Nostalgic Photos That Show Just How Beautiful The Past Really Was
By Sophia Maddox | May 1, 2023
For those people who grew up watching Gilligan’s Island reruns every day after school, it is hard to believe that the beloved TV series only ran for three seasons, from 1964 to 1967. For a show that began in the Civil Rights era, it was notable that the cast was all white. Sherwood Schwartz, the show’s creator, once explained that the underlying premise of the show was to take a group of people from diverse backgrounds and put them in a situation where they needed to work together for their survival. That’s a great premise, but Schwartz’s cast of characters failed to adequately represent the diversity of the U.S. population.
Can you believe bodybuilder-turned-actor Steve Reeves didn’t get the part of the title character in the 1959 movie, Li’l Abner? He lost out to Peter Palmer, despite looking this good in his Li’l Abner costume. Reeves, a professional bodybuilder, appeared in several Italian-made movies in the 1950s, playing beefy characters like Goliath and Hercules. These roles made him, for a time, Europe’s highest-paid actor. His 1958 and 1959 movies, in which he played Hercules, helped make him the number-one box office draw of 1960. Perhaps the producers of Li’l Abner thought that the role of the well-built country bumpkin was a stretch for Reeves, who was typically cast in ‘sword and sandals’ movies.
No invisible jet here! Lynda Carter, best known for playing TV's Wonder Woman in the 1970s, had to get around by hitchhiking before she found stardom. The former beauty queen (Miss World USA of 1972!) and nightclub singer from Arizona spent some time touring the "Silver Circuit", the nickname for a series of nightclubs and casinos in Vegas, Lake Tahoe, Reno, and Carson City. She left the tour to focus on her acting career. She appeared in guest roles in a few television shows, including Starksy and Hutch, before she landed the title role in Wonder Woman. Later, Carter acknowledged that she most likely got the role because she looked the part, not because of her stellar acting ability.
In the classic, Cecil B. DeMille religious epic film, The Ten Commandments, which was released in 1956, the film’s star, Charlton Heston, had a small part in casting one of the more memorable characters. Heston, who played the role of Moses in the movie, offered up his own infant son, Fraser Clarke Heston, to play the part of baby Moses. Born in February of 1955, young Fraser was less than a year old when he made his film debut as the religious figure who was saved from death when his mother placed the babe in a basket and sent him floating down the Nile. After this brief appearance, Fraser Clarke Heston retired from acting to focus on directing and producing, once he grew to adulthood.
Robin Williams and Shelley Duvall in the film Popeye (1980).
Casting did a perfect job when they selected funnyman Robin Williams, fresh off his television debut as the wacky alien, Mork for Ork on both Happy Days and Mork and Mindy, as Popeye in the 1980 film of the same name. They did an equally perfect job casting Shelley Duvall as Popeye’s love interest, Olive Oyl. Williams, with his screwball style of acting, could contort his face to mimic the comic strip character while the tall, slim Duvall looked the part of the lanky Olive Oyl. In fact, film critic Roger Ebert stated that Duvall was “born to play the role of Olive Oyl.” As a whole, however, critics were not overly impressed with Popeye when it debuted in 1980.
The lovely ladies of "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In" Judy Carne, Goldie Hawn and Chelsea Brown. (1968)
There were plenty of television variety shows in the 1960s and 1970s, but none as wacky and out-of-control as Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In. The show was fast-paced, outrageous, and broke the stale mold of other TV variety shows. The zany cast of regulars, including Judy Carne, Goldie Hawn, and Chelsea Brown, kept the comedy rolling through each episode and their performances were enhanced by weekly guest stars. The show was a hit because it used a fresh approach to comedy to examine and comment on some of the hot-button issues of the time in much the same way as Saturday Night Live does today.
Baa Baa Black Sheep, a military drama series from the late 1970s, was loosely based on the real-life antics of Marine pilot Greg Boyington who commanded a squadron known as the Black Sheep during World War II. The real Boyington went by the nickname “Pappy”, just like the character in the TV series, because he was older than the rest of the fighter pilots. In reality, he was only 30, but he was the commander of a group of young men in their late teens and early twenties. After the war, Boyington wrote a book about his exploits and adventures, and Stephen J. Cannell, the show’s creator and producer, pulled descriptions of other characters from it when developing his fictional characters for Baa Baa Black Sheep.
The 1970s was the decade of the variety show and actress Mary Tyler Moore jumped on the variety show bandwagon. In late 1978, she debuted her show, Mary, but after just three shows and a ton of negative criticism, the network pulled the show. Fans, it seemed, preferred to see Mary Tyler Moore in a sitcom role. The show went into revisions and emerged in the spring of 1979 in a new version, called The Mary Tyler Moore Hour. This show was a sitcom/variety show hybrid. In it, Moore played the host of a TV variety show with a zany cast of co-workers. The audience got to see a behind-the-scenes look at show biz in addition to the performances of weekly guest stars.
