30 Photos of a Young Nathalie Delon in the 1960s

Nathalie Delon (born Francine Canovas, August 1, 1941 – January 21, 2021) was a striking French model and emerging actress in the 1960s, widely regarded as one of the most beautiful women of the era. She became especially prominent through her high-profile, glamorous (and turbulent) marriage to actor Alain Delon.

Born in Oujda, Morocco (then a French protectorate), to a family of Spanish origin, she had a difficult childhood. She married young (around 1957–1959) to Guy Barthélémy, had a daughter also named Nathalie, and the marriage ended in divorce (finalized around 1964), with custody of the child going to her ex-husband. She moved to Paris around 1961–1962, working as a model (and briefly aspiring toward photojournalism). She was photographed for major magazines such as Vogue by leading photographers and was known for her green eyes, elegant features, and poised beauty.

In August 1962, at age 21, she met rising star Alain Delon (then engaged to Romy Schneider) at the New Jimmy’s nightclub in Paris. Accounts of the first encounter vary but often describe it as abrupt or unromantic (one version has him sitting on her handbag and reacting rudely). They began a secret affair. By 1963 she accompanied him on the set of La Tulipe noire. They became engaged in spring 1964 and married secretly on August 13, 1964 in Loir-et-Cher (small ceremony with few witnesses, bans waived for privacy). The next day they sailed on the SS France for a honeymoon in the U.S. Their son, Anthony Delon, was born on September 30, 1964 in Los Angeles. The couple was one of the most glamorous and media-followed pairs of the decade; they were often noted for their physical resemblance.

They lived for a time in Hollywood (Alain had an MGM contract that was soon cancelled) before returning to France. The relationship was passionate but stormy, marked by strong temperaments on both sides.

She transitioned into acting in 1967 with her film debut as Jane Lagrange opposite her husband in Jean-Pierre Melville’s classic neo-noir Le Samouraï. The film was a major success and remains her best-known role; their on-screen chemistry was noted even as personal tensions reportedly ran high during production. She continued with roles such as La Leçon particulière (The Private Lesson, 1968), which boosted her popularity (especially in Japan), and a small/uncredited part in Melville’s L’Armée des ombres (Army of Shadows, 1969).

The marriage deteriorated. They separated around June 1968 and divorced on February 14, 1969. Contributing factors included mutual volatility, Alain’s infidelities, differing views, and the broader high-pressure celebrity environment. She later described herself as somewhat naïve at the time and noted the intensity of their shared temperament.

The 1960s transformed Nathalie Delon from a young woman leaving a brief early marriage and modeling in Paris into a celebrated beauty, wife of one of France’s biggest stars, mother of Anthony, and screen actress launched by one of the decade’s defining crime films. She remained linked to Alain through their son even after the divorce and later pursued further acting, directing, and writing.

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The Amazing Story of Juana Maria, a Native Californian Woman Who Was the Last Surviving Member of Her Tribe, the Nicoleño

Juana Maria, better known as the “Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island,” was a Native American woman of the Nicoleño people whose real name is unknown. She lived alone (or nearly alone) on San Nicolas Island, the most remote of California’s Channel Islands, about 60 miles (97 km) off the southern California coast for 18 years, from 1835 until 1853. Her story inspired Scott O’Dell’s 1960 Newbery Medal-winning children’s novel Island of the Blue Dolphins (in which she is fictionalized as the character Karana).

A photograph of a Native American woman, believed to be Juana Maria. This photograph was found alongside a picture of Maria Sinforosa Ramona Sanchez, wife of George Nidever, with whom Maria had lived at the Santa Barbara Mission.

The Nicoleño (closely related to the Tongva) had lived on San Nicolas for thousands of years. In 1811–1814, a party of Native Alaskan (primarily Alutiiq/Kodiak) sea otter hunters working for the Russian-American Company massacred many of the island’s men after conflict, severely reducing the population. By the early 1830s only a small number of Nicoleños remained.

