64 Rare Historical Photos
By | September 24, 2018
Andre the Giant hanging out with friends in the 1980s.
Take a look at history, story-telling, and human nature and it's undeniable...We love heroes. We swoon over sweethearts. We loath villains. This gallery captures it all and the eye-stunning shots are sure to amaze. Click ahead and fearlessly dive into stories of unsolved mysteries, explore visual spectacles such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers in their first year as a band, melt over Amy Winehouse as an eight-year old dressed like Minnie Mouse, and laugh about the souped up car the Monkees drove around in.
Plus, we have shots of a shirtless Sonny Bono, Goldie Hawn hawking wine, and little Bill Gates in 8th grade. We hope you've rested your eyes - because we got photos to amaze! Onward!
Look at Andre the Giant with his posse. Mr. the Giant - was 7 feet 15 inches tall and weighed 520 lbs. His size was a result of gigantism caused by excess growth hormone. His gigantic size led him to be called: "The Eighth Wonder of the World."
One of his most famous wrestling bouts was with Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania III in 1987. Andre also played the beloved character Fezzik, the giant in The Princess Bride. Legend has it that Andre the Giant holds the world record for most beers consumed in one sitting. During a six-hour period he drank 119 of bottles. So, how many giant pee breaks would he have to take?
Jamie Lee Curtis right before Halloween
Are you excited for the new Halloween movie reboot? Jamie Lee Curtis starred in the very first Halloween in back in 1978, when she took on the impossible-to-kill Mike Meyers (masked killer not Austin Powers). Curtis' appearance in the movie confirmed her status as one of the best scream queens in film history. And now, Curtis will back in the latest Halloween installment as she reprises her original role.
Time's gone by - but Curtis was sure hot back in the 70's. As the daughter of Janet Leigh, who was stabbed to death in the shower scene in the movie Psycho, her lineage to the horror throne was established. Curtis is also married to Christopher Guest - the director of Spinal Tap and Waiting for Guffman.
Christie Brinkley rocking the 1980s style.
Christie Brinkley is another one of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues supermodel greats. Yes, when a normal model just wont do - SI brings in the super version. Brinkley first appeared in the special issue in the late 70s. She went on to appear on three consecutive covers starting in 1979. She also appeared on over 500 magazine covers - making her, at the time, one of the most recognizable faces on the planet.
But her most famous role might be in 1983, when she appeared opposite of Chevy Chase as "The girl in the red Ferrari" in National Lampoon's Vacation. She reprised the role of "The girl in the red Ferrari" in the 1997 sequel, Vegas Vacation.
Young, Demi Moore
Long before her appearance in Ghost - here's a photo of very young Demi Moore. You might not know it, but Moore was born in the UFO capital of America: Roswell, New Mexico. She moved to Los Angeles when she was 15 and signed with Elite Modeling Agency - which took her to Europe where she worked jobs that made her a pin-up girl. Inspired by her neighbor, German actress Nastassja Kinski, Moore enrolled in acting classes. Moore also appeared on the cover of the January 1981 issue of the skin magazine Oui; she was just 16 - apparently she told the magazine photographer that she was 18.
Ivanka Trump with her dad, Donald, in the back of a limo.
Crazy trivia, Ivanka went to the same Manhattan’s exclusive, all-girls school that Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis also sent to. She was quoted comparing to her boarding schools as prisons; and always envied her friends that were out partying while she was studying. The hard work must have paid off. In addition to helping her dad achieve the presidency, she is also an extremely successful businesswoman, fashion designer, television personality, and author.
The crew of the Challenger, right before boarding on January 28, 1986.
This is one of the most horrific space launch tragedies in history. On January 28, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its flight and killed all seven crew members onboard. What made this extremely horrible was having the crew consisted of Christa McAuliffe, a member of the Teacher in Space program. She was a school teacher and a civilian trained for the Challenger mission. Because she was a teacher, school students from all over the country tuned in to watch the launch, which was broadcasted live.
After the accident, NASA's Space Shuttle fleet was grounded for almost three years.
Manson's Cult
Here's the original Charlie's Angels. Except they didn't solve crimes. These women were part of the Manson Family - which was run by legendary psychopath, Charles Manson. A lifelong criminal, Manson started his started his hippie cult in San Francisco in 1967 - then later moved The Family to an old abandoned movie ranch in the California desert.
A crazy fact, many of his women followers were from wealthy families. It was the 60s, and what better way to rebel against your parents than to join a hippie cult run by a psychopath - who is looked at him like the human manifestation of Jesus?
Though the Manson Family partook in massive amounts of psychedelics and group orgies - they were also responsible for the brutal murders of actress Sharon Tate and four others on August 9, 1969. It was said that the murders were orchestrated by Manson because of the rejection he got from the music industry for not launching his musical career.
Footnote: At one point Manson befriended Beach Boy drummer Dennis Wilson - who invited him and his followers into his home. Wilson was so freaked out by Manson and didn't know how to kick him out, that he just ended up leaving his home to Manson, hoping he would eventually go away.
Interesting photo of David Bowie, 1975.
When I think of David Bowie and 1975, what comes to mind is massive amounts of cocaine. This was around the time of the Young Americans album. On the Grammy Awards that year, after being introduced by Andy Williams, Bowie gave a long, rambling speech - which he later attributed to his coke vice at the time.
