Dorothy Sebastian

Her Zodiac Pal

2010-12-30T20:42:00.005-05:00

I love finding things like this - an adorable publicity release about Dorothy showing off her zodiac sign as embellishments on her clothes. What didn't the MGM Publicity Department think of?! When I think of all the photos I have seen of her doing silly things or wearing crazy outfits I can imagine they didn't miss much. At least this is alot less goofy than the license plate dress shown in an earlier post.

Dorothy's Carmelina Drive Home

2010-11-05T17:57:00.000-04:00

According to the 1930 United States Federal Census, Dorothy lived in a home at 294 South Carmelina Drive in Los Angeles. She lived here with her chauffeur named Harry and cook named Maude (Harry and Maude were married). The house, a classic Spanish Revival bungalow, and garage were built in the Brentwood Club Estates in 1926 at a cost of $5,500. Supposedly, the house was a gift from her then love interest cowboy actor Tom Mix.

The house was put on the market and sold in October of 1933. No doubt a bad financial time for Dorothy and her then husband William Boyd as both of their careers had stalled and the strain on their marriage had begun. The house changed hands a few times over the years.Dorothy's old house washas been featured in two books and a home magazine due to all the lovely care and design brought into it by its current owners.

By 1987 this house was ready for demolition but the owners realized its supposed historic value and donated it to California State University, Dominguez Hills for use as a dean's home. Those plans never materialized so the house was moved to Sunland and put in storage. In 1991 it was bought, moved to Pasadena California and is now a beautiful and well manicured private residence.

License to Dress!

2010-05-19T19:23:00.002-04:00

Ruth Harriet Louise Portrait

2010-05-09T20:25:00.000-04:00

George Hurrell Portrait

2010-05-09T20:21:00.002-04:00

Adolph Whitey Schafer

2010-02-25T10:11:00.005-05:00

Here is a beautiful portrait of Dorothy done by Adolph L. Schafer in 1930. According to IMDB. com, Schafer was a lighting technician, assistant cameraman and still photographer.

As a photographer he had several photo shoots with many actors and actresses including William Boyd. I read an article about Boyd saying how much he hated having to sit for photo shoots that Schafer would have to track him down and beg him to sit for him. Once he actually told Boyd that he could lose his photography job because of him!

And thus a friendship was struck. I cannot find much of a bio on Schafer, but he was the best man at William Boyd and Dorothy's Las Vegas wedding in December of 1930. He also photographed them together for publicity photos after the wedding.

He died in 1951 at the age of 49 due to injuries he received in a yacht explosion.

The Boyds and the Schafers on a Las Vegas airfield ready to return to Hollywood after the nuptials of Dorothy and William.

Beauty a la Mud 1926

2010-02-24T21:35:00.005-05:00

Goodness how time flies, I cannot believe my last post was Thanksgiving! It's about time I did some posting in this now not-so-New-Year....

Something I was very happy to find this year was a DVD of Dot's 1926 silent short "Beauty a la Mud" where she has a part as a beauty shop customer. (It was one of those eureka moments for me ~ you know, when you come across something you thought you'd never find). For some reason, on this DVD the short is called "This is the Life". Dorothy's part is short but sweet.

I like the Internet Movie Database website because people can contribute reviews and information about any films they like. It's where I discovered I could get the DVD and I bought it through Amazon. It's a compilation disc with a few other shorts called: Old Time Comedy Classics Volume 3. Finding this gives me hope that I'll be able to find more obscure Dorothy movies in time.

Speaking of movies.. I have been having problems uploading film shorts to the website, not sure what the issue is but hopefully I'll figure it all out soon!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2009-11-26T21:20:00.000-05:00

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T22:10:00.003-04:00

Dorothy, Aviatrix Extrodinaire

2009-10-08T23:09:00.013-04:00

What an exciting time it was in the late 1920's... Charles Lindbergh made the first transatlantic flight and all the world was captivated. What a perfect opportunity for MGM's Publicity Dept..

Here's the Original Bathing Suit Photo

2009-10-06T20:23:00.002-04:00

Goodbye Summer, Hello Bathing Suits!

2009-10-03T17:30:00.003-04:00

By 1927, girls knew how to swim in style!

Clarence Sinclair Bull photos

2009-09-27T17:43:00.007-04:00

Here is another series of photos, this time taken by Bull, showing Dorothy in sexy little pleated outfit. Not sure of the year on these. Bull was head of MGM's stills department for nearly 40 years and took photos of all the leading stars there. He is especially famous for his portraits of Greta Garbo.

