In a world where on most days there is more bad news than good, we get nostalgic for a simpler time, with people we admired and looked up to as role models catching our attention and making us believe in the power of magic, glamor, and elegance.
From young, vulnerable up and coming musicians who had no idea they could ever be iconic stars to starlets who were still hoping for a big break, take a look at some photos that will touch your heart and your mind, and make you believe in magic again.
Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson meeting at the LA forum - 1980's.
Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson formed a partnership in the 1980’s to work on three demos. “There Must be More to Life than This” features vocals from both Freddie and Michael; Freddie released the song on the Queen album, Queen Forever.
While the song was written in the Hot Space sessions, it wasn’t finished. Freddie Mercury would go on to release his own version as a solo work on his 1985 debut, Mr. Bad. The other songs were “Victory,” which was later used as an album cover by the Jacksons, and “State of Shock,” which had Rolling Stones undertones.
A 23-year-old John Wayne, Circa 1930.
As hard as it is to imagine, even John Wayne was a young up and coming star. Here he is around the time of his first film role, the 1930s movie The Big Trail. The movie would launch his career, leading to many roles in B movies in 1930s Westerns.
In 1939, John Wayne got his biggest screen break when he was cast in John Ford’s Stagecoach, which led to subsequent roles in 142 movies. Surprisingly, only 83 of these films were Westerns. Biographer Ronald Davis said, "John Wayne personified for millions the nation's frontier heritage.”
Michael and Janet Jackson, L.A., 1978.
Here are two members of the Royal Family of Pop, Janet and Michael Jackson. All nine of the Jackson kids have gold records and stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, but it was Michael and Janet who skyrocketed to iconic status. In 1995, as a family, the siblings were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with their band, The Jackson 5.
Michael Jackson went on to get his own solo Hall of Fame induction in 2001. Following Michael’s death in 2009 and the talk of the Jackson 5 reunion, A&E produced a series called The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty.
Jimi Hendrix & Eric Clapton, two guitar wizards (1967).
This picture portrays two guitar masters in 1967, hanging out after a show in a club. Jimi Hendrix had been to a Cream concert in London, and Eric Clapton caught Hendrix riffing “Killing Floor” and was suitably impressed. Eric Clapton wanted to get to know Hendrix better, hoping to forge a friendship between them; he invited Hendrix’s band back to his Regent Park flat in Park Road.
While they all had good intentions, the friendship never blossomed due to each of them being introverted. Jimi Hendrix reported said, “God, that was hard work” on his way out the door.
Prince in 1975, at the age of 17.
Prince wasn’t always the star we remember. There was a time when he was just another teenager, his whole future unmapped in front of him. The Artist Formerly Known as Prince went on to achieve fame far beyond anything he could have imagined when this photo of him and his guitar was first snapped.
Prince would, of course, go on to achieve incredible popularity between his albums and his cult classic film Purple Rain which would earn him an Academy Award and a Golden Globe. Over his incredible career, he sold over 100 million records and won an American Music Award and seven Grammy Awards.
Prince was honored in 2004 with his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His style encompassed all genres, from rock to new wave and funk, soul, pop, psychedelia, and R&B.
Robin Williams - 1979.
The world is still reeling from the suicide of the beloved comedian, Robin Williams, in 2014. His suicide was fueled by depression and dementia.
Robin was known for his whacky comedic persona that was, according to associates, very much like his own personality off screen. Robin’s first role was as Mork from the planet Ork in the sitcom, Mork & Mindy. Mindy befriends the alien, and the two become roommates with predictably funny results. Nanu, nanu.
John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd pre "The Blues Brothers" 1978.
The 1980’s film The Blues Brothers was based on a 1978 Saturday Night Live musical starring Belushi and Aykroyd. The movie, directed by John Landis, portrays a paroled convict, Jake, and his brother Elwood Blues as they attempt to atone for their mistakes by performing a “mission from God.”
The mission was to reunite the Blues Brothers band to collect funds for the Catholic orphanage where they were raised. The duo is seen here shortly before they rocketed to fame as the Blues Brothers.
