Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Maybelline and the teenage market, Post WW ll, USA.

Maybelline was readily available in drug stores after World War ll and the average teenager was able to purchase Maybelline mascara, shadow and pencil for one dollar.   
Maybelline ad, 1946

The movies pumped out teenage movies so fast that every talent scout from every Motion Picture Studio in Hollywood had their eye's open for the next big thing.

L
Schwab Drugstore, 1949


Lana Turner a 16 year old student at Hollywood High was discovered while having a soda at Schwab's drugstore and soon become Hollywood's most gorgeous "sweater girl," in the late 30's. 

-- Lana Turner in They Won't Forget, the film that launched her career and labeled her "The Sweater Girl"



 Click on tribute to Lana Turner.



I don't think any young girl was more influenced by Maybelline ads in Hollywood glamour magazines than Norma Jean Baker, (Marilyn Monroe,) in Post WW ll


Marilyn Monroe on the cover of Yank Magazine, 1945.
1946 Maybelline ad appealing to the average girl
after WW ll.

In 1975 the film Goodbye Norma Jean was filmed at my father's home in Palm Springs.  Many of my friends and family were extras, wearing costumes from the 1940's.  See below for a few pictures of my sister Donna Jean Williams, during the filming with her friend, Gerry Marks.
Donna Jean Williams in our dad, Bill Williams, Model-T truck, taking a break from filming Goodbye Norma Jean.
Gerry Marks in the background, with the Model-T truck loaded with supplies for a shot in the film.
Inside my fathers living room where a party scene was being shot. Gerry Marks, with one of the cast, and my sister Donna Jean Williams dressed 40's style posing for background shots.


Marilyn Monroe - Photograph​s - At Tobey Beach by Andre DeDienes (1949)

How Norma Jean Baker became Marilyn Monroe
Monroe became one of Blue Book's most successful models; she appeared on dozens of magazine covers. Her successful modeling career brought her to the attention of Ben Lyon, a 20th Century Fox executive, who arranged a screen test for her. Lyon was impressed and commented, "It's Jean Harlow all over again."[22] She was offered a standard six-month contract with a starting salary of $125 per week. Lyon did not like the name Norma Jeane and chose "Carole Lind" as a stage name, after Carole Lombard and Jenny Lind, but he soon decided it was not an appropriate choice. Monroe was invited to spend the weekend with Lyon and his wife Bebe Daniels at their home. It was there that they decided to find her a new name. Following her idol Jean Harlow, she decided to choose her mother's maiden name of Monroe. Several variations such as Norma Jeane Monroe and Norma Monroe were tried and initially "Jeane Monroe" was chosen. Eventually, Lyon decided Jeane and variants were too common, and he decided on a more alliterative sounding name. He suggested "Marilyn", commenting that she reminded him of Marilyn Miller. Monroe was initially hesitant because Marilyn was the contraction of the name Mary Lynn, a name she did not like.[citation needed] Lyon, however, felt that the name "Marilyn Monroe" was sexy, had a "nice flow", and would be "lucky" due to the double "M"[23] and thus Norma Jeane Baker took the name Marilyn Monroe.

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