As a Martial Artist, Jackie Chan is Also Skilled in Multiple Forms of Kung Fu

Jackie Chan (born Chan Kong-sang; April 7, 1954) is a Hong Kong martial artist, actor and filmmaker, known for his slapstick, acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, and innovative stunts, which he typically performs himself. With a film career spanning more than sixty years, he is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential martial artists in the history of cinema. Films in which he has appeared have grossed over $6 billion worldwide.

Chan’s proficiency in Kung Fu is legendary, largely because his style is a fascinating blend of different disciplines forged during his grueling years at the China Drama Academy. While he isn’t a traditional competitive fighter, his mastery of movement is rooted in several core areas.

Northern Shaolin Kung Fu is the backbone of his training from the Peking Opera School. It emphasizes long-range techniques, high kicks, and extreme flexibility. Chan studied Wing Chun under the legendary Leung Sheung (the first student of Ip Man in Hong Kong). You can see the influence of Wing Chun’s close-quarters “trapping hands” and “sticky hands” in many of his intricate fight choreographies. He holds a black belt in Hapkido, which he studied under Grandmaster Jin Pal Kim. This added joint locks, throws, and pressure-point strikes to his repertoire.

Beyond the traditional forms, he is well-versed in several “flavor” styles of Kung Fu that he popularized on screen. Drunken Boxing (Zui Quan) was his most iconic cinematic style, requiring immense core strength and balance to mimic “stumbling” while delivering precise strikes. He has demonstrated proficiency in Snake, Crane, Tiger, and Leopard styles, often used to contrast different rhythmic patterns in his movies.

It is important to note that his background in Wushu and Acrobatics is what allows him to weaponize his environment. His “style” is often described as Comedic Kung Fu, where he uses the principles of traditional martial arts but applies them to ladders, chairs, or jackets with the timing of a gymnast and the precision of a master.

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Brigitte Bauer: A Face That Defined the Sixties

Brigitte Bauer was a striking German-born fashion model who became one of the most recognizable faces of the 1960s, embodying the transition from classic elegance to the playful “Youthquake” movement.

Discovered in the mid-60s, Bauer quickly rose to international fame, appearing on the covers of elite magazines like Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Elle. She was celebrated for her distinct, wide-eyed look and architectural bone structure, often captured by legendary photographers such as Bill King, Irving Penn, and Bert Stern. Her ability to switch between high-fashion couture and the rebellious, mod-inspired streetwear of London made her a versatile muse for designers like André Courrèges and Pierre Cardin.

Beyond her modeling prowess, Bauer represented the modern, independent woman of the era, athletic, chic, and effortlessly cool. She was part of a legendary wave of models who brought a new kind of energy to the runway, moving away from static poses toward a more dynamic and expressive style. Whether she was sporting a geometric bob or a futuristic minidress, Bauer’s presence was always magnetic and forward-thinking.

Take a trip back to the height of the 1960s fashion scene with these stunning vintage captures of Brigitte Bauer, a true visionary of the modeling world.

Brigitte Bauer in a yellow ribbed full length cotton dress topped by an organza fichu of blue and gold by Mademoiselle Ricci, coiffure by Kenneth, photo by Bert Stern, December 1, 1963

Brigitte Bauer in deep green jacket handsomely carved of chinchilla cloth over a black wool crêpe dress, jacket has polished leather belt and bone buttons, by Abe Schrader, bowler by John Frederics, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, August 1, 1963

Brigitte Bauer in severely beautiful gown of white satin princesse with a tiny long-sleeved bolero ablaze in Spanish red paillettes by Balenciaga, coiffure by Michael-Patrick of House of revlon, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, December 1, 1963

Brigitte Bauer in short evening dress of orange silk chiffon, the overblouse is slit on one side and edged in beaded fringe as is the skirt hem, by Leslie Morris, earrings by KJL, photo by Art Kane, Vogue, April 15, 1963

Brigitte Bauer in tunic of pale-gray satin worn over a simple sleeved sheath of darker gray wool, tied high at the waist with bow and pin, turban of darker gray satin, both by Galanos, pin by Hattie Carnegie, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, July 1963

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Jennie Bauter’s Brothel at Jerome, Arizona in 1898

Pictured here is Jennie Bauter’s brothel at Jerome, Arizona in 1898. Jennie is the woman in the black dress in the center of the balcony. This was her second building on this site which burned in 1898. The first burned down in 1897 and the third building still stands today. When Jennie Bauters was murdered in 1905, she was reputed to be the wealthiest woman in the Arizona Territory.

