34 Stunning Photographs of a Young and Beautiful Stephanie Seymour Taken by Arthur Elgort in the 1980s

Stephanie Seymour (born July 23, 1968) is an American model and actress. During the 1980s and 1990s, she was one of the most popular supermodels, being featured in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and on the cover of Vogue, as well as being a former Victoria’s Secret Angel. She had a book published about beauty tips and has participated in advertising campaigns for clothing and cosmetic products.

Arthur Elgort photographed Seymour extensively for Vogue in the mid-to-late 1980s (notably 1986–1989), during her rise as a supermodel. Elgort’s signature style—relaxed, candid “snapshot” aesthetics with natural light, movement, and real-world or studio settings that felt alive—suited Seymour’s youthful, versatile look perfectly. He broke from stiff, overly posed studio work by encouraging models to move freely, often shooting outdoors or in dynamic indoor setups.

Elgort rarely asked models to freeze in rigid, geometric poses. Instead, he shot Seymour in motion—laughing, walking, balancing on furniture, or interacting with her surroundings. Moving out of dark studio spaces, Elgort favored open air, city streets, cafes, and natural daylight. This gave Seymour’s portraits a fresh, sunlit warmth rather than a heavy, artificial polish.

While the clothing remained central to Vogue and commercial assignments, Elgort prioritized Seymour’s natural vitality, athletic posture, and expressive charisma. This emphasis on individual persona was key to birth of the 1980s and 1990s “supermodel” phenomenon. Using lighter, mobile camera setups, Elgort worked quickly, capturing split-second candid reactions between formal takes, moments that often became the final chosen editorial shots.

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Rare Photos of 18-Year-Old Slash at His Home in LA, California in 1983

In 1983, Saul Hudson, better known as Slash, was just 18 years old and still a few years away from global fame with Guns N’ Roses. At that time, he was living in Los Angeles and actively immersed in the local rock scene. He had recently taken up the guitar seriously, having started in his mid-teens after a brief stint on BMX bikes.

Around this time, Slash formed a band with Steven Adler and Duff McKagan called Road Crew, inspired by the Motörhead song “We Are The Road Crew.” The band struggled to find a singer and ultimately disbanded, but it laid the groundwork for future collaborations. The main riff for what would become Guns N’ Roses’ “Rocket Queen” was reportedly written during this period.

Slash was intensely dedicated to playing guitar, often practicing for up to 12 hours a day. He was influenced by bands like Led Zeppelin and Aerosmith, and teachers helped him refine his skills. He was also reportedly playing a B.C. Rich electric guitar and a handmade Les Paul copy around this time.

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Joan Shawlee: Classic Comedienne of Hollywood’s Golden Age

Joan Shawlee (1926–1987) was an American actress and comedienne known for her distinctive voice, sharp wit, and memorable supporting roles in classic films and television.

Often cast as brassy, sassy, or comedic characters, Shawlee is best remembered for her appearances in several Billy Wilder films, including The Apartment (1960) and Some Like It Hot (1959), where she played Sweet Sue, the tough-talking leader of the all-girl band.

With her bold personality and reliable comic timing, Shawlee brought energy and humor to dozens of films and TV shows throughout the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, making her a familiar and beloved face in Hollywood’s Golden Age. These vintage photos capture the bold personality and sharp charm of Joan Shawlee, a memorable supporting actress known for her witty roles in classic films.

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James Brothers and Charles Fletcher Taylor in a 1867 Photograph

In this striking photograph taken around 1867 by C.C. Giers in Nashville, Tennessee, Frank and Jesse James sit beside their fellow Confederate guerrilla, Fletch Taylor. It is an image steeped in the lingering shadows of the Civil War, a visual testament to three young men forged by violence and vengeance. Frank, dressed in a Confederate uniform, carries a composed, almost intellectual air, hinting at his earlier life as a student of classical literature before turning to the Southern cause. Beside him, Jesse, wearing a light hat and bearing a youthful, defiant expression, already projects the restless energy that would soon define his legend. He was barely out of his teens, yet seasoned by war.

Frank James, dressed in a Confederate uniform (seated), posed with younger brother Jesse (in light-colored hat) and guerrilla comrade Fletch Taylor in this circa 1867 photograph taken by C.C. Giers of Nashville, Tennessee.

The bond between the three men runs deeper than blood or friendship, it was forged in fire. During the Civil War, they served in Missouri’s guerrilla bands under notorious leaders like William Quantrill and “Bloody” Bill Anderson, engaging in raids marked by extreme violence and deep personal stakes. Fletch Taylor, seated with a calm yet worn demeanor, had lost an arm in a failed ambush, a permanent reminder of the life they led. Their loyalty to each other and to the Confederate cause was unshakable, even as the South fell and the formal conflict ended. The photograph is more than a portrait; it’s a glimpse into the psyche of men shaped by a war that was as much about ideology as it was about revenge and survival.

