BILLIE DOVE (1931) Photo by Preston Duncan

Hollywood: [Warner Brothers, 1931]. Vintage original 7 3/4 x 10″ (20 x 25 cm) black-and-white glossy silver gelatin photo. Ink stamped on verso “Preston Duncan, Hollywood”. About fine.

A fashionable Billie Dove during her later days as a Warner Brothers star, the time during which she was closely associated with Howard Hughes. From Ziegfeld girl to prominent silent star, though she was still a success, Dove ended her film career soon after talkies were the rage.

Photographer Preston Duncan was an early stills man, shooting striking portraits in the late-1920s and early-1930s. His movie star portraits appeared in the Los Angeles Times. He worked for Warner Brothers and also operated a gallery from his home in Los Angeles known as “Lindoldun”.