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50 Amazing Vintage Photos From the 1950s Volume 8

The 1950s (pronounced nineteen-fifties; commonly abbreviated as the “Fifties” or the ” ’50s”) (among other variants) was a decade that began on January 1, 1950, and ended on December 31, 1959.

Throughout the decade, the world continued its recovery from World War II, aided by the post-World War II economic expansion. The period also saw great population growth with increased birth rates and the emergence of the baby boomer generation. Despite this recovery, the Cold War developed from its modest beginnings in the late 1940s to a heated competition between the Soviet Union and the United States by the early 1960s. The ideological clash between communism and capitalism dominated the decade, especially in the Northern Hemisphere, with conflicts including the Korean War in the early 1950s, the Cuban Revolution, the beginning of the Vietnam War in French Indochina, and the beginning of the Space Race with the launch of Sputnik 1 in 1957. Along with increased testing of nuclear weapons (such as RDS-37 and Upshot–Knothole), the tense geopolitical situation created a politically conservative climate. In the United States, a wave of anti-communist sentiment known as the Second Red Scare resulted in Congressional hearings by both houses in Congress. The beginning of decolonization in Africa and Asia also took place in this decade and accelerated in the following decade. (Wikipedia)

**Panorama of London Piccadilly Circus at night, 1958**

**Men with five racing Greyhounds in Steeton, near Keighley, Yorkshire, 1950s**

**Young woman next to a 1959 Nash Rambler station wagon.**

**Cary Grant having fun onstage at the Regal Cinema, Glasgow, July 1958.**

**Marilyn Monroe tries to go shopping while fans and media watch, 1957.**

**Ship canal and Fremont Bridge, Seattle, 1957**

**Tram number 187 on route 16 in Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina, 1950s.**

**Marilyn Monroe freshens up in a public restroom in Chicago during a publicity tour, 1955.**

**Segregated water fountains in North Carolina, 1950.**

**Atomic bomb testing in the Nevada desert, 1957**

**Horse tram in Douglas, Isle of Man, 1959**

**Terraces on the Diagonal, Barcelona, 1950.**

**Children cross the river using pulleys on their way to school in the outskirts of Modena, Italy, 1959.**

**The parking lot at Venice Beach, 1952**

**Two girl models standing on the roof of a Land Rover in Florence, Italy, 1958**

**Grand café d’Agay, Saint-Raphaël, France, 1950s.**

**Fishermen’s stores, Hastings, East Sussex, 1956.**

**Classic cars in a building yard in Rochester, NYC, 1950s.**

**Brigitte Bardot signs her photograph for a young boy at the Cannes Film Festival in 1956.**

**Juliette Greco assists then boy friend Miles Davis on his horn, Paris, 1954.**

**19 year-old Brigitte Bardot photographed in France at the Cannes Film Festival in 1953.**

**Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart and Marilyn Monroe at the premiere of ‘How to Marry a Millionaire,’ 1955.**

**New York City subway system at rush hour, 1950s.**

**Boy at Llanelwedd School in Builth Wells, Wales, 1952.**

**A llama in Times Square, New York City, 1957.**

**5th Avenue and 60th Street, NYC, 1958.**

**Students at Los Angeles City College gather to read about the campus ban on shorts, 1958.**

**Jimi Hendrix with his first electric guitar in Seattle, 1957.**

**Street scene in Chester, Cheshire, England, 1950s.**

**Girl looking the cityview from a hill in Bath, Somerset, England, 1950s.**

**Street scene in Southern Germany, 1956.**

**Ice Fishing from the ’46 Chrysler New Yorker, Michigan, 1955**

**Kids playing boxing on a street in Toronto, Canada, 1950s.**

**Playing in the snow in the driveway, Warren, Ohio, 1951.**

40 Interesting Photos of Paris in 1942

(Photos by André Zucca)

André Zucca was born in 1897 in Paris, the son of an Italian dressmaker. Zucca spent part of his youth in the United States before returning to France in 1915. Following the outbreak of World War I, he joined the French Army where he was wounded and decorated with the Croix de Guerre. After the war, he began a career as a photographer.

After several foreign reports from 1935 to 1937 (Italy, Greece, Yugoslavia, Japan, China, India, Morocco) alongside fellow journalist Joseph Kessel, he began work for several news publications, including L’Illustration, Paris-Soir, and Match. From September 1939 until the Fall of France in June 1940, he covered the Phony War in the press.

