Golden Age of Hollywood actor Robert Montgomery poses for the camera with ample roll: not only on the lapels of his ’30s-cut suit, but on his buttondown shirt collar as well.
Wonderful example of Old Hollywood masculine glamor (with obligatory pipe and sleek hair) combined with the youthful nonchalance of a buttondown. Thanks to Ivy Style Facebook member Kimmo Sinivuori for sharing this great pic with us. — CC
Oh that lapel roll is deuteronomous… biblical! But… that gorge… it’s TOO low. You can’t get away with that today. Or is this higher and higher gorge thing a “fad” that’s about to go away. Who do we see today that looks good with a lower gorge?
I’ve never forgotten this quote about Robert Montgomery:
A few years back, Ronald Colman called Robert Montgomery the most graceful actor in the business. Mr. Colman, hardly in the awkward category himself, went on to say, “His every gesture is superb. In fact, he’s the only man I know of who doesn’t have to pull up the legs of his trousers before sitting down.”
Robert Montgomery was truly and officer (Navy) and a gentleman.
In 2005, much of the late Robert Montgomery’s 1930s-’60s apparel was put on the auction block in Los Angeles. The giant lot included Sulka dressing gowns, suits custom made by Eddie Schmidt, dress shirts by Machin and James T. Beach, cream flannels from Oviatt’s, and more.
The lot’s opening bid price was $550, as I recall. It didn’t fetch a single bid.
not surprising that you can’t recall what he was in. Probably his best-known film is “Lady In the Lake” which is mostly famous because it’s shot from the lead character’s perspective, so you can only see the star’s face when he looks at himself in the mirror.
A few notable Robert Montgomery films: Nigth Must Fall – Best Actor; Here Comes Mr. Jordan – Best Actor; They Were Expendable – John Ford credited direction and uncredited direction Mr. Montgomery; and Lady in the Lake – first credited direction. The man was a gifted artist and a true gentleman of the first water. Bye the bye Elizabeth Montgomery known for the tv show Bewitched was Mr. Montgomery’s daughter.
They claim that during the filming of They Were Expendable that John Ford told John Wayne that he did not know how to salute properly because he not serve like Robert Montgomery did; and that Mr. Montgomery told Mr. Ford that if he said that to Mr. Wayne again that Mr. Montgomery would walk off the picture permanently. Mr. Montgomery was truly a great gentlemen and a great American.
He was a single breasted guy in a age of double breasteds.
In the only Alfred Hitchcock’s comedy,”Mr and Mrs Smith (with Carol Lombard) Robert Montgomery wear single breasted two buttons suits,very clean and classics,with narrow dark ties.
He anticipates surprisingly the trend of ten years after.
Was involved in more Broadway plays than anyone I can remember, beginning in 1924. Also was a TV advisor for President Eisenhower. Was a lifelong Brooks Brothers customer.
Robert Montgomery served in a voluntary position as image consultant to President Eisenhower, advising Ike on how to look his best in TV appearances before the nation.
Ike claimed that if Nixon had used Montgomery as a consultant in his first televised debate with JFK, he, Nixon, would have won. Polls showed Nixon won on the radio side where people could not see how bad he looked; of course he sounded better.
In the famous TV debates Nixon was not in good health.
His pale gray suit was terrible on the pale background of the studio.
The cut (a three buttons with no roll lapels) was clumsy,and the pale tie worsen the look.
A Nixon tanned,with a dark navy ( the best under artificial lights) suit two buttons or three with a good roll,and…(sorry Ivy guys) darted,with a navy grenadine tie and a very pale blue shirt…would have been a different story.
One of Robert Montgomery’s first film roles was in So This Is College, an early talkie from 1929. It can serve as a pretty good indication of what Hollywood costume designers thought students as USC might have looked like at the time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GV7I7CMAjg
Love his work. I understand when filming he never had anything in his pockets, thus no unsightly bulges. Had a crush on Elizabeth Allen, his wife and fellow actor. Great style ran in the family.
Love the hair.
A great example of full drape without the cut looking sloppy
Oh that lapel roll is deuteronomous… biblical! But… that gorge… it’s TOO low. You can’t get away with that today. Or is this higher and higher gorge thing a “fad” that’s about to go away. Who do we see today that looks good with a lower gorge?
I think the next words out of his mouth should be “Dinner for one, James.”
