The Platinum Blog Starring Jean Harlow

Dr. Macro's new URL

Canada's #1 Jean Harlow fan, my e-pal, Michel Portelance, kindly alerts us that Dr. Macro's High Quality Movie Scans, which has been MIA on the net recently, has resurfaced at a new URL:  http://www.doctormacro.com.

Those familiar with the good doctor's work will be glad to know that his new site still features several pages of gorgeous Harlow images, like this one, which I've scaled down from the original for faster loading here. 

I'd love to know what ever happened to the celebrity thumb-print "autograph" book she's holding, wouldn't you?

Thanks, Michel, for staying on top of this story!

And thanks, Dr. Macro, for sharing your lovely Harlow images with the public.

Mysterious ladies who lunch

My friend, Reg, currently has this wonderful publicity photo of Jean with some unidentified ladies, taken in 1934, up for auction on eBay.

Do you recognize any of these women?  Please leave your insights and/or educated guesses in the comments section below and help solve the mystery. Thanks!

Laura Wagner (Classic Images ) offers these very good suggestions for the first three ladies (L-R): Arline Judge, Claire Trevor and Patricia Ellis....

 

More updates!  Harlow biographer David Stenn agrees about Arline Judge, and Harlow historian, Darrell Rooney, fills out the line up for us by naming all the ladies (L-R):

Arline Judge, Claire Trevor, Esther Ralston, Jean (of course!) and Lois Wilson.  Darrell told me that the afternoon luncheon was hosted by Jean in her own home.

Here are photos of Esther and Lois:

 
 

Additionally, fellow Harlow historian and Platinum Page contributor, Dennis Cleven, confirmed the names today via a post to the Jean Harlow Yahoo! Group where this has also been a topic of conversation.  Dennis further shared that, according to an article published about the luncheon, it was held at what is commonly known as Jean's "Big White House" (214 S. Beverly Glen) and that Gloria Swanson, though not pictured, also attended.

A big THANKS all around to everyone who helped solve the mystery!

7/29/07 - Harlow collector Wayne Murray shares with us even intriguing background information about this photograph.  Wayne writes:

"Just a little more nickel knowledge on Jean's luncheon. If you look again at the photo Jean is supporting herself with a cane, she had sprained or fractured her ankle, and had some down time from the studio to entertain. How much truth there is to her reasons for walking out with MGM at the time is the question. It was more like she hobbled out to recuperate."

Thanks, Wayne!

Portrait of Jean

Tonight, while scanning photos to be included in the Franchot Tone biography, I came across one of my favorite Jean Harlow postcards and decided to add its beauty to the blog.

This tinted postcard was a gift from my good friends Lisa and David Sheftman, and has always reminded me of an oil painting.  It states on the back that Jean is 23-years-old.

As mentioned in my previous post, I commemorated the 70th anniversary of Jean's death recently not by trying to pay homage to her at her crypt, but among friends. 

I'm still sorting through the photos and memories of the events in order to do a proper write up.  But in the mean time I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who took part, and who kindly invited me to participate, in the festivities.

One more note: this week, on June 11, marked the 49th anniversary of Mother Jean's death.  I submitted the Findagrave.com memorial page that I created for her back in 2003 to be considered for "famous" status but that application was rejected.

Once again, Mother Jean is turned down for official "stardom," not unlike all those years ago when she pursued a film career before settling for living it vicariously through her Baby.