Sarah Bernhardt in the Famous Coffin in Which She Sometimes Studied Roles and Occasionally Slept or Rested Inside It

Sarah Bernhardt (1844–1923), widely considered one of the greatest French stage actresses of the 19th and early 20th centuries, was famous for her eccentric personal life and dramatic flair. She famously kept a custom, satin-lined rosewood coffin in her bedroom during the late 19th century, using it to sleep, study her theatrical roles, and pose for dramatic promotional photographs.

This eccentric habit was both a profound personal obsession with mortality and a brilliant, pioneering masterclass in public relations. According to historical accounts, Bernhardt initially purchased the coffin in her youth after a doctor predicted she would die young from tuberculosis. Rather than giving in to fear, she decided to own her mortality. She frequently traveled with the coffin, slept in it to experience what death might feel like, and used the quiet, enclosed space to completely immerse herself in the minds of the tragic characters she portrayed on stage.

Realizing the public’s intense curiosity, she famously allowed photographer Achille Mélandri to capture images of her lying peacefully inside it with her eyes closed, draped in white shroud-like clothing. She sold these photographs as postcards, successfully generating international mystique and securing her legacy as one of the world’s first true global celebrities.

40 of the Best Portraits of Hedy Lamarr From the 1940s

Hedy Lamarr (born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler; November 9, 1914 – January 19, 2000) was an Austrian and American actress and inventor. During the 1940s, she achieved the peak of her Hollywood fame as a glamour icon while simultaneously co-inventing pioneering technology that laid the groundwork for modern wireless communications like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS. Managed by MGM and heavily promoted as the “World’s Most Beautiful Woman,” she lived a remarkable double life as a box-office star by day and an avid inventor by night.

Lamarr starred in a string of major commercial hits throughout the decade, including Boom Town (1940), Ziegfeld Girl (1941), and White Cargo (1942). She capped off the decade starring as Delilah in Cecil B. DeMille’s lavish biblical epic Samson and Delilah (1949). The film became a massive commercial phenomenon and the highest-grossing movie of 1950. Despite her intelligence, Hollywood studio executives heavily pigeonholed her into exotic, seductive roles, prioritizing her physical aesthetic over her technical acumen.

Disturbed by the ongoing threat of German submarines during World War II, Lamarr sought to aid the Allied forces by developing an un-jammable radio guidance system for torpedoes. Alongside avant-garde composer George Antheil, she co-invented a “Secret Communication System” in 1941. Inspired by synchronized player piano rolls, the mechanism rapidly switched radio signals across 88 different frequencies so enemy forces could not intercept them.

The duo was granted U.S. Patent 2,292,387 in August 1942. However, the U.S. Navy dismissed the invention at the time, shelving the paperwork and advising Lamarr that she could better serve the war effort by using her celebrity status to sell war bonds—which she did, raising millions of dollars. Though her patent expired before she could profit from it, the U.S. military eventually adopted the principles of spread-spectrum technology during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Decades later, her self-taught genius was fully realized, securing her a posthumous induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

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20 Amazing Vintage Photos of 1920s Berlin Carnival Costumes

These amazing vintage photos capture the colorful and creative carnival costumes of Berlin in the 1920s. During the Weimar Republic, Berlin’s carnival celebrations were known for their bold fashion, playful spirit, and artistic expression.

The images show men and women dressed in elaborate, humorous, and sometimes extravagant outfits: from historical and exotic costumes to inventive modern designs. These photos offer a lively glimpse into the city’s vibrant social life and the free-spirited atmosphere of the era.

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50 Fascinating Vintage Photos of Everyday Life in New South Wales From the Early 1900s

These fascinating vintage photos offer a vivid glimpse into everyday life in New South Wales in the early 1900s. The images capture busy city streets, quiet country towns, markets, workplaces, and ordinary people going about their daily routines.

From horse-drawn carriages and early automobiles to shopfronts, schoolchildren, and families, the photos reveal a society in transition at the beginning of the twentieth century. They form a rich visual record of daily life in Australia more than a century ago.

'A Near Thing' at Tocumal, New South Wales, circa early 1900s

A jetty on the Clarence River, New South Wales, circa early 1900s

Annual Agricultural Show at Taree, New South Wales, circa early 1900s

Argyle Cut, The Rocks, Sydney, New South Wales, circa early 1900s

Arncliffe Railway Station, Sydney, New South Wales, circa early 1900s

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Amazing Photographs of a Young Alain Delon on the Set of “Purple Noon” (1960)

On the set of the 1960 psychological thriller Purple Noon (Plein Soleil), Alain Delon was a captivating, magnetic presence who used his sharp intuition to secure his breakthrough, international star-making role. At just 24 years old, Delon's time on location along the sun-drenched Italian coast defined 1960s European screen cool and completely reshaped his career.

Delon was originally cast to play the wealthy playboy, Philippe Greenleaf. However, after reading the script, he felt a deep connection to the complex, dark nature of the con artist Tom Ripley. He successfully convinced director René Clément to switch his role, a bold move for a young actor that ultimately established his career playing morally ambiguous antiheroes.

The production operated under tight budget constraints, which forced the crew to film in raw, active settings. For the iconic marketplace scene, the crew could not afford to shut down the actual market square. Delon had to stroll through the live open-air market in a single take, organically interacting with real vendors who were visibly confused by the cameras.

On set, Delon epitomized the casual elegance of the era, frequently photographed in summer-weight tailoring or white shirts left carelessly open. His effortless style, balancing raw, rebellious confidence with crisp, minimalist tailoring, cemented his status as a global fashion and cinematic icon.

Crew and critics alike noted the striking contrast between Delon’s pristine, angelic physical beauty and the chilling, cold-blooded calculating nature he brought to his performance. He executed the film’s dark themes with a predatory ease that fascinated the filmmakers.

The atmosphere on the Italian set was filled with European cinematic royalty. Delon starred alongside Maurice Ronet and Marie Laforêt, while his then-partner, international superstar Romy Schneider, even made a brief cameo appearance in the film.

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Bonnie Raitt Photographed by David Gahr in New York, 1972

In July 1972, photographer David Gahr captured a series of intimate, candid portraits of singer-songwriter and guitarist Bonnie Raitt in Greenwich Village, New York City. At the time, a 22-year-old Raitt was establishing herself as a formidable force in the blues and folk scene, having released her critically acclaimed self-titled debut album the previous year and gearing up for her sophomore release, Give It Up.

Having taught herself to play slide guitar at age 14 using a glass bottleneck, she became one of the few women known for the technique, often playing her trademark 1965 Fender Stratocaster. Her sound uniquely blended elements of traditional Delta blues, folk, country, and rock. Rather than chasing pop hits, she deliberately used her platform to record tracks by lesser-known songwriter friends like Chris Smither, Eric Kaz, and Joel Zoss.

Her self-titled debut album Bonnie Raitt (1971) was recorded in a remodeled garage in Minnesota and warmly embraced by music critics for its raw, organic musicianship. Recorded in Woodstock, New York, Give It Up (1972) refined her signature blend of blues and folk and remains widely regarded as an early-career masterpiece. These album Takin' My Time (1973) and Streetlights (1974) saw her continuing to collaborate with session musicians and exploring more diverse production styles.

Throughout the 1970s, Raitt prioritized live performances, touring, and artistic authenticity over commercial pop stardom. She used her growing platform to support legacy blues musicians, often bringing older artists on tour with her, and was actively involved in social and political causes, including environmental activism and anti-nuclear movements.

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Dale Evans: The Original Queen of the West

Dale Evans (1912–2001) was an American actress, singer, and songwriter who became known as the “Queen of the West.”

Born Frances Octavia Smith in Texas, Evans began her career in radio before moving into films in the 1940s. Paired with singing cowboy Roy Rogers, she quickly became his on-screen partner and later his wife. Together they starred in more than two dozen Western films and the popular television series The Roy Rogers Show.

Evans also wrote the enduring song “Happy Trails,” which became their signature theme. Beyond entertainment, she was a committed Christian author and speaker. With her warmth, talent, and lasting partnership with Rogers, Evans remains the original and most iconic Queen of the West. These classic photos capture the charm, spirit, and enduring appeal of Dale Evans, the original Queen of the West.

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