1950s
Whiskey Toothpaste
Invented by fresh-out-of-college entrepreneur Don Poynter in 1954, who laughed all the way to the bank since the stuff proceeded to become the best-selling novelty item of the 1950s and 60s, despite the efforts of some states to ban it. But eventually the market was flooded by imitators, at which point Poynter branched out into crossword-puzzle toilet paper and trick lighters, and continued to make oodles of money. [via huckberry.com]
The Lima News - Feb 12, 1957
Posted By: Alex - Thu Oct 03, 2013 -
Comments (8)
Category: 1950s, Alcohol
The Sitz Meter
Shown is Robert E. Lewis, a physicist at the Armour Research Foundation, circa 1950, who's experimenting with his "sitz" meter, a device designed to measure chair comfort. Weight sensors on the pads of the chair would turn on corresponding lights on the panels on the wall, showing how the person in the chair (Judy Blumenthal, who looks thrilled to be participating in the experiment) was distributing their weight. Lewis was trying to scientifically design a more comfortable chair.
Posted By: Alex - Tue Oct 01, 2013 -
Comments (7)
Category: Science, Experiments, 1950s
The Torture King
I haven't been able to find much information about R.H. "Skeets" Hubbard, except that he was a sideshow performer in the 1950s, whose talents included driving an eight-inch spike into his head, and pulling a wagon with his eyelids. He was sometimes called "The Torture King," "The Human Plank," or "The Human Blockhead." Tough way to make a living.
Posted By: Alex - Sat Sep 28, 2013 -
Comments (3)
Category: Human Marvels, 1950s
It Pays to Be Ignorant
We could use such a satirical show today.
Full history here.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Sep 24, 2013 -
Comments (5)
Category: Contests, Races and Other Competitions, Radio, Stupidity, Television, 1940s, 1950s
Grape Nuts Flakes Promotes Fisticuffs
Posted By: Paul - Thu Sep 19, 2013 -
Comments (9)
Category: Business, Advertising, Products, Food, Regionalism, Violence, 1950s
Red-Headed Mutant
How did an unweaned rugrat manage to grow out three or four feet of bright red hair? Was she born with that mop? If so, Mom must have had one heck of a birthing experience.
Is it a wig? if so, please explain in 1000 words or less.
Original ad here.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Sep 17, 2013 -
Comments (7)
Category: Babies, Freaks, Oddities, Quirks of Nature, Comics, 1950s, Hair and Hairstyling
Mystery in the Kitchen
Mystery in the Kitchen by Don Haldane, National Film Board of Canada
Invisible supercilious foppish food policeman invades a family's life and assigns all nutritional malfeasance to the "emotional" mother/wife.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Sep 16, 2013 -
Comments (1)
Category: Food, PSA’s, 1950s, North America
“That Mystery Half-Wit Sure Has the Girls All Agog!”
[Click to enlarge.]
Original ad.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Sep 12, 2013 -
Comments (4)
Category: Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Costumes and Masks, Stereotypes and Cliches, Comics, 1950s, Face and Facial Expressions, Fictional Monsters
The Turkobath
Add this to the 'inventions that flopped' folder. Susan Flynn, 20, gets ready to enjoy the "Turkobath" (i.e. a portable Turkish bath). This 1956 invention consisted of "a slotted plastic sheet with rubber suction cups that turn an ordinary home bathtub into a steam cabinet."I can imagine that as the bath water cooled, you were left with a cold piece of plastic wrapped around you.
Posted By: Alex - Tue Sep 10, 2013 -
Comments (6)
Category: Inventions, Baths, Showers and Other Cleansing Methods, 1950s
Prison Pennants
With USA incarceration rates at an all-time high, surely there's a market for these nowadays?
From the 1950 catalog.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Sep 09, 2013 -
Comments (4)
Category: Johnson Smith Catalog, Prisons, Signage, 1950s
| Who We Are |
|---|
| 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 |