Hollywood Pin-Up Queen: Stunning Color Photos of 1940s Icon Betty Grable

Betty Grable (1916–1973) was an American actress, dancer, and singer whose exceptional popularity made her one of the highest-paid stars in Hollywood during the 1940s. Known for her infectious blonde glamour and radiant screen presence, she became the number-one box-office attraction for several years, primarily starring in lavish 20th Century Fox musical comedies.

Grable’s most enduring legacy, however, is her status as the quintessential World War II pin-up girl; her famous back-facing photo in a white swimsuit was the most reproduced image of its kind and became a powerful morale booster for millions of Allied servicemen. She was famously insured for a million dollars by the studio for her legs alone.

Grable symbolized the cheerful optimism and glamour of wartime America, cementing her place as a true Hollywood icon. Take a look at these stunning color photos to see the beauty of young Betty Grable in the 1940s.

See more»

33 Amazing Photos From the Set of “Subway” (1985)

The 1985 French film Subway, directed by Luc Besson, gained its behind the scenes notoriety from being shot almost entirely in real locations across the Paris Métro system, often in a run-and-go fashion, using the actual stations and tunnels as the backdrop for its surreal, character-driven story.

The production filmed in active parts of the Paris subway, which was a challenging logistical feat at the time. The low-budget, independent nature of the production meant the crew frequently moved gear in and out of stations and had to work around the operational schedule of the metro. This contributed to a very demanding physical shoot for cast and crew alike.

Director Luc Besson and his team aimed to capture the authentic, raw atmosphere of the real metro, from the noise of the trains to the lighting of the platforms, rather than building studio sets. This approach leant a genuine feel to the film's “slice-of-life” portrayal of the underground community.

Subway is considered a key film in the French “cinéma du look” movement, which prioritized strong, stylized visuals and a focus on characters and style over deep, conventional plot.

A memorable scene features the character “Le Roller,” played by Jean-Hugues Anglade, roller-skating at high speed through the tunnels and down escalators. The stunts for this were performed by the French roller-skating champion of the time.

Despite its unconventional style and challenging filming environment, Subway was a huge box-office success in France and garnered critical acclaim, winning three César Awards. The film’s unique setting, character portrayals by now-famous actors like Christopher Lambert, Isabelle Adjani, and Jean Reno, and its distinct 1980s aesthetic solidified its status as a cult classic.

See more»

Esther M. Larson: A Master of Mid-Century Fashion Illustration

Esther M. Larson (1904–1998) was a prominent American fashion illustrator whose career spanned over five decades. She was widely recognized for her elegant and expressive illustrations created for high-fashion magazines and department store campaigns.

Larson contributed to major publications such as Vogue and illustrated catalog ads for prestigious retailers like Bergdorf Goodman. Her style exemplified mid-20th-century fashion illustration: refined, glamorous, and with a strong sense of line and form.

Beyond her illustration work, Larson had a diverse set of interests: she restored old New England houses, collected American antiques, and bred Airedale terriers. She passed away at the age of 96, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most respected fashion artists of her era.

Elegant theater suit in garnet silk and rayon velvet, whisper-striped in black, the velvet dress has flower clusters in garnet at the neck, at Bergdorf Goodman, illustrated by Esther M. Larson, Harper's Bazaar, September 1950

A fashionable close-fitting suit of navy wool worsted, the collar of cardinal-red tie silk outlined with navy passementerie at Bergdorf Goodman, illustrated by Esther M. Larson, Vogue, March 1, 1951

Suit by Bellciano illustrated by Esther M. Larson, Harper's Bazaar, January 1951

A navy town dress in imported French tissue accented with white piqué by Nicol of Sweden for Bergdorf Goodman, illustrated by Esther M. Larson, Vogue, February 1, 1952

Spring suit in menswear fabric in haze blue or gray exclusively at Bergdrof Goodman, illustrated by Esther M. Larson, Harper's Bazaar U.S., February 1952

See more»

Jamie Lee Curtis Photographed by Douglas Kirkland, 1983

Jamie Lee Curtis participated in a well-known photoshoot with photographer Douglas Kirkland in July 1983. The photoshoot produced several iconic images, including the famous photograph of her posing next to a “Danger Curves Ahead” traffic sign.