Here's one of the few McDonald's that has the old single arch, it's located in Magnolia, New Jersey and was one of only seven in the world.
McDonald’s is known for its golden arches, but decades ago, “arches” was singular, not plural. Some of the first McDonald’s fast-food restaurants ever built featured a single arch instead of the iconic double arch that we see today. And unlike today’s arches, the single golden arch of the early 1960s was constructed on the ground so it looked more like the Gateway Arch in St. Louis than the giant “M” we now know. Only a few of these single-arch McDonald’s are still around today. In fact, this one, found in Magnolia, New Jersey, is one of only seven remaining single arches in the country.
For ten years, from 1971 to 1981, actress and director, Penny Marshall, who starred as Laverne in TV’s Laverne and Shirley, was married to Rob Reiner, a fellow actor and director. This was not Marshall’s first marriage. As a 20-year-old college student, Penny Marshall married a college football player named Michael Henry. It was 1963 and Marshall left school when she got married. A year later, the couple had a child, a daughter named Tracy, but the marriage was doomed to fail. They divorced in 1966. When Marshall married Rob Reiner, he adopted her daughter, who is now an actress herself, Tracy Reiner.
In its first season on the air, the television drama series, The Waltons, raked in the awards at the 25th Emmy Awards, held in May of 1973. The TV show was nominated for the most awards ahead of the awards presentation with nine nominations. At the end of the evening, the show collected five of the Emmys, including, as this photo shows, awards for Richard Thomas for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series and Michael Learned for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series. In addition, Ellen Corby, who played Grandma Walton, earned the top honors for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. The Waltons was also selected as the winner in the Outstanding Drama Series category. Not bad for its debut year.
Do you remember the lovable twins, Buffy and Jody, from Family Affair, a wholesome TV show that aired from 1966 to 1971? It may surprise fans to know that the actors who played the young twins were not, in fact, related. The original script for the show called for Buffy and Jody to be different ages, but Brian Keith, who starred as Uncle Bill, advocated for a rewrite after seeing how well two of the child actors, Johnny Whitaker and Anissa Jones, looked together. Did you know that “Buffy”, “Jody”, and their older sister, “Cissy”, were all nicknames for the characters’ full names, Elizabeth, Jonathan, and Catherine?
Franken Berry cereal was first released in 1971.
Beginning in 1971, General Mills Corporation released a line of ‘monster’ cereal, breakfast cereal with cartoon monster themes. The five products included Count Chocula, Boo Berry, Yummy Mummy, Fruit Brute, and Franken Berry. The comic rebranding of classic movie monsters like Frankenstein and Dracula were supposed to appeal to young children, the brand’s target audience. There was, however, a weird and disgusting twist. The vibrant food dyes used in Franken Berry cereal turned the poo of consumers a bright pink! The scene in the toilet was probably more frightening than the breakfast cereal rendition of Frankenstein! Folks referred to the anomaly as “Franken poop”. In response, General Mills pulled the product from store shelves and reformulated the food dye to a different, safer pigment.
Lili Taylor, Julia Roberts and Annabeth Gish in the film "Mystic Pizza." (1988)
Julia Roberts’ made her film debut in the romantic comedy, Mystic Pizza. She appeared in this movie alongside Lili Taylor (it was also her big breakthrough role) and Annabeth Gish, a former child actress who was leveling up to more mature roles. Set in the real-life fishing town of Mystic, Connecticut, the trio portrays teenagers working at the local pizza shop as they navigate life and love as young adults. Mystic Pizza was favorably received by film critics and Roberts, Taylor, and Gish were all praised for their performances.
Jean Stapleton, Bea Arthur and Betty White at an event in 1978.
This photo, taken in 1978, shows three of the most popular mature actresses of the 1970s. Jean Stapleton, a stage and screen actress, became a household name – and earned three Emmys and two Golden Globes – for her portrayal of Edith Bunker in the controversial sitcom, All in the Family. She starred in this role for nine seasons, starting in 1971, and logged 205 episodes as the optimistic wife of the racist, chauvinistic Archie Bunker. Bea Arthur has a recurring role as Maude Findlay on All in the Family, in the early 1970s before she got her own spinoff show, Maude, from 1972 to 1978. Shown with the former co-stars was the iconic Betty White.
Comedy team Jerry Stiller and wife Anne Meara, 1971.
