Dietrich in Schiap - photographs by Lee Miller, Paris, 1944

 

The first four images are from the Lee Miller Archives.

Whether you believe her version or that of her daughter's regarding the duration of the tour, Dietrich had spent months traveling in North Africa and Italy entertaining the troops. Arriving in the just liberated French capital in September of 1944, she met up with photographer Lee Miller whose own wartime work alternated between the front line and creating features for Vogue. The meeting produced these images of the actress modeling an evening coat/hostess gown by one of her favorite fashion designers, Elsa Schiaparelli. The images were sent to Vogue that same month, and Dietrich went on to wear the garment at further war-related appearances and in publicity portraits.

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Two months later, on 20 November, Dietrich wore the coat when she performed for the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops at the seminary in Luxembourg City.

The 23rd - aka "The Ghost Army" - was a tactical deception unit that had been formed to mislead the Axis forces as to the size and location of Allied forces.

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That same month, this time in Namur, Belgium, she wore the coat again when, famous for her "million dollar" legs, she judged those of a sextet of American GIs. 

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She also wore it for a series of formal portraits, with typical "movie star" lighting, and wearing full-on makeup and a longer wig instead of her own hair. 

I don't know who the photographer was or the reason for the session, possibly publicity for "Kismet" the only film she starred in that year.

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The garment survives, but un-Dietrich-ed it looks distinctly less fabulous.

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Random Hollywood

 

Carole Lombard, by George Hoyningen-Huene, 1934.

Groucho Marx and Marlene Dietrich, circa 1932-33.

Gloria Swanson, publicity for "Music in the Air", photograph by Otto Dyar, 1934.

Mary Astor and Peter Lorre on the set of "The Maltese Falcon", 1941.

Passport for Roy Harold Fitzgerald, aka Rock Hudson, stamped 1952 and 1954.

Joan Crawford and Joan Crawford, circa early 1940s.

 Boris Karloff, ND.

Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, circa 1943.

Irene Dunne, by Roman Freulich, 1932.

Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell at the Academy Awards ceremony, 1942. 

James Stewart and Judy Garland, circa 1941. (Spencer Tracy can be seen in the background, far right.)

Bette Davis, publicity for "The Letter", 1940.

Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh rehearsing during the production of "Gone With The Wind", 1939.

Norma Shearer chez elle, 1948.

Jean Harlow, by George Hurrell for Vanity Fair, 1935.

Dick Powell, publicity for "Murder, My Sweet', photograph by Ernest Bachrach, 1944.

Rosalind Russell, publicity for "The Velvet Touch", 1948.

Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, and Shirley Temple, 1941.

Audrey Totter, by Clarence Sinclair Bull, 1944.

Passport for Katherine Hepburn, circa late 1930s. Note the exception to travel in Spain, which was in the midst of its Civil War.

Olivia de Havilland and Vivien Leigh (and stewardess?) en route to the Atlanta premiere of "Gone With the Wind", 1939.

Franchot Tone, Richard Cromwell, and Gary Cooper during the filming of "The Lives of a Bengal Lancer", 1934.

Dolores del Rio, publicity for "Madame Du Barry", 1934.

Joan Blondell and Bette Davis during the filming of "Three on a Match", 1932.

Adrienne Ames, circa early 1930s.

Freddie Bartholomew and Douglas Scott during the filming of "Lloyd's of London", 1936.

Kay Francis during the filming of "It's a Date", 1941. 

Mannequins who were featured in the "Lovely to Look At" fashion show in "Roberta", 1935.

Tallulah Bankhead and Dickie Moore, 1932.

Alice Faye, circa 1940.

Passport for Cary Grant, stamped 1946 and 1947.

Stars gathered at the Hollywood Bowl in 1943 to welcome Madame Chaing Kai-Shek who was on a tour of the United States. 
In the background at far left can be seen Ginger Rogers, Shirley Temple, and Barbara Stanwyck. While in the foreground, left to right
and front to back, are Ingrid Bergman, Marlene Dietrich, Irene Dunne, Rosalind Russell, Deanna Durbin, Kay Francis, and Loretta Young.

Lizabeth Scott and Raymond Burr, publicity for "Pitfall", 1948.

Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor during the filming of "A Place in the Sun", photograph by Peter Stackpole, 1950.

Claire Trevor, publicity for "Murder, My Sweet", 1944.

Marion Davies, publicity for "Going Hollywood", 1933.

Clark Gable and his 1932 Packard Twin Six 905 Coupe Roadster.

Constance Bennett and Greta Garbo, "Two-Faced Woman", 1941.