Ivo Blom, who celebrates his birthday today, likes to collect the sepia postcards by Belgian cacao and chocolate firm Kivou, based in Vilvoorde. Belgium is the country of the chocolateries and many of these firms produced film star postcards as gifts for their customers. Kivou probably presented this postcard series with both European and Hollywood film stars, published circa 1930. For this post, I selected 15 postcards with known and some less known stars. Happy birthday, Ivo!
![Jenny Jugo]()
Belgian postcard by S.A. Cacao et Chocolat Kivou, Vilvoorde / N.V. Cacao en Chocolade Kivou, Vilvoorde. Photo: Ufa.
Pretty Austrian actress Jenny Jugo (1904-2001) starred between 1931 and 1942 in eleven smart and charming comedies directed by Erich Engel.
![Leopold von Ledenbur]()
Belgian postcard by S.A. Cacao et Chocolat Kivou, Vilvoorde / N.V. Cacao en Chocolade Kivou, Vilvoorde. The actor's name is misspelled on the card.
Leopold von Ledebur (1876-1955) was a German stage and film actor. Ledebur started on stage from 1906 and on the film set from 1916. His first major part he had as the toreador Escamillo in Lubitsch's Carmen (1918), starring Pola Negri. During his long career, he hardly ever was the star of the film but always a supporting actor, mostly representing respectable persons such as ministers, directors, generals, commissioners, judges, doctors, and estate owners.
![Marion Davies]()
Belgian postcard by S.A. Cacao et Chocolat Kivou, Vilvoorde / N.V. Cacao en Chocolade Kivou, Vilvoorde. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Marion Davies (1897-1961) was one of the great comedic actresses of the silent era. She starred in nearly four dozen films between 1917 and 1937.
![Jackie Coogan]()
Belgian postcard by S.A. Cacao et Chocolat Kivou, Vilvoorde / N.V. Cacao en Chocolade Kivou, Vilvoorde. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM).
American actor Jackie Coogan (1914-1984) began as a child star in silent films. He was Charlie Chaplin's irascible sidekick in The Kid (Charles Chaplin, 1921) and played the title role in Oliver Twist (Frank Lloyd, 1922). Many years later, he became known as Uncle Fester in the TV series The Addams Family (1964-1966).
![Una Merkel, Kivou]()
Belgian postcard by S.A. Cacao et Chocolat Kivou, Vilvo[o]rde, Belgium. Una Merkel's name is seriously misspelled on the card.
Una Merkel (1903–1986) was an American stage, film, radio, and television actress. In 1930 she starred in David Wark Griffith's biopic Abraham Lincoln. In the following years, Merkel played numerous, mostly comical supporting roles, often as the wisecracking best friend of the heroine. One of her most famous roles was in Destry Rides Again (George Marshall, 1939), in which she delivers a 'cat-fight' with Marlene Dietrich.
![Wiliam Collier, Kivou]()
Belgian postcard by S.A. Cacao et Chocolat Kivou, Vilvo[o]rde, Belgium.
William Collier Jr. (1902–1987) was an American film actor, who starred in almost 90 films. From 1916 on, he appeared opposite female stars such as Olive Thomas, Shirley Mason, and Greta Nissen. Collier also starred in The Wanderer (Raoul Walsh, 1925), inspired by the Old Testament tale of the prodigal son.
![Manuela Del Rio, Kivou]()
Belgian postcard by S.A. Cacao et Chocolat Kivou, Vilvo[o]rde, Belgium. The name Manuela Del Rio is misspelled on the card.
Manuela Del Rio is known only for one film: the British film Life (Adelqui Migliar/Millar, 1928), shot on location in Spain. In the film, a sacked bricklayer (Migliar) steals for a dancer (Del Rio) and breaks jail to kill her when she becomes his former employer's mistress.
![Stanley Smith, Kivou]()
Belgian postcard by S.A. Cacao et Chocolat Kivou, Vilvo[o]rde, Belgium.
Stanley Smith (1903-1974) was an American screen actor, who played leading man to Nancy Carroll, Clara Bow, and Ginger Rogers in the days of the early talkies. Smith had his breakthrough in the early sound film The Sophomore (Leo McCarey, 1929) with Eddie Quillan and Sally O'Neill, while by the mid-1930s his career petered out. During the war years, he had a handful of bit parts and he quited acting in 1943.
![Leila Hyams, Kivou]()
Belgian postcard by S.A. Cacao et Chocolat Kivou, Vilvo[o]rde, Belgium.
Charming American model, vaudeville and film actress Leila Hyams (1905-1977) was one of Hollywood's top leading ladies of the early talkie pre-code years. She had spark, personality and charisma, and a touch of down-to-earthiness and naturalness that won over many film fans; they could relate to her. She is best known for her roles in the classic horror features Freaks (Tod Browning, 1932) and Island of Lost Souls (Erle C. Kenton, 1932). Her career lasted little more than a decade.
![Duncan Renaldo, Kivou]()
Belgian postcard by S.A. Cacao et Chocolat Kivou, Vilvo[o]rde, Belgium.
