60 Vintage Photos That Will Spark Your Curiosity Of The Past
By | December 17, 2018
"Golden Girl" Rue McClanahan in 1963.
Did you know Muhammad Ali and Elvis Presley were actually close friends? Well they were - and we have the photo to prove it, plus a lot of amazing shots. That's right, 60 photos that will peak your interest and dazzle your senses. See Lucille Ball behind the camera on the set of I Love Lucy. Or comedian Howie Mandel as he looked as a teenager (you'll be surprised). What about a shot of young Steve Buscemi as he was during his days as a New York City firefighter? We got that too! Plus some oldies such as young Catherine Zeta-Jones, Candace Bergen, and Jane Fonda - who all look at their prime hotness. So get ready to journey forward into photographic splendor. Okay? Let's do it!
This golden girl was a young dish. Rue McClanahan won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1987 for her portrayal of Blanche Devereaux. But this Oklahoma-born actress got her start off-Broadway in New York City in 1957 - and eventually landed directly on-Broadaway in 1969 in the musical, Jimmy Shine. Her costar in that production, was a young fellow named Dustin Hoffman. In the TV world, McClanahan made her debut in 1970 on the soap opera, Another World. The Golden Girls wasn't the first time McClanahan teamed up with Bea Arthur. In 1972, she joined the cast of the TV show, Maude - and played Maude's best friend Vivian Harmon.
1972 Dodge Challenger ad.
Why does this car look vaguely familiar? The Dodger Charger was the vehicle used on the TV series, The Dukes of Hazzard. The General Lee is a 1969 Dodge Charger, though the car featured in this ad is a 1972 model. Still, very similar in style. Same with the woman; she looks vaguely like Daisy Duke's distant cousin. (Sunflower Duke, perhaps?) The Charger first came on the scene in 1964 - and the vehicle screamed "muscle car" right out of the gates. In 1968, there was a redesign in the Charger. Demand was so great that Dodge produced 96,100 vehicles - rather than their initial plan of releasing 35,000. Go Charger, go!
Rocking the dolphin shorts back in the 80s
Dolphin shorts were a thing back in the 80s. The whole style looked pretty rock - as you can see by these girls at the 1983 Coral Springs Festival. Dolphin shorts are sometimes referred to as hotpants - due to their shortness. This fashion style made a splash by being associated with one high-caliber wearer named, Richard Simmons. He rocked the look in his fitness videos and on talk shows. Simmons said in 2012 that he owned over 400 pairs of vintage Dolphins. In modern times, the orange version of the shorts are a staple of the uniform for waitresses at Hooters.
Beautiful Welsh actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, 1989.
What a Welsh beauty. Yes, Catherine Zeta-Jones is from Wales; born and raised in the town of Swansea. Jones was a child actor who got her start in West End musicals such as Annie and Bugsy Malone. Jones was determined to make it big in acting. She dropped out of school at the age of 15 and moved to London to pursue a full-time acting career.
According to Jones regarding her teen years: "I would queue up for auditions and then change my costume or put on a different leotard and audition again. It might take me two tries, but I always got the job. I figured out what they wanted"
Bettie Page takes a break during a photo session with photographer Bunny Yeager and a pair of cheetahs in 1954.
Yes, here's Betty and Bunny. Sure, Betty Page was one of the hottest pinup models of the 50s, but photographer Bunny Yeager was pretty amazing in her own right. Yeager started her career in front of the camera as a model. She won numerous local beauty pageants as well - including, of course, Miss Army & Air Force and Cheesecake Queen of 1951. Yeager became on of the most hardest working models in Miami before she turned the lens outward. In 1953, she enrolled in night school to learn how to be a skilled photographer. Yeager met Page in 1954. Most of the iconic photos of Page were taken that year; with their collaboration mounting over 1,000 pictures of Page. Her experience as a model made Page comfortable in front of the camera.
Billy Joel hanging out by a sign,1974.
Old-school Billy Joel was cool. Look, he's drinking in public - when the sign says it's clearly illegal. 70s Joel just didn't give a rat's ass. This Long Island native caught the ear of Columbia Records - and he got his big break in 1972. This was through a live radio performance of his song, Captain Jack, which became popular in Philadelphia. And much like cheesesteak sandwiches - Philly knows when something is good. Like many musicians of his era, Joel was heavily influenced by seeing The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show. In fact in 1965, when he was 15-years old, Joel joined a group called the Echoes; who specialized in British Invasion covers.
Bob Marley on stage jammin'.
When you think reggae, Bob Marley is the first name that comes to mind. But here's something you might not know: his father, Norval Marley was a white Jamaican whose family had Syrian Jewish roots. These roots can be found in Marley's music. From his song, Exodus, to Iron Lion Zion and Redemption Song - which have themes of defiance and prideful yearning for home. When Marley was 10-years old, his father died of a heart attack. His mother remarried an American civil servant. Because of this relationship Marley had two American brothers: Richard and Anthony.
