NBC TV’s midseason situation comedy series, ‘Sanford and Son,’ about an aging black Los Angeles junk dealer, appears to be an instant, impressive hit.
Vintage celebrities & famous people
The man behind the famous Hell Gate Brewery, George Ehret, wasn’t just a business success — he was a success as a human. Find out more about his story!
Laverne & Shirley was a series about two spirited young women – Penny Marshall as Laverne DeFazio and Cindy Williams as Shirley Feeney – who worked in a brewery and managed to have fun on and off the job in Milwaukee in the 1950s.
When the Watergate apartments opened in 1967, they quickly became THE address for high-profile politicians. Here’s some promo from when they were new!
The long-expected wedding day of Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley (neé Beaulieu) was a surprise event that brought the King of Rock and Roll and his queen together at last.
“I have a dream” by the Rev Dr Martin Luther King, Jr, President, Southern Christian Leadership Conference March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom –
Marshall Pinckney Wilder was a hugely successful comedian during the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Back when smoking was considered not only cool, but somehow healthy, television and movie stars had no compunction about promoting the practice, as evidenced by the 18 celebs featured in these vintage cigarette ads.
When Florence Nightingale died, tributes poured in from around the world — including ones from American sources like this one.
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.
While Lisa Marie Presley had very impressive parents – Elvis and Priscilla Presley – that’s not what made her so memorable. It was all about her presence: her strength, dedication, and independent spirit.
Find out how some of the earliest color photography was created using potato starch!
Lee Majors starred in the Six Million Dollar Man TV series as astronaut Steve Austin, who, after a crash that nearly killed him, was remade in a bionic man – essentially a cyborg – and turned into a government agent.
In the ’80s, The Incredible Hulk & Courtship of Eddie’s Father actor Bill Bixby was the spokesperson for Dietac diet pills… at least until the over-the-counter medication was taken off the market.
In this 80s movie, The US military is training chimpanzees to fly bomber mock-ups, and putting them in real danger. It’s up to airman Jimmy Garrett and researcher Teri to stop the Air Force’s nefarious plot and save the chimps.
In this interview from the 1960s, actor Dustin Hoffman – newly nominated for an Academy Award – explains why he decided to star in a Broadway play, Jimmy Shine.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, a fanciful children’s movie from the ’60s, starred Dick Van Dyke as a crackpot inventor who builds a magical flying car. This classic musical has stayed in the hearts and minds of millions.
While you may think celebrity endorsements are a more recent trend in advertising, that’s clearly not the case, as you can see in these Bing Crosby ads from the 40s, 50s & 60s!
Everybody’s doing it. Swingers, congressmen, housewives, businessmen, engaged couples, secretaries and kids. They’re all out there jogging.
Capitalizing on the success of The Six Million Dollar Man, The Bionic Woman was a spin-off that ran for three seasons from 1976 to 1978. The show starred Lindsay Wagner as the physically augmented Jaime Sommers.
As great an actor and director as Orson Welles was, it would be remiss of us if we did not touch on some of his later, slightly less epic works… like his classic ads for Paul Masson wines.
Here’s a tasty holiday menu you probably haven’t seen before: Truman Capote’s favorite Thanksgiving recipes! Find a collection of delicious vintage dishes here.
Here’s what it was like to see The Doors in concert back in the 60s & 70s, when the young Los Angeles quartet was strange and poetic and energetic – and on fire.
Before he was Samwise Gamgee in the Lord of the Rings, young Sean Astin was a hardworking up-and-coming actor. But he wasn’t just any actor – he was the son of Patty Duke and John Astin. Here’s a look back at Sean’s early career, from when he was a teen!
The Black Dahlia murder – the savage killing of 22-year-old Elizabeth Short in January of 1947 – was one of the biggest news stories of the 20th century, and continues to fascinate people to this day.
They didn’t call Illinois-born Cindy Crawford a supermodel for nothing! Check out a selection of 11 of her fashion magazine covers from the mid- to late-eighties.