In 1941, he was contracted by the occupying Germans to work as a photographer and correspondent for the magazine Signal, a propaganda organ of the German Wehrmacht. His photography was used to support a positive image of the German occupation in France, as well as to encourage French men to volunteer for the Legion of French Volunteers Against Bolshevism, a collaborationist French militia serving on the Eastern Front. It is disputed whether or not Zucca’s work for the Germans was linked to any ideological sympathies with Nazism, and some have argued he was a right-wing anarchist.

Paris newsstand selling copies of Signal magazine, August 1941
In addition to his contributions to Signal, he was one of the few photographers in occupied-Europe with access to Agfacolor film, a rare and expensive piece of color film at the time, thanks to his close relationship with the Germans. He is most well known today for his color photographs of daily life in Paris under German occupation.

His son Pierre, (fr) a film director, was born in 1943.

Following the liberation, he was placed on trial in October 1944 by the French Provisional Government in the épuration légale (legal purge), where his journalistic privileges were permanently revoked. The court ruled that no further legal action should be taken against Zucca, largely thanks to the credentials of a resistance member who spoke out on his behalf. With his journalism career in shambles, Zucca assumed the name André Piernic and settled in the French commune of Dreux, where he opened a small photo boutique, taking wedding and communion photos. He died in 1973.

His photo collections were purchased by the Bibliothèque historique de la ville de Paris in 1986, consisting primarily of his photos of occupied Paris taken during World War II. In 2008, Éditions Gallimard, a major French publishing house, worked with the city of Paris to organize an exhibition of Zucca’s wartime photographs. The exhibition attracted a great deal of controversy for its portrayal of a seemingly-carefree, wartime Paris. (Wikipedia)

33 Amazing Color Photos From the Netherlands During the Early 20th Century

With photos from the past you automatically think about black and white. Even in our own childhood, almost no color photograph was made. Nevertheless, the technique for making color photographs has been around for more than 100 years!

In 1907, the two French brothers August and Louis Lumière invented a technique with which real color photographs could be made, the Autochrome Lumière. It was a very ingenious process that used glass plates on which a layer of microscopically colored potato starch granules were applied.

The photographs that were taken with them were beautiful and had a dreamy painting-like atmosphere. And now it is possible for us to see the world of more than 100 years ago in the original colors.

These wonderful photographs show how the Netherlands looked in color from the early 20th century.

Assimilate or Die: 14 Vintage Portraits of Native Americans Dressed in European Attire in the Early 20th Century

Forced assimilation is a process of forced cultural assimilation of religious or ethnic minority groups, into an established and generally larger community. This presumes a loss of many characteristics which make the minority different. The Native Americans suffered both ethnic and religious assimilation. The assimilation process took place between the years 1790 and 1920.

George Washington and Henry Knox were the first people to propose americanization of the Native Americans to Euro-American ways. In 1887 the Dawes act was formulated. This act was formulated to “encourage” Native Americans to assimilate. What they used to bribe the Native Americans was citizenship, land and education.

In exchange for these things, the Native Americans had to give their culture and religious views. After the Indian wars were over, it became illegal for Native Americans to practice traditional native american ceremonies. The Native Americans that decided to become citizens were treated unfairly. Their children were taken away from them, and they were sent off to boarding schools. The boarding schools that the Native Americans were sent to, were typically ran by missionaries.

At these boarding schools they were forced to go to church, speak only English, learn standard subjects, and never revisit their old tribal ways. They were given new Euro-American clothing, haircuts, and names.

By 1902, there were more than 25 boarding schools across the nation, and about 6000 Native Americans were enrolled. There are cases of mental, physical, and sexual abuse inflicted on the Native Americans. A quote by Henry Pratt: “A great general has once said, the only good Indian is a dead one, I agree with the sentiment, but only this. Kill the Indian in him and save the man.”

These portraits, made by Smithsonian staff photographers in the early 20th century, are an eye-level view of the assimilation process in action.

Vintage Pre-War Photos Of Women And Their Motorcycles

**Two ladies astride an 1895 Crank Drive Motorcycle (r) and a 500 New Imperial Twin (l), which has reached 114 mph at Brooklands**

**circa 1925: A woman on a beach in California with her Harley Davidson and boyfriend, who is sitting in the side car.**

**The Women’s Royal Air Force (WRAF) During The First World War, A motorcyclist with the Women’s Royal Air Force (WRAF) on a Clyno motorcycle combination, circa 1916.**

**Percy Platt’s Motor Cycle Shop in Union Street. Oldham, Manchester, c1915.**

**Portrait of two motorcyclists, a man and a woman, standing together with their vehicles, ca1910, United States**

**circa 1940: Ministry of Information dispatch riders on their motorbikes.**

**circa 1935: A rather large woman riding a mini-autobike.Tiny Griffin preparing to take part in a South California Bicycle Parade at Ocean Park.**

