It’s no surprise that we adore online articles full of all the juiciest rumors because Hollywood has always been so brilliant at keeping us supplied with plenty of delectable scandals. But, before the internet, we could garner just as much (if not more) mystery and mysteries from an old photograph.
Mamie Van Doren (1954)
Mamie Van Doren’s mouth was full of stories of unsavory set-ups with Rock Hudson. Mamie was one-of-a-kind: a Marilyn Monroe impersonator with a boisterous bluntness about her and little regard for what others thought of her. Nevertheless, she was herself, and she never attempted to disguise it. Mamie was also a sex symbol in her day, most remembered for her appearance in Untamed Youth, which was based on her real-life experiences. She even appeared in one of Clint Eastwood’s early films before he got renowned.
Ann Margret and Elvis Presley on the set of Viva Las Vegas (1964)
In the film Viva Las Vegas, Ann Margret and Elvis Presley were more than simply lovers. In actual life, Ann and Elvis had a love affair that lasted almost a year after the filming ended, and it was only because of the press’s continual hounding that Elvis had to fulfill his pledge to marry Priscilla that it ended. Ann subsequently stated that their romance had been uplifting and that it would not have ended if the public pressure on Elvis to salvage his career had not been intense. In addition, Ann was Elvis’s lone friend who attended his funeral after he died.
Marlon Brando Directing ‘One-Eyed Jacks’ (1961)
Marlon Brando is most known for his important role in The Godfather trilogy, but he was involved in Hollywood films for decades before that—he simply wasn’t very good at it. Thus, attempting a directing debut, beginning with the flop One-Eyed Jacks. Marlon directed this bloated, over-budget, over-seven hours of awful film work, and numerous additional bad movies starring Marlon would follow during the 1960s. No one wanted to work with him after that, so his Godfather part was just by chance.
Grace Kelly (1955)
In this photograph, Grace Kelly fully embodies her name. She was the star of all the finest Hitchcock dramas of the 1950s, but when Grace met the Prince of Monaco, her acting career was all but over due to the prince’s desire that Grace focuses completely on becoming a princess after becoming his wife. This was one of Grace’s final roles as an actor.