In 1962, Marley released his first song, One Cup of Coffee, which he did so under the pseudonym Bobby Martell.
Children could sleep in the overhead berths on airplanes in the 1950s.
Why is this still not around? I guess safety would be for one reason. Imagine in the 1950s when kids could sleep in the overhead berths like they were carry on luggage. Well, in a way, they were. Back in the day, sleeping berths were common when planes were in the piston era, such as the Curtiss Condor, DC-3, and Boeing Stratocruiser. But when jets got faster, this made sleeping berths obsolete. Much in the same way that bars on the upper deck of planes became obsolete. Another obsolete idea airlines once had was to let passengers get up and sit with other passengers who weren't assigned next to them. Creepy.
Diana Rigg of The Avengers in 1967.
The 1969 movie, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, almost crashed the James Bond franchise. Not only did it star Aussie and one-time-only Bond actor, George Lazenby, but it was also a movie where James Bond had a wife. And that wife was played by Diana Rigg. The British actress is best known for playing Emma Peel in the 60s TV series The Avengers. No slouch in the acting department, Rigg began her acting career in 1959 as a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. She appeared on The Avengers from 1965-68. Not to say women professionally got a bad deal in the 60s, but after a dozen episodes, Rigg discovered that she was being paid less than a cameraman.
Elvis driving around in his 3-wheeled Messerschmitt bubble car around Memphis with his grandfather Jessie Presley watching him, 1956.
Holy crap - were they trying to transport Elvis Presley into the future with this crazy bubble car? It looks like a scene from Back to the Future. Here's the King of Rock and Roll in a 1955 Messerschmitt KR 200. So, what the heck is the deal with this quirky car? The 1955 Messerschmitt KR 200 was built by a German aircraft manufacturer. It was a three-wheeled, two-seated, bubble car, which captured the imagination of Elvis. He eventually traded his model to Guy Lansky of Lansky Brothers in Memphis - who still has it to this day. Elvis moved on with his taste in cars, settling on Cadillacs in his later years.
Fighting in front of CBGBs, 1984.
CBGBs is now a John Varvatos store. They sell clothes. But if you go inside, it's good to see at least that they kept the original walls to the famed music club on the Bowery in NYC. Though, you would most likely never see a big fist fight happening in front of the John Varvatos store - this was not the case in front of CBGBs - as in this photo from 1984. Back in the day, The Bowery was skid row. You wouldn't be able to tell it by looking at the neighborhood now. The club was previously a biker bar and the letters CBGB stood for Country, BlueGrass, and Blues. All that changed with the birth of punk rock and new wave music. Once The Ramones took to the stage - music never looked back.
Young and sad Howie Mandell
Holy crap! I was about to say, this girl looks cute. Then, I did a little digging and found out that this photo is of young Howie Mandel. This Canadian grew up in Toronto and is a distant cousin to violinist Itzhak Perlman. Mandel's first job was a carpet salesman - which he was really great at. Why wouldn't he be? I'd buy a carpet from him. In 1978, Mandel started hitting the stage at Yuk-Yuk's comedy club and was billed as "a wild and crazy borderline psychotic." That's when he started doing his signature bit that involved putting a rubber glove on his head and blowing it up. By 1979, Mandel was being booked on the road to open up for David Letterman.
Jeff and dad Lloyd Bridges in 1951.
What an acting dynasty. Lloyd Bridges is the father to actors Beau and Jeff Bridges. Put all their movies together -and collectively that's a huge body of work. The senior Bridges was the son of a man who once owned a movie theater. He went to school in the Bay area - graduating from Petaluma High School in 1930. His first screen appearances were uncredited in the forgettable films, Freshman Love (1936) and Dancing Feet (1936). Believe or not, Bridges was briefly blacklisted in the 50s after he admitted to the House Un-American Activities Committee that he had once been a member of the Actors' Laboratory Theatre, a group which was said to have had links to the Communist party.
John Belushi having fun on the set of National Lampoon's "Animal House" 1978.
Animal House is one of the best screen comedies of all-time. It's often copied, but never duplicated. The 1978 flick launch the movie career of John Belushi and director John Landis. Belushi was already a breakout performer on the original Saturday Night Live. He got his start with the famed Second City theater company in Chicago - then moved to New York and starred in the off-Broadway hit, National Lampoon Lemmings. Landis already had a couple of cult classic films under his belt. His previous project was Kentucky Fried Movie - which was written by the Zucker brothers of Airplane fame.
Marilyn Monroe jogging in Hollywood, 1951.
It's great to see that young Marilyn Monroe was an early proponent of the jogging craze. But don't you think she would've enjoyed the sport more if she didn't jog while wearing bluejeans? This photo was from a 1951 issue of Life magazine. The photo was taken long before Monroe was a superstar. (And maybe couldn't afford proper jogging clothes?) She was two years shy from her breakout role in the 1953 movie, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Ironically, this photogenic blond made her film debut in 1947 as the voice of an unseen telephone operator.
