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Events

Hollywood Hallowe’en cheesecake

1947. Lillian Wells in the shadow of a suggestive Hallowe’en cat. Read more.

Anyone fancy a slice of Hollywood Hallowe’en cheesecake? It’s not for all tastes and some might find it a bit sickly. But if you’re not feeling too straight-laced, it should bring a smile to your face.

For the Hollywood studios, never shy about using sex to sell their movies, from the 1920s and into the 1950s, Hallowe’en, is a great opportunity to get their (female) stars into the press.

The result is a welter of truly trashy shots, some of which are simultaneously coy and suggestive while at the same time retaining a certain period charm.

In an article for LIFE magazine, Ben Cosgrove reminds us that:

Many Hollywood studios put their faith in photographs of their comeliest stars striking what, in retrospect, were perfectly absurd poses, wearing perfectly absurd outfits. The creation of these “pinup” shots — often referred to by the catchall term “cheesecake” — was a miniature industry all its own, with stylists, makeup artists, electricians, grips and other behind-the-scenes experts working with photographers and, of course, the actresses themselves to produce publicity stills.

But look just beneath the surface of these superficial images, and you’ll find some remarkable achievements and moving stories of the real women in front of the cameras. They’re putting on a show here just as they do in the movies.

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A model witch

A model witch

1945. I first came across Dusty Anderson as the cover girl for Farm Journal in Cover Girl, a must-see movie for anyone who's into...

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Bubble bubble, toil and trouble

Bubble bubble, toil and trouble

1945. You'd never guess it, but Dusty Anderson's life is in turmoil as she poses for this shot. She's announced her divorce from Captain...

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Dusty Anderson as a pretty kitty

Dusty Anderson as a pretty kitty

1946. It looks as if the success of Dusty Anderson's Hallowe'en shoot last year as a witch with her broomstick has persuaded Columbia to reprise...

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Silent Halloween

Silent Halloween

Around 1925. Bebe Daniels is one of the most popular stars of the silent era. Cecil B DeMille has pestered her into signing with Paramount...

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Bewitching

Bewitching

1948. Adele Jergens takes time off from playing brassy platinum-blond bombshells and film-noir femmes fatales to embrace an enamoured Mr Pumpkin. The cat's silhouette in...

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Halloween preparations

Halloween preparations

1943. Nan Wynn (holding the candle) has come to Hollywood on the back of her singing success on the vaudeville circuit and the wireless. Having...

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A Halloween travesty

A Halloween travesty

1947. The things studios do to promote movies! Here is Jane Greer, starring in Out of the Past as Kathie Moffat, who turns out as...

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Halloween confrontation

Halloween confrontation

1938. Rita Johnson, at the start of her Hollywood career, fearlessly confronts Mr Pumpkin.

She will go on to star in a string of movies...

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Other topics you may be interested in…

Movie stars of the 1940s – talent, savvy, looks and luck
Shooting for the stars – insights from four leading Hollywood cinematographers
Sylvia (Anita Ekberg) cools off in the Trevi Fountain in Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita
Short stories – for a quick break

Filed Under: Events, Stars Tagged With: Adele Jergens, Anita Louise, Bebe Daniels, cheesecake, Dusty Anderson, Eddie Cronenweth, Halloween, Jane Greer, Lillian Wells, Nan Wynn, Robert Coburn

Hollywood stars announce Japan’s surrender

Rita Hayworth, Orson Welles and Marlene Dietrich relax after announcing the news
15 August 1945. Rita Hayworth, Orson Welles and Marlene Dietrich relax after announcing the news. Photo by Otto Rothschild. Read more.

On 15 August 1945, Japan’s surrender brings World War II to a close. News doesn’t come much more momentous than that, and one of the broadcasters reporting it was KFWB, a Los Angeles radio station.

In the studio were none other than Hollywood stars Rita Hayworth, Orson Welles and Marlene Dietrich. As the San Fernando Valley Times reports:

KFWB had the most “glamorous” copy-girls in the nation during last Monday’s all-night alert caused by word of Japan’s surrender. Marlene Dietrich and Rita Hayworth, who came to the studio with Orson Welles early Monday evening stayed all night, watching the teletypes and rushing bulletins to the microphone, where Welles did a “marathon” commentary lasting most of the night.

Orson and Rita had been married for two years. Judging by their expressions here, who would guess that disaster lay ahead? The following year they would begin making The Lady from Shanghai, with Rita in the starring role opposite Orson, who also directed. It ‘reads’ like a letter of pure hatred towards Rita and it was released in 1948, the couple were divorced in November 1947.

