Barbara Stanwyck: Behind The Scenes

Every time a movie was made during the classical Hollywood period, a large number of test photography was done. Sometimes there were filmed screen tests to look at different make-up, hair-styles and costumes, but more frequently this was done with still photographs. The star would get into the test makeup or the proposed costumes and the resultant stills could be used to compare the different effects in preparation for filming the scenes.

Barbara Stanwyck made an awful lot of movies for an awful lot of studios. Here are some test shots as well as some behind-the-scenes and publicity photos of Stanwyck. These pictures show something of the diversity of looks this outstanding actress could portray.  In real life she was the outdoors type, an accomplished horse rider who was most comfortable in unpretentious outfits, but onscreen she could wear clothes with the best of them. Enjoy this assortment of Stanwyck’s looks.