Amazing Photos of the 1967 Ferrari 330 GTC

The 330 GTC was unveiled at the 1966 Geneva Salon and was an amalgam of other Ferraris. It shared its 94.5-inch wheelbase and tubular steel chassis with the 275 GTB, and its 4-liter, V-12 motor was the same as the one powering the 330 GT 2+2. The Pininfarina-styled body was a mash-up as well, taking styling cues from the 500 Superfast for the front end and the 275 GTS for the rear.

The Pininfarina designed body was assembled at their facility in Turin then delivered fully trimmed for final mechanical assembly at Ferrari. Something out of the norm for Ferrari, the GTS carried a model badge on the rear deck stating “330”. Prior to this model, only a few cars proclaimed a model identity.

Aside from being an elegant GT car, the 330 GTC is certainly no slouch when it comes to performance. It’s 4-liter, V-12 engine can produce up to 300 horsepower and reach a top speed of 150 mph, with a 0–60 mph time of under seven seconds.

Here below is a set of amazing photos of the 1967 Ferrari 330 GTC.

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The King of Dance: 40 Fabulous Photographs of Fred Astaire From the 1930s and 1940s

It’s only natural to be a little curious about the man behind the name. After all, he is a legend. So let’s get to it.

Fred Astaire was born on May 10, 1899 to Fritz and Ann Austerlitz. The Austerlitz Family lived in Omaha, Nebraska and he had a sister, Adele, who was 18 months his senior. She showed herself to be a natural dancer, while Fred displayed a similar natural ability for music as well as dancing.  When their mother saw their talent she started dreaming of moving to New York City so that they could perform as a brother-sister pair in vaudeville. An opportunity presented itself when Fritz unexpectedly lost his job. 

So, Fred started dancing professionally at the age of 7 in NYC. The Austerlitz’s, now the Astaire’s had a few short lived failures but developed a successful dancing act in which Fred wore a lobster for its second half. The precocious sibling pair took over vaudeville in a matter of months, becoming its most well-known act. 

The Astaire’s broke into Broadway in 1917 and were an immediate hit. Adele was considered the better dancer of the two until Fred was about 18 years old. But by 1930, Fred was regarded as one of the best tap dancers in the world. The brother-sister pair were wildly popular, appearing in 10 musicals on New York’s Broadway and in London, until the end of 1932 when Adele retired from dancing to get married.

After Adele, Fred was reluctant to be tied to another partner. He saw the opportunity to branch out and have more control over his dancing. He joined RKO Radio Pictures in 1932 and completed a screen test for RKO in 1933. The report on Fred according to him read, “Can't act. Slightly bald. Also dances”, a ludicrous result for a man many consider to be the best dancer to ever live. His swinging door of dancing partners abruptly ended when he danced with Ginger Rogers in Flying Down to Rio. Even Fred couldn’t deny the on-screen chemistry and box office success. They were the perfect pair. 

In the end, the team of Astaire and Rogers made 10 musical films together. Eventually Fred left RKO to pursue opportunities at other studios as well as television. At that point in his career, Fred had changed the musical film genre for the better and had unrivaled independence when it came to his dance routines and choreography. 

By 1957, Fred had appeared in 30 films in 25 years. As interest in musical films began to wane he declared his intentions to straight act. He did so, winning critical acclaim for his roles in On the Beach and The Towering Inferno. However he never fully left the song and dance, creating Emmy award winning musical specials and acting in musical films into his late 1960s. His last film role was in 1981, at the spry age of 82. A few years later, Fred, a lion of his craft, finally retired from his career spanning 76 years. He died of pneumonia on June 22, 1987, at the age of 88.

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25 Amazing Photographs of Sid Vicious on the Stage in the 1970s

“If Johnny Rotten is the voice of punk, then [Sid] Vicious is the attitude,” proclaimed manager of the Sex Pistols, Malcolm McLaren. Simon John Ritchie, otherwise known as Sid Vicious, was the bassist in the explosive British punk band Sex Pistols. The band’s rise to fame in the late ‘70s defined them as the band that personified the image, energy, and ethos of the British underground music scene—and history has held Vicious at the center of it all.

In his unabashed shocking attitude and hedonistic lifestyle, Vicious did not seem as real as the rest of his contemporaries; instead, he was punk rock incarnate. Perhaps it was his short-lived life that seemingly revolved around sex, drugs, and the anti-establishment music that created the air of intrigue around Vicious, or the ambiguity of the person underneath the persona.

Born in London in 1957, it is widely assumed that Vicious’ upbringing is what led him to become the libertine Sid Vicious known by the world. From a young age, Vicious was indoctrinated into a lifestyle riddled with heavy drug use with his mom, Nora Forster, being his earliest supplier. This “anything goes” outlook on life continued into his late teenhood and early adulthood, where he channeled his economic anguish and resentment for authority into creative youth culture. Finding himself in London’s music scene and being one of the biggest fans of the early Sex Pistols, he was born to be a key part of the burgeoning punk movement. 

With a successful album titled Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols that shocked the UK with its criticisms of the crown and a fierce fashion image designed for subversion created by Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren, the Sex Pistols made their mark in music history and inspired the subsequent eruption of punk worldwide. Though lead singer John Lydon (Johnny Rotten) voiced the anguish of a generation in their performances, Vicious’ boisterous behavior and carefree (and sometimes violent) stage presence electrified audiences across London and beyond. Between his facial expressions, violent antics, and even extreme self-harm, Vicious expressed a raw, thrilling intensity that reflected his namesake. He was vicious without a cause, leading the world to wonder what drove his belligerently intrepid behavior and why it was so widely adored.

The infamous Dallas show that marked the end of the Sex Pistols left many rock fans and historians alike stupefied as to what was going through the heads of the bandmates, particularly Vicious. Vicious, with a razor in hand, carved “Gimme a Fix” into his chest and proceeded to play the show with that statement to the world. Of course, the Pistols were kicked out of the show that night due to a brawl provoked by the bassist himself.

A trajectory of tragedy soon followed the Pistols’ collapse in 1972. It was only a year later that Vicious lost his paramour Nancy Spungen, was arrested for her murder, and died of a drug overdose in New York City at 21. 

Vicious seemed to have a prophetic understanding that his life was meant to be short-lived, possibly attributed to the tragic beginnings and mental strife experienced throughout his life. “I’ll die before I’m 25, and when I do I’ll have lived the way I wanted to,” he said in an interview. What can help us understand his enigmatic energy could be the paradoxical fact that he appeared to be purely a person at his core. Someone who liked to have fun, who liked to express their wild side, be free, and be in the presence of people he loved – all of which he experienced until the death of Spungen. He believed that he, in fact, “wasn’t vicious really,” stating that despite his knack for anarchy and eternal iconhood, he was simply…nice. “I consider myself a kind person. I love my mum.”

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Impressive Fashion Designs by Ceil Chapman in the 1940s and ’50s

Ceil Chapman (1912–1979) was an American fashion designer who worked in New York City from the 1940s to the 1960s. She created glamorous cocktail and party dresses, and worked with celebrity clients including television and movie actresses.

Fashion designs by Ceil Chapman in the 1940s and ’50s

After two years of college, Chapman obtained a position in the workroom of a large Fifth Avenue store in New York. Within three years, she was made head of the studio, staying for eight years. Around 1940, she was involved in a short-lived business called Her Ladyship Gowns, formed with Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt and her sister, Thelma Furness, Viscountess Furness.

Chapman patented numerous designs between 1954 and 1960. Take a look at these stunning photos to see her fashion designs in the 1940s and 1950s.

Inga Lindgren in a fine-ribbed corduroy suit with a short jacket, balloon sleeves and snug cuffs, the skirt has well-placed pleats, by Ceil Chapman, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar, October 1946

Model in tropic print evening dress over a ruffled petticoat by Ceil Chapman, photo by Serge Balkin, Vogue, December 1, 1946

Catherine Murray (young associate Vogue editor) in ankle-length evening dress of rayon taffeta by Ceil Chapman, photo by Frances McLaughlin, Vogue, August 15, 1947

Débutante Sheila Ross in white organdie dance dress with a little frilled cape by Ceil Chapman, photo by Horst P. Horst, Vogue, May 1, 1947

Dorian Leigh in a covered-up dress of rayon-taffeta decorated with slivers of jet by Ceil Chapman, green opaque stockings by Gotham and green satin shoes by Evins, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, September 1, 1947

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India’s First ‘Selfie’ Was Taken by a Tripura King Back in 1880

Maharaja Bir Chandra Manikya, an enthusiastic photographer was the first king of India to organize an annual photographic exhibition at his palace in Tripura. His wife Maharani Khuman Chanu Manmohini Devi was also an amateur photographer. Maharaj took this picture with the help of a black lever attached to a triggering device used a long wire shutter control and is believed to be the first ‘selfie’ in India.