Born in Belgium, Jennie immigrated to the United States in July 1896 with her 14-year-old son, John Phillippe. She enrolled him in a Catholic boarding school in Chicago before moving west to the booming mining town of Jerome, Arizona.

In Jerome, she established “Jennie’s Place” which became the town’s grandest and most famous brothel. While others operated in tents or shacks, her establishment was a central part of the town’s “economic trinity” alongside mines and saloons.

Jennie’s business survived several devastating fires that plagued Jerome between 1897 and 1899. Each time her wooden structures burned down, she rebuilt, eventually constructing a fireproof brick building after the city incorporated in 1899; this third building still stands today.

She was known as a shrewd entrepreneur who provided medical care for her employees and was reportedly generous toward “down-and-out” miners.

Her life ended violently in 1905 when she was murdered by an opium-addicted boyfriend, Clement C. Leigh, in the mining camp of Goldroad. Clement was later convicted and executed for the crime in 1907. Today, her former brothel in Jerome is a popular historic site and museum, and legends of her ghost reportedly haunting various Arizona towns persist.

Rare Behind the Scenes Photos of “The Thing from Another World” (1951)

Produced during the height of the Cold War, The Thing from Another World (1951) remains a definitive masterpiece of science fiction and a cornerstone of 1950s “creature feature” cinema.

Directed by Christian Nyby (with the heavy, unmistakable creative hand of producer Howard Hawks), the film masterfully blends claustrophobic suspense with a gritty, military realism. Set in a remote Arctic research station, the story follows a group of scientists and airmen who discover a crashed UFO and its pilot, a terrifying, vegetable-based humanoid that thrives on human blood.

What truly sets this film apart is its rapid-fire, overlapping dialogue and the palpable tension of a group under siege, a hallmark of the Hawksian style. Unlike many of its contemporaries, the film relies on atmosphere and the “fear of the unknown” rather than just visual spectacle. The iconic warning that closes the film: “Watch the skies!” became a cultural touchstone, echoing the era’s deep-seated anxieties about invasion and the atomic age.

Decades later, its influence remains undeniable, serving as the direct inspiration for John Carpenter’s 1982 ultra-gory reimagining, yet the original still holds its own as a chilling, taut, and intellectual thriller. Step back into the frozen shadows of 1951 with these rare behind-the-scenes photos from The Thing from Another World, a film that redefined sci-fi horror forever.

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Who Needs a Fancy Bathtub When You’ve Got a Kitchen Sink?

Bathing in the kitchen sink is a cherished memory for many generations, particularly those who grew up in the mid-20th century. It represents a simpler time when “bath night” was a weekly ritual and luxury items like designer baby tubs were non-existent.

Many parents preferred the kitchen sink because its height was much easier on their backs compared to bending over a bathtub. It was also often warmer in the kitchen, especially in homes with a coal fire. Memories often include splashing water, laughing, and even sucking on a soapy flannel. Some recalls involve being told to “kick” to create splashes or playing with bubbles made from simple dish soap like Fairy Liquid.

Large, deep porcelain or ceramic “Belfast” sinks were particularly popular for bathing babies and young children. Many who were bathed in a sink as infants continued the tradition with their own children and grandchildren. As children grew, sink baths sometimes became “bird baths,” a quick way to wash up at the sink when a full bath wasn’t possible.

