40's beauty: Veronica Lake

1941

This week no new blog-posts, because I need to work on my final papers for the 1-year 'Clinical instructor' course which I'm going to finish by the end of june.
Still, I have another portrait of a Hollywood starlet, the famous Veronica Lake.
Next week I'll be back with more sewing!


"Decorative Veronica Lake has the face of an impish angel, the mind of a scholar. To become a doctor she enrolled in Montreal's McGill University,but changed her ind when Paramount offered the drama 'I wanted wings'. Veronica Lake, five feet two inches tall, just seven stone in weight, has naturally silver hair, fair complexion, and a freckled nose. She skis, swims, rides, is an excellent cook - and was discovered by Myrna Lay's usband, the producer Arthur Hornblow. The US Air Force authorities were so intrigued with this Paramount 'Wings' photograph of Veronica Lake that they obtained permission to use it on their recruiting posters." (1941)

How did she look and sound on screen? Below two scenes from the 1941 movie 'Sullivan's travels', where she was 6-7 months pregnant. Look how her belly is (strategically) covered at all times!



"Paramount star, veronica Lake, is now wearing her famous 'sheep-dog' hair-do in neat rolls, but here reverts to the old style to offset her colorful peasant costume. At present the diminutive star - she is only 5 foot 2 inches- is recuperating after the death of her week old son. Before her illness, Veronica was one of the most successful stars in the War Bond tours, and was hostess at the Hollywood Canteen. She will next be seen in 'So proudly we hall' with Claudette Colbert and Paulette Goddard." (1943)

Veronica Lake is the ultimate 'blonde bombshell' of the 40's. Paramount producer Arthur Hornblow, Jr. He changed her name to Veronica Lake because the surname suited her blue eyes. The actress married and divorced 4 times. Lake's first marriage was to art director John S. Detlie, at the age of 18. The article above refers to the death of Veronica's second child Anthony, who was born prematurely a week after Lake tripped and fell over a cable while filming. Another unhappy beauty who begun to drink heavily by the end of WW2 and also suffered from mental illness. In 1948 she was fired by Paramount. She appeared on television in the 50's with little success and got diagnosed with mental illness in the 60's. She wrote an autobiography which was published in 1970. She died in 1973 at the age of 50.



Veronica Lake was famous for her trademark 'peek-a-boo hairstyle' (above). She was one of the models for the animated character of Jessica Rabbit in the 1988 film 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit'. Below a few wartime pictures where se is seen with traditional victory rolls:




"Veronica Lake, known as Hollywood's 'blonde bombshell', is only five feet two inches tall, and just manages to tip the scales at seven stoe. Veronica recently divorced her husband, Major John Detlic, but retains custody of their small daughter, Gale. Surprisingly for a glamour girl, this star is one of the most ardent victory gardeners in the film colony: is also a regular camp tourer. Her latest film is Paramount's 'The hour before dawn', based on Sommerset Meughan's espionage novel, with Franchot Tone." (1944)