Myrna Loy Photographed by Nickolas Muray for Vanity Fair in 1929

1929 was a busy year for Myrna Loy as she made eight movies. Some of these photos were included in the magazine Vanity Fair. She was working her way from a dancer in prologues to chorus girls to bit parts in movies to becoming a star. These photos, taken by Hungarian-American photographer Nickolas Muray, show Loy in a peasant dress indicating her “exotic image” that she was cast as in the early years of her career.

Before becoming Hollywood’s quintessential “ideal wife” opposite William Powell in The Thin Man (1934), Loy was consistently typecast in late silent films and early talkies as an exotic, dangerous, or mystical temptress—an image reflected in this bohemian, rustic costume and theatrical pose.

During this pre-Code era of cinema, studio executives frequently cast her in exotic, “exotic-vamp” roles, a theme that Muray’s atmospheric lighting and styling beautifully captured. He was one of the era’s premier fashion and celebrity photographers, celebrated for his striking use of geometry, deep shadows, and theatrical staging.

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35 Stunning Portraits of Truus van Aalten From Betwen the Late 1920s and 1930s

Truus van Aalten (August 2, 1910 – June 27, 1999) was a prominent Dutch actress who achieved widespread stardom in the German film industry during the late 1920s and early 1930s. Known for her vibrant, comedic charm, she appeared in 29 films throughout her career, predominantly working within the Weimar cinema system before political pressures brought her acting days to a premature end.

In 1926, 16-year-old Van Aalten entered a Dutch magazine contest that offered an audition in Berlin with the major German studio UFA. Out of hundreds of entrants, her natural screen presence impressed directors, landing her a role in Die sieben Töchter der Frau Gyurkovics (A Sister of Six, 1926). She earned a multi-year UFA contract and scored her breakthrough in Die selige Exzellenz (His Late Excellency, 1927) alongside Willy Fritsch and Olga Tschechova, the latter of whom became her mentor.

Featuring a sleek dark bob, styled after American star Colleen Moore, she brought an energetic “boyish yet feminine” charm to screen comedies. The German public affectionately nicknamed her “die kleine holländische Käse” (“The Little Dutch Cheese”), while colleagues dubbed her “Trulala.”

Unlike many silent actors whose careers stalled with the arrival of sound, Van Aalten transitioned smoothly into talkies. Her slight Dutch accent added charm to her spoken roles in popular comedies such as Pension Schöller (1931) and Der Bettelstudent (The Beggar Student, 1931). Alongside her film work, she appeared on Berlin stages, including Max Reinhardt’s musical productions like Das Mädchen mit dem Nummernbrett (1930) and Wie werde ich reich und glücklich?

Following the Nazi rise to power in 1933, foreign artists faced strict regulations and political pressure. Disillusioned by the firing of her Jewish colleagues and refusing demands to adopt German citizenship to continue working, Van Aalten returned to the Netherlands. In 1934, she starred in the military comedy Het Meisje met de Blauwe Hoed (The Girl with the Blue Hat), which became her sole Dutch feature film and a notable box-office success.

After a long hiatus, she made her final screen appearance in 1939 (Ein ganzer Kerl). Following the World War II occupation of the Netherlands, she firmly refused to appear in state-censored propaganda films, effectively concluding her acting career. 

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Marcellin Auzolle: Master of Early 20th-Century French Posters

Marcellin Auzolle (1862–1942) was a French painter and poster artist known for his colorful and inventive commercial designs during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Working primarily between the 1890s and 1930s, Auzolle created nearly fifty posters for products ranging from absinthe and biscuits to automobiles and theatrical events. One of his most historically significant works is the 1896 Cinématographe Lumière poster, widely regarded as the first advertising poster for a film projected in a theater.

With his lively compositions, bold colors, and charming illustrations, Auzolle contributed to the golden age of French poster art. These vibrant vintage posters showcase Marcellin Auzolle’s creative talent and capture the lively commercial spirit of early 20th-century France.

Bal Bullier-Nouveau, 1894

L'Arroseur Arrosé, Cinématographe Lumière, 1895

Pneumatique Stella, circa 1897

Absinthe de Pontarlier, circa 1900

Absinthe, circa 1900

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40 Stunning Portraits of Lya Mara, One of the Biggest Stars of the German Silent Cinema

Lya Mara (born Aleksandra Gudowicz; August 1, 1897 – March 1, 1960) was a Polish actress. In the 1920s, Mara was one of the biggest and most celebrated stars of German silent cinema. Managing her career alongside her husband, director and producer Frederic Zelnik, she came to define the era’s lighthearted and glamorous cinematic style.

