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George Hurrell

Golden Age Glamour! See George Hurrell’s Stunning Portraits of Hollywood’s Leading Legends

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Feb 29, 2024 7:15 pm·

By LOUISE A. BARILE

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A new exhibit at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery is a tribute to Hollywood’s greatest stars of the 1930s and ’40s, in stunning portraits taken by renowned photographer George Hurrell. Get a taste of the gorgeous pictures, which include icons such as Greta Garbo, Jean Harlow and more.

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Joan Crawford and Clark Gable

“I have always known what I wanted, and that was beauty in every form,” said Joan Crawford, with her frequent co-star (and on-off lover) Clark Gable) in a 1936 portrait by George Hurrell.

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Greta Garbo

“The stars had faces, electric personalities,” said Hurrell, who created this Greta Garbo portrait in 1930. “They were truly glamorous people and that was the image I wanted to portray.”

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Marlene Dietrich

“I believe it to be far from harmless — the desire to be beautiful,” said Marlene Dietrich, who was shot by Hurrell using innovative lighting in 1937. “[Wanting beauty is] a universal instinct, and it is easy to see how this desire, properly goaded, has every chance of getting out of hand.”

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Jean Harlow

“[Jean] Harlow was not frightened of the camera; she reacted to it, and in some strange way, I was the third party,” said Hurrell.

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Spencer Tracy

Hurrell shot Spencer Tracy in 1936. “Bring out the best, conceal the worst, and leave something to the imagination,” Hurrell said of his ethos.

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Dorothy Lamour

As one of Hollywood’s favorite photographers, Hurrell, who began his career at MGM Studios, created glamorous stills of actors like Dorothy Lamour, best known for her road movies with Bob Hope and Bing Crosby.

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Bill “Bojangles” Robinson

Hurrell captured the charm and natural grace of actor and dancer Bill “Bojangles” Robinson in 1935 using his favorite large format camera. “When we stopped using those 8 x 10 cameras,” he said, “the glamour was gone.”

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Myrna Loy

Star Power: Photographs from Hollywood’s Golden Age by George Hurrell, featuring this 1936 portrait of The Thin Man star Myrna Loy, opens March 1, 2024, at The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.