In 1976, Bowie lived in Berlin with roommate, Iggy Pop - which also sounds like a formula for trouble. One crazed night, Iggy sat in the passenger seat as Bowie spent five minutes ramming into their dealer’s car again and again and again.
This shot of Bowie was taken by photographer Steve Schapiro - which was during a 12-hour straight photo session. An image from this photo session was later used on the back cover of Bowie's album, Station to Station.
Who remembers Roman Polanski and Sharon Tate? Polanski allegedly forced Tate to have threesomes and film adult tapes so he could share with friends. Here she is with her hairstylist before they were both brutally murdered.
So Roman Polanski and his wife Sharon Tate were kind of swingers. It was the 60s, though, and free love was one of the mantras. Here's Tate with Jay Sebring, who was a hairstylist to the stars - and also one of the murder victims at the hands of The Manson Family. Sebring was introduced to Tate by a journalist in October 1964 and they started going out. They ended their relationship in 1966, when Tate went to work on the movie The Fearless Vampire Killers - which was directed by Roman Polanski.
This shot of Tate and Sebring was taken by photographer Voytek Frykowski - on August 1969, the day before they were murdered by The Manson Family.
Marilyn Monroe in pink gives an iconic look
Here's movie sex symbol, Marilyn Monroe, in a pink outfit at home - taken in 1952. Sure Marilyn was beautiful, but did you know her IQ was measured at 168 - which is higher than Albert Einstein. When the camera weren't rolling she loved reading and listening to Beethoven, Mozart, and Louis Armstrong.
Born Norma Jeane Mortenson, Monroe started her modeling career with her naturally brown hair. Later she had some cosmetic surgery done on her chin and nose. For twelve years after her death in 1962, people would still take flowers to her grave on a regular basis. Marilyn was buried in her favorite green Pucci dress.
Cyndi Lauper and Hulk Hogan at the 1985 Grammy Awards.
We must not forgot at one time Cyndi Lauper was the queen of the WWE and helped launch WrestleMania. On March 31, 1985, at the end of WWE's inaugural WrestleMania event, Lauper climbed into the wrestling ring at Madison Square Garden. Vince McMahon had a plan to expand his franchise to corners of the globe. Lauper's colorful persona fit right in with the rest of the crew - which also included Hulk Hogan. She even included Captain Lou Albano in her music video for the song, Girls Just Want To Have Fun.
Lauper won a Grammy that year for Best New Artist. After winning she said, "The Grammy means a lot to me because I never thought I would amount to anything. I always wanted to make art."
Did you know that rocker Alice Cooper once had to get his snake cut off of him because it started to strangle him?
Alice Cooper is known for his stage theatrics. He's a man who has had a guillotine on stage during his performances along with a lot of haunted house gags and fake blood everywhere. Though Cooper would cut off his own head on stage - it was also rumored he cut the head of a snake that tried to strangle him. Back in his drinking days, Alice Cooper would do a lot of crazy things. One thing he didn't do was bite the head of a live bat.
"For the last time, it wasn't me who supposedly bit the head off a live bat," Cooper said in an interview. "If anyone did that, it was Ozzy, and, honestly, it's probably just a myth."
Susan Sarandon sans shirt on a ledge
Someone should have told Susan Sarandon that she forgot to wear a shirt for the photo shoot. This might've been around the time of the filming of the 1988 movie, Bull Durham. An autographed version of this photo is available on eBay for $79.
Sarandon was born in the Queens and is the daughter of an advertising executive. She got her first big break in 1969 - when she went on a casting call with her husband at the time, Chris Sarandon. The audition was for the movie Joe. Her husband didn't get the role - but she ended up getting cast as one of the leads - opposite Peter Boyle. And the rest is Susan Sarandon history...
Muhammed Ali visits Bob Dylan backstage during the Night of the Hurricane Benefit concert, Dec. 8, 1975.
Talk about a meeting of the minds; here's Bob Dylan backstage with Muhammed Ali in 1975 at Madison Square Garden. Ali presented Dylan with a gift — a huge boxing glove.This meeting took place during the Night of the Hurricane Benefit concert. The concert was to benefit wrongfully imprisoned boxer Rubin “Hurricane” Carter - who Dylan wrote about in his song, Hurricane.
Ali went on stage after Joni Mitchell's set. The crowd first went crazy. Things started out good when Ali interviewed Carter over the phone from prison. Ali then started a long rambling diatribe that lost everyone and eventually got booed.
Michael J Fox on the set of "Back to the Future II" (1989)
Back to the Future was not a great movie - but it did introduce the world to the the self-lacing Nike Mag shoe worn by Michael J. Fox's character, Marty McFly. The movie was set in the year 2015, and the shoe would come to life, light up, and form to Marty’s foot. Sure, the shoe seemed like a piece of sci-fi fantasy - but Nike actually made this particular footwear item come to life in 2011. The 2011 Nike Mag shoe was designed to be a precise replica of the movie version. 1,500 pairs of the once mythical shoe went up for auction on eBay - with proceeds going to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's disease research.
Ric Flair picking up some Coors at the store, 1970s.
