1940s
Paper Moon “Musickette” by Wah Chang
Paper Moon "Musickette" by Wah Chang, 1948 from the films of Wah Ming Chang on Vimeo.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Feb 02, 2019 -
Comments (0)
Category: Music, Puppets and Automatons, Surrealism, 1940s
Laura the Nazi-Saluting Parrot
At the end of World War II, the Allied forces wanted to make sure that Nazism didn't rise again in Germany. So they implemented a program of denazification, making it a criminal act, punishable by up to three years in prison, to display Nazi symbols such as the swastika or to give the Nazi salute. However, they encountered resistance from an unusual quarter: a 15-year-old white, female, South-American parrot named Laura who lived in a cage at Munich's Hellabrunn Zoo. This bird had the disturbing habit of greeting visitors by loudly squawking the phrase 'Heil Hitler' as she bobbed her head up and down.
Children at the Munich Zoo hoping to hear Laura say her signature phrase. Image via icp.org.
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Posted By: Alex - Thu Jan 24, 2019 -
Comments (7)
Category: Animals, 1940s
Follies of the Madmen #404
Not entirely sure why any company would emphasize the sufferings of its "antagonist" so dramatically. It would be like saying, "Poor germs! Doctors are killing them all!"
Source.
Posted By: Paul - Wed Jan 02, 2019 -
Comments (0)
Category: Anthropomorphism, Advertising, Corporate Mascots, Icons and Spokesbeings, 1940s, Pain, Self-inflicted and Otherwise, Fictional Monsters
Ralph Slater, Hypnotist Against Hitler
I suspect that Slater would pitch anything just to get publicity.Here he claims he can deprogram Nazis.
He did not fare so well in 1948.
Here's the man himself.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Dec 23, 2018 -
Comments (1)
Category: Delusions, Fantasies and Other Tricks of the Imagination, Hypnotism, Mesmerism and Mind Control, Crackpots, 1940s
Follies of the Madmen #401
Not quite sure why a kangaroo would be deemed an apt symbol for a conservation-minded USA citizen. Weren't there any miserly Scotsmen available?
Original ad here.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Dec 17, 2018 -
Comments (3)
Category: Animals, Anthropomorphism, Business, Advertising, Money, Stereotypes and Cliches, 1940s, Alcohol
Follies of the Madmen #399
Of course the sole of one's foot resembles a snooty toff with monocle--after your LSD trip!
Original ad here.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Dec 07, 2018 -
Comments (0)
Category: Business, Advertising, Drugs, Shoes, 1940s, Feet
Shoe-Swapping Fad
The hot high-school fad of 1947, according to Life magazine:Couldn't have been comfortable walking around all day with mismatched shoes. Fashion over comfort, I guess.
Life - Nov 17, 1947
Posted By: Alex - Tue Dec 04, 2018 -
Comments (2)
Category: Fads, Shoes, 1940s
The Moniac
Created by William Phillips in the 1940s, the Moniac was a device that used water flowing through pipes to simulate how money moves around within the economy. From the NY Times:More info: wikipedia
The Sedalia Democrat - Dec 23, 1951
Posted By: Alex - Tue Nov 20, 2018 -
Comments (0)
Category: Technology, Computers, 1940s
Follies of the Madmen #389
"Our whiskey tastes like carrots."
Original ad here.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Oct 14, 2018 -
Comments (6)
Category: Animals, Business, Advertising, 1940s, Alcohol
Henry Ford’s Soybean Suit
One of Henry Ford's lesser known accomplishments was that he had his researchers create for him the world's first suit made out of soybeans. He's shown here modeling it in 1941. Reportedly it was very itchy.
Source: The Henry Ford
Source: The Public Image of Henry Ford
Posted By: Alex - Mon Oct 08, 2018 -
Comments (2)
Category: Fashion, 1940s
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |