Set Dressing

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Set dressing was one of Olga Lehmann's famous hallmarks. A number of major directors recognized her skills as a portrait painter, of whom one was Alfred Hitchcock, who commissioned her to paint three pictures of Marlene Dietrich used in the staircase scene of Stage Fright (1950).

Robert Sidomak's Elstree film Crimson Pirate (1952) starring Burt Lancaster was another. The Millionairess (1960) starring Peter Sellers and Sophia Loren used one of her paintings in the Conference Room scene (pictured). The 80s' television series The Colbys exposed her work to a huge worldwide audience. Each episode featured the Colby mansion in Bel Air and hanging over the sweeping staircase was Olga's portrait of Stephanie Beacham. The lavish soap opera also featured portraits of Barbara Stanwyck (pictured) and Charlton Heston.