It feels somewhat weird and peculiar looking at the images of world-known celebrities, historical figures and household names in totally different context. Seeing them doing their everyday and mundane activities like house chores, washing dishes or just hanging out and fooling around seems like a dropout from what we’re used to seeing them.
17Tom Cruise & Sean Penn, 1981
Most of the people never realized that these two great actors used to hang out and spend much time together, especially because of their completely different personalities. Later, as time has shown, they both managed to have great acting careers with lots of success, fame, and fortune, but still with few differences. One of them married Madonna and the others took up a path of a couch-molesting Scientologist.
16Henry Ford Dressed as a Cowboy With Thomas Edison, 1923
Who knew Henry Ford was into cosplay? And who knows, maybe Edison was also dressed up but with far less success, because he didn’t want to bother and make too much effort knowing that the Ford will obviously steal the spotlight.
Anyhow, the picture is simply brilliant, a true piece of history. It sheds light on these two men’s true personalities and helps us learn to know them a little better.
15The Four Romanov Sisters of Russia, 1906
This intimate portrait of the four doomed Romanov grand duchesses is both hauntingly sad and beautiful at the same time. The empty stare in their innocent eyes tells about the inevitability of the horror story that is going to happen.
After the February revolution in 1917, the whole family including Tsar Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra, which was the granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth, the four daughters (Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia) and the young Alexei were moved to Ekaterinburg and shot.
14Jim Hendrix in Uniform During His Time in The US Army, 1961
You might not be aware of this little life peculiarity of the world’s best left-handed guitarist, but Jimi Hendrix spent two years 1961-1962 in the military. According to Wikipedia he got into trouble with the law twice for riding in stolen cars. He was given a choice between spending two years in prison or joining the Army. Hendrix chose the latter and enlisted on May 31, 1961. He was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division.
13Clint Eastwood, 1959
Now, Clint Eastwood is just one of those old-school, no bullshit, utterly cool, ‘manly man’ persons and it would be really weird seeing him in an anyway different state of mind. Even during his pastime, he seems incredibly cool. Have you ever seen a man staring at an album cover and looking so tough?
12Bill Murry, Dan Aykroyd, And Harold Ramis on The Set of Ghostbusters
On September 16th this year it will be the 30th anniversary since this supernatural comedy Ghostbusters was released to theatres worldwide, making the already famous actor Bill Murray into something of the 80’s icon and thus an online god in this era when those 80s kids (author of these lines included) have grown up. The simplest way of describing what has become known as ‘Bill Murray phenomenon’ is through a concrete example.
For instance, whenever Murray does or allegedly does something odd and/or unexpected to a stranger in public (like, for instance, join a group for karaoke or proffer a noogie), he supposedly says (or whispers) “No one will ever believe you.” I can’t really put my finger on to it and figure out what is it that makes Bill Murray so incredibly popular online today.
But it probably has a lot to do with his ability to creep into regular people’s everyday lives and his whole nonchalance and attitude toward being famous. He seems just like a really sensitive, down to earth kind of guy with an incredible sense of humor and that’s probably what makes everybody love him.
11Frank Sinatra Playing Cards With Hos Dog
Many stories were woven around the figure and acts of Frank Sinatra. Aside from having the voice of an angel and irresistibly charming big blue eyes the whole America loved him for, Sinatra is said to have been linked to mafia and having his hands deep in as a CIA agent. And in a book his daughter, Tina has published, she claims that Big Blues was involved in helping John F. Kennedy win the crucial West Virginia primary election in 1960.
We’ll never know for sure what’s true from these stories about his life and what is plane fiction, but one thing is for sure – the man was a player and had a serious poker face. Many weren’t able to read him, but that was apparently no problem for his Spaniel puppy dog whom he loved and cherished dearly.
10Robert De Niro’s Taxicab Licence, Used While Preparing For His Role in Taxi Driver, 1976
The Taxi Driver was a legendary role for Robert de Niro that shot his acting career straight to the stars with the unforgettable “You talkin’ to me?” line that some even say was a complete improvisation created by the de Niro entirely and was never in the script in the first place.