On this date 41 years ago, Elvis Presley passed away.
Elvis Presley died at the age of 42 in 1977 at his home in Graceland. This was the result of years of prescription drug abuse mixed with his love of eating mounds of bacon. In fact, one of his go-to foods was a peanut butter, banana and bacon sandwich. He also craved what is called the Fool's Gold Loaf, which featured a loaf of Italian bread filled with a pound of bacon, peanut butter, and grape jelly. Elvis' mom, Gladys Presley, wrote in a book that The King would eat "sandwich after sandwich of his favorite—peanut butter, sliced bananas, and crisp bacon." She also described him talking "feverishly until dawn" while wolfing down the sandwiches. It didn't help matters that Elvis died on the toilet.
Paul Newman and Robert Redford play ping pong on the set of "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" 1968.
Great movie, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Also, amazing screenplay, which was written by screenwriting legend, William Goldman. He won an Academy Award for penning it. The 1969 movie took a nod to French New Wave cinema - where the two anti-heroes (spoiler alert) get gunned down in the end. This was during the era of downer movie endings as seen in other such movies of the time, like Bonnie and Clyde.
The screenplay originally was titled: The Sundance Kid and Butch Cassidy. Steve McQueen was originally slated to play the Robert Redford role. When he dropped out, the title got reversed because Paul Newman was a superstar at the time. And also, apparently, really good at ping pong.
RIP, Queen of Soul.
Give this woman some respect. The late Aretha Franklin is known as "The Queen of Soul." She began her musical career as a child when she was a gospel singer at New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit. Helping her to get the gig was her father - who was the church's minister. When Franklin was 18, she got signed to Columbia Records - but she didn't find success until she signed with Atlantic Records in 1966. Among numerous other accolades, Franklin made a scene-stealing appearance in the 1980 comedy, The Blues Brothers, where she played the owner of a soul food restaurant.
Sean Connery tries out this look as a 'blushing bride' in a wedding dress, on the set of "Zardoz" 1974.
Zardoz is a weird-ass sci-fi movie. Sean Connery made the 1974 film, after he dropped out of James Bond movie series. Zardoz was his attempt to shed his Bond image. At which time, he put on a wedding dress. Yes Connery appears as a bride in one scene. Initially, the former-Bond felt uncomfortable about doing the cross-dressing sequence. In this sci-fi flick, Connery also parades around in some sort of Borat beach thong. After the 1971 movie, Diamonds are Forever, Connery had trouble finding work because he was typecast. That's why director John Boorman was able to hire Connery for a mere $200,000 for the lead role.
Sightseers in the windows of the Statue of Liberty in 1951
Yes, here's some people getting inside of Lady Liberty's head. We must thank the French for bringing us the Statue of Liberty - which was dedicated on October 28, 1886. Besides climbing into the statue's crown, at one time the public was able to have access to the balcony around the torch. This has been barred in 1916 due to safety reasons. Most notably, the Statue of Liberty was featured in the closing sequence of the original 1968 Planet of the Apes movie. (Spoiler alert) The movie concludes with Charlton Heston coming across the Statue of Liberty buried in the sand - which was a result of a nuclear war. This Twilight Zone ending was brought to us by Rod Serling who wrote the original screenplay
Sophia Loren was "Miss Weldor" in 1954.
Sophia Loren was selected as Miss Welder of 1954 by the National Eutectic Welders. I'm sure she got the title because of her proclivities and love of welding. Though women weren't typical seen as welders, all that changed with World War II. Men were enlisted in the military and were being shipped off overseas. So women stepped up to do these type of vocations. The August 9, 1943 issue of Life magazine described women welders who were “sweating near blast furnaces, directing giant ladles of molten iron, or pouring red-hot ingots.” We’re familiar with Rosie the Riveter. In this vocation, these women were referred to as: Wendy the Welder.
Steve Buscemi during his days as a New York firefighter, 1976.
I would've loved to see the star of Fargo, The Big Lebowski. and Reservoir Dogs as a young NYC firefighter. Buscemi was born in Brooklyn. In high school, not only was he in the theater department but he also wrestled for the varsity squad. Buscemi served in the FDNY's Engine Co. 55 in Manhattan's Little Italy for four years. After 9/11, he returned to the unit for several days worked 12-hour shifts alongside other firefighters.
In the early 80s, Buscemi was in a string of independent films that were produced by almost every hipster director at the time. His first Coen Brothers film was Miller's Crossing. He had to audition for his role twice - but the film marked the beginning of a long collaboration with the Coen bros.
The pink 1961 Buick ''Flamingo'' with rotating front seat.