Although the war had ended by the time this image was taken, its emotional and political residue clung to these men. For Frank and Jesse James, peace brought no closure, only new enemies and fresh grievances. Disillusioned and embittered by the Union's victory and the treatment of former Confederates during Reconstruction, the James brothers viewed their turn to outlawry not as crime, but as continued resistance. Bank robberies and train heists became acts of rebellion, framed in their minds as justified blows against a system they believed had betrayed them. This rare photograph captures them at a pivotal moment—still young, not yet outlaws in the public eye, but standing at the threshold of infamy.

30 Stunning Portraits of Sophia Loren During the Filming of “Lady L” (1965)

These stunning portraits capture the legendary Italian actress Sophia Loren at the height of her beauty and stardom during the filming of the 1965 comedy Lady L.

Directing by Peter Ustinov, the romantic comedy featured Loren in a breathtaking array of lavish period costumes and intricate hairstyles, transforming her into the aristocratic Lady Louise. The images showcase her radiant smile, expressive eyes, and timeless glamour that made her one of the greatest screen icons of the 20th century.

Whether posing dramatically or sharing lighthearted moments between takes, these photos beautifully highlight her magnetic presence and star power during one of her memorable film productions.

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20 Portraits of a Young Willem Dafoe in the 1980s

Willem Dafoe (born July 22, 1955) rose to prominence in the 1980s as a striking, intense character actor known for his unique angular features, lean build, prominent cheekbones, and expressive eyes. He started with experimental theater in New York before breaking into film. In the early 1980s, he often played brooding outsiders, biker gang leaders, or villains, leveraging his edgy, non-traditional leading-man look—think sharp facial structure, sometimes with styled or longer hair, and a physical, intense presence.

Dafoe spent the early 1980s anchored in New York City as a core member of the experimental, radical theater collective The Wooster Group. His official film debut was an uncredited role in the infamous box-office bomb Heaven’s Gate (1980), from which he was actually fired during production.

His highly striking, angular face initially typecast him as an outlaw. He played motorcycle gang leaders in Kathryn Bigelow’s directorial debut The Loveless (1982) and Walter Hill’s rock-and-roll fable Streets of Fire (1984). Audiences truly took notice when he played the cold-blooded, stylish counterfeiter Eric Masters in William Friedkin’s neo-noir masterpiece To Live and Die in L.A. (1985).

In 1986, Oliver Stone cast him against type as the deeply empathetic, moral compass Sergeant Elias Grodin in Platoon. The film was a massive success, and the iconic image of a wounded Elias raising his arms to the sky became a defining visual of 1980s cinema. His performance in Platoon earned him his very first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

In 1988, he took on the immensely complex and controversial role of Jesus Christ in Martin Scorsese’s The Last Temptation of Christ. That same year, he starred as an idealistic FBI agent opposite Gene Hackman in the civil rights thriller Mississippi Burning.

Willem Dafoe finished the 1980s showcasing his absolute range by playing a concentration camp prisoner forced to box for survival in Triumph of the Spirit (1989) and a paraplegic Vietnam war veteran in Oliver Stone’s Born on the Fourth of July (1989).

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In “Goodfellas” (1990), Tommy DeVito’s (Joe Pesci) Mom Is Portrayed by Martin Scorsese’s Mom

Did you know? Martin Scorsese’s mother, Catherine Scorsese was a constant and beloved figure on the sets of her son’s films. Her presence went beyond simple motherly support. She was an essential part of the production family, frequently appearing in her son’s movies, typically playing maternal characters or providing cameos. Her most famous role was as Tommy DeVito’s mother in Goodfellas (1990) where her performance in the famous late night dinner scene was largely improvised.

Catherine sits at her kitchen table in Goodfellas, serving a late-night meal to Tommy (Joe Pesci), Jimmy (Robert De Niro), and Henry (Ray Liotta). This scene is legendary because it was almost entirely unscripted; the director simply told his mother to feed the actors and let the conversation happen naturally. Catherine’s genuine concern for “her boys,” unaware that they had a body in the trunk of their car, provided the film with its most darkly comedic and humanizing chapter. The brilliance of the scene lies in her improvised dialogue about her painting of a man with two dogs, a detail that was based on a real painting she had in her own home.

The visual style of the kitchen sequence utilized warm, domestic lighting and tight, intimate framing to create a sanctuary that felt miles away from the street violence. The actors were encouraged to talk over each other and eat for real, which resulted in the “Sunday gravy” atmosphere that made the film feel so authentic to the Italian-American experience. De Niro’s genuine laughter during the painting discussion was kept in the final cut, as it showed a rare moment of relaxed camaraderie between the characters. The wardrobe department used simple, unglamorous aprons and housecoats for Catherine, grounding her in the reality of a neighborhood mother who lived for her family rituals.

Historical accounts of the production reveal that Catherine actually cooked the food seen on the screen, filling the set with the real aromas of a New York kitchen. This sensory realism helped the actors get into the mindset of the characters, showing the domestic side of the “wise guys.” When the film was released in 1990, critics praised this scene for its unique tone and its ability to blend horror with humor. Fans still quote the “one dog goes one way” line as a highlight of the movie. It remains a masterclass in using non-actors to achieve emotional truth. Catherine Scorsese gave the film its heart, reminding the audience that even monsters have mothers who worry about whether they’ve had enough to eat.