Elizabeth Taylor (1932-2011) colorized from a 1953 photo

Taylor transitioned from child star to adult roles when she turned 18 in 1950, ushering a decade when she was considered the most beautiful woman in the world and a celebrated dramatic actress. Colorized her photo at a time when she made MGM's 1953 film, The Girl Who Had Everything, a remake of the 1931 film A Free Soul. She had recently married British actor Michael Wilding, and was pregnant with her first child and was receiving one of the highest salaries in the industry with a weekly $4,700.

Greta Garbo (1905 - 1990) colorized from a promo still for her 1929 silent film "Wild Orchids"

Colorized a photo of Greta Garbo by Ruth Harriet Louise for her 1929 silent film "Wild Orchids" directed by Sidney Franklin and co-starring Nils Asther.

Grace Kelly, colorized by Alex Lim from a 1956 photo,

Here is Grace Kelly, colorized from a photo during her last year transitioning from a Hollywood screen legend to a fairy tale legend.  The year saw her complete her last film "High Society" with Frank Sinatra and Bring Crosby, a remake of "Philadelphia Story with Katherine Hepburn.  In April 18 of that year, she married Prince Ranier after a year-long courtship that started when Grace met him during her visit to the Cannes Film Festival.

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.)

Clark Gable (1901 - 1960) King of Hollywood, 1935

Colorized the King (William Clark Gable) from a 1935 photo with some creative liberties.

Henry Fonda (1905 - 1982) colorized from a photo by Youssuf Karsh, probably mid-late 60s

This is my colorization take on a photo of Henry Fonda by the noted Turkish photographer Youssuf  

 during the late 60s or early 70s. 

Alfred Hitchcock, colorized photo with composited Psycho background

Stumbled on a highly detailed online photo of film director Alfred Hitchcock,  Has some fun compositing images from one of his more famous films, "Pyscho" on the background, rather than remain bland.

Colorized Joan Crawford circa 1924 - 1925

Who would have thought this was Joan Crawford in 1924-25? Born in 1906 (some put it at 1904), Joan started as a traveling chorus dancer based in Detroit under her real name Lucille LeSueur. That was 1924. Her first film was Lady of the Night in 1925, as the body double for MGM's most popular female star, Norma Shearer. MGM head Louis B. Mayer didn't like her last name as it reminded him of sewer. So they changed it to Crawford and Joan added her first name which was shortened from Jo-Anne, the name she wanted.

Colorized Bette Davis 1939

George Hurrell was well known as a glamour photographer for several Hollywood studios, notably MGM. Here' one with Betty Davis in 1939 during the same photo shoot as the earlier posted shot but at a different angle and colorized with a different dress color, more intense(warmer) skin tone, lighting,& with eye shadow.

 

Colorized Joan Crawford in "The Women" 1939

From the film promotion of one of her most famous films, 1939 "The Women" where she wore what is reputed to be her favorite set of jewelry.  Crawford clearly had eyes for exquisite jewelry. This brooch, bracelet, and necklace set was created by Parisian jewelry house Verger Frères for Boucheron sometime around 1935 and acquired by the future Oscar winner thereafter.  Auctioned at Soptheby's and  exhibited at the Boston's Museum of Fine arts in 2014-15, the set has 131 cts. of oval-cut aquamarines and 11.5 cts. of round brilliant-cut platinum-set diamonds in 18k yellow gold with rose gold accents.   Good thing the celebrity jewelry site from  where I downloaded the original b&w has a detailed photo of the exact jewels worn. Rather than detail them on the photo, I just composited the actual jewelry over her photo and made some manipulations for light/shadow and perspective with a little touch of Photoshop rendering of lens flare in several places.

Colorized Young Montgomery Clift c1936

Some old Hollywood stuff. Here's the young Montgomery Clift (1920 - 1966), taken in his late teens. Considered one of the most handsome actors to grace the screen, he was often paired with Elizabeth Taylor (Raintree Country, A Place in the Sun & Suddenly Last Summer) to create the loveliest couple on earth in the late 50s. Critically acclaimed in nearly all the pictures he starred and nominated 4 times in the Oscars for best actor, he was regarded by critics as the only one who directly competed against Marlon Brando as the most sought after leading man in the 50s. With his highly praised method acting, and his meticulous choice of roles, Elizabeth Taylor once said that had he lived longer, Montgomery Clift could have been the greatest actor of all time.