40 Vintage Portraits of Audrey Hepburn on the Set ‘War and Peace’ (1956)

On the set of the 1956 epic War and Peace, Audrey Hepburn embodied the role of Natasha Rostova with a delicate perfection that remains legendary in cinematic history.

These portraits capture Hepburn at the height of her ethereal beauty, draped in the high-waisted Empire silhouettes and intricate ringlets of the Napoleonic era. Away from the grand ballrooms and dramatic battlefields, these behind-the-scenes images reveal a mesmerizing blend of her signature poise and the youthful, spirited energy of her character.

Captured against the backdrop of King Vidor’s ambitious production, Audrey doesn’t just play a heroine of Russian literature, she becomes a luminous symbol of grace and resilience, proving why she was the only choice to bring Tolstoy’s most beloved female lead to life.

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In the 1930s, Robert E. Cornish Constructed a Bizarre Tilting Table to Reverse Death

Born Robert Edwin Cornish on December 21, 1903, in California (often associated with San Francisco or Berkeley), Cornish showed exceptional intelligence from a young age. He graduated from high school at 15, earned honors from the University of California, Berkeley at 18, and received his doctorate (Ph.D. or medical-related degree) by age 22. He was licensed to practice medicine around age 21.

Early in his career, Cornish worked as a researcher at Berkeley, exploring topics like reading glasses, heavy water isolation, and other scientific projects. However, by around 1932, he became obsessed with the idea of resuscitating the dead. He believed that clinical death was not necessarily irreversible if circulation and oxygenation could be restored quickly enough before irreversible brain damage occurred. His work was partly inspired by contemporary experiments in Russia and elsewhere on resuscitation, but his approach was highly unorthodox.

The See-Saw (Teeterboard) Method

The cornerstone of Cornish’s technique was a large teeterboard or see-saw-like tilting table (sometimes called a teeter-totter). The idea was to use gravity and rhythmic rocking to artificially circulate blood in a body whose heart had stopped. The subject (human cadaver or animal) was strapped supine (on their back) to the pivoting board.

The board was rocked vigorously back and forth, alternating the head-up/feet-down and head-down/feet-up positions. This created a pendulum-like effect to move blood toward the brain and vital organs. At the same time, he injected a mixture into a vein (often in the thigh), typically including: epinephrine (adrenaline) to stimulate the heart; anticoagulants like heparin (or liver extract) to prevent blood clotting; oxygenated saline solution mixed with some blood or other stimulants.

Additional steps often included artificial respiration (e.g., breathing into the mouth) and manual rubbing of the body.

Cornish theorized that if intervention happened within minutes of clinical death (before full rigor or extensive brain damage), revival might be possible.

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30 Stunning Portraits of Mary Astor in the 1920s

Mary Astor (born Lucile Vasconcellos Langhanke; May 3, 1906 – September 25, 1987) was an American actress. She began acting as a teenager. Her family moved to support her ambitions, and she landed bit parts starting around 1920–1921 (including a cut role in Sentimental Tommy). She gained traction with roles in shorts and features like The Beggar Maid (1921) and John Smith (1922).

Her breakthrough came in 1924 when John Barrymore cast her as his co-star in Beau Brummel. She was only about 17–18 at the time. They had a notable off-screen romantic relationship (he was in his 40s and mentored her acting). She appeared with him again in Don Juan (1926), the first feature with Vitaphone sound effects.

She was named a WAMPAS Baby Star in 1926 (a promotional honor for promising young actresses, alongside Joan Crawford and others). Throughout the decade, she worked steadily in silents at studios like Paramount and Warner Bros., often playing ingenues or romantic leads. Key 1920s films include Don Q, Son of Zorro (1925, with Douglas Fairbanks), Two Arabian Knights (1927), Rose of the Golden West (1927), Dressed to Kill (1928), and Dry Martini (1928).

As talkies emerged late in the decade, her voice was initially criticized as too deep/masculine, leading to a brief career dip around 1929 before she adapted successfully. By the end of the decade, she was transitioning into more sophisticated roles as she entered her 20s.

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Raquel Torres: The Exotic Muse of Early Hollywood

Raquel Torres (1908–1987) was a captivating Mexican-American actress who radiated a unique, exotic charm during the late silent film era and the early days of “talkies.”

Rising to stardom at just 19 years old, Torres became an overnight sensation with her breakout role in the 1928 masterpiece White Shadows in the South Seas, where her natural beauty and emotive performance captured the hearts of audiences worldwide. Often cast in tropical and adventurous roles, she brought a sense of spirited energy and grace to the screen, most notably starring alongside the Marx Brothers in the comedy classic Duck Soup.

Although her Hollywood career was relatively brief, Raquel Torres remains a luminous figure of the early cinematic age, remembered for her striking screen presence and as a pioneer who blazed a trail for Latina talent in the golden age of film. Explore this collection of vintage photos to rediscover the magnetic beauty and vibrant spirit of Raquel Torres, a true icon of the 1920s and ’30s.

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The Story Behind the Album Cover for Supertramp’s 1979 Masterpiece “Breakfast in America”

The cover of Supertramp’s 1979 album Breakfast in America is a whimsical, Grammy-winning masterpiece that reimagines the New York City skyline through a British lens on American culture.