Photo of actress Diana Rigg (Later to become Olenna Tyrell on "Game of Thrones")
Olenna Tyrell wasn’t always old and wise; she was, before her Game of Thrones role, the smoking hot beauty of the 1965 classic, Avengers. Dianna Rigg was often deemed the most desirable woman in the world in her youth. Dianna was more than a little scandalous, dating an older married man and claiming that she never wanted to “be respectable.”
Elvis Presley, rocking the gold glasses and lion pendant, 1971.
The King is pictured here, with his jet-black hair, lion pendant, and gold glasses. Many fans don’t realize that Elvis dyed his hair black; his own hair color was brown. Elvis was by all accounts a ladies man, inviting many women who waited outside Graceland to come inside.
One night, after his divorce from Priscilla, it was rumored he had invited 152 swooning female fans inside the mansion at the same time.
1964 – Willie Nelson makes his debut on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tenn.
Willie Nelson is shown here on his debut performance on Nashville, Tennessee’s Grand Ol Opry stage. Willie Nelson would go on to develop a cult following as an accomplished musician and a founder of the outlaw country genre. Willie Nelson is a musician, of course, as well a poet, actor, author and activist.
He has played roles in 30 films and co-authored several books. He is an advocate for the legalization of marijuana. When his house caught fire, Willie ran back into the flames to rescue his pot stash, leaving hundreds of unreleased taped songs to burn in the flames.
Who remembers “Jungle Pam”, the drag racing sweetheart of the ’70s?
There is so much to remember here. Not just “Jungle Pam” Hardy and “Jungle Jim” Liberman, but let’s give a shout out to that car, the Chevy Vega Funny Car. “Jungle Pam” was the picture of groovy; go-go boots, skimpy top and short shorts.
Jim had his own fanbase because of his infamous wheel stands and burnouts. The duo was the ideal balance of speed and sex.
Marilyn Monroe wearing an Atome in 1951.
Marilyn Monroe, the 1950’s blonde bombshell who was famously linked to President John F. Kennedy, was a model and actress who was often cast in movies as “the dumb blonde.” Every aspect of her life, even her mysterious death, has been publicized for decades.
The stylishly beautiful Monroe is pictured here in an atome, a two-piece bathing suit that covers the navel, that made her a favorite pinup for her generation.
Melanie Griffith, Don Johnson, and Cher in the 1970's.
Don Johnson, the 1980s heartthrob who earned a Golden Globe for his role as crimefighter James “Sonny” Crockett on Miami Vice, is caught in this vintage snapshot with Melanie Griffith and pop music icon Cher. Cher was on her way to fame at the time this photo was taken and would go on to be the trendsetting superstar she is today.
The 71-year-old Cher is not just a singer and songwriter, she is a talented actress whose career has consistently spanned generations. Cher isn’t slowing down just yet, she looks as beautiful now as she did in this picture and is still touring and producing music.
Sally Field on the set of Gidget, 1965.
Sally field had her start in acting when she took her iconic Gidget role, following it with The Flying Nun and The Girl with Something Extra. In 1977, she starred in her first big screen film, the wildly popular Smokey and the Bandit.
Her onscreen romance with Burt Reynolds followed into real life, and the couple starred in several more movies together such as Smokey and the Bandit II, Hooper, and The End, but her role in Norma Rae would earn her a Best Actress Academy Award in 1979. Sally would go on to star in many more films, earning more nominations as she rose to super star status.
Melanie Griffith with then-boyfriend Don Johnson, 1973.
Melanie Griffith was 14 years old when she started dating the then-22-year-old Don Johnson. The couple starred in a movie along with Tippi Hedren, Melanie’s equally famous mother. This picture was snapped in 1973 on Sanibel Island, Florida. They duo went on to wed in January of 1976, and had one daughter, actress Dakota Johnson.
The couple would split up just six months later. In June of 1989, Melanie and Don married again, only to split again in March of 1994. Later in 1994, they reconciled yet again only to separate once more in 1995.
Ann Margaret, 1960's.
Ann Margaret got her start as a singer with the help of legendary funny man, George Burns. She turned her attention to acting and was signed onto a seven-year contract with 20th Century Fox. She has starred opposite some notable names like John Wayne, Jack Nicholson, and Elvis.