According to Jamie Lee Curtis, the photo shoot was her idea, stemming from her “marketing girl” instincts. She wanted photos that showcased her figure and fitness, a theme prominent in her life and career at that point. She asked her fiancé at the time, J. Michael Riva (a production designer), to have his art department painter create the famous, custom-made “Danger Curves Ahead” road sign. This sign was a clear double-entendre, referencing the curvy Mulholland Drive road in Los Angeles where they shot, but also playfully drawing attention to her figure.

The photos were taken outdoors and some at her home in Santa Monica, capturing a contrast to typical Hollywood glamour. The images were intended to portray Curtis as down-to-earth and accessible, balancing her rising film career with a sense of normalcy.

The resulting photographs are celebrated as some of the most memorable portraits of Curtis from the 1980s, effectively conveying her vibrant personality and the era's fitness trends. Douglas Kirkland, known for his intimate and elegant portraits of cinema stars, successfully captured the essence of Curtis at a pivotal moment in her career.

See more»

Nan Grey: A Graceful Star of 1930s Hollywood

Born Esmée Nanette Grey in Houston, Texas, American actress Nan Grey (1918–1993) rose to prominence during Hollywood’s Golden Age in the 1930s.

Often cast in supporting roles as a sympathetic young woman, Grey gained recognition for her work in horror and comedy films. She is perhaps best known for her roles in the Universal Pictures classics Dracula’s Daughter (1936) and the musical comedy Three Smart Girls (1936), the latter of which starred Deanna Durbin and led to a successful sequel.

After a brief but active career, Grey retired from acting in the early 1940s following her marriage to singer Frankie Laine, choosing to focus on her family. Though her filmography is relatively short, Nan Grey remains a memorable figure of pre-war cinema.

See more»

The Story Behind Robert Croft’s Iconic Photograph of John F. Kennedy in Dealey Plaza, Before the First Shot Struck Kennedy

Assassination eyewitness Robert Croft took this up-close picture of John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy after the limousine had made its fatal turn onto Elm Street. Jackie, probably to the photographer’s immense delight, appears to be looking directly at Mr. Croft when he clicked his camera’s shutter.

Jacqueline Kennedy looks at Robert Croft as he snaps a photo of her, her husband President John F. Kennedy, Texas Gov. John Connally, his wife Nellie Connally and two Secret Service agents in the presidential limousine just before shots rang out in Dealey Square on Nov. 22, 1963.

The photo was snapped by Croft at the equivalent of approximately Frame #161 of Abraham Zapruder’s home movie, which was almost exactly the same time that Lee Harvey Oswald fired the first of his three gunshots from the Book Depository (the first shot missed the car and its occupants completely).

Robert Earl “Bob” Croft was a 20-year-old missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who was in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963.

“It was the most gruesome, horrible thing I have ever seen in my life,” he told the Powell Tribune 50 years ago. “I don’t know if I will ever get over it.”

Croft decided to see Kennedy’s motorcade pass through Dallas, and he left the Union Terminal, where he was waiting for a bus to take him to Denver, to see the president pass. He walked over to Dealey Plaza in the downtown area — and took his Argus C3 35mm camera with him.

Croft told the Powell Tribune for a story published Nov. 26, 1963, that he was 30 feet from JFK’s limousine when the shots rang out at around 12:30 p.m. Central Time.

During an interview Croft did on April 20, 1988, 25 years after the assassination, with JFK researcher Richard Trask for Trask’s book “Pictures of the Pain,” Croft offered more details on what he witnessed in Dallas.

He said he was winding his camera to get as many photos as possible. He took three, and was trying to snap a fourth when he heard a shot ring out in the concrete canyon of Dealey Plaza. Croft told Trask the photo was “taken simultaneously with the shot which killed the President,” according to the book.

Then, the area was in pandemonium.

