Maybelline's Debbie Reynolds and her daughter Carrie Fisher will be loved forever

Debbie Reynold's with Maybelline founder, Tom Lyle Williams, (on the right,) Arnold Anderson (on the left,) and Sparky the dog.  Photo taken at TL's home in Bel Air California, 1950.

Married in 1955, Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher, known as the perfect couple.  Both equally famous, they were the couple..... to wanna be.

 Hollywood's Prince and Princess, expecting their first child....This was the stuff fairy tales were made of. 

 A 1956,  Maybelline ad, appeared in movie magazines, the same time Debbie and Eddie were expecting their first child, Carrie Fisher.

Goodbye Debbie and Carrie you will be greatly missed RIP.
Read more about Debbie Reynolds the day she visited Tom Lyle and Arnold in Bel Air for a photo shoot, in..... The Maybelline Story and the Spirited Family Dynasty Behind It.

THE LORETTA YOUNG SHOW TRANSFORMED WOMEN'S ROLES.

The Loretta Young Show, put women front stage and center, and created a vehicle for Maybelline to reach a larger target market in the 1950's.

The Loretta Young Show ran from 1953 to 1961. Her trademark was to come through a door dramatically at the beginning in various high fashion evening gowns.

Maybelline capitalized on Loretta Young's fashionable image.... with a series of ads that illustrated her persona..... and affirmed postwar ideas, that true happiness, was possible, within the domestic/heterosexual

sphere of the middle-class home.

The Lorette Young, TV series, worked through the image of the glamorous Hollywood star, and would forever remain a phenomenon of 1950s television, the period in which the Hollywood studio system that had created larger-than-life stars came to a close.

Her program ran in prime time on NBC for eight years, the longest-running prime-time network program hosted by a woman up to that time.

In 1988, she was awarded the Women in Film Crystal Award. for outstanding women who, through their endurance and the excellence of their work, have helped to expand the role of women within the

entertainment industry.

Young was married to actor Grant Withers from 1930 to 1931. After that she was involved in affairs with Spencer Tracy and Clark Gable and in 1935 had Gable's child, a daughter.

View video of "The Loretta Young Show" US TV series (1953--61.)


Read all about Maybelline's influence on Women's culture in the 1950s, in my book, The Maybelline Story and the Spirited Family Dynasty Behind It.

THE PERRY COMO SHOW, SPONSORED BY MAYBELLINE IN 1956.

1956, was a banner year for Maybelline.....

  It Sponsored the Grace Kelly,

Prince Prince Rainier lll, Wedding,

The Miss America Contest, The Perry Como Show and Chuck Berry came out with the hit single, Maybellene,

 This is from his Saturday night show in the late '50s. "THE PERRY COMO SHOW," which had several sponsors during the hour- including, Maybelline and Polaroid.

On September 15, 1956, the season premiere of The Perry Como Show was broadcast from NBC's new color television studios at the New York Ziegfeld Theatre, making it one of the first weekly color TV shows. In addition to this season premiere as a color television show, there was also a royal visit from Prince Rainier of Monaco and his bride of six months, Grace Kelly.

Perry Como with Eddie Fisher - 1956, Perry Como and Eddie Fisher team up to sing "Maybe" in this 1956 clip.. Forty years later, Maybelline New York, would coin the phrase, "Maybe She's Born With It, Maybe It's Maybelline.

The Perry Como Show, telecast, one of the first, special effect, Maybelline commercials, depicting a "before and after" technique..... transforming, plain eyes, into glamorous, sparkling Maybelline eyes.  This was magic in 1956.  Also Maybelline's, Good Housekeeping seal of approval. represented purity and made it acceptable for family TV.

Read all about Maybelline's television sponsorship, in the 1950's, in my book, The Maybelline Story.

CHUCK BERRY'S, Maybellene shaped Rock & Roll in the 1950s.

Chuck Berry's Maybellene, ranked # 18, by Rolling Stone magazine's top 500 hits, and # 81 in all time rock and roll songs.