You might know Jerry Stiller from his role as George Constanza’s father on Seinfeld or Carrie’s dad on The King of Queens, but this actor and comedian, who died last year, enjoyed a long and distinguished show business career. During the 1960s, Stiller, with his wife Anne Meara, formed a successful comedy duo, Stiller and Meara. The two had numerous appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show as well as other television variety shows. The couple decided to end their comedy team before it destroyed their marriage but they both continued to work on their own projects, only occasionally collaborating with each other.
Nita Talbot, Bob Crane and Arlene Martel on the set of the TV show "Hogan’s Heroes" (1965)
The premise behind the television series, Hogan’s Heroes, was quite clever. It featured the adventures of a group of highly skilled Allied soldiers, under the leadership of U.S. Army Colonel Robert Hogan, played by Bob Crane, who purposely remain ‘prisoners’ at a prisoner of war camp in Nazi Germany during World War II so that they are privy to Nazi military secrets. A secret tunnel system under the prison allows the men to leave to engage in special ops without being detected. Actresses Nita Talbot and Arlene Martel had reoccurring roles on the series as fem fatale Russian spies.
The cast of "Lost in Space" (1967)
Danger, Will Robinson! The sci-fi TV series, Lost in Space, was a futuristic retelling of The Swiss Family Robinson. It followed the adventures of a family of space pioneers as they set out to explore and colonize the far reaches of space. The first season of the show, which debuted in 1965, was shot in black and white. The subsequent seasons were filmed in color, allowing the show’s costumers to outfit the cast in space-age-inspired uniforms in a variety of bright, yet matching, colors. Lost in Space ran for 83 episodes over a three-year period and overlapped with another well-known space series, Star Trek. In the mid- to late-sixties, the U.S. was deep in the space race so it is not surprising that shows about space were so popular.
Roddy McDowall relaxing on the set of the film "Planet of the Apes." (1968)
Even though Roddy McDowall is best known for his role as Cornelius in Planet of the Apes, the British-born actor and director appeared in numerous other works in which we can actually see his handsome face. He started his show business career as a child actor in his native England before coming to the United States where he appeared in How Green Was My Valley, My Friend Flicka, and Lassie Come Home. His list of film credits is quite diverse, ranging from Disney live-action movies, such as Bedknobs and Broomsticks and That Darn Cat to historical epics like The Longest Day, The Greatest Story Ever Told, and Cleopatra to adventure flicks like The Poseidon Adventure and comedies like Funny Lady, Overboard, and A Bug’s Life.
The Bee Gees in 1963.
We remember them best as the flowing-hair, disco-suit-wearing, heartthrobs of the late 1970s, but when the Bee Gees first started on their musical journey, they were young, nerdy-looking lads from England who were living with their parents in Australia. The Gibb brothers were often hired to play gigs at various events while they continued to hone their skills. The brothers, Robin, Barry, and Maurice hit the charts in the late 1960s and early 1970s but it was the rise of disco in the mid-to late 1970s that really pushed the trio to stardom. Their 1977 soundtrack album for the movie, Saturday Night Fever, was a pivotal moment in their careers.
George Burns and Walter Matthau in the Neil Simon film "The Sunshine Boys." (1975)
Who better to play reuniting Vaudeville actors in the 1975 movie, The Sunshine Boys, than a former Vaudevillian himself, George Burns, and actor Walter Matthau? The pair of aging actors tackled the roles of Lewis and Clark, a pair of cantankerous former Vaudeville partners who get back together to revive their once-famous act. George Burns was 79 years old when he appeared in The Sunshine Boys and the film, for which he won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, sparked a comeback for the longtime entertainer. The consummate performer, Burns was cast in more movie roles after The Sunshine Boys and continued actor even after his 100th birthday.
Let’s be honest. Sitcoms like the 1980s Who’s the Boss? probably wouldn’t fly today, but during that era, when more and more women were finally achieving powerful positions in business and casting off of the expectations of motherhood and domesticity, it was a prime time to use a TV series to examine traditional gender roles. The sitcom had Judith Light playing Angela, a high-powered lawyer and divorced mother, as the primary breadwinner of the household. Tony Danza’s character, on the other hand, was the housekeeper and nanny, taking on a more traditionally female role in the household. The show poked fun at many of the gender stereotypes.
In the early 1980s, ABC decided to combine two really cool professions – stuntmen and bounty hunters – into one television show. That was the premise of The Fall Guy, which was on the air from 1981 to 1986. As improbably as it sounds, the action series was a hit with audiences. It starred Lee Majors as a big-time stunt man in Hollywood who, along with his fellow stunt performer, Jody, played by Heather Thomas, and his cousin, an apprentice stunt man, Howie, played by Douglas Barr, moonlights as a bounty hunter. The show was filled with fun special effects, car chases, and pyrotechnics.
