Rare Photos Awaken Memories Of The Best Time To Be Alive
By | October 31, 2017
Do you want to know a secret....Stevie Nicks and George Harrison at an event in 1977.
Every decade has its iconic moments, treasured stars, and its contributions to society as a whole. Collected here are some rare photos that awaken fond memories from various decades of the recent past. It doesn’t matter what era you consider to contain ‘glory days’ these photographs serve as reminders that history continues to be written every day and that every day is the greatest time to be alive.
Pictured here are music legends George Harrison of the Beatles and Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac hanging out at an event together back in 1977. In addition to having a mutual professional respect for each other, the two were friends, and Nicks has even gone so far as to call George Harrison an inspiration to her. In fact, she has kept a photograph of her and George Harrison, along with the well-known Maui restaurateur Bob Longhi. The photo was taken back in the 1970s and Nicks keeps it with her when she’s on the road and looks to it for inspiration regularly.
Model in the middle Metallica's googly-eyed Kirk Hammett and James Hetfield hanging out with Cindy Crawford. (1992)
Here we have Kirk Hammett and James Hetfield of the metal band Metallica, posing with supermodel Cindy Crawford back in 1992. By 1995, Crawford would be the highest paid model on the planet. It's not had to see why, with brains and beauty going for her.
The Pepsi spokeswoman originally started modeling as a teenager and still managed to graduate high school as valedictorian in 1984. She had Elite Model Management in Chicago representing her and she won an academic scholarship for chemical engineering at Northwestern University. Unfortunately, she didn't stick with her work at University, but shifting her focus to her career proved to be quite profitable for her.
Lynda Carter sporting a blonde wig for a Wonder Woman episode. (1975)
The lovely Lynda Carter in here iconic role of Wonder Woman. This shot is from the original pilot, where Carter rocked the Paradise Island look… complete with a blonde wig as a disguise to win a contest. How very Charlie’s Angels.
In the episode, the blonde Amazon we come to know as Wonder Woman, demonstrated her exceptional skills and abilities during an Olympic-style gaming events. She ties for first with another Amazon. The tie-breaker involved the two women shooting at each other in a challenge called the "bullets and bracelets" event. The one being shot at must deflect the bullets with her bulletproof bracelets.
The tricky blonde wins…. Once she removes her disguise it's revealed to be Diana. The blond woman wins the event, superficially injuring her opponent's arm. When she is pronounced the winner and allowed to go to America.
Alan Shepard returning from space in the Freedom 7 capsule, after the first U.S. human spaceflight that lasted over 15 min. on May 5, 1961.
It was May 5, 1961, at 9:34 a.m. EST when astronaut Alan Shepard embarked on a successful, 15-minute suborbital flight. He slid on into the snug Mercury capsule, "Freedom 7," and took off from Launch Complex 5 at Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
About a minute and a half into the flight, he experienced some vibration as the craft pierced the area of peak aerodynamic pressure, but it was a smooth ride from there on out. Shepard enjoyed an amazing view once the rocket separated from the Mercury spacecraft. It was a short flight, but it was still enough to boost spirits throughout the United States at a time when faith in a viable space program wa faltering.
A rare glimpse of Stevie Wonder without his glasses, with Jermaine Jackson during a recording at Motown Studios, Hollywood, CA. (1979)
Here’s a rare shot of Stevie Wonder without his glasses. He and Jermaine Jackson were recording over at Motown Studios. After splitting off from his brothers, The Jacksons, Jermaine went on to record three solo albums but he didn’t have any major hits. So he went to long-time family friend Stevie Wonder, for a bit of professional assistance. They teamed up (as can be seen here) on Jermaine’s album “Let’s Get Serious” on which, Wonder wrote and produced three songs, including the title track and first single, "Let's Get Serious".
Jackson oversaw the other tracks on the album and just as they’d hoped, Jermaine Jackson finally scored a hit with both the album and single. Let's Get Serious was released in 1980, sold 900,000 copies in the United States, and reached #6 on the Billboard album chart. It also logged five weeks at #1 on the Top R&B chart.
A vision in white, Andre the Giant leaning on his white Cadillac. (1970's)
Very few have captivated the public quite like André the Giant.The man was of mythological proportions; standing at nearly 7 feet tall and weighing in at over 500 pounds just before his death in 1993. One of the big man’s favorite pastimes was moving his friend's cars around as a prank and he was certainly strong enough to pull it off. Andre would go out for a night of drinking with his buddies, then actually slid their cars into tight spaces or he would completely turn them around to face the opposite direction. All just to befuddle and freak out his intoxicated companions.