So hot in the 60s, the dramatic, dome-shaped beehive can be created at home! With instructions directly from that decade, find out how to get the vintage beehive hairstyle that creates the illusion of tall elegance.
M*A*S*H debuted on TV in 1972, and centered around a team of doctors during the Korean War in the early 50s. M*A*S*H was a huge success, lasting for 11 seasons, and broke records on its way out.
Check out these vintage Tiger Beat magazine covers to see who teens were screaming about and obsessing over back in the 70s — decades before there were K-Pop and reality TV stars.
Let’s look back at the popular sitcom The Facts of Life – meet the actresses, hear that catchy theme song one more time, and get the lyrics for the hit show’s opening credits!
Queen Elizabeth’s drop scones recipe – a very British treat – was sent by Queen Elizabeth II to Dwight David Eisenhower, on January 24, 1960. Get the recipe here, and see the letter the Queen wrote along with it!
See Jimi Hendrix play ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ live at Woodstock on August 18, 1969 – and what he thought of his own performance.
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.
Despite a slow start, by the mid-’80s, REO Speedwagon’s hit singles ‘Keep On Loving You’ and ‘Can’t Fight This Feeling’ had topped the charts, and they were known across the globe. Here’s the story.
In this collection of vintage interviews, actress Nichelle Nichols (1932-2022) talked about her role as Uhura on Star Trek. Through her own words and vintage photos, you can find out about the groundbreaking star’s life both before and after the Enterprise took flight.
Why stop the party to mix drinks, when you could have the perfect booze blend ready to go? That was the theory behind the retro ready-made canned cocktails and bottled mixes that were popular in the 60s and 70s.
Tales of courage about people who died on the Titanic fascinate us to this day. Here are stories about some of the ship’s most prominent passengers.
The Love Boat sailed from ABC into American homes for nine seasons, from 1977 until 1986. The hour-long dramedy/sitcom was a favorite of viewers and critics alike – so come remember it here!
Even in his late 70s, Barry Manilow still performs relentlessly — much to the delight of “Fan-ilows” everywhere. Check out this bicentennial-year interview he gave early in his singing career.
The insights and inventions of Dr George Washington Carver – which he gave freely to the world – revolutionized the South, and helped millions out of poverty.
Though she was born famous, then grew her fame as an actress, Jane Fonda’s workout videos were one of her greatest successes. Here’s how it happened.
Through these vintage celebrity interviews (and an article bylined by the star himself), get to know Mike Connors, the star of the Mannix TV show, which was a big hit detective drama in the ’70s.
DB Cooper, a courteous middle-aged man disappeared, apparently by parachute, with a $200,000 ransom Wednesday night while a jetliner he hijacked was en route from Seattle to Reno.
How kids grow up in Hollywood: Despite all the glamour, singing actresses Judy Garland & Deanna Durbin lived home lives similar to millions of other teens. Here’s what they had to say back in the 1930s!
In the beginning, The Gap was a completely different store – selling only Levi’s and music. Through dozens of pictures, see how vintage Gap evolved and came to be known for so many trendy styles!
Take a look back at actress Elizabeth Montgomery — from the early days of her career in 1955 up until her 1972 heyday!
The original Star Wars trilogy was like a comic strip come to life, with eye-popping special effects of flashing light swords, ray guns, strange creatures, spaceships and eerie planets.
Below are a few photos of actor/assassin John Wilkes Booth, along with some theater advertisements that appeared in newspapers during the years leading up to President’s Lincoln’s murder.
In 1975, Chrysler released the Cordoba – and sales were helped along by TV ads featuring the great Ricardo Montalban and his famous mention of the car’s soft Corinthian leather.
Check out some original ‘Wizard of Oz’ cast photos from 1903, and see if you don’t think the characters seem creepy — maybe even a little bit ghoulish.
in 1929, gangsters linked to mobster Al Capone lured eight men into a garage in Chicago, lined them up facing the wall, then opened fire. Here’s the story, plus photos and diagrams.
