Category:
1940s
1940s
Marjoe Gortner, Child Preacher
Marjoe Gortner made headlines in the late 1940s when, at the age of 3½, he became an evangelist preacher. And in 1949, at the age of 4, he performed his first marriage ceremony, marrying Raymond Miller and Alma Brown.
Source: Google Cultural Institute
Daily Capital Journal (Salem, Oregon) - Jan 4, 1949
In the early 1970s, Gortner had a change of heart and collaborated with documentary filmmakers to expose the profit motive of the revivalist industry. The resulting film, Marjoe, won the 1972 Academy Award for Best Documentary Film.
Source: Wikipedia
Gortner then went on to become an actor, appearing mostly in B-movies, before finally transitioning into producing celebrity sporting events to raise money for charities.
Read more about Gortner at wikipedia and RogerEbert.com.
Posted By: Alex - Sat Dec 05, 2015 -
Comments (5)
Category: Religion, 1940s
Mystery Gadget 33
Tamp down fresh asphalt? Transport wounded from the battlefield? Spread DDT in pellet form?
The answer is here.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Dec 04, 2015 -
Comments (10)
Category: Technology, 1940s
Her Hair Turned Green
1948: Mrs. Dorothy Dix of Gloucester, England sued her hairdresser, complaining that after getting a permanent wave from them in July 1946, her normally brown hair turned green. A subsequent effort to bleach her hair back to a normal color worsened the situation, causing it to turn a lighter shade of green, become frizzled, and blistering her scalp.
In fact, her hair was not simply green. Various witnesses offered different descriptions of it, saying it was "like a rainbow with green predominating," "like a dirty sheepskin rug streaked with green," "frizzled like a golliwog," and "streaked with vivid red, brown, green and straw."
The court awarded Mrs. Dix 157 pounds ten shillings in general damages and 12 pounds one shilling and one penny in special damages.
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find any photos of Mrs. Dix and her green hair.
(left) The Ottawa Journal - Feb 4, 1949; (right) The Winnipeg Tribune - Dec 22, 1948
Posted By: Alex - Tue Dec 01, 2015 -
Comments (6)
Category: 1940s, Hair and Hairstyling
Frozen Turkey Comes Back To Life
Happy Thanksgiving! Hope you all enjoy your turkey dinner — and that your frozen turkey doesn't come back to life.
Sioux Center News - Nov 28, 1940
Frozen Turkey Comes Back To Life
Following the snow storm Neal Spaan, Orange City hatchery man loaded up his frozen turkeys and peddled them. One customer, wanting to keep the turkey frozen for a few days put it into a snow bank and covered it with snow. When he came to dig it up the turkey lifted its head, stood up, shook off the snow and calmly walked away.
Following the snow storm Neal Spaan, Orange City hatchery man loaded up his frozen turkeys and peddled them. One customer, wanting to keep the turkey frozen for a few days put it into a snow bank and covered it with snow. When he came to dig it up the turkey lifted its head, stood up, shook off the snow and calmly walked away.
Posted By: Alex - Thu Nov 26, 2015 -
Comments (10)
Category: Animals, Holidays, Thanksgiving, 1940s
Mystery Illustration 12
I have smudged out the relevant information, so now you have to guess. What crime did all these folks have in common?
The answer is here.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Nov 01, 2015 -
Comments (10)
Category: Crime, 1940s
Divorced because of comic books
I'm sure she was better off rid of that comic-book-reading weirdo.
Idaho State Journal - Oct 8, 1949
Wife Asks Divorce Because Hubby Reads Comic Books
SALT LAKE CITY — Mrs. Ida Thompson Thursday sued Henry G. Thompson for divorce because he "frequently bought comic books by the dozens and sat around and read them while refusing to help care for our baby."
In asking for a legal ending to their 16-month marriage, Mrs. Thompson requested custody of their infant child and possession of a table and chair set. Their only other possession, she said in her complaint, was a leather saddle which Thompson had bought with a loan. She said he could have the saddle.
