Yesteryear

28 Rarely Seen Photos of the Rock Band “Earth,” Who Will Soon Rename Themselves “Black Sabbath”

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Before they became the pioneers of heavy metal, the iconic band Black Sabbath was known as Earth. This was a crucial, but short-lived, period in their history that laid the groundwork for their legendary sound.

The band, which consisted of Ozzy Osbourne on vocals, Tony Iommi on guitar, Geezer Butler on bass, and Bill Ward on drums, first formed in 1968 under the name Polka Tulk Blues Band. They then shortened their name to Earth. During this time, they were a blues-rock outfit, influenced by the British blues scene that was popular at the time. They honed their skills playing clubs in their native Birmingham, England.

While touring, the band discovered there was another group in England already using the name “Earth,” which led to booking confusion and a need for a more unique identity.

Inspired by the success of horror films, the band decided to create music that was the sonic equivalent of a scary movie. Geezer Butler, the bassist and primary lyricist, was inspired by a Boris Karloff film called Black Sabbath, which was playing across the street from their rehearsal space.

The band wrote a song with the same title, “Black Sabbath,” which featured a dark, ominous sound and a sinister musical interval known as the “Devil’s Interval.” The positive audience reaction to this new, heavier style solidified their decision to change their name to Black Sabbath in August 1969 and focus on a darker, more occult-themed sound.

The name change marked a pivotal moment, as they moved away from their blues roots and began to forge the sound that would define heavy metal.

Moment When a Young Drew Barrymore Giving Princess Diana Her E.T. Gift in 1982

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In December 1982, a young Drew Barrymore, then 7 years old and fresh off her role as Gertie in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, had a memorable encounter with Princess Diana. This special moment occurred at the London premiere of the film.

Barrymore, along with her E.T. co-stars Henry Thomas and Robert MacNaughton, and director Steven Spielberg, met Prince Charles and Princess Diana at the Empire Cinema in Leicester Square in London, UK. During this meeting, Drew Barrymore adorably presented Princess Diana with a plush E.T. doll.

Photographs from the event capture the heartwarming scene: a beaming young Drew handing the doll to a smiling Princess Diana, with Steven Spielberg often seen observing the interaction. Barrymore has since spoken about this experience as one of the most special moments of her life, recalling Diana’s kindness and grace.

“I remember it like it was yesterday,” she said of their meeting. “It was the most exciting moment for me to meet a real-life princess. The real-life princess. The people’s princess. Diana was and is and always will be the epitome of a woman that all little girls look up to.”

She praised the late royal as someone who was “so kind and so nice,” adding, “Growing up with her as a princess was such a good example.”

Romy Schneider: Icon of Postwar European Cinema

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Austrian-German actress Romy Schneider was known for her emotional depth, elegance, and tragic beauty—both onscreen and off. She rose to fame as a teenager playing Empress Elisabeth of Austria in the Sissi trilogy (1955–1957), which made her a beloved figure in German-speaking countries. However, she later sought more challenging roles and distanced herself from the sentimental image of Sissi.

In the 1960s, Schneider moved to France, where she transformed her career, becoming one of the most respected actresses in European cinema. Collaborating with renowned directors such as Luchino Visconti, Claude Sautet, and Orson Welles, she delivered critically acclaimed performances in films like The Things of Life (1970), The Important Thing Is to Love (1975), and A Simple Story (1978).

Her personal life was marked by profound tragedy, including the death of her son, which contributed to her own premature death at age 43. Despite her short life, Schneider remains an enduring symbol of talent, vulnerability, and strength in European film history. Take a look at these gorgeous portraits to witness the timeless beauty of Romy Schneider in the 1950s and 1960s.

Mugshot of Vincenzo Perugia, the Thief of the ‘Mona Lisa’

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Mugshot of Vincenzo Perugia, the Italian man who stole the Mona Lisa out of the Louvre Museum in Paris. Perugia claimed he completed the act out of patriotism, insisting the painting belonged in Leonardo da Vinci’s home country, Italy, and not France.

The police record of Vincenzo Peruggia in 1909, two years before the theft of Mona Lisa. (Photo by Roger Viollet via Getty Images)

Vincenzo Peruggia, an Italian handyman who had previously worked at the Louvre, stole the Mona Lisa on August 21, 1911. He entered the museum dressed in a worker’s smock, hid in a closet overnight, and then, while the museum was closed, removed the painting from its frame and walked out with it hidden under his smock.

Peruggia kept the Mona Lisa hidden in a false-bottom trunk in his Paris apartment for two years. During this time, the theft caused a sensation, and even famous artists like Pablo Picasso were questioned as suspects.

