Tuesday 30 May 2017

1962, Designs: cars, furniture, electronics, clothes

Austin-Healey 3000 Firrere concept
Design by Henner Werner, Pio Manzoni, and Michael Conrad (Hochschule für Gestaltung in Ulm, Germany) for L'Année Automobile (Swiss automobile yearbook)
Built by Pininfarina, Italy 1962.
Unveiled at the Earls Court Motor Show (London Motor Show) in October 1962.
Based on the Austin-Healey 3000
Austin-Healey 3000 Firrere concept
Austin-Healey 3000 Firrere concept
Austin-Healey 3000 Firrere concept
Austin-Healey 3000 Firrere concept
Ford Cougar 406 concept
Built by Dean Jeffries for Ford Motor Company (for the Ford Thunderbird), USA 1962.
Unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show in January 1962.
Ford Cougar 406 concept
Ford Cougar 406 concept
Ford Cougar 406 concept
Ford Cougar 406 concept
Braun MX 32 blender
Design by Gerd Alfred Müller and Robert Oberheim for Braun, Germany 1962.
Braun MX 32 blender
Brionvega Doney 14
Design by Richard Sapper and Marco Zanuso for Brionvega, Milan Italy 1962.
First European portable TV-set.
Brionvega Doney 14
Brionvega Doney 14
Brionvega Doney 14
Sgarsul Rocking Chair
Design by Gae Aulenti for Poltronova, Italy 1962.
Sgarsul Rocking Chair
Sgarsul Rocking Chair

Oluce 281 "Acrilica" table light
Design by Joe Colombo for Oluce, Milan Italy 1962.
Oluce 281 "Acrilica" table light
Oluce 281 "Acrilica" table light
Volkswagen adverts 1962
Why are the wheels crooked? (Volkswagen of America)
Two hits, no errors (Canada)
The Volkswagen is the one in red (Volkswagen of America)
The number of kids it holds has never been settled (Volkswagen of America)
Hubert Givenchy hats
Audrey Hepburn wearing hat designs by Hubert Givenchy, France 1962
Photographs by Howell Conant
Location: Tolochenaz, Vaud, Switzerland
Audrey Hepburn wearing a Hubert Givenchy hat
Audrey Hepburn wearing a Hubert Givenchy hat
Audrey Hepburn wearing a Hubert Givenchy hat
Audrey Hepburn wearing a Hubert Givenchy hat

Friday 26 May 2017

1961, Film: “Breakfast at Tiffany's”

The American romantic comedy "Breakfast at Tiffany's" is released on 5 October 1961 in the USA by Paramount Pictures. The film, directed by Blake Edwards, was written by George Axelrod based on the novel with the same name by Truman Capote from 1953. Main stars are Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard. Audrey Hepburn's portrayal of Holly Golightly is one of her most memorable roles. The music, with the famous song "Moon River" with lyrics by Johnny Mercer, was written by Henry Mancini.

Synopsis
Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn) is a charming socialite who lives alone in a flat. She lives her live with childlike innocence but nevertheless wears the most perfect designer clothes from Givenchy. She escorts various wealthy men but she fails to return their affections. When she meets her new neighbour, writer Paul Varjak (George Peppard), her carefree independence is overturned...
Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly with "Cat"
George Peppard as Paul Varjak and Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly
Main cast
  • Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly
  • George Peppard as Paul Varjak
  • Patricia Neal as Mrs. Emily Eustace "2E" Failenson
  • Buddy Ebsen as Doc Golightly
  • Martin Balsam as O.J. Berman
  • Mickey Rooney as I.Y. Yunioshi
  • Alan Reed as Sally Tomato
  • José Luis de Vilallonga as José da Silva Pereira
  • Stanley Adams as Rutherford "Rusty" Trawler
  • John McGiver as Tiffany's salesman
  • Dorothy Whitney as Mag Wildwood
  • Claude Stroud as Sid Arbuck
Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly, singing "Moon River"
George Peppard as Paul Varjak and Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly

Awards
  • Academy Awards, USA (1962), Oscar for Best Music, Original Song: Henry Mancini (music), Johnny Mercer (lyrics) for the song "Moon River"
  • Academy Awards, USA (1962), Oscar for Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture: Henry Mancini
  • David di Donatello Awards, Italy (1962), David for Migliore Attrice Straniera (Best Foreign Actress): Audrey Hepburn
  • Grammy Awards, USA (1962), Grammy for Best Soundtrack Album or Recording or Score from Motion Picture or Television: Henry Mancini
  • Grammy Awards, USA (1962), Grammy for Record of the Year: Henry Mancini and His Orchestra (For the song "Moon River")
  • Grammy Awards, USA (1962), Grammy for Song of the Year: Henry Mancini (composer), Johnny Mercer (lyricist), Henry Mancini and His Orchestra (performer) (For the song "Moon River")
  • Grammy Awards, USA (1962), Grammy for Best Instrumental Arrangement: Henry Mancini (For the song "Moon River")
  • Grammy Awards, USA (1962), Grammy for Best Performance by an Orchestra - for Other Than Dancing: Henry Mancini
  • Laurel Awards, USA (1962), Golden Laurel for Top Song: Johnny Mercer, Henry Mancini (For the song "Moon River")
George Peppard as Paul Varjak and Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly
Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly and George Peppard as Paul Varjak

