Enrica Soma photographs.

Enrica Soma, photographed mid-1940s by Philippe Halsman.

I seem to post a lot about ballet. Mostly coincidental, the magazine I’m taking my scans from seems to be ballerina themed! Were they the favoured celebrities of their time I wonder…

‘Ricky Soma through the Ages’, photographed by Philippe Halsman as a renaissance painting, rococo courtesan and modern professional.

The article is a little tragic. According to Picture Post, Enrica was a dancer, and after becoming the face of Life magazine she trained to be an actress but was never actually filmed by the director paying her. These photos were then shown to director John Huston, who said he "liked her figure" and instead of getting a lead part, she became his fourth wife and mother of his children.

One of which is Anjelica Huston (90s Morticia Addams!), so at least her next generation got to act I guess. Hmm.