In late 1835 the schooner Peor es Nada (“Better Than Nothing” or “Nothing Is Worse”), under Charles Hubbard, was sent to remove the remaining islanders to the mainland. Most boarded, but Juana Maria did not. Traditional accounts say a sudden storm forced the ship to leave urgently; a more romantic later version (appearing decades afterward) claims she jumped overboard after realizing a child (sometimes described as an infant or younger brother) had been left behind. Modern research, drawing on Native Californian testimony recorded by ethnologist John Peabody Harrington, indicates she may have voluntarily stayed because her son refused to board, and that the two lived together on the island until the son, by then an adult, was killed by a shark or orca.

She survived for 18 years through remarkable resourcefulness. She built a hut partly of whale bones and brush (and may have used a nearby cave), wore a skirt or dress of greenish cormorant feathers sewn with sinew, and lived primarily on seal fat/blubber, shellfish, fish, and birds. She made tools (including hooks from shells and a knife from an iron hoop), baskets, and other items. Hunters occasionally reported signs of her presence but failed to locate her for years.

Santa Barbara Mission priest José González Rubio funded searches. Fur trapper-captain George Nidever made multiple trips. On his third attempt in autumn 1853, crew member Carl Dittman found footprints and drying seal blubber. They located her in her whale-bone hut. Accounts describe her as about 50 years old, of medium height and sturdy build, strong and active, with a pleasant, smiling face and worn but complete teeth. She was friendly, offered food, showed no fear, and willingly returned with them to Santa Barbara after about a month.

She stayed with the Nidever family. She was fascinated by horses, European clothing, and foods, and reportedly enjoyed singing and dancing for visitors. Communication was extremely limited, local Chumash and even Tongva speakers could not fully understand her Nicoleño language (a Uto-Aztecan tongue; a few words and songs were later recorded, including one known as the “Toki Toki” song). She was nicknamed things like “the wild woman” or “Better Than Nothing.”

Just seven weeks after arrival she died of dysentery (October 19, 1853), possibly worsened by sudden exposure to richer mainland foods such as green corn, vegetables, and fruit, or by disease to which she had little immunity. On her deathbed she was conditionally baptized by Father Francisco Sánchez and given the name Juana Maria. She was buried in an unmarked grave in the Nidever family plot at Mission Santa Barbara cemetery. A commemorative plaque was later placed there. Most of her artifacts (including clothing and a water basket) were lost in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire.

Her story became a California legend, amplified by 19th-century newspaper accounts that portrayed her in romanticized “Robinson Crusoe” or “last of her race” terms. Archaeological work has located her hut site and a possible cave, plus artifact caches. Recent scholarship has revised older narratives: she was not necessarily the absolute last Nicoleño, the removal was more complex than a simple missionary rescue after the massacre, she could communicate to some degree with certain Native people, and she exercised agency in remaining on the island with her son rather than being purely abandoned. The Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians has asserted cultural affiliation, leading to pauses in some archaeological work.

A historically informed portrait of her (based on contemporary descriptions) was unveiled by the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, and a statue stands in Santa Barbara. Her life remains a powerful story of Indigenous resilience, isolation, and the devastating impacts of colonization, disease, and cultural disruption on California’s Native peoples.

Statue of Juana Maria and child in Santa Barbara, California, at the intersection of State Street & Victoria Street.

40 Stunning Portraits of Lya Mara, One of the Biggest Stars of the German Silent Cinema

Lya Mara (born Aleksandra Gudowicz; August 1, 1897 – March 1, 1960) was a Polish actress. In the 1920s, Mara was one of the biggest and most celebrated stars of German silent cinema. Managing her career alongside her husband, director and producer Frederic Zelnik, she came to define the era’s lighthearted and glamorous cinematic style.

