Swing dances like the Lindy Hop and jitterbugging swept through America in the 1930s and ’40s. Here’s what set them apart and made them unforgettable.
Vintage & retro entertainment
How The Waltons, a quiet Depression-era family drama, overcame doubts and tough competition to become one of the most beloved shows on 1970s TV.
How much does real story of The Sound of Music differ from the movie version of the von Trapp family? Take a look back at the hugely-successful musical based on their lives, and find out both fact and fiction.
Bambi is pure Disney – a world of fun, beauty and imagination which Disney has made his own. Find out why it took so long to get just right!
Bette Davis gave tough love in a 1940s advice column for Photoplay-Movie Mirror magazine. Here’s what she told readers about wartime marriage and more.
A whole new era of vintage pinball machines was ushered in by the Humpty Dumpty pinball machine released in 1947 – and then dozens more of the games hit the market. Take a look back!
George Burns & Gracie Allen brought laughs from vaudeville to TV. See how their real-life love story made them one of comedy’s most unique duos.
Screen legends Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire sang and danced their way into America’s hearts in one of the most timeless holiday classics of all time, the Holiday Inn movie, which introduced the classic hit song, White Christmas.
To get in the proper holiday spirit, Americana-style, let’s revisit some of the most iconic moments from the timeless TV classic, “A Christmas Story” – plus find out where to watch the sequel!
What did many of our grandparents and great-grandparents look most forward to getting for Christmas? In many cases, trains – like these vintage American Flyer train sets!
See portraits of vintage Halloween pin-up girls from the 1930s and 1940s – themed photos featuring famous actresses and beautiful models.
Vintage View-Master reels offered a trip into another dimension – ‘with stereo color pictures so real, you’ll feel you are actually part of the scene!’ Take a look!
From Carrie Fisher to Gene Kelly, explore a gallery of celebrity baby pictures and scenes from childhood that are sure to evoke a collective “Aww!”
Dairy Queen history involves decades of transformation, innovations, and, of course, a few yummy vintage menu items that make folks nostalgic.
The invention of the Ferris Wheel was a jaw-dropping innovation of its time! Find out the history of the Ferris Wheel ride we now know so well, plus see pictures of the HUGE first one.
From 1948 to 1971, The Ed Sullivan Show was synonymous with entertainment & a central hub for talent — introducing new acts & creating unforgettable moments.
Take a look back at Frank Sinatra’s legendary career through this collection of vintage photos, videos, and profiles from his heyday.
For decades, Cracker Jack has been more than a just a popcorn and peanut snack. Thanks to the famed Cracker Jack prizes, it’s also a treasure hunt in a box! Find out more about this peak Americana treat.
Millions know ‘Say, Say, Oh Playmate’ – also known as ‘Playmate’ – but few today know much about the rhyming song & hand clapping game. Find out more here!
After using AI photography tools, these vintage clown pictures looked so much more lifelike than before (those eyes!), and details that were easily overlooked before became obvious. See some before and afters here!
Felix the Cat cartoon: How the world’s first famous feline charmed the world in the 1920s and beyond
Felix the Cat was a black and white cartoon character who first appeared on movie screens way back in 1919. Created by Pat Sullivan and
Cowboy actor Tom Mix – the horse-riding hero of scores of western thrillers of the silent film era – left a lasting legacy after he died in a single-car crash on a highway detour in Arizona.
Say, kids, what time is it? Kids: It’s Howdy Doody Time! First gracing the airwaves in 1947, marionette Howdy Doody was a pioneer of American TV programming.
A box social, sometimes called a box supper social, was an old-fashioned way for communities to connect, share a meal and raise money for local
Get ready to remember some of the biggest thrills and chills from yesteryear, through these top vintage horror movies – great for Halloween or any time you want a little scare!
Peek back into the life of young Ronald Reagan in the 40s & 50s – way before he was president back when acting paid the bills, and his wife was Jane Wyman.
People were used to big records, but then the music industry wanted everyone to adopt a new format and a new size, and came out with 45 RPM record players and 7″ vinyl records with a big hole in the middle.
Millions of people in San Francisco’s East Bay drive by the iconic Orinda Theatre every year, with its neon sign easily visible from the freeway. So what’s its story? Find out more about this California landmark here!
