Vintage Portraits of Pier Angeli on the Set of “Somebody Up There Likes Me” (1956)

In 1956, while filming the boxing drama Somebody Up There Likes Me, Italian actress Pier Angeli captivated audiences and photographers alike with her delicate beauty and quiet elegance. Captured in a series of intimate vintage portraits on set, the young star radiates a soft, luminous charm that perfectly blends Hollywood glamour with her signature European innocence.

Dressed in simple yet stylish wardrobe, with her dark hair often styled in soft waves, these vintage photos offer a nostalgic glimpse into the golden age of cinema and the fleeting brilliance of one of the 1950s’ most enchanting starlets.

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30 Fabulous Photos Teenage Anjelica Huston From the Late 1960s

In the late 1960s, a teenage Anjelica Huston (born July 8, 1951) possessed a look that was entirely unique—striking, aristocratic, and thoroughly modern. Long before she became an Academy Award-winning actress or the definitive Morticia Addams, she was a high-fashion model capturing the eyes of the world’s greatest photographers.

Though she grew up in the secluded Irish countryside at St. Clerans, the estate of her larger-than-life director father, John Huston, Anjelica moved to London as a teenager. By 1968, at just 16 and 17 years old, her distinct look caught the attention of the fashion elite. Unlike the hyper-youthful “dolly bird” look popularized by Twiggy, Anjelica brought something older, more regal, and heavily reminiscent of her mother, the Italian-American prima ballerina Enrica Soma. She possessed a strong, sculptural nose, high cheekbones, and an effortless, statuesque posture.

Her true breakthrough into the upper echelon of modeling came when legendary photographer Richard Avedon encountered her. Recognizing her unconventional beauty, Avedon ran a massive, multi-page spread of a 17-year-old Anjelica in the pages of Vogue in 1968. He took her to the rugged landscapes of Ireland and Scotland, capturing her in dramatic, sweeping capes, heavy furs, and structured woolen garments. The images combined a raw, romantic old-world atmosphere with the sharp, graphic sensibilities of late-1960s editorial photography.

While her modeling career was soaring, her transition to cinema at the end of the decade was fraught with tension. Her father insisted on casting her as the lead in his 1969 medieval romance film, A Walk with Love and Death. Anjelica, just 17 during filming, did not want the role and felt entirely unready. The production strained her relationship with her father, who was notoriously tough on set, and the film was critically panned. The experience temporarily soured her desire to act, prompting her to focus almost entirely on photography and runway modeling as she moved into the 1970s.

“I was 16, and I wanted to be a model in London, to wear miniskirts and have Jean Shrimpton’s hair. My father wanted me to be a medieval princess.” – Anjelica Huston, reflecting on her late-60s transition from modeling to film.

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Learn Roller Disco With Kevin Bacon, 1979

Long before he became an icon for breaking the “no dancing” rule in Footloose, a young Kevin Bacon was putting his rhythm to use on eight wheels in New York City. The year was 1979, and the roller disco craze was sweeping across America. At the time, Bacon was a struggling actor working as a busboy in Manhattan. He had bought a pair of quad skates in 1977 and became an avid street skater.

Because elite, flashy New York roller clubs like The Roxy and Xenon were far too expensive for a busboy’s budget, Bacon took his talents to the pavement, spending hours grooving, spinning, and practicing roller disco out in Central Park.

While skating in the park, an acquaintance who was putting together a project to capitalize on the exploding trend approached him. The pitch was simple: “Hey, I’m writing a book about this roller disco thing. Do you want to be a model?” Desperate for the gig, Bacon agreed. He ended up being featured as an instructional model in the 1979 paperback book titled How to Disco Rollerskate.

“Back when I was working as a busboy, I got a gig to model for a how-to roller disco book,” he recalled. “For reference, this move is called ‘Shoot the Duck.’”

In the book’s black-and-white photo spreads, a young, heavily feathered-haired Kevin Bacon can be seen demonstrating highly technical maneuvers, including a left-hand turn transition and a classic 1970s skate trick called the “Can Opener.”

Years later, Bacon revisited the memory on The Late Late Show, admitting that while he still owns those original 1977 skates, his feet have grown two sizes since his days as a Central Park roller disco model. Still, during the 2020 lockdowns, he famously dusted them off to post “Roller Disco” dance videos from his basement, proving he’s still got the moves.

Marie Spartali Stillman: A Leading Female Artist of the Pre-Raphaelite Movement

Marie Spartali Stillman (1844–1927) was a British painter of Greek descent and one of the most accomplished and prolific female artists associated with the second generation of the Pre-Raphaelite movement. Born in London to a wealthy Greek merchant family, she trained under Ford Madox Brown and quickly gained recognition for her luminous watercolors, often inspired by literary themes from Dante, Boccaccio, Shakespeare, and classical mythology.