Stevie Nicks coming out of her trailer with a smile during the 'Little Lies' video shoot. (1987)
Stevie Nicks made the move over to Fleetwood Mac along with Lindsey Buckingham, the two were a package deal. The musical duo had more than just a long-standing creative partnership, they were high school sweethearts. They formed “Fritz Rabyne Memorial Band” with some friends back in high school and played school functions in addition to landing small gigs all around the San Francisco Bay Area. The couple eventually branched off and made an album together as “Buckingham Nicks” before finally joining Fleetwood Mac in 1974. Here she is during the "Little Lies" shoot, which was the third single taken from the 1987 album Tango in the Night.
Alternative rockers Alice In Chains posing for the camera in 1990.
Alice in Chains stepped out into the rock scene in Seattle, Washington, back in 1987. The band was formed by guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell and drummer Sean Kinney, who brought in bassist Mike Starr and lead vocalist Layne Staley. Then in 1993, Starr was by Mike Inez. Alice in Chains rose to international fame during the grunge movement in the 1990s and is considered one of the most successful bands of the era, right alongside bands like Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Nirvana. While widely associated with grunge music, the band incorporates heavy metal elements and is known for its distinctive vocal style.
An enchanting Jennifer Connelly dressed to impress on a Labyrinth photo from 1986.
And on the wall of many teenage girls in the 60's, The Dave Clark Five - Lenny Davidson, Mike Smith, Dave Clark, Rick Huxley & Dennis Payton.
This image here was plastered on the walls of many teenage girls in the 60's. The Dave Clark Five, also known as the DC5, was an English pop rock band that consisted of Lenny Davidson, Mike Smith, Dave Clark, Rick Huxley, and Denis Payton.
Their single "Glad All Over" did the unthinkable back in 1964, it knocked the Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" right off the top of the UK Singles Chart. It went on to peak in The United States at number 6 in April of 1964. Then the following year, their single "Over And Over" made the number 1 spot in the United States. The group disbanded in late 1970 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008.
Bella signora, the one and only Sophia Loren! (early 1960's)
Pictured here is the great screen goddess of the sixties, Sophia Loren smiling beautifully. She got her start in the 1950s but she only had small bit parts. It wasn’t until her performance as Cesira in “Vittorio De Sica's Two Women” that Loren' talents were fully recognized. The role ended up earning her the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1962. This made her the first artist to win an Oscar for a foreign-language performance. She has worked hard to maintain her unique beauty over six decades in the entertainment industry, appearing in almost 100 film and TV roles.
Born to be wild...and crazy! John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd getting ready to go for a ride.
Cary Grant and Marilyn Monroe on the set of Monkey Business, 1952.
Pictured here are Hollywood icons Cary Grant and Marilyn Monroe, hard at work on the set of Monkey Business back in 1952. Howard Hawks’ Monkey Business, (not to be confused with the 1931 Marx Brother’s film) is a screwball comedy. In it “A chemist finds his personal and professional life turned upside down when one of his chimpanzees finds the fountain of youth.”
In addition to Grant and Monroe, the film also stars Ginger Rogers and Charles Coburn. While the director (Hawks) didn’t seem to find the film believable or “as funny as it could have been”, the actors received generally favorable reviews. Director and writer Peter Bogdanovich noted the scenes with Cary Grant and Marilyn Monroe work especially well. He even went on to gripe that Monroe should have been the leading lady over Ginger Rogers. Gregory Lamb of The Christian Science Monitor seemed pleased with Rogers in the lead, describing her as "a comedienne par excellence" in the film.
'CHiPS' Officers Jon Baker and Frank Ponch Poncherello aka Larry Wilcox and Erik Estrada (1977).
Crazy for you! Elvis signing an autograph for a Madonna lookalike in 1970.
Pictured here is Elvis Presley signing an autograph for what the Internet thinks is Madonna, back in 1970. Some people have gone so far as to say the two have a strange occult connection because Madonna was born on August 16th, which also happens to be the same date Elvis died. Creepy, but we assure you, this is not Madonna here. She would have only been 12-years old at the time this photograph was taken and looking at photographs of her from this time period confirms, this is not what she looked like in 1970. The diva has also never come out and confirmed getting Elvis's autograph before his death in 1977. Would have been a cool story, one would expect her to share.