Her role in the film Carnal Knowledge, and a year after Marilyn Monroe sang “Happy Birthday” to John F. Kennedy, Ann Margaret was invited to do the same for his 46th birthday party.
Jamie Lee Curtis in 1980.
Jamie Lee Curtis is probably one of the most notable faces on the 1970’s horror scene. She starred in Prom Night, Terror Train, The Fog, and, of course, the Halloween franchise. In 1983, she turned her attention to non-horror roles when she starred in Trading Spaces.
This role would go on to earn Jamie a best-supporting actress BAFTA award. “A Fish Called Wanda” was her next venture, and a rewarding one at that; Jamie earned a nomination by BAFTA for best leading actress.
Her 1994 role in True Lies earned her a Golden Globe, and she has revisited her role of Lori Strode in Halloween II, Halloween H20: 20 Years Later and Halloween: Resurrection. Jamie lent her voice to Halloween III: Season of the Witch and is expected to once again play Lori Strode in Halloween 2018.
Robert Shaw kicking back with Bruce the Shark during the filming of "Jaws" in 1974.
Bruce, the pneumatically-powered shark, was named after director Steven Spielberg’s lawyer, Bruce Ramer, who was reportedly “a shark.” Bruce weighed more than 1.2 tons and was over 25 feet long and difficult to maneuver. Bruce also had many technical issues, mostly with his jaws.
These problems led to the crew having to curtail Bruce’s on-screen appearances; fans of Jaws will note that the shark doesn’t even make his first full body appearance until nearly an hour and twenty minutes into the movie. Bruce’s technical difficulties stretched the 65-day shooting process and stretched it out to 159 days, each one spent with Spielberg frantically inventing new ways to edit and shoot Bruce.
Barbara Eden in "I Dream of Jeannie" (1970)
When astronaut Captain Tony Nelson found a mysterious sealed bottle on a beach during a mission. When he opened the bottle, out popped the beautiful Barbara Eden, the genie known, perhaps predictably, Jeannie. Jeannie is a bubby, scantily clad sexy genie who immediately bowed to her new master.
For four seasons, Jeannie and Tony kept it platonic in I Dream of Jeannie but that ended in the 1969-1970 season when the pair were married onscreen. The show ended after that season.
The Traveling Wilburys (Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, George Harrison and Roy Orbison), circa 1980's.
When George Harrison was looking for material to fill the flip side of his single, “This is Love,” from the Cloud Nine album. Traditionally, the “B” side would be filled with a new song. One day, George Harrison was killing a little time at the studio with Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne and Roy Orbison at Bob’s studio when it occurred to Harrison that the team should have a jam session for the B-side.
After the popularity of this single, it only made sense to produce a full-scale album. We would come to know this team as The Traveling Wilburys.
Joyce Dewitt battle of the network stars in 1978.
Joyce Dewitt, of Three’s Company fame, is seen here playing in a 1978 episode of the Network Stars for ABC. ABC aired the series which featured stars from the three networks competing in sports events. The networks gathered teams, picked a leader, and let the fun roll.
The events would include kayaking, golf, outdoor bowling, running, cycling, and swimming. In addition, there was 3 on 3 football, an obstacle course, a baseball dunk, and a rousing game of Simon Says.
In this 1978 event, Joyce’s team included Gabe Kaplan as the ABC team captain, Debby Boone, Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, Robert Urich, Richard Hatch, and Maren Jensen.
The Original Wonder Woman, Lynda Carter, 1970's.
How many teen boys would have loved to have been captured by Lynda Carter’s Lasso of Truth? In the 70’s, Lynda Carter showed the country that a woman could be sexy and tough in an atmosphere of women being considered “delicate.”
She presented her fans with strength and ability, and an undeniable sex appeal when she portrayed Wonder Woman, the first true female superhero. The former Miss World America never retired the cape after the series ended; she kept fighting for justice for LGBT rights and helping to find a cure for cancer.
Robert Downey Jr and James Spader, circa 1985.
The 1985 classic Tuff Turf starred Robert Downey Jr and James Spader in their first onscreen pairing. Fans noticed a very coincidental graffiti in the movie that read, “the new avengers.” James Spader is a teenager who must move from Connecticut to LA when his father loses his company.