Marlene had moved from Germany to the US in 1930. She had rejected the Nazis’ blandishments and become one of the first celebrities to raise money for US war bonds.

This photo and all but two of the others on this page are from a shoot by photographer Otto Rothschild, showing the news coming in and being announced. Rothschild was the official performing arts photographer for the Los Angeles Music Center, the Hollywood Bowl and the LA Philharmonic Orchestra. (The other two were taken by Eugene L Abbott.)

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Rita and Orson read the incoming news

Rita and Orson read the incoming news

KFWB Radio, Los Angeles, 15 August 1945. Orson Welles looks on as Rita Hayworth reads the teletype announcing Japan's surrender. Photo by Otto Rothschild.

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Orson and Marlene at the KFWB Radio teletype machine

Orson and Marlene at the KFWB Radio teletype machine

KFWB Radio, Los Angeles, 15 August 1945. Marlene Dietrich, Orson Welles and Sam Balter are mesmerized by the teletype machine announcing Japan's surrender. Photo by Otto Rothschild.

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Marlene announces Japan's surrender

Marlene announces Japan’s surrender

KFWB Radio, Los Angeles, 15 August 1945. Marlene Dietrich announces Japan's surrender. Photo by Otto Rothschild.

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Marlene and others at KFWB Radio

Marlene and others at KFWB Radio

KFWB Radio, Los Angeles, 15 August 1945. Marlene Dietrich receives news of Japan's surrender together with John Dehner, Sam Balter, John Hughes and Lou Marcelle. Photo by Otto Rothschild.

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Marlene at the KFWB Radio teletype machine

Marlene at the KFWB Radio teletype machine

KFWB Radio, Los Angeles, 15 August 1945. Marlene Dietrich and Sam Balter discuss the news of Japan's surrender. In the background is John B Hughes. Photo by Otto Rothschild.

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Marlene, Orson and others discuss Japan's surrender

Marlene, Orson and others discuss Japan’s surrender

KFWB Radio, Los Angeles, 15 August 1945. Marlene Dietrich, Orson Welles, John Dehner and a crowd of men gather around a teletype machine as news arrives of Japan's surrender. Photo by Otto Rothschild.

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Marlene reads teletype messages

Marlene reads teletype messages

KFWB Radio, Los Angeles, 15 August 1945. It turns out that Otto Rothschild wasn’t the only snapper at KFWB that day. Here’s another shot of Marlene, and this one has a caption on the back:

Marlene Dietrich reads wires and teletype messages in the receiving room at radio station KFWB. Though a foreign-born actress, Marlene was as interested in the war as any American born citizen. When she felt that the news of Japanese surrender was soon to be heard she went to KFWB so that she would hear the news the moment it was flashed on the wires. She spent the night and slept only a few moments during that time.

Photo by Eugene L Abbott.

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Orson and Marlene relax at KFWB Radio

Orson and Marlene relax at KFWB Radio

KFWB Radio, Los Angeles, 15 August 1945. Orson Welles and Marlene Dietrich relax after announcing the surrender of Japan. Photo by Otto Rothschild.

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Marlene Dietrich takes a nap

Marlene takes a nap

KFWB Radio, Los Angeles, 15 August 1945. The stars stay up to announce Japan's surrender but at some point tiredness gets the better of Marlene. A caption on the back of the photo (the date presumably is the date the photo was issued) reads:

8/24/45
Early in the morning, Marlene began to get a little sleepy, but so that she would be sure and not miss anything, she took a short nap outside the news room. Lennie Hayden and Lloyd Jones walk out but are careful not to disturb her.

Photo by Eugene L Abbott.

Most of the photos are from the personal collection of John Dehner. John worked as a radio actor before becoming a TV star. Prior to acting, he was an animator at Walt Disney Studios and also a professional pianist.

Also featured are Sam Balter, a member of the United States gold medal basketball team in 1936 and the only Jewish-American to win a gold medal at the Berlin Olympics; John B Hughes, an actor, who starred in Meet John Doe (1941) and Rhapsody in Blue (1945); and Lou Marcelle, an actor, known for Stars on Horseback (1943) and Where Will You Hide? (1948).

Other topics you may be interested in…

Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth at loggerheads
Celebrity break-up – why Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth split
Paris after World War II – fact, fashion and fantasy
Barbara Stanwyck in The Two Mrs Carrolls
Unsafe sex – the starlet’s dilemma

Filed Under: Behind the scenes, Events, Photographers, Stars Tagged With: DFWB, Eugene L Abbott, John B Hughes, John Dehner, Lou Marcelle, Marlene Dietrich, Orson Welles, Otto Rothschild, Rita Hayworth, Sam Balter

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