The diva did share one disturbing little bit about her connection to the King however, she claimed to have felt him briefly "possess" her. According to her brother-in-law, singer-songwriter Joe Henry, Madonna said she "felt his spirit had passed out of his body and through her own in Exodus."
Dear Santa, I've been good this year! This 1967 Chevrolet Camaro RS-SS would look great in my garage...
Do these stripes make me look heavy...David Bowie in a wild, striped bodysuit for the Aladdin Sane Tour. (1973)
David Robert Jones, known professionally as David Bowie, was one of the most iconic singers, songwriters and actors in the world. He formed his first band at just 15 years old, little did anyone know (except for Bowie perhaps) that he would soon be a world famous performer known for his outlandish stage presence and extraordinarily unique music. He was awarded nine Platinum album certifications, eleven gold, and eight silver, and released eleven number-one albums in the United Kingdom. In the United States, he received five platinum and nine gold certifications. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. He was a leading figure in music for over five decades before he lost his life to liver cancer, just two days after his 69th birthday in 2016.
Elvis sighting! Here's what a teenage girl's bedroom looked like in the 50's.
Pictured here is just a small glimpse into the crazy wide-spread obsession women had for Elvis Presley. This teenage girl's bedroom looks more like a shrine to ‘The King’. Believe it or not, this isn't as bad as the line of women that essentially stalked his home "Graceland". They'd just sit outside his home in hopes of being noticed and invite inside.
It wasn't just the women-folk that were crazy for Elvis, everyone was. The early popularizer of rockabilly has earned the largest presentation of gold and platinum record awards in history. The King has a total of 90 gold, 53 platinum and 25 multi-platinum album awards under his massive belt buckle.
Extreme grooviness when The Brady Bunch kids meets The Jacksons. (1971)
This photo from 1971 features a groovy mashup of the Brady Bunch kids and the Jackson 5. In the Brady Bunch, the family formed their own family musical group, much like the Jacksons. After the Jackson Five parted ways, all nine siblings pursued solo careers but Janet and Michael were the ones who saw real continued success as solo artists. Their icon status is what led the Jacksons to become known as the "Royal Family of Pop".
The Jackson 5 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995. Michael was inducted as a solo artist as well in 2001. The Jacksons, along with Michael and Janet (as solo artists) all received stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Folsom Prison Blues Johnny & June at Folsom Prison where he recorded his live album in 1968.
Pictured here is Johnny Cash and his wife talented wife June Carter Cash at Folsom Prison, where he recorded his live album in 1968. Valerie “June” Carter Cash was actually Johnny’s second wife. Prior to her marriage, the multi-talented woman worked as an actress, singer, dancer, songwriter, comedian, and author professionally known as June Carter.
She rocked the guitar, banjo, harmonica, and even the autoharp. June Carter Cash has five Grammy Award wins to her name and was inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame back in 2009. In 2003, she ranked 31 on CMT's 40 Greatest Women in Country Music.
Helen Mirren making sure she doesn't step on Liam Neeson's toes while they dance. (1982)
Pictured here is Hollywood action star Liam Neeson dancing with Helen Mirren. As can be seen, she is taken great care to ensure she doesn't trample his toes–He can handle it, Helen. Maybe she isn't a graceful dancer, but boy can she act! The Shakespearean actress rose to international fame back in the late 1960s and is one of the few to have achieved the Triple Crown of Acting: Academy Award, Emmy Award, and Tony Award.
She won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2007, for her performance as Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen. She won an Olivier Award for Best Actress for her performance in The Audience in 2013, in which she also portrayed Elizabeth II. Then she took home the Tony Award for Best Actress for a Play in 2015 for her Broadway performance in the play.
Mirren has gone on to win three consecutive BAFTA Awards for Best Actress, several Emmy Awards, and in 2003, she was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire for Services to the Performing Arts.
Here's a young Eva Mendes getting Alyssa Milano's autograph back in 1989.
What an awesome gem of a photo this is. A fresh-faced 15-year old Eva Mendes before she was famous, getting Alyssa Milano's autograph back in 1989. Milano was 17-years old and starring on Who's the Boss at the time and was a huge teen icon. Mendes was just a few years away from launching her acting career, she got her start in the late 90s with horror films like Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror (1998) and Urban Legends: Final Cut (2000).
