Happy Birthday Gloria Grahame (1923-1981)

When I started thinking about a post for Gloria Grahame's birthday, I was in a bit of a quandary. You see, I've been collecting original Gloria Grahame photos and lobby cards for many years and have well over a thousand in my personal collection. Obviously, with so many pictures to choose from, my usual custom of posting a more-or-less chronological series, with examples from all the major movies, would be a monumental chore. I decided that I would instead share a few select photos from my collection that have never been published online before. I hope you enjoy them.

Gloria with Jed Harris, director of the stage play

The World's Full of Girls (1943)

Gloria at age 18, at the time of her MGM contract signing in 1944

with director Richard Whorf on the set of Blonde Fever (1944)

A scene from Blonde Fever (1944) with Marshall Thompson

in Roughshod (1949)

Gloria at home, April 21, 1953

on the set of Human Desire (1954) with Broderick Crawford

A scene from Human Desire (1954) with Glenn Ford

A scene from Head Over Heels (1979)

These next four photos are some of the prizes of my collection. They are previously unpublished snapshots that were taken by friends and fans in Gloria's later years. I especially get a kick out of the one of Gloria in curlers, apparently at home. I imagine her interrupting housework in the 70s to pose for a friend with the Oscar she received for The Bad and the Beautiful (1952).

from the Iron Horse TV series in 1967

from an unknown film or TV show (any guesses?)

with Burgess Meredith in Mr. Griffin and Me (TV) (1981)

Gloria models at a Charity Fashion Show ca. 1952

Macao (1952), with Robert Mitchum

with Sterling Hayden in a publicity still from Naked Alibi (1954)

The Bad and the Beautiful (1952)

Eloise Taylor O'Brien, Pat O'Brien and Gloria Graham

in a episode from the TV series "Harrigan & Son," which aired Jan 27, 1961