GET PERSONAL: VERONICA LAKE

Veronica Lake is the blonde bombshell whose mysterious peek-a-boo hairstyle and slinky shape made her a heroine of the noir era. She was born Constance Frances Marie Ockelman in Brooklyn, New York on November 14, 1922. Her father, who worked for a petroleum company, died tragically in an industrial explosion in 1932. Her mother quickly remarried and moved the small family to Montreal Canada, where Lake was enrolled in an all girls Catholic school. Lake was soon expelled for inappropriate conduct and the family uprooted to Miami, Florida. Lake attended a public high school where she was widely known for her unmistakable beauty. However, she continued to struggle with attitude and mood disorders, finally being diagnosed as schizophrenic.

In 1938 the family moved once again, this time to Los Angeles, CA. Lake was enrolled at the Bliss-Hayden acting school, where she appeared to excel. One year later she was cast in her first film, Sorority House, in which she had a small role. The role caught the attention of Paramount producers. Arthur Hornblow Jr. offered Lake a contract and changed her name to Veronica Lake, referring to the deep blue color of her eyes. Her breakthrough came in 1941 with the release of I Wanted  Wings for which her scene stealing performance gained favorable reviews. The film was the first of many with on-screen love interest Alan Ladd. Ladd stood at only 5'5'' which strictly limited the women he could play against. Lake's petite frame, standing on 4'11'', was a perfect match.

In addition to her films, Lake became widely known for her hairstyle. She wore her hair down and wavy, with one curl covering half of her face. She often tilted her head, looking out from underneath her draped hair. This style was popularized and portrayed in the fashions of the 1940s, as well as incorporated into Lake's on-screen roles. During WWII, Lake appeared in a campaign to promote safer hairstyles for working women.

Lake married art director John S. Detlie with whom she had her first daughter, Elaine. While shooting The Hour Before the Dawn (1944), she became aware of her second pregnancy, but, after accidentally tripping on set, she began hemorrhaging and worried for the health of the child. Her son, William, did come to full term, but died one week later of uremic poisoning.

After the death of her son, Lake's marriage dissolved and she divorced Detlie. She also received unfavorable reviews for her performance in The Hour Before the Dawn, which was a box office flop. Lake began developing a reputation in Hollywood circles as being incredibly difficult to work with. Actors began declining film offers that included Lake in the cast.

Despite the rumors, Lake continued earning the $5,400 per week stipulated in her Paramount contract. In 1944, she married film director Andre De Toth and subsequently gave birth to another daughter, Diana, and a son, Andre Anthony.

In 1948, after filming the acclaimed The Blue Dahlia, screenwriter Raymond Chandler was quoted calling the actress "Moronica Lake." This was the final straw for Paramount. Her talent was not strong enough to overshadow her terrible reputation and, after 1948, Paramount did not renew her contract.

In 1951 Lake divorced De Toth and filed bankruptcy. She became estranged from all three of her surviving children. In 1955 she married song writer Joseph A. McCarthy.

Four years later, the couple divorced. Lake sought television and stage work, but broke her ankle in 1955 and could no longer act. She jumped between cheap hotels in New York, Brooklyn, and New Jersey, taking jobs wherever she could. She was continually arrested for disorderly conduct and public drunkenness, which inspired rumors of alcohol dependency.

Lake's alcoholism worsened as she grew older. She was never able to find steady work again and her mental and physical conditions were in steady decline. In the 1960s she moved to Hollywood, Florida where she was converted to a recluse, paralyzed by feelings of paranoia.

Veronica Lake died on July 7, 1973 of hepatitis and renal failure - complications from her alcohol dependency. Her ashes her spread over the virgin islands and her body was claimed by her only surviving son. She had a memorial service in Manhattan, New York, attended only by her son and a few strangers.

Although her short-lived career spiraled downward and her personal life dissolved completely, Veronica Lake made a strong impact on female image in the 1940s and her pin-up posters will be lusted after for generations to come.

