Orry-Kelly: The Unsung Hero of Old Hollywood Fashion
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- Опубликовано: 5 фев 2025
- When we think of iconic costumes from Hollywood’s Golden Age, names like Edith Head and Gilbert Adrian often come to mind. However, one name that deserves just as much recognition is Orry-Kelly, an Australian-born designer who left an indelible mark on the world of film and fashion.
Early Life and Journey to Hollywood
Born Orry George Kelly in 1897 in the small coastal town of Kiama, Australia, Orry-Kelly didn’t initially envision a career in fashion. His early passion was painting, but his life took a dramatic turn when he moved to New York in the 1920s. There, he worked as a window dresser and mural artist, honing his sense of aesthetics and creativity.In the late 1920s, Orry-Kelly moved to Los Angeles, where his talent for design caught the attention of film studios. This marked the beginning of a career that would see him become one of the most sought-after costume designers of his time.
Career and Collaborations with Hollywood’s Greatest Stars
During his career, Orry-Kelly worked for major studios such as Warner Bros., Universal, and 20th Century Fox, designing costumes for over 280 films. His creations featured in classics like Casablanca, My Fair Lady, and Some Like It Hot. Orry-Kelly’s designs were known for their elegance, sophistication, and an unparalleled ability to enhance a character’s persona.One of his most enduring collaborations was with Bette Davis. The two worked together on multiple films, and Orry-Kelly’s costumes played a crucial role in shaping Davis’s on-screen presence. His designs for Now, Voyager, with the iconic off-the-shoulder gown and dramatic silhouette, became a defining moment for Davis and cemented Orry-Kelly’s reputation as a master of his craft.Perhaps his most celebrated work came in Some Like It Hot. The dresses he created for Marilyn Monroe, especially the sheer, rhinestone-studded gown, epitomized glamour and boldness. Orry-Kelly’s ability to blend sensuality with sophistication made these costumes unforgettable.
Style and Legacy
Orry-Kelly was celebrated for his ability to accentuate the individuality of each actor. He had a deep understanding of how fabric, texture, and silhouette could transform a character on screen. Whether it was a sleek gown for a femme fatale or a tailored suit for a leading man, his designs seamlessly blended functionality with artistry.Despite his immense contributions to Hollywood, Orry-Kelly often worked behind the scenes, receiving less public recognition than his contemporaries. However, his peers in the industry deeply respected his talent, as evidenced by his three Academy Awards for Best Costume Design.In recent years, Orry-Kelly’s work has received renewed attention, thanks in part to exhibitions and documentaries. His autobiography, Women I’ve Undressed, published posthumously, offers a fascinating glimpse into his life and career, shedding light on his relationships with stars and his role in defining the glamour of Old Hollywood.
Orry-Kelly’s artistry shaped the visual language of Hollywood’s Golden Age, influencing fashion both on and off the screen. Though his name may not be as widely recognized as some of his peers, his legacy endures in the timeless elegance of his designs. Orry-Kelly was more than a costume designer; he was a storyteller who brought characters to life through fabric and imagination, making him a true unsung hero of Old Hollywood fashion.
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#fashionhistory #oldhollywood #orrykelly
I took notice of the classic films as a child; first as just a participant in just watching films for fun, or it's drama. Marilyn Monroe as Sugar in "Some like it Hot" on TV 📺 around 1967 she was stunning in Kellys white beaded flapper dress that actually contours her breasts naturally. What a dedicated designer.
As I progressed into reading it's movie's history, I then started to take notice on the set decorations, lighting and cinematography. Cecil B. De Mille and Josef von Sternberg, Hitchcock and Ford. But then it was the women in the films, notably Garbo as designed by Adrian, Dietrich by Travis Banton and Orry-Kelly by far the most impressionable one, Kay Francis, Dolores del Rio were exceptionally enchanted in the modern costume yet due to his historical if not all accuracy designing for Bette Davis in Queen Elizabeth; with the large collars and cuffs that conveyed the power or as the empress Carlotta in Juarez or as a southern belle in "Jezebel" The white tulle and laces to suggest youth and innocence as opposed to the mature looking gown of heavy crocheted lace reflected the hard personality of the character Bette played in "the little Foxes". I believe his last film as designer was for the beautiful aging Ava Gardner as a Russian baroness in Nicolas Ray's 1963 "55 days at Peking". He bridged the gap between realism and fantasy. I was hooked, in not just watching but watching in making comparison of a genre a great 🎨🎭 art.
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In no way could a costume eclipse a Golden Age of Hollywood actress like Bette Davis, Joan Crawford or any of them, honestly. The costumes only enhanced the story, the art and the characters to their fullest potential.
What a talented designer! How I wish today's movies had such depth and beauty!
