Ziegfeld Girl (1941) Directed by Robert Z. Leonard and Busby Berkeley. James Stewart, Judy Garland, Hedy Lamarr, Lana Turner (132 min).

Ziegfeld Girl was one of the last film projects of the superlative MGM designer, Adrian, before he left Hollywood and opened his own couture business. Occasionally, I buy movie star paper dolls, but only if they are a bargain. I prefer if they are cut, so I can dress the dolls and scan them in their outfits. I found this set on e*Bay for cheap, labelled “Starlet’s” (sic) but they were clearly from Ziegfeld Girl. Adrian designed the costumes, not just for the stars, but for each and every showgirl, here dignified with her real name. My set is missing Judy Garland, for some reason. Discarded, or especially treasured? It’s impossible to ask the girl who once played with them, so we will never know. It’s not too hard to google beautifully scanned pages of the uncut book, but here are the ladies wearing their beautful gowns.

This is not the correct headdress for Hedy Lamarr’s costume; it was missing. Moviediva, Jr., once dressed in Hedy Lamarr’s starry outfit here for Halloween.

Here is a page of Hedy Lamarr’s other costumes. All outfits were carefully identified by names on the tabs.

This is also the incorrect headdress for Lana’s costume, which was likewise missing. This set showed clear evidence of being played with quite a bit.

The tutu and silver tiara were not Lana’s but they were the stray items that needed inclusion.

Here are all the showgirls in their starry scanties. They were not named on the back, so I had to guess whose costumes were whose, based on their arms, and if the tabs fit around their hairdos. I was able to find the names of the girls, but they have perhaps been dressed in each other’s clothes. Ah, well, perhaps a mistake made by their former owner, too. The dresses are all quite clever, in the way the arms and legs fit through cut places, and the way the headresses perch.

Nina Bissell (accidentially wearing Georgia Carroll’s costume) and Madeline Martin.

Irma Wilson and Lorraine Gettman

Louise La Plance and Georgia Carroll (accidentially wearing Nina Bissell’s costume). I particularly like her half moon hat. Georgia Carroll later married band leader Kay Kyser.

Harriet Bennett and Patricia Dana

Anya Taranda and Alaine Brandeis

Apologies to all the ladies who have been dressed incorrectly. Thank you to e*Bay and to the great designer, Adrian.

c.MoviedivaJune 2010