Angelica Huston and Jack Nicholson met in 1973 and began a tumultuous, on-again-off-again relationship that lasted for the next 17 years. Nicholson has a reputation for being a playboy and he was involved with several women during his time with Huston. He fathered at least six children with five different women. It was the highly publicized affair with Rebecca Broussard with whom he had another child that finally caused Huston to permanently split with Nicholson. Huston and Nicholson appeared in only one film together, Prizzi’s Honor in 1985.
Iconic actor John Wayne was married three times and fathered multiple children. With his first wife, Josephine Saenz, he had four kids. With his second wife, Pilar Pallete, he had three more children, including John Ethan Wayne, shown here with his dad on the set of True Grit. In the 1971 western, Big Jake, nine-year-old Ethan was cast to play “Little Jake”, the grandson of the title character which was played by his father. For a time, Ethan Wayne worked in Hollywood as a stunt man and actor in Hollywood.
When the TV drama series The White Shadow debuted in 1978, it made television history. It was the first time that a TV drama featured a predominantly African American cast. The show centered around a former professional basketball player who became a high school basketball coach in a poor, inner-city school. The coach, played by Ken Howard, was white while the majority of the students were black. The show tackled some hard social issues of the day. The show, which was well-received by fans and critics, ran until 1981.
The TV series, The A-Team, was a fast-paced, action-packed show about a tight group of former military special ops who are working as soldiers of fortune. It is hard to imagine a punk rock entertainer fitting into this scenario, but in an episode that aired in February of 1986, Boy George and the Culture Club guest-starred. Boy George, of course, played a singer, but sandwiched between musical performances, he joined the guys of the A-Team to thwart some bad guys. In one memorable scene, he watches as Murdock tried to pick a door lock but the singer grew impatient and kicked the door down himself.
When Francis Ford Coppola adapted the S.E. Hinton novel, The Outsiders, into a movie in 1983, he cast a group of up-and-coming actors for the film. In fact, this group of young performers, which included Rob Lowe, Ralph Macchio, Emilio Estevez, Patrick Swayze, Matt Damon, Diane Lane, Tom Cruise, and C. Thomas Howell, was labeled the “Brat Pack” by members of the entertainment industry. Critics praised the performances of all the young actors, but Macchio and Howard received high praise. The Outsiders netted more than $33 million at the box office and has garnered a devoted cult following.
On screen, the cast members of The Brady Bunch were wholesome goodie-goodies, but behind the scenes, things were much more real. The show’s producers tried to encourage bonding experiences between the kids, like this birthday dinner for Barry Williams in 1972. There were rumors that the young actors had romantic tristes with each other which is, of course, not what wholesome goodie-goodies do.
As a stand-up comedian in San Francisco, Robin Williams honed his comedic timing and improv skills before live audiences for several years before his energetic, face-paced, and hilarious caught the attention of television executives. Williams was tapped by ABC in 1978 to guest star on their hit TV show, Happy Days. For the episode, Williams played Mork from Ork, a zany alien from outer space. Drawing on his improv experience, Williams delivered a rapid-fire dialog of wacky lines, complete with funny sound effects and gestures. He was just a fan favorite that the TV execs fast-tracked his own show, a spin-off from Happy Days featuring Williams’ alien character in a show called Mork and Mindy.
Here is director Francis Ford Coppola on the set of The Godfather when the iconic American crime flick was being filmed in 1972. The film adaptation of Mario Puzo’s 1969 bestseller followed the Corleone mafia family on their rise to power from 1945 to 1955. The movie almost didn’t get made. After Paramount Pictures acquired the movie rights, execs couldn’t find a director willing to tackle the momentous project. It was only after several other directors turned down the project that Francis Ford Coppola was brought on board. Under Coppola’s creative eye, the film was a blockbuster hit that spawned a movie franchise.
The early 1990s sitcom, Northern Exposure, was a classic ‘fish-out-of-water’ story with a frosty twist. The main character, a yuppie-ish, urban, recently graduated doctor with a big problem. He skipped over the fine print on his scholarship and now, unless he wants to pay back all his tuition from med school, he has to move to a remote Alaskan town to work as a medical doctor for several years. The young doctor, played by Rob Marrow, is totally out of his element in the tiny, isolated, cold town that is inhabited by an odd cast of characters. Obligated to stick it out, he learned to adapt to the environment and to find commonalities with the locals.
Shock Jock, Howard Stern worked at several radio stations in the late 1970s and early 1980s before landing a coveted position at WNBC in New York. Always a controversial disk jockey who liked to push the envelope, Stern was fired from this position in 1985. He wasn’t down for long. That same year, he was hired at WXRK to host their morning show, a position that he held for the next twenty years. During that time, he brought his morning show into syndication and broadcast to an audience of 20 million listeners. He remained his controversial self, becoming the most fined radio host in history with a total of $2.5 million over his tenure.
