Though many actresses and models find inspiration in Marilyn Monroe, did Marilyn herself honor prior Hollywood icons? For an intriguing endeavor in 1958 Marilyn Monroe teamed up with photographer Richard Avedon. They brought to life famous pictures of five honored actresses from several eras. These were Lillian Russell, Theda Bara, Clara Bow, Jean Harlow, and Marlene Dietrich. Avedon was not…
Born in Brooklyn, New York, on June 30, 1966, Mike Tyson’s name will always be carved into the annals of professional boxing history. Especially in the 1980s, his career permanently changed the sport and enthralled viewers all around. Tyson, well-known for his explosive force, unrelenting aggressiveness, and seductive demeanour, rose to become a cultural symbol during this age. One may…
She was already making waves in Europe long before Hedy Lamarr became a household name in Hollywood—not only for her beauty but also for her compelling screen presence and keen intelligence. Hedwig was born Lamarr’s path from the great salons of pre-war Europe to the brilliant lights of Hollywood was anything from typical, Eva Maria Kiesler in Vienna, Austria, 1914….
While he was a POW, his wife stole 140,000 of his wages; she also took his two younger children, house, car, forty percent of his future pension, and $300 a month in child support. She had to reimburse only $1500 of his travel expenses paid for with other guys. On court, he battled and lost to her. Afterwards, he had…
German bombers emerging in the heavens over London brought a new weapon of horror and carnage into the arsenal of twentieth-century warfare. Beginning with September 7, 1940, this focused direct bombardment of industrial targets and urban centres started with strong attacks on London. It marked the start of the Blitz, a period of relentless bombardment of Great Britain’s cities including…
Samuel Wilson, a meat packer from Troy, New York, who fed troops rations during the War of 1812, is supposedly the source of the moniker Uncle Sam. At the time, contractors were expected to mark their name and where the rations originated onto the food they were delivering. Wilson’s packages bore labels “E.A – US.” Though meant to stand for…
One of the most influential figures in motion-picture history and generally considered as the best comedy artist of the film is Charlie Chaplin. From childhood in the Victorian era until a year before his death in 1977, his career stretched over more than 75 years and included both adoration and criticism. Chaplin lived in poverty and suffering during his early…
On March 14, 1951, Einstein’s 72nd birthday, the photo was taken just following an event honouring him at Princeton. Reporters followed Mrs. Aydelotte back to their car with Dr. Frank Aydelotte, the former chairman of the Institute for Advanced Study, hoping to acquire pictures of Einstein. When the throng of reporters had scattered around the car, UPI photographer Arthur Sasse…
Unquestionably an American landmark, the Golden Gate Bridge’s symbolic impact exceeds that of the Empire State Building and Statue of Liberty in part because of its portrayal of optimism, a very American quality. Its visual relationship of form and environment, goal and design, does not set limits but rather symbolizes Western prospects and Pacific possibilities. Here the American ideas of…
Among American icons, the Hollywood sign could be singular. It is a monument whose white letters are recognizable everywhere as the main movie sign. Day after day visitors wanting to position themselves for the finest possible angle on the sign stroll into nearby Griffith Park or troll up and down the streets for the Hollywood Hills with cameras. To moviegoers…