Greta Garbo, up close, 1939

Colorized a photo of Greta Garbo taken by Clarence Sinclair Bull for her penultimate Hollywood film, "Ninotchka" released in 1939. Her last film would be "Two-Faced Woman" released in 1941. By this time, Greta has been labeled "Box Office Poison" along with other celebrities like Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer, Luise Rainer, Katherine Hepburn, Mae West, and Marline Dietrich in an article published by Harry Brandt on behalf of the Independent Theatre Owners of America, The critical failure of Two-Faced Woman was said to have devastated and humiliated her and blamed the dearth of good materials and the studio system that has been plaguing her career over the last 5 years. This has led her to finally abandoned her Hollywood career of 16 years and returned to Sweden.

Colorized photo of Amalia Fuentes (Amalia Muhlach), Philippine movie queen in the 50s and 60s

Regarded the Elizabeth Taylor of Philippine cinema during its golden age (1950-1970), Amalia Fuentes reigned as a movie queen with the most beautiful face in the cinema during the height of her career that spanned 57 years before retiring in the U.S. She started with her 1956 film with Juancho Gutierrez in "Movie Fan" where the two were promoted by Sampaguita Pictures as a love team before having her paired with Romeo Vasques whom she eventually married. She appeared in 130 films and during her later career, she produced 7 films and served as a member of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB)/

Greta Garbo (1905 - 1990), colorized from a photo taken ca 1932

Colorized photo of Audrey Hepburn (1939 - 1993), ca 1954

Colorized a promotional photo of Audrey Hepburn (Audrey Kathleen Ruston) for her 1954 film Sabrina.

Young Ava Gardner (1922 - 1990) colorized from an undated photo, ca early to mid-1940s

A young pre-hollywood Ava Gardner (1922 - 1990), colorized from a 1941 photo

Colorized a photo of the young Ava Gardner taken by photographer Larry Tarr in 1940 when she was just 19 years old. Gardner was visiting her sister Beatrice in New York , when Beatrice's husband Larry Tarr, a professional photographer, offered to take her portrait. He was so pleased with the results that he displayed the finished product in the front window of his Tarr Photography Studio on Fifth Avenue.  MGM talent scout Barnard Duhan spotted Gardner's photo in Tarr's studio and commented to him that the photo should be sent to MGM. Tarr did so immediately and shortly after, Ava who was a student at Atlantic Christian College was interviewed at MGM's New York office by Al Altman, head of MGM's New York talent department. The rest is, as they say, is history.

Ava Gardner, colorized undated rare photo, possibly mid-1950s

Colorized photo of Audrey Hepburn (1939 - 1993), ca 1954

Colorized photo of Barbara Perez (1937-), the Audrey Hepburn of Philippine cinema

Restored and colorized with some liberties, a small photo of Barbara Perez, regarded as the Audrey Hepburn of the Philippine cinema.  To some extent, she did look a bit better than her Hollywood counterpart during her early years in the industry, appearing in a Hollywood film No Man Is An Island with Jeffrey Hunter (known for his role as Jesus Christ in King of Kings) who was considered a matinee idol. It is quite sad that the Philippines do not have a wealth of vintage photos for its movie stars published on the net, the way Hollywood has even for its movie stars of the 1920s.  Worse, current photos from online resources do not benefit from glamour shots and most of them are either amateurish studio shots or from tabloids of the period.

Eddie Pickett Gutierrez (Feb 1943 - ), Philippine actor and matinee idol, colorized from a photo ca 1959

Philippine actor on film and TV, and matinee idol of the 60s, the Fil-American Eddie Guttierrez had his first serious role in the 1959 movie Handsome and have appeared in over 170 films.  He migrated to the US late in the 60s but returned to the Philippine to resume his acting career in 1975 with more mature roles. His films are listed here 

Gloria Romero (Galla), Filipina actress (1933-) colorized

Colorized a photo of the young Gloria Romero, ca 1950. She is a multi-award actress who has appeared in both film and TV in a career that spans 60 years with almost 200 films and is the first recipient of the lifetime achievement award from the Philippine MTRCB (Movies and Television Review and Classification Board).

She first appeared in her first movie as an extra in Ang Bahay sa Lumang Gulod and was introduced to local cinema as "Gloria Romero" in her first lead role in Monghita (1952) opposite Oscar Moreno. She received her first major acting award in Filipino Academy of Motion Arts and Sciences (FAMAS, the Philippines counterpart of the Oscars) as Best Actress for her role in Dalagang Ilocana (1954).

She has appeared as a drunken landlady on TV sitcoms (Palibhasa Lalake) and with the late Eddie Garcia in a TV melodrama  Maalaala mo Kya in 2008 and continues to take on demanding roles as a grandmother in several movies and films. Here life and works are essayed at  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloria_Romero_(actress)