Thank you ,agree with you❤️
You took the words right out of my mouth. Totally agree 😊
@@bexp436 ❤️
Orry-Kelly was one of Hollywood’s most iconic costume designers, known for his exceptional ability to enhance storytelling through fashion. With three Academy Awards to his name, he created timeless looks for stars like Bette Davis and Marilyn Monroe, leaving an indelible mark on the Golden Age of cinema. His designs not only defined glamour but also set standards for costume design in film history.
I look forward to your comments and fashion questions!❤
His work for Natalie Wood in 'Gypsy' is phenomenal, even though some gowns appeared only once in a single brief scene.
Absolutely agree with you!!Thank you❤️
Thank you for introducing me to Orry Kelly! What I like about this channel is that it represents and curates unsung fashion heroes. I've learned and discovered so much through you. 💙
Thank you so much for such kind words! They mean so much to me!!❤️
I'm a huge fan of vintage film. When I see one on TCM, if the credits say: GOWNS by Orry-Kelly I'll watch it just to gog at the GORGEOUS frocks.
100%!!!❤️
We love the glamorous clothes worn in the old Hollywood films. His designs were gorgeous and so were the lucky actresses who wore them ....😍🤩💃❤️🤍💙
Thank you for watching!❤️❤️❤️
"Stole the show" or "the dress overpowered the actress" are thee exact kinds of words spoken from a Green Eyed jealous person. All of Orry-Kelly's creations were perfection ! Otherwise, why did he get nominated for so many awards ? Although it looks like he was a mad scientist doing his own thing in his lab, the real facts are much different. A costume designer was important, as Hollywood learned, BUT they didn't have the power. They had to work in harmony with a lot of other department heads as well as the actors. Sadly, they also had to deal with all kinds of idiots who were given "titles" for a production. { who slept with who, who owes a favor, etc.... Hollywood was full of these kinds of hollow parasitic positions.} This is where he probably got his so called difficult reputation. Great job of a Bio ❣
Very interesting, fresh, new perspective. Thank you for sharing. Now we can think about it using this focus…❤️❤️❤️
WHAT?! No mention of the fabulous designs Mr. Orry-Kelly did for Ms. Rosalind Russell and the rest of the cast in Auntie Mame?! This omission is criminal! 😮
Crime is a war in which my family and I have been living for three years… And the video, presented in the sense and context that the author chose to reveal it, is purely the author’s perspective on the given topic. Thank you for your comment; it’s amusing.
The AI trying to come for for you... it's amusing.😂🤣😂
@@maxklein1614 really?🫤
How impressive! A real talent...❤
Fully agree❤️
I very much enjoyed this video and learned a lot. But, like some of the other people commenting, I noticed an error. For the photo of Marilynn Monroe wearing the the white dress in the iconic scene from The Seven Year Itch the narrator says that Orry-Kelly designed the dress but th caption with the photo says it was William Travilla and when I Googled it to find out what was correct numerous entries said it was William Travilla.
Ok,thank you!!!I will check❤️
I was going to comment on this too. It was William Travilla.
@ Ok,Thank you!👌
I knew some actresses' names were mispronounced but loved watching this! Orry-Kelly always intrigued me. That red dress that Bette Davis wore in Jezebel was not seen in color but you could sense it ❤
Thank you so much!!!
@@FashionQuestion You're so welcome.
Town where Kelly was born is Kiama.. pronounced Kye-am-a. Southern New South Wales..half way from Sydney to Melbourne. I particularly loved his 1930s dresses. Thank you 🦘
Thank you!!
He made the lead lady look beautiful timeless classic style 🎉
Absolutely 👌
Thoroughly enjoyed your video!!!
Giving us a so many images of his amazing work!…. Really appreciated you naming the movie each outfit was worn in.❤
Thank you Very much❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
AI narrator gets “Bette” Davis wrong every time. It’s the giveaway that it is AI. Try writing it as “Betty.” I enjoy your channel otherwise.
Thank you very much❤️❤️❤️
The term is "actress" not actor. Let's be true to the history of the art.
@@oltedders Agree!
@@oltedders I'm disappointed with the response from @FashionQuestion. These days, it is perfectly acceptable to say "actor" for both men and women. This aligns with the usage of "doctor" (do you say doctoress?), lawyer (idem)… Personally, I think it also shows respect to actors in stating that their talent is more important than their gender.
@larskars5835
Maybe the Academy Awards can have a new category: Best Actor. Along with Best Actor. We could gender neutral the royal family, too. The late Lady Diana Spencer can now be referred to as Prince Diana.
Go ahead, you do you. I'll stick with what works.
