Portraits of Susan Sarandon as Janet Weiss in the 1975 Musical Comedy Horror Film “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”

In Jim Sharman’s cult musical comedy horror The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), Susan Sarandon stars as Janet Weiss, delivering a breakout performance that bridges classic suburban innocence with decadent, liberation-filled camp.

Janet starts the film as a naive, wholesome suburban fiancée alongside her partner, Brad Majors (Barry Bostwick). After their car gets a flat tire during a torrential rainstorm, they seek refuge in a nearby castle to use the telephone. Instead, they stumble into the bizarre, sexually liberated world of the alien mad scientist Dr. Frank-N-Furter (played by Tim Curry).

Over the course of one wild night, Janet undergoes a radical transformation. She loses her innocence after being seduced by Dr. Frank-N-Furter. She breaks away from her strict, conservative upbringing and embraces her own sexuality, culminating in her passionate encounter with Frank’s creation, Rocky. This sexual awakening is perfectly captured in her standout musical number, “Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me,” transforming her from a helpless damsel into a liberated cult icon.

Interestingly, Sarandon came into the audition almost by accident while visiting actor Tim Curry, a friend from previous theatrical circles in London. Director Jim Sharman asked her to read for Janet, and her comedic timing and singing ability landed her the role. The film was shot at Oakley Court in Berkshire, England, during a wet, freezing autumn with no indoor heating. Sarandon famously caught pneumonia during production due to filming scenes in wet clothing and lingerie.

Janet Weiss remains one of Sarandon’s most recognizable early roles, establishing her versatility as an actor before her dramatic breakthroughs in Atlantic City (1980), Thelma & Louise (1991), and Dead Man Walking (1995).

See more»

28 Rarely Seen Photos of Buster Keaton as a Kid From the 1900s

During the 1900s, Buster Keaton lived an extraordinary, highly unusual childhood as a major star in American vaudeville. Born Joseph Frank Keaton in 1895, he spent his entire youth touring the country. His unconventional early life laid the physical and artistic foundation for his later career as a silent film pioneer.

By 1900, at just five years old, Buster became a professional fixture in his parents’ traveling show, forming the wildly popular act “The Three Keatons.” The routine was a brutal, fast-paced “knockabout” comedy. His father, Joe Keaton, would violently throw young Buster around the stage, drop him down stairs, and even hurl him into the audience or through windows. To handle the physical impact safely, Buster had a hidden suitcase handle sewn into his costumes so his father could grip and fling him with precision.

Because the act looked incredibly dangerous, it regularly alarmed authorities and child welfare agents from the Gerry Society, who frequently investigated the family for child abuse. However, Buster was never injured. During these performances, he discovered that if he cried or smiled, the audience didn’t laugh. But if he took a massive fall and stared back with a completely blank, expressionless face, the crowd went wild. This gave birth to his legendary “Stone Face” deadpan persona.

Buster had almost no formal schooling. Instead, the theater circuit served as his classroom. He spent the 1900s learning magic and juggling from family friend Harry Houdini (who allegedly gave Buster his nickname after seeing the toddler survive a tumble down the stairs). He also learned to dance from the legendary Bill “Bojangles” Robinson. By the time he was 10 years old, critics openly singled out the young boy as the true "breadwinner" and star of the family act.

While his winters were spent on train cars and theater stages, Buster’s favorite part of the 1900s took place during the off-season. In 1908, his father built a summer cottage in an actors’ colony in Muskegon, Michigan. Buster later recalled these lakeside summers as the absolute best times of his life, filled with outdoor fun, fishing, and temporary relief from the grueling physical demands of the stage.

See more»

Beautiful Portraits of Shirley Patterson in the 1940s and 1950s

These beautiful portraits capture Canadian-born actress Shirley Patterson during the peak of her Hollywood career in the 1940s and 1950s.

Known for her roles in B-movies, westerns, and serials, including her memorable appearance as Linda Page in the 1943 Batman serial, Patterson brought a fresh, glamorous presence to the screen. Later billed as Shawn Smith, she also appeared in cult science-fiction films of the late 1950s.

The photos highlight her classic beauty, elegant style, and the polished studio glamour of the era. They offer a charming visual record of a lesser-known but distinctive face of mid-century Hollywood.

