Old Hollywood

Singer and actor Elvis Presley — in costume, dressed in a black-and-white striped shirt and matching black denim jacket and jeans — captured facing the camera while standing in front of a set of open prison cell doors, his knees bent, left foot on tiptoes, arms by his side as he looks off-camera with his mouth open, mid-thrust, in a full-length black-and-white shot for the film Jailhouse Rock (1957)

Elvis Presley in a publicity still for Jailhouse Rock (1957)

Artist, socialite and writer Gloria Vanderbilt, singer and actress Pearl Bailey and writer Truman Capote — Vanderbilt dressed in a light-coloured striped blouse and skirt, Bailey in a dark-coloured patterned gown, Capote in a light pinstripe suit — captured together while seated around a small table replete with teapot, saucers and water jug, an ice bucket filled with champagne bottles closeby, as they toast each other, Vanderbilt with a teacup, Bailey and Capote with wine glasses, in a full-length black-and-white shot taken at the Blue Angel nightclub in New York City

Gloria Vanderbilt, Pearl Bailey and Truman Capote at the Blue Angel nightclub in New York City, 1955

Artist, socialite and writer Gloria Vanderbilt, singer and actress Pearl Bailey and writer Truman Capote — Vanderbilt dressed in a light-coloured striped blouse and skirt, Bailey in a dark-coloured patterned gown, Capote in a light pinstripe suit — captured together while seated around a small table replete with teapot, saucers and water jug, an ice bucket filled with champagne bottles closeby, as they toast each other, Vanderbilt with a teacup, Bailey and Capote with wine glasses, in a full-length black-and-white shot taken at the Blue Angel nightclub in New York City

Gloria Vanderbilt, Pearl Bailey and Truman Capote at the Blue Angel nightclub in New York City, 1955

Singer and actor Elvis Presley — in costume, dressed in a black-and-white striped shirt and matching black denim jacket and jeans — captured facing the camera while standing in front of a set of open prison cell doors, his knees bent, left foot on tiptoes, arms by his side as he looks off-camera with his mouth open, mid-thrust, in a full-length black-and-white shot for the film Jailhouse Rock (1957)

Elvis Presley in a publicity still for Jailhouse Rock (1957)

"Snap out of it!"

Loretta (Cher) attempts to knock some sense into Ronny (Nicolas Cage) in Moonstruck (1987)

Actress Claudette Colbert — dressed in Egyptian-style period costume: a shimmery black halterneck gown, ornate neckpiece, bracelets and a gold headdress — captured facing the camera while seated on an extravagant throne, holding a gold staff which rests on her lap, in a medium-length black-and-white shot for the film Cleopatra (1934)

Claudette Colbert in a publicity still for Cleopatra (1934)

Elizabeth Taylor provides the blueprint for the make-up tutorial in The Driver's Seat (1974)

Actress Barbara Stanwyck — in costume, dressed in a black off-the-shoulder gown, wearing a pearl necklace and bracelet — captured facing the camera while sitting on an armchair, her arms resting on its side, as she looks into the distance, in a medium-length black-and-white shot for the film East Side, West Side (1949)

Barbara Stanwyck in a publicity still for East Side, West Side (1949)

Singer and actress Dorothy Dandridge, actors Shelley Winters and Farley Granger, and singer and actor Harry Belafonte — Dandridge dressed in a black gown and white leaf-style hat, Winters in a light-coloured dress, Granger and Belafonte both in black suits — captured together while seated around a white tablecloth-covered table, Dandridge looking to the right as Winters points at something off-camera, Granger laughing, Belafonte looking at the camera and smiling broadly, in a medium-length black-and-white shot taken by photographer Nate Cutler at a nightclub in New York City

Dorothy Dandridge, Shelley Winters, Farley Granger and Harry Belafonte at a nightclub in New York City, 1950s

Actor Anthony Perkins — in costume, dressed in a white shirt, trousers and dark-coloured college insignia-inscribed cardigan — captured sitting almost in profile while turning to face the camera, looking directly into the lens, in a medium-length black-and-white shot for the film Tall Story (1960)

Anthony Perkins in a publicity still for Tall Story (1960)

RIP Patricia Routledge, 1929-2025

"There are 20 million women in this island, and I've got to be chained to you!"

