Description: This is a rare collection of seven original nude prints of Laura La Plante, taken in the 1920s at Alta Studio in San Francisco, before she became a well-known film actress, most notably during the silent film era. Her best-remembered film is arguably the silent classic "The Cat and the Canary" (1927), but she achieved acclaim for "Skinner's Dress Suit" (1926), with Reginald Denny, the part-sound "The Love Trap" (1929), directed by William Wyler, and the 1929 part-sound "Show Boat" (1929), adapted from the novel of the same name by Edna Ferber. The advent of sound films effectively shortened her career. In her mid-20s, La Plante was a natural and appealing presence in early sound films, but the huge wave of new stars in these years overshadowed her. She made her last appearances for Universal in the Technicolor musical "King of Jazz" (1930). She appeared in "God's Gift to Women" (Warner Bros., 1931), directed by Michael Curtiz and co-starring Frank Fay and Joan Blondell, and "Arizona" (Columbia, 1931), co-starring alongside a young John Wayne. Married twice, her second husband was film and television producer Irving Asher. On June 3, 1954, La Plante made a guest appearance (as herself, Mrs. Laura Asher) on Groucho Marx's quiz show "You Bet Your Life." She and her 18-year-old game show partner, Henry Aaron (not the baseball player) got 3 out of 4 of the questions right to win $215. La Plante asked that her winnings go to the Motion Picture Relief Fund. She and Asher had two children, including Tony Asher, who would go on to co-write with Brian Wilson most of the songs for the Beach Boys classic album "Pet Sounds." Among the songs the two wrote were "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "Caroline, No," "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times," and "God Only Knows." Before entering motion pictures, La Plante, like many actresses of the time (including Norma Shearer, Jean Harlow, Barbara Stanwyck and Louise Brooks) posed nude for such photographers in the 1920s as Albert Arthur Allen, Alfred Cheney Johnston, Edwin Bower Hesser and Xan Stark at Alta Studio in San Francisco where the La Plante photos were taken. Her hair was long and dark as seen in these prints. Not long after becoming a film actress, La Plante cut her hair short and dyed it blonde, possibly to disassociate herself from her earlier nude modeling. The prints are black and white and old on a card stock - definitely thicker than glossy (see photos for front and back of each photograph), and each measure approximately 3.25" x 4.75." There are some defects as seen in the photos including creases. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
Price: 1995 USD
Location: Redding, California
End Time: 2025-01-07T08:38:00.000Z
Shipping Cost: 0 USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
Restocking Fee: No
Return shipping will be paid by: Buyer
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 14 Days
Refund will be given as: Money Back
Type: Photograph
Subject: Pin-Up Model,Nudes