Revisit the picture-perfect view of the ’50s with the Cleaver family, and their oh-so-retro daily ups and downs on the classic TV show, ‘Leave it to Beaver.’ You’ll also find out how Alfred Hitchcock was involved with this success story!
Here’s a look back at Abraham Lincoln’s funeral and the entire funeral procession, where millions of people came out to see the President’s hearse pass by on the way from Washington DC to Chicago.
In the ’30s, Chicago gang leader Al Capone was imprisoned for income tax evasion, and served most of his time on Alcatraz, where he faced constant death threats.
Here’s a look back at some of the greatest examples of fashionable gowns and flapper-style vintage dresses from the Roaring 20s that would be at home on the set of a Great Gatsby movie!
Dragnet was one of the original police procedurals, which began as a radio show, then as a (now-iconic) TV show from 1951-1959 — later followed by a faithful reboot from 1967 to 1970. They all starred Jack Webb as police sergeant Joe Friday.
For two years, Tom Hanks pounded the streets of the city searching for a job. Then he was flown to LA, screen tested, and finally selected for the role of Kip Wilson in ‘Bosom Buddies.’ And so a star was born.
Among the most famous letters in history was the one written near the end of the Civil War by President Lincoln to Mrs. Lydia Bixby of Boston.
What was Walter Matthau’s house like back in the ’70s? His wife Carol said that they gave it a country look and country feeling. Take a peek inside!
Spooky sitcom stars Fred Gwynne & Yvonne De Carlo talked about their lives & what it was like to film the vintage 1960s Munsters TV show in these classic cast interviews!
Back in the 1940s, Photoplay-Movie Mirror magazine asked Actress Bette Davis, the famous Hollywood movie star, to give readers love and relationship advice. Here’s what she suggested!
Considering it spawned two revival series, a movie, books and comic books, it’s hard to believe that the original Battlestar Galactica TV series had such a humble beginning.
Take tic-tac-toe, toss in nine celebrities, stir in some questions and add fabulous prizes. What do you get? The original Hollywood Squares game show!
While boxes of Jell-O pudding pops may be but a memory, we can still remember their glory days through these magazine ads and TV commercials!
While she was known to millions as Carol on The Brady Bunch, Florence Henderson had a vibrant, successful career as both an actress and singer.
Though the name might not be up there in lights as bright as Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, and Chuck Berry, Bill Haley & His Comets certainly deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence. Here’s why!
Back in the late ’80s, who would have thought that young Robert Downey, Jr – the kid who acted in a few random films – would, a couple of decades later, be one of America’s biggest movie stars?
Annie Oakley wasn’t just the best female sharpshooter – she was THE best. She once sent a shot right through the bullseye, then someone bet she couldn’t shoot through the hole she had just made. Guess what happened next?
Samuel Colt’s Connecticut mansion also known as Armsmear, was built on a huge plot of land owned by the inventor of the famous gun. See what this grand and spacious Victorian home was like in its heyday!
Here’s a look back at some vintage 1980s Nike shoes – from the early ‘just plain sneakers’ to the later mega-successes of classic Nike Air Jordans and the well-known ‘Just do it’ slogan.
George Burns & Gracie Allen were not only married in real life, their work from the mid-1930s through the mid-1950s made them one of the biggest comedy duos in Hollywood. Meet the wacky couple here!
Dog Day Afternoon is considered one of the greatest movies of the 1970s, and features a stellar lead performance by Al Pacino. And as fictional as the premise sounded, it was based on a real story. Here’s the scoop..
When famed dancer Isadora Duncan was killed in a most unusual automobile accident, it was a sudden end to the life of a woman who had seen incredible success as well as unimaginable tragedy.
Jack London’s first major work, ‘The Call of the Wild,’ changed both the face of literature and the fortunes of a young author.