Again, what could possibly go wrong with a rotating front seat of a car? Back when cars were built like steel death traps, a rotating seat seemed like a good idea. The Buick Flamingo made its debut at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York as part of the opening of the ’61 Motorama. The pivoting passenger seat was one of the most notable features. It could turned 180 degrees so a passenger could face the rear passenger seats. This was stated for the purpose of tailgate parties - or scary drive-in movies. Sadly, the final production of the Buick Flamingo was struck down. After the 1961 Motorama tour, the Buick Flamingo was presumed to have been destroyed. A sad day for tailgating.
Tina Turner in the early 1960s.
Tina Turner has to be the most famous person to come out of Nutbush, Tennessee. In fact, she celebrated her hometown in the 1973 funk anthem: Nutbush City Limits. Turner was just in high school when her sister took her to the Tinato Club Imperial in St Louis. That's where she met R&B bandleader, Ike Turner. In 1960, as fate would have it, Ike's singer who was scheduled to sing on his latest single didn't show up, Turner was asked to substitute. How did this turn out for Turner? Her singing debut scored a number two hit in the R&B charts, and made the top 30 in the pop chart.
Toy store display featuring the "Six Million Dollar Man" from 1977.
$6 million wouldn't go very far in 2018 money. For that price, you could probably only get a bionic pinky. But back in the day, a bionic arm was part of the overall package. This 1975 Kenner action figure now sells for $150 on eBay. Besides bionic grip, it comes with a snazzy red jogging suit, tight joints, good paint and functioning bionic arm. The Six Million Dollar Man action figure also includes a bionic eye. The user can actually look through it. I'm not sure why that's bionic - but it's a great gimmick. The bionic arm is covered in a rubber-like fake skin that was intended to be rolled back to expose the bionic modules.
Ursula Andress strikes a pose at the beach in the 1960s.
Ursula Andress set the bar for all Bond girls to follow. The Swiss actress is best best known for her role as Honey Ryder in the first James Bond film, Dr. No. In a moment of cinematic history, Andress rose out of the Caribbean Sea sporting nothing but a white bikini and a large diving knife on her hip. It's no wonder that Sean Connery's Bond fell for her. But crazy fact, due to Andress' thick Swiss-German accent, Honey Ryder's voice was dubbed and provided by Nikki van der Zyl. And her calypso singing was done by Diana Coupland. That might seem like a lot of trouble, but Andress in that white bikini changed the face of Bond history.
Who remembers this handyman named 'Schneider' from TV's "One Day at a Time"?
Creepy. So if you're not familiar with the original version of the sitcom, One Day at a Time, you might think the character, Schneider, as seen in this photo, is some sort of stalker. Well, he was - sort of. Pat Harrington Jr. played the character in the 70s TV show. It was a different era. On the Norman Lear version, Schneider was the super in the Indianapolis building where a divorced Ann Romano lived with her two teenage daughters. Schneider's deal was to burst into their apartment unannounced and relentlessly he hit on single-mom, Ann Romano. In this day and age - that would mean lawsuit.
A fight scene From "Enter The Dragon", a martial arts action film with Bruce Lee and Bob Wall. This was Bruce Lee's final film appearance before his death on July 20th, 1973 at age 32.
No one was cooler than Bruce Lee. He set the standard for all martial arts films to follow. And sadly, Enter the Dragon was his final movie. In the 1973 classic film, Lee not only sports an awesome yellow jumpsuit, but he also defeats fifty-one opponents in the cave fight scene. And, during the filming of one scene, Lee accidently struck a young Jackie Chan in the face with one of his fighting sticks. The movie was made for a budget of $850,000 and took in over $90 million at the worldwide box-office. Sadly, Lee died in Hong Kong three weeks before Enter the Dragon premiered in 1973.
Ann-Margret on the set of "Viva Las Vegas," 1964.
At the time, Ann-Margret was considered the female Elvis Presley. So it only seemed natural that they would team up for the movie, Viva Las Vegas. In fact, Ann-Margret was more popular than Elvis at the time and asome theaters chose to bill her above The King. The two actually started dating during pre-production of Viva Las Vegas - but split up once the cameras started rolling. Awkward! Viva Las Vegas turned out to be Elvis' highest grossing film - topping his previous 1961 hit: Blue Hawaii. Strangely, no soundtrack album was released during the time Viva Las Vegas was in theaters.
Dave Murray (Iron Maiden) in 1976.
Dave Murphy was one of the earliest members of the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden. He auditioned for the band in 1976 after answering an ad in the music magazine, Melody Maker. Murphy came from a rough background. He joined a skinhead gang when he was a teenager but developed a love for rock music when he was 15 - after hearing Jimi Hendrix perform Voodoo Chile. That was the big game-changer. In case you're wondering, Murphy's main guitar is a 2-tone sunburst Fender Californian Series Stratocaster with two Seymour Duncan Hot Rails pick-ups.
