About

Known credits:
151
Birthday:
1901-12-08
Place of birth:
Baker, Montana, USA
Website:
N/A

Irene

Overview

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Irene Maud Lentz (December 8, 1901 – November 15, 1962) also known mononymously and professionally as Irene, was an American fashion designer and costume designer. Her work as a clothing designer in Los Angeles led to her career as a costume designer for films in the 1930s. Lentz also worked under the name Irene Gibbons.

Lentz had been taught sewing as a child and, with a flair for style, she decided to open a small dress shop. The success of her designs in her tiny store eventually led to an offer from the Bullocks Wilshire luxury department store to design for their Ladies Custom Salon which catered to a wealthy clientele including a number of Hollywood stars.

Lentz's designs at Bullocks gained her much attention in the film community and she was contracted by independent production companies to design the wardrobe for some of their productions. Billing herself simply as "Irene", her first work came in 1933 on the film Goldie Gets Along featuring her designs for star Lily Damita. However, her big break came when she was hired to create the gowns for Ginger Rogers for her 1937 film Shall We Dance with Fred Astaire. This was followed by more designs in another Ginger Rogers film as well as work for other independents such as Walter Wanger Productions, Hal Roach Studios as well as majors such as RKO, Paramount Pictures and Columbia Pictures. During the 1930s, Irene Lentz designed the film wardrobe for leading ladies such as Constance Bennett, Hedy Lamarr, Joan Bennett, Claudette Colbert, Carole Lombard, Ingrid Bergman, and Loretta Young among others. She "is generally regarded as the originator of the dressmaker suit" that was popular in the late 1930s.

Through her work, Lentz met and married short story author and screenwriter Eliot Gibbons, brother of multi-Academy Award winning Cedric Gibbons, head of art direction at MGM Studios. Despite her success, working under the powerful set designer Cedric while being married to his brother Eliot was not easy. Irene confided to her close friend Doris Day that the marriage to Eliot was not a happy one. Generally regarded as the most important and influential production designer in the history of American films, Cedric Gibbons hired Lentz when gown designer Adrian left MGM in 1941 to open his own fashion house. By 1943 she was a leading costume supervisor at MGM, earning international recognition for her "soufflé creations" and is remembered for her avant-garde wardrobe for Lana Turner in The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946).

In 1950, Lentz left MGM to open her own fashion house. After Lentz was out of the film industry for nearly ten years, Doris Day requested her services for the production Midnight Lace (Universal, 1960). The following year she did the costume design for another Day film, Lover Come Back (1961), and during 1962 worked on her last production, A Gathering of Eagles (1963).

Lentz was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Costume Design, Black-and-White for B.F.'s Daughter (1948). She was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Costume Design, Color for Midnight Lace (1960).

Known for

Acting
1945 The Great Morgan Actor Irene (uncredited) 59
Average
1924 Picking Peaches Actor The Store Manager's Wife 58
Average
1924 Ten Dollars or Ten Days Actor The Cashier 58
Average
1923 The Dare-Devil Actor The Second Heroine 59
Average
1922 A Tailor-Made Man Actor Miss Nathan N/A
N/A
1922 The Duck Hunter Actor The Sportsman's Boss's Wife N/A
N/A

