Shelley got herself all done up in a very “nakedy” black sequin evening gown, complete with masses of pale silver blue mink for a wrap and special hair-do—the works! Then Farley showed up to take her to the “Born Yesterday” preview all un-done in a sports suit plus blue shirt! She told a reporter, “I could have killed him!”

THE END

 

It is a quote. PHOTOPLAY MAGAZINE MARCH 1951