25 December 2024

Christmas 2024 with the stars

We wish you all: Gelukkig kerstfeest! Frohe Weihnachten! God Jul! Joyeux Noël! ¡Feliz Navidad! Buon Natale! Feliz Natal! Sretan Božić! Веселого Різдва! Καλά Χριστούγεννα! Boldog karácsonyt! Gleðileg jól! Nollaig Shona! Priecīgus Ziemassvētkus! Linksmų Kalėdų! Среќен Божиќ God jul! Wesołych Świąt! Crăciun fericit! С Рождеством Срећан Божић veselé Vianoce! Vesel božič! Nadolig Llawen! Gëzuar Krishtlindjet! Eguberri! Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas: Lana Turner
Dutch postcard, no. 123. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

Blonde and voluptuous Lana Turner (1921-1995) was one of the most glamorous superstars of Hollywood's golden era. In the mid-1940s, she was one of the highest-paid women in the United States, and one of MGM's biggest stars, with her films earning the studio over $50 million during her eighteen-year contract with them. Unfortunately, her tumultuous private life sometimes overshadowed her professional accomplishments.

Challenge: Guess this mystery lady, Part 33
Spanish postcard by Ediciones Europacolor, no. 240. Collection: Marlene Pilaete.

Stunning Shirley Eaton (1937) played a cockney bombshell in British films throughout the 1950s and 1960s. She became famous as golden girl Jill Masterson in the third 007 adventure Goldfinger (1964). Five years later, Eaton retired.

Jim Carrey in How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Dutch postcard by Imagine / United International Pictures (UIP). Photo: Universal. Jim Carrey as The Grinch in How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Ron Howard, 2000). Caption: De groene griezel die de kerst verpest (The green creep that crushes Christmas).

Arguably the top screen comedian of the 1990s, Canadian-born entertainer Jim Carrey (1962) has combined equal parts of his idol Jerry Lewis, his spiritual ancestor Harry Ritz, and the loose-limbed Ray Bolger into a gleefully uninhibited screen image that is uniquely his own. He rose to fame in the sketch comedy series In Living Color (1990) and leading roles in the comedies Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994), Dumb and Dumber (1994), and The Mask (1994) established him as a bankable film star.

Shirley Temple
German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. A 1483/4, 1937-1938. Photo: 20th Century Fox.

Shirley Temple (1928-2014) was an American film and television actress, singer, dancer, and public servant, but everybody knows her as the most famous child star of the 1930s. Shirley could do it all: act, sing, and dance, and all at the age of five! Four years in a row, between 1935 and 1938, she was the top box-office draw for Hollywood. As an adult, she entered politics and became a diplomat, serving as United States Ambassador to Ghana and later to Czechoslovakia, and as Chief of Protocol of the United States.

Mari Blanchard
Italian postcard by Nannina, Milano.

Petite American actress Mari Blanchard (1927–1970) was known for her roles as a B movie femme fatale in American films of the 1950s and early 1960s.

Barbara Rush
Big autograph card.

Beautiful brunette actress Barbara Rush (1927) was the epitome of poise, charm, style, and grace in Hollywood films of the 1950s. In 1954, she won the Golden Globe Award as Most Promising Female Newcomer for the Science-Fiction film It Came from Outer Space (1953). She played the female lead in such films as The Young Philadelphians, The Young Lions, and Hombre. Later in her career, Rush guest-starred on TV in such series as Peyton Place, All My Children and 7th Heaven.

Miss Campton
French postcard by Sip, no. 2500. Caption: Reutlinger, Paris. Sent by mail in 1909. Miss Campton.

Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal in When Harry met Sally... (1989)
British postcard by Odeon Cinemas. Photo: Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal in When Harry met Sally... (Rob Reiner, 1989). Caption: Season's Greetings from Harry and Sally and everyone at Odeon Cinemas. The hit comedy of the year, Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, When Harry met Sally..., a new comedy by Rob Reiner. . "A clear winner", Jonathan King - The Sun. "Touching, hilarious, honest...There hasn't been a more satisfying film this year"- 20/20. At Odeon Cinemas from Jan 5th.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
British postcard by Pyramid Posters, Leicester, no. PC 9649. Image: Disney. Spooky kids in The Nightmare Before Christmas (Henry Selick, 1993).

Wolf Albach-Retty
German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 8419/1, 1933-1934. Photo: Ufa / Frhr. von Gudenberg. Wolf Albach-Retty.

Lil Dagover
German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 9720/1, 1935-1936. Photo: Ufa. Lil Dagover.

Guess Who
Small Dutch collectors card. Jane Powell.

Guess Who
Small Dutch collectors card. Belinda Lee.

Ann Miller
Vintage postcard, no. A.X. 292. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Ann Miller.

Jean Simmons
Dutch postcard by Uitg. Takken, Utrecht. Photo: J. Arthur Rank Organ. Jean Simmons.

Fiorella Mari
Italian postcard by Rotalfoto, Milano, no. 611.

Italian actress Forella Mari (1928) was the leading lady in a dozen European films of the 1950s. She retired at the end of the decade.

Lady and the Tramp (1955)
French postcard by Editions Crès, Paris, no. 202, 1964. Caption: The Reunion. Image: Walt Disney Productions. Publicity still for Lady and the Tramp (Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske, 1955).

I.N.R.I
German postcard. Ross Verlag, no. 667/1. Photo: Neumann. The Nativity Scene with Henny Porten as Mary in the Biblical film I.N.R.I. (Robert Wiene, 1923).

Esther Williams
Esther Williams. German postcard by Kunst und Bild, Berlin, no. A 190. Photo: Keystone.

