Author Archives: Yesterday Today

30 Old Portrait Photos of Manila Ladies From the Early 20th Century

Manila is the capital of the Philippines, and its second most populous city. It is located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay, on the island of Luzon. The Pasig River flows through the middle of the city, dividing it into the north and south sections. Manila became autonomous with the passage of Republic ActContinue reading “30 Old Portrait Photos of Manila Ladies From the Early 20th Century”

Mug Shots of Criminals in Calgary, 1920

A mug shot is a photographic portrait of a person from the shoulders up, typically taken after a person is arrested. The original purpose of the mug shot was to allow law enforcement to have a photographic record of an arrested individual to allow for identification by victims, the public and investigators. After the defeatContinue reading “Mug Shots of Criminals in Calgary, 1920”

Mechanical Hands With Remote Control: GE Master-Slave Manipulator by John Payne, 1948

The village blacksmith of Longfellow may have had “muscles like iron bands,” but scientist John Payne of General Electric has done him one better; he has arms and hands made of steel, and what’s more, he can operate his from the next room. Designed for use by re-mote control in radioactive areas, a pair ofContinue reading “Mechanical Hands With Remote Control: GE Master-Slave Manipulator by John Payne, 1948”

22 Vintage Photos of Marilyn Monroe’s Wardrobe Tests as Lorelei Lee in ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’ (1953)

Increased press coverage of Marilyn brought headaches, but it also contributed to an improvement in her status at Twentieth Century-Fox throughout the production of Niagara. On June 1, 1952, Fox gave Marilyn a surprise birthday present — the news that she would star as Lorelei Lee in the film version of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. AContinue reading “22 Vintage Photos of Marilyn Monroe’s Wardrobe Tests as Lorelei Lee in ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’ (1953)”

16 Vintage Portraits of a Beautiful Mary “Te Ata” Thompson Fisher

Te Ata Thompson Fisher, whose name means “Bearer of the Morning,” was born Dec. 3, 1895, near Emet, Oklahoma. A citizen of the Chickasaw Nation, Te Ata was an accomplished actor and teller of Native American stories. She received her early education in Tishomingo, and eventually went to the Oklahoma College for Women. While there,Continue reading “16 Vintage Portraits of a Beautiful Mary “Te Ata” Thompson Fisher”

22 Color Photos of Manchester, England in the 1960s

The sixties was a difficult decade for Manchester. As heavy industry, cotton processing and trading all suffered a severe downturn, the city had to struggle with high unemployment rates. Between 1961 and 1983, Manchester lost 150,000 jobs in manufacturing. The city’s population also suffered a decline during that time. In 1961, Manchester’s population was 662,000,Continue reading “22 Color Photos of Manchester, England in the 1960s”

Alfred Langevin, the Man Who Could Smoke Through His Eye

Here’s Alfred Langevin (1885–1974), French-Canadian, aka the “Eye Smoker,” who could smoke a pipe through his eye. In the 1930s, he resided in Detroit, Michigan but was under the employ of Robert Ripley. Mr. Langevin was featured not only in the Believe-It-Or-Not cartoons of Ripley, but also appeared in Ripley’s renowned Odditorium from 1933 toContinue reading “Alfred Langevin, the Man Who Could Smoke Through His Eye”

Portrait Photos of Louise Brooks During the Filming of ‘Now We’re in the Air’ (1927)

Now We’re in the Air is a 1927 American silent comedy film directed by Frank R. Strayer, starring the late-1920s intermittent comedy team of Wallace Beery and Raymond Hatton. In a supporting role, Louise Brooks plays twins, one raised French and the other raised German. Wallace Beery and Louise Brooks worked together the following yearContinue reading “Portrait Photos of Louise Brooks During the Filming of ‘Now We’re in the Air’ (1927)”

Beautiful Photos of Australian Actress Mae Busch in the Early 20th Century

Born 1891 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australian actress Mae Busch had her first film appearances in The Agitator and The Water Nymph, both released in 1912. She worked in both silent and sound films in early Hollywood. At the pinnacle of her film career, Busch was known as the versatile vamp. She starred in such featureContinue reading “Beautiful Photos of Australian Actress Mae Busch in the Early 20th Century”