After she appeared in Training Day, she completely changed the track of her career. Now the A-lister actress has also branched into modeling to huge brands like Revlon, Calvin Klein, and Cartier to name a few. She has two children with actor Ryan Gosling and her own fashion collection for New York & Company.
He's golden, indeed! A young Robert Redford in 'The Golden Deed', 1960.
Robert Redford began professional acting in the early 1960s but many consider his landmark film to be the acclaimed “All the President's Men” which came out back in 1976. He continued acting but took on directing in the 1980s, with his directorial debut, Ordinary People. It was a sweeping success, both publicly and critically acclaimed and taking home four Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director for Redford.
Holy Bat-villains! Catwoman (Lee Meriwether), The Riddler (Frank Gorshin), The Penguin (Burgess Meredith) & The Joker (Cesar Romero) 1966.
It was Frank Gorshin who kept the Dynamic Duo baffled in his role as the Riddler: Gotham’s puzzle-loving criminal. He never could just leave well-enough alone, he had to drop clues in hopes of outwitting Batman.
And Cesar Romero played one of Batman's most infamous Batman villains of all time, The Joker.
Hot wheels! A 1969 Toyota 2000 GT convertible, groovy!
This beauty is a limited-production, front-engine, rear-wheel drive, two-seat, hardtop coupé grand tourer. The Toyota 2000GT was designed by Toyota in collaboration with Yamaha and it revolutionized the automotive world’s view of Japan. Widely considered the first “collectible” Japanese car, the 2000GT is also Japan’s first “supercar”.
Japan’s automotive designs went from being viewed as imitative and practical to innovative. They proved capable of producing a high-performance vehicle with a sleek design able to rival the better marques of Europe. In 1967, Road & Track magazine described the 2000GT as "one of the most exciting and enjoyable cars we've driven", and favorably compared it to the Porsche 911.
Hugh Hefner and his lovely entourage in his bedroom-office, 1967.
I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend..a young Joey Ramone with his guitar and Beatles 'do back in 1965.
That groovy hair do isn’t the only thing little Jeffrey Ross Hyman got from the Beatles. He’d go on to call himself Joey Ramone and co-found the punk band the Ramones in 1975. The name "Ramone" stems from Paul McCartney: back in 1960 to 1961 when the Beatles were still relatively unknown, McCartney briefly used the stage name "Paul Ramon".
Jeffrey Hyman, John Cummings, and Douglas Colvin all adopted stage names using "Ramone" as their surname. Singer-songwriter and lead vocalist Joey Ramone went on to become a countercultural icon. In 2002, the Ramones were voted the second greatest rock and roll band ever in Spin, appropriately coming in second only to the Beatles.
If I could turn back time...Cher, Elton John and Diana Ross together at Studio 54 in 1977.
Studio 54 was a melting pot of drugs, off the wall clothing choices, celebrities, and all the weirdness New York City had to offer…. So naturally, Cher, Elton John, and Diana Ross were regulars.
Disco clubs were all the rage throughout the 1970s but none were as infamous as New York’s Studio 54. If one location could sum up an era, Studio 54 would be the place. The club offered a safe haven of sleepless excitement and unconditional acceptance to those who were a little on the strange side. People of various professions and social classes could all let loose together and forget the expectations of the world outside.
Iggy Pop and his first band, The Iguanas, channeling The Beatles in 1965.
Pictured here is the godfather of punk. Born James Newell Osterberg, Iggy Pop started out drumming with his first band, the Iguanas, in the early '60s. After graduating from high school in 1965, Pop did a brief stint at the University of Michigan before dropping out and shifting his focus back on his music. His heart always belonged to rock & roll… so he decided to form a rock band. In 1967, he dropped his drumsticks and took on “frontman status, then teamed with bassist Dave Alexander, guitarist Ron Asheton and his brother, drummer Scott Asheton– thus forming the Psychedelic Stooges.
After Pop and icon David Bowie formed a friendship and started working on projects together, Pop’s career received a massive boost. In 1977, Pop signed with RCA Records as a solo artist and Bowie helped write and produce The Idiot and Lust for Life. These two albums went on to become Pop's most acclaimed albums as a solo artist.
James Taylor in Burbank, California (1971).
