On June 14, 1940, Parisians awaken to the sound of a German-accented voice announcing via loudspeakers that a curfew was being imposed for 8 p.m. that evening as German troops enter and occupy Paris. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill had tried for days to convince the French government to hang on, not to sue forContinue reading “25 Color Photographs Capture the Fall of Paris in 1940”
Category Archives: 1940s
40 Beautiful Photos of Ann Blyth in the 1940s and 1950s
Born 1928 in Mount Kisco, New York, American actress Ann Blyth performed on children’s radio shows in New York for six years, making her first appearance when she was five. When she was nine, she joined the New York Children’s Opera Company. Blyth had her first acting role on Broadway in Lillian Hellman’s Watch onContinue reading “40 Beautiful Photos of Ann Blyth in the 1940s and 1950s”
40 Vintage Portrait Photos of a Young Petula Clark
Born 1932 in Ewell, Surrey, British singer and actress Petula Clark began her professional career as a child entertainer on BBC Radio during the Second World War. In 1954, she charted with “The Little Shoemaker”, the first of her big UK hits, and within two years she began recording in French. Her international successes haveContinue reading “40 Vintage Portrait Photos of a Young Petula Clark”
Women Paint “Stockings” on Their Legs at a Store in Croydon, London, 1941
Wallace Carothers produced the first nylon fiber in 1935, but it was the 1939 World’s Fair that first introduced the nylon stocking to the public. It was marketed as a fabric made from “carbon, water and air.“ Cheap and durable, better in appearance than silk, nylon soon became the material of choice for manufacturing women’sContinue reading “Women Paint “Stockings” on Their Legs at a Store in Croydon, London, 1941”
30 Portrait Photos of Actor Vincent Price in the 1930s and 1940s
Born 1911 in St. Louis, Missouri, American actor Vincent Price had his first film role as leading man in the 1938 comedy Service de Luxe. He became well known as a character actor, appearing in films such as The Song of Bernadette (1943), Laura (1944), The Keys of the Kingdom (1944), Leave Her to HeavenContinue reading “30 Portrait Photos of Actor Vincent Price in the 1930s and 1940s”
Beautiful Portraits of Eva Gabor in the 1940s and 1950s
Born 1919 in in Budapest, Hungarian-American actress and singer Eva Gabor had her first movie role in the U.S. in 1941’s Forced Landing at Paramount Pictures. During the 1950s, she appeared in several feature films, including The Last Time I Saw Paris, and Artists and Models. These roles were bit parts. In 1953, Gabor wasContinue reading “Beautiful Portraits of Eva Gabor in the 1940s and 1950s”
34 Wonderful Vintage Photos of Charlie Chaplin and His Last Wife Oona O’Neill During Their Marriage
In 1942, Oona O’Neill received a large amount of media attention after she was chosen as “The Number One Debutante” of the 1942–1943 season at the Stork Club. Soon after, she decided to pursue a career in acting and, after small roles in two stage productions, headed for Hollywood. In Hollywood, O’Neill was introduced toContinue reading “34 Wonderful Vintage Photos of Charlie Chaplin and His Last Wife Oona O’Neill During Their Marriage”
Sarah Vaughan: One of the Most Wondrous Voices of the 20th Century
Born 1924 in Newark, New Jersey, American jazz singer Sarah Vaughan grew up with a love of music and performing. Her first step toward becoming a professional singer was winning a talent competition held at Harlem’s Apollo Theater launched her singing career. She worked with bandleaders Earl Hines and Billy Eckstine before becoming a successfulContinue reading “Sarah Vaughan: One of the Most Wondrous Voices of the 20th Century”
Actor Ray Milland in the 1930s and 1940s
Born 1907 as Alfred Reginald Jones in Neath, Glamorgan, Welsh-American actor and film director Ray Milland served in the Household Cavalry of the British Army, becoming a proficient marksman, horseman and aeroplane pilot before becoming an actor. He had his first major role in The Flying Scotsman (1929). This led to a nine-month contract withContinue reading “Actor Ray Milland in the 1930s and 1940s”
20 Amazing Photos of Queen Elizabeth II in the 1940s
When Elizabeth was born in April 1926, she wasn’t destined for the throne. Her father Albert, known as “Bertie” to his family, was the second son of King George V. Elizabeth and her younger sister Margaret were doted on by their parents, with her father dubbing the family, “we four.” It was a comfortable butContinue reading “20 Amazing Photos of Queen Elizabeth II in the 1940s”
