Find out about the classic TV sitcom Rhoda, and meet the star, Valerie Harper, in two different vintage interviews!
Culture & lifestyle
Vintage entertainment, crafts & pop culture from the past – it’s the retro life!
It would be hard to find anyone between the ages of 30 and 50 who didn’t watch Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood as a kid. And there’s a good reason for that.
Up in Wyoming, the Cheyenne’s Frontier Days festival featured bronco riding, a wild horse race, stage hold-up, hanging bee, cow-pony races, etc. and other rodeo events.
This vintage playhouse from the ’60s is a real house, with a Dutch front door and hearts and flowers dormers and a white picket fence.
Henry Ford fit a lot of ambition, drive, innovation and industry into his 84 years! Here’s a look back at his career, his beliefs, and how the famous industrialist changed the world.
Do you remember these groovy TV catchphrases of the ’70s? Are there any that you still find yourself saying every now and then?
Futuramic in more than style – the Oldsmobiles of ’40 let you push a button to roll down the windows, and made automatic seat adjustments.
Woodstock was supposed to be ‘3 days of peace and music’ – but as these stories from right after the concert describe, it didn’t exactly end up that way.
Here’s a look at a few dozen type styles from the first part of the 20th century – including a few old-fashioned fonts that have stood the test of time.
See vintage Milton Bradley board games like Uncle Wiggily, Candy Land, Go to the Head of the Class, Chutes & Ladders, Stratego, Concentration and others!
Tommy Howell – aka C Thomas Howell – the ’80s teen heartthrob, was a veteran of five films at age 17 – E.T., Tank, The Outsiders, Grandview USA & Red Dawn.
Take a look at the top 50 old-fashioned baby names for girls from 1900 for a few names that don’t even rank in the top 1000 today.
Introduced in 1982, the Dodge Rampage pickup truck (and its re-badged brother, the Plymouth Scamp) was a small, unibody similar to the Subaru BRAT. The line was discontinued in 1984.
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
For the ’50s housewife, laundry was huge: the love you had for your kitchen paled only in comparison to the adoration you felt for your washer and dryer.
I am at loss for the proper word to use to describe what television has done with Haley’s book Roots. “Enhance” will not do, nor is “heightened” sufficient. There is no word that is adequate.
Find out about Marvelous Men, Cosmopolitan’s 1974 bestselling guidebook for women, with dozens of tips on ‘how to know’ guys & ‘make them love you!’
Get a blast from the past with this 1978 article about the popular TV sitcom, “What’s Happening!!”, which soared past expectations and entertained millions.
With a cast headed by Bill Murray, Sigourney Weaver and Dan Aykroyd, the original ‘Ghostbusters’ movie from 1984 had blockbuster written all over it.
If you loved the look, feel or power of classic Pontiacs from the sixties, you’ll want to revisit those memories by way of this collection of vintage Pontiac car ads from the 1960s.
In the Vintage Jeep V6, you could cruise the highways as if you had wings — why they called this ’60s model the Flying ‘Jeep’ Universal.
Why do women give up their maiden names – blushing brides who assume their husbands’ names on the wedding day?
Maude was a groundbreaking television series starring Bea Arthur that broke all the molds when it first aired in 1972.
Widely regarded as one of the most innovative television shows of all time, The Twilight Zone premiered in 1959, and would go on to dazzle, delight and frighten audiences for the next five seasons.
In the olden days, you needed a telephone operator to connect your call manually through a switchboard. Her job wasn’t as easy as you might think.
Houdini’s underwater box escape was one of his most famous tricks – he was was shackled, chained and nailed into a box before being thrown overboard.
Sometimes life is like a movie, like actor Matt Dillon’s life. Nothing much happened to him until age 14, when he was discovered at a New York junior high.
Disney’s magical Mary Poppins arrived in 1964. See classic movie clips, hear some of the songs, plus find out more about the film & its stars!
The swinging sports fastback – the ’65 Marlin! The big, bold, brand-new ear for swingers who love fast lines, deep luxury, and man-size room for man-size comfort.
In animated segments between Saturday morning cartoon shows, Schoolhouse Rock was on TV from 1973-1985. Here’s a Grammar Rock classic, Verb: That’s What’s Happenin’!
Check out the ’69 Chevy pickups like the Fleetside, CST (Custom Sport Truck) and long wheelbase Longhorn pickup made especially for king-size camper bodies.
Maybe she’s no little darling on the set, but then Kristy McNichol never intended to be America’s sweetheart. All she wants is to work hard — and play hard.
Was this the earliest recorded instance of Rickrolling? You sign up for a magazine… and, whether you wanted it or not, you’d get a Rick
Look under the old Universal Jeep, and you’ll see why it has pulling power surpassing anything its size, plus versatility no other vehicle matches.