Pictured here is sweet baby James Taylor back in 1971 when his career was just picking up speed. Taylor achieved his first real breakthrough in 1970 with the No. 3 single "Fire and Rain" the following year he made the No. 1 spot with his hit "You've Got a Friend". By 1976, his Greatest Hits album was certified Diamond and has sold 12 million US copies. In fact, every single album James Taylor released from 1977 to 2007 have all sold over 1 million copies. Taylor also had a resurgence in the late 1990s and into the early 2000s, when he recorded some of his most-awarded work including Hourglass, October Road, and Covers.
John Lennon and Phil Spector arguing and recording at the A&M Studios back in 1973.
Rock 'n' Roll is John Lennon’s sixth studio album and recording it proved problematic, at best. It took about a year to get through, Phil Spector produced the sessions at A&M Studios in October of 1973. Lennon produced sessions himself over at Record Plant Studios in October of 1974.
In addition to legal issues with Morris Levy over copyright infringement over one line in his song "Come Together". Spector disappeared with some of the recordings, ended up getting in a car accident, and the tracks were unrecoverable.
The album was finally released in February 1975 and reaching the no 6 spot and was certified gold in both the United Kingdom and the United States.
It ended up being Lennon's last album until 1980. After all that drama and no contractual obligations looming over his head, he decided to take a hiatus from the music business to raise his son Sean.
Marlon Brando and James Dean being pushed around in a wicker chair, 1955.
Pictured here is Hollywood rebel James Dean, who has been long accused of 'sleeping his way tot he top' with the immensely talented (but also promiscuous) Marlon Brando. There was a time when Dean was hailed ‘the new Brando’. This provoked a love-hate type of rivalry between to two actors, although they later became lovers.
James Dean was described as an “omnisexual,” according to Darwin Porter, author of James Dean – Tomorrow Never Comes, “His affairs were often opportunistic and designed to further his career.” Other famous romantic conquests of James Dean include Eartha Kitt, Spencer Tracy, Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor,
According to director Elia Kazan, James Dean also “had a violent streak in him. He seemed threatening as if at any minute he could turn into a serial killer. He was a little nuts. Maybe a lot nuts.”
Men in black...Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash and producer Bob Johnston hanging out in Nashville. (1969)
Pictured here are legendary musicians Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan, along with music producer Bob Johnston. Johnson was a notable figure in rock history, having worked with legendary musicians and producing some of the biggest songs in music history. He’s best known for his work with Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Leonard Cohen, and Simon & Garfunkel. But he also worked with Willie Nelson, Leonard Cohen, Loudon Wainwright III, Tracy Nelson and cult figure Dino Valente.
Johnston also produced Carl Perkins' album Go Cat Go! In the mid-1990s, featuring guest stars Paul Simon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. It contains unreleased recordings of Perkins' "Blue Suede Shoes" by John Lennon and Jimi Hendrix.
Michael Jackson and his 'date' for the evening, Whitney Houston, at the 44th Annual UNICEF event in 1988.
Whitney Houston accompanied Michael Jackson to the 44th Annual UNICEF event on March 10, 1988. Jackson received an honorary doctor of Humane Letters degree from the United Negro College on March 10th, 1988. Also in attendance was Liza Minnelli and Elizabeth Taylor.
According to an article in JET Magazine published in 1988, Jackson received a lot of criticism for the high prices of tickets during his Victory Tour and the fact that he wasn’t putting money back into the Black community. These criticisms prompted Jackson to establish The Michael Jackson Scholarships with The United Negro College Fund with a large portion of the tour money.
Pretty in pink! Allison Parks (Playmate of the Year 1965) and her pink '66 Charger.
Pictured here is Playboy model Allison Parks and her pink 1966 Dodge Charger. Powered by a 383 V-8, Parks's Charger was large enough to haul her kids, who were identified in her spread as "swimming students."
Born Gloria Waldron, the model and actress was first chosen as Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Month in October 1965 It was the following year for which she was named Playmate of the Year. She was the cover model of the May 1966 issue and had a pictorial. She also appeared yet again in the Playboy Mansion Pictorial for the January 1966.
Punk rockers "The Runaways" in 1977.
Pictured here is the all-girl band known as "The Runaways" back in 1977. The band consisted of lead vocalist Cherie Ann Currie, Joan Jett, Lita Ford, Sandy West, Jackie Fox and Vicki Blue. Currie rocked the mid-to-late 1970s so hard, she was dubbed "the lost daughter of Iggy Pop and Brigitte Bardot".