The front cover is designed to look like a view of the New York City skyline (specifically Lower Manhattan and the Financial District) from an airplane window as you approach for a “Breakfast in America.”

Actress and model Kate Murtagh (then in her late 50s) portrays a cheerful diner waitress named “Libby.” She stands in for the Statue of Liberty, holding a glass of orange juice (on a small plate) in place of the torch and a foldable restaurant menu in the other hand (instead of the tablet). The menu prominently displays the album title. Her warm, slightly manic smile and “bingo wings” add to the charm and humor.

The buildings and landmarks of Manhattan are cleverly constructed from everyday diner and breakfast items—including a cornflake box (for skyscrapers), salt and pepper shakers, pancake syrup bottles, egg crates, cutlery, ashtrays, coffee mugs, and ketchup/mustard bottles—all spray-painted white to resemble buildings. This creates a whimsical, miniature model city.

The overall concept was developed by Mike Doud (art direction and concept) with design by Mick Haggerty. Photographer Aaron Rapoport shot the image.

The back cover continues the theme: It shows the band members (Rick Davies, Roger Hodgson, John Helliwell, Dougie Thomson, and Bob Siebenberg) eating breakfast in a real diner, reading newspapers from their hometowns, while “Libby” (Kate Murtagh again) serves them coffee. The photo was taken at Bert’s Mad House, a small café in Los Angeles near A&M Records.

This ties into the band’s situation at the time. Supertramp, originally British, had relocated to the US, and the album reflects their fascination with American life, diners, and optimism—blended with gentle British irony. Saxophonist John Helliwell noted that the cover expressed “with wry humor our mental and physical place at that time... living in the land of dreams and ambitions, and substituting the English transport café for the friendly diner.”

Designer Mike Doud explored various ideas combining breakfast and American icons (one rejected concept reportedly involved giant Cheerios rolling through Monument Valley). The Statue of Liberty and breakfast items idea was chosen, and Haggerty executed the intricate physical model with everyday objects.

The cover is widely regarded as one of the most iconic and clever of the 1970s. Its success aligned with the album’s massive commercial breakthrough (hits like “The Logical Song,” “Goodbye Stranger,” and the title track). Mike Doud won the Grammy Award for Best Recording Package in 1980 for this design.

In later years, the cover became the subject of an eerie 9/11 conspiracy theory. Theorists claim that when the cover is viewed in a mirror, the letters “U” and “P” in the band name “SUPERTRAMP” resemble the numbers “9” and “11” hovering directly over the Twin Towers. Additionally, the orange juice in Libby’s hand is sometimes interpreted as fire positioned near the towers. The band and designers have always maintained this was a total coincidence.

Despite the New York theme, the photo was actually shot in a studio in Los Angeles.

The 1948 Healey Westland Roadster: A Post-War Speed Icon

The 1948 Healey 2.4-Litre Westland Roadster stands as a magnificent testament to post-war British engineering and the visionary spirit of Donald Healey.

As one of the fastest production cars of its day, this hand-built masterpiece combined a rugged Riley-sourced 2.4-litre engine with a remarkably lightweight, aerodynamic aluminum body. Named after the Westland English Works where the bodies were initially crafted, the Roadster was celebrated for its spirited performance and elegant, flowing lines that seemed to glide even when standing still.

With its distinctive sweeping wings and open-top charm, the Westland was not just a sports car, it was a symbol of newfound freedom and technical prowess, paving the way for the legendary Healey legacy that would follow in the decades to come. Take a closer look at these beautiful photos to appreciate the craftsmanship that made the 2.4-Litre Westland a true pioneer of the modern sports car.

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56 Amazing Photographs Capture Everyday Life in Ohio in 1938

In 1938, Ben Shahn traveled through Central Ohio as a photographer for the Farm Security Administration (FSA). His work captured the daily lives of residents during the tail end of the Great Depression, focusing on street scenes in towns like London, Marysville, and Circleville, as well as the rural landscapes of Pickaway and Madison Counties.

One of his most famous series from this period is a “Saturday Afternoon” in London, Ohio, where he photographed locals socializing, window shopping, and gathered around parked cars on the main thoroughfare. He documented the bustle of a typical Saturday afternoon, including men in overalls talking on street corners and shoppers outside local storefronts.

His photos include the Pickaway County Courthouse and various street scenes reflecting the town’s architecture and social atmosphere in Circleville, Ohio. He captured more intimate portraits, such as a man on a street corner in Marysville and a young man outside a liquor store in Newark. Many shots were taken along U.S. Route 40, highlighting farmsteads, auctions, and the stark reality of rural infrastructure during that era.

Shahn was known for using a “right-angle viewfinder” on his Leica camera, which allowed him to photograph people without them realizing he was looking directly at them. This technique resulted in candid, unposed portraits of farmers, residents of small towns like London and Marysville, and laborers at county fairs. His Ohio collection is a significant historical record, documenting everything from sidewalk scenes and store windows to the weary expressions of people navigating the economic hardships of the late 1930s.

Filling truck with threshed grain, Central Ohio

Getting ready for dinner during wheat harvest, Central Ohio

Hardware store, Marion, Ohio

Hardware store, Somerset, Ohio

Harvest hand and helper on the Virgil Thaxton farm near Mechanicsburg, Ohio

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