EXHIBIT: ALL DRESSED UP! COSTUMES FROM BROADWAY TO HOLLYWOOD

Over the last four months I have been lucky enough to display some of my costume pieces for the public in my first exhibit. Its been a lot of fun and the response has been amazing. I wanted to share with you some of the photos from the exhibit.

The exhibition is called All Dressed Up: Costumes from Broadway to Hollywood. The theme of the exhibit look at the influence of film on live theatre and in most recent years how we have seen film turned into live theatre.

When sound was added to film, it was possible to recreate the biggest musical hits for a wider audience. At first the movie musical fed eagerly on Broadway’s brightest talents. Stage-bound productions were recreated ever more lavishly. Soon Hollywood began to develop its own style, adapting plays or books, or even starting with original ideas. But the biggest stage hits still became even bigger movie hits. In recent years the flow seems to have reversed. Over the past decade an increasing number of popular stage successes have been developed from well-loved movies as Broadway explores the movie back catalogue for new ideas.

All Dressed Up: Costumes from Broadway to Hollywood explores the changing relationship between stage and screen. It includes costumes from films based on stage shows, such as the film version of Annie, costumes from original films that have been made into stage shows, such as Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, and costumes created for the stage. Costumes worn by Judy Garland, Sammy Davis Jnr., Bette Midler, Julie Andrews, Ray Bolger, Ethel Merman, Liza Minnelli, Carol Channing, Nathan Lane, Peter Allen, Eddie Murphy and others are featured in the exhibition.

The exhibition is my first go at exhibiting some of my collection and celebrates a wide range of well-loved personalities and performances. The exhibition contains more than thirty costumes and accessories from my collection, ranging from the 1930s to the 2000s.

Here are some of the pieces in my collection which looks for the most part at another side to my collecting being the theatre and how it relates to film and film personalities.

Hope you enjoy having a look.

This first costume was worn by Rhonda Fleming in the 1949 Paramount film "Connecticut Yankee in King Arthurs' Court".  Costumes were designed by Edith Head.

Secondly are two costumes from the 1967 film "Doctor Dolittle". Costumes worn by Samantha Eggar as Emma Fairfax and a coat worn by Anthony Newely as Matthew Mugg. Costumes were designed by Ray Aghayan.

From the 1949 MGM musical classic "The Harvey Girls" are costumes worn by Ray Bolger and Marjorie Main.

Some of my favourite pieces are these worn by Bernadette Peters, Ann Reinking and Aileen Quinn in the 1982 musical film "Annie". Costumes by the legendary Theoni Aldridge.

These are just amazing pieces of workmanship. From two of broadways greats, Liza Minnelli and Chita Rivera wore these Halston designed originals for their curtain calls each night in the 1984 Broadway show "The Rink".

The next two costumes were worn by Judy Garland and Sammy Davis Jnr on "The Sammy Davis Jnr Show" 1966. They were worn in an amazing 10 minute song and dance that has been saved on film. 

Here also are the Judy Garland and Sammy Davis Jr costumes as they appeared on The Sammy Davis Jr Show in 1966:

From Judy Garland to Judy Davis as Judy Garland in "Life With Judy Garland: Me And My Shadows". Made in 2001 and costumes were designed by Dona Granta.  I love this show.

This jacket was worn by Nelson Eddy in the 1940 MGM feature "New Moon". Costumes were designed by Gile Steele.

This is a rare and special piece. This was worn by Ethel Merman when she appeared on "Shower of Stars" in 1955. She reprised her role of Annie Oakley and sang from "Annie Get Your Gun".

Here is the Ethel Merman costume as it appeared on televison:

Keeping the theme of theatre greats, here is Carol Channing and Pearl Bailey in "Carol Channing and Pearl Bailey on Broadway" which they did together in 1969 and was filmed for a television special. Bob Mackie designed for them both. 

Here is the Pearl Bailey coat from the television special they did:

Wonderfully talented Julie Andrews wore this Army uniform in the 1968 film "Star!" The film is based on the life of Gertrude Lawrence.

And here is Julie Andrews in the costume as it appears on screen.

This is a Peter Allen sequinned suit from his Broadway show "Legs Diamond" produced in 1988. Costumes were designed by Willa Kim.

The hat gloves and scarf ensemble were worn by Liza Minnelli in the 1977 Martin Scorcese classic "New York, New York". Costumes were designed by Theoni V. Aldredge.

Bette Midler wore this amazing gown when she portrayed Dixie Leonard in the film "For The Boys" in 1991. Costumes were designed by Wayne Finkleman.

Also in the same picture is a dance costume from "Gold Diggers of 1937" with costumes designed by Orry-Kelly.