Hell ya! "Nature Boy" Ric Flair is one of my all-time favorite wrestlers. "Woo!" As one of the legends of WWE, Flair claims he slept with more 10,000 women and drank 10 beers and five cocktails a day for over 20 years. So here he is, back in the 70s getting an early start on those stats.
Flair was married 4 times - and had trouble separating his onstage persona with his offstage life. The alcohol addiction almost proved to be fatal to the wrestler. The hard lifestyle finally caught up to Flair when, last year, he was given a 20 percent chance of living after placed in a medically induced coma before going for surgery amid kidney failure from years of excessive drinking. That's one thing you can't "woo" about.
Cheryl Tiegs in the 1983 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
Cheryl Tiegs is considered America's first supermodel. Before Tiegs, models were not super. She gained the title after her 1979 swimsuit poster - where she was clad in a pink bikini. The poster graced the walls of most boys in the 70s.
funeral director. She got her first break when she appeared in Seventeen magazine - which launched her career.
Bridgette Bardot Striking a New Wave Pose
Bridgette Bardot was a part of the French New Wave of cinema in the 50s and 60s. She's best known for her work with Jean Luc Godard and Louis Malle. In the span of her career, Bardot appeared in 47 films, performed in numerous musicals, and recorded over 60 songs. She dropped the mic on her career in 1973 and retired from show business at the age of 39. In 1985 she was granted the Legion of Honour award - but refused to accept it. After retiring, Bardot became an animal rights activist. In 1986, she created the Brigitte Bardot Foundation for the Welfare and Protection of Animals - and raised three million francs to fund the foundation by auctioning off her jewellery.
Oh Yeah!! "Macho Man" Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth.
"Macho Man" Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth were the first couple of professional wrestling. They were married in the wrestling at SummerSlam 1991 in New York’s Madison Square Garden. The on-air wedding was billed as “The Match Made in Heaven” (despite that the couple was officially married in 1984).
Miss Elizabeth became known as the "First Lady of Wrestling” - and had a WWE career that ran from 1985 to 1992. She won a Slammy Award in 1987 for “Woman of the Year.” Sadly, she died on May 1, 2003 - of a drug overdose at the age of 42.
Jimi Hendrix enjoying himself on the stage, 1968.
No one could play the guitar like Jimi Hendrix. But before he became a musical legend - he had to explore some other options. When Hendrix was 19-years old he was given the choice of going to prison or joining the Army - after he was caught riding in stolen cars. Jimi chose the Army and enlisted on May 31, 1961. He completed eight week basic training at Fort Ord, California, and was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division.
In 1967,, his band, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, was asked to open up for The Monkees on their first American tour. The Monkees fans, who were mostly young kids who liked the TV show - had their minds blown when Hendrix got on stage and couldn't comprehend what they were seeing. They were so disliked that Hendrix and his band left the tour after six shows.
Bill Gates riding his groovy bike in the '70s...little did his parents know at the time, he would become the world's richest man.
First of all, Bill Gates had a bike that would be the envy of any twirly mustached hipster in Williamsburg. From this shot, you might think Gates was just an average nerdy kid riding around the neighborhood. But his rise to launching Microsoft wasn't completely uncharted. He is the son of brainiacs. Born in Seattle on October 28, 1955, Gate's father was a prominent lawyer while his mother served on the board of directors for First Interstate BancSystem and the United Way.
As synchronicity would have it, when Gates was in eighth grade, his school purchased a Teletype Model 33 ASR terminal and a block of computer time on a General Electric computer. Gates took an interest in programming and wrote his first computer program on this machine which allowed users to play tic-tac-toe against the computer. The rest is Bill Gate's history.
Kelly LeBrock in the movie, "Weird Science" (1985)
Weird Science is one of the very first computer geek movies - and is a great John Hughes flick. Plus, it has that great theme song composed by the band Oingo-Biongo - who is fronted by Danny Elfman, who went on to become a TV and movie theme composer most notably known for the theme to The Simpsons.
The 1985 film starred Anthony Michael Hall and Ilan Mitchell-Smith - who created their ultimate dream girl in the guise of Kelly LeBrock. Hall passed on being in National Lampoon's European Vacation to star in Weird Science. Do blame him? The fourteen-year old at the time got a kissing scene with LeBrock.
Mr. T from "The A-Team" (1984)
I pity the fool who doesn't like this photo! One Laurence Tureaud is best known by his stage name, Mr. T. Here's some T trivia: Mr. T got his unique hairstyle after reading a copy of National Geographic. He noticed the hairstyle of the Mandinka warrior and decide to adopt the 'do to make a statement about his African origin. Around the time of his appearance on the TV show, The A Team, Mr. T's gold jewelry bling was worth around $300,000 - and took him about an hour to put on.
Mr. T got his big break in 1980, when he was spotted by Sylvester Stallone on the NBC TV show, America's Toughest Bouncer. He was soon cast in the iconic role of Clubber Lang in Rocky III.
Kathy Ireland up to bat in a Sports Illustrated photo, 1987.
Kathy Ireland is yet another supermodel from the 80s. She is best known for appearing in 13 consecutive Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues. Now that's one swimsuit model dynasty! If you think being in so many SI swimsuit issues is a feat - guess again. In 1993, she founded kathy ireland Worldwide (kiWW) - a brand company that has made her boatloads of money, and one of the wealthiest former models in the world. In 2012, products with her company brand sold roughly $2 billion. By 2015, Ireland was raking in $420 million personal wealth.
