Considering her glamorous position at the start of Hollywood classic films, you might assume that Columbia Pictures’ lady with a torch had pure Hollywood heritage. But the Columbia logo comes from right here in New Orleans.

The fact is, the goddess-like symbol of the century-old movie studio was modeled on a pregnant Times-Picayune page designer, who wore a makeshift toga and held aloft a light bulb as her picture was taken time and again by a newspaper photographer. Those shots would be used to guide a genius French Quarter artist as he painted the design.

Columbia’s lady with a torch has been around since about 1928. She’s always been a graceful icon, a Statue of Liberty minus the book and crown, bidding welcome to the huddled masses yearning to munch popcorn in front of a flickering s

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