Peacocks and Polka Dots: Vintage Hollywood

Friday, August 16, 2013

The Original Hollywood Princess

One of my huge pet peeves is that people often say that Grace Kelly was the original and or only Hollywood princess. They are in fact very incorrect. The first and original Hollywood princess was, my favorite of all vintage movie star, Rita Hayworth. She married Prince Ali Salman Aga Khan more commonly called Aly Khan , the son of Aga Khan III the head of the Ismaili Muslims.

In the late 1940s while her divorce from Orson Wells was being finalized Rita decided to take a trip around Europe, where she met the playboy Prince Aly Khan, who also was in the process of a divorce. The two hit it off immediately and began to travel the world together.At the same time Miss Ingrid Bergman (also a great actress, who stared in my favorite movie Casablanca) was being denounced on the floor of the United States Senate, being called an "instrument of evil" for the exact same behavior. The only difference was that Rita was with a man who not only was her husband (like Miss Bergman) but a man who was not a Christian (very scandalous at the time).

The lovely Miss Hayworth, before she married Khan.

Prince Aly Khan

Rita's divorce from Welles was finalized on December 1, 1948. On May 27, 1949 Rita married Aly making him, her third husband. To further add to the scandal she was already pregnant when they got married. On December 28, 1949 Rita gave birth to her second daughter Princess Yasmin Khan. While Rita was married to Prince Aly Khan she put her movie career on hold, a move that her career is said to have never recovered from. By January 27, 1953 just about 3 and a half years after they were married, Rita and the prince were divorced. Rita then returned to the United States and her movie career. So while Rita did not remain a princess like Grace Kelly, Rita was still the original Hollywood princess.

The Couple before they were married.

The couple before their nuptials. The necklace Rita is wearing was a gift from the Prince.

Miss Hayworth and her Prince before they were married.

The wedding

The wedding, you have to give it to Rita, the girl could wear a hat

The wedding

The wedding, love that they are cutting the cake with a sword.

Their lovely wedding cake.

Just after giving birth to Yasmin, and you must admit she looks great.

Aly Khan with Yasmin

Rita with Yasmin

Family life with the Khans

Couple's photos

More of the Prince and Princess

Prince Aly and Princess Rita at the races. Also I love her hat

I love the collar on her dress I think it is simply beautiful.

I am not a fan of his suite but Princess Rita's outfit is amazing.

Princess Rita, though I don't condone smoking , but she does look gorgeous in this photo.

Princess Rita upon arrival to India.

The lovely Yasmin Khan, she looks a lot like her mother.

Rita and Yasmin, you can really see the resemblance to her mother in this photo.

Sources:
http://thehairpin.com/2011/12/scandals-of-classic-hollywood-rita-hayworth-tragic-princess
http://claudia79.tripod.com/faqs.html
http://classicmoviechat.com/tag/where-were-rita-hayworth-and-aly-khan-married/
http://avintagegirlatheart.tumblr.com/post/23496842188/vintagechick4ever-rita-hayworth-with-her
http://www.gentlemansgazette.com/prince-aly-khan-man-of-passion/
http://www.gentlemansgazette.com/aly-khan-lavish-life/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Aly_Khan
Google Images

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

A Great American Patriot: General Jimmy Stewart

One of my favorite vintage male movie stars is Jimmy Stewart, and you know what makes me like him even more? He was a General! In 1940 Jimmy Stewart was drafted into the United States Army, but was rejected because at 6 feet 3 inches and only 143lbs he was 5 lbs under the Army's minimum weight requirements. This was not acceptable to Jimmy so he hired a man known for his ability to assist people in gaining or loosing weight, Don Loomis. Loomis lived up to his reputation and helped Stewart gain the needed weight. On March 22, 1941 Jimmy Stewart enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps ( later to become the United States Air Force) at Moffett Field, California.

Jimmy enlisting in the Army Air Corps

Early Service

Due to the fact that he had logged over 400 hours of flight time before joining the Army Jimmy wanted not only to be a part of the Army Air Corps, but to be an officer. During his basic training Jimmy put in paperwork to receive an officers commission. In January 1942, about a month after Pearl Harbor, Private Jimmy Stewart, earned his commission and became Second Lieutenant Jimmy Stewart. It soon became very obvious to Jimmy that because of his celebrity status the Army Air Corps had no intention of sending him to the front lines, but giving him assignments as an aviation trainer, and making promotional film reels. This however would not stop the patriotic LT Stewart, he pulled strings with his commanding officers and secured a posting overseas in Europe.

Europe in WWII

In August of 1943 Jimmy is assigned to the 703rd Bombardment Squadron, where he was shortly thereafter promoted to the rank of Captain. After bravely leading his men, frequently as the head B-24 bomber Jimmy quickly earned the rank of Major. In July 1944 Jimmy was promoted to the chief of staff of the 2nd Combat Bombardment Wing of the Eighth Air Force, and again was soon promoted. He was now Colonel Jimmy Stewart. In reaching the rank of colonel Jimmy became one of a few who managed to climb from the rank of private to the rank of colonel in only 4 short years. By the end of WWII Jimmy had earned the Croix de Guerre, form the French and Belgian governments, awarded to their allies that displayed bold acts of heroism. He also earned 2 Distinguished Flying Crosses, for "...extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight during World War II."

During his service in WWII

Receiving a metal during WWII

Distinguished Flying Cross

Croix de Guerre

Post WWII

After the war Jimmy returned home and was active in the United States Air Force Reserve, as a Reserve Commander at Dobbins Air Force Base. On July 24, 1959 Jimmy Stewart earned his first star and became Brigadier General Jimmy Stewart. During Vietnam Jimmy was part of several missions in the B-52 bomber. He finally retired on May 31,1968. During his time as a Brigadier General Jimmy was awarded the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, a peace time award for "...exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in a position of great responsibility..." Jimmy Stewart was truly a great American patriot, who served for love of country for 27 years.