See more»

French ‘Ladies of the Night’ in 1920, Making a Rare Appearance in Daylight Hours

These vintage photographs offer a rare, intimate glimpse into the lives of French les dames de la nuit (the ladies of the night), captured as they step briefly into daylight on Rue Radeau in Marseille. Taken during a time when photography itself was still finding its form, the images hold a quiet poignancy. The women, clad in modest but unmistakably work-worn clothing, seem suspended between two worlds: the silence of the early morning and the shadows of the night they left behind. There is no artifice here, just an honest record of lives lived in the margins.

Marseille, with its bustling harbor and rich mix of cultures, has always been a city shaped by movement and survival. Rue Radeau, like many alleys of the old port quarter, bore witness to lives often overlooked—sailors coming and going, merchants shouting over crates, and women like these who made their living in the shadows. The photographs don’t glamorize their profession; rather, it restores a measure of humanity to them. These were not symbols or statistics, they were women navigating a difficult world with resilience and quiet strength.

Though their names are lost to time, their expressions endure, still speaking across the decades. There’s dignity in their posture, and a haunting grace in their presence. This fleeting moment in the light becomes a powerful testament to lives lived in the margins, unseen but no less worthy of remembrance. The photos invite us not only to look, but to recognize that history is shaped not just by those in palaces or parliaments, but by those who walked its backstreets with courage and untold stories.

Edward McKnight Kauffer: Master of Modern Poster Design

Edward McKnight Kauffer (1890–1954) was an American-born graphic designer and artist widely regarded as one of the most influential poster designers of the early 20th century.

After studying in the United States and Europe, Kauffer settled in London in 1914 and rose to prominence through his groundbreaking work for the London Underground. He created more than a hundred posters for the transport system, along with striking designs for Shell Oil and other major clients.

Drawing on Cubism, Futurism, and other modernist movements, Kauffer developed a bold, accessible visual language that brought avant-garde art into everyday commercial design. His innovative approach helped redefine advertising and established him as a key figure in the history of graphic design.

These striking designs showcase the bold modernism and lasting influence of Edward McKnight Kauffer, a true master of 20th-century poster art.

Oxhey Woods, London Underground, 1915

Godstone, 1916

Reigate, 1916

Surrey, 1916

Summer Sale at Derry & Toms, 1919

See more»

Incredible Photos From an Unknown Haunted House Party From the 1940s

Despite being captured by one of LIFE’s most prominent photojournalists, Alfred Eisenstaedt, these photographs were never published in the magazine. There is virtually no archival text, location data, or contextual identification accompanying the photo negatives.

Visually, the images strongly resemble a high-spirited college or youth party from the World War II era. Guests are seen dressed up in a variety of classic, mid-century Halloween attire, including classic sheet ghosts, early monster masks, and whimsical homemade costumes.

The photos reflect Eisenstaedt’s pioneering work with 35mm Leica miniature cameras and natural, available light. This allowed him to blend into the party seamlessly as a “friend rather than a photographer,” capturing incredibly raw, candid, and joyful interactions without the stiff posing typical of bulky 1940s press cameras.

Because Eisenstaedt traveled extensively across all 48 U.S. states on assignment for LIFE during the 1940s, historians have found it difficult to pinpoint exactly where this charming, ghostly gathering took place.

See more»

Some of the Last Known Photos of Amy Winehouse, the Night of the Last Time She Took the Stage on July 20, 2011

On July 20, 2011, Amy Winehouse made a surprise final public stage appearance supporting her 15-year-old goddaughter and mentee, Dionne Bromfield, during Bromfield’s set at the iTunes Festival at Camden’s Roundhouse in London.

Winehouse walked out unannounced while Bromfield was performing a cover of The Shirelles’ classic “Mama Said.” Amy said she did not want to sing. Instead, she danced behind Dionne and gave her support as Dionne sang. Known for her generous spirit, it was unsurprising to many that her last performance would be supporting someone else. She took photos backstage after the event with Dionne, the band “The Wanted,” and some fans.

Amy Winehouse passed away three days later, on July 23, 2011, at her nearby home. Dionne and others state she was not under the influence of alcohol during this event, highlighting the highs and lows that people struggling to withdrawal from alcohol go through. She was taking medication for withdrawal and actively trying to stop drinking completely at the time of her death, but she experienced relapses until her body could not longer tolerate it. Her history of bulimia is thought to have weakened her body severely. Contrary to the belief of many, her use of hard drugs was not the cause of her death, as she had successfully quit those several years prior.