In 1974, Prentice-Hall published Thirty From the 30’s, subtitled “Paperdolls for Grownups,” by Tom Tierney. The book runs 60+ pages, consisting of two pages per star — one for the doll, one for the costumes. There are 30 paperdolls in total, each with approximately 5 costumes, all drawn from actual films. All of the movie stars featured are from the 1930s: Clark Gable, Jean Harlow, Marie Dressler — and, of course, Judy Garland.
All dolls and costumes are black and white line drawings intended to be colored. This was Tierney’s first published book, and it marked the beginning of what would become a four-decade career producing more than 150 titles for Dover Publications and other publishers.
Book Details
| Title | Thirty From the 30’s: Paperdolls for Grownups |
| Publisher | Prentice-Hall |
| Year | 1974 |
| Author / Artist | Tom Tierney |
| Contents | 30 paperdolls, each with approximately 5 film costumes; two pages per star |
| Format | Black and white line drawings for coloring; each doll includes a trivia quiz |
| Notable stars included | Judy Garland, Clark Gable, Jean Harlow, Marie Dressler, and 26 others |
Judy Garland’s Costumes
Each star’s section features costumes drawn directly from their films. Judy’s costumes in this book are taken from five of her 1930s pictures:
- Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938) — one of her early MGM appearances alongside Mickey Rooney
- Broadway Melody of 1938 (1937) — the film in which she sang “Dear Mr. Gable — You Made Me Love You” and first came to national attention
- Pigskin Parade (1936) — her feature film debut at Fox, on loan from MGM
- Listen, Darling (1938) — an MGM musical comedy co-starring Freddie Bartholomew and Mary Astor
- The Wizard of Oz (1939) — the gingham pinafore that became the most recognizable costume in Hollywood history
Judy Garland Trivia Quiz
Each doll in the book comes with a short trivia quiz. Here is Judy’s:
- In which film did she sing “Dear Mr. Gable — You Made Me Love You”?
- In which film did she sing “Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart”?
- In which film did she sing “It’s Love I’m After”?
- In which film did she sing “Everybody Sing”?
- In which film did she sing “Meet the Beat of My Heart”?
- In which film did she sing “I Cried for You”?
- In which film did she sing “Got a New Pair of Shoes”?
- What was the film for which she won an Oscar (for outstanding screen juvenile)?
- In which film was she the niece of Sophie Tucker?
- What was the name of her dog in The Wizard of Oz?
About Tom Tierney
Tom Tierney (October 8, 1928 – July 12, 2014) was a Texas-born fashion illustrator who created the first edition of this book as a handmade Christmas gift for his mother — featuring Greta Garbo, Jean Harlow, and Clark Gable. His mother showed it to a literary agent. The result was Thirty From the 30’s, published by Prentice-Hall in 1974.
From that beginning, Tierney went on to produce more than 150 paper doll titles — largely for Dover Publications — on subjects ranging from American presidents and world leaders to opera singers, fashion icons, and film stars. Over the course of his career he sold more than 4 million books worldwide.
“Meticulously drawn and colored, and annotated with historical information, Mr. Tierney’s paper-doll books are not just for children — and some are not for children at all. His aim, he often said, was to contribute to the visual literature of costume history.” — The New York Times, July 19, 2014
Publisher Jenny Taliadoros noted that “during the lull in paper-doll production in the 1970s and 1980s, he was the one that brought paper dolls back.” Tierney died in New York on July 12, 2014, at the age of 85. His books remain in print.