Hollywood directors can be so demanding at times. When actor Lee Van Cleef was cast in his debut film, High Noon, the director asked him to have his nose surgically altered to make him look more sympathetic. Seriously. Van Cleef nixed the suggestion, and, for his disobedience, his part was reduced to a non-speaking role. That didn’t deter Van Cleef from pursuing a show business career. He appeared in several ‘Spaghetti Westerns’ including For a Few More Dollars and The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, from which this publicity shot was taken.
This might seem like an unlikely duo to see wholesome, Mayberry-ish Andy Griffith palling around with surfer dude Keanu Reeves, but the two actually starred as father and son in a 1986 movie. Titled, Under the Influence, the film explored the deteriorating family relationships imploding because of Griffith’s character’s longtime battle with alcoholism. Reeves, his son, is following along the same destructive path as his father while his sister falls victim to prescription drug addiction.
Did you know that Alison Arngrim originally auditioned for the part of Laura Ingalls for the hit television series, Little House on the Prairie? Michael Landon, creator of the show, had his work cut out for him casting the right child actors for the roles. He was impressed with Arngrim but did think she was right for the role of Laura. After he cast Melissa Gilbert for that part, he had Arngrim read for the part of Mary Ingalls. That, too, wasn’t a good fit so Landon awarded that part to Melissa Sue Anderson. When Arngrim read for the part of Nellie Oleson, the OG mean girl of Walnut Grove, Landon knew he had found the right role for her. As for Arngrim, she loved playing the villain … and she became besties with Melissa Gilbert off set.
Sisters, a drama series, ran for six seasons in the early 1990s. As the name implies, the show followed the lives of four very different adult sisters, each with a distinctly masculine names (Alex, Teddy, Georgie, and Frankie). The four actresses cast as the sisters, Swoosie Kurtz, Seal Ward, Patricia Kalember, and Julianne Phillips, brought a lot of star power to the set, but there were a few notable performers cast in recurring roles … performers that would be headlines in the years after Sisters ended. One was George Clooney, who played Detective James Falconer. Others were Ashley Judd who played Alex’s daughter, Reed, and Paul Rudd who played. Reed’s boyfriend.
The addition of Batgirl to the 1960s television Batman series was an ideal way to add both youth and a strong female character to the superhero show. The show’s writers created Batgirl, a motorcycle-riding, high-kicking crime fighter, and her alter-ego, Barbara Gordon. Gordon, the daughter of the police commissioner, worked as a librarian and lived in a cook townhouse with a secret service elevator leading to a hidden room in the basement. As for super skills, batgirl, beautifully played by Yvonne Craig, was clever enough to spot clues, had some nifty gadgets and a sweet ride, and some lukewarm fighting moves, but she managed to get the job done.
Maureen McCormick was just 13 years old when she was cast as Marcia Brady in TV’s The Brady Bunch, and she was 18 when the show was canceled. She later admitted that she struggled with finding her purpose after The Brady Bunch. She turned to drugs and alcohol to fill the void until she was an addict. In her tell-all 2008 book, Here’s the Story: Surviving Marcia Brady and Finding My True Voice, McCormick talks about her teenage fling with her Brady Bunch co-star, Barry Williams, how she traded sex for drugs as a young adult, and how she was so strung out on drugs that she botched her audition for the part of Miriam in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
The 1980s TV sitcom, Too Close for Comfort starred veteran actor Ted Knight as the father of two adult daughters. The daughters move into the apartment downstairs from Knight’s character, Henry Rush, and his wife. Since Rush works from his home, his daughters frequently interrupt his days with their problems. Too Close for Comfort ran from 1980 to 1983 and again from 1984 to 1987. The show ended not because it was canceled by the network, but because lead actor, Ted Knight, passed away in 1986. Knight had been diagnosed with colon cancer in 1977 just after wrapping up his stint on the Mary Tyler Moore Show. Despite aggressive treatment, the cancer spread and proved deadly to both Knight and Too Close for Comfort.
When singer and actress Shirley Jones married a fellow performer, Jack Cassidy, in the summer of 1956, she acquired a stepson, David Cassidy, Jack’s son from his first marriage. Later, Shirley Jones and Jack Cassidy had three more sons, Shaun, Patrick, and Ryan. According to the story, Shirley Jones, who had recently turned down the role of Carol in The Brady Bunch, went to the auditions for The Partridge Family and was stunned to see her stepson, David Cassidy, there. When the director introduced David to her, not knowing their family connections, Jones bluntly said, “What are you doing here?” The show’s creators were thrilled at the real-life mother-son relationship and cast the pair as the mother and oldest son in The Partridge Family. Working together on the show help the two strengthen their bond.
