Existing comment:
Anita Colby, 1914-1992
In the 1930s, Anita Colby, "an ash-blond beauty," became the fashion industry's first supermodel, earning $100 an hour. "The Face," as she was called, appeared on scores of magazine covers and roadside billboards. In Hollywood she made several movies but found her real niche as the "Feminine Director" for movie producer David O. Selznick. Time magazine called her a "one-woman finishing school" for Selznick's top actresses. The article noted that for the stars shown here (clockwise from bottom), Colby kept Shirley Temple "looking sweet sixteen with soft hair, pigtails and girlish pinafores"; she was a fashion and makeup consultant for Jennifer Jones; she advised Ingrid Bergman to "play . . . down" her attire so as not to distract from her natural beauty; and she made Joan Fontaine look "smart, feminine and refined." Any recommendations Colby may have proffered to Dorothy McGuire, a popular and versatile actress, were not mentioned in the article.
Boris Chaliapin, 1945
Time cover, January 8, 1945 |