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44 Best Vintage Celebrity On-Set Photos - Vintage Photos of Old Hollywood Actresses

Iconic 1920s film star Clara Bow is joined on the set of her film The Fleet's In by actor Richard Arlen and his dog, Scotty.

By Daily Pulse Editorial·May 16, 2026·4 min read

A behind-the-scenes look at Old Hollywood.

People, Photograph, Facial expression, Fun, Snapshot, Black-and-white, Smile, Friendship, Photography, Laugh,

Back in the Golden Age of Hollywood, stars like Jean Harlow and Grace Kelly graced movie screens looking every bit as glamorous as you'd expect. And these candid photos prove that the style icons from yesteryear were just as fabulous when they were in-between takes on set.

1928: Clara Bow

Iconic 1920s film star Clara Bow is joined on the set of her film The Fleet's In by actor Richard Arlen and his dog, Scotty.

1931: Jean Harlow

Jean Harlow rests on a dolly between shots on the set of The Beast of the City.

1932: Bette Davis and Joan Blondell

Bette Davis (right) smiles next to her costar, Joan Blondell, during a beach shoot for their movie Three on a Match in 1932.

1932: Lilian Harvey

Lilian Harvey strikes a pose on set in 1932. She starred alongside Cicely Courtneidge in Happy Ever After and mostly worked on German films (her father was German, while her mother was English).

Actress Mae West with Director Raoul Walsh on Set

1936: Mae West

Mae West meets with director Raoul Walsh before shooting a scene for her 1936 film Klondike Annie.

1936: Shirley Temple

Eight-year-old child actress, Shirley Temple, takes a break during a busy day of filming. The actress starred in films like Heidi and The Little Princess throughout out her career and started in the industry at the age of three.

1936: Marlene Dietrich

Marlene Dietrich takes a smoke break while wearing a turban for her role in The Garden of Allah.

1941: Bette Davis

Bette Davis sinks her feet into the sand as she takes a break while filming a scene in Death Valley, California for The Bridge Came C.O.D. in 1941. The actress wasn't exactly dressed appropriately for the beach in her fur-trimmed jacket.

1942: Joan Crawford

While on set for Possessed, Joan Crawford listens to notes from director Curtis Bernhardt. A clear sign the actress is in-between takes? The knitting needles in her hand, a hobby she enjoyed whenever she had free time on set.

1947: Rita Hayworth and Orson Welles

On the brink of divorce, Rita Hayworth joins her director husband on the Columbia Pictures set of their latest movie: The Lady from Shanghai. The couple was granted a divorce shortly after, which took a year to finalize, after being together for four years.

1948: Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall

Lauren Bacall leans on the shoulder of her husband and costar, Humphrey Bogart, while waiting on the set of their film Key Largo. After meeting on the set of To Have and Have Not, this was the couple's third collaboration.

1948: Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli

A 2-year-old Liza Minnelli visits her mother, Judy Garland, on the set of Words and Music in 1948.

1950: Grace Kelly

As a young actress, Grace Kelly dons a nurses outfit for an episode of CBS's anthology series Studio One in Hollywood in 1950. The actress and future Princess of Monaco would move on to starring in films.

1951: Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh

Costars Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh chat during a break from filming A Streetcar Named Desire. Method actor Brando was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Stanley Kowalski, but has said revealed he detested playing the character.

1952: Lana Turner

Lana Turner at the make up on the film set of The Bad and the Beautiful

Lana Turner pays a visit to the makeup chair to get done up for her scene in The Bad and the Beautiful in 1952.

1952: Vera-Ellen and Nancy Davis Reagan

While on the set of The Belle of New York, dancer and actress Vera-Ellen chats with future First Lady Nancy Reagan, while watching Fred Astaire dance during a take.

1953: Grace Kelly

During a break, Grace Kelly takes a nap in the sun on the set of Mogambo, a movie she starred in alongside Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart.

On The Set Of "How To Marry A Millionaire"

1953: Lauren Bacall, Betty Grable, and Marilyn Monroe

The trio of stars from 20th Century Fox's film How to Marry a Millionaire take a break during filming to touch up their hair and makeup.

1953: Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe's famous platinum blonde curls are tended to by someone in the makeup department, while the actress films a scene for How to Marry a Millionaire.

1954: Rosemary Clooney and Bing Crosby

Rosemary Clooney catches up with her costar, Bing Crosby, who's casually reclining in a director's chair, in-between filming scenes for White Christmas.

Jennifer Algoo is the Visuals Director at Harper's BAZAAR. She is a graduate of the School of Visual Arts and has previously worked at Patrick McMullan Co. as well as completing internships at Martha Stewart Weddings, Vogue and CosmoGirl! Magazine. Jennifer covers royal, celeb and art content as well as overseeing all visual assets on BAZAAR.com. When she's not obsessing over the royals you can find her attempting to solve cold cases as an armchair detective, traveling and experimenting with new recipes.