Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Eddie Schmidt, Hollywood's tailor.

Matt Deckard

Man of Action
Messages
10,041
Location
A devout capitalist in Los Angeles CA.
Marc Chevalier said:
Yes and no. The role of "stylist" was played by the actors' tailors or haberdashers.


Eddie Schmidt, a first rate Hollywood tailor, was most definitely Clark Gable's "style mentor," whereas James Oviatt (a haberdasher) was Adolphe Menjou's "fashion savant" for decades.

.

Pinched waist
Broad shoulders
Patch pockets
Saddle pockets
Wide lapels and just a harmony that made his wardrobe iconic.

Anywho... Where are our Eddie Schmitt's today?

I'm finding out more and will put more up soon... Just want you to know he's the man!


After all... who else could dress Gable?
m198602700009.jpg
ClarkGable.jpg
 

Dagwood

Practically Family
Messages
554
Location
USA
In poking around the internet, I found that Eddie Schmdit made the jacket that Spencer Tracy wore in the 1941 movie "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde."

The jacket was sold at auction for $2,500. Here is the description: "A brown twill cut away jacket with single button front closure, buttons at the cuffs and a notched lapel, worn in the film by Tracy. There is an 'Eddie Schmidt, Inc.' label. The jacket was worn through the film as Dr. Jeckyll, both at home and in the lab. Part of the inside lining is torn and missing. Three movie stills are included. From Sotheby's Planet Hollywood Sale, December 2002."
 

Marc Chevalier

Gone Home
Messages
18,192
Location
Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California
Orgetorix said:
According to one book, Gable was a Brooks Brothers man.

Yes, Clark Gable was a "Brooks Brothers custom dept." man ... but only after World War II.


However ... from about 1930 to 1945, every suit, sportcoat, overcoat, uniform and trousers that Gable wore on film was custom-made for him by Eddie Schmidt. This includes Gable's period costume pieces, such as the suits worn by "Rhett Butler" in Gone With the Wind. (Oviatt's very briefly got the Gone With the Wind Gable costume contract, but then lost it in a very humiliating way. But that's a story for another day. :) )

.
 

Marc Chevalier

Gone Home
Messages
18,192
Location
Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California
Here's the deal ...


In the 1930s, there were three kinds of tailors for Hollywood actors:


-- First, you had the "real world" tailors: these were the ones that outfitted actors for their off-camera lives.

-- Second, there were the "studio" tailors: they worked at places like "Western Costume Co.," which created the onscreen suits, overcoats, trousers, shirts, sportswear, and period costumes for actors at Paramount Pictures, etc.

-- Finally, you had the "two-in-one" tailors: these fellows did not work exclusively for the studios, but instead had their own businesses. A few Hollywood actors (usually the very top ones) would insist that these tailors custom-make practically all of their onscreen clothes and costumes.



Eddie Schmidt belonged to the third group. He had a very close working relationship with Clark Gable, the "biggest star in the world" in the late 1930s. Gable trusted only Eddie Schmidt to make his onscreen clothes (with the exception of shirts; Gable had all his onscreen shirts and tunics made by J.T. Beach).


Eddie Schmidt enjoyed a long and successful career as tailor to such Hollywood stars as Fred Astaire, John Wayne, Alan Ladd, Gary Cooper, Humphrey Bogart and Spencer Tracy (and their agents!), but his own star began to wane after World War II, when younger tailors setting up shop in Beverly Hills, Palm Springs and Las Vegas began to compete with him. Schmidt moved to Beverly Hills and partnered with John Galuppo; the business became "Schmidt & Galuppo, Inc."


No longer in existence, alas.


.
 

Marc Chevalier

Gone Home
Messages
18,192
Location
Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California
Wish that more Loungers would post on this thread. :(


Does anyone else here know about Hollywood tailors/haberdashers "Eddie Schmidt, Inc.", "Oviatt's" , and "MacIntosh Studio Clothes" ... and Hollywood shirtmakers "Machin" and J.T. Beach?


Manton? Richstyle? What say you?

.
 

Marc Chevalier

Gone Home
Messages
18,192
Location
Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California
Matt Deckard, BK, Orgetorix, me, and a few other great guys ... we really do love to share our knowledge about vintage mens clothing and history.


But I wish that the Lounge were attracting more such "historians/experts/teachers" to it. We seem to have fewer vintage menswear "teachers" now than in the past. It's been a long time since I've learned anything new here about vintage suits, etc.


Where are you guys? How can we get you to come over here and post? Teach us, for pete's sake!

.
 

herringbonekid

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,016
Location
East Sussex, England
Marc Chevalier said:
Does anyone else here know about Hollywood tailors/haberdashers "Eddie Schmidt, Inc.", "Oviatt's" , and "MacIntosh Studio Clothes" ... and Hollywood shirtmakers "Machin" and J.T. Beach?

no Marc, YOU know about those topics.
i seriously doubt there are more than a dozen people in the world who know more about the history of 30s clothing than you. don't feel down about it. you should be proud.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
106,934
Messages
3,024,691
Members
52,470
Latest member
GokhanB
Top