Spader, as Morgan Hiller, follows the usual 1980’s teen movie path; Morgan finds it hard to make friends, falls in love with a gang leader’s girlfriend, and forms a friendship with the smart sidekick, played by Robert Downey Jr.
Janis Joplin in San Francisco, California, circa 1968.
Janis Joplin is probably one of the biggest female names in 70’s rock, despite having only released three albums before her early death. Janis fused rock and roll with blues for a unique sound all her own and is still one of the biggest selling musicians in the US today.
Her voice is described as “overpowering and deeply vulnerable.” When Janis died, the world was still reeling from the death of Jimi Hendrix sixteen days prior. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame posthumously in 1995.
Heather Locklear photoshoot in 1981.
Heather Locklear posters graced the walls of nearly every teenage boy’s room. She was the star of C.H.I.P.S. and T.J. Hooker, as well as a role in the film Fire Starter. Her biggest break, however, happened in 1981 when she landed her Dynasty role. She went on to star in many more films through the 1980s before she landed a role on Melrose Place.
Heather would join the cast of Spin City before appearing in a Melrose Place reboot in 2009.
The Three Stooges in and out of character (1930's).
The legendary comedic team, The Three Stooges, consisted of Moses Horowitz, Louis Fienberg, and Jerome Lester Horwitz, otherwise known as Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Curly Howard. This picture is a photo of Moses Horowitz, out of character.
While The Three Stooges were vaudeville slapstick and a form of mindless entertainment. Their style has been the inspiration of comedic writers and actors and their influence is seen in nearly every comedy style.
"Clap for the Wolfman, you gonna dig him 'til the day you die..."
Robert Weston Smith, better known as rock and roll DJ Wolfman Jack, gained his fame in the 1960s. Robert, of Brooklyn, supported himself as a door-to-door salesman while he studied broadcasting.
When Robert got his job at the Mexican radio station XERB-AM in 1965, he adopted the Wolfman Jack persona that would launch him to fame. Wolfman Jack garnered the attention of the United States and was soon featured in several major publications like Newsweek, Life and Time as curiosity over Wolfman Jack’s identity increased.
Wolfman Jack’s identity was revealed in 1973 in the George Lucas film, American Graffiti. Once the mystery had been solved, Wolfman Jack continued to enjoy popularity and made many television appearances and hosting the NBC tv show, The Midnight Special. His final radio show was broadcast from a Planet Hollywood restaurant in Washington DC on June 30, 1995. Robert Weston Smith died of a heart attack a few days later on July 2, 1995.
Pat Benatar with her band in Los Angeles, 1980.
Pat Benatar is pictured with her band here in Los Angeles in 1980. Pat’s first album “In the Heat of the Night” was released in August of 1979. By 1980, the album had reached #12 in the US. Pat also released her album “Crimes of Passion” which featured the song that rocketed her into stardom, “Hit me With Your Best Shot.”
This single was her first hit to land her in the US Top 10; the song reached gold status and sold more than a million copies
Gunsmoke (1955-1975) was TV’s longest running Western. James Arness as Marshal Matt Dillon and Amanda Blake as Miss Kitty Russell.
Gunsmoke (1955-1975) was TV’s longest-running Western. James Arness as Marshal Matt Dillon and Amanda Blake as Miss Kitty Russell.
Before becoming a popular western series in 1955, Gunsmoke was a radio show.
The TV series enjoyed a long life of 635 episodes, spanning the decades from September 10, 1955 to March 31, 1975 on CBS. In its second season in 1956, the show was among the top ten but quickly made it to the number one show. It stayed number one until 1961, but remained among the top twenty TV programs, even after losing its number one status, until 1964..
The cast of M*A*S*H - 1972.
M*A*S*H, the iconic CBS TV series that captivated audiences from 1972 through 1983, followed army personnel manning Mobile Army Surgical Hospital 4077 during the Korean War. The show, developed by Larry Gelbart, used dark humor that took the audiences on a roller coaster ride of silliness to a sobering reality.
The Writer’s Guild of America ranked the long-running series as the 5th best series ever written and the 8th greatest show of all time. The show spanned 11 years, although the Korean War itself was only three years long. The show was critically acclaimed and well-loved and can still be found in syndication to this day.