GET PERSONAL: GRETA GARBO

Greta Garbo is arguably the most iconic actress of Hollywood's "Golden Age," bringing an unprecedented sensuality to the screen that bridged both silent and talkie eras. Born September 18th, 1905, in Stockholm Sweden, she was the youngest of three children to Anna Lovisa and Karl Alfred Gustafsson. The family moved to Hogsby not long after Greta's birth, where her father took odd jobs, wherever he could find them. They lived in a lower-middle or working class neighborhood, in a cold-water flat, where the atmosphere was grim at best. The circumstances lead Greta to daydream, temporarily removing her from the depression she saw around her. She was particularly close to her father, who in 1919 was struck by the Spanish flu epidemic in Sweden. At 13, Greta dropped out of school and cared for her sick father. He passed away one year later.

After her father's death, Greta did not return to school (a decision she later regretted, but one that was not unusual in working class communities). She took a job in a barbershop, lathering soap before a shave. Tired of this position, she then sought employment at a Swedish department store called PUB, where she joined the millinary department assisting hat makers. Greta began modeling the hats for the designers and soon was featured in publications and ads for the department store as a whole. Her appearances in these ads caught the attention of director Erik Arthur Petschler, who cast Greta in his film Peter and the Tramp (1922).

Subsequently, Greta was accepted to the Toyal Dramatic Theatre Acting  School in Stockholm, where she studied for two years. Swedish director, Mauritz Stiller, was impressed by Greta's talent and suggested her to a Swedish friend at MGM by the name of Victor Seastrom. Seastrom was equally impressed with her look and talent and called Greta in for a meeting. In July 1925, Greta arrived in Hollywood, where she met Seastrom and immediately began acting in silent films. She completed over 8 silent films and became an immediate superstar.

Garbo was one of very few silent film stars who successfully manovered the path to "talkies." Her first sound film was Anna Cristie (1930), whose advertising campaign featured the slogan "Garbo Talks!" The film was the highest grossing of the year and garnered Garbo her first Academy Award nomination.

Garbo continued to appear in successful films until her late 40s. Her films were critically accalimed and financially successful. She earned four Academy Award nominations in her career and a lifetime achievement award in 1954.

 

Garbo despised the notoriety and fame that accompanied movie-stardom. She seldom took press interviews, signed autographs, or appeared in photographs. She is famously linked to the phrase: "I want to be alone," but strongly denied saying it. Although Garbo had the reputation of beign a recluse, she was not. The phrase "I want to be alone" was probably "I want to be let alone," referring to the intrusive media. In her retirement, she traveled alone and with friends, spent time at her Manhattan apartment, and went on daily walks throughout the city. In 1951 she became a US citizen.

Garbo never married, never had children, and always lived alone. Although she did have few Hollywood affairs, she was always careful to keep them private and out of public attention. Many speculators have suggested she was a lesbian or bisexual, having affairs with both men and women. She died in 1990 at the age of 84 of pneumonia and renal failure. She had successfully overcome breast cancer 6 years earlier. The entirety of her $20M estate was left to her niece, Gray Reisfield.

Greta Garbo maintained an aire of mystery throughout her life, most of which was strutinized in the public eye. This may be in part to her haunting beauty, quiet talent, or private lifestyle, but never undermines her overwhelming legacy that will remain undisputed.

GET PERSONAL: BRIGITTE BARDOT

Brigitte Bardot is one of the most iconic foreign actresses of all-time, possessing a puzzling combination of deep sultriness and doe-like innocence. One of the first foreign actresses to gain popularity in the US without making English-language films, the power of her impact is result of the naturalness of her talent and beauty.

Born in Paris France to a Roman Catholic family, Brigitte and her sister Marie-Jean were enrolled in dance classes at an early age. Although Marie-Jean stopped dancing to devote herself more seriously to academics, Brigitte devoted herself to the world of classical ballet, working towards a career as a dancer. In 1947 she was accepted to the Conservatoire de Paris, where she studied dance under the direction of Russian choreographer, Boris Knyazev for three years. One of her fellow students was Leslie Caron.

