Ann-Margret

Have you guys seen any Ann-Margret movies? I watched Bye Bye Birdie last night- It was fantastic! Very campy, kooky and dorky, but one thing was undeniable- Ann-Margret was a true star. She definitely had that 'it' factor.

I saw Viva Las Vegas a few months back and I was surprised at what a match she was for Elvis. She generated just as much heat and sexiness- He met his match with her, for sure.
With someone like Ann-Margret, you kind of have to watch her instead of looking at her. See below for A.M. in action.

This is the beginning of Bye Bye Birdie (it is spliced with the ending piece- you can see her hair is different in the second half)- and don't worry, she doesn't sing this terribly- she is playing a goofy teenager in this movie. I still love this scene, which I first saw on Mad Men.



Now check out this dance number- go to the 6:30 mark...


Here is another cute little scene from B.B.B.

I love her bedroom- it looks like Tabitha's room on Bewitched.



And here is A.M. flirting with Elvis- I couldn't find a clear shot of their dance numbers together, but damn, she really gives him a run for his money. And on top of all of her talent...Ann-Margret was gorgeous! She is Swedish-American. She is actually a natural brunette, but they changed her hair to give her a sexy look. The guy who did Lucille Ball's hair did hers as well. Girl is workin' the red hair! And for that...drumroll...she is featured as today's Icon.

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Natalie Wood

Natalie Wood was the first actress I really paid attention to. I have been a big fan since I was thirteen. I am not going to go into her lengthy filmography, because there are too many movies to even feature- she has been in film since she was a little girl (you remember Miracle on 34th Street, don't you?) But I am going to feature her as a style icon.
Natalie was of Russian decent. She had these gorgeous doll-like, feminine features and the most fabulous hair. She really played the movie star thing up when she went out- she always wore furs and jewels and drove hot cars and all of that. She went all out.

I love these pony tails

And one of my favorite looks, the bow.

I just find it a feminine and pretty look.

Here she is with the longer hair- but always lots of eye make up, which is one of the things I love about the 1960s.

This haircut is so simplistic and chic- love this.

I just recently read a biography on Natalie Wood and it really saddened me. It basically laid out how she really died. I don't know if you guys remember, but she drowned off the coast of Catalina Island, after being afraid of dark water her entire life. Well, apparently, she had a fight with someone on a boat..and the person in question was heard mocking her while she was begging for help out of the water. She was dead within hours. They need to open that case back up, because someone needs to go down for that. This woman was a person who worked so hard on so many wonderful films, such a talented, lovely person. I hope justice is served for the sake of her memory.

Here is a clip of Natalie from West Side Story:

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Tippi Hedren

No, this isn't Nicky Hilton- It's Tippi Hedren, one of Hitchcock's leading ladies and today's featured fashion icon. Tippi was doing some modeling and commercial work to support her little daughter when Hitch spotted her in a commercial for soda or gum or something. He got a hold of her agent and made her a star with The Birds and Marnie, a movie I reviewed a few weeks back.

I am in love with these hairstyles they gave her- I don't know who did hair on these movies, but kudos to them- she looks so elegant. Hitchcock spent a lot of money carefully grooming her and went as far as to try to take over the way she dressed in her personal life. Shit, he did a good job, I don't know why anyone is complaining...He said he wanted to make her the next Grace Kelly (who was done with film because she became Her Royal Serene Highness of Monaco) and Tippi said she would rather be the first Tippi Hedren than the next Grace Kelly.

Hitchcock thought she should be grateful for him making her a star...and...kind of thought she owed him. He made her experience on Marnie a really bad one. He propositioned her in her dressing room- no matter that he was married- and she turned him down.

He told her she would never work in Hollywood again and kept her under contract so she couldn't do other films for two years. After that she went on to make 40 more films.

I love her (or is it Hitchcock's?) style, and for that, she is on the esteemed SPRINKLES AND PUFFBALLS!

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Grace Kelly

I am reading a book on Grace Kelly right now. It is pretty interesting, and kind of sad, really.

I have recently watched Miss Kelly- or- Her Serene Highness- in To Catch a Thief with Cary Grant (who seemed a bit too old to play her love interest, but whatever) and The Swan with- what's his name? Louis Guinness?

I would say To Catch a Thief is one of the most visually stunning of films Kelly has starred in. Her gowns are absolutely heavenly and her hair is just exquisite! She looks like a main line debutante in most scenes and that is probably because she, well, was. Miss Kelly grew up in Philadelphia and was from a socially prominent family. She already had the poise and breeding behind her.

Good breeding or no, Miss Kelly had an active social life and dated tons of hot movie stars- I don't believe she messed with Cary Grant though.

Grace Kelly gave up acting in 1956 to marry the Prince of Monaco. She then became a Princess and bore three children. Many people say she became very depressed as a princess because she wasn't allowed to act any more and that is what she truly loved doing. She died in a car crash in 1982 after suffering a stroke in her car. She drove straight off a cliff with her daughter (who survived.) I will always be a huge Grace Kelly fan and if you get a chance, try and catch some of her films on TMC.

Here is the trailer for To Catch a Thief

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