40 Amazing Black and White Photos of Little Richard in the 1960s

Richard Wayne Penniman (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020), better known by his stage name Little Richard, was an American singer-songwriter and pianist. He was an influential figure in popular music and culture for seven decades. Referred to as the “Architect of Rock and Roll,” Richard’s most celebrated work dates from the mid-1950s, when his charismatic showmanship and dynamic music, characterized by frenetic piano playing, pounding backbeat and powerful raspy vocals, laid the foundation for rock and roll.

Richard had abruptly abandoned his rock and roll career at its peak in 1958, viewing the music as “the Devil’s work,” and dedicated himself to a religious life. He formed the Little Richard Evangelistic Team and preached sermons as a traveling evangelical preacher. He recorded and released several gospel albums, including Sings Spirituals and Sings the Gospel, for various labels.

His return to the secular music scene was spurred by an offer to tour the UK in 1962, initially under the assumption he would perform only gospel. However, he soon resumed performing his classic rock and roll hits. His European tours, particularly in 1962 and 1964, were highly successful and influential.

During these tours, then-unknown British bands opened for him. The Beatles opened for him in Hamburg in 1962, and he provided them with musical advice. He also toured with the Rolling Stones on their first major tour, providing them with support and even loans. His touring bands during this time featured future legends such as Jimi Hendrix on guitar and Billy Preston on organ.

The success of British bands like The Beatles and Creedence Clearwater Revival, who frequently covered his songs like “Long Tall Sally,” generated renewed interest in Little Richard’s original sound and prompted his official return to the recording studio for pop music.

Although a 1964 comeback single, “Bama Lama Bama Loo,” didn’t achieve the chart success of his 1950s hits, he continued to tour and release new material throughout the decade. He also started appearing in films and television, maintaining his reputation as a flamboyant and revolutionary figure in music and culture.

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Beautiful Portraits of Gaby André in the 1940s and ’50s

Gaby André (1920–1972) was a French film actress who had an extensive career spanning from the late 1930s through the 1970s. Born Gabrielle Louise Mathilde Andreu, she began her career in France, appearing in several films before World War II. After the war, she frequently worked in international co-productions and Italian cinema, showcasing her versatility across different genres.

André is perhaps best known for her roles in the American film noir Highway 301 (1950) and various European productions, including the Italian historical drama Verdi, the King of Melody (1953) and the horror/sci-fi film The Strange World of Planet X (1958). Her daughter, Carole André, also became an actress, following in her mother’s cinematic footsteps.

Take a look at these beautiful photos to see portraits of a young Gaby André in the 1940s and 1950s.

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Einar Nerman: The Elegant Swedish Illustrator

Einar Nerman (1888–1983) was a highly acclaimed Swedish artist and illustrator known for his elegant, distinctive Art Deco style and his witty, stylized portrayals of people. Having studied art in Paris, his career spanned several creative fields, including painting, set design, and composing, but he achieved his greatest fame through his commercial work and illustrations.

Nerman’s unique style was characterized by fluid lines, simplified forms, and a sophisticated, almost theatrical air, making him highly sought after internationally. He created famous illustrations for publications like Vogue and illustrated numerous books, including classics by Selma Lagerlöf. Perhaps his most iconic work, however, was his long-running series of charming silhouette-like illustrations for the British tea company, Lyons, which cemented his legacy as a master of visual elegance and commercial artistry in the mid-20th century.

Anders De Wahl, Karin Molander, Pierrots Drama, 1918

En Gyllene Medelväg, 1919

Turné Ivan Hedqvist, Från Kungliga Dramatiska Teatern, Dunungen av Selma Lagerlöf, 1919

En sjömansdrill, 1920

Naima Wifstrand, Karl-Gerhard, Nalle Halldén, circa 1920s

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24 Amazing Photos of a Young Jeff Bridges on the Set of “Bad Company” (1972)

In the 1972 film Bad Company, Jeff Bridges stars as Jake Rumsey, a “scruffy scoundrel” and charismatic leader of a gang of young Civil War draft dodgers and runaways. He is a con man who robs the film’s main character, Drew Dixon (played by Barry Brown), before they ultimately join forces and head west.

The film is built on the chemistry and contrasting personalities of the two leads: the cultured, good-hearted Drew and the primitive, street-smart Jake. Drew’s Methodist upbringing is challenged as he’s forced to do things he once considered unthinkable in order to survive.

Critics noted Bridges’ seemingly effortless performance, highlighting his ability to convey a mix of cunning, youthful inexperience, fear, and confidence, often with subtle facial expressions. One memorable, tough-to-watch scene involved his character attempting to skin a rabbit he had no idea how to properly prepare, displaying a powerful exercise in mime and revealing his feigned experience. 

