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.
Culture & lifestyle
Vintage entertainment, crafts & pop culture from the past – it’s the retro life!
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.
For years, curious kids have loved experimenting with vintage chemistry sets and science kits like these with countless things to explore!
Stained glass windows are back in style! Take a look at lots of gorgeous design examples, for churches, homes and businesses – plus get some historical perspective on stained and leaded glass art!
Some car model names have been around for decades – like the Buick Skylark or the Ford Mustang. But not the Oldsmobile Delmont 88. It was produced for just two model years: 1967 and 1968.
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!
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!
Take a look back at actress Elizabeth Montgomery — from the early days of her career in 1955 up until her 1972 heyday!
Vintage 10-speed bikes like these were popular bicycles during the 60s, 70s and 80s. Although designed for speed and performance, they were popular with everyday folks who just wanted to get out and ride.
The old VTech PreComputer 1000 from the 80s was a small 3-in-1 computer ‘teacher’ that helped kids learn touch typing and basic computer programming – plus had a 3500-word dictionary, and knew more than 1000 facts
What did Carowinds theme park look like back in the 1980s? Here’s a look at the vintage Hanna-Barbera-affiliated amusement park that straddled the line between two states.
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.
April 22, 1970, was set as the first Earth Day across America – the culmination of demonstrations and teach-ins protesting the deteriorating state of the country’s environment.
The Dodge Brothers built a powerhouse car company that shaped American auto history — here’s how they rose to success and why their cars stood out.
The new comedy series is a story of a mountain family who suddenly finds itself with $25 million after oil is found on its property, and then moves to Beverly Hills, California. See the opening credits, hear the theme song, and get the lyrics here!
For decades after their introduction in 1963, Easy-Bake Ovens showed up on wish lists for Santa and for birthdays, and millions of them were sold. Take a look back!
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.
The vintage screen made of circles could work as a DIY project – this eye-catching retro room divider was simply made with craft hoops and oak strips.
This beautiful boho bathroom decor was created by none other than Gloria Vanderbilt Cooper back in the 70s, using a collection of flower prints she designed.
If you’re looking to make a bedroom look a little retro, take a look at these DIY headboards with a vintage look! They may be just the inspiration you need for some old-fashioned home decor.
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!
What’s the difference between linoleum and vinyl flooring? Although we often use these terms interchangeably, linoleum and vinyl are actually two distinctly different flooring products.
As this girl’s interest and sewing expertise grew, she asked her parents to transform a tiny, unused back room into a super-efficient, light and cheerful sewing room just for her.
There are so many recipes for appetizers to serve at game day football parties — but what about the main course? You can score with this old-fashioned football-shaped meatloaf, inspired by two vintage recipes!
Beaded curtain comeback? They’ve been here for years Beaded curtains have been in use in Asian culture for over 2,000 years, gracefully partitioning spaces with
Remember apple head dolls – the early American craft with folk art roots that became popular again in the ’60s and ’70s? Find out how to make these shrunken apple dolls, and more about the art of dollmaking.
The Plymouth Arrow was a compact car sold between 1976 and 1980 that was actually a re-branded version of the Mitsubishi Celeste. Here’s a look back at some of these small economy cars from the 70s!
The best way to gift-wrap a bulky or odd-shaped kitchen appliance or utensil is – don’t! Give it a fanciful shape, instead – with Christmas paper, ribbons, ornaments and more.
Check out some of the most popular classic 1960s Chrysler station wagons – Plymouth Fury, Dodge Custom 880, Valiant V-200, Dodge Dart 440, Lancer 770, Chrysler Newport & more.
When you were a kid, there was nothing else like the joy of old-fashioned treehouses or forts: a little getaway that you built (maybe with some help) that could be a clubhouse or castle or spaceship or simply a place for a little peace and quiet.
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.
Follow us backward through time, and check out dozens of the old roller skates that were so well-loved in the heyday of roller skating!
Here’s the ’80s way to use everyday corn syrup and tissue paper to make non-toxic face paints for Halloween or a school play!
From the ground up, the ’69 Plymouth Fury was totally restyled. It was longer. Wider. And noticeably roomier inside. Flash back to the sixties here to see this classic car!
Based on one of the many traditional needlework crafts, these vintage needlepoint designs might just inspire you to get creative in all-new ways!
