Classic Beauties Taken by Russell Ball in the Early 20th Century

Born 1891 in Philadelphia, American studio glamor photographer Russell Ball moved to New York and married the film journalist Gladys Hall in 1912, with whom he had two children, while working as a newspaper photographer.

Portraits of classic beauties taken by Russell Ball in the 1920s and 1930s

By 1917, Ball was working as a photographer, and by 1920, he had specialized into making portrait publicity stills for films, among others for the Shubert Organization. After working independently for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1925 (on the East Coast), he opened his own studio at 9528 Brighton Way, Beverly Hills to work for private patrons and celebrities at the end of the 1920s.

Ball made stills for films and portraits of Hollywood film stars including Jean Harlow, Greta Garbo, Louise Brooks, Mary Pickford, Esther Ralston and Carol Dempster. These fabulous photos are part of his work that Ball took portraits of classic beauties in the 1920s and 1930s.

Ann Harding, circa 1920s

Jetta Goudal, circa 1920s

Leatrice Joy, circa 1920s

May McAvoy, circa 1920s

May McAvoy, circa 1920s

May McAvoy, circa 1920s

Norma Talmadge, circa 1920s

Norma Talmadge, circa 1920s

Greta Garbo, 1924

Colleen Moore, 1927

Dolores Del Rio, 1928

Dolores Del Rio, 1928

Dolores Del Rio, 1928

Dolores Del Rio, 1928

Estelle Taylor, 1930

Gloria Swanson, 1930

Helen Twelvetrees, circa 1930s

Helen Twelvetrees, circa 1930s

Helen Twelvetrees, 1931

Bebe Daniels, 1932

Mary Pickford, 1932

Pola Negri, 1932

Mary Pickford, circa 1933

Mary Pickford, circa 1933

Mary Pickford, circa 1933

Mary Pickford, circa 1933

Mary Pickford, circa 1933

Esther Ralston, 1934

Jean Harlow, 1934

Jean Harlow, 1934

Jean Harlow, 1934

Jeanette MacDonald, 1934

Jeanette MacDonald, 1934

Jeanette MacDonald, 1934

Ruth Chatterton, 1934