Thursday, September 30, 2010

Monday, September 27, 2010

Sweater Girl: Madeline Balcar



16 year old fashion model Madeline Balcar graced the cover of the March 21, 1949 issue of Life. She was apparently never heard from again, but, fortunately for us, she left these attractive artifacts behind.



Sunday, September 26, 2010

For the Boys: Dame Vera Lynn


Dame Vera Lynn, DBE is an English singer and actress whose musical recordings and performances were enormously popular during World War II. During the war she toured Egypt, India and Burma, giving outdoor concerts for the troops. Nicknamed "The Forces' Sweetheart", the songs most associated with her are "We'll Meet Again" and "The White Cliffs of Dover".


In 1940, one year after the beginning of World War II, Lynn began her own radio programme,Sincerely Yours, sending messages to British troops serving abroad. She and her quartet would perform songs most requested by the soldiers. Lynn also visited hospitals to interview new mothers and send personal messages to their husbands overseas.



During the war years she toured Egypt, India and Burma, giving outdoor concerts for the troops.


(above and below) Vera Lynn with soldiers in the Far East


In 1942, Lynn recorded the Ross Parker/Hughie Charles song "We'll Meet Again", also appearing in the film of that name. The nostalgic lyrics ("We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when, but I know we'll meet again some sunny day") were very popular during the war and became one of the emblematic songs of the war.



Vera Lynn was appointed an Officer (OBE) of the Order of the British Empire in 1959, and a Dame Commander of the Order (DBE) in 1975. In 2000, she received a special "Spirit of the 20th Century" Award.

Biographical data courtesy wikipedia.

Friday, September 24, 2010

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Monday, September 20, 2010

Out on the Town: Sophia Loren


with husband producer Carlo Ponti

with Romain Gary and Peter Ustinov, 1964

with Jayne Mansfield

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Light and Shadow: Gloria Grahame

Gloria Grahame and Sterling Hayden in Naked Alibi (1954)

Gloria Grahame and Gene Barry in Naked Alibi (1954)

Gloria Grahame and Gene Barry in Naked Alibi (1954)

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Modern Femmes Fatale: Part 39


Bar Refa'eli

Beatrice Dalle

Carice van Houten

Claudia Schiffer

Nicole Kidman

Katherine Heigl

Maureen Van Mortis

Melanie Griffith

Christina Ricci

Snejana Onopka

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Inside Looking Out: Ladies Behind Bars 15


Maria Rohm and Rosalba Neri in Island of Despair (1969)

Maria Rohm and Rosalba Neri in Island of Despair (1969)

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Monday, September 13, 2010