50 Gorgeous Photos of Gloria Grahame in the 1950s

Gloria Grahame (born Gloria Penelope Hallward; November 28, 1923 – October 5, 1981) was an American actress. She began her acting career in theater, and in 1944 made her first film for MGM. In the 1950s, Grahame was a prominent Hollywood actress, primarily known for her compelling performances as a sultry femme fatale in film noir classics. Her decade was marked by career highs, including an Academy Award win, and dramatic personal life scandals that ultimately led to the wane of her Hollywood career.

Grahame’s career peaked in the early-to-mid 1950s. She was celebrated for her ability to portray complex characters, blending vulnerability with a husky drawl and distinctive physical presence (including a famous “pout” she sometimes enhanced by tucking cotton in her lip).

Starring opposite Humphrey Bogart in In a Lonely Place (1950), Grahame delivered one of her most acclaimed performances as a woman who falls in love with a troubled screenwriter, in a haunting exploration of suspicion and identity. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Bad and the Beautiful (1952), a performance that lasted only nine minutes of screen time, a record at the time.

In The Big Heat (1953), her role as a gangster’s moll who is shockingly disfigured with hot coffee became one of the most indelible and iconic images in film noir history. In a departure from her usual noir roles, she played the “can’t-say-no” girl Ado Annie in the film musical Oklahoma! (1955), showcasing her versatility, though rumors of her being difficult on set began to surface.

Grahame’s personal life was often as tumultuous as her on-screen roles and garnered significant tabloid attention, which eventually impacted her career. She was married multiple times, including to director Nicholas Ray, with whom she made In a Lonely Place. Their marriage ended amid controversial circumstances, including allegations by Ray that he caught Grahame in bed with his then 13-year-old son, Anthony Ray. Grahame later married Anthony Ray when he was 23 and she was 37, a scandal that further fueled the tabloids and contributed to the decline of her mainstream Hollywood career after the mid-1950s.

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Funny Photos of Classic Hollywood Stars Walking the Turkey

During the Golden Age of Hollywood, it was a common publicity stunt for movie studios to stage seasonal photo shoots featuring their biggest stars posing with live turkeys for Thanksgiving. These publicity photos were part of a coordinated, seasonal effort by major studios to promote their contract players. Studio photographers and publicity departments would create fun, campy, and often glamorous images to keep the stars and their upcoming films in the public eye during the holiday season.

The pictures offered a playful contrast to the stars’ typically glamorous on-screen images, humanizing them for the public. These images were often sent to magazines and newspapers nationwide to generate buzz.

Bette Davis

Virginia Gibson

Barbara Bates

Vera Ellen

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Irene Vanbrugh: A Leading Light of the Edwardian Stage

Irene Vanbrugh (1872–1949) was a distinguished English actress who had a prominent stage career spanning over fifty years. She was a leading lady particularly known for her performances in plays by playwrights like Arthur Wing Pinero, J.M. Barrie, and Oscar Wilde; she notably created the role of Gwendolen Fairfax in the original 1895 production of The Importance of Being Earnest.

Although primarily a stage performer, Vanbrugh also appeared in a number of silent films and talking pictures in her later years. For her extensive contributions to the theatre, she was honored as a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 1941.

Vanbrugh was also a keen supporter of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), of which her brother was the principal, and the Academy’s theatre was later named the Vanbrugh Theatre in honor of her and her sister, Violet, who was also an actress.

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Jimi Hendrix Photographed by Rob Bosboom in London, 1967

The images feature a 25-year-old Jimi Hendrix early in his solo career in London, shortly after his arrival in England the previous September. The photos were taken by Rob Bosboom in January 1967. The session took place at 34 Montagu Square in London. This was the flat rented by Ringo Starr of The Beatles, and it was a significant hub for London’s music scene in the 1960s.

Bosboom was a prominent Dutch music photographer in the 1960s, primarily working for magazines like the Dutch Muziek Express. He developed an especially good relationship with Jimi Hendrix. These images offer a glimpse into Hendrix’s time in London as he launched his solo career with The Jimi Hendrix Experience, before gaining massive fame back in the US at the Monterey Pop Festival later that same year.

