Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
47submissions
1week left
Time Travel: 47 Unseen Vintage Photos of Celebrities From the Past
The 20th century has given us an impressive amount of superstars. Think of Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Muhammad Ali, Salvador Dali, John F. Kennedy and all the great people who left their mark in the history of humanity.
They also shape a very popular concept today, something we refer to as a “celebrity” or “famous person.” And while the age of social media has drastically transformed people’s understanding of fame and popularity, in the old days things, couldn't be more different.
So thanks to this Twitter page “Some Old Photos,” today we’re taking a walk into the historical hall of fame with rare and beautiful photographs of incredible performers and artists, politicians and athletes.
Click here & follow us for more lists, facts, and stories.
This post may include affiliate links.
RELATED:
#3
Ella Fitzgerald Was Born 4/26/1917. Here She Is Recording In The Studio With Louis Armstrong
Social media has made constant exposure a common experience. In a sense, everyone has come closer to 5 minutes of fame than has ever been possible. From self-flattering profiles and status updates, to OOTD (Outfit Of The Day) and AMA (Ask Me Anything) posts, people are actively seeking others’ attention.
Every like and every view feels like approval, and the more of it they have, they more special they feel. For internet users, “publicity has become the defining ideology leading to a constant preoccupation with visibility,” professor Joseph Faina suggests and it’s impossible not to agree with him. But this was not always the case.
According to Holly Grout, an associate professor at the University of Alabama, all the essential features of celebrity culture were developed in the 19th century. “If you look at Barnum’s promotion of ‘Lindomania’ (predating Beatlemania by 100 years), the popularity of collecting and trading portraiture cards, or the celebrity endorsements of a growing number of products, from tea and mustard to cosmetics and hair creams, all accompanied by testimonials and images of recognizable public figures,” she explained in an article for Aeon.
#8
Louis Armstrong Playing Trumpet For His Wife, Lucille, In Front Of The Great Sphinx And Pyramids In Giza, Egypt
In the 20th century, the celebrity concept had a tremendous departure from its earlier periods. “It correlated celebrity with cinema, and aligned it with the emergence of the Hollywood star. The 19th century set the stage for modern celebrity; the 20th century, through the mass media, amplified celebrity beyond all expectation. Hollywood did not invent celebrity; it simply gave us more of it,” Groutis argues.
Interestingly, the fascination with Hollywood celebrities had to do with the fact that they were both nothing like us and everything like us. No wonder celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor and Greta Garbo captured the collective imagination all around the globe. They had a privileged place in people’s minds, becoming the symbols of status, beauty, leadership and everything in between.
#24
Princess Diana's Dance With John Travolta At A White House State Dinner On November 9, 1985
#32
One Of The Most Beautiful/Real Photos Of Marilyn Monroe Taken By Richard Avedon. He Caught Her Off Guard
You might also like: 44 celebrity friendships that go way back to the times none of them were famous yet
Add New Image
Add New Image
Related on Bored Panda