Remember these classic Fisher-Price preschool toys, like the vintage corn popper, colorful xylophone, music box TV and chatter telephone?
Dating tips for teen girls in the 1950s: Seventeen magazine’s ‘How to chase men ’til they catch you’
How to chase men till they catch ’em was something every teen girl should know… or so said the 1950s editor of Seventeen magazine. Here are her tips on how to flirt & behave, just for the gals.
The ’57 Pontiacs had a Strato-Streak V-8 engine – and told customers to try it to ‘get a taste of the future today in America’s Number One Road Car!’
Star Trek’s original run lasted three seasons – but soon thereafter, it became a huge hit in syndication, inspired several TV series and more than a dozen movies.
Merlin, the ‘electronic wizard,’ was a red telephone-shaped toy used buttons, lights and sound effects to let kids play a variety of simple games, and was one of the earliest gaming consoles.
Judging by audience response to PBS new children’s show, Zoom may turn into the kind if household word television hasn’t heard since the halcyon days of Uncle Milty.
The Cadillac innovation mentioned herein was a two-speed rear axle, combined with a door-mounted, electrically-operated shifter which allowed the driver to change the rear axle
When the now-classic Disney film Sleeping Beauty came out at the end of the 1950s, moviegoers around the world were enthralled by the technicolor wonder, created by hundreds of artists over the course of six years. Find out more here!
Vintage book clubs have been around since before the Depression – and while the titles have changed, the concept behind the membership isthe same. Here’s a look back!
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!
The Banana Splits Adventure Hour lasted only 31 episodes, but its funky psychedelia had a lasting impact. Take a look – and a listen!
These old Plymouth Suburban station wagons from the ’50s were big and long with rear-facing back seats – and even had fins. Check ’em out here!
Take a look back at the 1968 Chrysler Imperial – a classic car that came in a four-door hardtop, coupe and LeBaron models, and offered a front seat that doubled as a 5-foot sofa.
In Hawaii in the ’70s, Waikiki was more than a beach. It’s a vibrant, exciting, cosmopolitan resort city on Oahu, only a few miles from bustling downtown Honolulu.
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!
Here Come The Brides was an hour-long comedy/Western TV series set in Seattle in the 1870s about a family of loggers who brought in 100 women as potential brides. The show launched Bobby Sherman and David Soul as teen idols.
The classic ’59 Buick cars were said to be the clearest and cleanest example of a new styling trend that would be popular for years, and had editors name Buick ‘best looking overall’ of all 1959 cars.
Look back to the ’70s and ’80s at vintage Sea World San Diego, when Shamu the Killer Whale was the ocean-themed amusement park’s star attraction.
When it came to parenting the ’40s, were moms too easy on their kids? Was being a parent harder than the generation before? Here’s what people said in 1940.
What better use to make of those big, clumsy cartons that once held ar new refrigerator or range? Make a fun toyland for the kids with these creative DIY cardboard box fort & playhouse ideas!
By the early 20th century, materials were more readily available to make picture jigsaw puzzles – and the novelties were soon found in households across the country.
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?
Take a look back at the kind of aisles, counters and checkouts American shoppers used to encounter at vintage 1950s grocery stores when shopping for food, toiletries and more!
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?
Vintage bumper stickers have been a common sight for decades, and were more than just a decoration on the back of a car or truck – they were there to make a statement. Here’s a look back at a few!
Many critics were surprised that the ‘Emergency!’ TV show was a success. One factor for sure: actors Randy Mantooth and Kevin Tighe, who played paramedics John Gage and Roy DeSoto, made indelible impressions on viewers.
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.
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.
The classic 1970s Dodge Challengers were introduced with the 1970 model, and the new sports compact created quite a stir. The first models offered a choice of 9 engines, in two-door hardtops, formal roof hardtops, and convertibles.
Here, take a glimpse into the past and admire some of the timeless classic 1950s Studebaker cars, like the Presidents, Commander, Conestoga, Hawk, Broadmoor and Clipper.
Jack London’s first major work, ‘The Call of the Wild,’ changed both the face of literature and the fortunes of a young author.
In 1927, dozens of people tried to break the coffee-drinking record. In just over a month, the cup count went from 71 to a San Francisco man who more than doubled that number.
Remember Vintage Wacky Packages (also called Wacky Packs for awhile) that were popular when Gen Xers were kids? Here’s a look back at some of the best of these wild and crazy collectible stickers from way back!
