Month: January 2016

Nice Maracas

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No, this tropically-clad lady isn’t Carmen Miranda; she’s a guest enjoying the Chicago Art Guild’s annual Green Moth Ball. The ball had been all but suspended during the war years, and now was being revived by 600 guests at Chicago’s Continental Hotel.

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Evidently the conga line grew and the liquor flowed until the official end time of 4:30am. As Life put it, “A few guests at this rowdy party could always be counted on to land in jail before the festivities were over.” And who could blame them? It was November 30, 1945, the war was over, Hitler was dead, and the holiday season was upon them. If there ever was a time to celebrate, it was then!

Chest Inspection

Life, 12-31-1945
Life, 12-31-1945

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Did you know?

  • TB is also known as consumption or the white plague.
  • In the 1800s, tuberculosis was known as “the captain of all men of death.” Does that even make sense?
  • Tuberculosis was keen on afflicting authors, including: John Keats, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Robert Louis Stevenson, Emily Bronte, and Edgar Allen Poe.

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Jimmy Stewart Startled By Little People

Life 08-22-49
Life 08-22-49

When 41-year-old bachelor Jimmy Stewart finally married his one and only wife, Gloria, it was understandably a big deal in Tinsletown. Life magazine shared this headline.

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Fans gathered out front of the Brentwood Presbyterian Church just to catch a glimpse of the newlyweds.

LiIfe082249007The stag party the night before had been held at Chasen’s, with signs from his friends, needling him. And it was there that the “two midgets” surprised him.

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And here is the happy couple, exiting the church.

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Stewart adopted both of her two sons, and they had had twin daughters in 1951.

pinterest
pinterest

They remained married until her death from lung cancer in 1994.

Per Wikipedia, rather than replace his pacemaker battery in late 1996, he opted to let nature take its course. In June, he passed from a pulmonary embolism, telling his children, “I’m going to be with Gloria now!” And if that ain’t true love, I don’t know what is.

Cripple Creek Pre-Hipster Barbershop ‘Staches

Life 08-22-55
Life 08-22-55

What is going on here? Guests of the melodrama Flying Scud were given cardboard mustaches upon admission to the basement theater of Cripple Creek, Colorado’s Imperial Hotel. Once disguised, they were encouraged to jeer at the villain as he tried to sully the honor of an innocent maiden. In that 1955 season, more than 20,000 people donned faux ‘staches in those seats.

The theater closed in the early 1990s when the Imperial was converted to a casino. The theater, however was left intact in the basement of the hotel, and in 2009, life was restored to the Imperial, including the Gold Bar Theater. Perhaps you could find yourselves seated at one of those checkered tablecloths, too!

1949 Packard Eight

Life magazine
Life magazine

130 HP Club Sedan $2274, fender shields $18, white sidewalls $21

Why do you suppose they illustrated this sedan, driving through mud on a construction site? To imply they were “movin’ on up” to the post-war, affluent side? That people who buy new cars also buy new houses? All I know is I sure do like that kelly green.

Hippity Hoppity Politics 1948

Univ of TX
Univ of TX

These floppy-eared gals drew attention to their political preference, while the ones below took the more subtle route.

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And these were yet more casual, using the mike to its full advantage.

"Anne McManus for Secretary!"
“Anne McManus for Secretary!”

But the men found the best use of their resources; sitting down, smoking a pipe, and using the loud speaker. That cartoon sure looks odd, though.

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