Will
Very elegant. A bold, geometric-print necktie. It looks like a Charvet.
I’ve never forgotten this quote about Robert Montgomery:
A few years back, Ronald Colman called Robert Montgomery the most graceful actor in the business. Mr. Colman, hardly in the awkward category himself, went on to say, “His every gesture is superb. In fact, he’s the only man I know of who doesn’t have to pull up the legs of his trousers before sitting down.”
Robert Montgomery was truly and officer (Navy) and a gentleman.
What are his best-known films? Trying to think of what I’d have seen him in.
In 2005, much of the late Robert Montgomery’s 1930s-’60s apparel was put on the auction block in Los Angeles. The giant lot included Sulka dressing gowns, suits custom made by Eddie Schmidt, dress shirts by Machin and James T. Beach, cream flannels from Oviatt’s, and more.
The lot’s opening bid price was $550, as I recall. It didn’t fetch a single bid.
not surprising that you can’t recall what he was in. Probably his best-known film is “Lady In the Lake” which is mostly famous because it’s shot from the lead character’s perspective, so you can only see the star’s face when he looks at himself in the mirror.
On page 79 of “Dressing the Man,” an almost identical tie is worn by someone who appears to be Clark Gable. Love those Charvet print ties!
Collar roll is sublime
A few notable Robert Montgomery films: Nigth Must Fall – Best Actor; Here Comes Mr. Jordan – Best Actor; They Were Expendable – John Ford credited direction and uncredited direction Mr. Montgomery; and Lady in the Lake – first credited direction. The man was a gifted artist and a true gentleman of the first water. Bye the bye Elizabeth Montgomery known for the tv show Bewitched was Mr. Montgomery’s daughter.
They claim that during the filming of They Were Expendable that John Ford told John Wayne that he did not know how to salute properly because he not serve like Robert Montgomery did; and that Mr. Montgomery told Mr. Ford that if he said that to Mr. Wayne again that Mr. Montgomery would walk off the picture permanently. Mr. Montgomery was truly a great gentlemen and a great American.
He was a single breasted guy in a age of double breasteds.
In the only Alfred Hitchcock’s comedy,”Mr and Mrs Smith (with Carol Lombard) Robert Montgomery wear single breasted two buttons suits,very clean and classics,with narrow dark ties.
He anticipates surprisingly the trend of ten years after.
Some collars from “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”:
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/GhbwxW5yXHk/maxresdefault.jpg
https://crystalkalyana.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/smith.jpg
Was involved in more Broadway plays than anyone I can remember, beginning in 1924. Also was a TV advisor for President Eisenhower. Was a lifelong Brooks Brothers customer.
Robert Montgomery served in a voluntary position as image consultant to President Eisenhower, advising Ike on how to look his best in TV appearances before the nation.
One of the best:
http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/american-actor-robert-montgomery-in-the-television-show-eye-witness-picture-id113176398?s=612×612
Ike claimed that if Nixon had used Montgomery as a consultant in his first televised debate with JFK, he, Nixon, would have won. Polls showed Nixon won on the radio side where people could not see how bad he looked; of course he sounded better.
In the famous TV debates Nixon was not in good health.
His pale gray suit was terrible on the pale background of the studio.
The cut (a three buttons with no roll lapels) was clumsy,and the pale tie worsen the look.
http://s17.postimg.org/nieh9m3b3/jfknix.jpg
A Nixon tanned,with a dark navy ( the best under artificial lights) suit two buttons or three with a good roll,and…(sorry Ivy guys) darted,with a navy grenadine tie and a very pale blue shirt…would have been a different story.
http://s18.postimg.org/8snedv3bt/image.jpg
Was Nixon even capable getting a suntan?
(capable of)
Maybe Robert Montgomery could advise him to make a lamp.
One of Robert Montgomery’s first film roles was in So This Is College, an early talkie from 1929. It can serve as a pretty good indication of what Hollywood costume designers thought students as USC might have looked like at the time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GV7I7CMAjg
Now I think I saw that when I was seeking out Joe College movies.
Naw. The best was ‘they were expendable’ with john Wayne and the john ford stock company
Love his work. I understand when filming he never had anything in his pockets, thus no unsightly bulges. Had a crush on Elizabeth Allen, his wife and fellow actor. Great style ran in the family.