While Benjamin Franklin may be known for ‘Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise,’ that wasn’t his only insight on the subject of sleep. In the summer of 1786, he wrote this, summing up his advice for better sleep.
Two big questions that have emerged over the years: Did George Washington have wooden false teeth? Did George Washington’s dentures include actual human teeth that came from slaves? Find out here!
Tang orange drink mix was advertised as a ‘new breakfast drink discovery’ when it was introduced in the ’50s, and went on to become a part of pop culture history – especially once NASA and Mrs Brady got in on the action.
The Nutty Professor is considered one of the best Jerry Lewis movies – a classic comedy in which he played a Jekyll and Hyde role, meaning he could play up his screwball style to great effect.
We have heard Mathis’ voice for years – but who’s the man behind that rich, smooth sound? Find out more about this extraordinarily talented singer here, and see Johnny Mathis as he lived in his Hollywood home back in the 1970s.
When the Disney Channel started in 1983, it was a cable subscription service with shows like Mousercise and Mickey Mouse Club, along with many of the famous Disney movies. See some of the schedules and more here!
Bald, Tootsie Pop-snacking Kojak was the king of the police procedural on TV, from 1973 through 1978. Here’s a look back!
‘All in the Family’ was a huge hit TV show that aired on CBS from 1971 to 1979, and was number 1 in the Nielsen ratings from 1971 to 1976. Find out about the series here, and see the famous opening credits, too!
Ad Astra… to the stars! John Glenn was the first American to orbit the earth, and he did it on the Mercury spacecraft named Friendship 7, on February 20, 1962. Here’s how it went.
Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne’s death in the plane crash of TWA Flight 599 on March 31, 1931, resulted in more than just the loss of the football legend and seven others – it was a pivotal moment in early airline and aviation safety.
Although the most popular vintage 1920s hairstyles were dominated by the bob cut, there were lots of different ways to style bobbed hair. Here’s a look back at short and long haircuts (plus old-fashioned styling tips) from the flapper era!
Here’s a look back at the group Tommy James and the Shondells, who were behind top charting singles like Hanky Panky, Crimson and Clover, Mony Mony, and Crystal Blue Persuasion.
One of the most unusual ad campaigns of the seventies featured gruff Western star John Wayne pitching Datril, a pain-relief medicine that was competing against Tylenol. Find out more about the ads here.
Starting before TV was a really big thing, the old CBS Radio shows filled the airwaves with audio-only entertainment and news of every kind. Here’s a look at some of the programming!
Combining Southern icons like moonshine running, muscle cars, car chases and country music, The Dukes of Hazzard TV series ran for seven seasons between 1979 and 1985. Rewind and remember the show here!
CHiPS, a light-hearted one-hour action-adventure series, follows the exploits of a pair of young California Highway Patrol motorcycle officers on the busy Los Angeles freeways, and their encounters with the infinite variety of people who drive there.
Debuting in 1976, the classic TV series Charlie’s Angels was widely popular with viewers, eventually becoming a cult classic favorite and spawning feature films and reboots.
The Monkees may have been a prefab TV band, but there was nothing made up about their real-world success. Here’s a look back!
21 Jump Street was a cop show that debuted in 1987, and immediately found an audience: teenagers, especially girls. That was fair, since the show was about police officers who pretended to be teens. Johnny Depp was the series’ breakout star.
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.
What was the Partridge Family TV series about? In an eggshell: Five siblings made the big-time playing rock ‘n’ roll music, and, led by their mom, toured the country. Squabbles, catchy tunes and hijinks ensued.
Johnny Cash and Miss June Carter, country and Western music singers who teamed up on a Grammy-winning record, teamed up in marriage, too. Here’s a look back at their time together!
Before pro football player OJ Simpson was arrested and tried for the murder of his wife, he was one of America’s top celebrities. Companies paid him to be the face of their brand… which didn’t work out well in the long run.
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.
