vintage bombshells

Ann Miller believed deeply in the spirit world, and said she was often visited at night by the great MGM dancing star Eleanor Powell. Miller insisted that in a past life she was Hatshepsut, the first queen of Egypt, whom she believed was murdered, along with her sister, by their half-brother.  Ann visited Egypt three times, where she cried incessantly.

On her last visit, a guard in a Cairo museum escorted her towards the sarcophagus of a female pharaoh. As Ann approached, she claimed she was bitten by an asp, just like Cleopatra was. Although no asp had been seen in Egypt for thousands of years, Ann was flown out by helicopter, and spent three weeks in a hospital where she nearly died. She stated, “It was a warning. The spirits don’t want me to return there.” She also said.  "I’ve been recycled many times, honey. My hand has so many lifelines, it looks like an old monkey’s paw.“ 

Paulette Goddard photographed by Eugene Robert Richee (Paramount, 1940s)

Elizabeth Taylor’s costumes in Suddenly Last Summer (1959) were designed by Oliver Messel. He is one of the most celebrated English designers, whose work as production designer overlapped the world of costume, set design and architecture. Messel was also the art director for this movie, having created those dramatic sets. Elizabeth’s style in the film is simple and enduring and Helen Rose’s words perfectly apply to her look here, as well as in many other films: ‘If you have a magnificent jewel, you put it in a simple setting – you don’t distract from it with a lot of detail.’