Croft also appears in some photos taken that day, as many people took cameras to capture an image of the glamorous president and his wife. He is also seen in the famed Abraham Zapruder film of the assassination.

After the fatal events of Nov. 22, 1963, Bob Croft was in contact with the Secret Service and the FBI. Both agencies examined his color slides.

Online and printed reports, based on an FBI file, state that Croft took 22 images on his roll of 36-exposure Kodachrome-X film before it was processed. Three were of the Kennedy motorcade. One was of the motorcycles in the advance guard; the other two showed the presidential limousine.

The more famous of the photos, frame 18 on the roll, shows first lady Jacqueline Kennedy looking right at Croft. He was standing on the south curb of Elm Street on the driver’s side of the limo, facing the Texas School Book Depository. President John F. Kennedy is next to his wife and is shown in profile.

Texas Gov. John Connally and his wife Nellie are in the middle of the 1961 Lincoln Continental convertible in the jump seats. The driver is Secret Service Agent William Greer, with Secret Service Assistant Special Agent in Charge Roy Kellerman riding next to him in the front seat.

It’s an iconic photo, one of the most famous taken on that day. It appears on dozens of websites and has been published in books, magazines and newspapers.

According to the book, “Matrix for Assassination: The JFK Conspiracy,” Croft took a fourth photo at the scene. He believed it was snapped at the exact moment as the devastating head shot struck Kennedy. But when he received his photos back from the FBI, this slide was a complete blank. The FBI told him his camera appeared to have malfunctioned at that moment.

Croft’s photos were first examined by the FBI, according to a Secret Service memo, after he turned his film over to the Denver FBI office.

According to Trask’s book, “... frame number 18 appears to show the Presidential car on Elm Street south of Houston Street just moments before the President was shot ... Croft believed the last picture taken by him was taken simultaneously with the shot which killed the President. This no doubt refers to frame number 19 which is a complete blank which probably was occasioned by some malfunction of Mr. Croft’s camera or some other fault.”

Trask said he very much doubts the FBI tampered with the photo. Others, in the conspiracy-thick world of the JFK assassination, are not as convinced.

After the FBI returned his photos on Jan. 4, 1964, Croft mailed them to his parents in Powell. Two days later, the Secret Service office in Denver learned of the photos and asked Croft, who was living there as part of his two-year LDS mission, if they could examine them. He had his parents mail the photos back to him, and turned them over to the Secret Service, which, according to memos, was looking for its agents in the motorcade or any unusual activity which appears to be related to the attack.

Eventually, Croft called and asked for the photos, and the color slides were mailed to his Powell home, according to an April 20, 1964, Secret Service memo.

“Please accept our sincere thanks for your cooperation in making these slides available for our review,” the letter from Rolland H. Osborne, the special agent in charge of the Denver office states.

Rob Croft said he has no idea what happened to the photos, which captured a healthy, happy JFK and his wife seconds before their lives, and the fate of the nation, were forever changed.

(via Powell Tribune)

Amazing Photos of the 1962 Porsche 356 B Super 90 Coupe

The 1962 Porsche 356 B Super 90 Coupe represents one of the most desirable variants of Porsche’s early sports cars, a model celebrated for its elegant design, precise engineering, and spirited performance. Introduced as part of the 356 B lineup, the Super 90 designation referred to its upgraded 1.6-liter flat-four engine, tuned to deliver 90 horsepower, a notable boost that offered drivers quicker acceleration and a more responsive feel on the road.

With its sleek aerodynamic body, distinctive teardrop silhouette, and refined interior craftsmanship, the Super 90 combined style and driving pleasure in equal measure. It maintained the Porsche philosophy of lightweight construction and balanced handling, making it a favorite among enthusiasts seeking a blend of sophistication and sportiness.

Today, the 1962 Super 90 Coupe is highly sought after by collectors as a prime example of Ferdinand Porsche’s enduring philosophy of efficiency and functional beauty. Here below is a set of amazing photos of the 1962 Porsche 356 B Super 90 Coupe.

See more»