At the 1989 Sports Illustrated swimsuit's 50th Anniversary event, Ireland was awarded "The Greatest Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover Of All Time."
Pam Grier rocking the one-piece jumpsuit in 1974
Hell yes! Pam Grier as Foxy Brown rocking the one-piece jumpsuit circa 1974. Grier is the queen of 70s blaxploitation films - and known for such movies as The Big Bird Cage, Coffy, Sheba Baby, and in more recent years, Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown - which she received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress.
Grier was discovered by director Jack Hill - who cast her in the 1971 women-in-prison film, The Big Doll House. In the movie ads for the movie Coffy - Grier's character was trumpeted as the: "baddest one-chick hit-squad that ever hit town!"
George Harrison takes a selfie in front of the Taj Mahal, India. (1966)
Leave it to George Harrison to take a selfie in front of the Taj Mahal - decades before the term was even invented. The Beatles and India have a strong connection thanks to Harrison. He was smitten by Indian classical music and would collaborate with music maestro Ravi Shankar - whose influences can be heard in Harrison's compositions for The Beatles.
Harrison was infatuated with Indian culture. He got the rest of his bandmates involved in his passion as well. Harrison’s interest in Indian music was spawned in 1965 on the set of the movie, Help - when a sequence for the movie was filmed at an Indian restaurant in London. Indian musicians were in the scene playing instruments - and that how Harrison got took up the sitar.
A 6 year-old Amy Winehouse dressed up as 'Minnie Mouse'. (1989)
Next year, Amy Winehouse is going to go on tour as a hologram. The singer died in 2011 from drug and alcohol abuse. Seven years after her death, an Amy Winehouse hologram is set to hit the road - that utilizes new state-of-the-art proprietary technology. It could be cool - but it could also be creepy. It's not the first time a deceased celeb has appeared on stage as a hologram. Michael Jackson and Tupac have also performed after their deaths. Creepy?
But long before she was a hologram, Amy Winehouse was an eight-year old in North London who had an affinity for dressing up like Minnie Mouse.
Come Fly with Me- Frank Sinatra stepping out of a helicopter with a drink in his hand, 1960s
Frank Sinatra loved the booze and slappin' around the broads. Here he is stepping out of his personal helicopter, drink in hand, and not spilling a drop. Back in the 50s and 60s, Mr. Chairman of the Board and the Rat Pack had free reign over Las Vegas. In the days that made the TV show Mad Men look like a documentary - it was rumored that Sinatra once (or maybe many times) paid a prostitute so he could eat scrambled eggs off her body. Talk about a breakfast of champions!
Sinatra also loved hanging out with the mob. The wedding singer character in the movie The Godfather is said to be modeled after Sinatra.
Ann-Margret was once called the female Elvis
Ann-Margret went from being considered the "female Elvis" to being a mainstream Hollywood movie star. In fact, her movie career was even a little better than Elvis' - if you look at the quality of films she appeared in. She starred in Mike Nichols' Carnal Knowledge in 1971, and played the girlfriend of Jack Nicholson. Her performance netted Margret an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress nomination.
One performance that's unforgettable, in 1963 she was the voice of Ann-Margrock on the animated TV show, The Flintstones - and sang the tender balled, "The Littlest Lamb." Years later, she sang a version of Viva Las Vegas for the live-action film version of The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas.
Waylon Jennings, Buddy Holly and someone's middle finger goofing around in a NYC photo booth, 1959.
Holy cow - look at these two hipsters. This photo looks like it was taken last week. But this is actually Waylon Jennings and Buddy Holly circa 1959 - having a laugh in a NYC photo booth. Not only were these two music icons friends, but Jennings was slated to be on the doomed plane that crashed and killed Holly, The Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens in 1959. Don McLean deemed it the day the music died in his song, American Pie.
Jennings was hired by Holly to play bass for him on the Winter Dance Party Tour - which was on route from Clear Lake, Iowa to Minnesota. Jennings gave up his seat on the plane to The Big Bopper - and took the tour bus instead.
Before taking off, Holly jokingly told Jennings that he hoped the bus broke down. In jesting manner Jennings replied, “I hope your ol’ plane crashes.”
And the rest is history.
The Brady ladies at a charity baseball game at Dodger Stadium in 1973.
The Brady Bunch was one of the biggest TV shows in the 1970s. This photo is part of a LA Dodgers charity baseball game in August 1973. Here's the Brady women striking a pose that day featuring Jan, Marsha, Cindy, Carol, and Alice the maid (well, at least the actors who played these roles.)
Peter, Greg, and Bobby - the Brady boys were also on hand that day doing the batting duties alongside of actor Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Don Newcombe - and Ella Fitzgerald who provided celebrity support. I'd say that would be a homerun of happiness for the fans attending.
Sonny and Cher enjoying the sun in their swimsuits.
"I got you babe," Sonny must be saying. Sonny Bono always came across as sort of a wimp - but in this swimsuit shot from 1972, he looks kind of jacked. He must have been hitting the 1970s-era weights.