Who was Uncle Wiggily? Find out more about the author of these serials and Uncle Wiggily books, see examples of the characters and artwork, and look back at a copy of ‘Uncle Wiggily and His Friends’ that was published in 1955!
See Fred Astaire in a clip from 1946’s ‘Blue Skies,’ performing ‘Puttin’ On The Ritz’ – a song associated with him like no other – and find out more about the film itself.
Charlie McCarthy was the impudent little dummy who sat upon the lap of ventriloquist Edgar Bergen, his creator, and entertained millions every week with his comedy.
While orchestra leader Glenn Miller himself disappeared, his music has done rather the opposite – reaching and speaking to generations well beyond his untimely death during WWII.
Dorothy Lamour, American actress and singer, wasn’t just a star on the screen – she also threw her weight behind numerous WWII war bond sales efforts, and topped those charts.
‘Casablanca’ actor Humphrey Bogart – known to millions as ‘Bogie’ – gave a behind-the-scenes look into his mind and his life in this story from 1942.
Between 1918 and 1955, there were 11 different Tarzan movie actors, in the character’s various incarnations and adventures. Here’s a look back at those wild men.
Famous actor Gary Cooper spent most of his time in sunny California, but he loved snowy Aspen, Colorado so much, he decided to build a house there.
Here’s a peek into Judy Garland’s home – and life – during her first marriage to David Rose. Judy can be seen modeling some Valentine’s Day fashions, too!
Here’s a look at Cary Grant’s home – a 2-story, 12-room stucco house on the exclusive beach at Santa Monica, where the famous actor lived in the 1940s.
Through the 40s, 50s & 60s, you’d see a new set of vintage calendar girls & pin-ups in garages, diners and dens each year. Take a look back!
1940′ “Gone With the Wind” – when adjusted for inflation – remains the highest-grossing movie of all time. Here’s a look back at this beloved classic film!
Mickey Rooney in the movie, Young Tom Edison (from 1940) METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER has just completed the first of two most important pictures. Together they encompass the
It is useless to deny that motion picture stars have been getting the best of it (as to immunity from draft). Some have been given special deferments and choice assignments and have been allowed extra months to finish pictures before having to report for active duty.
Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, with their progeny David and Rick, are synonymous with the American family image both on and off television. The Nelson boys are perhaps the only people who have literally grown up before the eyes of millions of weekly viewers.
Elvis Aaron Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi on January 8, 1935. Here are some photos from the legendary singer’s childhood! The life of young
The superb acting and detail directing took us to the refugee city of Casablanca, and there we stayed, right by the warm sides of Ingrid Bergman, Humphrey Bogart, Paul Henreid and Claude Rains. And we’re still there.
The best figures in Hollywood? Judge for yourself — we quit! Several issues ago, Photoplay-Movie Mirror made the innocent mistake of asking noted experts to
If men “hate the sight of you” read this (1930s) Good news for thousands of girls who have no sex appeal (1940s) Don’t be skinny!
Here is a heartfelt — though dramatized and beautified (and sometimes somewhat inaccurate) — story of Judy Garland’s early life, originally published in 1942. Judy
“Thelonious,” a tune from his very first Blue Note session, had verses fashioned from a single ingeniously hammered note, with three horns playing shifting dissonances behind it. He developed the one-note motif in his solo and then abruptly broke into some pure, old-fashioned Harlem oompah stride.
TV show ticket stubs from old quiz shows, game shows, comedy hours & variety shows Joel Tator, a director with KNBC in beautiful downtown Burbank,
Jackie Gleason — born Herbert Walton Gleason Jr. on February 26, 1916 in Bushwick, Brooklyn — was best known for his roles on The Honeymooners
“Love Happy” was the last movie starring the Marx Brothers — Harpo Marx, Chico Marx, and Groucho Marx… and included a small role for an
What happened to Shirley Temple when her movie star career waned? In 1946, Temple made an effort to recapture that Hollywood magic once again.
Groucho Marx for Personna blades (1946) Starring in “A Night in Casablanca,” a David L Loew Production, released thru United Artists 1: Next to a
