I admit (with some trepidation) that I was unaware of Ms. Brooks’ existence until a recent post by James Lileks at The Bleat highlighted one of her performances in Weimar-era German cinema. A brief Googling indicates that even a quarter-century after her passing, and a full seventy-one years after her last film role, she still draws an ardent fan following today. One such aficionado is Laura Loveday, proprietor of Louise Brooks Online—also the source of all images displayed below.
Wearing the mid-1920s equivalent of Slave Leia's gold metal bikini. Early in her dance career, either with the Denishawn company, George White's Scandals, or the Ziegfeld Follies.
Candid shot, c1920s
Shimmery "flapper" dress, c1920s
A variant of her trademark bob hairstyle, without the usual bangs. c1920s
Studio publicity still for "Rolled Stockings", c. 1927. By Eugene R. Richee.
Still from filmed interview "Lulu in Berlin", shot c1970s but released in 1984.
Ms. Louise Brooks was born 103 years ago on November 14th, 1906, and died on August 8th, 1985.
Chris is most often found flying a desk, but he delights in studying the Golden Age of Aviation (1919-1939). He admires all the pioneering men and women who navigated the skies with nothing more sophisticated than a map, compass and sextant—and the conviction that there was no place they could not reach.
