The Dark Ladies of Warner Brothers: Ann Dvorak and Kay Francis

I've sung their praises before, but Ann Dvorak and Kay Francis are two of my favorite actresses.

Ann Dvorak

Besides being beautiful brunettes, both ladies had a lot in common.

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. 

This Dark Lady looks elegant in black and pearls

Kay was quite tall and was made for those gowns that sweep the floor

She looks good in gowns that drape the stairs, too

Kay could do sporty

Just a beautiful, glamorous lady

A Grecian vision

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.

Ann looks good from all angles

Very modern

Ann looked swell in polka dots

And stripes

And Plaids

Oh, that hat!

One of my favorite looks - clean and chic

Love the shoes

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!

Kay Francis: Where Have You Been All Of My Life?

Until recently, I never had any real interest in Kay Francis. I was aware of her, had seen her in a few films, but never was impressed enough to pursue her. Well, all I can say about me is - what a dope!

Now, I am all over this woman. An authentic "dark beauty," Kay Francis is a totally unique personality. Quite tall, beautiful in a singular fashion, and a famed clotheshorse, Kay Francis had a low, soothingly sexy voice with one little flaw - she could not say her "r"s. It's actually very noticeable and somewhat surprising that she made it up into the upper echelons of stardom on both stage and screen with such a speech impediment. I suppose it is kind of cute, but it gave her the nickname of "the wavishing Kay Fwancis."


My chief brushes with Kay came from her role as the bitchy wife of "In Name Only." Hey, anyone who makes my Cary Grant unhappy already has a black mark against them. I also saw her some very early poor films and some of her later poorer films. Somehow, I missed the glory  years. And then came a Kay Francis triple that blew me away. She was not the bitchy, brittle type at all. There is a genuine warmth about her and an intelligence that makes her a very appealing woman.


One Way Passage
Before Myrna Loy, William Powell was teamed with Kay and they made six films together, first at Paramount and then at Warner Brothers. She and Powell had great chemistry together. He is warm and romantic (on his way to the electric chair), and she is bright an vivacious (on her way to the great beyond). A very romantic film with two tremendously appealing and attractive stars.


Trouble in Paradise
It's really Miriam Hopkins and Herbert Marshall's show in this Lubitch treasure, but Kay adds real glamour and sophistication. She is as bright and glittering as a diamond as the careless-with-money and free-with-her-love heiress who happens to steal the heart of thief Marshall. A really great film.


Girls About Town
As a carefree gold digger with pal Lilyan Tashman (who steals the how), Kay is quite sexy in this naughty pre-code goodie directed by George Cukor. Added bonuses are a very handsome Joel McCrea, risque dialogue and girls in lingerie.


Career & Personal Life
What a woman! Kay was quite the gal off screen, racking up a total of 5 husbands and lovers by the score. She was a socialite, stage actress and film star and did it all with great style. Kay was a woman who lived for the moment!


Following some success on stage (she made her debut at 20 and already had a Paris divorce under her belt), she went to Hollywood in 1929. After initial success at Paramount, she moved to Warner Brothers where, for a short time, she shared the title "Queen of the Lot," with Ruth Chatterton. However, life changed for all actresses at Warner Brothers when a wind named Bette Davis blew in and subjugated all former queens to mere hand maidens. After leaving Warner Brothers at the end of the 1930, Kay's career went into decline, although she managed to make some interesting later films.


War Service
During World War II, she, along with fellow actors Carole Landis, Martha Raye and Mitzi Mayfair did tremendous volunteer work and entertained the troops in the field. Their adventures were described in the book Four Jills in a Jeep, which was later made into the a movie of the same name starring all 4 Jills. Kay also contributed greatly to the Red Cross and donated much of her time to the USO. Slinky and patriotic - what a gal.


After retirement, Kay left the bulk of her fortune to the The Seeing Eye, Inc., which trains guide dogs for the blind. Her personal papers and diaries were donated to Wesleyan University.


There are many great sites on the internet that give much more information about Kay than I am doing here. Two, in particular, that I like are:
The Kay Francis Fan Page  and Kay Francis - I Can't Wait to Be Forgotten.

Because I fully admit to being mesmerized by her alluring appearance, I offer a sampling of the dazzling Kay Francis, who goes into my book of dark ladies I love (alongside Pola Negri, Ann Dvorak, Louise Brooks and Miriam Cooper).

Okay, I'll stop now. And I will continue my exploration into all things Kay Francis. It's so much fun to discover a "new to me" favorite!


Kay Francis films on my list to see:
Behind the Makeup (1930)
Jewel Robbery (1932) - Yay - on TCM on December 1st!
Cynara (1932)
Mandalay (1934)
Wonder Bar (1934)
Living on Velvet (1935)

1925 portrait of Kay by Charles Baskerville

I just ordered her bio, and can't wait to read it. 2012 is going to be my year of Kay Francis!