*Nancy Drexel (c.1920's) Photo By Ernest A. and 50 similar items

From the estate of actress Nancy Drexel Ince (Mrs. Thomas H. Ince Jr.) is this vintage original 7.75 x 9.75 in. single-weight glossy photograph of NANCY DREXEL. Taken in the late 1920's or early 1930's, she is depicted in a close studio shot as she smiles naturally for the camera. This photograph was taken by the renowned Hollywood photographer, Ernest A. Bachrach, and features his rubber stamp credit on the verso. It is in fine condition with a 1.25 in. diagonal crease and light signs of wear on the bottom right corner and some very small scattered creases in the bottom half simply from being handled over time. There is a very light vertical curl near the right edge, as it does not lie completely flat. There are no pinholes, tears, stains, or other flaws. Provenance: The Estate of Nancy Drexel Ince. Nancy Drexel (born Dorothy Kitchen, April 6, 1910 – November 19, 1989) was an American film actress of the late silent and early sound era. She was sometimes credited by her birth name in films. She appeared in 29 films, generally B-film Westerns. Drexel was the daughter of George P. Kitchen, who was described in a newspaper article as "a pioneer of the film industry." Her professional debut came when she was 8 years old, performing in The Royal Vagabond comic opera. She ventured to Hollywood after winning a Miss New York contest that had 10,000 competitors. She was featured in F.W. Murnau's sought-after lost silent film, 4 Devils (1928), alongside Charles Morton, Janet Gaynor, and Barry Norton. In 1931, she appeared in one of the earliest Spanish-language sound films, Hollywood, City of Dreams, as a glamorous movie star who is the idol of the film's hero, José Bohr. Drexel is presented as one of the leading stars of Hollywood, rather than the B-movie leading lady she was in real life. On September 28, 1932, Drexel married Thomas H. Ince Jr., son of film producer Thomas H. Ince, in Beverly Hills. Both of them were students at Antioch College in Antioch, Illinois, and resumed their studies after the wedding. Only Ernest Bachrach at RKO (Radio Keith Orpheum) had a career at one studio that rivaled Clarence Bull’s tenure at MGM. He joined RKO at its inception in 1929 and stayed until Desilu purchased the studio in 1958. Before coming to RKO, Bachrach worked in New York for Famous Players-Lasky. In the mid-1920's, Famous Players-Lasky was consolidated with parent Paramount Pictures and production was moved to Los Angeles. Bachrach worked independently for a short period and photographed many of the silent beauties, including Mae Murray and Gloria Swanson. According to Bob Coburn who, during the 1930's, assisted Bachrach in the RKO portrait studio, “Gloria [Swanson] thought he was the only photographer in the world and when she came back out here to work, he came with her.” His portraits of Swanson testify to her feelings about the quality of his work. “Bachrach was an all-around man,” Coburn told Kobal, “he could do anything photographic.” (from The Eye of Photography website).