Born #OTD 1902: Ann Harding

Photo: public domain

Ann Harding, born Dorothy Walton Gatley, was the daughter of a military man who ‘violently’ opposed her yearning for the stage, a tempestuous conflict that birthed a new identity. After achieving success on Broadway and in regional theatre in the Northeast US, she ventured to Hollywood at the dawn of the sound era and swiftly ascended to leading lady status. RKO promoted her as their answer to MGM’s Norma Shearer, although she was often lent out to other studios, including MGM itself. As was, and still is, all too often the case for actors and actresses in this cutthroat business, by the late 1930s she had become typecast ‘as the beautiful, innocent, self-sacrificing woman, and film work became harder for her to obtain’. Nevertheless, she continued to perform on film, stage, and television up to 1965.

Photo: Actress Ann Harding is seen sporting her signature long, flowing hair cascading over her shoulders. A serene yet thoughtful mien adorns her visage, as her gaze softly meets the lens. Clad in a garment that reveals her fair shoulders, she is adorned with intricate weaves. Soft light caresses her features, revealing a timeless beauty, ethereal and divine. Handwritten notes are visible along the edges of the photograph.

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