Berry's first single release and his first hit. "Maybellene" is considered one of the pioneering rock and roll singles: Rolling Stone magazine wrote, "Rock & roll guitar starts here."[2] The record is an early instance of the complete rock and roll package: youthful subject matter, small guitar-driven combo, clear diction, and an atmosphere of unrelenting excitement.

Spotting a mascara box on the floor of the studio, according to Berry’s partner Johnnie Johnson, Chess said, “Well, hell, let’s name the damn thing Maybellene” altering the spelling to avoid a suit by the cosmetic company.

 In 1988 "Maybellene" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for its influence as a rock and roll single.[8]

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame included "Maybellene" in their list of the 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll list, as well as "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B. Goode".  In 1999, National Public Radio included it in the "NPR 100," the one hundred most important American musical works of the 20th century as chosen by NPR music editors.

 "Maybellene" is currently ranked as the 81st greatest song of all time, as well as the second best song of 1955, by Acclaimed Music.

Chuck Berry did ask Tom Lyle Williams, for permission to use the Maybelline name.  The spelling is often spelled the same as the mascara.  Read all about it in my book, The Maybelline Story and the Spirited Family Dynasty Behind It.

MISS AMERICA 1955 brought to you by Maybelline.

In the 1950's, when the Miss America Contest, was telecast Nationwide, Maybelline was a sponsor.

Bert Parks was the official Host of Miss America from 1955 to 1979.

1955, swimwear competition.

1958, Miss America contestants prepare for the evening
gown competition.

San Francisco's Lee Meriwether was crowned, Miss America in 1955, when Bert Parks made his debut. "There She Is, Miss America" (the pageant theme song) was first introduced by singer Johnny Desmond on a Philco Playhouse production, which starred Lee Meriwether

Maybelline's  face of Miss America.....
in the 1950's.

click on video to see what a Maybelline Commerical looked like, during the Miss America Contest in the late 1950's.

Read all about Maybelline's sponsorship of the Miss America Contest in The Maybelline Story and the Spirited Family Dynasty Behind It.

Watch a video of The Miss America contest, telecast on television, during the 1950's.

Princess Grace of Monaco - the most beautiful Royal Woman of all times.

Maybelline won the bid for sponsoring
the first telecasted Royal Wedding in 1956.....Princess Grace Kelly, and Prince Rainier lll of Monaco.

During the 1950's, Grace Kelly's cool, sophisticated, glamorus image, represented what Maybelline was all about.

Maybelline model..... inspired by Grace Kelly..... with an air of sophistication..... an EXOTIC image..... and  new branding, for 1950's.

Princess Grace Kelly waves to cheering crowds lining the road as she rides in an open car with Prince Rainier III following their wedding ceremony in the Monaco Cathedral. (AP)

•The people of Monaco gave Grace and Rainier a cream and black Rolls Royce convertible as a wedding gift. After the religious wedding ceremony, the couple drove through the streets of Monaco in it.

Maybelline was there..... and is still here today. The number one mascara in the world.  Be sure to read all about Grace Kelly and Maybelline in..... The Maybelline Story and the Spirited Family Dynasty Behind It.

AN EYE-POPPING STATEMENT OF BEAUTY AND LUXURY.

Tom Lyle Williams, had an eye for exquisite motor cars and purchased cars that are today considered some of the best of the classic era.

Tom Lyle Williams, 1939 Packard Super 8 Convertible coupe, with bumper guards and driving lights.

Tom Lyle's car's (pictured below in earlier posts) include..... a 1916 Paige Detroit roadster..... a 1926 Kissel Gold Bug Speedster..... a 1934 Packard Individual Custom Dietrich V-windshield V-12 Sport Sedan..... a 1939 Packard Super 8 Convertible coupe..... and the 1940 Packard Bohman & Schwartz Convertible Victoria we see today.

So ends my 10 day, mini- documentary, on Tom Lyle Williams and his extraordinary, gorgeous, custom automobiles..... hope you enjoyed the ride with us. 