This movie classic and a true landmark in pop culture and movie history of the twentieth century was directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Paul Schrader. The whole movie is a long preparation for the massacre. Travis Bickle (played by De Niro) is a Vietnam war veteran and an ex-marine that works as a taxi driver in New York.
We follow him through his lonely, impotent, insomniac nights and days waiting for the suffocating tension to grow enough until the final boiling point when it all ends with an orgasmic carnage. Robert de Niro was absolutely superb as Travis and you can see his dedication and him staying in the character even for the photoshoot for the fake taxicab license made for this movie. It is truly impressive.
9John Travolta, 1977
Now, this is something special! It is simply impossible for me to remain serious while looking at this picture of John Travolta taken almost 40 years ago. Yes, we’ve all seen him in the Saturday Night Fever twisting and shaking his booty, but somehow looking at him in this casual captain Morgan pose with a dorky grin on his face makes me instantaneously burst to laugh out loud.
8Original SNL Cast, Late 1970s
This is one true piece of history, an image of the original Saturday Night Live cast taken back in the 1970. It is funny how futile their efforts to look serious are. It’s like the harder they try to appear serious, the funnier they look.
7Leonardo Dicaprio And Kate Winslet Fooling Around on The Set of ‘Titanic’
When James Cameron’s movie Titanic released in 1997 it was such a huge success at the box office all over the world. Everybody came to see the sad love story of a rich aristocrat girl and a poor artist on a luxurious trans-Atlantic ship (both doomed to fail).
I remember watching it with my girlfriends and sobbing not as much because of the over 2000 people that really drowned and froze to death, as much we were devastated by Leo’s death in particular.
6Stephen Hawking With Then-Wife Jane Wilde, 1965
First of all, let me say that I truly respect Dr. Stephen Hawking and his incredible work and accomplishments in the field of theoretical physics and cosmology, especially his immense contribution to the black holes and baby universes theory. Now, having that said, may I just add “Shag-a-Licious, Baby!” I’m sorry, I had to.
It was stronger than me. They simply look so nerdy! I believe I speak for everybody when I say this picture is simply brilliant, pure gold. This is what historic photography is all about. Providing insight and shedding light on the lesser-known side of stories and someone’s life.
5Microsoft, 1978
And speaking of nerds… Here’s one of the most iconic images in American business. A bunch of bearded, weird looking nerds, gathered together for an awkward family picture. Usually, this picture is captioned with “Would you have invested?” There are a bunch of sites online that estimate how much money you’d make if you had the opportunity to do so and how much money each person in this picture has today. I’ll spare you the torture, but if you’re curious, you can look up for yourself.
4Salvador Dali, 1948 (By Philippe Halsman)
A picture is titled Dali Atomicus and is perhaps the most iconic image that has emerged from the Philippe Halsman’s collaboration with the world’s most famous surrealist. This photograph is a portrait of Dalí inspired by his painting Leda Atomica (1949) a painting which depicts Dali’s wife Gala as Leda, the mythological queen of Sparta.
3The Rolling Stones, 1963
Looking at this picture it is hard to imagine these five fine lads being identified as a rebellious band, the originators of a counterculture that were going to bring the music and some even said pop culture and civilization in whole as we know it to an end.
It is really interesting to think about how much the world we live in has changed since 1963 when this picture was taken. Back then all it took to be seen and characterized as a rebel was a slightly longish hair, reaching the top of your ears, a cigarette or two and an unbuttoned suit. Today, best-case scenario, these fellas would be called nerds.
2Steve Buscemi’s Elementary School Yearbook Photo
Steve Buscemi is not among the prettiest Hollywood actors. He doesn’t have that classical beauty, his face features aren’t all perfectly symmetrical, but they are definitely impressive and striking.
You can say he is one of those people that are born with an old man’s face. When you compare his pictures today and this one from the time when he was in his Elementary school, you can notice he has hardly changed!
1Michael Jackson and Paul Mccartney Doing The Dishes, 1983
It is easy to see why two great musical legends Sir Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson would have had a close friendship. One was a member of the world’s most influential musical bands and the other rising pop star that sprung him into a whirlwind of success.
So when someone says these two persons were working together, you expect at least some great pop song emerging from that. Doing dishes is probably the last thing that comes to your mind.