After the Runaways split up, Joan Jett, Lita Ford, and Cherie Currie all had very successful solo careers. Currie also decided to team up with her identical twin sister, Marie Currie to create an album. Their duet "Since You Been Gone", charted number 95 on US charts.
Rita Coolidge, Cher and Kris Kristofferson performing on "The Carol Burnett Show" in 1975.
Pictured here are musicians Cher, Kris Kristofferson, and Rita Coolidge performing on "The Carol Burnett Show" back in 1975. Kristofferson and Coolidge were quite the pair, romantically and professionally but too much booze and infidelity got in the way.
Kristofferson even become violent with her, he was blackout drunk one night and punched her in the face. He had no recollection of it the next day. According to Coolidge “By the late ’70s, Kristofferson was downing a quart of vodka per day. He was getting so drunk that he’d ramble during their shows and offer crowds their money back from the stage for his inebriated, subpar performances.”
Rock on! Who remembers playing air guitar like these cool dudes back in 1980.
Believe it or not, those air guitar skills you’ve been honing since you heard your first guitar riff, is actually a competitive sport now. Like legitimately, not just in some dude’s basement. While it did start out as a joke, now has spawned serious, organized air guitar competitions and there is even a world championship.
Since 1996 the annual Air Guitar World Championships has been incorporated into the Oulu Music Video Festival in Oulu, Finland, but it has become a major draw in its own right.
As of 2009, the network of participating countries has expanded to include: Finland, United States, New Zealand, Canada, The Netherlands, Greece, Belgium, Norway, United Kingdom, Switzerland, France, Japan, Australia, Germany, Taiwan, Thailand, Russia, Romania, and Brazil.
Royal flush- Princess Diana greeting David Bowie while George Michael looks on at the Live Aid Concert in 1985.
Pictured here is Princess Diana giving David Bowie a warm greeting while in attendance of the Live Aid Concert in 1985. Also pictured here with these two beloved and missed cultural icons, is George Michael, who went on to become a very dear friend to Diana. In fact, the distraught princess turned to the pop star often for support during her bitter divorce battle with Prince Charles. After meeting at a concert they quickly became very close. Royalty and pop royalty, they made quite the platonic pair.
Picture perfect Phoebe Cates in an early modeling photo from 1983 (right after the release of her legendary "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" bikini scene)
Phoebe Cates starred in Fast Times at Ridgemont High in 1982, and she was later quoted as saying that she had the most fun in filming that movie. The following year, she co-starred alongside Matthew Modine and Betsy Russell in “Private School”. She also sang on two songs its soundtrack, "Just One Touch" and "How Do I Let You Know".
Other big roles Cates landed was the first two “Gremlins” movies and another 1990s favorite, “Drop Dead Fred”. She was a teen icon, her face was on the cover of just about every popular magazine: Seventeen, Tiger Beat, and Teen Beat to name a few.
A 21 year old Michael Jordan (with hair) signed with the Chicago Bulls in 1984.
Pictured here is a 21-year-old Michael Jordan back in 1984 after having just signed with the Chicago Bulls. Look, he even has hair! After joining the Bulls as the third overall draft pick, he quickly became a league star. His impressive leaping and dunking abilities earned him the nicknames Air Jordan and His Airness.
Jordan played 15 seasons in the NBA for the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards. He's widely considered the greatest Basketball player of all time (by acclamation) and he's one of the best defensive players in basketball. Michael Jordan was also instrumental in popularizing the NBA all around the world from the 1980s through the 1990s.
Say cheesy! Paul McCartney photobombing George Harrison and two fans, 1964.
It seems that in addition to rock and roll, the Beatles may have also been the first to have perfected the art of the photobomb. Here we have this little gem taken during the height of Beatlemania. In it, Paul McCartney decided to photobomb bandmate George Harrison with some adoring female fans. McCartney’s goofy British invasion made the photo. Harrison looks like he’s about to sneeze and these two young ladies were probably disappointed in how the whole thing came out. Which just makes it all even more hilarious.
Stiff competition! Vincent Price visiting himself at the Movieland Wax Museum. (1967)
Horror icon Vincent Price caught in yet another creepy moment in his extraordinarily unique life. Here he is paying a visit to the wax version of himself at the Movieland Wax Museum in Buena Park California.... because how could he not?
