"Thousands of nude photos of Jazz-era women were found in boxes marked "private" on the estate of former Ziegfeld Follies photographer Alfred Cheney Johnston after his death in 1971. Johnston had photographed many of the era's brightest stars and most beautiful women, but who were these unknowns sometimes posed in little more than a string of pearls or flash of lace?" "Compiled here for the first time are more than 200 publicity stills and photos of America's first "it" girls, as well as the "secret" nudes discovered on Johnston's estate after his death. The images do most of the talking, but also included are some of the stories behind these silent-film era starlets and the sometimes high prices they paid for being the first generation of women to reject the roles laid down before them." "Photographer Alfred Cheney Johnston also paid a price for the commercial applications of his art. This book offers insight into Johnston's own Jazz Age mystery, as well as into his unique and cutting-edge photography techniques. It also pays tribute to a man whose artistry extends beyond the Follies and who deserves a place among the stars himself."--BOOK JACKET.