There is something alluring about this picture of a beautiful young lady sitting on the bumper of an enormous car with enormous headlamps, so we though we would dig deeper and find out what we could.
Her name is Anita Page, star of the silent movie, and since she lived until 98 she enjoyed fame as being known as 'the last star of the silents'. She was a family girl and employed her father as her chauffeur, mother as secretary and brother as gym instructor - and then surprised everyone by announcing her retirement aged 23. It is said she rejected the sexual advances of MGM head of production, Louis B. Mayer, and he ensured she and other 'uncooperative' actresses found no work.
At the height of her career in the 1920s, she was known as "the girl with the most beautiful face in Hollywood" and it is said she received more fan mail than any other female star, with the exception of Greta Garbo, and received multiple marriage proposals from Benito Mussolini.At the time, she was romantically involved with Clark Gable so poor old Benito didn't stand a chance.
She starred in a 1929 film called 'Speedway' - has anybody seen it I wonder? ( There are some stills from it HERE.) Oh, and by the way, her car is an Isotta Fraschini Roadster C 1929.
Text Robin Batchelor, pictures from archive.