On April 24, 1976, sultry sex symbol Raquel Welch hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live. In the episode, SNL favorite John Belushi did a skit that spoofed a scene from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, which starred Jack Nicholson. Belushi did a spot-on impersonation of Nicholson’s character and Raquel Welch was a sexy Nurse Ratched. The skit was popular among SNL fans and, much later, Belushi called it one of his all-time favorite scenes from his time on Saturday Night Live. The same year that Welch appeared on SNL, she starred in the movie, Mother, Jugs & Speed.
Did you know that Kate Jackson was originally cast to play the role of Kelly Garrett in the hit TV crime series, Charlie’s Angels? Jackson, seen here with her fellow Angel, Farrah Fawcett, was tapped for the role based on her character in the Rookies, but after she read for the part, she asked if she could take the role of Sabrina Duncan instead. Actress Jaclyn Smith took the role of Kelly. When the third season of Charlie’s Angels was about to start, Jackson was offered Meryl Streep’s role in the movie, Kramer vs. Kramer, but Aaron Spelling, the producer of Charlie’s Angels, wouldn’t rearrange his filming schedule to allow her to work on other projects.
Charles M. Schulz with his "Peanuts" figurines, 1960s. ✏️
Much of the appeal of The Peanuts, the popular commit strip created by Charles Schultz, is that the group of characters is made up entirely of children who live in a world where adults are present but never interact with the characters in the comic strip. Even though the characters are children, the comic strip still examines the philosophy and social concerns of the day. Readers connected with the characters, from the unsure Charlie Brown to the sassy Lucy and the introverted musician, Schroeder. Perhaps that is why the comic strip had such longevity.
Directed by Ishiro Honda, the 1954 Japanese film, Godzilla, triggered an unexpected cult following. Did you know that the producers originally wanted Godzilla to be a Kraken-like octopus but the special effects director suggested a dinosaur-ish monster instead. The special effects director, Eiji Tsuburaya, invented a new filming technique for this movie. Called ‘suitmation’, this technique involved the use of a full-size costumed actor interacting with a miniature stage set. Since its debut in 1954, Godzilla has become a pop icon and one of the most recognizable movie monsters in history.
In an unlikely pairing, Michael J. Fox and Jan Jett were cast as siblings in the 1987 drama movie, Light of Day. The movie marked Joan Jett’s film debut. It followed the lives of Joe and Patti Rasnick and their parents. The siblings form a band and go on tour, taking Patti’s young son with them. The parents are displeased that Patti, a single mom, makes a series of bad choices. Desperate for money, Patti pushes to take the band to the next level amid a serious health crisis with their parents. The reviews of Light of Day were mixed, although the soundtrack did well.
It is safe to say that, as television programming for children, Romper Room was a blockbuster hit. The show was formatted to include local children on each show, along with the show’s hostess and other characters. Romper Room was so popular and the waiting list to be on the show was so long, that many parents added their children to the list as soon as they were born … or even before they were born. Romper Room was both syndicated and franchised. The show was originally filmed in Baltimore and those episodes were broadcast to many markets around the country, but the stations in some cities, like San Antonio, New York, and Los Angeles, had Romper Room franchises. Their shows followed the same scripts but used local kids.
John Inman and Mollie Sugden in the BBC comedy series "Are You Being Served" (1972-85)
Bawdy, inappropriate, and full of slap-stick humor, the British sitc0m, Are Your Being Served? was a national favorite for ten seasons. The show followed the antics of a group of employees at Grace Brothers, a fictional department store based in London. Staring John Inman and Mollie Sugden, the show poked fun at Britain’s class system, as well as other social commentaries. A staple on BBC from 1972 through 1981, the series spawned one spin-off and several holiday specials. It still has a huge cult following because the episodes are available on DVD.
Hillary Clinton getting her face painted at Wellesley College, 1960s
This candid shot was taken in the 1960s at Wellesley College, a young Hilary Clinton can be seen getting her face painted, her eyes sparkling with amusement and her lips turned up in a smile. Her hair is styled in a classic 60s fashion, and she is wearing a casual outfit that suggests she's taking a break from her studies.
At the time the photo was taken, Clinton likely had no idea that she would go on to become the First Lady of the United States in 1993, or that she would marry President Bill Clinton and later serve as the 67th Secretary of State to President Barack Obama.
This photo captures a moment of carefree joy in Clinton's youth, before she embarked on her remarkable journey of public service and leadership. It's a testament to the power of possibility and the many different paths that life can take, even for someone who may have never imagined where their journey would ultimately lead them.
Jimi Hendrix, Woodstock 1969
Considered by many to be one of the greatest rock and roll artists of all time, Johnny Allen Hendrix (better known as Jimi Hendrix or James Marshall Hendrix) was famous for his electrifying guitar playing. A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Hendrix's impact on music is still felt today.
