Veronica Lake

Veronica Lake was an American film actress whose roles in 1940s Hollywood films and signature peekaboo hairstyle made her a screen and fashion icon.

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Sullivan's Travels: Preston Sturges's 1941 satirical comedy follows a director who abandons Hollywood to experience poverty firsthand. Lake starred as the aspiring actress who joins Joel McCrea's director on the road.
Alan Ladd: Alan Ladd was an American film actor whose understated performances made him a major star of 1940s crime films. Lake and Ladd appeared together in several noirs and became a popular screen team.
Peekaboo hairstyle: A hairstyle in which a long fringe of hair falls across one eye. Lake's signature version helped define her star image and inspired widespread imitation.
Factory safety: Factory safety comprises practices and designs that reduce workplace injuries and occupational hazards. Lake's long hair could catch in machinery, prompting a public campaign for workers to pin theirs back.
This Gun for Hire: A 1942 film noir, directed by Frank Tuttle, about a hired killer betrayed by his employer. Lake's role opposite Alan Ladd began one of Hollywood's enduring screen pairings.
Preston Sturges: Preston Sturges was an American film director and screenwriter known for fast-paced Hollywood comedies of the 1940s. He directed Lake in Sullivan's Travels, one of her most acclaimed performances.
World War II home front: The civilian societies and economies mobilized to support the Allied and Axis powers during World War II. Lake changed her hairstyle at the government's request to reduce factory workers' hair-related accidents.
Veronica Lake hairstyle campaign: A 1940s wartime publicity effort in which Lake changed her peekaboo hairstyle to promote safer factory work. The campaign turned her personal image into a practical message for women working in war industries.
The Glass Key: A 1942 crime film based on Dashiell Hammett's novel, starring Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake. The film reunited Lake and Ladd in a political noir adapted from Hammett.
Frank Tuttle: Frank Tuttle was an American film director whose work included the crime film This Gun for Hire. Tuttle directed Lake in the film that established her pairing with Alan Ladd.