ESTHER WILLIAMS AS GIRL-NEXT-DOOR (1942) Oversized portrait

[Los Angeles: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, ca. 1942]. Vintage original 10 x 13″ (25 x 32 cm.) black-and-white double weight glossy silver gelatin photo. Minor crease at top right, near fine.

Esther Williams during her youthful first years at MGM. Born in Inglewood, CA, her youth was spent becoming a United States National swimming champ. Spotted by an MGM talent scout while working at a LA department store, she was brought to MGM where the swimming musical was built around her. To learn the ropes of moviemaking, she made her film debut in Andy Hardy’s Double Life in 1942.

This portrait, with an ink stamp of 1939 1, was one of her earliest publicity portraits presenting her as the new girl-next-door.