1950s
The best photo wins
Back in 1956, there was a lot of harrumphing in political circles after Virginia Grant was elected Democratic national committeewoman from Oregon, beating her rival Gladys Last. The complaints centered on the fact that 33-year-old Grant was pretty much an unknown with no political experience (she was a waitress at the Aloha Room bar in Portland) who didn't bother to campaign much at all, whereas 46-year-old Last was an old-hand at politics and had campaigned actively.But what really scandalized people was that in the voters' pamphlet mailed to all registered Democrats, Grant included a "glamour shot" of herself, while Last just used a "regular photo." And it seems to have been the photo that tipped the election in Grant's favor. She won by an 18,000 vote margin over Last.
Their photos are below. (I could only find a watermarked photo of Last's). Which one would you have voted for?
Posted By: Alex - Fri Dec 26, 2014 -
Comments (8)
Category: Politics, 1950s
Uranium Dirt Sitting Houses
Briefly in the 1950s it became popular to sit in mildly radioactive dirt as a panacea for many ills.
The house above in Rotan, TX, was one such establishment.
Article here.
LIFE magazine article here.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Dec 16, 2014 -
Comments (6)
Category: Fads, Atomic Power and Other Nuclear Matters, 1950s, Diseases
From Hell It Came
This not taken from the Alan Moore graphic novel.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Dec 14, 2014 -
Comments (4)
Category: Anthropomorphism, Horror, Ineptness, Crudity, Talentlessness, Kitsch, and Bad Art, Movies, 1950s, Natural Wonders
Karlsson-on-the-roof
Karlsson-on-the-Roof from Maripuka85 on Vimeo.
Young boy subject to hallucinations is befriended by drunken fairy godfather. In Russian, but that hardly matters.
The German live-action version is even odder.
Wikipedia entry here.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Nov 28, 2014 -
Comments (2)
Category: Children, Cartoons, 1950s, 1970s, Fictional Monsters, Alcohol, Goofs and Screw-ups
Alcohol Is Dynamite
Posted By: Paul - Mon Nov 24, 2014 -
Comments (3)
Category: PSA’s, Teenagers, 1950s, Alcohol
Nipper, the corn-eating cat
Toledo Blade - July 12, 1951
Posted By: Alex - Thu Nov 20, 2014 -
Comments (10)
Category: Cats, 1950s
Johnny Jupiter
There's a bit of Jim Carrey to our hero Ernie.
Full story here.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Nov 11, 2014 -
Comments (2)
Category: Aliens, Geeks, Nerds and Pointdexters, Puppets and Automatons, Television, 1950s
Woman Seduced by Horny Saxophone
Posted By: Paul - Sat Nov 08, 2014 -
Comments (3)
Category: Anthropomorphism, Innuendo, Double Entendres, Symbolism, Nudge-Nudge-Wink-Wink and Subliminal Messages, Music, Sexuality, 1950s
Inflatable Umbrella Hat, 1951
As soon as it starts raining, wouldn't the lack of spokes on this thing cause it to wrap around the wearer's head like a wet plastic bag, smothering them?
Newsweek - Aug 27, 1951
Posted By: Alex - Tue Nov 04, 2014 -
Comments (8)
Category: Inventions, Headgear, 1950s
The Relaxed Wife
Posted By: Paul - Wed Oct 29, 2014 -
Comments (7)
Category: Bad Habits, Neuroses and Psychoses, Husbands, Wives, 1950s
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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 |