Merry Christmas: Marie McDonald with a friend's daughter, Christmas
Dutch postcard. Caption: Marie McDonald with a friend's daughter.

American singer and actress Marie McDonald (1923–1965) was nicknamed 'The Body'. During World War II, she became one of Hollywood's most popular pin-up girls.

Margareta Pislaru. Merry Christmas!
Margareta Pislaru. Romanian postcard by Casa Filmului Acin.

Elizabeth Taylor in The Comedians (1967)
Romanian postcard by Casa Filmului Acin, no. 126. Elizabeth Taylor in The Comedians (Peter Glenville, 1967). Sent by mail in 1971.

Sophia Loren. Merry Christmas!
Sophia Loren. Romanian postcard by Casa Filmului Acin.

Christmas with Rocío Dúrcal
Rocío Dúrcal. Spanish postcard by Ediciones Tarjet-Fher / Ediciones Mandolina, no. 216. Photo: Epoca Films.

Merry Christmas with Mireille Darc
Mireille Darc. Romanian postcard by Casa Filmului Acin, no. 436.

Merry Christmas with Patricia Roc
Patricia Roc. Dutch postcard. Photo: British Lion.

Käthe von Nagy
Käthe von Nagy. German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 7282/1. Photo: Ufa. Released in Italy by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze.

Merry Christmas!
Elizabeth Taylor. French postcard by Editions P.I., Paris, no. 1051. Photo: John Everton / Ufa.

Merry Christmas! Katharine Hepburn in Little Women
Dutch postcard by the Rialto Theatre, Amsterdam, 1934. Photo: Remaco Radio Picture. Publicity still for Little Women (George Cukor, 1933). In the picture are Katharine Hepburn, Joan Bennett, Frances Dee, Jean Parker, and Spring Byington. The Dutch title of the film and the book by Louise M. Alcott is Onder moeders vleugels.

Lien Deyers
Lien Deyers. German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 7058/1, 1932-1933. Photo: Atelier Balász, Berlin.

Merry Christmas with Wilma
Dutch postcard by Muziek Parade, Amsterdam, no. AX 7249.

In the late 1960s and the early 1970s, sweet, little Wilma (1957) was a popular Dutch child star. At 11, she had hits in both the Netherlands and Germany and also appeared in some Schlager films.

Marta Eggerth
Marta Eggerth. Dutch postcard by JosPe, no. 593.

Marta Toren
Marta Toren. Dutch postcard, no. 3374. Photo: Universal International / Fotoarchief Film en Toneel.

Merry Christmas: Cyd Charisse
Vintage postcard, no. 2022.

Cyd Charisse 1921-2008) was born to be a dancer. She became one of the top female dancers in the golden era of the musical. Her films include Singin' in the Rain (1952), The Band Wagon (1953), Brigadoon (1954) and Silk Stockings (1957). She was one of the few actresses to have danced with both Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly.

Robertino
Robertino. French postcard by Editions Publistar, Marseille, no. 811. Photo: President.

Kermit, The Muppets Show
Kermit. Dutch postcard by Interstat, Amsterdam. Photo: The Jim Henson Company.

Dany Robin
Dany Robin. French postcard by Editions P.I., Paris, no. 1004. Photo: Sam Lévin.

Romy Schneider, Horst Buchholz
Romy Schneider & Horst Buchholz. Dutch postcard by Uitg. Takken, Utrecht, no. 3572.

Jayne Mansfield
Jayne Mansfield. French postcard by Edition a la carte. Photo: Filmhistorisches Bildarchiv Peter W. Engelmeier.

Heintje
Heintje Simons. German postcard by Modern Times. Photo: Interfoto. Caption: Alles schlampen, ausser mama (All bitches, except mama).

Nadja Tiller
Nadja Tiller. German promotion card for Luxor.

Viggo Larsen in Der Sohn des Hannibal (1918)
German postcard by Rotophot in the Film Sterne series, no. 542/1. Photo: Messter-Film. Viggo Larsen in Der Sohn des Hannibal/The Son of Hannibal (Viggo Larsen, 1918).

Merry Christmas: Nénette et Les Zezettes
Dutch postcard by Het Maastheater, Rotterdam. Photo: Hans de Jong, Rotterdam. Caption: Nénette et Les Zezettes. You are welcome.

Loes Luca (1953) is a Dutch actress and comedienne known for the act Nénette et les Zézettes and for comedy films such as Abel/Voyeur (1986), Ja zuster, nee zuster/Yes Nurse! No Nurse! (2002), De Marathon (2012), Huisvrouwen bestaan niet/No Such Thing as Housewives (2017), Mi vida/My Life (2019) and Ome Cor (2022).

Loeki de leeuw
Dutch postcard by Gebr. Spanjersberg, Capelle ad IJssel / Brasschaat. Image: Joop Geesink's Dollywood, 1988. Loekie de Leeuw. Caption: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Sent by mail in 1989.

6 comments:

Sheila @ A Postcard a Day said...

These are a wonderful series of Christmassy cards. They do have the festive feel about them.

Bunched Undies said...

Merry Christmas to you Bob. And thank you all the wonderful posts all through the year.

Pop9 said...

Gelukkig kerstfeest to you, Bob!

Beth Niquette said...

Merry Christmas to you and yours, dear Paul! May you and your family be blessed this Holiday Season. So...I see lots of people are calling you Bob! Are you Bob, or Paul? lol

I adore these postcards. My fav was the one of Jane Mansford. She was such a lovely woman. Thank you for posting, my Friend. :D

Bunched Undies said...

Merry Christmas Bob! Best wishes for 2018!

Maria said...

Thank you as always for this wonderful Christmas post.