Bad Company was the directorial debut of Robert Benton, who co-wrote the screenplay with David Newman (the pair also co-wrote Bonnie and Clyde). The film is considered an “acid western” or revisionist western, offering a bleak and realistic take on the frontier, devoid of traditional Hollywood romanticism. Its themes of draft dodging and the absurdity of war resonated with audiences during the Vietnam War era.

Bridges’ character, Jake, was an early display of the “coltish version of the excellent actor” he would become. He was approximately 22 years old when the film was released, having already earned an Oscar nomination the year prior for The Last Picture Show.

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Raffaella Carrà: The Italian Pop Icon

Raffaella Carrà (1943–2021) was an Italian singer, dancer, actress, and television presenter, widely regarded as the “Queen of Italian Television” and a pop culture icon across Europe and Latin America. Famous for her trademark blonde bob, vibrant energy, and audacious sequined costumes, she was a true pioneer, becoming the first TV personality to deliberately show her belly button on camera, creating a national sensation in 1970 with her provocative dance, the “Tuca Tuca.”

Carrà charted internationally with infectious disco-pop hits like “A far l'amore comincia tu” (known as “Do It, Do It Again”) and “Tanti auguri” (“Happy Birthday to You”), often singing in Spanish, English, and French. Beyond entertainment, she became a powerful figure for feminism and LGBT rights, using her massive platform to promote sexual freedom and liberation in the conservative landscape of 1970s and ’80s media.

Take a look at these vintage photos to see the beauty of a young Raffaella Carrà.

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Ursula Andress, the First Bond Girl, and SEAT 133, 1974

Ursula Andress, the Swiss actress best known for her breakthrough role as the first “Bond girl” in Dr. No (1962), became a brand ambassador for the SEAT 133 when it launched in 1974.

Andress, who was living on the island of Ibiza at the time, was enlisted by SEAT to help promote the new car. She purchased the very first model to go on sale and was often seen driving it around the island. Her involvement was an early example of blending film star culture with automotive branding in Spain.

The SEAT 133 was a rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive small car designed to replace older models like the SEAT 600 and SEAT 850 in the Spanish market. It shared styling cues with the Fiat 126 and was launched at a lower price point than the popular SEAT 127. While it was positively reviewed at the time for its comfort and accommodation compared to some competitors, it ultimately did not achieve the same widespread commercial success as the 126.

The Story of Joe Arridy, the Happiest Prisoner on Death Row

The story of Joe Arridy is a tragic case of a man with severe intellectual disabilities who was wrongfully convicted and executed in Colorado in 1939 for a crime he did not commit. Known as the “happiest prisoner on death row,” Arridy’s case became a symbol of the justice system’s failures and the vulnerability of people with mental disabilities.

Joe Arridy was born on April 15, 1915, in Pueblo, Colorado, to Syrian immigrant parents. From early childhood he showed clear signs of an intellectual disability. His IQ was later measured at 46, and doctors described him as having the mental age of a 6-year-old. He struggled in school, often bullied and misunderstood, and eventually spent years in the Colorado State Home and Training School for the “feeble-minded.”

In August 1936, 15-year-old Dorothy Drain was murdered and her 12-year-old sister Barbara was brutally assaulted in their home in Pueblo, Colorado.

Arridy was arrested for vagrancy in Cheyenne, Wyoming, days after the crime. Under intense, unrecorded police interrogation, the local sheriff, George Carroll, extracted a false and inconsistent confession from the highly suggestible Arridy. This confession was the primary evidence used against him, despite a lack of physical evidence.

Another man, Frank Aguilar, who had worked for the Drain family, was arrested separately and confessed to the crime, and the actual murder weapon was found at his home. The surviving victim, Barbara, identified Aguilar as her lone attacker. Aguilar was convicted and executed two years before Arridy.

In prison, Joe played with toy trains, smiled constantly, and didn’t comprehend that he was going to die. Despite the efforts of his lawyer, Gail Ireland, and even the prison warden, Roy Best, to commute his sentence, Arridy was executed by gas chamber on January 6, 1939, at the age of 23. He was reportedly smiling and calm on the way to the gas chamber, asking to save his final meal of ice cream for later, because he did not understand he was about to die.

For decades, advocates worked to clear Arridy’s name. In 2007, a new headstone was commissioned for his grave, which reads: “Here lies an innocent man.”

On January 7, 2011, 72 years after his execution, Colorado Governor Bill Ritter granted Joe Arridy a full and unconditional posthumous pardon, acknowledging the strong evidence of his innocence and the injustice of his conviction. The case is cited as a powerful reminder of the dangers of coerced confessions and the critical need to protect vulnerable individuals within the justice system.

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