The Movieland Wax Museum was the most popular in the country for decades; boasting over 300 wax figures in 150 sets, it was also the largest wax museum in the United States. It was founded in 1962 by Allen Parkinson but he ended up selling it to the Six Flags Corporation back in 1970.
The 'bewitching' Elizabeth Montgomery, 1961.
The cast of Star Trek assemble as NASA unveils the space shuttle Enterprise. September 17th, 1976. Where's Captain Kirk?
In September of 1976, NASA's space shuttle Enterprise was unveiled at the Palmdale manufacturing facilities. It was an important moment in history, Americans got their first good look at a spaceship which went on to become a national icon. In attendance were NASA officials and cast members from the 'Star Trek' television series.
Pictured here from left to right are: NASA Administrator Dr. James D. Fletcher; DeForest Kelley, who portrayed Dr. "Bones" McCoy on the series; George Takei (Mr. Sulu); James Doohan (Chief Engineer Montgomery "Scotty" Scott); Nichelle Nichols (Lt. Uhura); Leonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock); series creator Gene Roddenberry; an unnamed NASA official; and, Walter Koenig (Ensign Pavel Chekov).
The King of Wrestling, Jerry Lawler presents, 'Slamburgers' The King of Hamburgers! (1976)
For those who don’t know, Jerry “The King” Lawler once lent his name to a fast food burger restaurant in the 1970s. It was wrestling-themed and called “Slamburger”. It may have seemed the King actually owned Slamburger, as his image was plastered all over the place, but he did not. He only shared in a cut of profits in exchange for letting them use his likeness. But now, The King jerry Lawler apparently wants to get his hands dirty and build a wrestling-themed bar and grill on Beale Street in his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee.
The Rolling Stones at the Alamo, 1975.
On the 3rd and 4th of June, 1975, The Rolling Stones kicked off their “Tour of the Americas” at the Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. Here is one of the shots taken of the band at the Alamo. Tour of the Americas was originally intended to cover North and South America however, it ended up covering only the United States and Canada.
The Rolling Stones is easily the greatest rock band in the world, drawing in crowds of a cool 90 to 100,000 is no surprise. Those roaring crowds in attendance consisted of your average rockers, frantic starstruck girls, and even other celebrities.
The timeless beauty of Michelle Pfeiffer, 1979.
Pfeiffer's early acting career consisted of bit parts in films that didn’t achieve much critical or box office success: Falling in Love Again (1980) with Susannah York, The Hollywood Knights (1980), and the Curse of the Dragon Queen (1981). Pfeiffer will be the first to tell you she had a long way to go, in fact, what she later said of her early work: "I needed to learn how to act... in the meantime, I was playing bimbos and cashing in on my looks."
She didn’t start to see much growth until she was cast in Scarface (1983) as cocaine-addicted trophy wife Elvira Hancock. A role which she almost lost out on because of her involvement in the flop of a film Grease 2. After Scarface, an article in Vanity Fair titled "Blonde Ambition", summed up the direction Pfeiffer’s career was taking; "she is on the verge of stardom. In the parlance of the industry, she is hot".
Vulcan vehicle Mr. Spock and his 1964 Buick Riviera, 1966.
Pictured here is the grooviest Vulcan in the galaxy, leaning back on and his 1964 Buick Riviera, back in 1966. While Lenard Nimoy is best known as Spock on the hit Science Fiction series Star Trek, he also had a music career which he tied to the character. And as the LA Times so eloquently put it, “Leonard Nimoy's music blurred the line between man and Vulcan.”
Out of the many records that Nimoy released both under his real name and as Dr. Spock, “The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins” (1968) just may be the most iconic. It’s Spock’s ode to “The Hobbit” and just may very well be the ultimate anthem for Science Fiction/Fantasy fans across the universe. It was kind of hard to tell if he was going for novelty or not but he dropped the Dr. Spock persona the same year and did his own cover of Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” and John Hartford's "Love Is Sweeter".
Wearing of the green- Lucille Ball looking glamorous in this colorized photo from the 40's.
I Love Lucy ran from 1951 to 1957 and was the most watched show in the United States. It was also the first show to end its run despite being at the top of the Nielsen ratings. In it, Lucy is naïve but ambitious, with a desire stardom though she possesses no real talent for anything… well, she seems to have a real talent for getting herself and those around her into trouble. It won five Emmy Awards, received numerous nominations, and was the first scripted TV show to be shot on film in front of a live studio audience.
