1950s
Shampoo as suicide prevention
The idea of people who try to kill themselves three ways at once is something that occasionally pops up in weird news. Though I'm not sure if it really belongs to weird news or is more of an urban legend.Back in 2014, I posted about an attempted 4-way suicide that was reported in 1922. A man tried to torch, hang, poison, and shoot himself simultaneously. But I was also suspicious of that reporting.
Posted By: Alex - Sat Nov 25, 2017 -
Comments (4)
Category: Advertising, Suicide, 1950s
Atomic Hairdos
How the atomic bomb inspired hairdressers.
La Grande Observer - July 30, 1946
(AP Wirephoto — Mar 2, 1951)
Mansfield News-Journal - Apr 29, 1946
Posted By: Alex - Fri Nov 24, 2017 -
Comments (1)
Category: Atomic Power and Other Nuclear Matters, 1940s, 1950s, Hair and Hairstyling
Worst Appliance Innovation Ever
"Sit right down and rest your elbows on these convenient patented elbow warmers."
No idea why this great idea did not catch on.
Original ad here.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Nov 18, 2017 -
Comments (2)
Category: Business, Advertising, Appliances, 1950s, Pain, Self-inflicted and Otherwise
The Fountain of the World Cult
"Members of Fountain of the World cult in Chatsworth are pallbearers and mourners at funeral of their leader Krishna Venta and two other cult members killed in dynamiting of their headquarters."
Read a long fascinating article on this Manson precursor at the LA WEEKLY.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Nov 16, 2017 -
Comments (2)
Category: Cult Figures and Artifacts, Death, 1940s, 1950s
Filter Queen Vibrator
A 1950s gadget that, when attached to the hose of your vacuum, transformed it into a vibrating massager.
"Directions: The Filter Queen Vibrator should be inserted into the wand end of the hose and the hose fastened to the suction inlet of the Filter Queen... For use, place hose on neck, shoulders or other parts of the body to be massaged. See illustration on opposite side of box."
More info: Herald Tribune
Image source: Flickr
Posted By: Alex - Sat Oct 28, 2017 -
Comments (3)
Category: Inventions, 1950s
Jack Punter’s House
Posted By: Paul - Thu Oct 26, 2017 -
Comments (3)
Category: Architecture, Domestic, Eccentrics, 1950s
How to pepper a ceiling
The ingenuity of teenagers knows no bounds.
The Salem News - Sep 17, 1953
Posted By: Alex - Tue Oct 24, 2017 -
Comments (4)
Category: 1950s, Pranks
Miss Food Freezer
Continuing our exploration of strange beauty contests, here's the Miss Food Freezer contest of 1951.
Arizona Republic - Mar 6, 1951
The favorite to win seemed to be Marianne Davis, who had already won the title of Miss General Electric. I could be wrong, but in the publicity photo below I think they've got her wrapped in freezer wrap while she sits on top of a deep freeze.
Arizona Republic - Mar 19, 1951
And sure enough, Marianne Davis won the coveted title of Miss Food Freezer. As far as I can tell, 1951 was the only year the contest was held. So she was the one and only Miss Food Freezer.
Arizona Republic - Mar 24, 1951
Posted By: Alex - Mon Oct 23, 2017 -
Comments (5)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Appliances, 1950s
Mystery Illustration 60
Can the appearance of all these white males from 1957 lead us to guess what their common bond was? Judges? Cops? Farmers? Fuller Brush salesmen?
The original has gone dark behind the CHICAGO TRIBUNE ARCHIVES paywall. But luckily I saved the answer--after the jump.
More in extended >>
Posted By: Paul - Mon Oct 23, 2017 -
Comments (5)
Category: 1950s, Men
Follies of the Madmen #331
Puppet experts are always to be trusted.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Oct 20, 2017 -
Comments (2)
Category: Business, Advertising, Products, Hair Styling, 1950s, Fictional Monsters
| Who We Are |
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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 |