In 1920, her husband renamed his production company Zelnik-Mara-Film GmbH, solidifying her as both a primary screen lead and a household brand name. Her face was everywhere, distributed on hundreds of collectible postcards, chocolate boxes, and cigarette cards across Europe. She was so prominent that her life and stardom inspired a 100-episode biographical novel titled Lya. Der Herzensroman einer Kinokönigin (Lya, The Heart Novel of a Cinema Queen) between 1927 and 1928.

Mara transitioned from playing dramatic literary characters, like her 1920 portrayal of Anna Karenina, into lighter, musical-themed comedies where she came to embody the ideal “Viennese Girl.” She starred in major commercial hits of the decade, including The Bohemian Dancer (1926), The Beautiful Blue Danube (1926), and Dancing Vienna (1927). Mara and her husband became real celebrities and received at their home many known artists.

Near the close of the decade, a severe automobile accident temporarily halted her career and triggered an outpouring of sympathy from her massive fan base. As the 1920s transitioned into the 1930s, she struggled to adapt her physical, dance-rooted acting style to the new demands of “talkies.” After making just one sound film in 1931, she permanently retired from the screen and later fled to London when the Nazi regime took power.

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Hugo Ungewitter: Master of Animal and Battle Painting

Hugo Ungewitter (1869–1947) was a German painter renowned for his dramatic and realistic depictions of animals, hunting scenes, and historical battles.

Trained at the Düsseldorf Academy of Fine Arts, Ungewitter gained recognition for his powerful compositions and attention to detail, particularly in portraying horses, wildlife, and military subjects. His works often combined dynamic movement with a strong sense of atmosphere, reflecting both the natural world and significant historical moments.

Ungewitter’s paintings remain admired for their energy, technical skill, and vivid storytelling. These striking artworks showcase Hugo Ungewitter’s mastery of dramatic composition and realistic detail, capturing the power of animals and the intensity of historical scenes with remarkable skill.

A Cossack and Hunting Dogs

A Noblewoman Alighting Her Carriage

Abyssinian Cross the River

Cossack with Greyhounds on the Steppe

Cossack with His Horse and Greyhounds

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36 Portraits of a Very Young and Beautiful Thelma Todd in the 1920s

Thelma Todd’s trajectory during the 1920s laid the foundation for her status as one of Hollywood’s most versatile comedic stars. Before she earned her famous nicknames, “The Ice Cream Blonde” and “Hot Toddy,” her decade was defined by a rapid transition from a small-town schoolteacher to a sought-after Hollywood talent.

Raised in Lawrence, Massachusetts, Todd initially intended to pursue a career in teaching. After winning the title of Miss Massachusetts 1925 and competing in the Miss America pageant, she caught the attention of a Paramount Pictures talent scout.

Todd was selected as one of only 16 students for the experimental Paramount Players School in Astoria, Queens, where she trained in acting, diction, and screen movement. She made her screen debut in Fascinating Youth (1926), a showcase feature produced by Paramount for its class of newcomers.

Throughout the mid-to-late 1920s, studios primarily cast Todd as a glamorous leading lady or sidekick in silent dramas, mysteries, and Westerns. Notable silent credits included Nevada (1927) opposite Gary Cooper and William Powell, The Gay Defender (1927), The Noose (1928), and Seven Footprints to Satan (1929).

Recognizing her natural charisma and sharp sense of humor, producer Hal Roach signed Todd to his studio in the late 1920s. Unlike many silent stars who struggled when motion pictures gained audio, Todd thrived in the talkie era due to her quick wit and engaging speaking voice. She starred alongside Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy in their very first sound short, Unaccustomed As We Are (1929), setting up her peak comedy career in the decade that followed.

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La Muerte Niña: Post-Mortem Portraits of Infants and Young Children in Mexico From the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries

“La muerte niña” (the death of the child) refers to the Mexican tradition of post-mortem photography for deceased infants and children, a deeply rooted custom that peaked during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Stemming from colonial art traditions, these photographs served as a final, permanent keepsake for families enduring high infant mortality rates. Unlike modern perspectives that view memento mori images with unease, Mexican families celebrated these children as “angelitos” (little angels) who died without sin and were believed to ascend straight to heaven to act as divine intercessors for the family.

