Posts in Category: Collection Spotlight
Visitors to the Set
Year of Jane Russell: Day 188
Here’s a candid of Jane meeting some visitors on the set of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Unfortunately I don’t have any info as to who these folks are, but the guy on the left sure seems delighted to be in the presence of our Jane!
Jane & Marilyn on “Picture Post”
Year of Jane Russell: Day 187
Jane and Marilyn both enjoyed their fair share of magazine covers, so it’s only natural that they’d land on the cover of a few together. Here’s the August 15, 1953 issue of Picture Post.
Onscreen Offscreen Chemstry
Year of Jane Russell: Day 186
Jane and Marilyn had amazing onscreen chemistry which was likely helped by their offscreen rapport. They got along famously and Jane, who had been in the spotlight for over a decade, was protective of her costar.
Layne “Shotgun” Britton
Year of Jane Russell: Day 185
By the time Jane shot Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, she had established her own personal crew who she used on most of her films in the 1950s, even if she was loaned out. Here she is with make-up artists Layne “Shotgun” Britton in between shooting the opening number of the film.
Happy 4th
Year of Jane Russell: Day 184
Okay, I don’t actually own this photo, but since it’s the 4th of July, I couldn’t resist posting this photo of Jane with a firecracker. Happy 4th!
Doesn’t Anyone Want to Play?
Year of Jane Russell: Day 183
These days, the number “Ain’t There Anyone Here for Love,” is a total crowd pleaser, but once upon a time it was considered provocative enough that it was cut from theatrical screenings in Britain and television airings in the U.S.
Closest Thing to the Real Jane
Year of Jane Russell: Day 182
Jane absolutely loved making Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and was thrilled to finally be working with director Howard Hawks. She often cited it as her favorite film (along with Fuzzy Pink Nightgown), and said Dorothy Shaw was the character most like Jane in real life.
Magical Movie Mistakes
Year of Jane Russell: Day 181
Jane getting knocked into the pool at the end of “Ain’t There Anyone Here for Love,” was unscripted. The fella who did it was dismissed and the scene reshot, but the flubbed take was too good not to include in the final cut.
Ain’t There Anyone Here For Love?
Year of Jane Russell: Day 180
After Jane was cast in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, the part of Dorothy Shaw needed to be beefed up. Hoagy Carmichael and Harold Adamson were brought on to write additional songs and came up with the duet “When Love Goes Wrong, Nothing Goes Right,” and Jane’s show stopping “Ain’t There Anyone for Love?”
Working with Howard Hawks at Last
Year of Jane Russell: Day 179
When Howard Hawks was hired to direct Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, he immediately thought of Jane Russell for the role of Dorothy Shaw. Jane had longed to work with Hawks ever since his abrupt departure from The Outlaw in 1941 and agreed to do the part immediately (pending Howard Hughes’ approval.