**Marjorie Dare (Doris Smith) riding with around ‘The Wall of Death’ sideshow at the Kursaal amusement park in Southend, Essex, 1938.**

**9th January 1927: A woman entrant in the Ladies only Motor Cycle Reliability Trial at Alexandra Palace, London.**

**1926: A competitor at the Ladies’ Bike Trials at Alexandra Palace, north London.**

**23rd September 1925: The Debenham sisters wearing fur and waterproof clothing for the winter motorcyclist. The women are riding BSA cycles.**

**1925: Two women set off on a BSA motorbike to play tennis after work.**

circa 1925: Women of Achille Serre Ltd’s Private Fire Brigade setting off on their motorcycle and sidecar to compete in the London Private Fire Brigades’ Tournament. They are defending champions in the women’s events.

**22nd August 1925: Miss E Foley and Miss L Ball on their motorcycles at the International Six Days Reliability Trials at Brooklands race track.**

**September 1923: Three women waiting to start their midget motorcycle race.**

**March 1923: A woman on a Velocette motorcycle at the ACU Trials in Birmingham.**

**August 1917: Woman despatch rider for the A I D during World War I.**

**circa 1920: Four women motorcycle racers in Germany, including Marjorie Cottle.**

**June 1921: A woman riding a horse alongside a woman on a motorcycle in Hyde Park, London.**

**3rd November 1920: British comic actor Leslie Henson (1891 – 1957) and his wife Madge Saunders at Slough.**

30 Amazing Portraits of Maori Women With Their Traditional Chin Tattoos From the Early 20th Century

For New Zealand Maori women, the moko kauae, or traditional female chin tattoo, is considered a physical manifestation of their true identity. It is believed every Maori woman wears a moko on the inside, close to their heart; when they are ready, the tattoo artist simply brings it out to the surface.

The Maori are indigenous people that originated in New Zealand. They have a form of body art, known as moko but more commonly referred to as Maori tattooing. The art form was brought to the Maori from Polynesia and is considered highly sacred.

Since the Maori people consider the head to be the most sacred part of the body, the most popular kind of Maori tattoo was the facial tattoo, which was composed of curved shapes and spiral like patterns. Often this tattoo covered the whole face and was a symbol of rank, social status, power and prestige.

For Maori, tattooing was (and for some, still is) a rite of passage, which meant it was highly revered and ritualised. The tattooing would begin usually during adolescence.

The great thing about Maori tattoos is that to this day, no two tattoos are alike. Maori tattoos are one of a kind. They are always highly intricate and detailed and display the craftsmanship and artistry of not only the artist but of the Maori culture.

42 Color Photos Show Life of Milan in the Early 1980s

Milan is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city has 3.26 million inhabitants. Its continuously built-up urban area, that stretches well beyond the boundaries of the administrative metropolitan city and into Switzerland, is the fourth largest in the EU with 5.27 million inhabitants. According to national sources, the population within the wider Milan metropolitan area (also known as Greater Milan), is estimated between 8.2 million and 12.5 million making it by far the largest metropolitan area in Italy and one of the largest in the EU.

Milan is considered a leading alpha global city, with strengths in the fields of art, commerce, design, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, healthcare, media, services, research and tourism. Its business district hosts Italy’s stock exchange (Italian: Borsa Italiana), and the headquarters of national and international banks and companies. In terms of GDP, Milan is the wealthiest city in Italy, has the third-largest economy among EU cities after Paris and Madrid, and is the wealthiest among EU non-capital cities. Milan is viewed along with Turin as the southernmost part of the Blue Banana urban development corridor (also known as the “European Megalopolis”), and one of the Four Motors for Europe.

The city’s role as a major political centre dates back to the late antiquity, when it served as the capital of the Western Roman Empire, while from the 12th century until the 16th century, Milan was one of the largest European cities, and a major trade and commercial centre, consequently becoming the capital of the Duchy of Milan, which was one of the greatest political, artistic and fashion forces in the Renaissance. Despite losing much of its political and cultural importance in the early modern period, the city regained its status as a major economic and political centre, being considered today as the industrial and financial capital of Italy.

