Dorothy Jeakins (1914–1995) was a multiple Oscar-award winning costume designer who created iconic looks in some of classic Hollywood movies. This includes more than a few costume dramas, and while the results may not hew strictly to a historical line, Jeakins illustrations show her strong historical research chops. She began her career studying fine art and working as an illustrator, only falling into costume design later. But she very quickly made an impact, and now her work is easily identifiable. Let’s give her some frock flicks love!
Joan of Arc (1948)
Starring Ingrid Bergman.
Dorothy Jeakins won the first-ever awarded Oscar for Best Costume Design, Color, which she shared with Barbara Karinska.
This was Jeakins’ first film costume design job — she’d previously worked as an illustrator.
Samson and Delilah (1949)
Newp, neither Biblical nor historical. But pretty!
Jeakins won another Oscar for Best Costume Design, Color. This one was shared with Edith Head, Elois Jenssen, Gile Steele, & Gwen Wakeling.
The Outcasts of Poker Flat (1952)
It’s a western, not too bad.
Les Miserables (1952)
I like her pelisse!
Stars and Stripes Forever (1952)
A biopic of the composer John Philip Sousa, set in the late 19th century. I Think these are stage costumes?
These look more like 1890s daywear.
My Cousin Rachel (1952)
Starring Olivia de Havilland.
The dress from above, in a catalog photo.
Alas, the costume designer can’t do anything about an actress’ skirt-hiking!
Here’s what survived of the gown in a catalog photo.
Lovely gown, if more 1950s than 1830s.
This gown is particularly non-historical but so pretty.
Treasure of the Golden Condor (1953)
Something vaguely 18th century
Titanic (1953)
Barbara Stanwyck gets a good 1910s gown here.
You know the rest of the story.
Friendly Persuasion (1956)
American Civil War Quakers.
Annie Get Your Gun (1957)
The musical about sharp-shooter Annie Oakley.
The Music Man (1962)
Not one of my favorite musicals, but the costumes are lovely!
Wish I could find good color pix because these are both fun in that 1960s musical way *and* a decent representation of 1910s fashions.
The Sound of Music (1965)
Y’all know this one!
From kiddie clothes made from curtains…
To an elegant baroness’ wardrobe…
These costumes may not be historically accurate for pre-WWII, but they fit the story!
Dorothy Jeakins had a small, uncredited role as “Sister Augusta” so I hope she got to see the wedding gown in action.
Hawaii (1966)
A big, ponderous boring movie with costumes that often look more 1960s than 1820s. Dorothy Jeakins has a small role as Hepzibah Hale.
The Fixer (1968)
Set in Czarist Russia, around 1911, that’s all I got!
The Molly Maguires (1970)
About Pennsylvanian coal miners in 1876, so mostly grubby men’s clothes, but hey, here’s an appropriate bustle gown!
Little Big Man (1970)
Something of a western about a guy who’s fought alongside General Custer. And apparently takes a few breaks…
The Way We Were (1973)
A love story that spans the 1930s-1950s. Not that you can tell by the costumes.
I wonder how much of this was the director or Barbara Streisand’s idea?
The Iceman Cometh (1973)
Set in 1912 in a flophouse.
Young Frankenstein (1974)
More of a historical homage, this movie has a 1930s-40s style.
Especially in Madeline Kahn‘s costumes.
The Hindenburg (1975)
Disaster films were all the rage in the ’70s. At least this one had a cool retro vibe.
Oh the huge manatees!
The Dead (1987)
Anjelica Huston with her father, the film’s director John Huston, in this utterly engrossing film based on a James Joyce short story.
Full of eccentric characters & subtle dialog.
And subtle period costume details as well, like this lady’s shamrock brooch.
This was Dorothy Jeakins’ final film, & she was again nominated for a Best Costume Oscar.
What’s your favorite historical costume movie or TV show with costumes designed by Dorothy Jeakins?
I think we need a full feature on The Music Man. The hats alone are worth the price of admission.