Hendrix's journey to fame was not without challenges. He enlisted in the US Army two years before he began performing and was given an honorable discharge after a year. He then moved to Tennessee where he started playing with popular acts like the Isley Brothers, Little Richard, and Curtis Knight.
In 1966, Hendrix signed with his first manager and found success in the UK with three top ten hits. His third studio album, Electric Ladyland, hit number one in the US and solidified his fame as a household name. He was booked for all the major events, including headlining Woodstock in 1969, where he became the world's highest-paid performer at the time.
Tragically, Hendrix died just over a year later at the young age of 27, before he could fully realize his potential. Despite his untimely death, his music and legacy continue to inspire and influence new generations of musicians and fans.
Brigitte Bardot and Sean Connery, 1968
Born in Paris during the 1930s, Brigitte Bardot was a French triple-threat, known for her singing, acting, and modeling talents. She would later become one of the most famous sex symbols in the world. As a child, Bardot had dreams of becoming a dancer and took ballet classes to pursue this passion.
However, at the young age of 16, Bardot shifted her focus to acting and soon gained international recognition for her role in the 1957 film 'And God Created Woman.' She went on to star in several other French films and was even nominated for a BAFTA award.
Despite her fame, Bardot faced criticism for "inciting racial hatred" and was reportedly fined several times.
During the filming of the Western movie 'Shalako' in Spain, Bardot met actor Sean Connery. In the film, Bardot played a damsel in distress and Connery's character set out to save her. Despite the two stars' presence, the movie was not as successful as other Western films being made in Europe at the time.
Barack Obama with his mom Ann Dunham, 1985
Barack Obama was born in Hawaii on August 4th, 1961, the only child of a white American mother named Ann Dunham and a black Kenyan father named Barack Obama Sr. Unfortunately, his parents divorced after just four years of marriage.
Obama's father married again in Kenya and only visited his son once before he was killed in a car accident. Obama's mother also remarried and moved to Indonesia with her new husband, taking Barack with her. They eventually settled in Jakarta.
At the age of 10, Obama was sent back to Honolulu to live with his grandparents, where he excelled academically. His stepfather Lolo Soetoro played a key role in his education and success. Obama's mother and sister stayed in Indonesia until Ann became ill and returned to Hawaii. Tragically, she passed away from ovarian and uterine cancer in 1995, when Obama was 34 years old.
Star Wars stars with a box of chocolates, 1976.
In this delightful photo, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill - are caught in a candid moment, enjoying a box of chocolates together in 1976. The trio look completely at ease with each other, their relaxed posture suggesting a deep camaraderie.
Harrison Ford - who would go on to become an international superstar for his role as Han Solo - has a solemn expression on his face as he studies the chocolate in his hand. Carrie Fisher, looking stunning in a flowing dress, can be seen leaning in with a smile, her eyes shining with warmth and humor. Mark Hamill, with his boyish good looks, is caught in mid-laugh.
It's almost as if Han, Leia, and Luke had taken a break from battling the Empire to indulge in a sweet treat together. The photo captures a moment of unguarded joy and camaraderie, reminding us that even the biggest Hollywood stars can be just like us - sharing a box of chocolates and enjoying each other's company.
Robin Williams as a mime in Central Park, 1974.
This black and white photograph taken by Daniel Sorine in 1974 captures a young Robin Williams and author Todd Oppenheimer performing as mimes in Central Park, New York. Both men are dressed for the part, with Williams sporting suspenders and Oppenheimer wearing a striped shirt. Their faces are painted white, with exaggerated expressions that perfectly capture the playful and mischievous energy of the moment.
Williams, who would later become a legendary stand-up comedian and actor, looks utterly engrossed in his role, his eyes shining with childlike wonder as he reaches out, looking through an invisible spyglass.
The photo is a beautiful snapshot of a fleeting moment of joy and creativity, perfectly capturing the spirit of the 70s and the magic of Central Park. Williams and Oppenheimer's skill as mimes is evident in the way they convey so much without a single word, drawing the viewer into their whimsical world with ease. It's no wonder that Williams would go on to become one of the most beloved entertainers of his generation, and this photo is a testament to the boundless talent and creativity that would come to define his career.
Dr. Seuss working on the main character for his new book, 1957
Dr. Seuss, born Theodor Geisel, is the most popular American children's book author to date. Before his death in 1991, he sold over 600 million copies of his books, which have been translated into more than 15 languages. Dr. Seuss has been recognized with numerous awards, including a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, 2 Academy Awards, 2 Emmy Awards, a Peabody, and the Pulitzer Prize.