Richard Hannay (Robert Donat)'s reluctant companion Pamela (Madeleine Carroll) is unconvinced by his tale of spies in The 39 Steps (1935)

Dancer and actress Marge Champion — in Snow White costume, a beaded gown with dark-coloured bodice, light-coloured skirt, puffed sleeves and high collar — captured facing the camera while seated on an oversized chair, looking upward and smiling broadly, arms resting by her sides, in a medium-length black-and-white shot taken during live-action model reference tests for animators of the film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

Marge Champion acting as a live-action reference model for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

Musician Nina Simone — dressed in a white gown covered by a long black net sweater — captured while sitting in profile, face turned toward the camera as she looks upward, in a medium-length black-and-white shot taken from below during a press interview

Nina Simone, 1965

"War is hell."

Ethel Merman cameos as the lieutenant who thinks he is Ethel Merman in Airplane! (1980)

Actress Yvonne Craig — in her iconic costume as Batgirl, dressed in a shimmering purple bodysuit, purple and yellow cape and purple and black cowl — captured in profile while turning her face toward the camera and looking directly into the lens, posed against a bright red background, in a medium-length colour shot for the television series Batman

Yvonne Craig as Batgirl in a promotional still for the television series Batman, 1967

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Actor and dancer James Cagney — dressed in a dark-coloured suit and tie — captured in profile while seated in an armchair, his face turned toward the camera as he raises his right eyebrow and smirks, arms folded, in a medium-length black-and-white shot taken by photographer George Hurrell

James Cagney photographed by George Hurrell, 1939

Actor James Dean — dressed in a white T-shirt — captured facing the camera with his arms outstretched toward it, a knife in his right hand as he looks into the distance, posed against a black background, in a medium-length black-and-white shot for the film Rebel Without a Cause (1955)

James Dean in a publicity still for Rebel Without a Cause (1955)

"Practically perfect in every way."

Mary Poppins (Julie Andrews) gets the measure of her new charges in Mary Poppins (1964)

Actress Eve Arden — dressed in a dark-coloured gown with black button details — captured almost in profile while standing behind a CBS-inscribed microphone, her left hand resting against its stand, a script in her right hand, as she looks off-camera mid-speech, in a medium-length black-and-white shot taken in the studio during recording of an episode of the radio series Our Miss Brooks

Eve Arden in the studio during of the radio series Our Miss Brooks, 1951

Singer and actress Tina Turner — dressed in a black jacket, trousers, silver belt and striped scarf — captured standing almost in profile while leaning her back against a brick wall, her right foot resting on it, knee bent, her right hand resting on her thigh as she looks toward the camera, smiling broadly, in a full-length black-and-white shot

Tina Turner, 1974

"She read DeMille's horoscope, she read mine."

"She read the script?"

Joe Gillis (William Holden) questions Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson)'s reliance on astrology in Sunset Boulevard (1950)

Actress, singer and dancer Rita Moreno — dressed in a light-coloured patterned bikini — captured facing the camera while sitting by the edge of a tiled swimming pool, laughing while stretching her arms above her head, her feet splashing in the water, in a full-length black-and-white shot taken at poolside during a photoshoot in Los Angeles

Rita Moreno by the pool, 1951

"Like I said, it's a present from your boyfriend."

Pam Grier takes her revenge in Foxy Brown (1974)

Actor Henry Fonda — dressed in a dark-coloured suit jacket, black trousers, white shirt and dark patterned tie — captured facing the camera while seated sidelong on a rounded armchair, his left leg resting atop it, hands clasped on his knee as he glances to the right, in a medium-length black-and-white studio portrait

Henry Fonda, 1936

RIP Claudia Cardinale, 1938-2025

Actors Charlton Heston and Stephen Boyd — both dressed in period Roman costume — captured together almost in profile while seated on a light-coloured Vespa scooter, Boyd in front holding the handlebars as both turn to look at the camera, smiling broadly, in a full-length black-and-white shot taken on a street on the studio lot at Cinecittà during a break from filming Ben-Hur (1959)

Charlton Heston and Stephen Boyd at Cinecittà Studios in Rome during a break from filming Ben-Hur (1959)