Introduction

Several publicity photos were shot when Garbo arrived in Hollywood. The most famous ones were photographed by Sports photographer Don Gillum in spring 1926. Gillum was known for his new stop-action lens. He had been hired to capture a list of contract players incl. Garbo.

On February 15th, 1926, C. E. “Teet” Carle got a call from MGM. Someone suggested having Garbo pose with the USC track-and-field team. “Teet” was the director of sports publicity at the University of Southern California. Gillim was told to do the photos. At first, Garbo resisted the idea initially. MGM than deducted $25 from her salary for refusing. Garbo saw it and asked quickly where she could find a track suit. Teet noted that the young actress seemed to be getting more frightened as the session progressed. He thought that the Greta looked unhappy when they made the “Sporty” pictures.

Some time later Gillum also shot Garbo at the sea, sitting on rocks, holding an umbrella but more famous were his photos of Garbo at a Lion Farm. Another time in spring 1926, Gillum took her to a Lion Farm were Greta posed with Jackie the Lion, (known as Leo the Lion) MGM's mascot. She was coaxed into one picture seated in a chair beside the lion. Greta was nervously moved to the farthest edge of the chair. Later she made pictures with lion babys.

'Sporty' photos by Don Gillum, USA, February 1926

   
  

'At the sea' photos by Don Gillum, USA, February 1926

  

Garbo and Leo the Lion, by Don Gillum, USA Spring 1926

 

This moment was also captored on film, below are some screencaps.

   

Garbo and Lillian Gish, USA, April 1927

  

On April 21, 1927, Garbo was photographed for the first time in six months. She had just returned to MGM to star in Anna Karenina, and was visiting silent actress Lillian Gish on the set of Victor Seastrom's The Wind.

Those photos was used and made for publicity reasons.