SALT LAKE CITY — Mrs. Ida Thompson Thursday sued Henry G. Thompson for divorce because he "frequently bought comic books by the dozens and sat around and read them while refusing to help care for our baby."
In asking for a legal ending to their 16-month marriage, Mrs. Thompson requested custody of their infant child and possession of a table and chair set. Their only other possession, she said in her complaint, was a leather saddle which Thompson had bought with a loan. She said he could have the saddle.
Posted By: Alex - Sat Oct 31, 2015 -
Comments (7)
Category: Divorce, 1940s
Mean Stranger Gives Eye Test
Perhaps an ophthalmologist in a bad mood?
The Terre Haute Tribune - June 21, 1949
Man Decides Boy Has Normal Vision
LOS ANGELES, June 21 — Harvey Bornstein, a studious 10-year-old, needed a new pair of horn-rimmed glasses today.
Harvey groped his way into Wilshire police station yesterday to report that a middle-aged man came up and snatched his specs while he was playing on the street with another boy. Then the stranger held his open hand up before Harvey and asked:
"How many fingers do you see?"
"Five," said Harvey instinctively.
"You don't need glasses," said the stranger. He threw the spectacles on the street, stamped on them and walked away.
LOS ANGELES, June 21 — Harvey Bornstein, a studious 10-year-old, needed a new pair of horn-rimmed glasses today.
Harvey groped his way into Wilshire police station yesterday to report that a middle-aged man came up and snatched his specs while he was playing on the street with another boy. Then the stranger held his open hand up before Harvey and asked:
"How many fingers do you see?"
"Five," said Harvey instinctively.
"You don't need glasses," said the stranger. He threw the spectacles on the street, stamped on them and walked away.
Posted By: Alex - Mon Oct 26, 2015 -
Comments (9)
Category: 1940s
Funeral Traffic Control
1948: Chicago's Mt. Carmel cemetery sought FCC approval so that it could operate a two-way radio system to direct funeral processions, so as to avoid traffic jams in the cemetery.I wonder if they had to build a traffic control tower as well?
Freeport Journal-Standard - Apr 14, 1948
Posted By: Alex - Sat Oct 17, 2015 -
Comments (3)
Category: Death, Jobs and Occupations, 1940s
Idleness, Profligacy, and Dissipation
San Bernardino County Sun - Apr 29, 1949
Marriage Fails After 64 Years; Divorce Sought
LOS ANGELES, April 28 — After 64 years of marriage, Mrs. Calogera Cassaro, 85, has decided she wants a divorce.
She sued today for dissolution of her bonds to 86-year-old Sebastian Cassaro and restraining order to keep him from molesting or threatening her.
Sebastian, she stated in her complaint, is able-bodied and she wants him to support her, but she claims that of late he has been living "in idleness, profligacy and dissipation."
LOS ANGELES, April 28 — After 64 years of marriage, Mrs. Calogera Cassaro, 85, has decided she wants a divorce.
She sued today for dissolution of her bonds to 86-year-old Sebastian Cassaro and restraining order to keep him from molesting or threatening her.
Sebastian, she stated in her complaint, is able-bodied and she wants him to support her, but she claims that of late he has been living "in idleness, profligacy and dissipation."
Posted By: Alex - Wed Oct 14, 2015 -
Comments (4)
Category: Divorce, 1940s
Wrong Date
Leroy Irwin, a 92-year-old farmer living in Allegan, Michigan, decided to have the dates of his life carved on his gravestone before he died, because (having no children) he wasn't sure who would pay to do it after he died.He carved the dates 1856-1950, but it turned out he was a little too optimistic. He died in November 1949, seven weeks shy of reaching 1950.
The Escanaba Daily Press - Apr 25, 1949
The Escanaba Daily Press - Nov 14, 1949
Update: To answer Patty's question (in the comments), the incorrect date wasn't changed. Leroy Irwin's grave (with the wrong date) remains standing in Hudson Corners Cemetery.
Image via Findagrave.com.
Posted By: Alex - Sat Oct 03, 2015 -
Comments (13)
Category: Death, 1940s
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