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.
vintage celebrities
Everybody’s doing it. Swingers, congressmen, housewives, businessmen, engaged couples, secretaries and kids. They’re all out there jogging.
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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
The 70s were a weird decade for fashion, and even men’s vintage suits from this era ranged from staid & conservative to wild & crazy. Check out our collection!
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.
What is cottagecore? Old-timey, flowery, ruffly skirts; lacy high-necked tops and dresses with a Victorian/Western vibe. Sound familiar? Turns out, yesterday’s prairie revival is today’s cottagecore dress.
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!
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!
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?
Red, pink, gold & beyond – See the top vintage nail polish brands and colors from the 20th century, with shades & styles from decades ago – see how manicures have changed over the years!
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.
Here, look back at 14 brands and varieties of crunchy and smooth vintage peanut butter goodness from the last 120-plus years, including popular favorites as well as once-famous spreadables that are now gone.
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!
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.
Jolly Time popcorn is an American company that got its start in 1914. Ten years later, they hit on the idea of selling their popcorn in cans to seal in the freshness so every kernel would pop.
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.
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.
In the 1956 movie musical Carousel, Oklahoma stars Shirley Jones and Gordon MacRae were again teamed up for a Rodgers and Hammerstein classic. Also see an interview with Miss Jones from the same year.
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!
On this 1982 sitcom, the Square Pegs were Patty Greene (a young Sarah Jessica Parker) and Lauren Hutchinson (Amy Linker). Patty was the smart, skinny, nearsighted one; Lauren was the one with baby fat and braces. The round hole was Weemawee High School.
Through 75 artistic antique color covers of The Theatre magazine, take a peek back in time from the first decades of the twentieth century to see these classic actors & actresses who performed onstage more than 100 years ago
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.
Why was Greta Garbo America’s highest-paid film star in the 1930s? A legend during the Golden Age of Hollywood, Garbo was one of the most popular actresses of the era. See what she was all about here.
Here are some interviews with star Rock Hudson from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, during which he talked about his favorite (and least favorite) parts of his hugely successful career.
While the stars were still aligning for her first big acting role, young Mariska Hargitay, daughter of the legendary Jayne Mansfield, took on other jobs.
During and after his stint as James Bond, actor Sean Connery played off his fame and good looks by making these ads for Jim Bean Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey – with nary a smile in sight.
Back in the ’60s, The Mamas and The Papas were no ordinary band or singing group – they had that certain extra something that made sure their music would stand the test of time. Here’s a look back.
Buddy Holly was one of rock and roll’s early pioneers. He remains influential to this day, despite his untimely death in a plane crash. Here’s a look back at his career!
The Godfather of Soul. Mr Dynamite. The Hardest Working Man in Show Business. Whatever you called him, James Brown was a music legend who released hit records in four different decades.
From just the trailer, it seemed like just another John Hughes movie, but ‘The Breakfast Club’ was something different. For many ’80s teens, it was more real and more relatable. Find out why here!
Looking back, it’s clear that young Betty White had all the same things we loved about older Betty White – the smile, the humor, the voice, the verve. Here’s a look at the early life and career of this actress!
In the ’60s and ’70s, these vintage ads for stylish vintage Foster Grants sunglasses featured many of the most popular stars of the era – from Raquel Welch to Mia Farrow, Peter Sellers to Robert Goulet.
In the ’70s, long before he was the guy millions of Americans knew as a cop on Law & Order, here’s what Jerry Orbach’s home – a New York City brownstone – looked like.
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.
Donning a brilliant red leotard, Audrey Hepburn demonstrated a series of yoga-like exercises. ‘I’ve tried to incorporate what I’ve seen in animals so the human body can benefit from them.’
‘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.
In 1973, The Mamas & The Papas singer Michelle Phillips took on a new role – that of the lead actress in the movie Dillinger. Here’s what she said at the time.
Charlie Brown? Check. Grinch? Yep. You can also see how Johnny Depp, Elvira, Martin Lawrence & Tom Hanks got into the holiday spirit years ago on these vintage Halloween TV specials.
Campy or vampire spoof, call it what you like – The Lost Boys, a movie starring Kiefer Sutherland – is decidedly offbeat entertainment… with a twist.
Charles Bronson has many houses and lives wherever filmmaking takes him, but this superstar is most “at home” in his Vermont farmhouse.
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.
Here’s Groucho singing the song he’s famously associated with from his time with the Marx Brothers: ‘Hello, I Must Be Going,’ as seen in the 1930 film Animal Crackers.