Stillman was also a celebrated model for artists such as Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Edward Burne-Jones, admired for her striking beauty and classical features. After marrying American journalist and artist William James Stillman in 1871, she divided her time between England and Italy, where the Renaissance atmosphere deeply influenced her romantic, detailed style characterized by rich colors, intricate backgrounds, and poetic sensibility.

Though somewhat overlooked for much of the 20th century, her work is now celebrated for its technical mastery and significant contribution to Pre-Raphaelite art.

A Florentine Lily

A Lady in the Garden at Kelmscott Manor, Gloucestershire

A May Feast at the House of Folco Portinari

A Wreath of Roses (A Crown of Roses)

Afternoon in the Colonna Garden

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Blitz Canteen: Photos Show Women of the Women’s Voluntary Service Running a Mobile Canteen in London During WWII

During WWII’s Blitz (1940–1941), “Blitz Canteen” typically refers to the mobile canteens operated by the Women’s Voluntary Service (WVS) in bombed areas of London. These were not a single fixed location but a network of mobile units, often adapted vans or cars with trailers, that provided essential refreshments, food, and comfort to civilians, rescue workers, firefighters, and others amid the devastation.

They delivered hot tea, buns, pies, sandwiches, and sometimes cigarettes or other small comforts to shelterers emerging from the night’s bombings, rubble-clearing crews (like the Pioneer Corps or Royal Engineers), bombed-out residents, and emergency services. Tea was a huge morale booster, often called Britain’s “secret weapon,” and the canteens operated at cost with no profit.

Volunteers started shifts as early as 2:30 a.m. to catch people heading to work after sheltering. They worked in dangerous conditions near bomb sites, during or right after raids, often under blackout rules with torches and basic equipment like primus stoves and Thermos urns.

The WVS (founded 1938) had around a million members by the end of 1941. Many were women from various social backgrounds, including “society girls.” They also helped with evacuations, clothing distribution, and other civil defense work. Mobile canteens were funded through donations and fundraising.

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Colorful Photos of Shelley Duvall on the Set of “Mother Goose Rock ‘n’ Rhyme” (1990)

Produced by her own company, Think Entertainment, Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme (1990) was one of Shelley Duvall’s brilliantly eccentric passion projects for television. Following her success with Faerie Tale Theatre, she took on the role of Little Bo Peep in this musical television film, sporting her signature avant-garde, storybook-style costuming—including a vibrant red wig and an oversized, striped bonnet.

It’s a colorful, star-studded fantasy-musical where she teams up with Dan Gilroy (as Gordon Goose) to find the missing Mother Goose (Jean Stapleton) and her lost sheep in Rhymeland. The film features a wild array of cameos from musicians and actors like Little Richard (Old King Cole), Cyndi Lauper, Debbie Harry, Woody Harrelson, Paul Simon, ZZ Top, Bobby Brown, and more.

Filming happened over about 21 days in a repurposed warehouse on a $2.5 million budget, with vibrant, whimsical sets designed by Allee Willis and costumes by Patricia Field (which won an Emmy).

Duvall and Gilroy met on this project and later became longtime partners. The movie has a cult following for its campy, trippy 1980s-90s charm, think a rock ‘n’ roll nursery rhyme world.

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Helen Rose: The Queen of Hollywood Glamour

Helen Rose (1904–1985) was a legendary American costume designer who became one of the most influential figures in Hollywood during the Golden Age. As head costume designer at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) for over two decades, she created some of the most iconic and glamorous gowns in film history.

Rose was renowned for her elegant, feminine designs and her ability to enhance an actress’s natural beauty. She designed memorable costumes for stars such as Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, Lana Turner, and Ava Gardner. Among her most famous creations are the wedding dress worn by Grace Kelly in High Society (1956) and the costumes for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958).

Rose won two Academy Awards for Best Costume Design and left an enduring legacy as one of Hollywood’s greatest costume designers. These exquisite vintage photos showcase the timeless elegance, impeccable craftsmanship, and sophisticated glamour of Helen Rose, one of the greatest costume designers in Hollywood history.

Grace Kelly as Tracy Lord in the film "High Society" with her wardrobe designed by Helen Rose, co-starring Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, 1956

Grace Kelly as Tracy Lord in the film "High Society" with her wardrobe designed by Helen Rose, co-starring Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, 1956

Grace Kelly at the 28th Academy Awards wearing this beautiful dress by Helen Rose, 1956

Princess Grace in wedding gown by Helen Rose and Prince Rainier's marriage ceremony at Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Monaco, April 19, 1956

Carmen Dell' Orefice in pink silk dress radiating in minute tucks from a giant rose worn with brocade coat in the same shade of mallow pink by Helen Rose, photo by William Helburn, Harper's Bazaar, October 1959

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