Orry-Kelly "unsung hero"? He was incredibly successful; his name was easy to remember, everyone would stay to read the credits for acclaimed movies in the 50's and 60's, so we saw his name in print many times. Even "I Love Lucy" did an episode using his fame, his name recognition and his designs in the story line!
As for his homosexuality, he was not alone in Hollywood, he just wasn't protected by the studios, as so many gay actors were!. The celebrity Gossip Columnists loved scandals, even the whiff of the "hint of mint" archly inferred could ruin someone's career, even though gay directors, actors, screen writers commonly met at George Cukor's famously lavish gay parties. The same estate where the famous couple Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn lived in a Cottage. The privacy of the estate allowed them to be themselves casually and comfortably, dating anyone they wished.
I absolutely agree with you; I’m not trying to diminish his accomplishments in any way. But tell me, among your acquaintances nowadays, how many still remember this name? The phrasing was meant to reflect the proportion of people who know and remember him today. Thank you for watching!❤️
Thank you for you such a great work
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How can we take this seriously when the narrator doesn't know how to pronounce the names of famous Golden Age stars. It might be Bette Midler but Bette Davis' first name is definitely pronounced Betty Davis - as anyone knows who's spent any time at all with classic Hollywood.
Hello! First of all, thank you for watching. Secondly, it seems to me that there are contradictions in your statement. The fact that the actress’s name is not pronounced entirely correctly-although I am not a native English speaker, and in my country, it is pronounced exactly as stated in the video-does not in any way mean that everything else is a lie. Don’t you think so?😉
For Orry-Kelly, I'll put up with it❤✨🩵✨🤍✨
Thanks! So informative! "Bette" pronounced Bet-tee. The final e is not silent.
Thank you so much!❤️
Bette Davis, an iconic actress, and deserves to have her name pronounced correctly. Bette is a variation on the spelling of the very common name, Betty. America allows individualism. It appears the programers for AI do not approve of this freedom, we have.
Ok,thank you for your opinion 🌷
Loved the costumes but wasn't ware of the designer who made them. Such a talented person.
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Oh, to have been Bette Davis, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Joan Crawford, or any number of actresses lucky to have been dressed bt Orry-Kelly. They weren't just costum, they were actresses themselves.
Absolutely!
Thank you for beautiful and clear English..💖
📽️🎞️🎼🎹📺🎬
Thank you So much!!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
You’ve got to be kidding, this vouce over mispronounces Actors well known names, uses bad English. What is wrong with you? Did not get past grade school?
@ Don’t you think that this manner of communication is rather rude towards someone who is neither familiar to you nor to me?
Who is that at 8:13? Is it Ginger?
I will check
Orry-Kelly is one of classic Hollywood's great designers, deserving of a more nuanced and knowledgeable presentation. He dressed Bette Davis in some of her classic roles, so it's a bit jarring to hear her name mispronounced. That said, this acknowledgement of his work is better than no acknowledgement. P.s., endless still shots of actresses in his clothes don't do justice to their three dimensional fluidity. They're made to be seen in movement and their complexity can seem excessive in the stills.
Yes, absolutely, it deserves a more detailed analysis and higher-quality content, voiceover, materials, research, and everything else. I would be happy to see such a video, which I hope will someday appear on RUclips.
This particular video on my channel is my creative work, my perspective, and my understanding of how to approach the given topic. I’m sorry that such a large number of people didn’t like this video, even though it was challenging for me to make, especially since the topic is not close to me at all, not to mention the cultural context.
In any case, thank you for your comment and your attention to my content. I sincerely wish you to find videos on RUclips that bring you joy.
Valeria.🕊️
Jezebel 😅
He designed the red dress in perfect period form .
The red dress was a part of the main script
Showing her defiance , wearing red was seen as uncouth.
To wear inappropriate attire for A LADY of wealth.
WHO THE HELL IS "BET DAVIS?"
Betty Davis
This is pure nonsense. Milo Anderson designed the costumes for Mildred Pierce, and as for the rest of the narration, what rubbish!
Please provide links to your sources. I can share mine as I use official information.
while don’t necessarily agree with the overall comment, milo anderson WAS the designer on mildred pierce, not orry kelly.
@ Orry-Kelly designed the costumes for Mildred Pierce (1945), the iconic film starring Joan Crawford. His work on the film played a crucial role in shaping Crawford’s look, particularly her strong-shouldered silhouettes, which became a signature of 1940s Hollywood fashion. The film’s costumes emphasized Mildred’s transformation from a struggling mother to a successful businesswoman, aligning with the film’s themes of ambition and sacrifice.😉
Bette Davis's first name is pronounced "Betty" NOT "Bet", come on, you should know this!
