1930s
Marital Bliss
Source: The Coshocton Tribune - Mar 20, 1937
Posted By: Alex - Fri Dec 05, 2014 -
Comments (4)
Category: Husbands, Wives, Marriage, 1930s
The Gray Shadow
"Lift the gloom of gray that darkens your face!"
Source: The Raritan Township and Fords Beacon - Apr 10, 1936
Posted By: Alex - Wed Nov 26, 2014 -
Comments (5)
Category: Advertising, 1930s, Hair and Hairstyling
Norris Kellam, the Human Cork
Norris Kellam's great talent in life was floating. For which he earned the name "The Human Cork." In May 1933 he attempted to break the world record for staying afloat by floating in a saltwater pool in Norfolk, Virginia for over 86 hours. Unfortunately he didn't make it. After 71 hours and 19 minutes he was overcome by sharp cramps and sunburn and had to climb out of the pool.There's more about Kellam at hamptonroads.com. The images are from the Norfolk Public Library.
Posted By: Alex - Fri Oct 17, 2014 -
Comments (7)
Category: Human Marvels, Sports, World Records, 1930s
The Art of the Diseuse
Not sure these recorded performances capture whatever unique brilliance these performers were reputed to exhibit.
In the December 21, 1935 edition of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette an entertainment columnist wrote: “The English language does not contain a word which perfectly describes the performance of Ruth Draper, who comes to the Nixon next Thursday for the first time in several years to give a different program at each of her four performances here. “Speaking Portraits” and “Character Sketches” are the two terms most frequently applied to Miss Draper's work; and yet it is something more than that. “Diseuse” is the French word, but that is more readily applicable to an artist like Yvette Guilbert or Raquel Meller. Monologist is wholly inadequate. The word “Diseuse” really means “an artist in talking” so that may be the real term to use in connection with Miss Draper.” Actresses who have been called noted diseuses over the years include Yvette Guilbert, Ruth Draper, Joyce Grenfell, Cornelia Otis Skinner, Lucienne Boyer, Raquel Meller, Odette Dulac, Beatrice Herford, Kitty Cheatham, Marie Dubas, Claire Waldoff, Lina Cavalieri, Françoise Rosay, Molly Picon, Corinna Mura, Lotte Lenya.
Source of quote.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Sep 29, 2014 -
Comments (5)
Category: Performance Art, 1930s, 1960s
Chevrolet Leader News
Calling this "news" is highly generous.
Posted By: Paul - Wed Sep 24, 2014 -
Comments (4)
Category: Advertising, 1930s, Cars
Corn Husking Championship
I can hardly wait to see who wins this year.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Sep 13, 2014 -
Comments (5)
Category: Agriculture, Boredom, Contests, Races and Other Competitions, 1930s
No more low flying!
This is what the airlines did for in-flight entertainment, back in the day. From the Los Angeles Times, Sep 8, 1935:
Posted By: Alex - Tue Sep 02, 2014 -
Comments (4)
Category: Air Travel and Airlines, 1930s
Mystery Gadget 22
Answer is here.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Aug 25, 2014 -
Comments (7)
Category: Technology, 1930s
William Skinner’s Gravity Engine
Apparently, some 75 years on, people are still trying to prove the reality of this perpetual motion machine.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Aug 16, 2014 -
Comments (21)
Category: Eccentrics, Hoaxes and Imposters and Imitators, Inventions, 1930s
Mathilda the Bottled Hen
Mathilda, a white leghorn chicken, was pushed into a five-gallon glass jug by her owner, Henry Willis, minutes after she emerged from her shell. She then grew into an adult chicken in the bottle, and became known as Mathilda the Bottled Hen of Denver. This was back in 1936.Willis said he bottled her as part of an experiment to control her diet, though many scientists said they couldn't see any value in such an experiment. Animal rights activists were outraged and pushed the state bureau of child and animal protection to intervene. But ultimately the state authorities didn't do anything because, according to the DA Earl Wettengil, "this appears to be a scientific investigation which justifies the facts."
So as far as I know, Mathilda remained bottled for her entire life.
Putting hens in bottles must have become a bit of a fad, because I found a picture of a second hen bottled a year after Mathilda.
Carroll Daily Herald (Carroll, Iowa) - Mar 7, 1936.
Posted By: Alex - Fri Aug 08, 2014 -
Comments (8)
Category: Animals, 1930s
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |