Greta Garbo (1905 - 1990)

Colorizing vintage shots of Hollywood legends is always a pleasure. There are just so few vintage photos of Philippine movie greats with good enough resolution to colorize. But not so with Hollywood greats. Even during the silent pictures of the 1920s and the first talkies of the 30s, screen legends like Myrna Loy, Lilian Gish, Mary Pickford, Greta Garbo, and Joan Crawford benefitted from excellent b&w photos, thanks to camera artists who were employed as glamour photographers by the studios. Here's one from a 1930 - 31 photo of Greta Garbo. This photo has been overused as a hairstyle sample in beauty salons and online hairstyle resources.

Greta Garbo (1905 - 1990) a Swedish-American film actress during the 1920s and 1930s. Garbo is ranked as fifth on the AFI list of the greatest female stars of classic Hollywood cinema. She became famous with her first feature film “Torrent” (1926), impressing the head of production Irving Thalberg who would shape Garbo’s distinctive image as an enigmatic, often tragic young woman who had lived many lifetimes and suffered in spite of, or perhaps because of, her incredible beauty.

Garbo would make just a handful of movies over a 15-year period, during the 20s and 30s,  regarded as among the shortest for any Hollywood actress but left a legacy that inspired younger actresses to reach or exceed her fame.  Greta Garbo’s impact on the industry and on audiences — was unparalleled while her potent magnetism and allure defy the ravages of time. Only Joan Crawford and Bette Davis would exceed her fame but they lasted far longer in the industry. At the height of her career, she retired and returned to Sweden, disgusted with the studio system, the glitz and blatant artificiality of tinsel town.

Grace Kelly (1929-1982) colorized by Alex Lim from a 1953 photo

Here's Grace Kelly colorized from a 1953 photo.  Could a promotional still for her movie "The Country Girl" released in 1954 if not mistaken.  Younger than Ingrid Bergman who was born in 1915, but died in the same year 1982.  Ingrid from cancer in August 1982, and Grace in the car accident. about a month after.

Teenaged Ingrid Bergman colorized from a self-portrait photo ca early 1930s.

The young Ingrid Bergman in her late teens.  Said to be a self-portrait photo using her father's camera.  Some of the original photos indicated she was just 14 here taken in 1934.  But she was born in 1915 so that would make her 19 years in 1934. 

Greta Garbo colorized by Alex Lim from a 1930 photo

This is my second Greta Garbo colorized from a 1930 George Hurrell photo promoting her MGM movie "Romance".

Ingrid Bergman and daughter Isabella Rosellini in a 1962 photo

Mother and daughter of the 60s. Here's my colorized Ingrid Bergman (1915-1982) and her daughter Isabella Rosellini (1952-) at the via Condotti, Rome in 1962, Isabella was quite pretty but could only approach her mom as she matured, never really matching her mom's cinematic presence. On the other hand, Ingrid's regal poise never left her, one of the few who can really be said to have aged gracefully. Ingrid lasted 20 more years after this picture was taken. She lost her 7-year battle against cancer, the same year she won her Emmy and Golden Globe for her last role portraying Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meira in a TV miniseries "A Woman Called Golda," She died precisely on her 67th birthday August 29, 1982.

Ingrid Bergman (1915 - 1982) colorized & stylized by Alex Lim from a 1948 photo

One of my recent colorization efforts - another vintage celebrity - Ingrid Bergman (1915 - 1982) from a promo still in 1948. Famous for iconic roles in Casablanca and a few Hitchcock films. She's tagged as a natural beauty for not using make-up or even reshaping her eyebrows when first introduced to American movie moguls. A statuesque 5'9" she's not exactly an hour-glass with a modest 34-24-34 shape for someone so tall. She was among the tallest women in Hollywood during her time (Sigourney Weaver topped that in the 80s as a 6-footer.)

Colorized Gladys Cooper

Not many remembers Gladys Cooper (1888 - 1971) an English actress and a beauty legend during her prime, whose career spanned seven decades, starting on stage in 1917 until her sunset years in the movies of the 60s.  Perhaps among the 60s crowd, she's best remembered as the aristocratic mother to Mr. Higgins in the movie, My Fair Lady.  Here's my take on a commonly colorized vintage photo of Dame Gladys Constance Cooper taken in 1910 and a stylized version.