Oh, believe me, after all these comments, I definitely know now! Although, to be honest, I’m not personally interested in the cinema of that era, and I was born much, much later, in the fall, in a country far removed from that culture… But thank you once again for letting me know the right way.
Now I know.😉❤️
Bette is pronounced as Betty, not Beth !
Ok!🕊️
Please increase your business please sir please
He never designed for Joan Crawford!!
Really?😂Here are some of the key films where Orry-Kelly worked with Joan Crawford:
1. “Sadie McKee” (1934)
In this film, Orry-Kelly designed Crawford’s costumes to reflect her transformation from a poor working girl to a wealthy woman.
2. “The Bride Wore Red” (1937)
For this film, Orry-Kelly created a stunning collection of costumes for Crawford, including a dramatic red gown that became one of the most iconic looks associated with the actress. The design emphasized Crawford’s strong, confident character while maintaining a sense of glamour and sophistication.
3. “Letty Lynton” (1932)
Although Orry-Kelly’s costumes in this film are often overshadowed by the fact that Crawford’s look was inspired by the famous “Letty Lynton” dress-designed by Adrian-Orry-Kelly contributed to the overall styling and created costumes that highlighted Joan Crawford’s bold persona in this drama.
4. “Mildred Pierce” (1945)
One of the most famous collaborations between Crawford and Orry-Kelly came with the film “Mildred Pierce.” The film is a noir classic, and Orry-Kelly’s costumes helped to highlight Crawford’s complex role as a mother who sacrifices everything for her daughter. The costumes were designed to reflect both the working-class and upper-class aspects of Mildred’s life, with elegant but restrained outfits that complemented Crawford’s performance.
5. “The Women” (1939)
In this all-female ensemble film, Orry-Kelly worked with costume designer Gilbert Adrian to create the dazzling array of fashion that defined the film’s glamorous and chic characters. Joan Crawford’s outfits were glamorous yet sophisticated, contributing to her screen persona as a stylish, fashionable woman.
I really hate AI narration. Pay a human dammit and, have someone check the pronunciation and grammar.
Sorry to here that 🙁
Bad review of a distinguished designer. Watch his (filmography) autobiography, The Women he Dressed, which is well done.
That’s great!Watch it!!!❤️
He wasn’t pretty, but he made pretty things.
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Cary Grant thought he was pretty. They were boyfriends in New York before they both went to LA. He was good looking, he certainly wasn’t ugly.😢
Bette Davis is pronounced BETTY! Captions are unreadable. Narration very negative. Good photos.
Ok😂
Who is Bet Davis? LOL
Ohhh
Narration is repetitive crap. The visual is ok but you could skip this one.
Ok😉
This AI is wild 👎 don't recommend enacted.
Ок😂
These voices drive me crazy…..they are fake, none are cable of pronouncing words correctly and it is all just cringe. WHY can no one narrate a utube video increasingly these fake voices REPEATING AND REPEATING same sentences endlessly ruins what could be interesting, informative. Gets better when this voice SHUTS UP and music plays. Who decides? If I had a video I wanted to be on utubeI would hire some one with what used to be BROADCAST TRAINED VOUCE. People either use their own voice unaware that it is nauseating, usually shrill, up and down sing songy Awful. Or now guess its computer voice that is dumber than an untrained porcupine. ( for lack of any better words to describe)
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. You can simply choose not to watch this kind of video. I think that would be better for everyone. Good luck!🌷
People actually getting angry because an AI voice isnt grammatically correct is rediculous. As long as you know what it means, thats what matters. The newer voice overs are getting better. And i might add that in this case the AI is correct. Bette is prounced "Bet" as in Midler. Davis preferred the spelling end with an E and not a Y
You know, maybe it’s because I’m a creator myself, but when I watch videos from other RUclips bloggers, it would never occur to me to correct someone, even if they mispronounce something. I fully understand how much time and effort goes into creating each of these videos.
Thank you so much for clarifying the pronunciation! Of course, it’s unfortunate that so many people get upset over such an insignificant issue, but I still believe my video is worth attention, especially considering how much of my life I dedicate to creating this kind of content.
Thank you again. Sending hugs,
Valeria.❤️
@FashionQuestion
I think im sensing some sarcasm. I never said you were wrong and im not critisizing your video and how much work goes into creating them. I'm simply commenting on how petty some people are about AI voices.
@@CALLMESIR-p8h Yes, of course, thank you so much!
I completely understand and am grateful for your kind and gentle comment. It’s just that this video, for some reason, has triggered a lot of negativity, which I’m finding quite difficult to handle today due to personal circumstances.
Thank you again!
Valeria🕊️
Great book " The man who undressed women ! " Was also housemate and alleged lover of Cary Grant and others . Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi!! 👏👏🦘🦘🦘
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