When I was a child, Oldsmobile was a brand that I imagined was designed and driven by old people. Figuring the name starts with “Old” it’s easy for an eight-year-old to come up with that natural conclusion.
But I would eventually learn it’s called Oldsmobile because the founder was Ransom E. Olds.
Anyhow, this news photo caption explains why the roofless, windowless, antique was in New York. Continue reading
The Labor Day weekend is over now and those who went to the beaches found it crowded on three mostly sunny and hot days.
Though the costumes and people are different, 111 years ago on August 3, 1912 New Yorkers also sought the surf at Brighton Beach. This photograph is by William Davis Hassler, and is now in the collection of The New York Historical Society.
A few things to note. Hassler’s camera Continue reading
Hack Wilson Hits 46th Homer Passes Ruth
Wham! A home run and no doubt about it. The ball is on its way to center field bleacher for Hack Wilson’s 46th home run of the season. A second later Hack started his jog around the bases, following Kiki Cuyler over the plate for the Cub’s ninth and tenth runs of August 30th’s game, in the fourth inning. Mancuso of the Cardinals is the catcher. Wilson is now two runs ahead of Babe Ruth. Photo taken August 30, 1930. Pacific & Atlantic Photos
Pursuing Babe Ruth’s 60 home run record set in 1927 was an elusive feat. Besides Wilson, Jimmie Foxx (1932) and Hank Greenberg (1938) came close: each hitting 58 home runs. Ruth’s record stood for 34 years until Roger Maris hit 61 homers in 1961. Continue reading
Looking west Liberty Street is to the left and Maiden Lane is to the right in this photo from 1895.
This photograph above is sharper Continue reading
Barbara Stanwyck knocks some good sense into Herbert Marshall, her playboy sweetheart, in their new RKO Radio picture, “Breakfast For Two.” Under the tutelage of ex-ring champ Tommy Herman, she developed a right upper-cut guaranteed to make any erring lover see the light…and a few stars thrown in! photo: RKO
Every month you can count on several films on TCM starring Barbara Stanwyck. Even if the film isn’t any good, Stanwyck usually is.
When I first saw this photograph of Stanwyck in boxing gloves all I could think of was Frank Fay, Stanwyck’s first husband. Stanwyck could have used the boxing gloves in real life as Fay would frequently beat Stanwyck, sometimes in an alcoholic rage, other times just to show her who was boss. Continue reading
Los Angeles, CA – It’s forward march for the Hollywood Victory Caravan. A squad of 22 top film stars and eight starlets who will take a three hour tour variety program to Washington, D.C., and twelve other large cities in the interests of Army and Navy Relief, marches toward their special train in Los Angeles between honor guards of soldiers and sailors. In the squad can be seen Eleanor Powell, Rise Stevens, Charlotte Greenwood, Joan Blondell, Desi Arnaz, Katherine Booth, Pat O’Brien, Frances Langford, Charles Boyer, Fay McKenzie, Cary Grant, Marie McDonald, and Jerry Colonna. In the foreground, left and right, are Stan Laurel and Babe Hardy. April 27, 1942 photo: Acme
The patriotic stars forfeited their salaries for a month to support the Army Emergency Relief and The Navy Relief Society. The goal was to raise to $250,000. Continue reading
ATHLETICS SHOW OFF THEIR SIX NEW PLAYERS
Phila, PA – Obtained in trades with the Cleveland Indians and the Chicago White Sox in the last two weeks, these husky ballplayers are shown in the uniform of the Philadelphia Athletics for the first time as they turned out for the game against the New York Yankees on Saturday. From left they are: Allie Clark, from the Indians; Gus Zernial from the White Sox; catcher Ray Murray from the Indians; outfielder Dave Philley from the White Sox, and infielder Lou Klein and pitcher Sam Zoldak from the Indians. May 14, 1951 Photo: International News Photos- Sonnee Gottlieb
With the major league trade deadline now August 1, teams have to decide if they are in contention or not. With expanded playoffs it makes it a lot harder for a general manager to stay the course or improve the team while possibly mortgaging the future by trading away potential assets.
The Philadelphia Athletics in 1951 did improve in the standings Continue reading
A Street Level View Of The New York Herald Building 1897
This magic lantern slide from around 1897 shows The New York Herald Building at 35th Street sandwiched between Broadway on the left and Sixth Avenue with the El on the right.
The Herald newspaper became the first paper to abandon newspaper row, where most newspapers had their headquarters along Park Row. The Herald’s new home designed by McKim, Mead and White, opened for business on Monday, August 21, 1893. According to the clock Continue reading
Unfortunately none of Mack Sennett’s bathing beauties are identified in this photograph. Though I believe the woman second from the left is Virginia Fox, later the wife of Daryl F. Zanuck. Sennett employed Zanuck as a writer before he became a studio chief for Warner Bros. and later 20th Century Fox. Most of Sennett’s bathing beauties were anonymous. But some went onto fame, including Marie Prevost, Phyllis Haver, Carole Lombard and Gloria Swanson. Continue reading
Asking people what they don’t know is a sure way to get wrong answers.
The New York Daily News once had a feature called The Inquiring Photographer. It’s a journalistic gimmick to take the pulse of citizens on what they think about issues. Continue reading