During her time at the Conservatoire, a friend of her mother’s asked Brigitte to model in a small fashion show. The fashion show lead her into various other modeling jobs, including a cover of Elle Magazine.

In the early 1950s, Bardot was working as a babysitter and was spotted by a young director, Roger Vadim. Vadim was shown the cover of Elle and immediately called film director Marc Allegret, asking him to call her in for an audition. Brigitte came in to audition for Allegret’s film and got the part, but the film never ended up being made. Nevertheless, the incident changed Bardot’s focus and she decided to pursue acting instead of dance.

Her debut performance as an actress was in 1952, in the film Crazy for Love. From 1952-1956, Bardot would appear in an astounding 17 films. She was typically cast in romantic comedies, or historical comedies, where she played an ingénue or vixen – usually only partially clothed. These roles, coupled with various seductive photo shoots, began to create a public persona for Bardot that established her as a siren.

In 1952, the same year she appeared in her first film and just after her 18^th birthday, Bardot was married to Roger Vadim. Vadim was dissatisfied with the commercial films Bardot had chosen and encouraged her to participate in the New Wave movements of France and Italy. She took his advice, appearing in the film Vie Prive, for which she was nominated for a David di Donatello Award. She also appeared in Jean-Luc Godard’s critically acclaimed Contempt and And God Created Women.

After five years of marriage and an affair with actor Jean-Louis Trintignanat, Bardot and Vadim divorced. After their divorce, Bardot moved to Southern France. Two years after the divorce, she was re-married to Jacques Charrier, with whom she had a son, Nicolas-Jacques Charrier. Her marriage to Charrier also failed and subsequently, she married German millionaire, Gunter Sachs and later, Bernard d’Ormale. Later in life, she lived with sculptor Miroslav Brozek.

Bardot retired gracefully from acting in 1973, but continued recording music. Her most famous collaborations are with Serge Gainsbourg.

Bardot’s prolific career includes 47 films, 80 recorded songs, numerous musical productions, and a long-time devotion to animal rights. Her life was not without controversy – her extra-marital affairs were highly publicized and she was a major target for French paparazzi. She also received huge criticism for her staunch opposition to Islamic immigration to France, for which she has been accused of racism. But Bardot will always be remembered for the iconic images of her sweeping hair, gap tooth, and crooked smile. Her talent and beauty, as well as her impact in fashion have created a legacy not soon forgotten.

GET PERSONAL: ROCK HUDSON

Rock Hudson is the 6’5’’ heartthrob of the 50s and 60s who gained equal recognition for his talent, look, and personal life. He was born Roy Harold Scherer on November 17, 1925 in Winnetka, Illinois. He was the only child to Katherine Wood, a telephone operator, and Roy Scherer, an auto mechanic. The terrible hit of the Great Depression in 1931 put significant financial hardship on the Scherer family, prompting Roy to abandon his wife and son. Katherine quickly remarried and Hudson was adopted, taking his new father’s last name; Fitzgerald.

After working in the Philippines as an airplane mechanic during World War II, Hudson moved to Los Angeles to pursue dreams of movie stardom. Upon his arrival, he applied to the University of Southern California drama department, but was rejected for poor grades. Hudson was therefore forced to put his aspirations on hold and became a truck driver. A chance meeting with Hollywood talent scout, Henry Wilson would change everything. In 1948 Wilson spotted Hudson and immediately recognized his potential. That same year, Hudson was cast in his first feature film, Fighter Squadron in which he had only one line, which took him 38 takes to perfect.

Despite his lack of experience, Hudson gained recognition in Hollywood circles. His presence and incredible good looks continued to get him cast in large-scale features. Fame and recognition for his talent did not come until 1954, when he received rave reviews for Magnificent Obsession. His first and only Oscar nomination came in 1956 for his performance in Giant opposite Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean.