It’s like going to the movies. Only better. With Fisher-Price Movie Viewer toys, kids could run short films all by themselves, just by turning a handle. In slow motion, speeded up or backwards.
This easy-to-make vintage cardboard dollhouse is a project that can grow with your children! Here’s how you can make it – along with tips for cute ways to decorating the little play house.
Antique scrapbooks have been made for generations – each era having their own creative styles as well as unique subject matter. Here’s a look back at how and what people were scrapping long ago.
Creativity is not something you are either born with or not: it needs to be discovered, nurtured, and expressed for it to grow. Here are 12 tips from the 1980s that are just as helpful today as ever, plus a look at some creative visions from the past.
These vintage Rig-a-Jig toy sets were popular back in the fifties, and were sort of a hybrid of TInkertoys, Lego and an Erector Set. See how they worked, and what you could create with them, here!
Since 1952, Mad Magazine has poked fun at everything from Superman to Yoda, M*A*S*H to hippies. But it’s about more than humor – it’s big business, too.
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.
Put together a half dozen pieces of this DIY fun furniture for kids, and your child will have endless play ideas. Made from just one simple box construction, the pieces are great for pretend games, the right size to use as table and chairs.
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!
Take a look at the classic 1940s Pontiac cars to see what the old designs were like, what the vehicles, they offered buyers (and drivers), and what the manufacturer thought would most appeal to potential customers.
Folk-art painted furniture: Upcycle & renew furniture with tips from famed vintage artist Peter Hunt
For decades, artist Peter Hunt specialized in upcycling furniture and found objects by renewing them with colorful peasant designs. Here are examples of his work, and tips for how you can create your own folk-art painted furniture!
Right from the start, the AMC Gremlin’s unique styling and sporty individuality appealed to a specific range of drivers. Take a look back to the ’70s, and find out what these cars were all about.
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!
Based on the famous books, The Hardy Boys-Nancy Drew Mysteries TV series debuted in 1977, starring Parker Stevenson & Shaun Cassidy as the brothers Frank & Joe, and Pamela Sue Martin as Nancy.
The Ford Thunderbird was introduced in 1955, and quickly became a favorite with car buyers… but that didn’t stop Ford from making a lot of changes to the model during those first five years. Here’s a look!
Check out the classic 1970s Buick Regals. Outwardly, the shape is clean. Uncluttered. Inside, it’s pure magic. In the way it looks. In the way it feels. All in all, a dream car.
Take a look back at some Pontiac Bonneville automobiles, and see how they changed from the fifties to the end of the 20th century.
These vintage zodiac cross-stitch designs could be used as-is, interspersed and contrasted with plain squares, or the designs adapted to many other uses — such as cross-stitch embroidery for table linens.
Hopefully, these vintage 1970s Playskool toys, dolls, ride-ons and more will bring back some happy memories! They may also remind you of a simpler time, when most toys were joyfully kid-powered.
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.
Do you remember these vintage Mad magazine back page Fold-Ins – where, with a couple of folds, you could change the page’s picture, and its message? Look back at a few of these clever pieces of art created by Al Jaffee.
The word ‘flapper’ as used today in reference to a woman from the 1920s, has a much broader definition than how the term was originally used. So what is a flapper, then? Find out here.
It used to be that superheroes zipped through the air, pure & uncomplicated. In vintage Marvel comics, however, they became complex, abnormal, alienated and schizoid. The comic book universe hasn’t been the same since.
While popular cartoon kids talking about life insurance and IRAs might not seem like a natural match, in the ’80s & ’90s, the combination was a hit. Take a look back here!
Chevy’s second-generation Camaro cars debuted in early 1970 – restyled and upsized compared to the 1960s model. Here, take a look back at the features and styles of the classic 1970s Chevrolet Camaros.
In 1967, the first of the brand-new 1960s Camaro cars hit the streets. It was an immediate success, selling 220,906 cars in their first model year. Here’s a look at the ’67, ’68 and ’69 Chevy Camaros!
Here, see two articles from the twenties about old-fashioned train & travel etiquette from the 1920s. They as much tell people what to do as what not to do when traveling the country by railroad.
Here is how some of the oldest American motorcars – the classic Maxwell automobiles, produced in New York – looked back around the turn of the century.