Wedding belles Jane Seymour and Freddie Mercury in the wedding scene that was the finale to Fashion Aid, a Band Aid event. (November 1985)
Here we have rocker and music producer Freddie Mercury and fashion model turned actress, Jane Seymour in the wedding scene that was the finale to Fashion Aid, a Band Aid event, July of 1985.
Live Aid was a dual-venue benefit concert and ongoing music-based fundraising initiative. The original event raised funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine.
Other concerts around the world, inspired by the initiative took place on the same day in their respective locations. Including the Soviet Union, Canada, Japan, Yugoslavia, Austria, Australia and West Germany. It was one of the biggest satellite link-up live television broadcasts of all time and had an of 1.9 billion, across 150 nations.
Who remembers watching The Beach Boys on the Ed Sullivan Show, September 27, 1964.
Pictured here are the Beach Boys performing live on the first episode of the 17th season of the Ed Sullivan Show. It aired on September 27, 1964. The Beach Boys took the stage and performed favorites like "I Get Around," "Wendy," “Do It Again,” and “Good Vibrations.”
The Beach Boys became wildly popular because their California surf-inspired sound was so unique. Surf-rock had yet to emerge and the Beach boys quickly became the most influential American band of the sixties. With over eighty songs topping charts worldwide, they remain one of the most critically acclaimed, commercially successful, and widely influential bands of all time.
Who's that girl? Madonna striking a pose in men's clothes. (1977).
Pictured here is a partially clad Madonna, posed provocatively back in the late 1970s. Before she was famous, Madonna posed nude for art classes and even did some nude photoshoots. Here she is at age 18, posing for photographer Herman Kulkens.
It was July 27, 1983, when her debut album was released by Sire Records and the rest is history.
Although she's always seemed overtly risqué and bold in her early career, those who went to high school with her painted a much different picture. They claimed she kept to herself and they were shocked when she became famous. Guess she changed quite a bit between graduation and launching her music career!
You talkin' to me? Jodie Foster, Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese on the set of Taxi Driver, 1976.
Pictured here is a young Jodie Foster along with co-star Robert De Niro and director Martin Scorsese on the set of Taxi Driver, back in 1976. Jodie Foster worked in several primetime television series in the early 1970s but her breakthrough role (which garnered her an Academy Award nomination) was her role here as a teenage prostitute in Taxi Driver.
She was in the musical Bugsy Malone, The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (1976) and made teen idol status after starring in Disney's Freaky Friday. All of these roles were in 1976. Foster has many critically acclaimed roles under her belt but around 2010 she began taking fewer roles and shifted her focus to directing.
Mr. Desperado himself, Don Henley in the 70's.
Donald Hugh Henley was one of the founding members of the Eagles in addition to being known for his immensely successful solo career. From 1971 to 1980 Henley was a drummer and co-lead singer for the Eagles and while he returned during subsequent reunions, he still pushed his solo work. He released his debut solo album I Can't Stand Still, in 1982.
Worldwide, The Eagles have sold over 150 million albums and they’ve won six Grammy Awards and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. Henley has sold over 10 million albums worldwide as a solo artist, had eight Top 40 singles, has won two Grammy Awards, and five MTV Video Music Awards.
Ooh la la! Brigitte Bardot out on the town in London, 1958.
The French model, actress, and singer was the original blonde bombshell began her days in the arts as a dancer. From a very young age, Brigitte was an aspiring ballerina and very dedicated to her craft. At the age of seven she was enrolled at the Cours Hattemer private school and only attended three days a week, the other three days she spent in dance lessons at Madame Bourget’s dance studio. Perhaps this is where all her seemingly effortless grace comes from. Brigitte Bardot’s style, grace, immense talent and her passion for animal rights, has heavily influenced culture as a whole.
Phil Collins channeling Santa Claus or a lumberjack with his bushy beard! (1970's)
Pictured here is a bushy bearded Phil Collins looking happy as a clam. In addition to his successful solo career, Phil Collins had immense success as the drummer and lead singer of the rock band Genesis. Collins scored three UK and seven US number-one singles in his solo career and he managed to have more US Top 40 singles than any other artist during the 1980s.
Now he’s one of the world's best-selling artists; one of only two recording artists who has sold over 100 million records worldwide (both as solo artist and as a band member). The other artist being Paul McCartney.