The city has been recognized as one of the world’s four fashion capitals (the others being London, New York, and Paris) thanks to several international events and fairs, including Milan Fashion Week and the Milan Furniture Fair, which are among the world’s biggest in terms of revenue, visitors and growth. It hosted the Universal Exposition in 1906 and 2015. The city hosts numerous cultural institutions, academies and universities, with 11% of the national total of enrolled students. Milan received 10 million visitors in 2018, with the largest numbers of foreign visitors coming from China, United States, France and Germany. The tourists are attracted by Milan’s museums and art galleries that include some of the most important collections in the world, including major works by Leonardo da Vinci. The city is served by many luxury hotels and is the fifth-most starred in the world by Michelin Guide. Milan is also home to two of Europe’s most successful football teams, A.C. Milan and Inter Milan, and one of Europe’s main basketball teams, Olimpia Milano. Milan will host the Olympic and Paralympic games for the first time in 2026, together with Cortina d’Ampezzo. (Wikipedia)

**Belligerent balloon seller, Piazza del Duomo, Milan, 1980**

**‘Let’s help them’ – Earthquake appeal, Milan, 1980. The Irpinia earthquake in 1980 in Southern Italy killed nearly 3000 and left 300000 homeless**

**Men at Giardini Pubblici, Milan, 1981**

**Via Sismondi looking west, Milan, 1981**

**Milan’s city hall Palazzo Marino, 1983**

**Newsstand, Viale Corsica, Milan, 1983**

**Picket at Biffi, Galleria, Milan, 1983**

**The Pirelli Tower, Milan’s first skyscraper, 1983**

**Via Sismondi looking east, Milan, 1983**

**Peace hunger strikers, Piazza del Duomo, Milan 1984**

20 Wonderful Vintage Photos of Actress Mary Wickes in the 1940s and 1950s

Mary Wickes was born Mary Isabella Wickenhauser in St. Louis, Missouri on June 13, 1910. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington University in St. Louis in 1930. She received the Distinguished Alumni Citation from Washington University in 1955. Later she was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Arts Degree from Washington University in 1969.

A tall, lanky character actress, Wickes was a durable and invaluable comedy player of innumerable housekeepers, nurses and nuns. With her gawky frame, deliciously angular features and famous recessed chin, she wisecracked, busybodied and nosed her way through almost 20 Broadway plays, hundreds of stock productions, ten TV series, countless small-screen guest spots and nearly 50 feature films.

Wickes began on stage in the early 1930s and acted in five plays either written or directed by George S. Kaufman. Her breakthrough came when she hilariously played Miss Preen, the endlessly harassed nurse to the vituperative Sheridan Whiteside (Monty Woolley) in Kaufman and Hart’s The Man Who Came to Dinner (1939–40). Wickes later recreated her most famous role as her film debut in 1941, in a radio production starring Fred Allen and in a 1972 TV version with Orson Welles.

Wickes never got married and she never had any children. She put all her money and estate in the establishment of ‘The Isabella and Frank Wickenhauser Memorial Library Fund for Television, Film and Theatre Arts’ at Washington University in St. Louis.

During the last years of her life, Mary suffered from several ailments and health issues. She had a kidney failure, low blood pressure, anaemia, respiratory problems, an unknown stage of breast cancer, gastrointestinal bleeding etc. While in the hospital, Mary also suffered from a broken hip due to an accidental fall.

On October 22, 1995, Wickens took her last breath. She was 85 years old. Mary Wickens rests peacefully at the Shilloh Valley Cemetery in Shilloh, Illinois. She was interred beside her parents.

31 Vintage Photos Showing Men’s Hairstyles From the 1970s

37 Amazing Behind the Scenes and Publicity Photos From the Movie “Mask” (1985)

Movies don’t often grab us as quickly as Mask does. Mask is a 1985 American biographical drama film directed by Peter Bogdanovich, starring Cher, Sam Elliott, and Eric Stoltz with supporting roles played by Dennis Burkley, Laura Dern, Estelle Getty, and Richard Dysart.

The film is based on the life and early death of Roy L. “Rocky” Dennis, a boy who had craniodiaphyseal dysplasia, an extremely rare disorder known commonly as lionitis due to the disfiguring cranial enlargements that it causes.

And the most extraordinary person in the movie, surprisingly, is not Rocky, but his mother, Rusty. She is not your normal mom, either. She rides with a motorcycle gang, abuses drugs, shacks up with gang members, and has no visible means of employment. But within about, 10 minutes, we know that she is the ideal mom for Rocky.

Rusty Dennis is played by Cher as a complicated, angry, high-energy woman with a great capacity to love her son and encourage him to live as fully as he can. Rocky is a great kid, but because he succeeds so well at being a teenager, he is not a special case like, say, the Elephant Man. He is a kid with a handicap. It is a tribute to Eric Stoltz, who plays the role beneath the completely convincing makeup of Michael Westmore, that we accept him on his own terms.

Cher received the 1985 Cannes Film Festival award for Best Actress. Mask won the Academy Award for Best Makeup while Cher and Stoltz received Golden Globe Award nominations for their performances.