See the classic ’68 Fords when they were new in this Ford Guide for car buyers – including vintage Thunderbird, Mustang, Galaxie 500, LTD, Ford XL full-sized, station wagons, Torino and more!
By the time A Game of Thrones was published, George R R Martin had written millions of words over thousands of hours. Here, see where his long career began.
The Flintstones TV cartoon sitcom ran for 6 seasons in the ’60s. Find out how the story began, plus see the opening credits & the catchy theme song lyrics!
With a couple dozen clothespins – the flat, springless, wooden ones – you’ve got the raw material to craft some really original clothespin trivets!
A Date with Jet Screamer was the second episode of The Jetsons, and portrayed the era’s affection for rock ‘n’ roll music, and introduced the earworm, Eep Opp Ork Ah Ah.
Legendary beauty Lillie Langtry was a statuesque blonde with blue eyes, a perfect complexion and a ravishing figure. She was acclaimed by the social set, and became the mistress of The Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII.
Made with crepe paper and a few simple craft supplies, these glorious crepe paper flowers are easy to make and inexpensive, and will flourish in any room at any time of year.
Cast an eye on a rare collector’s item: El Camino. Check out vintage ads for several Classic Chevrolet El Camino pickup trucks from the 1960s!
Looking for some DIY ’70s clothes? Here are some quickie, kicky young wearables to make out of this and that for next to nothing!
Here’s an interview with Wonder Woman actress Lynda Carter from 1980, when she was just about to star in her own CBS special – and just before she started to model for Maybelline makeup.
The ’68 Cadillacs were huge, lavish and oh so comfortable to ride in. Take a look back at these classic cars — the 1968 Caddy, in 2-door, 4-door and vintage convertible styles!
Just look at it. The sleek lines. The smooth shape. Styling that is destined to become the standard of a new generation. But advanced styling isn’t the only reason the ’80s Oldmobiles are head of their time.
Take a look back at ABC television’s family-friendly Friday night offerings back in 1970, which included the hit sitcoms Brady Bunch, Nanny and the Professor & The Partridge Family… and total of 14 kids between the shows.
The early-70s TV sitcom ‘Nanny and the Professor’ starred Juliet Mills, Richard Long, and a very young Kim Richards – best known now for The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
Here’s one of the most unforgettable songs from Schoolhouse Rock: Conjunction Junction. One of the first in the “Grammar Rock” series, it made its debut on televisions nationwide in 1973.
See some vintage report cards from San Francisco’s Outer Mission district schools during the ’50s. One of his classmates? Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead.
These classic ’65 Chevrolet station wagons were said to handle just as well as sedans – a high bar considering how big some of these Chevy cars were!
Steven Spielberg and George Lucas have seemingly boundless energy, and that energy is unharnessed in ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ – a startling spectacle, starring Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones.
Sunday sightseeing around town and afternoon jaunts in the countryside are shiny new adventures when you’re driving a fun-loving ’56 Chevy!
The ’57 Chevy’s new, and shows it – from its daring new grille and stylish lower bonnet to the saucy slant of its rear fenders. It’s longer, too!
New York City has provided entertainment to millions over the years. See vintage seating charts from some of the city’s most famous theaters!
Although the story below was the topic of the 1994 made-for-TV movies Death of a Cheerleader/A Friend to Die For, this story has personal meaning, because I was another teen girl at the same school.
Never having to come up from underground? Cars routinely going 130 MPH? Completely automated cleaning? Solar power dominant? See these and many more predictions from 1906!
The 1970 Oldsmobile Toronado had impressive looks. Elegant interiors. And the incomparable handling of front-wheel drive.
The car of the future will be weather-proof, and that the sides, front, rear, and roof will probably be made of glass. The entire control of the machine will be simplified, and perhaps located in a set of push buttons.
The Elvis Presley death in 1977 sent shockwaves through America. See rare original news coverage and tributes from the day the King died.
For six years, the NBC series St Elsewhere literally set the standard for network programming, offering a consistently high level of realistic writing, ensemble acting, narrative experimentation and outrageous humor.
This TV movie debuted in 1973, and played occasionally in reruns at least until the 1980s. The Incredible, Indelible, Magical, Physical, Mystery Trip: Musical fantasy
Young Jason Bateman’s life sounds like an 18-year-old’s dream an apartment in Brentwood, a Jeep Cherokee, and a private dressing room with a color TV.
Among the major items that sets the ’70 Impala apart from other cars in its class is resale value. So you not only get more car for your money when you buy Impala, but traditionally more money when you sell it.
Originally designed as a show car for General Motors’ Motorama display in early 1953, the Chevrolet Corvette generated so much buzz, GM decided to put the ’53 Corvette into production.
The Great Blizzard of 1888 lasted from March 11 through March 14, 1888, and is considered to be one of the most severe recorded blizzards in American history.