Peruggia’s motive, he claimed, was patriotic: he believed the Mona Lisa had been stolen from Italy by Napoleon and wanted to return it to its homeland. However, Leonardo da Vinci had actually sold the painting to King Francis I of France centuries earlier.

Peruggia was finally caught in December 1913 when he attempted to sell the painting to an art dealer in Florence, Italy, named Alfredo Geri. Geri, along with Giovanni Poggi, the director of the Uffizi Gallery, authenticated the painting and then alerted the police, leading to Peruggia’s arrest at his hotel.

Peruggia was put on trial in Florence and, due to his claimed patriotic motives, received a lenient sentence, serving only seven months in jail. The theft, ironically, propelled the Mona Lisa to unprecedented global fame.

30 Vintage Photos of Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint During the Filming of “North by Northwest” (1959)

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North by Northwest is a 1959 American spy thriller film produced and directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, and James Mason. The original screenplay written by Ernest Lehman was intended to be the basis for “the Hitchcock picture to end all Hitchcock pictures”.

North by Northwest is a tale of mistaken identity: an innocent man (Grant) is pursued across the United States by agents of a mysterious organization that aims to prevent him from blocking their plan to smuggle microfilm containing government secrets out of the country. It is one of several Hitchcock films featuring a musical score by Bernard Herrmann and an opening title sequence by graphic designer Saul Bass. The film was the first to feature extended use of kinetic typography in its opening credits.

North by Northwest was released on July 1, 1959, to critical and commercial success. It topped the box office in the United States for seven consecutive weeks. The film was nominated for three Academy Awards and garnered Hitchcock the Silver Shell for Best Director at the San Sebastián Film Festival.

North by Northwest is listed among the canonical Hitchcock films of the 1950s and is widely ranked among the greatest films ever made. In 1995, the Library of Congress selected North by Northwest for preservation in the National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.

Take a look at these vintage photos to see portraits of Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint during the filming of North by Northwest in 1959.

Rare Behind the Scenes Hair and Make-up Stills for “Gone With The Wind” (1939)

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These continuity and test photographs capture actors of Gone With The Wind (1939) undergoing hair, makeup, and tear‑stain application tests. They’re archival reference shots used on set to ensure visual consistency across different scenes and shooting takes.

Monte Westmore was the head makeup artist at Selznick International. He personally handled makeup during screentests for Scarlett and supervised continuity for extras. His workload during Gone With the Wind was immense—and tragically tied to his premature death shortly after the film’s release.

Monte pioneered using an airbrush technique to create a more natural, even makeup finish on camera—revolutionary for its time. He meticulously coordinated hair, costume, and makeup to align Scarlett’s physical appearance with her emotional and socioeconomic state—green eye shadow to bring out her hazel‑green eyes, tear stains hand‑painted to replicate a consistent crying effect, and dusty makeup to reflect her time working in the fields.

In Margaret Mitchell’s novel, Scarlett O’Hara is described as having “Indian-straight hair.” However, Vivien Leigh had naturally curly hair. This created a minor conflict with the source material, though her iconic hairstyles in the film are what many people associate with the character. With multiple units filming simultaneously, these reference images ensured Scarlett’s hairstyle and makeup matched perfectly from shot to shot.

To maintain visual consistency without relying on real tears, makeup artists hand‑painted tear tracks and applied staged “dirt” for reliability and realism. Hair, makeup, and costumes worked synchronously toward Scarlett’s evolving look—from plantation belle to wartime laborer.

Adorable Photos of Ozzy Osbourne Playfully Bonding With His Newly Born Son Jack on November 25, 1985

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Jack is the youngest child and only son of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne. He was born on November 6, 1985 and was just 16 years old when The Osbournes reality series premiered on MTV in 2002. The show captured their family’s chaotic, yet loving, dynamic, showcasing a side of Ozzy beyond his “Prince of Darkness” rock persona. It revealed him as a somewhat bewildered but devoted father navigating everyday domestic life.

Beyond The Osbournes, Ozzy and Jack continued to work together on screen. They co-starred in the History Channel reality series Ozzy & Jack’s World Detour (2016-2018), where they traveled the world learning about history and exploring quirky aspects of different cultures. Jack also produced the 2011 documentary God Bless Ozzy Osbourne.

Ozzy was a proud grandfather to Jack’s four daughters (Pearl Clementine, Andy Rose, Minnie Theodora, and Maple Artemis). While Ozzy had some playful boundaries (like not changing diapers or having all the grandkids sleep in his bed), he clearly adored his grandchildren. Jack has spoken about Ozzy’s love for his daughters and how they enjoyed visiting “Grandpa Ozzy.”

