Earthmen From the South of Africa, Exhibited in England, 1853

Flora and Martinus, a 14-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl from South Africa, were exhibited as ‘earthmen’ in private drawing rooms in 1853, in central London. As so-called ‘human curiosities’, the orphaned San children posed in traditional costume, danced, sang and mimed to entertain visitors...

Different to most other variety acts of the time, they performed entirely in English – having lived for two years with a British family in Croydon, south London before being put on stage, both had acquired a fluency in English, learnt to play the piano, and built up a repertoire of songs that included several English and North American classics.

They were brought to England circa 1851 by a trading merchant, who entrusted them to the care of a Mr George of Croydon. Their portraits were collected and arranged in an album of photographs by Prince Albert.

(Photos by Nicolaas Henneman/ Courtesy of Royal Collection Trust)

30 Gorgeous Photos of Joan Staley in the 1950s and ’60s

Born 1940 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, American actress and model Joan Staley joined The Little Theater in Hollywood with roles in The Robe, Fiona in Brigadoon, and My Sister Eileen with actress Jo Anne Worley. This led to small roles in live television, such as Playhouse 90, Climax!, and Westinghouse Studio One. These appearances opened the door for her in film and television.

Staley’s first role in television was a 1958 Perry Mason episode, “The Case of the Corresponding Corpse”. In early 1958, Lawrence Schiller, a Life photographer, approached Staley and asked her to pose for Playboy. They did a photo shoot together, which resulted in the actual spread used by the magazine. Publisher Hugh Hefner selected her to be Playboy’s “Miss November” 1958.

Staley was featured in multiple appearances on the popular sitcom The Tab Hunter Show, where she was widely recognized for her comedic abilities. In 1964, she appeared on McHale’s Navy and was signed to a Universal Studios contract for the McHale’s Navy spin-off Broadside, where she co-starred with Kathleen Nolan, Sheila James, and Dick Sargent. In 1966, she suffered a serious back injury as a result of a horseback riding accident during the filming of Gunpoint starring Audie Murphy. She stopped working in films after that and concentrated on television.

Staley was one of 12 actresses selected by the Hollywood Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Union as Deb Stars of 1962. She died in 2019 at the age of 79. Take a look at these gorgeous photos to see the beauty of young Joan Staley in the 1950s and 1960s.

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Fascinating Pictures of Traveling Circuses in Northern Ireland in 1910 and 1911

In the early years of the 20th century, a number of circuses toured Northern Ireland providing entertainment, tricks, and a lot of excitement for the crowds.

Though the dim lighting condition inside the circus’ tent prevented images from being made of the acts in progress, local photographer Herbert Cooper was able to take pictures of the clowns, acrobats, and animals outdoors, as they rehearsed their acts and mingled with the local people.

During this time, he documented various circus shows that arrived in Strabane, a town in Northern Ireland, the three main ones being Duffy’s Circus, Buff Bill’s American Circus, and Hanneford’s Canadian Circus.

His pictures capture scenes from the parade in Abercorn Square, Strabane, from a wall of death act (using a car), and of the animals of the circus, including lions and a sign for ‘bears that talk’.

Performers with Buff Bill’s Circus

Performers with Buff Bill’s Circus

The Dixie Girls of Buff Bill’s Circus

Lady on a horse, with a clown watching

Clown on a horse, with a lady watching

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Human Billboard, 1939

An unemployed Budapest bank clerk, sadly in need of funds, hit upon the idea of using his head for advertising purposes in 1939. Shaving the back of his head bare, he rented the space for ads.

30 Beautiful Photos of Ava Gardner During the Filming of ‘55 Days at Peking’ (1963)

55 Days at Peking is a 1963 American epic historical war film dramatizing the siege of the foreign legations’ compounds in Peking (now known as Beijing) during the Boxer Rebellion, which took place in China from 1899 to 1901. It was produced by Samuel Bronston for Allied Artists, with a screenplay by Philip Yordan and Bernard Gordon with uncredited contributions from Robert Hamer, Julian Halevy, and Ben Barzman. Noel Gerson wrote a screenplay novelization, under the pseudonym Samuel Edwards, in 1963.

The film was directed primarily by Nicholas Ray, although Guy Green and Andrew Marton took over in the latter stages of filming after Ray had fallen ill. Both men were uncredited. It stars Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner, and David Niven, with supporting roles by Flora Robson, John Ireland, Leo Genn, Robert Helpmann, Harry Andrews, and Kurt Kasznar. It also contains the first known screen appearance of future martial arts film star Yuen Siu Tien. Japanese film director Juzo Itami, credited in the film as “Ichizo Itami”, appears as Col. Goro Shiba.

55 Days at Peking was released by Allied Artists on May 29, 1963 and received mixed reviews, mainly for its historical inaccuracies and lack of character development. However, the film was praised for its acting, direction, music, action sequences, and production design. In addition to its mixed critical reviews, the film grossed only $10 million at the box office against a budget of $10 million. Despite this, the film was nominated for two Academy Awards. It was director Ray’s last film until Lightning Over Water (1980).

These beautiful photos captured portraits of Ava Gardner during the filming 55 Days at Peking in 1963.

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Rare Photographs of a Pregnant Marilyn Monroe During the Filming of ‘Some Like It Hot’ in 1958

Marilyn Monroe found out that she was pregnant in late September 1958, whilst filming Some Like It Hot. Arthur Miller announced Billy Wilder that Marilyn was pregnant and asked him to be careful with her and finish her workday at 4.30 PM. Wilder didn’t take it very well.

LOOK magazine assigned Phil Stern to capture what Hollywood tycoon, Sam Goldwyn saw from his window on the Goldwyn Studios lot. Using telephoto lenses from his bird’s eye view up in Goldwyn’s office resulted in interestingly lit and unique shots of an unposed Marilyn. Marilyn had no knowledge of Phil’s presence, and he was able to catch a moment no other photographer ever had; Marilyn Monroe visibly pregnant.

Marilyn wanted to protect her baby but at the same time, she worked long hours and insomnia took its toll, she was very afraid of a miscarriage. Sadly on December 16, she miscarried again. Marilyn was never able to carry her pregnancies to term.

Marilyn Monroe clearly visibly pregnant, during the filming of Some Like It Hot, September 1958.

Marilyn Monroe, drama trainer Paula Stasberg and director Billy Wilder at Fox Studios’ Some Like It Hot costume trials, September 1958.

Marry Reis and Marilyn Monroe clearly visibly pregnant, during the filming of Some Like It Hot, at the 20th Century Fox Studio’s, September 1958.

Marilyn Monroe clearly visibly pregnant, during the filming of Some Like It Hot, September 1958.

Marilyn Monroe clearly visibly pregnant, during the filming of Some Like It Hot, September 1958.

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Mattress Doubles as Life Raft, 1939

Taken into the wilds on fishing and boating trips, a new “unsinkable” mattress provides safety as well as comfort, for it can be used as a life raft in case of emergency in 1939.

Made of kapok floss, the mattress will support four people in the water, according to its maker. Its weight of only thirty-seven pounds minimizes the load to be carried. The photograph below shows a striking demonstration of its buoyancy before interested sportsmen at a Sharon, Massachusetts, rod and gun club.