wacky tacky goes Hollywood: Part II

Earlier this year we made our way up to The Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills for the auction preview of Debbie Reynolds' vast collection of Hollywood costumes and memorabilia.  The costumes were amazing and Debbie Reynolds' foresight in collecting and preserving these pieces of Hollywood history was truly profound.  Fortunately, we made it (see blog post) - but just barely - on closing day.  When we heard that there would be a second exhibit of even more costumes, we committed to going but being the world-class procrastinators that we are, we again put it off until nearly the eleventh hour (the exhibit ends this week with the auction on Saturday, December 3).  Luckily, I was able to meet up with some friends, including fellow-bloggers Beth from V is for Vintage and Lauren from Wearing History.

The costumes that were on display this time were a little less spectacular than the previous exhibit - Marilyn Monroe's dress from The Seven Year Itch, Maria's dress from The Sound of Music, Dorothy's ruby slippers.  Also, it appears that a little less time was taken in the curation; not every piece in the auction was on display and not every piece was described in detail as was the case in the former exhibit.

This dress, for example, was described as "MGM dress worn by Joan Crawford."

It's funny sometimes how fine a line is drawn between stunning,
1940's glamour gown and crazy "Golden Girls" nightmare.

Having aired my grievances, it must be said that the entire preview catalog is available online and in spite of my minor gripes, the exhibit was still pretty spectacular.  If Reynolds' collection consisted only of the pieces we saw this time, I would still consider her a wise and wealthy woman.  I didn't get pictures of every item, so perhaps the best way to present these photos is by the stars who wore them, starting with Reynolds herself.

DEBBIE REYNOLDS

It Started with a Kiss (1959)
worn by Debbie Reynolds

What's the Matter with Helen? (1971)
worn by Debbie Reynolds

What's the Matter with Helen?

This is too "goody, goody" to miss.

SONJA HENIE

Show costume
worn by Sonja Henie

Show Parasol costume/prop
worn by Sonja Henie

Show costume
worn by Sonja Henie

Show costume
worn by Sonja Henie

BETTY GRABLE

My Blue Heaven (1950)
worn by Betty Grable

The Girl Next Door (1953)
worn by June Haver

Both films co-starred Dan Dailey!

Sweet Rosie O'Grady (1943)
worn by Betty Grable

Springtime in the Rockies (1942)
worn by Betty Grable

JULIE ANDREWS

Star! (1968)

worn by Julie Andrews

Star! (1968)
worn by Julie Andrews

 Details of the beautiful beading

"The Physician"

Star! (1968)

MARILYN MONROE

Niagara (1953)
worn by Marilyn Monroe

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)
worn by Marilyn Monroe

Bus Stop (1956)
worn by Marilyn Monroe

Let's Make Love (1960)
worn by Marilyn Monroe

CLAUDETTE COLBERT

Remember the Day (1941)
worn by Claudette Colbert

Without Reservations (1946)
worn by Claudette Colbert
This one is going to get the
Mr. Tiny treatment.

DORIS DAY

Billy Rose's Jumbo (1962)
worn by Doris Day 

Billy Rose's Jumbo (1962)
worn by Doris Day

Billy Rose's Jumbo (1962)

worn by Doris Day

The Glass-Bottom Boat (1966)
worn by Doris Day

 I was pretty excited to see the Doris Day costumes.
She is one of my favorite stars and I have always
thought the mermaid costume was awesome!

The Glass-Bottom Boat (1966)

This movie is about as corny and awesome as it can get -

Paul Lynde as an undercover, transvestite, NASA security guard.

A FEW STANDOUTS FROM THE COLLECTION

Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957)
Jayne Mansfield 

With a Song in My Heart (1952)
worn by Susan Hayward

The Opposite Sex (1956)
worn by June Allyson

Ziegfeld Girl (1941)
worn by Eve Arden

Detail of the illusion bodice with 3-D, wired stars.

The Unfinished Dance (1947)
worn by Cyd Charisse

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)
worn by Jane Powell

The Great American Broadcast (1941)
worn by Alice Faye

The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)
worn by Dorothy Lamour
Loving the modesty pearls...

Hello Frisco, Hello (1943)
worn by Lynn Bari

Hello Frisco, Hello (1943)
worn by June Havoc

Showboat (1951)
worn by Marge Champion

Kiss Me Kate (1953)
worn by Ann Miller

Jitterbugs (1943)
worn by Stan Laurel

Up in Central Park (1948)
worn by Deanna Durbin
Deanna is another one of my absolute favorites!

The Thin Man Goes Home (1945)
worn by Myrna Loy
Awesome!!!

20th Century Fox dress
worn by Carmen Miranda
Yep, CARMEN MIRANDA!!!

This hat had the reverent duty of resting atop
Maureen O'Hara's most beautiful head!!!