Stay tuned tomorrow for more fun, fascinating stories from The Maybelline Story and the Spirited Family Dynasty Behindt It.

IMAGE - The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. ....

Step into my world and cruise with me.

Packard's, Sexy Body Parts - Bumpers, Fenders, Headlights and Hood, equaled more than the sum of its parts, it equaled an emotional appeal that spelled image.

When it came to branding, Tom Lyle Williams Considered the image of .....

            The Maybelline  company..... 

including everything from advertising styles, stationery, company colours and even the car he chose to be seen in.  Because Image and style said it all.

Photographs by Chuck Williams aka BB1, founder and owner of REEEEEL CONVERTIBLES..... and deemed by Mike Love, as BB1.....The # 1 Beach Boy FAN.

                THE BEACH BOYS - I GET AROUND.

Be sure to see The Beach Boys on their 50 year Anniversary Tour this year. Click for dates.


THANK YOU TO STEVE SNYDER OF VAULT CLASSIC CARS FOR MAKING THIS PHOTO SHOOT POSSIBLE....

VINTAGE MAYBELLINE HISTORY DETECTIVES on the hunt for "What ever happened to TL's 1940 Packard Victoria.

Just like real life History Detectives, we set out to discover the truth about, what happened to the Packard Victoria, after it left our great uncle's hands in 1952.

Meeting the present day owner's, Bill and Jo Ellen Snyder and their son, Steve Snyder of VAULTCARS.....Chuck Williams aka BB1, Sharrie and Donna Williams, set out on a REEEEEL, Treasure Hunt..... that made all the pieces of the puzzle, at last, come together for us.

Bill Snyder, now in his 90's has been an avid Duisenberg and Packard collector for over 60 years and still owns his mother's, perfectly preserved, 1946 Packard.

Jo Ellen Snyder, is quite a collector of original moving art, herself, and has been a jewelry designer, for as long as her husband has been collecting 

Duisburg's and Packard's. 

The Snyder's home is a virtual museum of American memorabilia.....I asked Bill if he still collects....."no," he said, in a serious tone,  "we ran out of room"....  I looked around and there really wasn't a vacant spot to display one more item.....We all sat the the table and Steve brought out a giant file of records, for the the 1940 Packard Victoria...I remarked at how thick it was...and he looked straight at me and said..."This is only the tip of the iceberg."  That's a real historian. 

After studying all the records and pictures of the car, Steve Snyder and my cousin Chuck Williams aka BB1, owner of  REEEEEL CONVERTIBLES, proceeded to capture gorgeous photo's of the car.  Chuck was especially drawn to the Horse Head, hood ornament, claiming he had bookends that belonged to his grandfather, Noel J. Williams that were similar. 

Chuck believes the Horse Head, held special meaning for Tom Lyle and his brother Noel J....perhaps pertaining to Horsepower, and Maybelline outrunning the competition.

Here are the Horse Head bookends that Chuck inherited from his grandfather Noel James Williams, Vice President of the Maybelline Company from 1915 to 1951.

Chuck's reflection in the Packard's door, as he shoots a picture of my sister Donna and I pretending to cruise down Hollywood Blvd.  We wanted to recreate the feeling, of what it was like to drive in Old Hollywood, luxury, from the 1940's.

Steve Snyder captures Donna in the drivers seat, while I ride shotgun.  We have special feelings for this car, because our dad, Bill Williams, was just a kid when he and his uncle Tom Lyle, drove it to the homes of Hollywood's biggest stars, to collect their signatures on Maybelline Contracts.

So here I am ready to interview the Snyder's for my mini- documentary, about their 1940 Packard Victoria..... that once belonged to our great uncle, Tom Lyle Williams, founder and owner of the Maybelline Company.

Photography by Chuck Williams aka BB1, owner of REEEEEL CONVERTIBLES.

Stay tuned this weekend, as I wrap up, Packard Victoria, week, on the Vintage Maybelline Docu-Blog..... featuring..... The Snyder's and The Williams and their history with this amazing American Classic.

Scroll down to view my interview, with Packard Historian, Steve Snyder.