Thursday at the Museum: Jean Harlow

I recently saw a number of rare Jean Harlow items on display at the Hollywood Heritage Museum. She was the 1930s platinum blonde bombshell and comedienne supreme who died way too soon.



There were so many “wows” to see, especially this 1937 painting by Tino Costa, “Farewell to Earth.” A blog post from 2019 covered a bit of the backstory for this 52" x 80" piece of art.



A detailed view of the painting, which was completed after Harlow’s untimely passing at the tender age of 26.



A better shot of the stunning painting from the 2016 Bonhams auction, unencumbered by display glass and other exhibit items overlapping it:



MGM Prop Department Silver Trophy used in two Jean Harlow films (“Red Headed Woman,” 1932, and “Suzy,” 1936) and the 1952 musical classic, “Singin' in the Rain,” from the Brian Bundy collection.



Jean Harlow Frankart Cigarette Holder, 1930s. This art deco treasure from the Brian Bundy collection almost makes me want to smoke.



Jean Harlow in her Club View Drive sunroom with the Frankart Cigarette Holder in the background, 1932:



If the cigarette holder doesn’t get you puffing, maybe this gigantic Jean Harlow Lucky Strike ad will (Marne Rafter collection)!



A Jean Harlow brocade purse, from the Brian Bundy collection:



Jean Harlow’s Rex rabbit fur sleeves on a replica gown, from the Darrell Rooney collection:



Vine Street Brown Derby Jean Harlow caricature by Vitch, from the Darrell Rooney collection:



The Vine Street Brown Derby in Hollywood where the above caricature was on display:



In 1936, Jean purchased three chiffon silk handkerchiefs in different colors: pale blue, navy blue (below, from the Brian Bundy collection):



…and cream-colored (also from the Brian Bundy collection):



1935 photo of Rose Davies (sister of actress Marion), William Powell, and Jean Harlow at Hearst Castle from the Darrell Rooney collection:



The same area at Hearst Castle when I visited in 2010:



1936 Joseff's of Hollywood simulated diamond and aquamarine brooch worn by Jean Harlow in “Libeled Lady.” Also worn by Lucille Ball in “Two Smart People” (1946).



The numbers for room 826 at the Good Samaritan Hospital, where Harlow checked into on June 6, 1937. These pot metal numbers came from the 8th floor just before the wing was demolished.



From the Darrell Rooney collection comes this April 29, 1932 “Grand Hotel” autographed register from the film’s premiere at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre.



1932 Grand Hotel premiere register autographs, including Harlow and husband, Paul Bern.



A photo from the Robin Smith collection showing Bern and Harlow’s arrival at the premiere, signing the register:



A star-studded 1937 MGM Café signed menu from the Darrell Rooney collection:



An MGM Leo the Lion family paperweight from the May 3, 1937 sales delegate luncheon, from the Marne Rafter collection. This was where “Girl 27: The Patricia Douglas Story” took place.



MGM Executive Sam Katz and Jean Harlow at the May 3, 1937 luncheon:



There are very few color photos of Jean. Here’s a beauty from the Darrell Rooney collection, circa 1937 Jean Harlow, shot by James Doolittle:



Hearth tiles by Davis and MacDonald of Los Angeles, were recovered from the fireplace of Jean’s last home at 512 N. Palm Drive in Beverly Hills, and are part of the Darrell Rooney collection.



Also from the Darrell Rooney collection is this photo of famed illustrator James Montgomery Flagg sketching Jean for a 1936 Photoplay magazine cover:



The sketch itself! For whatever reason, this illustration was never used by the magazine. Glad it still exists!



If you’re excited to go to the Heritage Museum to see these items, unfortunately, the exhibit ended last weekend.



See more Hollywood Heritage Museum photos at my main website.

Temple Tuesdays: Temple and Harlow

One wouldn’t think that there would be very much to link curly haired moppet Shirley Temple and screen siren Jean Harlow other than the oft-told tale that Shirley lost the part of Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz” when a trade between Temple, Harlow, and Clark Gable went south due to Harlow’s premature death on June 7, 1937 at age 26. Even though Shirley herself repeated this story in her autobiography, the chances of it being for the same movie that MGM released in 1939 are slim to none, as in 1937 MGM didn’t even own the rights to “Oz.” But that’s another story than the one I am telling today, which is about a verifiable connection between Shirley and Jean: both of their mothers hired the same artist to paint their daughters. Gertrude Temple hired Piles Tino Costa first in 1936 for the tidy sum of $1200 (today’s equivalent of approximately $18,000); including the frame. Good luck getting that today! Here is the “contract” that she sent to the artist:



I was able to see this painting in person at the Santa Monica History Museum when it was put on display just before it was sold as part of the Love, Shirley Temple auction in 2015. The Child Star is shown with her dog, Corky, and a canary in a cage in the oil painting that measured a large 58" x 46".



Here is Shirley posing with the artist:



The descriptive copy from the auction catalog:

Her presence is signified by classic ringlet curls, smiling expression, and fingertip-length skirt hem. Her shoes are shown scuffed at the toes indicating their dancing purpose, and alongside sits her beloved Scottie named Corky and a bird cage whose canary resident is tethered on a leash. Signed in lower corner "P. Costa 1936".…Costa, the Russian-born portrait painter, immigrated to the United States in 1929 at the age of 38. He was commissioned for portraits of Presidents Hoover and FDR, as well as portraits of General MacArthur, the Prince of Wales, and King Christian of Denmark. In 1935 he moved to California, and among his works during that era is this portrait of Shirley Temple.

Presale estimate was $5000; the gavel went down at $23,000. Gertrude Temple made a fairly good investment, but not stupendous.

The brown velvet dress with lace collar that she wore for the painting was also part of the auction:



Many photos exist of the painting as it hung in the home where Shirley grew up in Brentwood on Rockingham Avenue:



A year after Costa painted the portrait of Shirley, he was commissioned by Jean Harlow’s mother to paint one of her late daughter. Here’s the final product, titled “Farewell to Earth,” which measures a gargantuan 80" x 52":



Lost for years, the piece was photographed in black and white in the 1930s, and that was all that existed of it until it resurfaced recently at a Bonham’s auction in November 2016. It has been inventoried in both the National Portrait Gallery and the New York Public Library's Prints and Photographs online catalogs.

Here’s a youtube video that talks about the recovery of the painting. It was found in an abandoned home in Harrisonville, MO. A renowned chemist, Dr. James D. Idol, bequeathed his niece's his estate and they discovered this amongst the broken glass and animal poop almost 50 years later!



All I can say is that it’s a miracle it has survived!

To end this post I show a painting I did of Jean back in the 90s:



See more Shirley Temple photos at my main website.