Costume & Make-Up
1963 A Gathering of Eagles Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 58
Average
1961 Lover Come Back Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 61
Fair
1960 Midnight Lace Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 60
Fair
1950 Shadow on the Wall Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1950 Please Believe Me Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 58
Average
1950 Key to the City Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 58
Average
1949 In the Good Old Summertime Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1949 Scene of the Crime Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 58
Average
1949 The Great Sinner Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1949 Neptune's Daughter Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 58
Average
1949 The Sun Comes Up Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1949 The Barkleys of Broadway Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1949 The Bribe Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1948 Julia Misbehaves Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 58
Average
1948 Easter Parade Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 61
Fair
1948 The Pirate Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1948 On an Island with You Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 58
Average
1948 State of the Union Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1948 B.F.'s Daughter Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1948 Tenth Avenue Angel Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1947 Cass Timberlane Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 58
Average
1947 Desire Me Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1947 This Time for Keeps Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1947 Merton of the Movies Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1947 Song of Love Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1947 The Unfinished Dance Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 58
Average
1947 Cynthia Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1947 Song of the Thin Man Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 60
Fair
1947 The Romance of Rosy Ridge Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1947 The Hucksters Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1947 Dark Delusion Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1947 Fiesta Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 58
Average
1947 Living in a Big Way Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 58
Average
1947 High Barbaree Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 58
Average
1947 The Sea of Grass Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1947 Undercover Maisie Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1947 The Arnelo Affair Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 58
Average
1947 Green Dolphin Street Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 58
Average
1946 The Secret Heart Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 58
Average
1946 Love Laughs at Andy Hardy Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 58
Average
1946 Lady in the Lake Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1946 The Yearling Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1946 Till the Clouds Roll By Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 58
Average
1946 Undercurrent Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 58
Average
1946 Courage of Lassie Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 58
Average
1946 Faithful in My Fashion Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1946 Easy to Wed Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 58
Average
1946 Two Sisters from Boston Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 58
Average
1946 Two Smart People Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1946 Bad Bascomb Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 58
Average
1946 The Postman Always Rings Twice Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 63
Fair
1946 The Hoodlum Saint Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 58
Average
1946 Up Goes Maisie Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1946 The Harvey Girls Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1945 Adventure Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 58
Average
1945 The Sailor Takes a Wife Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1945 Yolanda and the Thief Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1945 Her Highness and the Bellboy Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1945 She Went to the Races Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 58
Average
1945 Week-End at the Waldorf Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 58
Average
1945 Our Vines Have Tender Grapes Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1945 The Hidden Eye Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1945 Ziegfeld Follies Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1945 Anchors Aweigh Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 61
Fair
1945 Dangerous Partners Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1945 Twice Blessed Costume & Make-Up Costume Designer 59
Average
1945 The Clock Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1945 Thrill of a Romance Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 58
Average
1945 The Valley of Decision Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1945 Son of Lassie Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1945 Between Two Women Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1945 Without Love Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1945 The Picture of Dorian Gray Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 63
Fair
1945 National Velvet Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 61
Fair
1944 The Thin Man Goes Home Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 60
Fair
1944 Music for Millions Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1944 Nothing But Trouble Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1944 Gentle Annie Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 58
Average
1944 Meet Me in St. Louis Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 63
Fair
1944 Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1944 Mrs. Parkington Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1944 Kismet Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 58
Average
1944 Maisie Goes to Reno Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1944 The Canterville Ghost Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1944 Bathing Beauty Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 58
Average
1944 Two Girls and a Sailor Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 58
Average
1944 Meet the People Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 58
Average
1944 The White Cliffs of Dover Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1944 Gaslight Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 66
Fair
1944 Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 58
Average
1944 Rationing Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 58
Average
1944 See Here, Private Hargrove Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1944 Broadway Rhythm Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1943 A Guy Named Joe Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1943 Lost Angel Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1943 Madame Curie Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1943 Madame Curie Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1943 Girl Crazy Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 58
Average
1943 Cry 'Havoc' Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 58
Average
1943 Swing Fever Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 58
Average
1943 Best Foot Forward Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 58
Average
1943 Swing Shift Maisie Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1943 Thousands Cheer Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1943 Du Barry was a Lady Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 58
Average
1943 Above Suspicion Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1943 Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1943 No Time for Love Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1943 Slightly Dangerous Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1943 Cabin in the Sky Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1943 The Human Comedy Costume & Make-Up Costume Supervisor 59
Average
1942 Reunion in France Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1942 You Were Never Lovelier Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1942 The Palm Beach Story Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 61
Fair
1942 The Talk of the Town Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 61
Fair
1942 Tales of Manhattan Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1942 They All Kissed the Bride Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 58
Average
1942 Take a Letter, Darling Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1942 The Wife Takes a Flyer Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1942 To Be or Not to Be Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 70
Good
1941 You'll Never Get Rich Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1941 That Uncertain Feeling Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1941 The Devil and Miss Jones Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 60
Fair
1941 Mr. & Mrs. Smith Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1940 Arise, My Love Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 58
Average
1940 Seven Sinners Costume & Make-Up Costume Designer 59
Average
1940 Hired Wife Costume & Make-Up Costume Designer 59
Average
1940 Lucky Partners Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 58
Average
1940 Waterloo Bridge Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 62
Fair
1940 Too Many Husbands Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1940 Green Hell Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 58
Average
1939 Eternally Yours Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 58
Average
1939 Intermezzo: A Love Story Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1939 In Name Only Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 60
Fair
1939 Bachelor Mother Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 60
Fair
1939 Midnight Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 61
Fair
1938 Topper Takes a Trip Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1938 Trade Winds Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1938 You Can't Take It with You Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 66
Fair
1938 Vivacious Lady Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1938 Merrily We Live Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1938 Algiers Costume & Make-Up Wardrobe Designer 59
Average
1937 Topper Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 60
Fair
1937 Shall We Dance Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 61
Fair
1936 Wedding Present Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 59
Average
1933 Goldie Gets Along Costume & Make-Up Costume Design 58
Average