I love this film very much and wanted to include it in the exhibit to show the move from origninal film, to musical theate with La Cage and back again with this version of the much loved story. Here are Nathan Lane and Robyn Williams costumes from "The Birdcage" 1996 and costumes by Ann Roth.

Here is the video also of Nathan Lane in costume, when the schnecken beckons...

Keeping up with the modern, from "Connie and Carla" in 2004 is a costume worn by Toni Colette as Carla. Costumes were designed by Ruthe Meyers. The run away story after witnessing a murder was the centre piece to "Some Like It Hot" which was what this film was based on. I love everything about this film.

Finally here are three costumes worn by Hugo Weaving, Guy Pearce and Terence Stamp in the 1994 film "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert".

Here are the costumes in action. In this scene you get to see just what you can do with a ping pong ball.

I have enjoyed doing the display a great deal and look forward to more and more. 

I was interviewed for the exhibit as well. Here is the story that went with it.

Also an article that appeared on the exhibit in a magazine.

ESTHER WILLIAMS- MILLION DOLLAR ESTHER

“Wet she’s a star, dry she aint”. Many people have been attributed to have said this of musical swim star Esther Williams. It was in fact Fanny Bryce who quipped this of the great swim star.

Of course Esther Williams was perfection in the water, however she could do it all, and act, sing and dance a little, but it is for her 16 water ballet extravaganzas at MGM that she is and will be best remembered for.

Esther Williams has said of her life that she could not remember a time when she wasn't in a swimsuit.  There were hours and weeks and years of competitive swimming-and magic movie swimming.

As a teenager she broke swimming records and would have been destined for Olympic game fame but for the outbreak of war.  It was during the time she took on a role with Billy Rose’s Aquacade and working with Johnny Weissmuller himself that she was discovered by MGM and placed in a few small roles opposite some of the major stars of the day. MGM chose to separate her talent for swimming and to use this as a platform for Williams and introduce the world to a series of unforgettable aqua musicals of the 1940s and 50s.  

It should be said that no one has ever tried to do what Esther Williams has done on the screen. As a performer and as a genre, and never was there a challenge made.  Dancers would try to better each other, singers the same, no one tried to be a second Esther. And for thirteen years she did it well.  In fact for the years 1945 to 1949, Esther had at least one film listed among the 20 highest grossing films of the year.

Here is a one piece swimsuit made for Esther Williams and worn in the 1952 MGM film “Million Dollar Mermaid”.

The costume is constructed of a coral satin finish silk. The bodice has princess line neck with zigzag pattern extending over the bust. The suit is panelled to be tight fitting and has a short skirt made of diamond shaped panels. The shoulder straps are made of flesh coloured nylon net and elastic to create a strapless look. The bodice and skirt are heavily decorated with sewn on silver and purple sequins while the body of the suit is randomly scattered with silver and purple sequins. Low cut V at back and centre back zipper fastening and a small metal hook and eye. The whole costume is lined with light tan coloured nylon. The costumes for the film were designed by the incomparable Helen Rose.

Here is a photo of Esther in the costume as it appears towards the end of this amazing production number.

Here are more photos of the costume.

Esther appears in this costume out of the billowing colours of smoke Busby Berkely used as part of the production.

The costume also comes with a matching swim hat.

"Million Dollar Mermaid" was the biographical film role made by Willams. In it she played Australian swimming star Annette Kellerman an Australian swimming and diving star. Williams co-starred with Victor Mature, who played Kellerman's husband and manager, James Sullivan.  Esther Williams has often called this her favourite film, and even named her autobiography after it.

Busby Berkeley-choreographed the swim ballets for the film. They have been considered to be the most glamorous, inventive and surreally beautiful routines Williams ever performed on the screen.

The film was originally to be released under the title “One Piece Bathing Suit” to represent the part of the story where Kellerman is required to convince a court that the one piece swim suit was not indecent.

Here is Esther Williams in the swimsuit doing her thing.  The production number comes in at 2:24. The music you hear is not original to the film and was added by the YouTube user however is very effective with the visual:

Other major films made for MGM include "Bathing Beauty," 1944, "Thrill of a Romance," 1945, "Easy to Wed," 1946, "Fiesta," 1947, "This Time for Keeps," 1947, "On an Island with You," 1948, "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," 1949, "Neptune's Daughter," 1949, "Duchess of Idaho," 1950, "Pagan Love Song," 1950, "Texas Carnival," 1951, "Skirts Ahoy," 1952, "Million Dollar Mermaid," 1952, "Dangerous When Wet," 1953, "Easy to Love," 1953 and "Jupiter's Darling," 1955.

Esther Williams retired from film in the 1960s and is now a businesswoman for her line of swimming pools and swimwear.

Esther Williams turns 92 later this year.