Franz Laskoff: Master of Belle Époque Poster Art

Franz Laskoff (1869–1921) was a Hungarian-born artist and illustrator who became one of the leading figures in early 20th-century poster art and graphic design.

Working primarily in Italy and France during the Belle Époque period, Laskoff was known for his elegant Art Nouveau style, characterized by graceful figures, flowing lines, vibrant colors, and decorative sophistication. He created numerous beautiful posters and advertisements for fashion houses, luxury products, theaters, and cultural events, often featuring ethereal, idealized women and a strong sense of harmony and ornamentation.

Though his career was relatively short, Laskoff left a significant mark on the golden age of poster art. These elegant and beautifully composed posters showcase his exceptional talent for blending graceful figures, flowing lines, and decorative sophistication, securing his place as one of the most refined illustrators of the Belle Époque era.

Exposition Rétrospective Alsacienne et Lorraine, Pavillon de l'Orangerie, Strasbourg, 1895

E. & A. Mele & Ci., Oggi Occasioni, 1897

Paletots per Uomo, Eleganti-Perfetti, E. & A. Mele & Ci., circa 1898

S. Petrus, Oratorio Sacro del Padre Hartmann, 1899

Avanti!, circa 1900

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20 Photos of a Very Young Tom Cruise on the Set of Losin’ It (1982)

Before his breakout roles in Risky Business and The Outsiders made him a household name, a 20-year-old Tom Cruise starred in the teen comedy Losin’ It (1982). Directed by Curtis Hanson, the film follows a group of teenagers who take a road trip to Tijuana, Mexico.

In the film, Cruise plays a shy, clean-cut kid named Woody. In a rare twist for a Tom Cruise movie, his character actually loses a quick bar fight against his co-star John Stockwell. After Cruise’s character tries to defend Shelley Long’s character, Stockwell’s character promptly slugs him, and Cruise is forced to walk away.

On the set of the film, Cruise experienced a massive learning curve that fundamentally shaped his ultra-disciplined approach to his future film career. He later described the set of Losin’ It as a major wake-up call. Coming off the highly intense, well-organized set of Taps, he found the low-budget, non-union production of Losin’ It disorganized. He realized for the first time that “some people didn’t know how to make movies” and lacked a shared passion for quality. The experience was so jarring that he vowed never to work that way again, prompting him to seek out highly structured, rehearsal-heavy projects like Francis Ford Coppola’s The Outsiders immediately afterward.

The film was shot mostly on location in Calexico, California. Because it was a low-budget production, the environment was highly chaotic. The crew worked grueling six-night weeks for over a month. The production was so strapped for cash that they had to cast at least ten crew members in acting roles and rely heavily on local townspeople as extras.

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Polaroids of James A. Mahoney as Uncle Sam Taken by Andy Warhol in 1981

“I think the best thing we decided to do is have people come and dress up in the costumes and we’ll take the pictures ourselves,” Andy Warhol told his Diaries on January 13, 1981 of his new Myths series. Commissioned by gallerist Ronald Feldman, the series depicts 10 imaginary characters from pop culture, including Uncle Sam. To represent this character from Americana, Warhol and Feldman hired James A. Mahoney, an actor known mostly for his work in advertising.

Warhol photographed Mahoney on December 1980 film stock at 860 Broadway, taking more than 70 Polaroids of the actor. Makeup artist Jac Colello was on hand to style his costume, which included a star-spangled top hat, a fluffy white beard and wig, and a suit that featured red-and-white striped pants.

While Warhol had multiple acetates made from different Polaroids and drawings, he ended up choosing a frontal image of Mahoney for both the prints and paintings. As was his style at the time, Warhol used a combination of line screens derived from a drawing and a halftone from a Polaroid to create the Uncle Sam paintings.

In a letter from Mahoney to Warhol and Feldman on August 15, 1981, he thanked them both for a silkscreen of Uncle Sam.

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Joey Heatherton: The Bubbly Blonde Bombshell of the 1960s

Joey Heatherton (born 1944) is an American actress, singer, and dancer who became a popular sex symbol and entertainer in the 1960s and ’70s.

With her striking blonde hair, long legs, and bubbly, energetic personality, Heatherton gained fame as a frequent guest on variety shows and for her roles in films such as Where Love Has Gone (1964) and My Blood Runs Cold (1965). She was known for her bold, flirtatious style and provocative dance routines, which made her a memorable figure on television.

Though her career had its ups and downs, she remains an iconic symbol of 1960s and 1970s American pop culture and youthful glamour. Take a look at these vintage photos to see the beauty of a young Joey Heatherton in the 1960s.

