World War 1 British propaganda poster.
Beware The Zeppelin
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Category Archives: Retro Bits
Untitled
If this were a still photo from a Buster Keaton film you’d figure hilarity was about to ensue. Something about that horse with its head in a feed box strikes me as humorous for no good reason.
The sad truth is that those are victims of the sinking of the Empress Of Ireland in 1914. Which is why, crass as I may be at times, there is no caption contest here.
Have Lung Motor Protection?
Lung Motor Ad circa. 1916
- Lung Motor Demonstration circa. 1914
Have you asked for LUNGMOTOR protection? You will. Or die tryin’.
Reply Hazy, Try Again
Undated photo of actress Pauline Frederick as Potiphar’s wife, courtesy of the Library Of Congress flickr page.
A little internet sleuthing reveals Ms. Frederick starred as Potiphar’s wife in a 1913 stage production titled Joseph and His Brethren.
None of that is all too interesting, but when you find a picture of a woman in an Egyptian setting conjuring the future from a crystal ball stuck to the head of a cobra, well, you just gotta post the thing.
Arthur Conan Doyle Interview
Here’s a 1927 interview with author and spiritualist Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Enlist Today!
It’s been awhile since I’ve posted anything of a historical nature, so here you go.
The United States Army Air Service was established May 24, 1918 replacing the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps which had been the nations air force since 1914. The Air Service would separate from the army and become the United States Air Force on September 18, 1947.
The Ballad Of Bruno Hauptmann
To be clear, that isn’t really the title of the piece of music you’re about to be subjected to hear. The song is titled “The Trial Of Bruno Richard Hauptmann” as sung by Bill Cox. Bill Cox was apparently a West Virginia singer and guitarist. Dare we say a Guthrie of the gallows? Yes, we shall.
Bruno Hauptmann
Bruno Hauptmann was, of course, the man accused, tried, and electrocuted for committing The Crime Of The Century! That crime being the kidnapping and killing of Charles Lindbergh Jr. in March of 1932. He was put to death April 3, 1936 by electrocution via Old Smokey, the New Jersey State Prison’s pet name for its electric chair.
For a quick overview on this case, and links to more information, visit wikipedia.
Here’s another piece of newsreel containing 9 minutes of the actual trial, and Hauptmann’s testimony. He doesn’t do a very good job of proclaiming any innocence here.
That lawyer was like every lawyer I’ve seen on TV! Hauptmann could have used a Matlock for sure.
That Was No Martian, It’s Halloween
Here is a very short excerpt of Orson Welles being questioned after the famous broadcast. The audio is screwed up at the beginning, but the words aren’t important here. Look at how Welles presents himself to the reporters. Almost like a child caught doing something he genuinely did not know was wrong. The big eyes, and surprise at the commotion…always the actor!
I didn’t do the usual reposting of the War Of The Worlds broadcast on any of the podcasts this year, but if you’d like to hear it you can find it here.