Sonny and Cher married in 1964 and had a child that we all know as Chasity. Cher started her career as a session singer and sang backup on several of Spector's recordings, including "Be My Baby" by the Ronettes. In the 1970s, they launched the TV shows, The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour and The Sonny & Cher Show. The couple divorced in 1975 - and thus ended their career together.
Welsh beauty Catherine Zeta-Jones, 1980s.
Ah, this is young Catherine Zeta-Jones, as she was - growing up in her native Wales. Born and raised in Swansea, Zeta-Jones got her start as a child actor - performing in roles in West End London productions of the musicals Annie and Bugsy Malone. Ironically, her dad, who owned a candy factory, has the same name as David Bowie's real name: David Jones.
Fortuna took a spin for Zeta-Jones and her future career. Her family lived on a modest means - but things changed when they won £100,000 in a bingo competition. This allowed her parents to send four-year old Zeta-Jones to the Hazel Johnson School of Dance - which was perfect for her because she was a hyperactive child.
Adam West pre-Batman, early 60s.
Holy Batman, Batman! So what did Adam West do before he starred in the 1966 series, Batman - where he played the Caped Crusader? In the 50s, he was drafted in the US Army and became an announcer on American Forces Network television. Once he was discharged, West moved to Hawaii where was cast in the role of sidekick on the local TV show, The Kini Popo Show, which also featured a chimp named Peaches. (No seriously.)
West appeared in a slew of Westerns and crime shows. One early notable role was in the 1965 movie, The Three Stooges in The Outlaws Is Coming - which was directed by Moe's son-in-law, Norman Maurer.
Adorned the walls of many young teenage girls, John Taylor of Duran Duran in the early 1980s.
The 80s synth-pop band, Duran Duran, was the epitome of an English haircut band; a lot of flashy clothes and fancy haircuts - but little substance. The band took their name from a character in the sci-fi movie Barberella. And John Taylor was their bass player for this: the fanciest haircut of them all. Taylor's first band was called Shock Treatment. In 1978, he and classmate Nick Rhodes formed Duran Duran while attending the School of Foundation Studies & Experimental Workshop Birmingham Polytechnic (perhaps one of the longest names for a school in history).
As Duran Duran's fame exploded - Taylor became a staple for teen magazines and appeared on People magazine's annual list of "Sexiest People."
Not to hate him at all - but Taylor once said that he used to choose his girlfriends by looking through fashion magazines.
Comedy team Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis in 1950.
Hey lady! It's Martin and Lewis. At one time, Jerry Lewis was considered a comedy genius in France. Dean Martin was his sauve, slightly boozing, crooning sidekick. The comedy duo met in 1945 and debuted their stage show at the Atlantic City's 500 Club - the following year. Before they became a super-group, Martin was a nightclub singer, while Lewis performed a comedy act that involved lip-synching to records. Upon joining forces, Martin and Lewis stayed as a team together for the next ten years. The audience is said to convulse with laughter as Lewis kept interrupting and heckling Martin while he tried to break into a song.
Martin and Lewis cranked out films and radio and TV appearances - before parting ways and taking their acts solo.
Daryl Hannah as the beautiful mermaid 'Madison' in the 1984 film, "Splash"
Not only was the 1984 movie Splash a breakout role for Daryl Hannah - but it also cemented the careers of Tom Hanks and director Ron Howard; not to mention great cameos from SCTV alumni John Candy, and Eugene Levy.
Academy Award-winning visual effects artist Robert Short created and designed Darryl Hannah's mermaid tail - which was fully functional. Hannah could swim so fast with the special tail that her safety team couldn't keep up with her. At the end of a scene, the tail was difficult to remove - so Hannah would keep it on while the cast ate lunch.
Dolly Parton in the studio, 1966.
Dolly! Dolly! Dolly! Now Dolly Parton did quite well for someone who was born in a one-room cabin on the banks of the Little Pigeon River in Pittman Center, Tennessee. Now, among other things, she has her very own theme park called Dollywood, in Pigeon Forge in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.
Musically, Parton got a career boost in 1967 when she was offered a spot on the TV program: The Porter Wagoner Show, which also became part of the touring road show. With the help of Wagoner, Parton was signed to RCA Victor. That same year she released her first song, a cover of Tom Paxton's "The Last Thing on My Mind" - which reached the country top 10. From there, it was no looking back for Dolly Parton's career.
Duane Allman performing at Fillmore East in 1971.
On March 11th, 1971, the Allman Brothers Band took the stage at Bill Graham’s Fillmore East Theater in New York. It was the first of a series of shows that would be celebrated in rock history. A 23-minute version of “Whipping Post” closed the final night - and it set new standards for the blossoming genre of Southern rock.
Three months later, the Allman Brothers Band were back at the Fillmore East; the venue was closing and Bill Graham had handpicked the band to give the place a sendoff. The Allman Brothers Band ended up playing until dawn. Three months later, Duane Allman was killed in a motorcycle accident in Georgia.
Goldie Hawn in a wine advertisement, 1970s.
So Goldie Hawn was already a star at this point when this ad came out. She was a series regular on the TV show Laugh In, which ran from 1968-1970 - and made a big splash in the 1972 movie, Butterflies Are Free.
