1940s
High School Fads of 1947
Just two of the reputed high school crazes of nearly seventy years ago.
Read more here.
Posted By: Paul - Wed Nov 12, 2014 -
Comments (6)
Category: Fads, Teenagers, 1940s
The Atomiscope
Did this actually have radium inside it? How many cancers did this cause, carried about in Dennis the Menace's pockets?
Unfortunately, I've lost the source of this ad. Can anyone help?
Posted By: Paul - Wed Nov 05, 2014 -
Comments (9)
Category: Death, Toys, Atomic Power and Other Nuclear Matters, 1940s
One of These Things Is Not Like the Others
You recall perhaps the full-size rubber mask of the mystery half-wit? Well, here he is again, as a hand-puppet, inexplicably consorting with legit Disney characters. The manufacturers must have loved that design.
Original ad here.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Oct 28, 2014 -
Comments (5)
Category: Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Puppets and Automatons, Advertising, Comics, 1940s
Your Life Work: The Librarian
"Are books your friends?"
I don't believe the information sciences are much like this anymore.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Oct 18, 2014 -
Comments (5)
Category: Education, Books, 1940s
Death by Parrot
It sounds like the parrot had it in for Mrs. Fannie Stewart. Source: Los Angeles Times, Sep 25, 1947.
Posted By: Alex - Wed Sep 10, 2014 -
Comments (8)
Category: Animals, Death, 1940s
John Braund and His Cure for Cancer
Link to newspaper article of the era.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Sep 02, 2014 -
Comments (6)
Category: Eccentrics, Medicine, 1940s, South Pacific
Tsunami Bomb
Back in 1947, there was a lot of speculation in the press about a new secret weapon that was supposed to be as "awesome in its effects as the atomic bomb." Turns out the weapon that was the source of the rumors was the Tsunami Bomb -- a device for creating artificial tsunamis to wipe out enemy forces on land.
The Mexico Ledger (Mexico, Missouri) - June 16, 1947
Wikipedia has a brief article about the Tsunami Bomb, but otherwise there's not a lot of info about it online.
Other mad WWII weapons projects posted about here on WU include the Bat Bomb and the Volcano Bomb.
Posted By: Alex - Sun Aug 17, 2014 -
Comments (3)
Category: 1940s, Weapons
Sea of Grass Land Company
Back in 1947, MGM gave away one-acre plots of land located in Valencia County, New Mexico to 689 different movie critics, editors, and publishers throughout the country. It was a publicity stunt to promote the movie The Sea of Grass, starring Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy, and directed by Elia Kazan.Of course, the land was barren desert, running alongside a Santa Fe railway line. So it wasn't worth much.
But I wonder what's become of those one-acre plots today. Have they risen in value? Did any of the recipients hold onto the land, paying the taxes year after year, and passing it on to their heirs?
As for the movie, director Elia Kazan said in his autobiograpy, "It's the only picture I've ever made that I'm ashamed of. Don't see it."
Posted By: Alex - Sat Aug 16, 2014 -
Comments (4)
Category: Movies, Publicity Stunts, 1940s
Pop Carter
This is Otto "Pop" Carter, 90 years old, in 1947. He was known as "America's oldest and best-known roller skater." At his advanced age, he had been a professional roller skater for 82 years. But even after this he kept on going for quite a while. According to his listing on IMDB, "At age 104, participated in the Southwest Pacific Roller Skating Championships and the Rollerama Show in 1960."I don't know when he died. Perhaps he's still alive.
Source: Newsweek - July 28, 1947
Posted By: Alex - Wed Aug 13, 2014 -
Comments (6)
Category: Sports, 1940s
Simplex Typewriter
Original ad here.
From 1891 to at least 1948. Not a bad run for any toy.
More info here.
Posted By: Paul - Wed Jul 30, 2014 -
Comments (9)
Category: Technology, Toys, Comics, 1940s, Nineteenth Century
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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 |