It’s on my ‘maybe’ list — I love musicals, but that one is not a fave. And yet, the costumes are really good! There’s a bunch of titles ahead of it, but it’s on my radar for someday…
Whether you like the movie/show or not (I happen to love it), the costumes deserve serious attention.
Yes please review the Music Man costumes. The hair…not so much.
Young Frankenstein, not just for the costumes, but for the casting and the Mel Brooks script.
And for using the sets from James Whale’s Bride of Frankenstein.
So much to love in that movie.
The Music Man. Just live Hermione Gingold saying ‘Balzac’
What about a WCW for her? She portrayed several characters you kinda wanted to grow up to be. She is amazing in Little Night Music.
Oh, yes! And Gigi.
I love Gigi. Cecil Beaton’s costumes are fantastic, the acting first rate and the scenes where Gigi is getting courtesan lessons are humorous and telling. Yes, Hermione Gingold is a gem in it. Her and Isobel Gens scenes have the bite of the best Dowager Violet and Mrs Crawley scenes.
Before I started collecting and dealing in antique and vintage clothing ( 50+ years ago), I kinda swallowed the costumes in these and other films whole and without question. Yet there was occasionally something that bothered me like the anachronistic hairstyles (love your posts about these), as well as the wrong wrong wrong clothing. I love the Sound of Music, but even when it came out (I was 11), it was clear most of the costumes were WAY off. Revisiting some of them on this great post confirms this. Like that horrible dress Andrews is wearing along side Eleanor Parker’s weird ensemble.
You all just give me so many movies I need to watch lol! Very curious about the James Joyce one. It’s been ages since I saw Music Man but what I remember does seem pretty good.
Young Frankenstein for the best MOVIE, Music Man for best COSTUMES. Those hats!!
Seeing that picture of Jose Ferrer in Joan of Arc made me smile today. I so wish you guys would do a MCM for him. But if you don’t that’s fine too.
But back to the subject. I love the Sound of Music and the Music Man but I think I really need to check out “The Dead.”
Another Young Frankenstein fan here. One of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen, and it used the sets from the 1930s one. “No, FRONKensteen!” I love the take on Elsa Lanchester’s Bride’s costume that they used for the delectable Madeleine Kahn. https://nitehawkcinema.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/young-frankenstein-young-frankenstein-4190487-1024-768.jpg
Ha. The Fixer. I had to read that in school. (Early 1980s.) It’s by Bernard Malamud. It’s set in Russia. It’s about a guy who is jailed for murdering someone that he didn’t kill. Possibly pogroms and definitely anti-Jewish stuff. Don’t remember more than that and didn’t know there was a film of it!
I’ll be honest, based on pictures alone and never having seen it, I always assumed The Way We Were was set in the 1970’s. It’s the hair I think.
Everything about ‘The Way We Were’ looks ’70s, but Jeakins’ sketches do look more historical & the story is supposed to take place over several decades. I just remember it being THE big romance when I was a kid, w/that damn song!
That is a very white Hawaii.
I haven’t seen any movies on this list, so it’s hard to pick a favorite.
@Saraquill, the film is based on the novel by James Mitchener which takes place during the time when white American missionaries came to the Kingdom of Hawaii and the conflicts that took place. The costumer did have to dress native Hawaiian’s, which I found interesting. Not sure how historically accurate they are though…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii_(1966_film)
The black and white photo of the woman’s daywear for Stars and Stripes Forever seems period appropriate, except for the exposed forearms. Unless I don’t know better, women didn’t wear short sleeves.
Ooh, Little Big Man! It’s been decades since I watched it, so I don’t remember much about the costuming, but the story and the acting are superb!
The novel is even better.
Baroness Schrader’s red dress with the black beaded trim is one of my favorite dresses of all time. I’d make a duplicate and cram myself into a corset/girdle if I had a place to wear it!
Joyce describes the serious minded young woman in The Dead as not wearing a low neckline and pinning her blouse with a brooch sporting an Irish device and motto.
Possibly something inspired by the Tara Brooch. But the Shamrock is fine shorthand for those not familiar with Celtic Renaissabce imagery. She accuses Gabriel of being a West Briton…