When I saw recently saw the image above I struck again by how beautiful Marlon Brando was, and how sexy his legs look in the pic. I knew the image was from Julius Caesar but a quick image search told me it was a wardrobe test image from the shooting of the film. I have come across and featured wardrobe test shots before, but Brando's legs had me on the search to find more...
I was surprised how difficult it was to find images of actors past the 1960's. They weren't shooting digitally in the 70's, 80's and 90's, yet it seems for the most part, they stop slipping into the public domain sometime in the 60's. They still take them, for movies and TV shows, soap actors in fact, get shot daily to ensure continuity is carried over in wardrobe, hair and make-up for the next day's shooting.
It seems these vintage shots were taken not for continuity, but as part of the beginning of a film's journey when costumes and make-up are being finalized for the actors that were cast. For many classic movies, man of these shots were released, for promotional purposes, and to collectors. In addition, many actors themselves kept the shots and later released or sold them. I'm told today, most are taken digitally, and stored or erased when they are no longer needed. Too bad... there are a lot of movies, and a lot of roles, that would have led to some great wardrobe test shots.
Brando in Mutiny on the Bounty
Barry Coe in Peyton Place and John Payne (role unknown)
Cary Grant in An Affair to Remember
Paul Newman in Silver Chalice
South Pacific
South Pacific cast members John Kerr (above) and Ken Moore (below)
James Dean & Rock Hudson in Giant
Charlton Heston in Ben-Hur
Yul Brynner in The Ten Commandments
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