As he gained popularity, rumors regarding Hudson’s sexual orientation began to permeate Hollywood. There were strong theories supporting the fact that he was gay. Hudson staunchly denied the rumors, marrying Wilson’s long-time assistant Phyllis Gates. Although the marriage only lasted three years and neither of the two ever remarried, Gates insisted the rumors were false until her death.

The public scrutiny took its toll on Hudson and he began to self-medicate with alcohol. Though he suffered a heart attack in 1981, Hudson’s heath began to steadily decline starting in 1984 when he was diagnosed with HIV. Though he attempted to fight the disease privately, changes in his physical appearance required him to divulge information about his illness. This inspired outrage in certain communities, because he had continued working as a romantic lead without explaining his condition to his co-stars. Rock Hudson died on October 2, 1985 of AIDS.

In honor of gay pride weekend, I felt it important to recognize a man who felt compelled to keep his sexual orientation a secret. Although his close circle of friends supported him completely until his death, the community at large was critical and unsupportive, which, I imagine, caused him great suffering. We are lucky to live in a time where gay rights are more widely accepted, but must remember that there is much progress left to be made.

GET PERSONAL: ALEJANDRO GONZALEZ INNARITU

A few years ago I was out having lunch with my mother when I noticed a familiar face walk by. All sound faded to whisper when I realized that this person was none other than Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu , the famed Mexican director of such films as Babel and Amores Perros. I was careful to avert my eyes so as not to seem obnoxious, when my mother assured me: he's a director, not an actor, he probably never gets recognized. The following half hour was a back-and-fourth conversation about whether or not I should approach him. Seeing that he was eating lunch with his wife, I decided against it (excuses, excuses). When I got home I was furious that I'd allowed the opportunity to pass, so I sat down and wrote him a letter. I then found his representation at CAA and attempted to hand-deliver my letter to the agency (CAA, for those who haven't tried to hand-deliver an unsolicited letter, is more difficult to penetrate than a state penitentiary). I resolved that one day I'd see him again and I'd have a great story to tell him.

The opportunity presented itself this weekend.

I was pulling out of a parking spot in Santa Monica when I looked over my left shoulder and noticed a cherried-out beige Vespa. Riding this Vespa was none other than...yes...Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu . I threw my hands against the glass of my window (as if this would do anything expect make me look like a crazy person) and gasped. The Vespa slowed to a stop in front of a hair salon half-a-block up the street. A teenage girl (his daughter) hopped off the back and ran inside. I watched (admittedly in shock) as Iñárritu geared up and drove off, once again. The other person in my car urged me to follow him home, or stake-out at the hair salon until he inevitably came back to pick up his daughter. No, I said...I wouldn't resort to stalking (excuses, excuses).

I could write another letter or sit and wallow in my (admitted) cowardice, but instead I choose to believe that 3rd time will be the charm and, this time, I'll have an ever better story to tell.

Why, you might ask, do I get so worked up over this person? Not only do I consider him to be an innovative director and artist, but I am (and have always been) partial to Latin cultures/people and he is....very good looking.

Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu was born August 15th, 1963 in Mexico City, Mexico. His father had been a wealthy banker, but went entirely bankrupt when Iñárritu was a boy. Having to rebuild himself financially, Iñárritu developed a great respect for his father that would influence his later work. Before starting college, Iñárritu spent a gap year crossing the Atlantic on a cargo ship (where he greased the engines), traveling through Europe and Africa. He then enrolled as a student of communications at the Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico. Towards  the end of his education, he started working as a radio host for various independent radio stations. His work in radio, in addition to his own work as a musician, prompted him to compose music for television and film. After composing scores for 6 Mexican feature films, Iñárritu and creative partner Raul Olvera created Z Films. This production company afforded Iñárritu the opportunity to write, produce, and direct his own films.

