I've sung their praises before, but Ann Dvorak and Kay Francis are two of my favorite actresses.
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| Ann Dvorak |
Besides being beautiful brunettes, both ladies had a lot in common.
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| Kay Francis |
Both Ann and Kay:
a Spent the best part of their careers under contract at Warner Brothers (although Kay made some stunners first at Paramount)
a Were utterly unique in appearance (Warners had an eye for players who were not like anyone else)
a Wore clothes like nobody's business
a Did most of their best work pre-code
a Saw their careers crumble at Warner Brothers (although Ann chose to walk away)
Kay Francis
Kay Francis was well known as one of the best-dressed women in Hollywood and provided the perfect subject for Warner Brothers chief designer Orry-Kelly. She was elegant and cosmopolitan, but also had a kind of breezy charm that comes across today as very natural.
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| This Dark Lady looks elegant in black and pearls |
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| Kay was quite tall and was made for those gowns that sweep the floor |
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| She looks good in gowns that drape the stairs, too |
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| Kay could do sporty |
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| Just a beautiful, glamorous lady |
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| A Grecian vision |
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| My favorite Warners look - from "Mandalay" |
Kay was the "top dog" at Warners until a force of nature by the name of Bette Davis blew in. Never the actress that Davis was (who was, for that matter), Kay was the movie star deluxe. I simply can't take my eyes off of her!
Ann Dvorak
Ann was not quite as glamorous as Kay, but she had a sophisticated allure that I find, well, alluring. While Kay was a calmer type, Ann was high-strung. Her emotions were vibrating barely below the surface. She was all clean lines and wore her Warners fashions with classic, casual ease.
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| Ann looks good from all angles |
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| Very modern |
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| Ann looked swell in polka dots |
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| And stripes |
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| And Plaids |
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| Oh, that hat! |
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| One of my favorite looks - clean and chic |
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| Love the shoes |
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| Who wouldn't come back for more of Ann? |
Well, that's my latest drumbeat for Ann and Kay. I'm sure there will be more, since I can't resist either one!