Photo of Maharaja Birchandra, King of Tripura with his queen Maharani Manamohini taken by the king himself, 1880.

History tells us that in the 19th century, there was Maharaja Bir Chandra Manikya and his queen Maharani Khuman Chanu Manmohini Devi. The couple were passionate about the arts and photography, and the Maharaja was, in fact, the second royal to possess a camera, the first being Raja Deen Dayal of Indore.

While the Maharaja harbored a love for photography, he was also a wonderful architect and is credited with planning modern Agartala. It is said that he was a forward-thinking monarch and encouraged reforms in Tripura, while encouraging people to think of new ideas.

The picture you see above is said to be taken around 1880 and portrays the king and queen in close embrace. On closer observation, you’ll find that the king’s hand rests on a small device on the right. The device not only resembles a lever, but also functions like one. It’s connected by a long wire to the camera. Pull the lever and voila! Your picture has been taken. This is how the king and queen captured this sweet moment between the two, without the need for anyone to be present in the room.

During that time, Calcutta was a hub for the arts and all materials for developing a picture had to be sourced from the city. However, Bir Chandra decided that to nurture his passion for photography and capture his queen, he would build his own darkroom where he could develop pictures. The process flourished and soon, the king also had props decorating the studio to have a variety of backdrops as and when a picture required it. The visionary king was also the one who introduced the first Daguerreotype photography in India.

Bir Chandra was quite the photo enthusiast, and he introduced his wife Monmohini to the art. And she was a natural. She also enjoyed processing and printing the photographs they captured.

Portrait of Manmohini Devi, ca. 1880.

Along with his personal dealings with photography, the Maharaja also set up a Camera Club of the Palace of Agartala, which exhibited the photographs taken by the royal couple. Then, in May 1890, the Photographic Society of India printed a letter about the club written by Bir Chandra, along with images sent by the Tripura royals.

Bir Chandra died in 1896 and Monmohini in 1905, but the pioneering royal couple has left a lasting legacy, with many of their descendants making notable contributions to the field. Three of their sons- Samarendra Chandra Dev Burman, Radha Kishore and Brajendra Kishore – were photographers of repute.

(via The Better India)

Wonderful Photos of People Camping and Kayaking in the 1960s

Camping and kayaking in the 1960s were characterized by a sense of adventure and self-reliance. Campers often used canvas tents, basic sleeping bags, and portable stoves for cooking. Kayaks were typically wooden or fiberglass, and paddlers explored rivers and lakes with maps and compasses as their guides.

It was a time of genuine outdoor exploration, where people sought remote destinations and embraced the simplicity of outdoor life. These wonderful photos were found by Past of a Stranger that show people camping and kayaking in the 1960s.

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Behind the Scenes Photographs Taken by Bunny Yeager During the Filming of “Dr. No” in Jamaica

Rarely seen photographs taken during the filming of Dr No in Jamaica. They were most likely taken by the production stills photographer Bunny Yeager but that is not fully confirmed. Terence Young directed.

Bunny was definitely on set during the shooting of the scenes on the beach. She describes how she came to take the photos in her book Camera in Jamaica:

“The photos of Ursula wearing a bikini and shirt, posing besides some roots were made a few feet away from the scene of the film. The cinematographer and crew took a break because cloud was overhead so I was able to sneak in a few shots. Exposure was 1/50 sec at f8 as the area was in shade in addition to the sun being hidden. The photo near the centre by the boats and fish nets show Ursula wrapped in a towel. Here I used a strobe light to balance the lighting in the background. The other shots were taken after work about 6pm on the beach near the hotel. The light was terribly dim, making it hard to see focus. I used a tripod shooting at 1/10 sec at f8, then I used strobe to help lighten face and figure.”

She described Ursula Andress “as about five feet five, with brown skin and brown hair sun streaked blond. Her figure is firm, trimmed and tanned all over. Her hips are especially slim which is unusual for sensual looking women. She admits to being moody. Her husband claims she is unpredictable and is really ten different women rolled into one.”

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