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32 Stunning Portraits of Maria Landrock, German Wartime Actress and Voice Actor

Maria Landrock (1923–1992) was a German film and television actress, best known for her leading roles in German cinema during the early 1940s under the Ufa studio system and her later extensive career as a voice actress and dubber.

Maria Johanna Elisabeth Landrock was born on July 3, 1923, in Köpenick, Berlin, Germany. She trained for acting at a national acting school in Berlin and performed on stage in various Berlin theaters before transitioning to film.

Landrock made her film debut in Pedro soll hängen (released 1941, directed by Veit Harlan; filming began in 1939). She appeared in other productions during the war years, including Aufruhr im Damenstift (1941) and An Old Heart Becomes Young Again (1943). She was a brunette leading lady prominent in Ufa films during this period.

A dark and significant historical footnote in Landrock’s wartime career occurred on July 18, 1944. As part of the Reich’s troop entertainment initiatives, Landrock and her band served as the headlining guest stars for a concert organized specifically for the SS garrison members stationed at the Auschwitz Concentration and Death Camp, performing in the SS kitchen and canteen complex near the main Auschwitz I camp. 

Following the collapse of the Nazi regime and the dismantling of the UFA studios, Landrock’s career shifted dramatically. Her opportunities for leading roles in post-war cinema dried up, leading her to successfully pivot to voice dubbing (Synchronsprecherin).

Throughout the mid-to-late 20th century, her expressive voice became highly recognizable to German audiences as she provided the German-language dubs for international icons like Sophia Loren, Eleanor Parker, and Eva Bartok. She eventually retired to Bavaria, passing away in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 1992. 

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40 Stunning Fashion Portraits of Groovy ’60s Hairstyles

The 1960s was a revolutionary decade for hairstyles, as women broke away from the structured, voluminous looks of the early decade and embraced freer, more expressive styles. These stunning fashion portraits capture the essence of groovy ’60s hairstyles: from long, straight hippie locks and feathered shag cuts to bold bouffants, geometric bobs, and playful curls.

Reflecting the influence of the counterculture, mod fashion, and the emerging youth movement, these images showcase how hair became a powerful form of self-expression and rebellion. Shot in stylish studio settings, these portraits perfectly embody the vibrant, carefree, and creative spirit of the Swinging Sixties.

Model's 'geisha' coiffure by Kenneth Batelle, amazing canary diamond of almost 100 carats, brilliant and rare, by Van Cleef & Arpels, photo by Art Kane, Vogue, October 15, 1962

Monique Chevalier wearing the Cleopatra-craze make-up by Revlon, coiffure by Revlon Salon, brown and white beads by Richelieu, gloves by Meyers Make, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, April 1, 1962

Anne de Zogheb, Shades-of-Youth hair color by Dorothy Gray, coiffure by Marc Sinclair, Vogue, April 1, 1963

Beautiful Tilly for Charles of the Ritz make-up collection called "Cultured Pearl", coiffure by Mr. Thornton also of Charles of the Ritz, faux seed pearls by Trifari, photo by Bert Stern, Vogue US, March 1963

Celia Hammond's haircolor is Color Foam by Du Barry, chocolate-colored gloves by Hansen, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, June 1963

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30 Amazing Photos of a Young Jerry Hall in the 1970s

Jerry Hall (born July 2, 1956) was a breakout supermodel in the 1970s, known for her tall, statuesque figure, striking blonde hair, long legs, sharp bone structure, and glamorous, rock 'n' roll style. She was discovered as a teenager on a beach in Saint-Tropez and moved to Paris, where she quickly rose to fame.

Her defining feature was a massive mane of long, honey-blonde hair, typically styled in voluminous, cascading waves or dramatic side-swept curls that perfectly caught the lights of the runway or Studio 54. Standing at six feet tall, Hall popularized a tall, athletic, and athletic-yet-curvaceous silhouette. She effortlessly carried the fluid, draped designs of the decade.

As a fixture of the New York nightlife scene, her personal style was heavily intertwined with disco culture. She frequently wore slinky metallic dresses, silk halters, high-waisted trousers, and bold satin pieces by designers like Halston and Yves Saint Laurent.

She became a primary muse for fashion illustrator Antonio Lopez, designer Thierry Mugler, and rock stars alike, most notably Bryan Ferry of Roxy Music (appearing on their iconic 1975 Siren album cover as a blue mermaid) and later Mick Jagger, whom she met in 1976.

By the late 1970s, she had appeared on dozens of Vogue and Cosmopolitan covers, cementing the transition into the golden age of the jet-setting supermodel.

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