Groovy Photos So Beautiful We Can't Look Away

By Jack Ripley | March 27, 2023

Alexandra Bastedo, a British actress, in the series "The Champions"

Photos from the past have the power to inspire and intrigue, but this collection of beautiful shots have something more going on just beneath the surface. Each of these rare historical photos tells a story about a person, sure, but they can also transport us to a time and a place.

Featuring icons from the past that we all dream about, these photos are sure to induce a haze of nostalgia over everyone who sees them. They'll take you back to most magical decades, when anything was possible and life was less chaotic.

Make sure to take a closer look at each of these photos, and spend plenty of time enjoying these rarely seen nostalgic moments in history.

test article image
Source: Reddit

Star of The Champions, one of the weirdest British shows about the occult to come out of the 1960s, Alexandra Bastedo is one actress who's work has definitely flown under the radar throughout the 20th century in spite of her appearances in films like Batman Begins and EastEnders, however her real calling was as an animal rights activist.

As the founder of Alexandra Bastedo Champions (ABC) Animal Sanctuary, Bastedo oversaw the day to day at the animal sanctuary at her home in West Chiltington, West Sussex where she helped dogs, cats, horses, donkeys, pigs and goats live a life free from harm. Sadly, she passed away in 2014 at the age of 67.

Batgirl -- Yvonne Joyce Craig -- 1967

test article image
Source: Pinterest

Much of Yvonne Craig's early life was filled with rehearsals for what she felt was her true calling, ballet. She studied with ballerina and instructor Alexandra Danilova before becoming a member of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo as its youngest member. However, when she moved to Los Angeles to further her dancing career she found herself drawn to acting.

Craig had that charmed kind of career where she was cast easily, mostly as ingenues on TV shows throughout the '50s and '60s, but it's her role as Batgirl that she'll always be remembered for. While speaking with Closer, Craig explained that when she was offered the role she didn't really know what Batman was, but that did't stop her from studying until she figured it out:

[The producers] called me and said they were thinking of adding a girl to Batman. I had never seen the show, even though everyone was crazy about it. Even when I was shooting Batman, I had a black and white TV. I’m a book reader and not much of a TV watcher, so I just didn’t pay attention. The producer, William Dozier, said, ‘I’m sure you’ve seen our show,’ and I said, ‘Actually, I haven’t, but if I get the part I’ll spend the summer watching re-runs so I know how I’ll fit into the scheme of things.’