Converse for the U.S. Olympic Basketball team (1968) Just because the U.S. Olympic Basketball Team will wear Converse basketball shoes, should you? Lightning-fast breaks …
Priscilla Presley wasn’t just the former wife of mega-star Elvis Presley – she was a model and actress in her own right, and has the receipts to prove it.
Step back in time with Leonard Bernstein with a vintage profile and snapshots of the maestro’s melodious legacy!
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 look back at singer and actor Bing Crosby’s house in Holmby Hills, California, as it appeared in 1950.
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!
Take a look back at a few views of the pretty and peaceful backyard and the Kennedy family pool house behind the Virginia home known as Hickory Hill.
Gene Wilder reached a level of stardom that no one would have predicted, least of all himself. Here are interviews with the actor himself from the ’70s.
Of Gloria Steinem’s apartment in New York, the feminist icon wrote in 1970s that it offered cheerful rooms to live in and a private place to work. Take a look!
Vintage actor James Coburn’s home in 1970 was filled with exotic treasures from around the globe, and colors and patterns to match. Take a look!
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.
The man who moved on to play ‘McDreamy’ on Grey’s Anatomy was just 21 years old when this article was published. Find out more about young Patrick Dempsey here!
Here are vintage autographs of eleven lost music legends, many gone far too soon. How many of these signatures do you wish you had?
‘The Jeffersons’ was an offshoot of ‘All in the Family’ that took on a life of its own, and made a star out of Sherman Hemsley, who played George Jefferson.
Vintage fashion watch: Jackie Kennedy and her fabulous clothes The elegance, the chic, the supertaste that comprise… The Jackie Kennedy Look (but what is that
The old-fashioned Lustre-Creme shampoo was famous for hiring famous actresses to promote their product. Here’s a look at some of the stars!
Columbo, a ’60s & ’70s crime TV show set in Los Angeles, starred Peter Falk as a homicide detective with a unique way of investigating and questioning suspects.
A doctor smashed his way into a locked bedroom, and found Marilyn Monroe dead in bed. Here’s what else he found, and how the first news stories broke.
Studio 54 was arguably the most famous – or at the very least, infamous – nightclub of the 1970s & 1980s. It was filled with stars, even when the owners were sent to prison.
Neil Diamond has had more than 38 hits on the Top 10 charts, and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018. Here’s a look back to his life and career in the ’70s!
Hot off her big role in The Breakfast Club, Ally Sheedy played spoiled Beverly Hills rich girl Jessie Montgomery in the comedy Maid to Order.
Star Trek: The Next Generation, set in the 24th century, the updated USS Enterprise boldly went where no one had gone before – and enthralled millions.
Few movie sequels overshadow their predecessors. Yet ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ – the chapter following ‘Star Wars’ – does just that.
Find out about The Muppet Show, an all-family comedy-musical-variety TV series from the ’70s & ’80s, and see the opening credits and theme song lyrics here!
Take a jump back in time to hear from Hall & Oates in their prime – the ’70s & ’80s, when the duo had a string of #1 singles and sold millions of albums.
Talk show host Johnny Carson created a line of suits in the seventies – mostly all polyester, and they came in dozens of different colors and styles.
Check out some pictures of cute young James Dean from babyhood up to his early teen years – and a few shots of the all-grown-up Jimmy Dean, celebrity.
At age 25, John Stamos believed his teen idol days were behind him, as the ‘Full House’ star was trying to make an acting career with longevity.
At the height of his fame, Elvis Presley was drafted into the US Army. Here, see 20 photos of the man in uniform.
Actress Betty White has always loved animals – especially dogs. In this story from the ’50s, she gives her advice about choosing the best dog for you and your family.
Lynda Carter, television’s wonderful Wonder Woman, had the strength of Hercules, the wisdom of Athena, the speed of Mercury and the beauty of Aphrodite.
In ‘Full House,’ a widowed talk-show host whose brother-in-law and best friend, a comic, helped him raise his three young girls.
Actress Betty White never gives up – and that’s the secret to her success. Here’s why, in the words of none other than her mother.
Academy Award-winning actress Jennifer Connelly started out as a child model. Here’s a look back to those days in the early ’80s when she was just getting her career off the ground!
Betty Grable’s legs: They have now achieved the stature of a major Hollywood landmark LIFE – June 7, 1943 No one since Paavo Nurmi has
Dinah Shore’s home in Beverly Hills is where the popular star relaxes with friends for good talk, good food, good tennis and good times. See inside her house from ’60s & the ’70s!
M*A*S*H actress Loretta Swit snagged the role of the haughty, by-the-book chief nurse, Major Margaret (Hot Lips) Houlihan for the TV series, and made it all her own.