Look at the people driving these Chrysler cars for 1956. Their faces tell they know they couldn’t have made a better choice!
The top-rated TV show, I Love Lucy, ran from 1951 to 1957 – around the time these magazines with Lucille Ball on the cover were published.
The Betty White Show was a snappy, well-executed 1970s comedy TV show that was meant to appeal to anyone who likes to laugh at real humor – witty, cerebral humor.
Motown Records wasn’t just a record label – it was a sound. Thanks to their success, we had stars like Michael Jackson, The Supremes, Stevie Wonder & Marvin Gaye.
After the war, industry was booming, and they needed workers. This 1946 vocational guidance film gives us a little insight into the world of telecommunications at the midpoint of the 20th century, from switchboard operators to engineers.
“How did he propose?” was asked in a series of nationally-syndicated newspaper columns during the early 1920s. Here’s a selection of some of the best engagement stories – from the sweet and simple to the too-cute-for-words.
In a spangled vest and elbow-length gloves, black bikini, black opera hose and steep ankle-strap wedgies, Tim Curry as Dr Frank N Furter, makes his grand entrance in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, an outrageous camp musical based on the stage hit.
A lighthearted look back at the 50s housewife during the sunny days of yesteryear, when a woman’s home was her castle — and her kitchen was the heart of that home.
Take a look back at the most popular names for dogs from the 1870s!
Can you guess what was the #1 evening pastime according to nearly half of the people interviewed in a 1974 Gallup survey?
39 years before the classic movie ‘The Wizard of Oz’ was released, see what people had to say about ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’ book back in 1900!
Being the heavyweight champion didn’t exclude Muhammad Ali from the draft during the height of the Vietnam War in 1967 – but it didn’t mean he was going to go willingly.
Los Angeles Dodgers star Sandy Koufax reflected on his life and career back in 1963: ‘Even today, it is hard for me to realize that I won the first and fourth games of the Series, along with 25 games during the regular season.’
The 1957 Ford station wagon gives you more of what you want in a wagon… and for less money. The nine-passenger Country Sedan measures over 17 feet long.
Here’s how you can make vintage stained-glass style Christmas ornaments from hard candy! This crafty project is probably easier than you’d think.
Make some retro ornaments for your Christmas tree with these crafts from the ’60s: they’re fanciful birds and butterflies in inexpensive, easy-to-sew felt.
Find out about the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s, get some behind-the-scenes from the actual jewelry store, and hear from Audrey Hepburn herself in this collection of articles from the 1960s.
This widely-beloved cartoon music video for ‘I’m Just A Bill’ came out in 1975 as part of Schoolhouse Rock, a memorable series of animated shorts that ran with the Saturday morning cartoons.
Maxell was long one of the leaders in the cassette tape world, and produced one of the most iconic ad campaigns of the era, featuring the man fondly (now) known as ‘blown away guy.’
Suppose you were a young woman anxious to find a husband, get married and settle down. What would be the best sort of job for you? Here’s what a survbey ?
Anyone who remembers Frankenstein and his monster might think the actors’ favorite recipe would have wolfbane and batwings, but no. Here’s Boris Karloff’s guacamole recipe.
In addition to being the first Indianapolis 500 winner in a rear-engined car, Jim Clark would go on to also win the Formula One World Championship that same year – the only driver to accomplish that feat.
You can create new fashions from old clothing! Here, see how a moth-eaten bathrobe and skirt, an outgrown blouse, knee-worn slacks were converted into sparkling new accessories.
The roof with a reason for every season SPRING: Rear window slants away from the weather, can be opened for ventilation even on rainy days.
Thomas Edison says people work too hard, but that pleasure is as necessary as food. ‘This is an electric age. The pressure was never heavier, nor the grind harder.’
Here’s a look back from 1984 at the career – and huge success – of Billy Joel, along with some insight into what makes his concerts so memorable.
The band Blondie was discovered one night by some wealthy people out slumming after the theatre, and hired to perform at a party in a posh apartment.
The Hula Hoop fad had millions of children and adults shaking their hips to make the hoop spin. See what the craze was all about – and how to hoop!
Pacific Southwest Airlines executives ‘appreciate beauty and grace in women and, what’s most important, they don’t mind admitting that we are the ones who make them look good.’ Yep, it was the ’60s.
You may never drive like golfer Jack Nicklaus off the tee. But you sure can on the road in the 1976 Grand Prix & the 1979 Pontiac Grand LeMans Safari station wagon.
If you haven’t heard of ‘Rocky’ or Sylvester Stallone, welcome back from Mars – about the only place where you could not see or hear about this movie about a boxer, and the rags-to-riches story of the guy who wrote it.
Mickey Rooney, an actor at the age of 11 months, veteran trooper at 10, and screen star at 16, writes his autobiography.