Vintage Photos Capture Street Scenes of Seattle in the 1970s

The streets of Seattle in the 1970s presented a gritty, transitional urban landscape, a distinct departure from the gleaming tech hub of today. Downtown, areas around First Avenue and Pike Place Market buzzed with a diverse mix of long-haired counter-culture youths, sailors from the nearby port, and working-class locals.

Fashion was a collision of styles: bell-bottom jeans, tie-dye shirts, and military surplus jackets were commonplace sights, often worn under the perpetual gray skies. The air carried the smells of fresh fish and strong coffee mixed with exhaust fumes from classic American cars: Chevys, Fords, and Volkswagens that dominated traffic, as the city had not yet fully embraced modern public transit.

The 1970s vibe was defined by an earthy, slightly rough-around-the-edges authenticity, as Seattle navigated a period of economic fluctuation and cultural change. These vintage photos, from duckswim2, capture street scenes of Seattle in March 1977.

View from bus to downtown, the Hat 'n' Boots Texaco Gas Station, Seattle, Washington, 1977

Hat 'n' Boots, Seattle, Washington, 1977

View from downtown to Space Needle, Seattle, Washington, 1977

Pioneer Building, Downtown Seattle, Washington, 1977

A building at night, Seattle, Washington, 1977

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42 Publicity Photos of Bruce Lee as Kato on the Set of “The Green Hornet”

Bruce Lee’s portrayal of Kato in the 1966-1967 television series The Green Hornet was a pivotal moment in his career and for martial arts in American media. The film was Lee’s first major adult role in the United States and introduced his unique martial arts style to a mainstream American audience. While the show starred Van Williams as the Green Hornet (Britt Reid), Lee’s energetic and groundbreaking performance as Kato, the Green Hornet's valet, masked driver, and crime-fighting partner, often stole the spotlight. The show was so popular in Hong Kong that it was known as The Kato Show.

Lee refused to follow the standard American fisticuff fight choreography. He insisted on using his authentic martial arts skills, which was a key factor in the character’s popularity and the show’s distinction. He effectively brought high-tech martial arts to American television. His speed was so legendary that the show’s film crew had trouble capturing his movements at a normal frame rate. Bruce Lee was reportedly asked to slow down his punches for the cameras because, at regular speed, his movements appeared as a blur.

On one occasion, during a planned crossover episode with the Batman TV series, Lee refused to participate in a fight scene that depicted Asian-style martial arts being defeated. He walked off the set in protest, as the original script had the Green Hornet and Kato being beaten by Batman and Robin. He reportedly insisted that his character would not be defeated.

His time as Kato is credited with helping to popularize martial arts in the United States in the 1960s, paving the way for his later feature films like Enter the Dragon. The success and attention he gained from The Green Hornet ultimately led to his starring roles in Hong Kong feature films, which cemented his status as a global pop culture icon.

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30 Beautiful Portraits of Romanian Wedding Couples in the 1920s and ’30s

The 1920s and ’30s marked a fascinating period of transition for Romanian wedding couples, as the burgeoning modernization and increasing influence of Western European fashion began to merge with deep-rooted traditions.

While couples in rural areas largely maintained the full, elaborate costume popular, often worn for several days of celebration, those in cities like Bucharest or Cluj started to adopt more contemporary styles. The bride’s attire, in particular, saw the most significant change: instead of catrință, many urban brides opted for a white, Western-style wedding dress, sometimes featuring the drop-waist or bias-cut silhouettes popular in those decades, often paired with a long veil.

Despite this shift, traditional elements were frequently preserved or integrated; an urban bride might wear a simpler gown but still carry a traditional embroidered sash or adhere to the ceremonial legarea miresei (the ritual of tying the scarf). The groom increasingly traded his wool vest for a three-piece suit or tuxedo, reflecting the new social elegance.

This era thus represented a beautiful cultural compromise, where couples navigated the pressures of modernity while remaining respectful of the vibrant folk heritage of Romania. These beautiful photos capture portraits of Romanian wedding couples from the 1920s and ’30s.

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