In 1920, her husband renamed his production company Zelnik-Mara-Film GmbH, solidifying her as both a primary screen lead and a household brand name. Her face was everywhere, distributed on hundreds of collectible postcards, chocolate boxes, and cigarette cards across Europe. She was so prominent that her life and stardom inspired a 100-episode biographical novel titled Lya. Der Herzensroman einer Kinokönigin (Lya, The Heart Novel of a Cinema Queen) between 1927 and 1928.

Mara transitioned from playing dramatic literary characters, like her 1920 portrayal of Anna Karenina, into lighter, musical-themed comedies where she came to embody the ideal “Viennese Girl.” She starred in major commercial hits of the decade, including The Bohemian Dancer (1926), The Beautiful Blue Danube (1926), and Dancing Vienna (1927). Mara and her husband became real celebrities and received at their home many known artists.

Near the close of the decade, a severe automobile accident temporarily halted her career and triggered an outpouring of sympathy from her massive fan base. As the 1920s transitioned into the 1930s, she struggled to adapt her physical, dance-rooted acting style to the new demands of “talkies.” After making just one sound film in 1931, she permanently retired from the screen and later fled to London when the Nazi regime took power.

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Fascinating Vintage Photos Capturing the Balkans in the Early 1900s

Taken by a Prussian revenue official stationed in Sofia around 1900–1918, these fascinating vintage photographs (via Wolfgang Wiggers) offer a rare and vivid glimpse into life across the Balkans in 1903. From bustling marketplaces and traditional villages to portraits of local people in regional costumes, the images capture a region rich in cultural diversity and historical change.

Photographed during a period of political tension and social transformation, they preserve the architecture, daily routines, and unique traditions of countries such as Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, and the Ottoman territories, a valuable visual record of a complex and fascinating part of Europe over a century ago.

A grocery in the Balkans, circa 1903

A room for lodging wanderers in the Rila Monastery, Bulgaria, 1903

Bachkovo Monastery, Bulgaria, 1903

Costumes, probably Albania, circa 1903

Costumes, probably Albania, circa 1903

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Luana Patten: From Child Star to 1950s–60s Leading Lady

After a successful career as a Disney child star in the 1940s, Luana Patten returned to the screen in the mid-1950s as a graceful young leading lady. She appeared in films such as Johnny Tremain (1957) and Follow Me, Boys! (1966), while also taking on numerous roles in popular television westerns and dramas of the era.

With her natural beauty, soft features, and understated charm, Patten embodied the wholesome yet sophisticated image of young American actresses during the 1950s and ’60s. Though her later career was quieter, she remained a familiar and appealing presence on both film and television screens.

These vintage photos capture the elegant transition of Luana Patten from child star to a refined and graceful leading lady of the 1950s and ’60s.

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Rare Behind the Scenes Photographs From the Making of Queen’s “I Want To Break Free” (1984)

These photographs come from the private archive of Peter Hince, taken during the filming of Queen’s I Want To Break Free music video in 1984 at Limehouse Studios in London’s Docklands and a second studio in Battersea.

As Peter Hince recalled:

“The video for I Want To Break Free was done over two days, a brave tongue-in-cheek move by the band, well received... except in America, where it marked the beginning of the end for their popularity. The second day was the dressing-up in drag day. Fred revelled in it, and the others got into the spirit surprisingly well. John was happy as a grumpy old grandmother but refused currants and sultanas for warts. Brian, though convincing, was unlikely to change careers, and Roger was just a bit too convincing as he shaved his legs for his schoolgirl role. The atmosphere was very good and everyone appreciated that rock stars could make fun of themselves.

“The following morning, I flew to Japan with John, Roger and his assistant Crystal for a three-week promotional tour of the Far East, Australia and Los Angeles for The Works. The other single from The Works was ‘It’s a Hard Life,’ a grand pompous affair the band hated, done at Arri studios in Munich. Fred’s deep-pink, shiny outfit made him look like an overcooked tandoori king prawn.”

The images offer a rare behind the scenes look at that moment, not just the performance, but the atmosphere around it.