G.L.O.W. aka Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (1980s)
Before the hit Netflix series, this was actually a real thing. G.L.O.W. was women's professional wrestling TV show that ran from 1986-1992. It involved strong women and over-the-top comedy sketches. The show was a pure 80's phenomenon and featured such flamboyant characters as Big Bad Mama, Matilda the Hun and Mountain Fiji. The characters not only trash-talked but also bodyslammed and sometimes would rap. The creator, David B.McLane, posted casting notices in The Hollywood Reporter and Variety. Over 500 women showed up to audition for G.L.OW. - to hopefully become when of the gorgeous ladIes of wrestling.
Good morning! John Lennon and his cup of coffee, 1970s.
John Lennon's career had its rocky moments in the 1970s. Sure his post-Beatle life had the hits - but his personal life was sometimes a mess. While recording the album, Mind Games, in 1973, Lennon and Yoko Ono decided to separate. The ensuing 18-month period that followed was self-referred to by Lennon as his "lost weekend." Lennon was boozing and hanging out with fellow musician/boozer Harry Nilsson. The pair got kicked out of the The Troubadour club in Los Angeles after Lennon stuck a menstrual pad to his forehead after a beef with a waitress. Two weeks later, Lennon and Nilsson were kicked out of the same club after heckling the Smothers Brothers. But for the Smothers Brothers, what a thrill it most of been to be heckled by a Beatle.
Great photo of Jim Morrison!
Jim Morrison was the lead singer of the legendary Los Angeles rock band, The Doors. He not only loved wearing the same pair of leather pants, but would also loved eating handfuls of acid like they were M&Ms. Growing up, Morrison's dad was a Rear Admiral who commanded U.S. naval forces during the Gulf of Tonkin incident. So there was nothing for Morrison to later rebel against there. Morrison died at the age of 27 in a bathtub in Paris. He moved there to become a full-blown poet. But if you read some of his later stuff - it kind of sounds like a guy who has taken way too much acid.
John Belushi, Aretha Franklin and Dan Aykroyd on the set of "The Blues Brothers" movie. 1980
The Blues Brother is a great, solid movie. It stars John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd and is directed by John Landis. On one level, the 1980 movie is a celebration of the blues music that Belushi and Akroyd loved at the time; and features such amazing musical numbers by the likes of Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, and Cab Calloway. Jake and Elwood - the Blues Brothers - always wore dark shades in the movie. Belushi got nicknamed "The Black Hole" because he kept losing his sunglasses during the production. He went through hundreds of pairs.
Not to say this was the days of coke-fueled 1980s excess, but a world record 103 cars were wrecked during filming of The Blues Brothers.
John Lennon and George Harrison playing music while Julian listens in 1965.
When Julian Lennon had a brief musical career during the 80's, all the critics said he was just mimicking John Lennon's style. Well, if you're Lennon's son, you can't really help it. Just listen to Jacob Dylan and you'll see my point. Julian was the son of Lennon and his first wife Cynthia. Julian does have a very influential place in musical history; he was the direct inspiration for not one, not two, but three Beatles' songs: Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, Hey Jude, and Good Night.
Julian has said he had a rocky relationship with his famous father: "Paul and I used to hang about quite a bit ... more than Dad and I did. We had a great friendship going and there seems to be far more pictures of me and Paul playing together at that age than there are pictures of me and my dad."
Michelle Pfeiffer as 'Stephanie Zinone" on the set of "Grease 2" in 1982
Along with Blues Brothers 2000, Grease 2 has got to be one of the worst movie sequels of all time. In the first Grease, an Australian student comes to an American high school. In the sequel, an English student comes to an American high school has to prove himself to the leader of a girls' gang whose members can only date greasers. Ug! The movie flopped big time. Michelle Pfeiffer's career did not suffer for being in such a bomb. But costar Maxwell Caulfield's career was damaged. He once said: "Before Grease 2 came out, I was being hailed as the next Richard Gere or John Travolta. However, when Grease 2 flopped, nobody would touch me. It felt like a bucket of cold water had been thrown in my face. It took me 10 years to get over Grease 2."
Muhammad Ali and Elvis in 1973.
Wouldn't you like to have been a fly on the wall with these two? Here we got "The King" and "The Greatest." Muhammad Ali and Elvis Presley were actually close personal friends. Elvis came to Ali's training camp in Deer Lake two years before he died.
Here's what Ali had to say about the Presley encounter:
"He came to my Deer Lake training camp about two years before he died. He told us he didn't want nobody to bother us. He wanted peace and quiet and I gave him a cabin in my camp and nobody even knew it. When the cameras started watching me train, he was up on the hill sleeping in the cabin. Elvis had a robe made for me. I don't admire nobody, but Elvis Presley was the sweetest, most humble and nicest man you'd want to know."
Patrick Stewart and Ben Kingsley were in the Royal Shakespeare Company together in 1977.
The crazy thing about this photo is Patrick Stewart and Ben Kingsley both have hair. And we have come to know them as bald baddies. Still, here they are in 1977 as members of the Royal Shakespeare Company. That's pretty much acting being done at its highest level. Stewart remained with the company until 1982 and got his first TV gig on the British soap opera, Coronation Street. Kingsley did 15 years of acting stage work before leaping onto the screen. He also appeared on Coronation Street. Now-a-days, Kingsley and Stewart look vaguely similar - with matching hairless hairdos.
