THE FORTIES - Part One (1940 thru 1945)

Note on Back by Charmian: "Daddy in Life Drawing Class
at Art Institute of Chicago -- Instructor there for 23 yrs"

Jain Wilimovsky - Early 1940s

Jain Wilimovsky became an actress who appeared in a 1941 movie called "Peer Gynt" that starred a 17-year-old Charlton Heston in his first screen role. Filmed in the style of an old silent movie, this tale is based on an 1876 play by Henrik Ibsen with original classical music by Edvard Grieg. Jain is not listed in the credits (tho IMDb records her name in the Full Cast & Crew) but she can be seen acting as various characters. Some years later, she would portray Lady Macbeth for the same director, David Bradley. (See THE FORTIES Part 2) Photo: Charlton & Jain in "Peer Gynt."

Note: "Daddy taken by a student of his at the
Art Institute -- Chicago, Ill. What year? '41 - '43?"

Charles A. Wilimovsky Draft Card Registration, 1941...

... and 1942

Florence & Marguerite - Early 1940s

Bill's Daughters Charmian Marie and
Jain Carme Wilimovsky - Early 1940s

Wedding Photo: Harrison (Harry) Williams and Marguerite

Florence - 1943

Voyager: Bill's Iconic Ex Libris Woodcut Illustration - 1940s.
You might have seen this pasted to the inside front cover of vintage books.

Charm's Future Husband, Lu Lyda
(Grady Luther Lyda, Jr)

in his Marine uniform - Mid-1940s

Lu's sister, Martha Lyda

Charmian, age 18 - 1945

Charmian saved this Sunday, January 14, 1945, issue of the
"Chicago Tribune: The World's Greatest Newspaper" because it
featured an article and photo of her high school friend, Bob Fosse

 Fosse would become a famous actor, dancer, choreographer,
screenwriter, film editor, and Oscar winning director for "Cabaret"

The above photo is from the January 1945 Amundsen High School Yearbook. Charmian's copy shows his signature on the first page, among many others. Fosse was a very active student and he appears often throughout this edition. Next to his graduation picture it says: "Robert Fosse -- President of senior class; Prom committee; Letterman's club; Alpha Hi-Y president; swimming team; track team; Student Council vice-president; Intramurals; Honor Society; division chairman."

Charles Wilimovsky also signed Charmian's book (inside front cover, lower right)
"BEST OF LUCK, WITH LOVE, DAD"

Charmian enjoyed following Fosse's career and she wrote some insightful comments in the margins of her edition of Martin Gottfried's 1990 biography.

Charm wrote this in her copy of his Biography: "Charmian - Sep. 1993,
At Amundsen - Charmian Wilimovsky, Feb. 1941 Thru Jan. 25, 1945
- What memories this book resurrected!"
Bob Fosse Quote: "My life is an open pamphlet."

Dorothea Wilimovsky in San Diego - January 1945. By this time, Dora was divorced from Bill and she would remarry later in the year. Below is a brief note announcing her marriage, and telling her mother to "buy a fruit cake or something..." 

Dora's new husband, Has (Herman Alton Scheneman) was a 

photographer, Shetland pony breeder, truck driver & entrepreneur

Florence Ostling (a friend from Amundsen high school) with Charmian
- Chicago, February 24, 1945

Charm & Flo Ostling supporting the troops in Chicago - August 4, 1945. On Aug 6th, America would drop the A-Bomb on Japan and the whole world would suddenly change.

Bill and Jain in Chicago - 1945

Charm

See the Next Part of the Story: 1946 thru 1949 

To See the Previous Decade, Go To: 1930 thru 1939

DEPRESSION & Cabin in the Woods (1930 thru 1939)

The Cabildo, New Orleans (Statue) - Woodcut 1930
(This art has been flipped to match the correct orientation in the new photo below) 

Statue of Andrew Jackson at the Cabildo, New Orleans,
photographed by Dr. Roland Sabates, May 2014

A day in the park with Jain, Charmian, Bill & Dot - Chicago 1930

1930 U.S. Census - We can see that Bill was supporting a family of seven: Himself, his wife, four daughters, and his Mother-in-Law (From Ancestry.com)

This 1930 publication features a woodcut by Wilimovsky. It was a gift from his wife who wrote on the Title Page: "Dearest Bill, Happy Birthday Greeting, to the one I love! Very Lovingly Yours, Dot, Sept. 10, 1930"

Bill's print appears on page 163. The author, Malcolm C. Salaman, comments on page 170: "Mr. Wilimovsky has a discerning eye for a picturesque impression, and his After the Rain: Old Houses, New Orleans, with the people casually at their windows, on balconies, and with their tables set for al fresco meals, tells vividly of the survival of an old-time course of life, while the wood has yielded to the surface print a suggestive atmospheric effect."

