We did a random “Vintage Hollywood Valentines” Google search and came up with a treasure trove of images. And if you click on any given image it enlarges with several new images to the right.
Can you name the stars?
But we have gone further. If it is true that the way to a lover’s heart is through the stomach, check out some vintage food cards. Why stop there. We cover growing up, comics and animation and the really bizarre “Vinegar Valentines.”
Plus several renditions of the classic song, “My Funny Valentine” by Frank Sinatra, Kim Novak. Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis and more.
On February 12th, James dressed in a black suit, black shirt, lilac tie and his famous coiffed hair and made a surprise appearance at his old high-school. The Valentines Day Sweetheart’s Ball was a yearly event at Fairmount High and James stole the show, even playing bongo drums with the band.
Kim Novak singing “My Funny Valentine” in PAL JOEY with Frank Sinatra.
This rendition on Britain’s Got Talent had the judges on their feet. The songs starts at 1:30.
The ultimate comic romantic record was 1951’s “John and Marsha,” a soap opera parody that consisted of the title characters (both played by creator Stan Freberg) doing nothing but repeating each other’s names with intonations to match the moods. It was his first record. We dare you not to laugh.
Some might remember the 1956 Snowdrift Shortening commercial from their childhood or from seeing it used on “Mad Men.” Producer/Director John Hubley and Animator/Artist Art Babbitt were given the New York Art Directors Award for Best Animated Short for the spot. Guess where it came from?
And now for other kinds of comics.
The film is in black and white but what a great color promo still
by Eric October inspired by Georges Méliès
More Valentine Movie Star Pin Ups? Check these out.
Do you know her?
“I Wanna Be Loved By You” previously sung by Helen Kane (who also dubbed it for Debbie Reynolds) and Betty Boop (keep scrolling to see and hear them ) is sung by Marilyn’s character Sugar Kane, an homage to Helen.
This movie star’s name is Valentine Grant
Enjoy a video of Lucy and Ethel working at the chocolate factory
Helen Kane, the inspiration for Betty Boop (see animation section below), dubbed her voice for Debbie Reynolds in THREE LITTLE WORDS.
The following are part of an extensive series of “mechanical” greeting cards created for Disney films. See how they work.
Photoplay Magazine, April 1932
Watch Helen Kane on “This Is Your Life.”
Want few food related vintage images?
Mooning over you with a retro science fiction theme.
For more take a look here. And here. How about Halloween Valentines? And the curious tradition of Valentine’s Hate Mail.
“Valentines and vinegar valentines alike were once a booming business; in 1905 San Francisco, 25,000 valentines were delayed because of overworked clerks. Vinegar valentines were commercially bought postcards that were less beautiful than their love-filled counterparts and contained an insulting poem and illustration. They were sent anonymously, so the receiver had to guess who hated him or her. As if this weren’t bruising enough, the recipient paid the postage on delivery.” The women’s suffrage movement of the late 19th and early 20th century brought another class of vinegar valentines. Read more as Atlas Obscura reminds us today is the day when we are forced to deal with an ugly question: what if you don’t love the person who has set their eyes on you?
And HipMamaJenn adds a few more.
More weirdness. Shouldn’t these be illegal?
Stop me please. But you can go on for days if you dare.
eatdrinkfilms.com 
Quite a selection. I’ve always loved the different versions of that song in Horse Feathers. There’s a ton of things here I’ll have to find time to look at.