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis on her wedding day, September 12, 1953.
It’s not well known, but prior to her marriage to John F Kennedy she almost married John Husted, a Wall Street Banker and World War II veteran. She was only 22, and quickly grew disenchanted with the notion of being a housewife.
In March, she called her engagement off and within a few months began dating US congressman Kennedy, who she had met at a dinner party in Georgetown. After dating for about two years, Kennedy popped the question with a 2.88-carat diamond, 2.84-carat emerald and the two were married on September 12, 1953.
The wedding ceremony was conducted at St. Mary’s Church, with an outdoor reception in Newport, Rhode Island at the Hammersmith Farm. The wedding boasted an impressive 800 guests and was considered at the time to be the event of the season.
Eric Clapton, Sting and Jeff Beck hanging out backstage at the Secret Policeman's Other Ball in 1981.
The Secret Policeman’s Other Ball on September 10, 1981 was a combination of 1980s musicians and British comedians, directed by the British actor, John Cleese to benefit the English Wing of Amnesty International. This show featured comedy skits by Rowan Atkinson, members of the Monty Python comedy crew, and Peter Cook.
Musicians included Donovan, Phil Collins, and Bob Geldof and many others.
Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford in the Break Room, 1977.
Star Wars or Star Trek? Sci Fi fans will argue back and forth, but whichever camp you are in, Star Wars is an iconic classic. All three of the dynamic trio, Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher, had very successful careers on their own but will be best loved for Star Wars.
George Lucas’s 1977 classic spurred several sequels and of course, a seemingly never-ending franchise. The first movie famously centered on the Rebel Alliance that is set on the destruction of the Death Star, led by Carrie Fisher portraying Princess Leia.
Jimi Hendrix driving a dune buggy, 1968.
Jimi Hendrix was known to drive fast and unpredictably, and his favorite car was the Corvette. Here is the rock legend in a photo reportedly taken on October 6, 1968 driving with an unknown female companion in a dune buggy. Jimi Hendrix was described by The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as being “arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music.”
Don Adams and Barbara Feldon in the TV series Get Smart in the 1960's.
Get Smart was the 1960s hit television show featuring the bumbling detective Maxwell Smart, played by Don Adams. It was known for its simplistic goofiness and its high-tech inventions such as the cone of silence and the shoe phone. Barbara Feldon was the smart, sassy, sexy Agent 99, Maxwell’s partner on the show.
She received two prime time Emmys for her role. Barbara had several other roles, but she will always be remembered for her Agent 99 role.
Phrases like “sorry about that, chief,” “if you don’t mind, 99” and, of course, “missed it by that much” became a mainstay of American speech.
Martha Stewart and a cow... (1964).
Before Martha Stewart was the domestic queen, she was a struggling model throughout her teens and through her early adulthood to pay for her education. She became a successful model, but she treated it as a part time job to cover financial gaps from her scholarship. She was hired by major brands, such as Chanel.
She then started investing in the stock market after college when she got a graduate role as a Wall Street broker. She restored an 1805 farmhouse and started her own catering business in 1976, launching her lifestyle career.
Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne on their wedding day in 1982.
Rock and Roll’s royal couple, Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne, were married in July of 1982. They flew to Hawaii for their 4th of July wedding, and the couple has remained together for 35 years despite a brief separation.
Following the renewal of wedding vows recently, the marriage seems to be going smoothly, and Ozzy said, “For me, this was actually our real wedding day. This is the one I will remember. Sharon and I have been through so much, this honestly feels like a new beginning. Without Sharon, I am nothing. I love her, I can honestly say that I have never loved anybody other than my wife.”
Al Pacino starring in "Serpico" (1973).
As with many superstars in this list, Al Pacino was once a little-known name trying to make it big in Hollywood. He gained his first bit of attention in 1971’s The Panic in Needle Park where he portrayed a heroin addict and caught the eye of director Francis Ford Coppola.
Coppola subsequently turned down many notable names in Hollywood, like Robert Redford, Warren Beatty, and Jack Nicholson to play Michael Corleone in the 1972 blockbuster hit, The Godfather. In 1973, AL Pacino starred in Serpico, as pictured here. He is now recognized as a creative genius with several award on his mantlepiece.
