A WITCH'S BREW OF HUBBA-HUBBA AND HOCUS-POCUS

Actress Veronica Lake (born Constance Frances Marie Ockelman; November 14, 1922 – July 7, 1973) was known as the "Peek-A-Boo Girl" after the way she wore her long, blonde hair that covered one eye. She is most remembered for her numerous sultry roles in film noir moves of the 1940's.

The beautiful Miss Lake is known to us genre fans for her role in I MARRIED A WITCH (1942) opposite Fredric "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" March. She was also in a 1952 episode of the TV series, TALES OF TOMORROW. Her last film role was as Dr. Elaine Frederick in the embarrassing FLESH FEAST (1970).

The image below is a personality poster issued by Paramount pictures in 1944 and was painted by master artist, Robert Soubie. Following are more photos of the angelic Veronica Lake.

Image by the famous portrait photographer George Hurrell.

Various promotional photos by Paramount.

Pages from SHOWMAN'S TRADE REVIEW October 24, 1952.

A one-page feature from MODERN SCREEN August, 1941.

An article from MODERN SCREEN May, 1941.

MIRIAM HOPKINS GETS A LEG UP ON DR. JEKYLL

Released on the last day of December, 1931, Rouben Mamoulian's DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE thrilled audiences with its startling, pre-code scenes of violence, lust and sexual seduction.

Miriam Hopkins played the role of Ivy Pearson, a music hall barmaid/prostitute who becomes the object of Mr. Hyde's brutal affections. In one of the more salacious scenes, Dr. Jekyll, knowing that his alter ego is tormenting her, visits Ivy to console her. Ivy respnds by attempting to seduce the Good Doctor before they are interrupted by Jekyll's colleague. The scene ends with a shot of Ivy sitting on the edge of her bed, wrapped in a bed sheet with enough showing to indicate she is clearly nude under it, and bouncing her gartered leg in what is generally considered symbolic of sexual desire. Later releases of the film would have eight minutes of footage removed.

With a subtitle of "Weird", Hopkins is shown here pictured as Ivy in a spread for PICTURE PLAY magazine's January, 1932 issue. The photos are presumed to be by Gordon Head, stills photographer on the film. The page includes an inset of the movie's second leading lady, Rose Hobart. Between the two, however, it is Ivy's sexy/tragic character and images that are always remembered.

PARAMOUNT PICTURES' 20TH BIRTHDAY -- IN 1931

Paramount Pictures celebrated its 20th "Birthday Jubilee" in 1931 with a glitzy publication that promoted -- what else? -- their upcoming films.

Monster fans are lucky that among those films being publicized was the soon-to-be-released Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Shown here is a full-page ad and portraits of the leading stars, Fredric March and Miriam Hopkins. If you look close, there is a thumbnail of Fay Wray as well.

Also included are images of Anna May Wong. Besides being seductively beautiful, Miss Wong was the first Asian-American star and one of the very few ethnic actors working regularly in Hollywood. Her father, a Chinese laundryman, objected greatly to his daughter being in front of the camera. He is quoted as saying, "Every time your picture is taken, you lose part of your soul".