French postcard by Editions Paris-Musées. Collection: Dominique Lebrun. Corinne Calvet and Burt Lancaster in Rope of Sand (William Dieterle, 1949). Sent by mail in 2009.

Fame came to American film legend Burt Lancaster (1913-1994) with his first film role, as the doomed Swede in Universal's The Killers (1946), but the former circus acrobat knew better than to leave his career in other hands. After less than two years in Hollywood, Lancaster formed his own production company and took the lead in such popular successes as the Technicolor swashbucklers The Flame and the Arrow (1950) and The Crimson Pirate (1952), and the Western Vera Cruz (1954). The athletic, savvy but passionate Lancaster remained a box office draw for 20 years, winning a 1961 Academy Award for playing the corrupt evangelist Elmer Gantry (1960). His best work through the next decades was often in European features like Luchino Visconti's Il gattopardo/The Leopard (1963) and Gruppo di famiglia in un interno/Conversation Piece (1974), Novecento/1900 (1976) and Atlantic City (1980), which netted him an Oscar nomination.

Alluring French leading lady Corinne Calvet (1925-2001) made a big splash in Hollywood in the early 1950s with her sultry looks and her highly publicised legal battles.

And, please check out our blog European Film Star Postcards.

Tags:   Burt Lancaster Burt Lancaster American Actor Hollywood Film Star Movie Star Corinne Calvet Corinne Calvet French Actress European Cinema Cine Kino Film Movie Movies Screen Picture Filmster Star Allure Glamour Sultry Fabulous Vintage Postcard Rope of Sand 1949 William Dieterle

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