Travilla & Ann Sheridan: The Warner Bros Years Pt II

Silver River was Travilla's third film with Sheridan and the first of four films partnering with fellow designer Marjorie Best. After graduating from art school, Best briefly became a teacher before joining Warner Brothers in 1936 when they bought United Costumers. Silver River was only her fifth film for design. However, her specialty in period costumes made her the perfect candidate to create numerous suits for Errol Flynn. "It is easier to be objective in designing for the opposite sex. The designer is less likely to inject personal likes and dislikes into the designs, but rather, to build from a purer standpoint of what fits the characterization and looks best."

When shooting commenced in April, Flynn arrived with his wife and a wrapped ankle he'd injured during a tennis game and filmed his first scenes sitting down. Sheridan was not expected to be on set for another two weeks. While the actress was on vacation in Hobe Sound, Florida, Travilla repurposed Sheridan's sculpted head from The Unfaithful to test hat designs.

In Burbank, five seamstresses, three milliners, two bootmakers, and a corset specialist were finishing Sheridan's thirty-two lavish costumes. Working with three separate dressmaking forms in Sheridan's measurements, the gowns were photographed and sent to the actress for approval. 

Sheer fabric with ball fringe banding the full skirt and edging the sleeve ruffles of the standing collar blouse. Sashed with a large bow in the back.

The designer played one of many jokes on Sheridan when her first costume was delivered to her dressing room. He’d attached an actual birdcage, complete with a stuffed white bird perched on a bouquet of roses. ”Annie not only loved it and laughed at it, she wore it,” he told Screenland Magazine.

The press kit for River featured several sketches of Sheridan's 1867-75 wardrobe pieces with a modern version using elements from the older piece.

A traveling suit from 1867 featured a full skirt and cutaway jacket of grey faille silk trimmed with cerise velvet ribbon and jet beads. A cerise velvet vest with jet buttons snugly fits over a white lace blouse — hat, muff, and gloves complete the outfit. The modern version is a soft grey wool suit with a full skirt achieved by unpressed pleats. The lapels and vest are of cerise satin, and the outfit is accessorized with a white silk jabot, aqua suede gloves, and a white felt hat with cerise coque feathers.

The sketch on the left shows an 1866 mourning gown of black velvet and silk moire, a jet trimming. The rounded shoulders and wasp-waist of the period are detailed with crossed velvet strips with jet trim. The black moire's contemporary dress with the vest of Kelly green silk velveteen and jet buttons features the modern version of the padded hips, wasp-waist, and rounded shoulders silhouette in the cross-piece detail. The black straw hat makes news with its loops of black velvet ribbon. Green gloves and black shoes complete the outfit.

A traveling suit of 1872 of Sage-green wool with jet bead fringe trim. The military front above the voluminous skirt and bustle accents the padded hips and tiny waist. The modern adaptation is a suit of sage-green faille -- approximately the same color as the costume -- and featuring the military front of the 1872 original. The silhouette is rounded shoulders and long skirts with flare accentuating the hip line. It is topped with a brown felt hat with a sage-green ribbon band and a large bow in the back with gloves and shoes in brown.

Another is of purple heavy all, silk taffeta from 1872. A voluminous skirt tied in the back with a large bow and a slight train accentuates the bustle effect. The vest is cream-colored satin brocade with self-covered buttons. The modern adaptation is a spring suit of grey linen with white linen accents: the criss-cross detail from the original forms the pockets, as does the white linen button-down neckline. A white straw sailor hat has a cerise ribbon band, a bow, and a pair of white gloves complete the ensemble.

Sheridan later said the film "was not a good picture." Jack Warner "was amazed that I accepted it," but "Errol Flynn was a big box office name, and women didn't get to do Westerns very often. I thought it might be a good combination and that it might turn into a good picture. Unfortunately, it didn't."

After River, Sheridan was loaned to RKO for the more modern Good Sam with Gary Cooper. She played the wife of a family man who helps people in need and ends up broke. Ann's wardrobe was stylish and modern.

A wool suit with pale beige, dark beige, and brown stripes. The jacket and skirt are cut straight for the long, slim look, with diagonal side panels set to accent the waistline. Stripes are cut on the diagonal for the Demme collar and shirt cuffs. The single jacket button and cuff buttons are square and coin-thin. A beanie hat of dark brown felt is tied in the back with a bow of coarse brown veiling. Gloves and pumps are made of brown suede.

A black broadcloth suit, styled with a nipped-in waist and huge false pockets, flared to create that hourglass look. The skirt is snugly fitted and tapered to the hemline. The hat is black felt; the fullness pleated into a broad band of steel grey grosgrain ribbon, which ties in back in a flat tailored Bow. The scarf is grey with fuchsia pinks, and the pink gloves are deerskin.

Sheridan also wore a suit of Antelope beige broadcloth with a finger-tip jacket. Fastened by three self-fabric buttons, it has a nipped-in waist and dual hip drapes that conceal deep pockets—accented by a nut-brown felt hat with a pert cockade of brown aigrettes and antelope beige doeskin gloves. The only jewelry is a strand of pearls worn at the high-neck collar. (PHOTO TO COME.)

The over-gown is satin with a souffle yoke of appliqued imported lace. The flowing negligee is a silk souffle cut in a full circle with the fullness gathered at the shoulders. Full circular sleeves are gathered into narrow wristbands with wide sating bows falling from each shoulder.

An apricot chiffon dress with a full skirt of many folds with a deep peplum extends into a fishtail in the back. The full-length sleeves are cinched at the wrist. The high-neck lace bodice is fastened with a row of tiny buttons and features a tiny standing collar of lace and small-cap sleeves. A chiffon jabot is worn at the throat. PHOTO TO COME.)

In 1948, Sheridan left Warners and signed an independent contract. Nearly a year later, The Hollywood Reporter announced Travilla as the designer for Carriage Entrance, the first of three films distributed by RKO. Two weeks later, Sheridan's inability to find a leading man was reported delayed production. Sued by the studio, Sheridan countered with her acceptance of Robert Mitchum as the male lead. However, RKO replaced her with Ava Gardner and published that Ann's wardrobe had to be taken in to fit Ava. Sheridan sued the studio for $350,000 and was awarded nearly $60,000 two years later.