Overall, it was another great showing of Hollywood history - Irene, Adrian, Helen Rose, Edith Head, Jean Louis, Walter Plunkett, and more.  A serious "thank you" is owed to Debbie Reynolds for being clever enough to save all these things from the ravages of time and studio dumpsters!

I guess if I could have stolen anything from the
 exhibit, it would have been this piece.
Doris Day's boobies were here!

 Cheers!

Mr. Tiny

Blue Skies Smiling at Me!

A vintage view of Blue Skies Trailer Village - Rancho Mirage, CA

Are you sick of our desert posts yet?  Neither am I.   If you are a stinker (among a small minority to be sure) and you are a little tired of all the wacky tacky bounty that the Southern California desert has to offer, trust me, we're almost done.  

Rocky the Rock Jockey says,
"Welcome to Blue Skies."

Part of our recent trip was a reconnaissance mission to Blue Skies Trailer Village in Rancho Mirage.  Blue Skies Trailer Village is a private mobile home park founded by Bing Crosby in the mid-1950's.  Original investors included many Hollywood stars including Phil Harris & Alice Faye, Jack Benny, and Claudette Colbert.  I guess none of these stars really lived at Blue Skies, but the history is there and the park is worth the visit. 

Phil and Bing making hot cakes for the opening day festivities.

Since it's November 5, 1955 opening, Blue Skies has lived a pretty uneventful life as a regular, old mobile home park with relatively-low security.  But you know we wouldn't bring you just a boring, old mobile home park.  There just has to be something wacky tacky!

Several years ago while visiting the desert, I was bound and determined to get into the impenetrable fortress known as Blue Skies.  I parked outside and walked up to the pedestrian gate and found that it was as easy as reaching through the gate, running my key between the gate and the post, depressing the latch, and letting my self in.  High on my MacGyver-level skills, I walked into the park earnestly searching for the secrets of Bing's old stomping grounds.

This time, the management, somehow alerted to our arrival, had installed protective, metal plates on both sides of the gate thus preventing our stealthy entry to the park.  Thank goodness for the kindness of landscapers who saw us trying to trespass and entered the gate code.  There is no shame in easy access.

Blue Skies was built around Starlight Circle and a spacious, central, putting green complete with water feature.  One of the highlights of the park is the street signs; every street is named after one of the original investors.  I am not sure of the exact changes the park has lived through over the years but currently there are fewer streets resulting in fewer star tributes than the park initially offered.

One change is glaringly obvious.  Blue Skies is home to ONE parking meter.
Originally, the meter was given pride of place on Jack Benny Rd. as a tribute to his miserly ways.
Benny took a cue from Monopoly and charged a fee for stopping on his street. 

Betty Bacall and George Burns & Gracie Allen grudgingly feeding Jack Benny's meter.

Many of the original spaces were filled by travel trailers.  Over the years, more traditional-style mobile homes planted roots.  It may seem weird, but I love mobile homes.  I attribute it in part to the fact that my paternal grandparents lived in a mobile home park for a short time and they made a beautiful home no matter where they lived.  To me, however, there is something especially old-timey and neighborly about parks like Blue Skies.  Here are a few of the mobile homes for which we developed a fondness.

Clearly, great minds think alike and Jane Wyman
had a fondness for mobile homes as well.

And now for the really good stuff!  Part of Blue Skies' unique charm is found in the themed homes that dot its landscape.  It is my understanding that there is a waiting list to get into the these homes.  As morbid as it seems, the "waiting list" in a 55+ park means waiting for the previous owner to move on to that great mobile home park in the sky.

The Egyptian Temple

When in Egypt...

The most impressive of all is the Asian-themed home.

Pan-Asian details abound and the perimeter is enclosed by a decorative, block wall.

It seems the details including the red, torii gate are mostly Japanese in influence.

A newer addition to the party is the Polynesian Palace

Palms, a thatched roof, and bamboo screens add to the south seas allure.

Sadly, the themed homes seem to be dwindling in number as new residents mainstream their airstreams.  Since my last visit, at least two of the once-themed homes have disappeared or have been stripped of their wacky tacky details.  I was a little steamed by this so we went to cool off at the pool.

Phil & Alice preserving life.

Bill Holden and friends enjoying
 the sunny, poolside weather.

As I mentioned before, the landscapers let us in but we were on our own to get out!
Blue Skies is a particularly-sleepy, little park and we couldn't even find a car to follow out.
Eventually, we found a hidden gate that was unlocked and made our not-so-subtle get away.

Coincidentally, the only blue skies we saw that day were directly above
Bing's Blue Skies.  I think he was looking down on us - disappointedly.

Listen to Der Bingle croon

Blue Skies (1946)

It may seem like just another senior citizen trailer park, but to wacky tacky, it is a piece of Hollywood history and we were happy walking in Bing's footsteps (minus the bag of oranges)!

Where's my two dollars?

Cheers!

Mr. Tiny