Never-before-seen photos of stars from Hollywood’s Golden Age cuddling with their cats are revealed
A filing cabinet of old photographs has revealed Hollywood’s fascination with cats dating back to the Golden Age, with the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, Clark Gable, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, and Sophia Loren, seen posing with their felines.
Longtime art collector Klaus Moeller discovered a filing cabinet containing some 25 million negatives that had lain unopened for decades.
They show Elizabeth Taylor cuddling her Siamese cat, Jane Fonda lounging in bed with her kitties, and Italian actress Claudia Cardinale trying to feed several cats spaghetti.
As CEO of Globe Entertainment and Media, Moeller has secured the rights to millions of rare photos ranging from rock legends and politicians to some of our favorite celebrities with their adorable felines.
Elizabeth Taylor is pictured holding her Siamese cat while sitting with Eddie Fisher. The actress was also responsible for gifting a cat to her boyfriend James Dean, hoping it would bring him the same peace of mind her cats brought her
Audrey Hepburn is pictured sitting on a stool in Breakfast at Tiffany’s test shot with a blue background and holding a cat
This black and white photo shows actor and director Clint Eastwood at home with his Siamese cat
Clark Gable, often referred to as the king of Hollywood, smiles as he puts his arm around his Siamese cat. The legendary star and his then-wife Carole Lombard owned two Siamese cats and lived on a 20-acre farm with other animals, including chickens and horses
Academy Award winner Sophia Loren is pictured holding her fluffy cat while in France during the 1959 Cannes Film Festival. The Italian beauty known for her iconic cat-eye look is a long-time animal rights activist
Klaus Moeller, CEO of Globe Entertainment and Media, found the photos and told DailyMail.com, “We opened a closet and didn’t think much of it until we came across all these classic images of legendary actors and actresses with their cats.”
“We opened a closet and didn’t think much of it until we came across all these classic images of legendary actors and actresses with their cats.
‘One by one, I couldn’t believe how many we had. I was absolutely shocked and delighted with what was found,” he told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview.
These iconic photos capture that special bond between a person and their pet. We, the viewers, get to see a different side of some of our favorite actors and actresses,” Moeller told DailyMail.com.
“These photos are timeless and it’s such a pleasure to share them with the world. To bring some joy and fun to art lovers,” Moeller said.
While Siamese cats seem to be the most popular breed among these classic Hollywood stars, celebrities like Eartha Kitt and Kim Novak found feline love in long-haired Maine Coons, British Shorthairs, and Turkish Angoras.
Novak can be seen in one picture with her on-screen and off-screen cat named Pyewacket, who co-starred with the actress in the 1958 movie Bell, Book and Candle.
Actress Jane Fonda is lounging on her bed with her two Siamese cats in the 1960s. The fitness guru was known to practice yoga in the company of her feline friends.
A photo shows Academy Award winner Sophia Loren, known for her iconic cat-eye look, holding her fluffy cat while in France during the 1959 Cannes Film Festival.
Before acquiring archives, Moeller ran his own gallery in Beverly Hills, the Celebrity Vault Gallery, which featured exhibitions of classic photographs by Raquel Welch, James Dean, and Frank Sinatra, and frequented by art collector Simon Cowell, among others.
With over thirty years of experience in the art and photography industry, Moeller never tired of searching through his countless closets of old photographs, many of which remain to be discovered.
Actress Jane Fonda is lounging on her bed with her two Siamese cats in the 1960s. The fitness guru was known to practice yoga in the company of her feline friends.
Burt Ward, the original Robin, is depicted with several cats. The actor and his wife Tracy Posner have rescued thousands of cats and dogs with their nonprofit Gentle Giants Rescue and Adoptions. Ward also runs a healthy pet food company called Gentle Giants
Kim Novak is pictured with her onscreen and offscreen cat named Pyewacket who co-starred with the actress in the 1958 film Bell, Book and Candle
Eartha Kitt is seen here in her famous role of Catwoman in the 1960s Batman TV series with her regal cat in the backseat of her car
This black and white studio portrait shows a young Elizabeth Taylor holding a kitten in 1944
Italian actress Claudia Cardinale is pictured feeding several cats spaghetti in a photo from the 1960s
English model Twiggy captured cats in an undated photo
Beloved late actress Betty White is pictured with Barbara Feldon and her cat Yang
‘I never know what I’m going to find. It’s always exciting, surprising and fun,” explains Moeller, who was born in Germany and grew up in the south of Portugal before moving to London and eventually settling in Los Angeles.
Globe Entertainment and Media, which was acquired by Moeller a few years ago, has some 25 million records dating back to the 1930s.
“Our archives also include the golden years of Hollywood with names like Marilyn Monroe, James Dean and Humphrey Bogart,” Moeller added.
When he’s not collecting archives or discovering new photos, Moeller can be found at various non-profit charity events raising money from his art collections.
Over the past three decades, he has funded several orphanages around the world, co-founded a school for disabled and blind children, and helped build a center for street children in Thailand.