Hawn made her professional show business debut in a production Can-Can at the Texas Pavilion of the New York World's Fair. A year later she got a job working as a go-go dancer in New York City. Her first acting role was on a short-lived CBS sitcom called: Good Morning, World. Goldie played the stereotypical "dumb blonde" type. Way to go Goldie!
Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall at home with their children Stephen and Leslie in Beverly Hills, 1954.
Imagine being the children of the stars of such film classic films as To Have and Have Not and The Big Sleep? Bogart's son, Stephen, has the classic Bogart mug. In 1947, after living in the Hollywood Hills, Bogart and Bacall acquired a house in Benedict Canyon - that was previously owned by film legend Hedy Lamarr. The Bogarts home was built on six and a half acres - with a swimming pool, picket fence, and had eight rooms. Bogart also raised chickens and had eight coops. The interior was a mix of Dutch, Early American and French provincial furniture.
Sounds like a home fit for a pair of screen legends!
Jane Seymour kicking it back in 1973.
Some might know Jane Seymour as Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman - the TV series that ran from 1993–1998. But the British actress' coolest role was in the 1973 James Bond movie, Live and Let Die - which featured Roger Moore's first outing as James Bond. Thus, IGN ranked her as 10th in a Top 10 Bond Babes list. Seymour almost quit acting in the 70's - after being sexually harassed by an unnamed but famous film producer.
In February 2018, 67-year old Seymour posed for Playboy for a third time, making her the oldest woman to be photographed for the magazine.
Jenny Agutter and Michael York in a scene from "Logan's Run" - 1976.
Logan's Run is a great movie. The 1973 film has a simple premise, this idyllic sci-fi future has one major drawback: life must end at the age of 30. That makes the movie sort of like Blade Runner - except instead of replicans being hunted down and killed - it's people over 30 being hunted down and killed.
The movie might look like it was shot inside a shopping mall - only because it was shot inside a shopping mall. The first choices for the roles of Logan and Jessica, played by Michael York and Jenny Agutter, were Jon Voight and bionic woman Lindsay Wagner. Logan's Run even has a cameo by 70s icon Farrah Fawcett - from Charlie's Angel's fame.
Joan Collins looking hot back in 1956.
How old IS Joan Collins? Her first film role was in 1951 in the movie, Lady Godiva Rides Again
Collins was born in London. Not to say she got into the business easy; but her dad was an agent whose clients would later include Shirley Bassey, the Beatles, and Tom Jones. Not bad being a daughter for an agent who represents the biggest stars in the world at the time. Here she is looking hot back in 1956.
Collins is probably best known for her role of Alexis Carrington on the 80s TV soap opera, Dynasty. She played the vengeful ex-wife of tycoon Blake Carrington- and did a darn good job at it. She recently just turned up again on the new season of American Horror Story.
Joe Cocker and John Belushi twinning on SNL in 1976.
Hell yes! Dueling Cockers. This is from an Oct 2nd, 1976 episode of Saturday Night Live. It's the character impression that pushed John Belushi ahead of the pack with this SNL cast mates - and made him a breakout star. Joe Cocker was the musical guest and Belushi performed alongside of the contorting singer with his best Joe Cocker impression - as the two performed the song, Feelin' Alright.
This wasn't the first time Belushi played Joe Cocker. This was a role that he perfected in 1973 when he was a member of the National Lampoon live show, Lemmings.
Julia Roberts and that amazing smile in a modeling photo, 1986.
Julia Roberts stepped out of the shadow of her older brother Eric Roberts - to become an international superstar. To help give her a jump start, Roberts' parents ran an acting school in Georgia. Her first screen role was in the 1988 movie: Satisfaction. The movie was a vehicle for Family Ties star, Justine Bateman - and followed an all-girls band looking for not only a summer gig, but satisfaction. Curious enough, the movie also starred a young Liam Neeson.
Roberts got her breakout role in the 1990 romcon, Pretty Woman - where she played a fun-loving prostitute; just like how prostitutes are in real life.
Kirstie Alley in the sci-fi film, "Runaway" (1984)
Ok, is this a publicity shot of Kirstie Alley from the 1984 sci-fi film, Runaway, or is this from a Scientology training film on how to use the e-meter? This Michael Crichton movie has a similar plot to Blade Runner. Says IMDB:
In the near future, a police officer specializes in malfunctioning robots. When a robot turns out to have been programmed to kill, he begins to uncover a homicidal plot to create killer robots... and his son becomes a target.
Not only does this movie star Tom Selleck but you also have Gene Simmons from KISS playing a baddie named Luther.
Led Zeppelin at the height of debauchery 1971.
Holy crap 1971 Led Zepplin - there was some hard-living going on during this period. This is back in the period when they would stay at the Riot Hyatt on the Sunset Strip - and rent out a full floor for maximum debauchery.
No other band has inspired so many myths as Led Zepplin. The most notorious story is said to have happened when they played the Seattle Pop Festival on July 27th, 1969. The group was staying at the Edgewater Inn. A groupie came back to the room. Somehow there was a mud shark involved - and the use of the mud shark to pleasure the woman.
If the story is true, there's now a granny out there in Seattle who has some amazing stories to tell.
Lovely Lita Ford in the 1980s.