Peter Hince began his career in the music business in 1973 as an eighteen-year-old roadie working with David Bowie. Later that year, while touring with Mott the Hoople, he first encountered the then-unknown band Queen, who were supporting the group on their UK tour. During this period, Hince also worked on tours for artists including Lou Reed, Mick Ronson, Supertramp and Roxy Music, among others prominent in the 1970s music scene.

In the summer of 1975, as Queen recorded A Night at the Opera, Hince joined the band full-time. He served primarily as roadie to Freddie Mercury and bassist John Deacon, later becoming head of the band’s road crew. During his more than a decade with Queen, Hince developed a passion for photography. Trusted by the band, he was frequently able to capture set-up and candid moments in the studio, during rehearsals, on video shoots and behind the scenes on tour. Many of these photographs were subsequently used internationally on album sleeves, single covers, posters and other promotional material.

Following Queen’s final tour in 1986, Hince left the music industry and turned his long-standing hobby into a successful career as a photographer. He went on to win awards for his advertising work as well as for his distinctive black-and-white underwater photography. Throughout this period he remained close to Queen, particularly Freddie Mercury, photographing Mercury’s solo projects and attending many of his private events and gatherings.

Based in London and Munich, Peter Hince continues to write, manage his photographic archive, and appear as a corporate and guest speaker on Queen and the music business of the 1970s and 1980s.

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38 Fabulous Photos of Geraldine Chaplin in the 1970s

Geraldine Leigh Chaplin (born July 31, 1944) is an actress, whose extensive career has included multilingual roles in English, Spanish, French, Italian, and German films. Born in the United States and raised in the United Kingdom and Switzerland, she holds American, British, and Spanish citizenship. She is the daughter of Charlie Chaplin, the first of his eight children with his fourth wife, Oona O'Neill, and thus a granddaughter of playwright Eugene O'Neill.

During the 1970s, Chaplin solidified her reputation as a powerhouse of international arthouse cinema and Hollywood New Wave filmmaking. Moving away from the mainstream fame of her breakout role in Doctor Zhivago (1965), she spent the decade collaborating with legendary auteur directors across Europe and the United States.

Chaplin’s most significant artistic partnership of the decade was with Spanish director Carlos Saura, who was also her life partner at the time. Together, they made several highly acclaimed, politically charged films that critiqued the psychological landscape of Spain during the end of Francisco Franco’s dictatorship.

She played a foreign governess who exposes the deep hypocrisies and repressions of a wealthy Spanish family in Ana and the Wolves (1973). In Saura’s universally praised masterpiece Cría Cuervos (1976), she pulled double duty, portraying both the adult version of the protagonist and her deceased mother. Elisa, vida mía (1977) and Mama Turns 100 (1979) cemented her status as an icon of Spanish cinema, earning her immense critical respect in Europe.

In the mid-to-late 1970s, Chaplin made a triumphant splash back in American cinema by becoming a core member of director Robert Altman’s creative circle. She played Opal, a hilariously chatty and intrusive BBC reporter, in Nashville (1975). Her performance earned her a second Golden Globe nomination. She teamed up with Altman again, playing the historical figure Annie Oakley in Buffalo Bill and the Indians (1976). She continued her streak in Altman’s sprawling ensemble comedies as a meticulous wedding planner in A Wedding (1978).

Chaplin also served as a frequent muse for Altman’s protégé, Alan Rudolph, and jumped into commercial European blockbusters. Her nuanced performance in Welcome to L.A. (1976) earned her a prestigious BAFTA Award nomination. She starred as a vengeful ex-convict in the tense psychological thriller Remember My Name (1978). In high-adventure mainstream cinema, she brought regal elegance to the role of Queen Anne of Austria in Richard Lester’s hits The Three Musketeers (1973) and The Four Musketeers (1974).

By fluent mastery of English, French, and Spanish, Geraldine Chaplin spent the 1970s proving she was far more than Charlie Chaplin’s daughter, carving out a distinct identity as one of the most versatile and courageous international actresses of the decade.

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