Happy Birthdays

Today, February 27th, would have been Elizabeth Taylor's 82nd birthday, as well as Joan Bennett's 104th. Joan Bennett and Elizabeth Taylor played mother and daughter in the 1950 film Father of the Bride, as well as its sequel Father's Little Dividend.

Here they are in a cute publicity still for Father of the Bride:

Other stars that had birthdays today are Franchot Tone and Joanne Woodward. Also John Steinbeck, who wrote many novels that were made into films, such as The Grapes of Wrath, East of Eden, and Tortilla Flat.

Happy Valentine's Day!

After Halloween, Valentine's Day is probably my favorite holiday photo theme.

First, a scan of Rita Hayworth on the cover of the March 1943 issue of Modern Screen magazine, made to look like an actual Valentine card.

The "magazine as a Valentine" was something that the fan magazines did fairly often from the 1930s through the 1950s. Modern Screen was especially fond of doing it. Unfortunately this is the only Valentine-themed magazine that I own, but hopefully I'll come into possession of more in the future!

Joan Leslie as the Queen of Hearts in the 1940s.

Adorable Puerto Rican actress Olga San Juan in 1945.

Nancy Carroll in the 1930s.

Lana Turner posing in front of a giant red velvet heart, 1940s.

Betty Grable's leggy Valentine's Day photos are still very popular. Here's a slightly less common one, from the 1940s.

source: flickr.com

And last but not least, Miss Marilyn Monroe, inside a giant heart wearing a bathing suit with hearts all over it! The photo is from the late 1940s.

Rest in Peace, Shirley Temple

 1928 - 2014

Article on nytimes.com.