Who doesn't love the band, The Runaways. This was one of the very first all-girl rock groups that spawned the career of Joan Jett. Lita Ford was the lead guitarist for The Runaways. She joined the band in 1975 when she was 16-years old. The band broke up in 1977, after conflicts over musical direction. Joan Jett wanted more of a Ramones-influenced sound while the rest wanted a hard rock style.
Lita Ford's debut solo album was in 1983 and entitled, Out for Blood. it was kind of a commercial flop. But Ford gained momentum when her third album rolled around: Dancin' on the Edge. Way to rock - Lita Ford!
Margaret Nolan guest starring on "The Saint," TV series, 1963.
Yes, another stunning Bond girl. Margaret Nolan began her career as a model. The British-born beauty appeared not only in numerous TV shows but also in the Beatles movie, A Hard Day's Night - which was directed by Richard Lester.
Her most memorable role was in 1964, in the James Bond movie, Goldfinger. Nolan played Dink, Bond's masseuse. Not a big role, but she was painted gold and wore a gold bikini for the title-sequence, ads, and the soundtrack-cover. Following the exposure lead to a 1965 Playboy pictorial: James Bond's Girls.
This photo is from a guest appearance on the TV show, The Saint - which ironically starred future James Bond - Roger Moore.
Remember when Prince's "Purple Rain" album was released? (1984)
Yes - let's baptize ourselves in Lake Minnetonka! What a great movie - that also showcased the Minneapolis music scene in the early 80s. Plus, what an amazing soundtrack. The 1984 movie, Purple Rain, made Prince a force to be reckoned with. Plus, what an amazing motorcycle Prince had in the film. For the movie, three different motorcycles were used. Prince rode a highly stylized 1981 Hondamatic CB400A automatic - while stunt riders rode 2 manual CB400s that were made to look like Prince's bike.
Crazy to believe, when the movie concept was first brought to Warner Bros., it was suggested that John Travolta should play the Prince role. Uggggh!
Playboy Bunny stewardess, 1972.
Hugh Hefner's private jet, The Big Bunny, was said to be like the Playboy Mansion at 35,000 feet. In the late 60s and early 70s -celebs such as Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, James Caan — were always on board Hef’s personal DC-9.
The jet was painted black and had the silhouette of a white rabbit in a bowtie on the tail. Inside, the $5 million plane had a living room with leather sofas, a discotheque for dance parties, and an oval bed covered in silk sheets and Tasmanian opossum fur bedspread for Hef to lounge around in pajamas.
The Big Bunny was staffed with stewardesses who wore a black leatherette miniskirt, knee-high boots, and served up lobsters and roast beef.
Robert Conrad as 'Pappy Boyington' relaxes with a mug of beer on the set his TV show "Baa Baa Black Sheep." 1976
Baa Baa Black Sheep was a military TV show that ran on NBC from 1976 until 1978 - and starred TV tough guy, Robert Conrad. The show was based on the World War II: Black Sheep Squadron.
One of Conrad's first paid acting jobs was in 1956. He had to stand outside a Chicago movie theater when the film Giant was showing - because he bore a resemblance to the movie's star, James Dean. The theater manager thought it would help boost attendance. Welcome to show biz!
Here is Conrad kicking back on the set of Black Sheep - enjoying a brewski - looking very much like Robert Conrad.
The Monkees and their Monkeemobile, 1966.
Monkees! Monkees! Monkees! Along with the Munster Mobile, the Monkeemobile is one of the most iconic TV cars of the 60s. The vehicle is a modified Pontiac GTO and was built by designer Dean Jeffries. The car featured a tilted forward split two-piece windshield, set of four bucket seats and an extra third row bench where there was originally a trunk, and a rear-mounted parachute.
The Monkeemobile would often go on tour with the band. Ironically, on their first American tour, the opening act was Jimi Hendrix. The TV band loved the musician. But his iconic guitar-style didn't meld with the fans of The Monkees - and he left the tour after a few shows.
"The Thrill of Victory" Who remembers watching ABC's Wide World of Sports on TV from 1961 to 1998? Here's a photo of host Jim McKay from the 1970s.
ABC's Wide World of Sports always opened with the montage that showed the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat - which was visually depicted of some poor skier rolling down a hill like a ragdoll.
Host Jim McKay had the best sports blazer in the business. He is also known for TV coverage of not 10, not 11, but 12 Olympic Games. McKay was the host of Wide World of Sports for a whopping 37 years. McKay is universally respected for his memorable reporting on the Munich massacre at the 1972 Summer Olympics - at which time he stayed on air for fourteen hours without a break.
Debbie Harry, Suzi Quatro and Joan Jett in 1977.
Okay these are not only the hot women of 70s rock - but also three amazing musical entities. Debbie Harry was the lead singer of Blondie. Suzi Quatro was an early punk pioneer, and Joan Jett branched out from the all-girl rock group The Runaways - to become a musical force in her own right. Here's the three of these musical pioneers hanging out in LA in 1977. Most likely this shot is from Blondie's first tour in Los Angeles.
The photo was taken by Blondie co-founder and guitarist Chris Stein - who was always taking pictures of the milieu that surrounded Blondie. His insider photos of Harry helped establish her as an international icon.
Rush performing in 1976.