Deceased children were rarely photographed in plain clothes or coffins. Instead, they were heavily stylized to reflect their transformation into angels. Children were often dressed in elaborate white gowns or costumed as specific saints, the Virgin Mary, or Christ figures. Crowns made of fresh flowers (coronas) and palm leaves were placed on their heads to symbolize purity, spiritual victory, and absolute innocence. Photographers placed small crosses, rosaries, or lilies in the child's hands to denote their unblemished souls.

The staging aimed to mimic sleep, life, or divine coronation rather than cold mortality. Infants were frequently nestled into beds or cushions surrounded by dense, towering floral arrangements. Propped up in chairs or held by their godparents and mothers, children were sometimes photographed with eyes chemically painted open or gently arranged to look awake. Parents and siblings often stood stoically beside the deceased child, displaying solemn dignity rather than open weeping, as outward grief was thought to hinder the angelito’s journey to heaven.

As photography studios expanded across Mexico during the Porfiriato era, the practice grew accessible to both wealthy elites and rural working classes. Prominent regional photographers, such as Romualdo García in Guanajuato and Juan de Dios Machain in Jalisco, documented hundreds of these rituals, leaving behind vast socio-historical archives. By the mid-20th century, shifts in Catholic mourning practices, the modernization of funeral industries, and improved healthcare led to the gradual decline of this unique photographic genre.

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26 Portraits of Enid Bennett in the Late 1910s and Early 1920s

Enid Bennett (July 15, 1893 – May 14, 1969) was an Australian-born silent film actress who became a prominent leading lady in American cinema, particularly during the late 1910s and early 1920s. Combining a natural, understated acting style with striking classic beauty, she transitioned seamlessly from touring theater in Australia to the heights of early American cinema.

Bennett arrived in the United States in June 1915 alongside director Fred Niblo and his wife, Broadway star Josephine Cohan. After a successful stint on Broadway, she caught the eye of legendary pioneer producer Thomas H. Ince. Ince was looking for fresh talent for the Triangle Film Corporation and signed Bennett to a contract that would define the first major phase of her career. Between 1918 and 1921, Bennett was exceptionally prolific, starring in 23 films for Triangle. Unlike many silent stars of the era who played hyper-dramatic, distressed damsels, Bennett’s roles often showcased a practical, assertive, and modern sensibility.

Following Josephine Cohan’s tragic death in 1916, Bennett married Fred Niblo in 1918. Niblo directed many of her most popular Triangle releases, establishing a highly successful personal and professional partnership. Sadly, like much of silent film history, the majority of Bennett’s solo star vehicles from this era (such as Fuss and Feathers and Silk Hosiery) are currently considered lost. However, surviving prints like The Woman in the Suitcase (1920) reveal her sharp comedic timing and charisma.

As the early 1920s took shape, Bennett transitioned from headlining smaller domestic comedies and dramas to anchoring massive, high-budget Hollywood spectacles. Her career reached its historic zenith when she was cast as Maid Marian opposite Douglas Fairbanks in the monumental adventure epic Robin Hood. It was one of the most expensive and successful films of the silent era. Looking back on the role decades later, Bennett cheekily recalled to film historian Kevin Brownlow: “I had a wonderful time playing Maid Marian. Of course, the part was not too demanding, I just walked through it in a queenly manner. [Fairbanks] was wonderful, inspiring.”

Bennett followed her Robin Hood success with two more landmark roles in 1924: Lady Rosamund Godolphin in Frank Lloyd’s acclaimed adventure The Sea Hawk, and Marise La Noue in The Red Lily, starring opposite Ramon Novarro and directed by her husband, Fred Niblo.

By the mid-1920s, Bennett deliberately slowed her career to focus on family life, occasionally assisting Niblo behind the scenes (including serving as an uncredited assistant director during the chaotic production of 1925’s Ben-Hur). Though she made a brief, successful transition to early sound films in the 1930s, it is her brilliant run between 1917 and 1924 that marks her as a true pioneer of early Hollywood.

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36 Stunning Photos of Maria Matray aka Maria Solveg in the 1920s and 1930s

Maria Matray (born Maria Charlotte Stern, July 14, 1907 – October 30, 1993), also known by her stage name Maria Solveg, was a German-Jewish dancer, actress, choreographer, and later screenwriter. She rose to prominence as a star of late Weimar cinema in the 1920s and early 1930s.