Steven Tyler performing with Aerosmith in 1976.
Seven Tyler and his band, Aerosmith, have sold more than 150 million records worldwide. Think of that - that's one record for every 150 million people. Tyler is known as the "Demon of Screamin." This is due to his high screams and his wide vocal range - and nothing to do with devil worship. Aerosmith's 1987 collaboration with rappers Run DMC on 1987's "Walk This Way" was both a commercial and critical success. This strange mashup is noted as one of the first mergers of rock and hip-hop genres. In 2010, Tyler performed for President Obama and the First Lady in a special tribute to Sir Paul McCartney at the Kennedy Center Honors. What an amazing feat for a former drug and alcohol addict.
Whiskey dispenser from the 1950s.....Usually found in office buildings.
Surely, this whiskey dispenser is an innovation of the Mad Men days of America. This apparatus is designed to dispense a “full measure” of whisky. It also mixed the liquor with soda. Photos label that this
whiskey dispenser was a commonplace thing found in 1960s-era workplaces. It was not. This photo is from a 1960 trade show for vending machine manufacturers. The original brochure caption stated:
"Monica Bays pours herself a whisky and soda from an automatic vending slot machine at a trade fair. The machine, produced by Rollason Aerocessaries of Croydon, mixes whisky, water and soda when you insert 2 shillings and sixpence. Time switches ensure it locks automatically to conform with licensing hours."
Not to be outdone, but the most popular vending machine at the same trade show - actually dispensed tea.
Who remembers Carnac the Magnificent? One of Carson's most well-known characters, Carnac was a "mystic from the East". The character was introduced in 1964.
Carnac the Magnificent was one of Johnny Carson's classic characters from when he was host of the Tonight Show. Carnac's schtick was to psychically "divine" unknown answers to unseen questions - while clad in a turban and cape. Though not the innovator, Carson got the characters from former Tonight Show host Steve Allen who had a similar segment entitled: Answer Man.
Carson would open each Carnac the Magnificent segment with: "I hold in my hand the envelopes. As a child of four can plainly see, these envelopes have been hermetically sealed. They've been kept in a mayonnaise jar on Funk and Wagnalls' porch since noon today. No one knows the contents of these envelopes – but you, in your mystical and borderline divine way, will ascertain the answers having never before heard the questions."
Who remembers Mr. Whipple and "Please don't squeeze the Charmin!" television ad, 1960s?
Mr. Whipple is one of the most iconic characters in TV ad history. His deal was to catch customers at his grocery store squeezing Charmin toilet paper - at which time he would spout: "Please don't squeeze the Charmin." In the end Whipple would fall victim to his own foible by ending up squeezing Charmin himself. What a hypocrite! In a survey during the 70s, Mr. Whipple topped then-U.S. President Jimmy Carter as the most recognizable face in America. Actor Dick Wilson played Mr. Whipple. He's also known for numerous appearances on TV sitcoms in the 60s and 70s. Wilson filmed over 500 Charmin commercials.
Catherine Bach before her 'Daisy Duke' days.
Catherine Bach is best known for playing Daisy Duke in the TV series, The Dukes of Hazzard. And this is a photo of Bach before she got cast in her iconic role. Note that she always enjoyed wearing short-shorts. Bach grew up in Rapid City, South Dakota. She made her professional acting debut in a stage production of The Sound of Music - where she played one of the kids. When Bach auditioned for her role on Dukes of Hazzard, the producers said they were looking for a Dolly Parton look-a-like. Not really knowing what they wanted, an early costume idea for Daisy Duke was to wear a tight white turtleneck, go-go boots and a poodle skirt. That would have made for a completely different show....
Did you know? The first show in Hollywood to use multiple cameras at once, live audiences and made sure all scenes were scripted was Lucille Ball's show, "I Love Lucy"?
three-camera system was in place before I Love Lucy; the show popularized the style and was the first sit-com to do so. Associate producer, Al Simon, pioneered the three-camera system back in September, 1950, when he worked on the Ralph Edwards' show: Truth or Consequences. On October 15, 1951, is when the first episode of I Love Lucy aired on CBS. The I Love Lucy pilot, was actually recorded as a kinescope, a 16mm filmed recording taken from an extremely bright cathode ray tube.
Elizabeth Montgomery posing on the hood of a Buick, 1961.
Best known for her role as Samantha Stephens on the TV sitcom, Bewitched, Elizabeth Montgomery is the daughter of film star, Robert Montgomery. In fact, she made her screen debut on her father's TV series: Robert Montgomery Present. In 1975, Montgomery played ax-wielder, Lizzie Borden in the TV movie, The Legend of Lizzie Borden. This wasn't the only time Montgomery had a connection to a murderer. In 1977, she starred in A Killing Affair. She played a police detective who has an affair with her married partner. Guess who that married partner was? That's right, O. J. Simpson.
