Identification Of Actress

[stairstars]

Looking for any help on who this may be?



It is one of the Mary Green dolls she made for Daniel Green, editor of SCREEN WORLD. I have added an image of Mary Carr, as my first thought, but she could be someone else. The costume is an important clue, as Green was very accurate with those from whatever role is being depicted. She, herself, was a costume designer.

Love the wrinkles on her neck...

And, yes, she suffers from water damage on the face.

Thanks.

rick

[Jim Roots]

I know nothing about these particular dolls, so forgive me for asking if you are certain this isn't a generic "movie star" doll.

What about May Robson?

Jim

[stairstars]

Jim,

Each is a one of kind piece, done for Blum, showing an actor, or actress, in an important role.

Here are the others I have:



Obviously, those were easy to determine. She sometimes put a label inside the costume or pinned to the back identifying the subject. This one just has her name.

When Blum died in 1965, the collection was auctioned in NYC. Since then, a few of us have been trying to reassemble them. The late Billie Nelson Tyrell probably had more than anyone. But, like this, every now and then, one surfaces and the games begin.

rick

[Brooksie]

May Robson in Lady For A Day (1933), perhaps?

[stairstars]

Yes, a good possibility. Went right there when Jim mentioned her, although I think the doll portrays a woman with less gentle features than Miss Robson. I sense a feeling of severity when I look at her. Might be the hawk nose....

[Jim Roots]

Jim,

Each is a one of kind piece, done for Blum, showing an actor, or actress, in an important role.

Here are the others I have:



Obviously, those were easy to determine. She sometimes put a label inside the costume or pinned to the back identifying the subject. This one just has her name.

When Blum died in 1965, the collection was auctioned in NYC. Since then, a few of us have been trying to reassemble them. The late Billie Nelson Tyrell probably had more than anyone. But, like this, every now and then, one surfaces and the games begin.

rick

Marvellous story (and dolls). Thanks, Rick!

Jim

[stairstars]

Marvellous story (and dolls). Thanks, Rick!

Jim

[Javier]

The Doll reminds me of Tallulah Bankhead.

[stairstars]

Oh. poor Tallulah...

Tanks...Dahling...but she never had a chance to age that much by the time Blum died, nor played a person that old.



rick

[maliejandra]

Looks like Baby Jane era Bette Davis to me.

[s.w.a.c.]

Looks like Baby Jane era Bette Davis to me.

By brain went to All About Eve era Bette Davis.

[R Michael Pyle]

Some of her dolls, such as Richard Carle appearing in "The Man from Tokio" (1905) - actually, the name of the show was "The Mayor of Tokio"! -, are of actors or actresses in plays, and some of them go back a long, long way. She made one of Olivier in "Oedipus", too, which was right when she was making these in the 1940s. This doll, I think, could be Sarah Bernhardt.

[Jay Salsberg]

I thought of Davis, too. Although the costume looks somewhat like the one she wore in ALL ABOUT EVE, the hair color is wrong. Bette's hair in EVE was reddish, not gray.

[s.w.a.c.]

This doll, I think, could be Sarah Bernhardt.

The mention of Bernhardt (on the left) led me to this composite picture of her and Eleonora Duse, on the right. The dress is somewhat similar.

[R Michael Pyle]

I thought of Davis, too. Although the costume looks somewhat like the one she wore in ALL ABOUT EVE, the hair color is wrong. Bette's hair in EVE was reddish, not gray.

Was she even making these in the 1950's? "All About Eve" was made in '50. I thought these dolls were made in the 30's and 40's...

[s.w.a.c.]

I thought of Davis, too. Although the costume looks somewhat like the one she wore in ALL ABOUT EVE, the hair color is wrong. Bette's hair in EVE was reddish, not gray.

Was she even making these in the 1950's? "All About Eve" was made in '50. I thought these dolls were made in the 30's and 40's...

I was just noting a similarity after maliejandra mentioned Baby Jane-era Bette.

It also resembles a former actor girlfriend of mine, but I'm absolutely positive that Mary Green wasn't aware of her.

[stairstars]

Was she even making these in the 1950's? "All About Eve" was made in '50. I thought these dolls were made in the 30's and 40's...

They do extend into the 1950s, as a Marilyn Monroe and a Steve Reeves doll do exist. Most online guesses state she began making them in the 1940s. I tend to think they started a bit earlier, but I am guessing as well. Blum did begin THEATER WORLD in 1944, which may account for the inclusion of stage folks, but, so far, there are just a few of them known. Later, with his SCREEN WORLD ANNUAL, he used an image of them in groupings on the preface page each year.




They are the 'wanted posters' for future finds.

rick

[s.w.a.c.]

The cached Ruby Lane Dolls sales page for this item says the dress is tagged, but doesn't say what's on the tag (I guess "Made by Mary Green"), but in the description says "She does have some paint wear, but she is charming.. and she has Betty (sic) Davis Eyes!"

[stairstars]

The cached Ruby Lane Dolls sales page for this item says the dress is tagged, but doesn't say what's on the tag, but in the description says "She does have some paint wear, but she is charming.. and she has Betty (sic) Davis Eyes!"

Yes, I think she has as well. Certainly, whoever she is, the portrayal is not her at her best...

The tag just has Mary Green's name, as some do.

[Jim Roots]

Definitely not Bernhardt. I'm now inclined to the popular opinion that it was an attempt at Bette Davis. Not a particularly successful one, but let's not forget there is water damage to the head which may hinder a confident identification.

It looks like a Bette Davis type of dress, too.

Jim

[missdupont]

What a terrible likeness. The faces are just a bland mess, it's the costumes that define the characters.

[stairstars]

Yes, no doubt costumes were her forte. She painted the faces on flat pieces of cloth, which gives them that look, but I think some are quite good, leaving no doubt as to who they are meant to be. I also feel she did a better job on male faces rather than female.

I think the resemblance to Kate Lester is strong, who in reality did have deep blue eyes:



The lower center image, from THE ADVENTURES OF CAROL (1917), also has similar hairline.

Thanks, to those of you who expressed interest.

rick

[Jim Roots]

What a terrible likeness. The faces are just a bland mess, it's the costumes that define the characters.

She got Marilyn's face quite well, from what I can see. Also Chaplin's face, but he's easy.

She made a mistake in trying to put a smile on Hart's face. He's not exactly known for sporting a grin.

Jim

[stairstars]

She made a mistake in trying to put a smile on Hart's face. He's not exactly known for sporting a grin.

Maybe, he was thinking about kissing his horse...?

[sepiatone]

Jim,

Each is a one of kind piece, done for Blum, showing an actor, or actress, in an important role.

Here are the others I have:



Obviously, those were easy to determine. She sometimes put a label inside the costume or pinned to the back identifying the subject. This one just has her name.

When Blum died in 1965, the collection was auctioned in NYC. Since then, a few of us have been trying to reassemble them. The late Billie Nelson Tyrell probably had more than anyone. But, like this, every now and then, one surfaces and the games begin.

rick

I was just randomly going over these dolls, I had brushed by them on previous views of this thread. But I want to add that the doll on the right with Theda Bara's picture is actually a doll of Shakespearean actress Julia Marlowe.