Born into an artistic family (her aunt was the famous artist Käthe Kollwitz), she made her debut using her stage name, Maria Solveg, in 1923. She quickly became a highly sought-after actress, starring in popular silent comedies like The Master of Nuremberg (1927). Alongside her older sister, Katta Sterna, she formed a popular touring dance duo. They performed throughout Europe in revues organized by legendary theater director Max Reinhardt.

In 1927, she married her mentor, the Hungarian actor, director, and choreographer Ernst Matray. Following their marriage, she increasingly contributed to behind-the-scenes choreography while maintaining her acting career.

Solveg successfully moved into “talkies” in the early 1930s. She landed notable leading lady roles, including the mystery romance The Son of the White Mountain (1930) and The Sorcerer (1932). Because she came from a Jewish family, her performing career in Germany abruptly ended when Adolf Hitler took power in January 1933. She and her husband fled Germany, living in exile in France and Great Britain.

In 1936, the couple emigrated to the United States. Leaving her acting alias “Maria Solveg” behind, she took her married name, Maria Matray, and established a highly successful second career in Hollywood as a choreographer for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). By the late 1930s, she was choreographing major feature films like The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939) and Balalaika (1939). Below is a selection of 36 amazing photos of Maria Matray in the 1920s and 1930s:

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Before Becoming a Hollywood Legend, Bette Davis Was Ogunquit, Maine’s First Female Lifeguard

Did you know that before she became a famous Hollywood actress, Bette Davis was the state of Maine’s first female lifeguard? In 1926, she completed Red Cross training and joined the Ogunquit Ocean Rescue team.

In her memoirs, Davis recounted that passing the grueling Red Cross test and earning her lifeguard emblem was a major confidence booster and a true turning point in her youth.

During the mid-1920s, Davis’s mother, Ruth, worked as a portrait photographer, and the family frequented the burgeoning art colony of Ogunquit, Maine. To earn money before fully pursuing her dream of acting, the future star took on two local jobs. By day, she worked the watch towers as a lifeguard on Ogunquit’s beautiful, but often treacherous, dynamic Atlantic shoreline. By night, she earned tips as a waitress at a local spot called The Crooked Pine.

Her training as a lifeguard actually came in handy much later in her career. While filming the classic 1942 melodrama Now, Voyager on location at Lake Arrowhead, her young co-star Janis Wilson got into serious trouble in the water. Drawing on her teenage training, Davis jumped in and rescued her from drowning.

Maine remained close to Davis’s heart throughout her entire life. In the 1950s, at the height of her fame, she returned to the state with her husband Gary Merrill, buying a historic estate on the coast of Cape Elizabeth where they raised their children.

Adorable Childhood Photos of Nancy Reagan From the 1920s and 1930s

Nancy Reagan’s childhood was essentially a tale of two very different worlds: an early period marked by separation and instability, followed by a sudden shift into an elite, privileged upbringing. Born Anne Frances Robbins in New York City on July 6, 1921, her early life was far from the picture-perfect image she later projected. Her father, Kenneth Robbins, was a car salesman who left the family shortly after she was born. Her mother, Edith Luckett, was a dynamic, ambitious stage actress.

Because her mother needed to travel constantly for theatrical tours to make a living, she made the difficult decision to send young Nancy (then nicknamed “Nancy” by her mother) to live with relatives. From the age of two until she was nearly nine, Nancy grew up in a modest home in Bethesda, Maryland, raised by her maternal aunt Virginia and uncle Audley Galbraith.

During these six years, she deeply missed her mother. She later recalled that her happiest moments were the rare occasions when Edith would pass through town on tour, leaving behind the glamorous scent of stage makeup and perfume.

Everything changed in 1929. Her mother married Dr. Loyal Davis, a highly prominent, wealthy, and politically conservative neurosurgeon from Chicago. Virtually overnight, Nancy was swept into a life of high society, moving into a luxury apartment on Chicago's Gold Coast.

Dr. Davis was strict but deeply devoted to Nancy. She adored him, and when she turned 16, he formally adopted her. It was at this point her name legally became Nancy Davis. She attended the elite Girls’ Latin School of Chicago, where she excelled in drama and sports, followed by Smith College in Massachusetts, where she majored in English and theater. Through her mother’s theatrical connections and her stepfather’s status, the family home regularly hosted legendary figures of the era, including Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, and Walter Huston.

This secondary phase of her childhood fundamentally shaped the woman she would become. The stability and elegance of her life in Chicago replaced the anxieties of her early years, instilling in her a fierce loyalty to family and a comfort within upper-class social circles that served her perfectly all the way to the White House.

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