Elton John, Cher, Flip Wilson and Bette Midler in 'The Cher Show', 1975.
Talk about camp! This is from a 1975 episode of: The Cher Show. Elton John, Cher, Flip Wilson and Bette Midler are all clad in Bob Mackie wardrobe. Long before Cher became a diva, she hosted a musical-variety series that simply went by her first name. This was on the heels of her divorce from Sonny Bono and their hugely popular show: Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour. The show came out during the era of variety shows. Not to be out done, Sonny Bono launched, The Sonny Comedy Revue. The two shows went head-to-head. Cher won. Her show premiered at 7.30pm on Sunday, February 16, 1975, and finished the season ranked 1st among its variety show competitors.
Grace Kelly and Jimmy Stewart on the set of Alfred Hitchock's film "Rear Window," 1954.
What's there not to love about this innovative 1954 Hitchcock thriller - where a a wheelchair-bound photographer spies on his neighbors from his apartment window and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder? The movie was shot on one set - and required months of planning. All the apartments across from Jimmy Stewart's locale had electricity and running water. Not only could they be lived in, but during the month-long shoot, the actress who portrayed "Miss Torso" lived in her apartment all day and relaxed between takes as if she were really at home. Little trivia, Rear Window is the only movie where Grace Kelly is seen with a cigarette; she refused to smoke in any other movies she appeared in.
How many remember playing with silly putty growing up?
Silly Putty made its inventor millions of dollars. How silly is that? It's a fun toy that can bounce, break apart, mold back together, and copy comic strips out of newspapers (remember those?). That's right, Silly Putty is based on silicone polymers that have unusual physical properties. If you want to get really technical, Silly Putty is comprised of 65% dimethylsiloxane (hydroxy-terminated polymers with boric acid), 17% silica (crystalline quartz), 9% Thixatrol ST (castor oil derivative), 4% polydimethylsiloxane, 1% decamethyl cyclopentasiloxane, 1% glycerine, and 1% titanium dioxide. But you knew that already, right?
Silly Putty became a global hit in 1961. In 1968, it was taken into lunar orbit by the Apollo 8 astronauts.
Jerry Mathers and Tony Dow during the "Leave It To Beaver" days, 1960s.
Leave it to Beaver ran on TV from 1957 to 1963. It painted an idyllic vision of America where the only real problems in the world centered around such things as Beaver getting his head stuck in a fence. Despite the show getting good ratings the teenage star, Jerry Mathers wanted to retire from acting and focus on high school. Thus production halted and it became the first first prime time American TV show to have a series finale. Sounds noble, but Mathers came back decades later to star in the 1983 series, Still the Beaver.
One crazy rumor about Leave it to Beaver; it was said a young Alice Cooper played the role of Eddie Haskell. He didn't.
Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart and Marilyn Monroe together at the premiere of "How to Marry a Millionaire," 1953.
If someone could've found a way to channel the charisma of these three screen legends - they would've made billions....This shot of Bogart, Bacall, and Monroe is from the premiere of the 1953 movie, How To Marry A Millionaire. I'm sure these three knocked back a few drinks before attending the screening event. This is one of the roles that brought Marilyn Monroe and Lauren Bacall international acclaim. It was also one of the first films to have its score recorded in stereo. The plot is pretty simple: Three women set out to find eligible millionaires to marry, but find true love in the process. Look out! How to Marry a Millionaire became the fourth highest grossing Hollywood film of 1953.
Sophia Loren getting ready to take a swim in 1961.
Did you know that the Oscar statue that Sophia Loren won for the movie Two Women was stolen from her Villa Marino by thieves? Well it was. To get it back, Loren had to sent the Academy sixty dollars. They, in turn, mailed her a replacement statue. Another thing you might not know about this Italian sex goddess, in 1982, she served 18 days in prison for tax evasion. Lesson to learn: don't evade your taxes - even if you are a Italian sex goddess. Loren also didn't get along with Marlon Brando when they were filming the 1967 film, A Countess from Hong Kong. During their love scene, Brando commented to her between takes, "Did you know you have hairs up your nostrils?"
The goofy Goldie Hawn, always acting for the camera.
Goldie Hawn has done it all. Well, in show business at least. She's an actress, director, and producer who rose to fame in the 60s on television’s Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In. And she's married to Snake Plissken, himself, Kurt Russell. The met on the set of the 1987 comedy, Overboard.
Hawn made her debut in 1964. She danced the Can-Can at the Texas Pavilion of the New York World’s Fair. She then won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the 1969 film, Cactus Flower. At the age of thirty-nine, Hawn posed for the cover of Playboy. She posed in a giant martini glass wearing only a white collar shirt, fishnet stockings and a pair of red stilettos.
Elvis always looked good, 1974.