Renault Renaldo Duncan (1904–1980), better known as Duncan Renaldo, was a Romanian-born American actor. Renaldo began filming in three Hollywood films released in 1928. Sixty-eight films followed, including The Bridge of San Luis Rey (Charles Brabim, 1929), with Lily Damita and Ernest Torrence, and Trader Horn (W.S. Van Dyke, 1931) starring Harry Carey. Renaldo is best remembered as The Cisco Kid in many Westerns and the 1950-1956 American TV series.
![Danièle Parola]()
Belgian postcard by S.A. Cacao et Chocolat Kivou, Vilvoorde / N.V. Cacao en Chocolade Kivou, Vilvoorde.
Danièle Parola (1905-1998) was a French film actress, who starred in the crime film Stupéfiants/Narcotics (Kurt Gerron, Roger Le Bon, 1932). Between 1928 and 1937, she appeared in some 20 films.
![William Boyd]()
Belgian postcard by S.A. Cacao et Chocolat Kivou, Vilvoorde / N.V. Cacao en Chocolade Kivou, Vilvoorde. Photo: Artistes Associés (United Artists).
American film actor William Boyd (1895-1972) was during the 1920s a matinee idol beloved for his easy charm, charisma, and intense good-looks. Boyd had his breakthrough as Jack Moreland in The Road to Yesterday (Cecil B. DeMille, 1925), and the highly successful silent drama, The Volga Boatman (Cecil B. DeMille, 1926). Now he is best known as the cowboy Hopalong Cassidy in the eponymous Western film series.
![Lupe Velez]()
Belgian postcard by S.A. Cacao et Chocolat Kivou, Vilvoorde / N.V. Cacao en Chocolade Kivou, Vilvoorde. Photo: Artistes Associés (United Artists).
Lupe Velez (1908-1944) was one of the first Mexican actresses to succeed in Hollywood. Her nicknames were 'The Mexican Spitfire' and 'Hot Pepper'.
![Jacques Varennes]()
Belgian postcard by S.A. Cacao et Chocolat Kivou, Vilvoorde / N.V. Cacao en Chocolade Kivou, Vilvoorde. Photo: Paramount.
French film actor Jacques Varennes (1894–1958) appeared in around seventy films during his career. After a series of shorts for Pathé in 1909, he returned to the film set when sound film had set in. His first sound film was Les Vacances du diable (Alberto Cavalcanti, 1930), made at the Parisian Paramount studios. From the 1940s, he often acted with Sacha Guitry.
![Françoise Rosay]()
Belgian postcard by S.A. Cacao et Chocolat Kivou, Vilvoorde / N.V. Cacao en Chocolade Kivou, Vilvoorde. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Françoise Rosay (1891-1974) was the grand old lady of French cinema. Her most famous parts were in La kermesse heroïque (1935) and Pension Mimosas (1935), both directed by her husband Jacques Feyder.
Check out Ivo's Kivou postcards at Flickr.
Belgian postcard by S.A. Cacao et Chocolat Kivou, Vilvoorde / N.V. Cacao en Chocolade Kivou, Vilvoorde. Photo: Ufa.
Pretty Austrian actress Jenny Jugo (1904-2001) starred between 1931 and 1942 in eleven smart and charming comedies directed by Erich Engel.
Belgian postcard by S.A. Cacao et Chocolat Kivou, Vilvoorde / N.V. Cacao en Chocolade Kivou, Vilvoorde. The actor's name is misspelled on the card.
Leopold von Ledebur (1876-1955) was a German stage and film actor. Ledebur started on stage from 1906 and on the film set from 1916. His first major part he had as the toreador Escamillo in Lubitsch's Carmen (1918), starring Pola Negri. During his long career, he hardly ever was the star of the film but always a supporting actor, mostly representing respectable persons such as ministers, directors, generals, commissioners, judges, doctors, and estate owners.
Belgian postcard by S.A. Cacao et Chocolat Kivou, Vilvoorde / N.V. Cacao en Chocolade Kivou, Vilvoorde. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Marion Davies (1897-1961) was one of the great comedic actresses of the silent era. She starred in nearly four dozen films between 1917 and 1937.
Belgian postcard by S.A. Cacao et Chocolat Kivou, Vilvoorde / N.V. Cacao en Chocolade Kivou, Vilvoorde. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM).
American actor Jackie Coogan (1914-1984) began as a child star in silent films. He was Charlie Chaplin's irascible sidekick in The Kid (Charles Chaplin, 1921) and played the title role in Oliver Twist (Frank Lloyd, 1922). Many years later, he became known as Uncle Fester in the TV series The Addams Family (1964-1966).
Belgian postcard by S.A. Cacao et Chocolat Kivou, Vilvo[o]rde, Belgium. Una Merkel's name is seriously misspelled on the card.