While attending Dartmouth, Geisel joined the humor magazine, Dartmouth Jack-O-Lantern. However, during Prohibition, he was caught drinking in his room and was forced to give up all extracurricular activities. To continue working on the magazine without getting into trouble, he began using the name "Seuss."
After graduating, Geisel enrolled in a program to earn his PhD at Oxford University, but he returned to America after meeting Helen Palmer. He then began submitting his writing and drawings to various media outlets. After his first nationally published cartoon, he moved to New York and continued writing. Almost 30 years later, after being asked to write a children's book by Ellsworth Spaulding, Geisel wrote "The Cat in the Hat," which kicked off the Dr. Seuss era.
Kelley, Shatner and Nimoy pretending to shave with their phasors on the set of Star Trek, 1968
Set phasors to Shave! First introduced in the 1960s, Star Trek is a sci-fi classic that has captured the hearts and imaginations of fans around the world. With its futuristic technology, intergalactic adventures, and a diverse cast of characters, Star Trek has become a cultural phenomenon that has stood the test of time. Who wouldn't want to travel through space on the USS Enterprise, encountering new alien species and discovering new worlds? Or witness the epic battle between the Federation and the Klingon Empire? And let's not forget the iconic phrase "Live long and prosper" - it's the perfect way to greet your fellow Star Trek fanatics.
But Star Trek isn't just about space battles and cool gadgets. It's also a show that tackles important social issues and explores complex philosophical questions. It's a show that challenges our assumptions and encourages us to think about what it means to be human.
18 year old Michael Jordan, 1982
At the age of 18, Michael Jordan had already made a name for himself at his high school. As a sophomore, he was initially cut from the varsity team because he was considered too short at 5'11". Undeterred, he became the star of his school's junior varsity team.
That summer, he had a growth spurt of four inches and trained tirelessly to improve his game. He made the varsity team the following year and averaged around 20 points per game during his final two seasons. He even earned a spot on the McDonald's All-American Team as a senior, catching the attention of college scouts from Duke, Syracuse, and North Carolina.
Ultimately, Jordan chose to attend North Carolina, where he studied cultural geography and began his basketball scholarship. From those humble beginnings, he went on to become one of the most iconic athletes in history, leaving an indelible mark on the sport of basketball and inspiring generations of fans and players alike. We wonder what his high score on Pac-Man was?
Martin Luther King, Jr with his father and son. Circa 1960s
The black and white photo taken by renowned photographer Richard Avedon in 1963 captures an intimate moment between three generations of the King family. Civil rights movement activist Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. stands between his father, Martin Luther King Sr., and his young son, Martin Luther King III, in front of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. The three men's faces are solemn, but there is a sense of strength and determination that emanates from their gazes. Despite the challenges and setbacks they faced, the King family continued to fight for justice and equality for all. This powerful image is a testament to their unwavering commitment to the cause, and a reminder of the importance of continuing to strive for a more just and equitable world.
Bill Gates and his bike, 1970’s
When William Henry Gates II was young, he never could have imagined that he would one day change the world of technology forever and become one of the richest men to ever live on Earth.
Bill Gates' story is not your typical rags-to-riches tale. His parents were already wealthy - his father was a lawyer, and his mother was a director for First Interstate Banc System. However, it wasn't until he was thirteen and attending a private prep school that he discovered his passion for programming.
In 1970, Gates and three of his classmates were hired to write payroll programs for Information Sciences Inc. He continued to write computer programs for his school, including a scheduling system for students. After just two years at college, Gates dropped out, a trend we often see among many successful entrepreneurs.
Following a leave of absence from Harvard, Gates founded Microsoft with his partner in crime, Paul Allen. The company was an instant hit, and Gates never returned to Harvard to finish his degree.
Thanks to his incredible success, Bill Gates would go on to become a household name and one of the most influential people in the tech industry. His innovative vision and groundbreaking contributions to computing have left an indelible mark on the world, inspiring generations of entrepreneurs and changing the way we live and work today.
Catherine Bach - The Original Daisy Duke
Catherine Bach is an American actress who rose to fame in the late 1970s for her iconic role as Daisy Duke on the hit television series "The Dukes of Hazzard". As Daisy Duke, Bach became a pop culture sensation and an instant sex symbol.
Bach's portrayal of Daisy Duke was known for her signature short shorts, which became known as "Daisy Dukes". The character was a tough, no-nonsense Southern belle who held her own against the show's male leads. Daisy was not only beautiful, but she was also intelligent and resourceful, making her a role model for women across America. Bach's popularity extended beyond her role on the show, and she became a well-known figure in the entertainment industry. Her image was featured on countless magazine covers, and her status as a sex symbol was cemented in popular culture.
Decades after her iconic portrayal of Daisy Duke, Bach continues to be celebrated for her contribution to the entertainment industry.