After Rain, New Orleans - Woodcut 1930

84 Years Later: After Rain location in May 2014
-- New Orleans photo by Dr. Roland Sabates.
(Flipped horizontally to match woodcut's mirror-image)

"Dearest Dot, Our Anniversary -- To the best little wife in the world -- Your Bill" An embossed emblem at the lower right says ALPHA FLORAL COMPANY

Bill & Dora - 1931

Wherever Wilimovsky lived, he always had a piano nearby which he could play very well. He was also an accomplished violinist, and this library card shows how he frequently borrowed sheet music to learn new compositions. 

Note on Back by Daughter Charmian:

"Daddy & Uncle Ed - Chicago"

Charmian - 1931

Family cabin under construction at Cumberland, Wisconsin - 1931

A 1932 Exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago

Taos Squaw - Drypoint 1932

Note on Back by the Artist: "Summer of 1932 - Cumberland, Wis"

Charmian & Bill - 1932

Dorothea, Jain, Charmian, and Frances Brazzel (Dora's mother) - 1932

Charmian and Santa - Christmas 1932

Balboa, California - 1933

Left to right: ?, ?, Alice (Glines) Holm, Ruth (Lewis) Glines, Lily (Thompson) Lewis, Paul Glines, ?, "Doc" Thompson, Clinton Lewis, Louisa Thompson, Marguerite Wilimovsky, ?, ?

Bill relaxing at the Fountain of the Great Lakes, AIC

Teaching painting at the Art Institute of Chicago

Charmian at the Cumberland cabin - 1935

Edward and Charles Wilimovsky after fishing near the cabin

Charmian with a fish from the lake - 1935

A Note on the Back by his Daughter:

"1935 -- The only good one I got of daddy but he

looks the same now too. Honest. Love, Charmian"

My Little Studio - 1935

Smithsonian

Bill Painting in Mexico with Dorothea among the huts and pigs

This is at an enormous park in Mexico City.

Written on the Back by the Artist: "Chapultepec"

Charm, dog and Jain -- In this view, you can see the
nearby lake, one of many in Cumberland, WI - 1936

Charmian on the lake - 1936

Ballet class: Charm is at the left - 1936

Left to Right: Flower Girl Charmian Wilimovsky is in Front, with Bridesmaid Nancy Matejzik behind her, then Bride Florence Wilimovsky, Maid of Honor Jain Wilimovsky & Bridesmaid Gladis Kalal, the groom's sister 

Florence Wilimovsky's Wedding to Raymond Kalal - 1936
From Left: Best Man - Frank Kalal, Maid of Honor - Jain, Bride & Groom,
Flower Girl - Charmian, Bridesmaids - Gladis Kalal, Nancy Matejzik

December 12, 1936 - Here is the wedding of Otto C. Hartmann & Nancy Matejzik (also in above photo, far right) From Left: Jeanett Nicoloski, Mr. Martin (Eleanor's husband),  Eleanor Martin, Bride and Groom, Charm Wilimovsky, Warren J. Hartmann, Claudia (Clara) Babka Wilimovsky, and Joseph Wilimovsky.

Otto Charles Hartmann (1913-1999) and Warren Joseph Hartmann (1921-1986) were the sons of Otto Karel C. Hartmann (1884-1946) and Julia Wilimovsky (1886-1970). Julia was Charles Wilimovsky's sister.

Joseph Wilimovsky (above far right) was Bill's elder brother who was married to Clara Babka. Her family owned the successful Chicago BABKA Photography Company that was responsible for these gorgeous wedding pictures.

BABKA productions were top-of-the-line in the Chicago area. These large professional photos were packaged in elegant Art Deco cardboard frames that could easily be folded into attractive stand-up displays. Here you can see the Company Logo centered beneath the photo: "BABKA / 6010 - 22ND ST. / CICERO, ILL."

Here is the unfolded BABKA frame for the 1928 photo
of C.A. Wilimovsky's daughters.

In Flo's Wedding Photo, the Lower Right Logo says:
"BABKA / 6010 CERMAK  RD."

A Flyer for a Wilimovsky Exhibition in Berwyn, Illinois - May 1937

Note on Back: "Uncle Ed & Charmian - Cumberland, WI - 1939"

See the Next Part of the Story: 1940 thru 1945

To See the Previous Decade, Go To: 1920 thru 1929