Yesteryear

Quentin Durward (1955)

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In 1465, Scottish knight Quentin Durward (Robert Taylor with an accent which is all wrong for the part) travels to France to meet Isabelle, Countess of Marcroy (Kay Kendall), on behalf of his elderly uncle, who, for political reasons, the Duke of Burgundy (Alec Clunes) intends she marry. Isabelle has no desire for the marriage […]

30 Vintage Portraits of Francesca Annis in the 1960s and ’70s

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Francesca Annis is a luminous icon of British stage and screen, celebrated for an acting career that has spanned over six decades with unfaltering grace and intellectual depth. First rising to international prominence as the hauntingly beautiful Lady Macbeth in Roman Polanski’s Macbeth (1971), she quickly established herself as a master of complex, sophisticated roles. Annis possesses a rare aristocratic poise and an expressive, soulful gaze that made her the definitive choice for period dramas, notably her award-winning portrayal of Lillie Langtry in Edward the Seventh.

Beyond her striking classical beauty, Annis is revered for her versatility and longevity, moving effortlessly from the epic dunes of David Lynch’s Dune to acclaimed contemporary performances in Cranford and Home Fires. Her presence on screen is often characterized by a “quiet fire”, a blend of vulnerability and steely resolve, that has solidified her status as one of the most respected actresses of her generation.

Even in her later years, Annis remains a symbol of timeless chic and artistic integrity, continuing to captivate audiences with her commanding yet nuanced craft. Take a look at these vintage photos to see the beauty of Francesca Annis in the 1960s and 1970s.

Niklaus Stoecklin: The Architect of Precision and Magic Realism

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Niklaus Stoecklin (1896–1982) was a seminal figure in 20th-century Swiss art, widely regarded as a master of New Objectivity (Neue Sachlichkeit) and a pioneer of modern poster design. His work is characterized by an uncanny, almost clinical precision that transforms everyday objects, from a simple bar of soap to a towering industrial landscape, into icons of stark, silent beauty.

Stoecklin’s unique style often blurred the lines between fine art and commercial graphic design; his posters for brands like Maggi and Binaca are now celebrated as masterpieces of Hyper-realism, stripping away unnecessary clutter to focus on the pure essence of the subject.

Whether through his meticulously rendered still lifes or his world-renowned Sachplakat (Object Poster) style, Stoecklin captured the quiet tension of the modern age with a “magic realist” touch. His legacy remains a cornerstone of Swiss Excellence, proving that in the hands of a master, the most mundane objects can radiate a profound and timeless dignity.

Below is a curated collection of Niklaus Stoecklin’s iconic works, showcasing his masterful ability to find extraordinary beauty in the simplicity of everyday objects.

Teppiche Matzinger, 1922

PKZ, BURGER – KEHL & CO, 1923

12 Baselst Kantonal Turnfest, 1924

Gartenbau Ausstellung, Basel, 1924

“Eskimo”, Affolter, Christen & Co, Basel-Bâle, 1925

Promotional Portraits of a Young Eddie Murphy for “Saturday Night Live” in the Early 1980s

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Eddie Murphy is widely credited with “saving” Saturday Night Live during the early 1980s. After the original cast and creator Lorne Michaels left in 1980, the show struggled significantly with ratings and critical reception. Murphy, who joined at just 19 years old, became a breakout superstar whose charisma and iconic characters kept the show on the air.

Murphy was the first SNL cast member to be so popular that the show essentially revolved around him. His star power was so immense that he even hosted the show while still a regular cast member in 1982 (after his 48 Hrs. co-star Nick Nolte fell ill).

Murphy’s tenure (1980–1984) produced some of the most memorable recurring characters in the show’s history. He left the show in 1984 to pursue his massive film career (Beverly Hills Cop, Coming to America).

For decades, Murphy stayed away from SNL due to a joke made by David Spade in the 1990s (“Look children, a falling star!”) which Murphy found disrespectful. He finally returned for a brief appearance during the 40th Anniversary Special in 2015, and officially returned as a host in December 2019. His return episode was a massive success, earning him his first Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series.

Some Adorable Photos of Doris Day Posing With Animals

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Doris Day’s lifelong devotion to animals was famously inspired by her childhood dog, Tiny, whose tragic loss during her teenage years sparked a mission to protect all “four-leggers.” Throughout her life, she was rarely seen without a canine companion, often rescuing strays and even checking the homes of potential adopters to ensure they were fit for pet ownership. She famously said, “I’ve never met an animal I didn’t like, and I can’t say the same thing about people.”