Iñárritu has only produced four feature films to-date, the first of which was Amores Perros (2000). The film, which he co-wrote 36 times over 3 years with Guillermo Arriaga, won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film and was the most recognized film of the year with 60 award nominations in total. Following the success of Amores Perros, Iñárritu moved to Los Angeles where he produced his first American film, 21 Grams. His following films include Babel (2006) and Biutiful (2010). Iñárritu is a true auteur, having won 12 Academy Award nominations for only 4 films (two of which were entirely in Spanish). He is the first Mexican filmmaker to win an Academy Award for best director and the first Mexican to win the Prix de la Mise en Scene at Cannes. He now lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two children.

Swoon.

GET PERSONAL: ALI MACGRAW

Ali MacGraw was the darling of the 1970s who won the world over, not for her skills as an actress, but for her piercing beauty. She was born on April fools day, 1939 in Weschester County, New York. Her mother and father were both artists.

After graduating from Wellesley College in 1960, MacGraw took a job assisting photographer Diana Vreeland at Harpers Bazaar. She remained a photographic assistant for six years, working for Bazaar and Vogue. During this time, MacGraw also had the opportunity to be the subject of the photos, eventually transitioning to print-ads and television commercials.

Having modeled for some time, MacGraw took the plunge into the world of acting. She was first recognized for her role in Goodbye Columbus, written by Philip Roth, but it wasn’t until her breakout role in Love Story that she became a movie star in her own right. It was for her performance in Love Story that she earned both Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations.

Ali MacGraw was linked to a string of men and was married three times over the course of two decades. In her early twenties, before her marriages, she had an illegal abortion and developed (what she later considered to be) male dependency issues. Although she had a son with film producer, Robert Evans, she is most famously linked to the late, great Steve McQueen, who she met on the set of The Getaway in 1972. They were married a year later and divorced five years after that.

In her autobiography Moving Pictures, she bravely confronts her suffering with alcoholism and its treatment. After a lengthy career, MacGraw moved to New Mexico where she continues to be an animal rights activist and yoga fanatic. 

GET PERSONAL: PRINCESS GRACE

There has never been a person more aptly named than Grace Kelly. Her ethereal, timeless beauty is entirely unparalleled in elegance or style. Not only was she graced (pun intended) with beauty, but she became one of the most beloved movie stars of all-time and – on top of everything else – a princess. 

Grace Patricia Kelly was born November 12, 1929 in Philadelphia. Her mother was the first woman in history to head the Department of Physical Education at the University of Pennsylvania, and her father was a three time Olympic-gold-medal-winning sculler (rowing). While at Ravenhill Academy (a prestigious Catholic girls school) Grace began modeling with her sisters and mother. In addition to her academic curriculum, she began taking dance lessons in addition to acting classes. 

Due to low mathematics scores, Kelly was not accepted to Bennington College and so she decided to audition for the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. Her father was hugely disappointed by this decision; making the biting statement that acting was “a slim cut above streetwalker.” But Kelly held her ground and used her uncle, George Kelly’s, connections to help her get in to the acting school. Kelly graduated from drama school at the age of 19, starting her career in film one year later. It wasn’t until 1953, in the film Mogambo, that Grace became recognized as a full-fledged movie star. In the few years that followed, Grace appeared as a leading lady in five films, receiving one Golden Globe nomination and one Academy Award nomination (which she won for her role in The Country Girl). 

In 1956 Kelly was asked to participate in a photoshoot at the Palace of Monaco while she made appearances at the Cannes Film Festival. She was to be photographed with the sovereign of the principality, Prince Rainier III. Not long after their brief meeting, Prince Rainier began making trips to the United States. He proposed to Kelly, who accepted, offering a $2,000,000 dowry.

The marriage offered Grace the title of ‘princess’ and she retired from acting (too young at 26) to attend to her duties as a royal of Monaco. She and Prince Rainier had three children together; Caroline, Albert, and Stephanie. Grace Kelly died two months before her 53^rd birthday after suffering a stroke while driving and crashing the car. Her daughter Stephanie survived the accident.