Una Merkel (1903–1986) was an American stage, film, radio, and television actress. In 1930 she starred in David Wark Griffith's biopic Abraham Lincoln. In the following years, Merkel played numerous, mostly comical supporting roles, often as the wisecracking best friend of the heroine. One of her most famous roles was in Destry Rides Again (George Marshall, 1939), in which she delivers a 'cat-fight' with Marlene Dietrich.
Belgian postcard by S.A. Cacao et Chocolat Kivou, Vilvo[o]rde, Belgium.
William Collier Jr. (1902–1987) was an American film actor, who starred in almost 90 films. From 1916 on, he appeared opposite female stars such as Olive Thomas, Shirley Mason, and Greta Nissen. Collier also starred in The Wanderer (Raoul Walsh, 1925), inspired by the Old Testament tale of the prodigal son.
Belgian postcard by S.A. Cacao et Chocolat Kivou, Vilvo[o]rde, Belgium. The name Manuela Del Rio is misspelled on the card.
Manuela Del Rio is known only for one film: the British film Life (Adelqui Migliar/Millar, 1928), shot on location in Spain. In the film, a sacked bricklayer (Migliar) steals for a dancer (Del Rio) and breaks jail to kill her when she becomes his former employer's mistress.
Belgian postcard by S.A. Cacao et Chocolat Kivou, Vilvo[o]rde, Belgium.
Stanley Smith (1903-1974) was an American screen actor, who played leading man to Nancy Carroll, Clara Bow, and Ginger Rogers in the days of the early talkies. Smith had his breakthrough in the early sound film The Sophomore (Leo McCarey, 1929) with Eddie Quillan and Sally O'Neill, while by the mid-1930s his career petered out. During the war years, he had a handful of bit parts and he quited acting in 1943.
Belgian postcard by S.A. Cacao et Chocolat Kivou, Vilvo[o]rde, Belgium.
Charming American model, vaudeville and film actress Leila Hyams (1905-1977) was one of Hollywood's top leading ladies of the early talkie pre-code years. She had spark, personality and charisma, and a touch of down-to-earthiness and naturalness that won over many film fans; they could relate to her. She is best known for her roles in the classic horror features Freaks (Tod Browning, 1932) and Island of Lost Souls (Erle C. Kenton, 1932). Her career lasted little more than a decade.
Belgian postcard by S.A. Cacao et Chocolat Kivou, Vilvo[o]rde, Belgium.
Renault Renaldo Duncan (1904–1980), better known as Duncan Renaldo, was a Romanian-born American actor. Renaldo began filming in three Hollywood films released in 1928. Sixty-eight films followed, including The Bridge of San Luis Rey (Charles Brabim, 1929), with Lily Damita and Ernest Torrence, and Trader Horn (W.S. Van Dyke, 1931) starring Harry Carey. Renaldo is best remembered as The Cisco Kid in many Westerns and the 1950-1956 American TV series.
Belgian postcard by S.A. Cacao et Chocolat Kivou, Vilvoorde / N.V. Cacao en Chocolade Kivou, Vilvoorde.
Danièle Parola (1905-1998) was a French film actress, who starred in the crime film Stupéfiants/Narcotics (Kurt Gerron, Roger Le Bon, 1932). Between 1928 and 1937, she appeared in some 20 films.
Belgian postcard by S.A. Cacao et Chocolat Kivou, Vilvoorde / N.V. Cacao en Chocolade Kivou, Vilvoorde. Photo: Artistes Associés (United Artists).
American film actor William Boyd (1895-1972) was during the 1920s a matinee idol beloved for his easy charm, charisma, and intense good-looks. Boyd had his breakthrough as Jack Moreland in The Road to Yesterday (Cecil B. DeMille, 1925), and the highly successful silent drama, The Volga Boatman (Cecil B. DeMille, 1926). Now he is best known as the cowboy Hopalong Cassidy in the eponymous Western film series.
Belgian postcard by S.A. Cacao et Chocolat Kivou, Vilvoorde / N.V. Cacao en Chocolade Kivou, Vilvoorde. Photo: Artistes Associés (United Artists).
Lupe Velez (1908-1944) was one of the first Mexican actresses to succeed in Hollywood. Her nicknames were 'The Mexican Spitfire' and 'Hot Pepper'.
Belgian postcard by S.A. Cacao et Chocolat Kivou, Vilvoorde / N.V. Cacao en Chocolade Kivou, Vilvoorde. Photo: Paramount.
French film actor Jacques Varennes (1894–1958) appeared in around seventy films during his career. After a series of shorts for Pathé in 1909, he returned to the film set when sound film had set in. His first sound film was Les Vacances du diable (Alberto Cavalcanti, 1930), made at the Parisian Paramount studios. From the 1940s, he often acted with Sacha Guitry.
Belgian postcard by S.A. Cacao et Chocolat Kivou, Vilvoorde / N.V. Cacao en Chocolade Kivou, Vilvoorde. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Françoise Rosay (1891-1974) was the grand old lady of French cinema. Her most famous parts were in La kermesse heroïque (1935) and Pension Mimosas (1935), both directed by her husband Jacques Feyder.
Check out Ivo's Kivou postcards at Flickr.