The collection of Paramount Pictures set stills that is being offered in this auction is an extraordinary historical archive from the late 1920s to the early 1970s. Sets stills were taken for continuity purposes and to document the arrangements of the sets and props, etc, during the making of a film. Not only does this collection photographically document the changes in filmmaking through the decades, it details the changing styles of architecture, interior design (the Art Deco sets from the 1930s are astonishingly beautiful), fashion, cars, and more. In the cases of location shooting, one can see the evolution of various southern California towns and landmarks, from the tony nightspots of Hollywood to the open spaces of Brentwood to the artistry of the Paramount Ranch. The photos give a unique behind-the-scenes look at the stars during filming; some vamp for the camera while others avoid it, some study their scripts or confer with the director, and some look incredibly bored. Equally interesting is the appearance of the stars' lookalike stand-ins and famous extras such as Bess Flowers. The unsung heroes of filmmaking, the crews, are seen as well, holding the booms, adjusting the lights, holding the clapper boards, and waiting, waiting, waiting. And speaking of unsung heroes, the talent, imagination, style, and creativity of the art directors and set decorators for these films cannot be overstated. Most of the fashion designers of the 1930s and '40s, such as Edith Head, are recognized for their contributions, as well they should be; however, the set decorators and art directors are grossly overlooked. Masters of their profession such as Hans Dreier, Robert Usher, William Flannery, Hal Pereira, Ernst Fegte, Sam Comer, Walter H. Tyler, A. Earl Hedrick, and so many others, deserve their place in the sun, and hopefully, the future owners of these historic photographs will appreciate their artistry.
Omar Khayyam (also released as The Life, Loves and Adventures of Omar Khayyam and The Loves of Omar Khayyam) is an American historical adventure film directed by William Dieterle that was filmed in 1956 (mostly on the Paramount lot) and released in 1957. It stars Cornel Wilde as Omar Khayyam, the eponymous Persian poet, Michael Rennie as Hasani Sabah and famous exotica singer Yma Sumac as Karina. It was the final film to be scored by Victor Young, who died before the film's release.
Cast
Cornel Wilde as Omar Khayyam
Michael Rennie as Hasani Sabah
Debra Paget as Sharain
John Derek as Prince Malik
Raymond Massey as the Shah
Yma Sumac as Karina
Margaret Hayes as Queen Zarada
Joan Taylor as Yaffa
Sebastian Cabot as the Nizam
Perry Lopez as Prince Ahmud
Morris Ankrum as Imam Nowaffak
Abraham Sofaer as Tutush
Edward Platt as Jayhan