Travilla & Ann Sheridan: The Warner Brother Years Pt I

 By the Spring of 1945, Travilla's promising career had stalled. Dona was no longer under contract and semi-retired. To pay the bills, Travilla began painting semi-nude South Seas Island girls on black velvet. "While it sounds corny now, they were something new at the time." he wrote in his unpublished memoirs.

Billy displayed his creations at Don The Beachcomber's, a bamboo-filled, tropical-themed Hollywood restaurant just off Hollywood Boulevard. The designer had become friends with the owner Donn Beach [Ernest B. Gantt], who allowed Travilla to hang his art among the souvenirs Beach had accumulated from his travels and working on movie sets. The eatery was popular with actors and actresses, including Bing Crosby and Marlene Dietrich from Paramount, Clark Gable from MGM, and Ann Sheridan from Warner Brothers. One of Don's regulars, Sheridan, purchased several of Travilla's paintings when she redecorated her boyfriend's apartment, publicist Steve Hannagan.

Sheridan asked Don to meet the artist and was amazed to find Travilla was only twenty-five years old. Just five years older, Sheridan felt an immediate, protective connection with "Billy." When over drinks with paper umbrellas in them, Ann discovered he was a clothing designer; she decided to further his career by getting him a job at Warners. And she had the power to do it.

Clara Sue Sheridan, from Denton, Texas, came to Hollywood in 1933, winning the beauty pageant prize of a bit part in a Paramount Studios film. A vivacious redhead with sultry green eyes, Clara Sue was renamed Ann and signed a contract. However, unimpressed producers only cast her in bit roles or loaned her out to Poverty Row production companies. After Paramount cut her free, Warner Brothers signed Sheridan in 1936. They began grooming the young starlet, who quickly graduated to leading roles in B-films. Beginning in 1939, Ann was promoted to the "Oomph Girl," a title she loathed. However, her photos garnered up to 250 marriage proposals a week. Roles opposite James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart made Ann one of Warner's top stars before revealing her comedic and singing talents opposite Jack Benny. In 1944, she took time off to tour with the USO in China, entertaining the troops. It was after her return that she and Travilla first met.

In current contract renegotiations with Warner's, Sheridan promised Travilla she would make his employment a requirement of her resigning. In the Travilla household, Thanksgiving was extra delightful when Film Daily reported the actress and Warner signed a new pact on November 10. The designer was now making $400 a week. Leah Rhodes headed wardrobe, where Travilla worked alongside fellow Chouinard Art School alumni Marjorie Best and Milo Anderson.

Before being allowed him to work with Sheridan, Travilla proved his merits on Night and Day, Cry Wolf and ballet costumes for Escape Me Never. His first Sheridan film, originally titled The Verdict, required twenty-five costumes. Released as Nora Prentiss, Sheridan portrayed a nightclub singer who inspires a doctor to fake his murder, leading to plenty of complications.

Nora Prentis Press Kit featured a few of Travilla's sketches for promotion.

A four-piece ensemble of a lumber jacket of black and white checked wool features outside darts instead of inside, pressed flat at the shoulder line and waist, forming loops for a black belt. Balloon sleeves have felt strips to anchor wrists. The dart detail repeats on the slim crepe skirt and black wool topper. 

An evening gown of crème jersey with a latticework embellished bodice and a gathered drapery to the center front of the skirt. Underneath is worn a silk crème underskirt with a nude chiffon underbodice.

Casual on-set moment between the designer and the star.

With Prentis a success, the duo began work on Sheridan's next production, The Unfaithful, a modern version of The Letter that starred Bette Davis in 1940 and Jeanne Eagels in 1929. A Los Angeles socialite kills an intruder while home alone one night, claiming he was a stranger. It seems like a clear case of self-defense until the story hits the papers and people connected to the dead man come forward.

Travilla told the press on December 9, 1946, Hollywood Citizen-News, "Nothing shall ever veil, conceal, or minimize in any way the gorgeous works nature has formed on Miss Sheridan. Her hipline is an unparalleled work of art, and I wouldn't commit the sin of hiding it." His costumes reflected that.

The drapery of the sheath-like pink and gold metallic jersey gown ends in a cascade

over the hipline and down the side back. 

A soft-draped suit of moss green wool with a stand-up collar and hip-line drape forming the pockets. Pannier drapery around the hipline achieves a rounded look at the jacket. The tapered skirt is wrapped to the side and worn with a brown jersey blouse.

Around this time, Travilla told the Chicago Sun the difficulties he faced when presented with his next assignment. "Two parts creative artist, one part storyteller, one part prophet, a dash of insight into character – these qualities make a designer of clothes for motion pictures. The clothes designed to be worn in a motion picture fulfill many more functions than clothes worn in real life. They have a significant share in setting mood scenes, showing the audience the character portrayed, and developing the screen's story."

 

Travilla meets with the art director to coordinate the wardrobe, as The Unfaithful is a black-and-white film. If the set is dark, the outfits must be light to stand out. With no color, the emphasis is on line and style, which is problematic.

"A motion picture designer keeps abreast of fashions being created in the style centers, New York, Paris, and Hollywood, but he cannot copy or adapt them to his use. He must guess ahead into the future to know the high style for the type of person depicted in the film when it reaches the public. It takes a minimum of six months to prepare a picture for the screen. Fashions can undergo revolutionary changes in that length of time. And last but not least, the designer needs to capture the character and personality of the person he designs for and keep in mind her particular likes and dislikes. Her interpretation of the character on the screen will be influenced by her own.I'm not sure where the ideas originate. I'd say the primary inspiration, though, has to be from a combination of the player herself, the character she will portray, and the action in the picture."

A cutter and fitter put together a muslin pattern to test the design. "Only the finest materials and quality can pass muster on the screen because of close-ups. The camera magnifies the costume to eight times its size—the slightest flaw in the material would be very noticeable. So, we have to be doubly careful." Travilla made final inspections in front of a triple mirror, searching for any imperfections, followed by test shots and a screen test.

Director Vincent Sherman, Travilla and Sheridan discuss costume on Unfaithful set.

"A lot of work? Sure, it is, but I love it. Every new picture and every player is a new challenge. Also, I get an immense source of satisfaction in meeting it."

Critics found "Miss Sheridan has a chance to wear some stunning gowns and does full justice to the smart costumes designed by Travilla."

Randolph Scott, Sheridan, Travilla with starlet-wife Dona Drake out on the town.