Dorothy on the doghouse?

2009-09-26T10:13:00.014-04:00

I never get tired of finding new Dot pictures. When I got the last bunch of magazine pictures and articles this was one of her sitting on top of a doghouse (right) isn't it funny? What didn't the MGM publicity department think of?! This series of photos, taken by William Grimes in 1929, has her painting, gardening and even carrying around a large old pump bug spray gun.. And doing all her chores in heels too!

Isle of Forgotten Women Tranparency

2009-09-25T14:13:00.002-04:00

Ever the conservative with my more delicate Dorothy items, I hate to scan in some things that I don't think will handle all the activity well. Sometimes I am too conservative though. Take this transparency for instance; it's been stored away for over a year until I rediscovered it and thought "What if I did scan it in and reverse the image?" I'm not sure of it's age but I figure what's the point of having it if I don't actually look at it?! So, here it is, and it's quite decent actually..

Dorothy with Anita Page

2009-09-22T20:18:00.002-04:00

Here's a sweet photo of Dorothy with Anita Page taken at the beach in Santa Monica. I recently received a bunch of nice magazine clippings, including a few with these two ladies together. They'll be showing up on the website in the very near future. The ladies look so relaxed and natural with their messy hair. Don't you just love it?!

Love this picture!

2009-09-12T23:41:00.000-04:00

Like I wrote on my website, I think this is just wonderful. Learning how to better utilize my photoshop has just added itself to my to-do list. I've added the artists blog to my list here if you want to check it out.

A darling Ruth Harriet Louise photo

2009-07-11T22:34:00.001-04:00

German Magazine Cover

2009-01-27T23:22:00.001-05:00

This wonderful magazine cover was brought to my attention by a friend. I have never seen a photo of Dorothy in a kilt before, it's adorable! Printed in Berlin, Germany this is the January 6, 1929 edition and I believe the very first issue of this magazine. Check out the price ~ only 10 Pfennig!

Dorothy's Biography part 1

2009-01-20T20:55:00.000-05:00

Stella Dorothy Sabiston was born on April 26, 1903 in the Woodlawn area of Birmingham Alabama. She grew up in what seems to have been a very normal upbringing. She was a typical girl who liked to dance and took pride in doing well in school. (I have yet to discover which schools she attended as a child growing up in Alabama, but I hope to find out someday).

Dorothy's parents were Lycurgus (Lawrence) Robert Sabiston and Stella Armstrong Sabiston. Her mother was an artist that Dorothy complimented during an interview or two. "My mother was a really fine painter. She used oils and her portraits and landscapes were far from amateur. I have always regretted that she gave it up. Whatever little knack I have for sketching comes from her, but in a very modified form."Dorothy's maternal grandparents had been missionaries in China and Turkey. Her grandfather founded the first Presbyterian church in Alabama. "Religion is closely related to the drama. And preaching is related to acting. They both require the same flair. My grandfather and grandmother were missionaries in China. When I was a kid, collecting gold stars for regular attendance in Sunday School, I couldn't make up my mind whether I wanted to be a missionary or an actress. The line between them was so fine that I couldn't make up my mind." When she was finally allowed to go the theatre she decided then and there she would be an actress. Something she would keep to herself as she knew the family would not approve.The Sabiston's had four children: Elizabeth (Bessie) Christine was the oldest, then Robert James, third was Stella Dorothy and the youngest was Mary Helen. Sadly three of the four Sabiston children would die fairly early, two of whom were very tragic deaths.

Alabama was home until she headed up north to New York City to try and make it as a dancer. Something she had wanted to do for a very long time. In order to prove to her parents she could support herself, thus making her case to go to NYC, Dorothy would do portrait sketches, parchment lamp shades and sew cushion covers, even going as far as opening her own little shop in an apartment in Birmingham. "It was the best looking place. I got old rugs and had them dyed black. Then I did the place in robin's egg blue with touches of orange. I couldn't take care of all the orders I had at the studio. But all the time in the back of my mind was the idea of being an actress. I used to spend my lunch money on pictures - it was always pictures more than the stage that interested me."

Welcome!

2009-01-20T20:44:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the Dot blog!

I'd like to write about Dorothy, her life, friends, career, any website additions and other informative items including the 1920's and early Hollywood too. Pretty much anything in reference to Dot.

If you have any information, questions or comments please feel free to comment here or write to my email address:

info @ dorothysebastian.com ~ Thanks!