Ginger Rogers

When asked in 1943 what a girl needs to be a movie star- "Intelligence, adaptability and talent. And by talent I mean the capacity for hard work. Lots of girls come here with little but good looks. Beauty is a valuable asset, but it is not the whole cheese."

    This toe tapping talent got her start at 14 when she won her first dance contest. Her original plan of becoming a teacher was overshadowed by her new found love for dance and theater inspired by her mother. With the nick-name Ginger, given to her by her baby cousin, she was ready for Hollywood. Unfortunately she stepped on a few toes along the way. While acting like a British aristocrat in order to get the role as Queen Elizabeth she offended Katherine Hepburn. Katherine ended up pouring a glass of water over Ginger and her new mink stole. Thankfully her cheerful nature won over the hearts of many and in 1936 she was commissioned as the only woman admiral of the Texas Navy.

    Not only did the Navy recognize her talent, Hollywood caught on as well. In 1945 she became Hollywood's highest paid star. 

Ginger also receive several life time achievement awards. It must have been her good looks an maybe a little hard work.

Zelda Sayer Fitzgerald

 

Zelda Sayer Fitzgerald, the voice of the roaring 20's.

This wild child loved all forms of art: writing, painting, dancing, and attention. Driven by impulse she led a fast paced life. Married at 19, mother at 21, career woman at 22. She made a name for herself writing articles on life during the jazz age. Her work was published in The New York Tribune,  Scribner's Magazine, Metropolitan Magazine, and The New York Times.

Being a well know writer was not enough and at 27 she began to study ballet. Unfortunately she got her start too late and her dream of becoming a prima ballerina fell short. This realization was too much for this young whirl wind star and she found herself in and out of mental institutions. With a marriage falling to pieces and her dancing dreams dashed, she gave herself over to her writing and painting. While admitted at Highland Hospital in Ashville, North Carolina she published her first and only novel, "Save Me the Waltz".

She had many setbacks during her time but never lost her passion. Her artwork and stories leave her legacy as the voice of the roaring 20's.

 

To read more on Zelda Sayer Fitzgerald click the link below

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=1373

Greta Garbo

Greta Garbo

 

This glamorous mystery woman got her start at 17. She was an actress at Stockholm's Royal Dramatic School. Mauritz Stiller, a film director, saw her there and cast her as the Countess Elizabeth Dohna. He also changed her name from Greta Gustafsson to  Greta Garbo. With this name she became a star. She had an intensity and unique insight that set her apart on and off the screen. During WWII she was employed by British Intelligence to track down Nazi sympathizers. The film directors tried to hide the fact that she wasn't in Hollywood. *Interestingly enough around that time Sophia Loren's mom was asked to move from Italy to Hollywood to play Greta Garbo's body double but turned down the offer.

She came back to her movie career without skipping a beat and in 1954 she received a Honorary Academy Award for her amazing on screen performances.

She was in a total of 28 films in about 20 years then disappeared from the eyes of Hollywood.

On the 23rd of September 2005, her 100th birthday, she was pictured on a 35 cent USA commemorative stamp.  She might have been out of sight but was never out of mind. 

 

 

To read more about Greta Garbo click the link below

http://www.biography.com/people/greta-garbo-9306210

#sofialoren

Sofia Loren

 

"Sex appeal is fifty percent what you've got and fifty percent what people think you've got."-Sophia Loren

Believe it or not, this beautiful swan started off more like the ugly duckling. In fact her wet nurse said Sophia was "the ugliest child I ever saw in my life." It wasn't until she turned 15 that her stick like figure was transformed. Her mother, who was a Gretta Garbo look alike, saw her potential and entered her into a beauty contest. She was crowned the Princess of the Sea. This started her acting and modeling career. In 1957 she stared in "The Pride and the Passion" with Cary Grant and Frank Sinatra. Cary Grant ended up professing his love for Sofia but she turned him down. Instead she married a man said to be twice her and half her height. They were married for 50 years until he passed away in 2007. They were able to find that mysterious balance between an acting career and a successful marriage. In 1961 she won the academy award for Best Lead Actress in "two Women." She was the first actress to win this award for a non-english-speaking language film.

Sophia Loren has always had a special place in her heart for her Italian heritage. Maybe that's her secret; to embrace who you are and to know how to work it!

 

To ready more click the link below

http://www.biography.com/people/sophia-loren-9386318?page=1#early-life

#gracekelly

Grace Kelly

 

Most know Grace Kelly as an actress and style Icon. It's true, she starred in 29 films most of which were directed by Alfred Hitchcock, but there is a bit more to this inspirational Princes.

Grace came from a family that was no stranger to the spotlight. Here father earned his recognition by winning three gold medals as an Olympic sculler. Her mother was the first coach of the woman's athletic department at the University of Pennsylvania. It's no wonder Grace herself was the first actress to be issued on a US stamp in 1993. She was also awarded a medal by the Austrian government for helping to aid refugees from Hungary, trying to escape invasion from Russia. 

 

To ready more please see the link below.

http://movies.allwomenstalk.com/interesting-facts-about-grace-kelly/10/

#bettedavis

Bette Davis

Bette Davis, with eyes like hers you wouldn't think she had to fight so hard to prove her talent. After being refused admission to LeGallienne's Manhattan Civic Repertory she enrolled at John Murray Anderson's Dramatic School. Here she became the star pupil, which is no easy task when you are up against talent like Lucille Ball. After preforming in numerous plays she was hired on by Universal. Unfortunately when she arrived in Hollywood the studio rep left without her because he couldn't find anyone who looked like a movie star.

She had an up and down career and moved on to Warner Brothers where she won two Oscars. These two Oscars weren't enough for them to take her seriously. It wasn't until after she tried to break off her contract that they started giving her primary rolls. Her up and down ride continued on but not in vain. In 1977 she received the AIF's Life Achievement Award.

It's safe to say that Bette Davis, with her serious gaze, is a beautiful example of strength in character and style.

 

For more info click the link below.

http://www.meredy.com/bettedavis/bio.html

 

Don't forget to send us your questions at vintagedivine@gmail.com and we will answer it in a blog post!

#carolelombard

Carole Lombard

 

 

The woman who had it all, beauty, brains, and blue language.

For someone who lived only 33 years she sure left behind quite a legacy. 

 

Carole was discovered by a director who saw her (age 12) out in the street playing baseball with her older brothers. He must have known he found a star. She became the highest paid female star of her time earning about $500,000 per year and; was listed No. 23 of 50 Greatest American Female Screen Legends by American Film Institute in 1999.

 

Carole was just as impressive off screen as she was on screen. She raised $2 million in war bonds to help fight WWII during a rally in her home town. Unfortunately her dedication to help the war efforts brought her life to an early end. She was honored by Franklin D. Roosevelt as the first woman killed in the line of duty during WWII. Her family was given her Presidential Medal of Freedom award and a liberty ship was named after her.

 

Her talent, style and patriotism is timeless and inspirational.

 

To read more about Carole Lombard click the link below

http://voices.yahoo.com/carole-lombard-15-interesting-facts-might-not-8896293.html?cat=37

 

Don't forget to send us your questions at vintagedivine@gmail.com