Rush is one of Canada's greatest exports - right up there with maple syrup and hockey. The band formed in 1968, but really got their legs when Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson - joined forces with drummer Neil Peart.
Rush's early sound was very derivative to Led Zeppelin. Things shifted with Peart - who brought in elements of complex compositions, and eclectic lyrical motifs drawing heavily on science fiction, fantasy, and philosophy. Basically nerdy dudes became their target audience - and I mean that in a good way. As the band evolved, Rush's musical style shifted more to prog-rock - and now they've become one of the top selling bands of all-time. Go Canada!
"Sound of Music" actress Heather Menzies and "Vegas" actor Robert Urich were married in 1975.
This is what you get when you mix the actress who played Louisa in the 1965 classic The Sound of Music, with the action star of the TV show, Vegas. Though the couple looks happy here in 1975, Robert Urich died of cancer in 2002. After which Menzies founded The Robert Urich Foundation following his death to raise money for cancer research. Menzies also had a battle with cancer. She was diagnosed in 2002 and passed away from cancer in 2017.
Marilyn Monroe on location in Canada while filming "River of No Return". Photo by John Vachon, 1953.
Here's the legendary blonde bombshell, Marilyn Monroe on the set of the 1954 Otto Preminger film, River of No Return. Monroe's costar on the film was the great Robert Mitchum. Though the movie was set in Northwestern American in 1875 - the script premise was taken heavily from the 1948 Italian film, Bicycle Thieves.
Photographer John Vachon took this shot of Monroe. He worked for many years as a staff photographer for Look Magazine. He first worked as a filing clerk for the Farm Security Administration before being recruited to join a small group of photographers, which included Walker Evans.
Monroe later injured her foot on the set of River of No Return. And Vachon captured shots of her in a swimsuit while on crutches.
Red Hot Chili Peppers in the early 80s.
Hell yes - the Red Hot Chili Peppers from back in the day when they would often perform with sweat socks over their private parts. The Chili Peppers were formed in 1983 in Los Angeles. What made them stand out back in the day - was the great mix of funk, punk, psychedelic rock, and an amazing sense of humor.
A pure product of Hollywood, the original lineup was singer Anthony Kiedis, guitarist Hillel Slovak, bassist Flea, and drummer Jack Irons, who were all classmates at Fairfax High School. Roughly 30 people showed up to their first gig.
The band released their debut album, The Red Hot Chili Peppers in August 1984 - which was produced by Gang of Four guitarist Andy Gill. MTV helped to build their fan base - and then socks on their private parts soon followed.
Who remembers this 1988 Jordache Jeans ad?
This couple looks as cheesy 80s - as it can get. Not only are they sporting the stonewashed jeans, but the dude has a mullet and the pair is positioned in front of a Ms. Pacman machine. Go 80s!
How it all started: The Naccache brothers opened a store in New York City in 1969 that sold discount brand-name jeans - and soon expanded the operation to four stores. During the 1977 New York City blackout - their main store was looted and set ablaze. With the insurance they decided to start the Jordache brand - which also launched in 1977.
A topless woman on horseback was the concept of their initial ad - which got banned from TV - but created a buzz. The Jordache brand name is a contraction of the family of the owner Joe, Ralph, David, and Avi Naccache
Linda Ronstadt is hasten down the wind in 1976
This is the cover of Linda Ronstadt's 1976 album: Hasten Down the Wind. This became Ronstadt's third straight million-selling album - making her the first female artist in history to accomplish this feat. Hasten Down the Wind. earned Ronstadt a 1977 Grammy for 'Best Pop Vocal Performance - Female.'
The album showcased songs from soon-to-be known artists Warren Zevon and Karla Bonoff. Hasten Down the Wind spent several weeks in the top three of the Billboard album charts.
Way to go Ronstadt!
Sharon Tate pregnant only months before the murder that devastated the world.
Holy Helter Skelter. This shot isn't disturbing at all - being the young actress who was married to Roman Polanski would soon be brutally murdered by members of The Manson Family. Tate met Polanski when he directed and co-star in 1967's The Fearless Vampire Killers - which she also appeared in.
One of Tate's early roles was on the 1964 "Giant Jackrabbit" episode of The Beverly Hillbillies, where she wore a dark wig and played the character, Janet Trego.
On August 9, 1969, Tate and four others were murdered by members of the Manson Family in the home she shared with Polanski. At the time of her death, she was eight-and-a-half months pregnant with the couple's son.
Catherine Bach giving her best Daisy Duke look
Where would Daisy Duke short-shorts be without the actress, Catherine Bach, who played Daisy Duke on the TV series, The Dukes of Hazzard? The show ran from 1979-1985 and followed the antics of The Duke Boys: Bo and Luke. And Daisy Duke was their attractive female cousin.
In reality, Bach wasn't from the South - where the show was set. She grew up on a ranch in South Dakota. When auditioned for the show - the producers were looking for a Dolly Parton look-a-like. Regardless, she was hired on the spot. Originally, the producers wanted Daisy Duke to wear a tight white turtleneck, go-go boots and a poodle skirt. Bach, after asking if she could bring her own outfit, came back with a homemade T-shirt, a pair of cut-off denim shorts and high heels. And thus, she changed the face of pop culture!
