You’ll Fall in Love With These Valentine’s Day-Themed Studio Portraits & Publicity Shots of Classic Movie Actresses

Jeff Pfeiffer
black and white image from the 1942 movie
John Springer Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images
Marjorie Reynolds and Bing Crosby celebrate Valentine's Day at Holiday Inn (1942)

Happy Valentine’s Day to all you classic movie lovers out there!

To help you celebrate, we’ve dug up several Valentine’s Day-themed studio portraits and publicity images featuring legendary ladies of the big screen taken between the 1920s and early ’60s (these types of shots appear to have been especially prevalent during the ’20s and ’30s).

MARILYN MONROE

This first photo, taken Feb. 13, 1951, shows iconic star Monroe as a “Valentine cowgirl.”

a black and white Valentine's Day-themed studio portrait of Marilyn Monroe taken Feb. 13, 1951. Monroe is on the left of the photo, wearing a sexy cowgirl outfit with a cut-off top, short shorts and boots, with a heart strapped to her right thigh, which is facing the camera as she stands sideways. She has her head looking back a little as she aims a gun at a large paper heart on the bottom right of the photo.

Bettmann/Getty Images

Another Valentine’s promo shot with Monroe, circa 1955.

Marilyn Monroe stands beside a large heart shape with an arrow through it for Valentine's Day in a 1955 studio portrait

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RITA HAYWORTH

Studio portrait circa 1945.

Rita Hayworth holding Valentine candy heart in a studio portrait circa 1945.

Screen Archives/Getty Images

AUDREY HEPBURN

The original caption for this pic from early February 1952 describes Hepburn as “Broadway’s newest sweetheart” who will be starring in the play “Gigi.”

Audrey Hepburn makes a lovely Valentine decoration, complete with Cupid-like smile and arrow as she looks through a large heat-shaped opening with frills around it.

Bettmann/Getty Images

JANET LEIGH

Leigh models Valentine’s Day accessories in this circa 1945 photo.

Janet Leigh models Valentine's Day accessories, a heart-shaped bag in red kidskin with the words 'I Love You' in various languages, and gloves to match, circa 1945.

Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

CYD CHARISSE

Studio portrait from circa 1945.

1945 studio portrait of American actor and dancer Cyd Charisse holding and smiling through a large cutout heart valentine that reads, 'To My Valentine.'

Hulton Archive/Getty Images

TERRY MOORE

Studio portrait from 1949.

Actress Terry Moore, standing against a light blue background, wears a white blouse, red heart brooch and a white-and-red heart-shaped bonnet as she smiles in a 1949 Valentine's Day studio portrait.

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FRANCES DRAKE

Original caption for this 1934 portrait reads: “Heart times are coming … Frances Drake, London actress and Paramount player, knows it and is prepared to send her Valentine’s greetings exclusively to you.”

Actress Frances Drake, wearing a fancy gown with frills at the bottom and at the shoulders, leans against a wall that is illuminated by a heart-shaped spotlight, and with a paper heart affixed to the wall next to her, in this black-and-white Valentine's Day studio portrait from the early 1930s.

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JUDITH WOOD

Studio portrait, circa 1931.

Actress Judith Wood poses for a Valentine picture, Hollywood, California, early 1930s.

Underwood Archives/Getty Images

TOBY WING

Wing, billed in this circa 1935 photo’s original caption as “one of Paramount’s pretty young players,” poses as a “living Valentine.”

Actress Toby Wing poses as a living Valentine in this 1935 Valentine's Day studio portrait

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NANCY WALTERS

Circa 1961 publicity shot.

Actress and model Nancy Walters holds a heart-shaped box of chocolate on Valentine’s Day in a publicity shot from the the early 1960s.

De Carvalho Collection/Getty Images

NANCY CARROLL

Studio portrait 1929.

Portrait of actress Nancy Carroll sitting inside a prop heart labeled 'Will You Be My Valentine', for Paramount Pictures, 1929.

John Kobal Foundation/Getty Images

MARY BRIAN

Studio portrait circa 1925.

American film actress Mary Brian posing with St. Valentine's Day hearts and greetings, circa 1925.

Bettmann/Getty Images

MARILYN MAXWELL

A promotional portrait for the 1944 movie “Three Men in White,” in which Maxwell costarred with Lionel Barrymore and Van Johnson. Not sure how that ties in with Valentine’s Day, but then again, I have not seen the film.

American actor Marilyn Maxwell, posing in a Valentine's outfit, pops out of a heart-shaped box in a 1944 promotional portrait for director Willis Goldbeck's film, 'Three Men in White'.

MGM Studios/Getty Images

MARIAN MARSH

Studio portrait, January 1935.

a "Be my valentine" hat is worn by actress Marian Marsh. The hat has curves in the shape of a heart to fit on the head with a gilded arrow, piercing the head gear to form a decoration. Marsh is seated wearing the hat against a backround of hearts for Valentine's Day.

Bettman/Getty Images

JACQUELINE LOGAN

Studio portrait circa 1925.

Portrait of American actress Jacqueline Logan as she poses for Valentine's Day with a number of hearts on ribbons, Hollywood, California, circa 1925.

Underwood Archives/Getty Images

DOROTHY GULLIVER

Studio portrait circa 1934.

Actress Dorothy Gulliver poses against a backdrop of a large heart, in which reads: "To My Valentine" in this 1930s studio portrait.

Underwood Archives/Getty Images

More Of This:
Holiday Inn (1942)Three Men in White (1944)Audrey HepburnCyd CharisseDorothy GulliverFrances DrakeJacqueline LoganJanet LeighJudith WoodMarian MarshMarilyn MaxwellMarilyn MonroeMarjorie ReynoldsMary BrianNancy CarrollNancy WaltersRita HayworthTerry MooreToby Wing