JFK at breakfast with his daughter Caroline at the White House, 1961.
Caroline is the only living child of John F Kennedy and his wife, Jacqueline Onassis. JFK’s term as the 35th President of the United States lasted from January 1961 until he was assassinated in 1963 when Caroline was only six years old. She served as a diplomat and the United States Ambassador to Japan for four years, from 2013 to 2017.
She follows in her mother’s footsteps in advocacy for education reform and remains actively involved in charity work today. Caroline has become a lawyer and a successful author as well.
Roadhouse Blues- Jim Morrison & Ray Manzarek at the original Hard Rock Cafe. (December 1969)
In 1965 Los Angeles, Jim Morrison and Ray Manzarek founded the band, Roadhouse Blues with Robby Krieger and John Densmore. A short year after this picture was taken, Jim would begin to joke about joining the 27 Club, which consisted of stars who died at the age of 27.
He would also talk jokingly about increasing his record sales by faking his own death. In a shocking turn of events, Jim did become a member of the 27 Club, and his record sales increased dramatically. No autopsy was ever performed, and the cause of Morrison’s death has never been determined.
Sonny and Cher with Bob Dylan, New York, 1965.
Musical power couple Sonny and Cher are pictured here with Bob Dylan, who would write their song “All I Really Want to Do.” The couple was enjoying immense popularity after their first album was released with the catchy “I Got You Babe” in 1965.
The couple was known for performing music, having their own sketch comedy show, and other television appearances. Cher’s version of “All I Really Want to Do,” released in 1965 was also covered by The Byrds and amazingly hit the Billboard Hot 100 chart the same week. Cher’s version climbed to #15 in the US and #9 in the United Kingdom. It made it to other charts in other countries, too.
Z Z Top performing at a prom, early 70's.
When ZZ Top signed a contract to play the Little Cypress-Mauriceville High School prom in May of 1971, they couldn’t have known that they would nearly immediately make it big before the ink was dry. While the band tried to duck out of the contract, the school couldn’t find another band to play the prom on such short notice, so ZZ Top had to honor the contract.
ZZ Top would play a tiny gymnasium in Orange, Texas for a group of about 100 starry eyed kids. Word quickly spread though, and soon people were trying to climb through the gym windows to catch a glimpse of the hottest new rock band of the time.
Golden Girl! Betty White striking a pose in the 1940's.
Betty White has had the longest TV Career for a Female Entertainer, as recorded in The Guinness Book of World Records. With a show business career spanning over 70 years, Betty has appeared in many sitcoms, films, and talk shows, and even the occasional Facebook Meme.
Betty White is the first woman to be recognized for producing a sitcom and has even been given the title of Honorary Mayor of Hollywood in 1955.
Charles Bronson and wife Jill Ireland (1971).
Charles Bronson is pictured here with his wife, Jill Ireland, an English Actress, in 1971 in Santa Monica, California. The couple were stars together in their own movies and starred across from each other in fifteen movies. Ireland joked, "I'm in so many Charles Bronson films, because no other actress will work with him."
Charles Bronson was married prior to Ireland. His first wife was Harriet Tendler; the couple had two kids before their 1965 divorce. In October of 1968, Charles married Ireland and the couple remained happily married until she died in 1990 in her Malibu California home of breast cancer. Charles Bronson had his wife cremated and carried her ashes in one of his canes. He was buried with the cane following his own death
Sophia Loren, 1963. Wow!
Even the magnificent Italian beauty Sophia Loren had to start somewhere. Sophia began acting in small parts at age fifteen until, in the 1950’s when she signed with Paramount for a five-movie contract, reaching international status by 1958. Sophia Loren quickly became America’s favorite Italian “dish,” and would be the first Italian actress to be recognized for a non-English role when she won an Academy Award for Best Actress. But her awards don’t stop there.
Sophia Loren has a Grammy Award, a BAFTA, a Laurel Award, and an Honorary Academy Award. That’s not even counting her five special Golden Globes. Sophia holds six David di Donatello Awards for the Best Actress; she is the only woman ever to have won so many of them.
