Stars of Vaudeville, Silent Movies, and Dramatic Theatre

Many years ago, I acquired a large collection of clippings from newspapers & magazines. Most from the late 1800s through the early 1900s.  Someone had taken the time, in what appeared to be elderly handwriting, to identify some of these people.


Unfortunately, many of them remain unidentified.  But I still love the collection.


I am going to share today some of the images from this time period. 


During that era, ladies remained 'covered' in public.  It was a source of great discussion and shock when photos were taken which had body exposure.  ANY body exposure.  Often the modest stars would allow their "feet" to be exposed, which would attract attention - but allow them to maintain their dignity. 


I hope you enjoy these photos.

NEW YORK CITY in 1866, Cholera and Fever Nests

I love my vintage and antique literature.  I have many original newspapers, magazines, and books from the 1800s through the 1970s.  I enjoy sharing this history with others and hope it will be shared with young people....to keep alive this ACTUAL history that is often forgotten.


These images appeared in Frank Leslie's illustrated Newspaper dated Sept. 15, 1866.  This shows the stark contrast between societies.


The article is titled "THE CHOLERA AND FEVER NESTS OF NEW YORK".  It discusses the "great evil" of social life in a large city.  The article outlines that these areas were home to squalid poverty, a poisonous atmosphere, rendered almost deadly by the careless habits of the people, a degree of filth too disgusting for description.  The images are scans of the engravings which illustrate the level of poverty described in the article.  Apparently, the Dept. of Health took prudent measures to confine the plague to these 'nests', but was unable to prevent entrance and spread of diseases.

SHANTIES ON EIGHTH AVENUE

RIVINGTON PLACE, GOERCK STREET

THE DRY HYDRANT, BAXTER STREET



Just a few pages over in the same newspaper.....we see President Johnson arriving on 5th Ave & 14th St.   These pictures show the extreme variances in living conditions in New York City in the year 1866.

THE ARRIVAL OF THE PRESIDENT AND SUITE AT DELMONICO'S, CORNER OF FIFTH AVENUE AND FOURTEENTH STREET, NEW YORK CITY, WHERE TEH MILITARY PASSED IN REVIEW

Honoring those that served.....from years gone by

I have a huge archive of vintage publications from the 1800s through the 1970s.


One common theme through the 1950s was patriotism.  Today, I am highlighting and honoring some of these soldiers. 


Perhaps someone related to one of these soldiers will get to see pictures they didn't know existed.


Share & get the word out.  If this is a popular post, I'll add more in days to come.  I have many I can share.

Sgt. Reid Ivester, 1944 Publication

LT. THOMAS J. PICKETT

IN 1944 PUBLICATION

J.C. ("JIMMY") COMBS WITH WIFE & DAUGHTER (GLORIA JEAN)

IN 1944 PUBLICATION

PFC. HUGH B. LAYTON

SON OF MRS. JOSEPHINE LAYTON

IN 1944 PUBLICATION

WADE M. BLACKWELDER WITH WIFE & WADE JR.

IN 1944 PUBLICATION

2ND LT. JOSEPH C. RODRIQUEZ

IN 1952 PUBLICATION

ADMIRAL 'BULL' HALSEY

IN 1954 PUBLICATION

Where are these people NOW?

There was a great section in THE AMERICAN MAGAZINE, published through the 1950s that highlighted "America's Interesting People".  This is one of my favorite sections of the magazines.  I'd love to know where these people are, or if they are no longer with us, where the children or grandchildren are. Do they know about the articles?  Are they following in the tradition of whatever was highlighted?


Spread the word.....help me reach these people so I can talk with them and possibly provide an update to the articles.  That would be FUN!


This would be such a fun project.....and sharing the information with friends, relatives, and neighbors of these outstanding individuals....I think I will continue to share these and see if I can locate some of these folks.

Has Traffic Improved Since 1953?

We have all experienced it....traffic jams. 


If you live in a metropolitan area anywhere in the country, I'm sure you've experienced the 'rush hour' traffic problem. 


In North Carolina, there are many.  Add to the mix an accident and you could be sitting in an Interstate Parking Lot for hours.


Well, obviously, this has been an issue since the mass production of automobiles.  I have noticed during the late 1800s through the 1950s, a great many of the magazine ads were for automobiles.  Many of these companies didn't stand the test of time; but it sure is fun to see the autos that were available in those time periods.


I found a 'test your knowledge' article from a 1950s magazine that stopped publication in the 1950s.

I'm sure road rage wasn't as common back then as it is today.  Most people during those days were more level-headed and polite.  Compound the fact that we have mobile devices that distract drivers today and I can say with certainty that, although our roads and interstates have improved, our problems are far greater today than they were in the 1950s.

Another big difference is speed and composition of the autos.  Cars back then were made of metal. Real metal.  If you have a minor fender bender today, insurance companies will quickly 'total' the car. The cost of a bumper is often more than it would cost to replace a whole car.  Experience a little fender bender today with one of these magnificent cars and a modern day car would be toast.  The damage to these older cars would be minimal.

Makes you want one of these in your driveway.  Imagine how much better you would feel if your teen was driving one of these indestructible machines! 

And this image says a lot about how much our travel lives have changed....and how much has stayed the same since 1953.

1950s Home & Fashion

So, what happened to colored Toilet Paper?  Did the ink stain someone's rear end?  What prompted the toilet tissue companies to stop manufacturing colors?


This ended up as a topic of conversation one day during a family road trip.  We talked about it for quite some time and decided it's time for someone to bring back the colorful TP.  We even came up with a slogan "Shiney Hiney" for our Colorful Toilet Paper come-back tour.


I found 2 ads from the 1950s that highlighted the pretty colors to brighten your bathroom space.

I know we have many selections today for hand soap, but my retro personality really LOVES these old choices.  I guess they were made of plastic & disposable because in all my years of collecting, I haven't run into one of these jems.  I'll have to keep a closer watch from now on. 

Now, I get to share the fun ladies fashion scene from the 1950s.  I hope you enjoy!!

 This dress is timeless! And I LOVE LOVE LOVE the gloves. Very classy.

The caption for this suit was that is was made for "only the slimmest of figures".

The bubble skirts came back into popularity for a short time in the 1980s.  I think they tried to resurrect them in the past few years, with little success.  I never did like them personally.

1952 First Lady Quiz

I found this article of particular interest.  In a 1952 magazine, this article was engaging women in the political process.  Choosing not only the president, but the first lady!  It's an enormous job and must be met with grace, dignity, hard work, and a heart of gold.


We've come a long way ladies!

1950 ~ Using Babies to advertise Smoking

Well, as promised, I have found some advertisements that would be considered politically incorrect today.  This ad campaign features babies encouraging Mom & Dad to smoke a specific brand of cigarettes.....because they are 'the best'.

Enjoy this stroll down memory lane.....The year.....1950.

1946 Article ~ Training your husband

I hope you'll enjoy this article.  Published in 1946, it tells new brides how to "train" their husbands. 

"New" 1955 Dodge

I know there are a lot of folks that really love vintage cars....me included. 


I love the old auto ads!  These classic cars will never go out of style.  Here is one from a 1953 publication featuring a new '54 Dodge sedan.  LOVE the color!


The bottom picture shows the classic lights that collectors love....and ladies didn't leave the house without their hat & gloves.