Despite the ups and downs, the Osbourne family, including Ozzy and Jack, have consistently demonstrated a strong bond and mutual support. Jack, along with his mother Sharon and sister Kelly, were by Ozzy’s side through his health battles and his recent passing on July 22, 2025.

Notably, Osbourne’s funeral procession was held on July 30 in Birmingham, his hometown. Ozzy was 76 when he passed away.

40 Fabulous Portraits of Sue Murray From the 1960s

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Sue Murray was a prominent British fashion model in the 1960s, known for her elegant features, expressive presence, and collaborations with some of the era’s most influential photographers. Born in Bournemouth in 1946, she spent part of her childhood in India and Sri Lanka before returning to England, where she studied art at the Byam Shaw School of Art in London. Her artistic background and natural poise quickly drew attention, and she became one of the leading faces of the Swinging London fashion scene.

Murray worked with renowned photographers such as David Bailey, Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, and Bert Stern. One of her most iconic appearances was in Bailey’s 1965 “Box of Pin-Ups” series, which featured the most celebrated cultural figures of the time. Her modeling style was classic yet modern—marked by minimalism, emotion, and a strong visual presence.

Later in life, Murray returned to her passion for art and moved to the United States, where she pursued painting full-time. Though less publicly known today, she remains an enduring figure of 1960s fashion, admired for both her timeless beauty and artistic spirit. Take a look at these fabulous photos to see portraits of a young Sue Murray in the 1960s.

Sue Murray wearing ostrich feathers tied with a pink satin bow by Otto Lucas, black chiffon dress by John Cavanagh, diamond bracelet by Kutchinsky, photo by David Bailey, Vogue UK, December 1964

Sue Murray, photo by David Bailey, Vogue, 1964

Sue Murray, photo by David Bailey, Vogue, October 1964

Sue Murray in a nifty black and white vinyl tube dress pulled up with rhinestone straps by Joel Schumacher for Paraphernalia, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, November 15, 1965

22 Amazing Photos of the 1902 Century Tourist Dos-A-Dos

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At the dawn of the American automobile industry, the Century Motor Vehicle Company of Syracuse, New York produced the Tourist Dos-A-Dos during their brief four-year existence from 1899 to 1903. The company originally manufactured electric and steam automobiles before switching to gasoline-powered internal combustion engines in January 1903, going out of business later that year.

The Tourist featured the distinctive dos-a-dos seating arrangement, with passengers sitting back-to-back in opposite directions. The vehicle displayed a gloss black wooden body complemented by deep red trim and running gear, with black button-tufted leather upholstery. The rear seat faced aft, as the body style implies, while steering was accomplished via a center tiller with the driver positioned on the right side. Power came from a 1-cylinder, 7-hp engine, typical of the experimental period when manufacturers were still determining optimal power sources and configurations.

Only three examples of this early American automobile are known to survive today, making it an extremely rare representative of early automotive history. Below is a collection of amazing photos of the 1902 Century Tourist Dos-A-Dos.

Amazing Photos of Arnold Schwarzenegger as Colonel John Matrix on the Set of “Commando” (1985)

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Commando is a 1985 American action film directed by Mark L. Lester and produced by Joel Silver. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger in the lead role, alongside Rae Dawn Chong, Alyssa Milano, Vernon Wells, Bill Duke and Dan Hedaya.

In the film, Schwarzenegger stars as Colonel John Matrix, a retired elite special forces operative with a no-nonsense attitude and unmatched combat skills. The film is a quintessential 1980s action flick, directed by Mark L. Lester, and it helped solidify Schwarzenegger’s status as a top-tier action star after his success in The Terminator (1984).

Matrix is living a quiet life in the mountains with his young daughter Jenny (played by Alyssa Milano) when she’s kidnapped by mercenaries to coerce him into carrying out a political assassination. The role is packed with iconic Schwarzenegger quips, such as “Let off some steam, Bennett” after impaling the villain with a steam pipe.

Matrix mows down countless enemies, showing off Schwarzenegger’s physicality in hand-to-hand combat, gunfights, and explosive set-pieces. Unlike many action heroes, Matrix takes on an army practically single-handedly, making the film a showcase for over-the-top ‘80s bravado.

Schwarzenegger’s Matrix sports a rugged, military-style look: combat fatigues, heavy weaponry, and a tactical vest, often drenched in sweat and gunpowder. His physical presence—muscular and imposing—adds to the character’s invincible persona.

Commando remains a cult classic, beloved for its unrelenting pace, exaggerated violence, and Arnold’s iconic screen presence. It’s one of the purest expressions of 1980s action cinema.