Sophia’s quote for us all to live by? “I’d rather eat pasta and drink wine than be a size zero.”
Clint Eastwood knew how to pull off a tuxedo with a beard. Circa 1966.
Clint Eastwood achieved small screen success in Rawhide, a western TV series featuring him as the no nonsense gun slinger hero. Clint is a musician, a filmmaker, and actor, and is involved in politics. His climb to fame throughout the 70’s was mostly due to his popular Western roles, but Clint would take his tough guy persona to the mean streets as Harry Callahan, anti-hero cop featured in five Dirty Harry movies throughout the 70’s and 80’s.
Clint Eastwood’s rugged good looks and tough guy roles have ensured his place in America’s “museum of masculinity.”
Before Beyonce, there was Tina Turner (1971).
Beyoncé and Tina Turner share shapely legs, perfect hair, shimmery costumes and fierce, high energy performances as well as the ability to sell out any concert venue they play. Beyoncé and Tina appeared together on stage for the 50th Grammy Awards.
Tina Turner paved the way for all black female musicians and entertainers. Without her influence, Beyoncé may never have had the inspiration to be the mega superstar she is today.
Tina Turner began following Buddhism in the 70’s. Tina claims she finds peace in the chanting and rituals of The Soka Gakkai International, which is the largest Buddhist organization) even now, after all these years. Tina Turner states: "The experience of singing prayers together allows us to deeply connect on an emotional level, a place of love and respect where worldly differences fade."
Elizabeth Taylor and Eddie Fisher on the set of "Suddenly Last Summer" in 1959.
Liz Taylor has been known for her marriages, 8 in total, and her rocky love life. She would take part in an affair that would be labeled as “Hollywood’s great betrayal.” While Eddie Fisher was married to Liz’s best friend, Debbie Reynolds, Elizabeth Taylor began an affair with him. Reynolds was not only the mother to two of Fisher’s children, Todd and Carrie Fisher, the actresses had been lifelong friends.
While Debbie Reynolds was reaching the peak of her stardom, Mike Todd, husband #3 for Liz, was killed in a plane crash. Debbie pledged support, stating that she wanted to be there for her friend.
Eddie Fisher took on the role of comforter for Elizabeth and took the role a bit too far. Fisher ended up leaving Debbie and the kids, never sending her a cent in support and abandoning her to raise them on her own. Hollywood was less than understanding about the betrayal and raked the couple over the coals. Liz Taylor, talking about her reasons for the affair, stated: “You can’t break up a happy marriage, I’m not taking anything away from Debbie Reynolds because she never really had it.”
SNL - the early years and the best.
Saturday Night Live has been running for over thirty years and has been the launchpad for many successful acting careers. The show remains a hit with its fans, bringing its unique brand of “nothing is sacred” to the small screen.
SNL blends well-written material and new, up and coming talent with cutting edge satire and controversial topics. Writers like Eddie Murphy, Adam Sandler and Tina Fey among many others will keep the show running for many years to come.
Tea time with Barbara Eden!
Before she was Jeannie, Barbara Jean Morehead had her start in the 1956 film Back from Eternity. Barbara Eden would go on to appear in some mediocre movie before being freed from her bottle by Major Tony Nelson. I Dream of Jeannie was the defining moment for Barbara’s career. In 139 episodes, Barbara played Jeannie and also would wear a dark wig to play a dual role as the evil genie sister. The show was firmly slated in the number two spot in popularity, behind Bewitched.
Barbara Eden filmed a pilot for The Barbara Eden Show which was never aired, and a pilot for The Toy Game. She also portrayed Stella Johnson in the movie, Harper Valley P.T.A., which would be turned into a TV series of the same name in which she continued to play the character.
In 1986, Barbara Eden published her autobiographical book, “Barbara Eden: My Story” and subsequently wrote her 2011 memoir “Jeannie Out of the Bottle.”
The infamous photo of Sophia Loren looking at Jayne Mansfield's 'gown' at a party.
This is probably the earliest version of “the side eye” ever captured on film. In an elegant 1957 dinner event sponsored by Paramount in Sophia Loren’s honor. Jayne Mansfield breezes in and takes a seat at Loren’s table, with her “notable physical features” on prominent display.