In the 1950s and 1960s, many homes still had outside toilets or lacked consistent hot running water. A sink bath was a practical solution to these limitations. Before the advent of modern baby gadgets, a towel nearby and warm water in the sink were all that was needed for a successful bath.

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A Rare Picture of Jean Harlow on a Pier at Camp Cha-ton-ka in Michigamme, Michigan, Summer 1926

A rare picture of Harlean (Jean Harlow) on a pier at Camp Cha-ton-ka in Michigamme, Michigan, summer 1926. “That camp still remains the worst nightmare of my life,” Harlean shuddered later. “I don’t know how I lived through it.”

On an overnight hike, she used poison oak as toilet paper and was in agony for days. Later that summer Harlean caught scarlet fever and was placed in quarantine with another camper. “They put us in a tent away from the main camp, and there they left us,” she remembered. “Evervone was afraid to come near us except a country doctor.” Everyone, that is, except Mother Jean. Informed of her Baby’s condition, she packed her bags and caught the next train to Cha-ton-ka.

Its director met Mother Jean at the station and told her it would be impossible for her to get to Harlean. Her daughter knew better. “No director of any camp and no quarantine in the world could have kept my mother from me. She completely ignored that woman and rowed herself across the lake to camp.” For the next three weeks Mother Jean stayed at Cha-ton-ka, braving contagion to nurse her Baby.

Mother Jean’s presence delayed Harlean’s pursuit of David Thornton Arnold, a sixteen-year-old camper across the lake. “One afternoon we went behind the mess hall to a little clearing in the woods. She pulled down my swimsuit and gave me the go-ahead.” It was the first sexual experience for both. “There was no real thrill to it because we were so scared,” Arnold added. “We were constantly on the lookout for someone coming. When we were done, I noticed blood on the leaves and panicked. I thought I’d hurt her, which I wouldn’t have done for the world.” Arnold asked if she was OK. Harlean assured him she was. “She was a sweet girl with nothing pretentious about her,” stressed Arnold, and though their rendezvous was not repeated, they stayed friends for the rest of the summer. At its end Mother Jean returned to Cha-ton-ka to bring Harlean home.

Sadly, the consequences of the scarlet fever that Harlean caught at this camp gave her a death sentence, as it weakened her kidneys in the long term.

(This original story was published on jeanharlow.daily)

Agnetha Fältskog’s Solo Album Covers Before ABBA

Before joining ABBA in 1972, Agnetha Fältskog was one of Sweden's most successful solo pop stars, known for her crystalline soprano voice and her rare talent as a female singer-songwriter in the 1960s.

At age 17, while working as a telephonist and singing for the Bernt Enghardt dance band, her demo tape reached a record producer. Her debut single, “Jag var så kär” (“I Was So In Love”), which she wrote herself, shot to #1 on the Swedish charts in early 1968. Her early sound was a mix of Swedish “schlager” (catchy pop/folk melodies) and pop inspired by English-speaking contemporaries like Dusty Springfield and Cilla Black. Between 1968 and 1972, she also targeted the West German market, recording several singles in German and becoming engaged to producer Dieter Zimmermann.

Unlike many female singers of the era who simply performed songs written for them, Agnetha wrote many of her own hits. This gave her early work a vulnerability and sincerity that resonated with the public. Her first two albums, Agnetha Fältskog (1968) and Agnetha Fältskog Vol. 2 (1969), were rooted in the schlager style—melodic, easy-listening pop that was immensely popular in Northern Europe.

The trajectory of her career changed when she met Björn Ulvaeus in 1969. They performed together in a TV special and eventually married in 1971. Björn began producing her solo work, starting with the album Som jag är (1970). The production became more polished and influenced by the singer-songwriter movement happening in the US and UK.

In 1972, she played Mary Magdalene in the Swedish production of the hit musical. Her performance of “Vart ska min kärlek föra” (“I Don’t Know How to Love Him”) was a massive success and proved she had the theatrical range for more than just pop radio. By the time the four members of ABBA (then known as Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid) released their first single “People Need Love” in 1972, Agnetha was actually the most famous member of the group in Sweden.

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