Jean Harlow
- Acting
- March 3, 1911 · Kansas City, Missouri, USA
- June 7, 1937
Biography
Jean Harlow (born Harlean Harlow Carpenter; March 3, 1911 – June 7, 1937) was an American actress. Known for her portrayal of "bad girl" characters, she was the leading sex symbol of the early 1930s and one of the defining figures of the pre-Code era of American cinema. Often nicknamed the "Blonde Bombshell" and the "Platinum Blonde", Harlow was popular for her "Laughing Vamp" screen persona. Though her screen persona changed dramatically during her career, one constant was her sense of humor. She was given superior movie roles to show off her looks and nascent comedic talent. Harlow was in the film industry for only nine years, but she became one of the biggest stars in the US, whose image in the public eye has endured. Harlow was consistently voted one of the strongest box office draws in the United States from 1933 onward, often surpassing that of MGM's top leading ladies, such as Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford and Norma Shearer. Her movies also continued to make huge profits at the box office even during the middle of the Depression. In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked Harlow No. 22 on its greatest female screen legends of classical Hollywood cinema list.
Known for
Filmography
- The Love Story of Jean Harlow and William Powell · Self
- Becoming Marilyn · (archive footage)
- Jay Sebring… Cutting to the Truth · Self
- Discovering Jean Harlow · Self
- Thou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywood · Various Roles (archive footage)
- Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema · Self
- 42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage · Self
- Beer and Blood: Enemies of the Public · Self
- Judy Garland: By Myself · Self
- Checking Out: Grand Hotel · Self
- Complicated Women · Self
- Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel · Self
- Howard Hughes: His Women and His Movies · Self
- Clara Bow: Discovering the "It" Girl · Self
- Sports on the Silver Screen · Self
- Jean Harlow: Platinum Bombshell · Self
- The Good, The Bad, and the Beautiful · Self
- Legends in Light: The Photography of George Hurrell · Self
- Betty Boop: Queen of the Cartoons · Self
- The Casting Couch
- That's Entertainment! III · (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Intimate Portrait · Self
- Death In Hollywood · Self
- Two Tragic Blondes - Marilyn Monroe And Jean Harlow · Self
- Death Scenes · Self
- Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies · (archive footage) (uncredited)
- James Stewart: A Wonderful Life · Self
- Marilyn Monroe: Beyond the Legend · archive footage
- The Spencer Tracy Legacy: A Tribute by Katharine Hepburn · Self
- Marilyn Monroe · archive footage
- Going Hollywood: The '30s · (archive footage)
- Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage · Self
- That's Entertainment, Part II · (archive footage)
- Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? · Self
- That's Entertainment! · (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Hollywood: The Dream Factory · Self
- The Further Perils of Laurel and Hardy
- The Big Parade of Comedy · Ruby in 'Hold Your Man' (archive footage)
- Hollywood: The Selznick Years · Self
- The Golden Age of Comedy · archive footage
- MGM Parade · Self
- Screen Snapshots (Series 25, No. 1): 25th Anniversary · Self
- Screen Snapshots (Series 22, No. 10) · Self
- Saratoga · Carol Clayton
- Personal Property · Crystal Wetherby
- Libeled Lady · Gladys
- Suzy · Suzy
- Wife vs. Secretary · Helen 'Whitey' Wilson
- Riffraff · Hattie
- China Seas · Dolly 'China Doll' Portland
- Reckless · Mona Leslie
- The Girl from Missouri · Eadie
- Dinner at Eight · Kitty Packard
- Bombshell · Lola Burns
- Hold Your Man · Ruby Adams
- Hollywood on Parade No. A-12 · Self
- Red Dust · Vantine Jefferson
- Red-Headed Woman · Lillian 'Lil' / 'Red' Andrews Legendre
- Scarface · Blonde at Paradise Club
- The Beast of the City · Daisy Stevens aka Mildred Beaumont
- Three Wise Girls · Cassie Barnes
- Voice of Hollywood (Series 2, No. 3) · Self
- Beau Hunks · Jeanie Weenie - in Photo
- Platinum Blonde · Ann Schuyler
- Goldie · Goldie
- Iron Man · Rose Mason
- The Public Enemy · Gwen Allen
- The Secret Six · Anne Courtland
- Hell's Angels · Helen
- New York Nights · Party Guest
- Weak But Willing · Blonde Night Club Patron
- This Thing Called Love · Extra
- The Love Parade · Woman in Opera Box (uncredited)
- The Saturday Night Kid · Hazel
- Bacon Grabbers · Mrs. Kennedy
- Masquerade · Spectator
- Thundering Toupees
- Double Whoopee · Swanky blonde
- The Unkissed Man · Patient
- Close Harmony · Chorus Girl