Love Those Classic Movies!!!: Joan Crawford

Showing posts with label Joan Crawford. Show all posts

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Sydney Guilaroff: MGM's Original Hairstylist!

Sydney Guilaroff - the famed hair stylist whose art graced numerous leading ladies and men in Hollywood. Sydney is the very first to have his craft mentioned in movie credits. His work in the motion pictures was with MGM Studios which started in the 1930's and ended in the 1970's, what an impressive career!

Sydney's road from Canada to New York City:

Sydney's family resided in both Winnipeg and Montreal, Canada. He knew that dreams were going to take happen for him by moving and relocating to New York City. At the tender age of fourteen Sydney moved by himself from Canada to NYC where at the beginning was rough. The young man

found the transition to NYC with no one he knew difficult at first and needed to find work which he did locate by doing stockroom work at the famous Gimbel's department store. During this period he had inconsistency with money and work where sleeping on park benches in Central Park happened.

Finally, Sydney landed an opportunity at a hair salon where he became the beautician's assistant. He started to take note of the work the hairstylist was doing and fell in love with the work and before he knew it was being mentored. During this time Sydney's wings bloomed to take flight where people took notice of his fine work and his clientele started to expand. The famed actress Louise Brooks got her famous bob from Sydney and also to note Miriam Hopkins and Corrine Griffith both legendary actresses were his clients. Sydney was making quite a name for himself in New York City!

Sydney Moves to Hollywood and Reigns Supreme at MGM!:

During his time at the famed Antoine's Salon in New York City, Sydney obtained another new client the famed Hollywood actress Joan Crawford. Joan Crawford loved Sydney's work so much that she constantly traveled from California to NYC for hair styling. MGM head Louis B. Mayer took Sydney as part of the studios staff as Chief Hairdresser since Joan insisted that prior to all productions she

was to travel to NYC and have no one else work on her hair.

Sydney did not see eye to eye with Louis B. Mayer and the contracts needless to say did not work. Rather than a contract, Sydney worked at the studio and no other doing what he did best which is the fine art of the leading ladies and men. During his time at MGM he provided his art to over two thousand motion pictures creating such dynamic work of art such as the beautiful ornate styles that Norma Shearer had in the film; "Marie Antoinette" to the huge all women cast of "The Women" starring Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer, Paulette Goddard, Rosalind Russell, and Joan Fontaine.

His huge mark that people will remember additionally is coming up with the red hair for the then blonde Lucille Ball. This idea of coloring Lucy's hair made a huge difference and her career simply went up with one of her trademarks, that bright red hair! Another is coming-up with the pig tails for

Judy Garland and her noteworthy role in "The Wizard of OZ" then creating Claudette Colbert's famous bangs. Other noteworthy leading ladies he styled for both the studio and personally were Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, Greta Garbo, Marilyn Monroe, Ava Gardner, and Marlene Dietrich.

Sydney continued to style the famed after his work with MGM in Television movies such as; "The Two Mrs. Grenvilles in 1987 for stars Ann-Margret and Claudette Colbert amongst other projects.

In 1996, Sydney released his own autobiography entitled; Crowning Glories and in 1997 passed away at the age of 89.

Sydney was and still to this day one huge inspiration as to the classic film era and the art to it which will never be matched.

Saturday, April 26, 2014

When Ladies Meet (1941) Crawford, Taylor, Garson & Marshall....oh my!

When Ladies Meet (1941/MGM Studios)

Directed By: Robert Z. Leonard

Starring: Joan Crawford, Robert Taylor, Greer Garson, Herbert Marshall, & Spring Byington

Costumes By: Adrian

Hair Styles Designer: Sydney Guilaroff

If you are a fan of the 1940's MGM Studio days than you will ADORE this classic. I truly enjoy the old studio system where MGM and others took advantage of the star studded lots of talent they had and utilized them in each film. You simply did not have one star carrying the weight of the film but several such as in this noteworthy classic; "When Ladies Meet" from 1941. Joan Crawford at this time was drawing to the end her long successful career with MGM. This film was amongst others that Joan tried to resurface and rejuvenate her career.

The same year as our current discussed film was released Joan also starred in "A Woman's Face" where she played a sympathetic role though people still loved and connected her with her famous "She tried to change her style and, in 1941, A Woman's Face showed her as a girl whose life was rendered unbearable by a great scar on one cheek. M-G-M hailed the birth of "a new Crawford," but the customers were still apathetic to Crawford, new or old. Even so Joan felt that perhaps her salvation lay in "unsympathetic" roles. In 1943, she resigned from M-G-M because "I was being taken for granted." This departure also signaled the loss of her great personal battle with Norma Shearer. Miss Crawford and Miss Shearer had always envied each other. Outranking Joan, Norma received choicer roles, bigger billing and more publicity. As heads of opposing camps, the two actresses engaged in open warfare, but "the first lady of the screen," as M-G-M called Norma, got the upper hand and ultimately saw Joan start downhill in a succession of bad parts. When Joan resigned her contract M-G-M paid her a lump sum to square things and sighed with relief. All over Hollywood the cocktail-hour gravediggers said with finality, "Crawford is through."..." (D. Marshman, Life Magazine, June 23 1947).
iconic roles of the past where she was on the other end obtaining sympathy from all. I came across a very good article which was released in Life Magazine in 1947 where the writer Donald Marshman spoke about Joan's career post and current of the time (a very interesting article that I enjoyed!). In one part that is very applicable in understanding where Joan was at the time of this film you will get a better understanding where Donald Marhsman states:

Plot:
Mary Howard "Minnie" (Crawford) is a successful novelist that is in love with her publisher Rogers Woodruff (Marshall). One significant obstacle is that Rogers is married already! This does not stop Minnie from getting what she thinks is hers and decides to come up with a scheme to find an intimate

situation for the two. Jimmy (Taylor) is a good friend of Minnie's who has sights on her and thinks that the friendship should be brought to the next level where she has no idea.

Before Minnie can put her ideas into place, Jimmy decides to remove Rogers from the situation and places his wife; Claire (Garson) into a situation where she is going to stay with Minnie. A good friend Bridget Drake (Byington) has a lovely home that Jimmy borrows for these two ladies to finally meet and hopefully now getting to know each other will remove his competition. Additionally, since neither lady have ever met prior they will not know who each other prior to going to the home where they are going to spend time.

After spending time together Minnie starts to really like Claire and have a found respect for her. This period for both ladies is very eye opening where Minnie finds out that her dashing bow being Rogers is not the man she thought he was (not even close!). Rogers is a smooth talker and has paid attention and devotion to many women and that Minnie is just another of these and nothing more. Minnie finally opens her eyes and notices her friend Jimmy and the potential that he has. What a lovely cast and who knows who ends up with whom or anyone at all.

Sunday, July 7, 2013

In Pictures: Laurence Olivier

In Pictures: Laurence Olivier

Here is our 49th installment of this very successful feature to "Love Those Classic Movies!!!" This article is simply an enjoyment via beautiful pictures of our favorite golden age classic stars. Not a lot of writing at all or tid bits or extras just simply as it is stated, "in pictures!" Hope you enjoy the king of stage and screen Sir Laurence Olivier; In Pictures!