I think it's questionable if Elvis looked good during his final years. In fact, in the HBO documentary, Elvis Presley: The Searcher, his former wife, Priscilla said it was kind of hard to watch him in those later years when he was bloated and drugged up. Not only was Elvis messed up on prescription drugs, but he also had a love for bacon and peanut butter sandwiches. Those put on the pounds. Still, he did record some great music during that era. When Priscilla divorced him, Elvis recorded the song, Hurt. You can purely hear the pain in his voice as The King belts at that tune.
Jane Fonda in "Barbarella" a science fiction film directed by Roger Vadim (1968)
Barbarella is one of my favorite sci-fi movies set in the 41st century. The 1969 movie stars Jane Fonda and also gave the 80s haircut band, Duran Duran its name; the movie features an evil scientist named: Durand Durand. Get it? The movie is very swinging 60s. In fact, it also featured David Hemmings who starred as the photographer in the movie, Blow Up. One cool filming note, during the opening credits, Barbarella appears to float around her spaceship. This was filmed by having Jane Fonda laying on a huge piece of Plexiglas. A picture of the spaceship underneath her and it was filmed from above. This created the illusion of zero gravity.
Kurt Russell in the 1980 comedy film, "Used Cars".
I've never seen the movie, Used Cars, but it not only has a crazy great, cast but it's directed by Robert Zemeckis - who was just a few years shy of directing Back to the Future. Besides starring Mr. Goldie Hawn himself, Kurt Russell, it also features Joe Flaherty , Michael McKean, Jack Warden, and Grandpa from the Munsters: Al Lewis.
The plot sounds a little stupid though, much like the plot of many other 80's comedies -s uch as Meatballs: When the owner of a struggling used car lot is killed, it's up to the lot's hot-shot salesman to save the property from falling into the hands of the owner's ruthless brother and used-car rival.
So the plot is the slobs vs the snobs - but with used car lots.
Marilyn Monroe always ready to pose for the camera, 1950s.
Norma Jeane Mortenson was born June 1, 1926, in Los Angeles and spent most of her childhood in foster homes and an orphanage. Needless to say, she had something to prove to the world. Here she is posing by the Athabasca River in Alberta, Canada in the summer of 1953. This was taken during the filming of the movie, River of No Return. The movie costarred film-heavy, Robert Mitchum and was directed by Otto Preminger. Much of the movie was filmed in Banff, Jasper National Parks, and Lake Louise. Marilyn plays dance hall singer Kay in the film. And Canada has never been the same since.
The cast of the 1986 film, "Stand By Me" directed by Rob Reiner.
I'll go on record to say, Stand By Me is Corey Feldman's best movie. And don't come back at me with Meatballs 4. The 1986 movie is based on the Stephen King short story, The Body - about a group of kids who search for a dead body of a little boy. Kiefer Sutherland said in an interview that during the filming, one of the locations was near a Renaissance Fair. The cast and crew attended on their day off and bought some cookies. As it turned out, they were pot cookies. Two hours later, Jerry O'Connell was found in the park crying and high and high on the pot cookies. Well, it could've been worse, he could've been high when they found the dead body.
Candice Bergen with the classic '60s big hair, for VOGUE, photo by Bert Stein in 1964.
Candice Bergen is probably the most attractive daughter of a ventriloquist in history. Her father is Edgar Bergen, who was such a great ventriloquist, along with his dummy Charlie McCarthy, that they allowed him to perform ventriloquism on radio. Long before her Murphy Brown stint, here is Candace during her modeling days, on the cover of the May 1967 issue of Vogue.
Her first film role was in the movie, The Group - directed by Sidney Lumet. Always a fan of comedy, not only was Bergen a frequent host Saturday Night Live, but she also appeared on The Muppet Show during its first season.
John Lennon with wife, Yoko Ono at Cannes, 1971.
Imagine the pressure of being John and Yoko back in 1971. Cameras hounded them where ever they went. Everyone thinks that Yoko broke up The Beatles. But she was one of the premiere artists in the Fluxus movement - which was a loose association of Dada-inspired avant-garde artists in the early 1960s. Lennon was moving more towards an arty approach to his music. Consider John and Yoko's Bed-in on March 20, 1969 at the Amsterdam Hilton to be a very immersive art piece. The two formed The Plastic Ono Band in 1969, which featured the classic hit, The Ballad of John and Yoko. In this photo, it looks like they are living it...
Natalie Wood in "The Great Race", 1965.
The Great Race is a 1965 movie that not only featured Natalie Wood, but also Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. The plot involved a spectacular land race from New York to Paris in the early 20th century. This film has it all, funny cars, pie fights, villains, etc..Interesting note, The Great Race was the inspiration for the 1968 Saturday morning cartoon show, Wacky Races - which featured Dick Dastardly and his sidekick Muttley. Both were based on the movie's main characters.
For the film, Wood took fencing lessons, sidesaddle lessons and practiced smoking cigars. She also had to learn to drive a Stanley Steamer.