The look on Sophia’s face says it all, and she would admit later that her face reflected her exact thoughts at that moment: “Listen. Look at the picture. Where are my eyes? I’m staring at her nipples because I am afraid they are about to come onto my plate. In my face you can see the fear. I’m so frightened that everything in her dress is going to blow—BOOM!—and spill all over the table.”
The Beatles in 1961. (Pete Best in center & Stuart Sutcliffe at far right).
The Beatles were still new comers to the rock and roll scene, having only been formed in 1960. They were rising fast, though, by playing on mini-tours throughout Britain and performing on the “underground club scene.” Little could they have known that they would enjoy popularity that would last generations later as they would evolve into one of the biggest acts in the world.
The term “Beatlemania” was coined to describe the fan frenzy that accompanied the band’s meteoric rise to the top. Teen girls of the time were so star struck that they would cry and faint whenever the band played; they were completely obsessed. Beatlemania would start in 1963 and continues long after the band’s 1970s break up.
The Beatles came on the scene at a time when the world needed their uplifting and simplistic style and lyrics and their fun demeanor. While all artists can be considered a product of their time, the Beatles personified the 1960s. There are many Beatles cover bands, but only one original.
The Ronettes 1960's
Before there were Spice Girls or Destiny’s Child, there was The Ronettes. This New York based girl group had its start in the 60s and were widely considered America’s first bad girls of rock. The Ronettes were made up of lead singer Veronica Bennett and her sister Estelle Bennett, plus their cousin Nedra Talley. Cher herself was a backup singer for the Ronettes.
The Ronettes had five Top 40 hits and nine songs on the Billboard Hot 100 and was one of Phil Spector’s best acts of the time. The Ronettes had hits like “(The Best Part of) Breakin’ Up,” “Baby, I Love You,” “Walking in the Rain” which earned them a Grammy, and Grammy Hall of Fame song, “Be My Baby.” Phil Spector would later marry Veronica.
In 2007, The Ronettes were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Tina Louise as "Ginger Grant" checking out her tube of lipstick.
Ginger Grant was the sultry movie star of Gilligan’s Island, the silly sitcom about stranded castaways on an island that ran from 1964 to 1967. Tina Louise played the part of the diva perfectly, with her desire to be recognized and still relevant, even on a sandy island, the driving force behind her dazzling gowns and name-dropping ways. Tina Louise had her acting debut a few years prior though, with the 1958 movie God’s Little Acre. The role earned her a Golden Globe for the New Star of the Year.
Tina Louise has been seen in other big-name films, like The Hangman, Day of the Outlaw, The Trap, For Those Who Think Young, and The Stepford Wives. Besides being an actress, Tina Louise is an author and a singer.
Maureen McCormick and Patrick Swayze - Disco Inferno 1979.
Marcia, Marcia, Marcia! Maureen McCormick will be best remembered as Marcia Brady of the sitcom The Brady Bunch from the late 60s through 1974. After the show was through, she made a few cameos and guest appearances, eventually ending on reality TV.
The dreamy, talented Patrick Swayze starred in many tough guy roles, like Road House, The Outsiders, and of course Dirty Dancing. Patrick will forever be in the hearts of his adoring fans.
Guitar legend - Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page (1977).
Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and John Bonham formed the iconic rock super group Led Zeppelin. The band is known for its long-form style of guitar and driving percussion, leading them to be widely recognized as one of the forerunners of modern heavy metal.
Led Zeppelin merged psychedelia, folk music and blues in a style that was, at first, not popular among critics and the public. The song “Stairway to Heaven” is now considered one of the most influential pieces of all time.
Dottie West and Patsy Cline.
Patsy Cline and Dottie West are two of the most groundbreaking and influential female singers of Country Music. They, along with Loretta Lynn, were pioneers in the genre.
The picture was taken in the summer of 1962 at the Victoria Hills Golf Club in Deland Florida. Patsy Cline began to feel a sense of impending doom shortly after this pic was snapped, which led her to get her affairs in order and make a will. Patsy told Dottie and several other friends that she felt her life was going to end soon. Her feelings would sadly be proven true in the spring of 1963 when she died in a plane crash.
Elvis checking out the competition - Memphis, 1957.