Her home in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, was a well-known sanctuary. At any given time, Day looked after dozens of rescued dogs and cats. Her dedication was so legendary that locals often referred to her simply as the “Dog Lady.”

Her activism reportedly began on the set of The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956). She refused to work until the emaciated animals on the filming location in Morocco were properly fed and cared for. She co-owned this landmark hotel in Carmel and turned it into one of the first truly pet-friendly boutique hotels in the country, encouraging guests to bring their “four-legged children.”

She founded the Doris Day Animal Foundation (DDAF) and the Doris Day Animal League, dedicating much of her post-Hollywood life to animal welfare causes, including spay/neuter programs and fighting animal cruelty. Her foundations continued their work well after her passing in May 2019 at the age of 97.

“If it’s true that houses have an aura, then mine has the aura of a happy kennel.” — Doris Day

40 Amazing Portraits of a Very Young and Handsome Marlon Brando in the 1940s

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Before he was the “Godfather” or the reclusive icon on an island, Marlon Brando in the 1940s was a seismic shift in American acting. He arrived in New York as a teenager and, by the end of the decade, had fundamentally changed how people behaved on stage and screen.

Brando moved to New York in 1943, following his sisters. He enrolled in the Dramatic Workshop at the New School, where he met his most influential mentor, Stella Adler. Unlike the polished, mid-Atlantic theatrical style common at the time, Brando brought a raw, psychological realism. Adler taught him that acting shouldn’t be about “faking” emotion, but about finding the character’s inner truth through imagination and circumstances. He made his Broadway debut in 1944 in I Remember Mama. Even then, critics noticed a strange, magnetic presence that felt more “real” than his costars.

The defining moment of 1940s theater, and Brando’s career, was his role as Stanley Kowalski in Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire, directed by Elia Kazan. Brando played Stanley with a mix of animalistic aggression and vulnerability. He famously wore a tight, sweat-stained T-shirt (which sparked a massive fashion trend) and mumbled his lines with a naturalism that shocked audiences used to perfect enunciation. Legend has it that when the curtain fell on opening night, the audience sat in stunned silence for moments before erupting. He didn’t just play a character; he was the character.

While he spent most of the 1940s on stage, the decade ended with him preparing for his film debut in The Men (released in 1950). To prepare for his role as a paraplegic veteran, he lived in a veterans’ hospital for weeks, a precursor to the extreme “Method” immersion that would define the next generation of actors like De Niro and Pacino.

By 1949, Brando was the most talked-about actor in America, set to enter the 1950s as the face of a new, restless youth culture.

Crime Syndicated

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1 9 5 1 – 1 9 5 3 (USA) 30 minute episodes This CBS anthology series debuted on 18 September 1951, aired biweekly – alternating with City Hospital – and ran until 23 June 1953. The series presented dramatisations of actual organised crime cases – involving narcotics, gambling, robbery, bootleg liquor etc – from the FBI […]

City Hospital

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1 9 5 1 – 1 9 5 3 (USA) 30 minute episodes City Hospital began life in October 1951 as a Saturday-morning series on the CBS radio network, with Santos Ortega playing the role of the hospital’s medical director, Dr Barton Crane. The show also debuted on CBS television in November as a bi-weekly evening series […]

Peter Powell Stunt Kites

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These iconic, dual-line steerable kites were originally developed in 1972 by charismatic British kite-maker Peter Powell. Often credited as the “father of the stunt kite,” Powell’s design turned kite flying from a passive activity into a worldwide craze during the mid-1970s. The classic Peter Powell kite, known as the Peter Powell Stunter, was a diamond-shaped […]

Petrus van Schendel: The Master of Moonlight and Candlelight

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Petrus van Schendel (1806–1870) was a Dutch-Belgian genre painter of the Romantic era, famously nicknamed “Monsieur Chandelle” (Mr. Candlelight) for his extraordinary ability to capture the ethereal glow of nocturnal light.

Renowned for his atmospheric market scenes, Van Schendel elevated the tradition of Dutch tenebrism to new heights, using the flickering warmth of candles and oil lamps to illuminate the velvet shadows of 19th-century city life. His paintings are a masterclass in chiaroscuro, where the soft, golden radiance of a street stall or a moonlit canal creates a sense of profound intimacy and quiet drama.

Beyond his artistic genius, Van Schendel was also a man of science and a mechanical engineer, a background that informed his precise understanding of light refraction and perspective. Below is a breathtaking collection showcasing the candlelit masterpieces of Petrus van Schendel, capturing the warm, romantic heart of the 19th century through his legendary play of light and shadow.

A Market at Dusk

A Market by Candlelight

A Busy Night Market with a Vegetable Stall

A Careful Eye