Trivia
  • The song "Moon River" was especially written for Audrey Hepburn by Henry Mancini. Many versions later Mancini said that Audrey's performance was the best.
  • Writer Truman Capote was unhappy with the decision to cast Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly, his choice for the role was Marilyn Monroe. Monroe was originally cast as Golightly, but her coach advised her not to play the role.
  • Other actresses that turned down the role were Shirley MacLaine and Kim Novak.
  • Audrey Hepburn received Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for Best Actress.
  • The famous black Givenchy dress worn by Audrey Hepburn in the opening scenes of the movie was sold for £467,200 on December 4, 2006 at Christie's Auction House in London, making it the second most expensive piece of film memorabilia ever sold.
  • With her role as Holly Golightly, Audrey Hepburn became one of the style icons of the 1960s.
  • The song "Moon River" was selected as the fourth most memorable song in Hollywood history by the American Film Institute in 2004 (after: "Over the Rainbow", "As Time Goes By" and "Singin' in the Rain").
  • In 2012 "Breakfast at Tiffany's" was considered as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry
Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly
Original 1961 trailers

"Breakfast at Tiffany's", trailer 1


"Breakfast at Tiffany's", trailer 2

Thursday 4 May 2017

1960, Belgian Comics: “De avonturen van Nero en Co”

In 1960 a new "De avonturen van Nero en Co" (Eng.: "The adventures of Nero and Co") album "De draak van Halfzeven" (Eng: "The dragon of half past six") is published by “Het Volk”. The comic was pre-published in the newspaper "Het Volk" between 16 May 1959 and 13 September 1959. The story was drawn and written by the Belgian cartoonist Marc Sleen (Marcel Neels, 1922-2016). The main characters are Nero, Petoetje, Petatje (Pethalia), Tjeef met de Kleppe, Madam Pheip, detective Van Zwam, Jean Pierre Lowie, Madam Nero and Meneer Pheip.
"De draak van Halfzeven" (Eng: "The dragon of half past six")
The series "De avonturen van Nero en Co" ran between 1947 and 2002. Marc Sleen drew and wrote all stories until 1992, that year he hired Dirk Stallaert as a drawing assistant. Sleen holds the world record of issues of a comic book series title drawn by the same author. In 2002 Stallaert was hired by “Studio Vandersteen” and Marc Sleen decided to terminate the series for good.
Madame Pheip and Nero
Meneer Pheip
The comic was first published in the newspaper “De Nieuwe Gids” in 1947 as “De avonturen van detective Van Zwam” (Eng.: “The adventures of detective Van Zwam”). After eight stories Nero real name “Schoonpaard” (in reprints “Heiremans”) became the central character. In 1950 Marc Sleen left "De Nieuwe Gids" and joined the newspaper "Het Volk". At first the comics (3 issues) appeared as "De avonturen van Nero en zijn hoed" ("The Adventures of Nero and his Hat"), from 1951 they were titled as "De avonturen van Nero en Co" (Eng.: "The adventures of Nero and Co").
Nero and Jean Pierre Lowie
Nero and Madam Nero
Synopsis
Nero displays his acting talent to Petoetje en Petatje when suddenly acting coach Jean Pierre Lowie appears...
Nero and Tjeef met de Kleppe
Petatje, Madam Pheip and Petoetje
Trivia
  • Original Flemish catchphrase from this album: “Moet er geen zand zijn?” (Eng.: “Must there be no sand?”) by Tjeef de Kleppe.
  • Reference to Flemish artists Paula Seemer (Belgian presenter (BRT) and actress) and Dora van der Groen (Belgian actress and theatre director) by Jean Pierre Lowie.
  • Reference to Juan Manuel Fangio, an Argentine racing car driver.
Petoetje
Detective Van Zwam
Cars
  • Unidentified sports car driven by van Zwam
  • Unidentified coach with English tourists at Waterloo
  • Peugeot 203 Commercial
  • Unidentified old-timer
Unidentified coach with English tourists at Waterloo
Unidentified old-timer
Unidentified sports car driven by van Zwam and Peugeot 203 Commercial

Monday 1 May 2017

1977, Car Spotting: Arnhem, Gele Rijdersplein

From left to right
 
First row (parked), front to back:
MGB, Volkswagen 1200/1300 (Type 1, Beetle), Citroën Ami 6, Citroën Type H Van, wrongly parked car probably Simca 1100 Fourgonnette FV2
 
Second row (traffic), front to back:
Mazda 323 (Familia FA4), Datsun Sunny (B110), Simca 1100, Opel Kadett B, Citroën 2CV, Fiat 124 or Lada 1200/1300 (VAZ-2101), Alfa Romeo Alfasud, Opel Kadett C, unidentified dark coloured car, Volkswagen 1200/1300 (Type 1, Beetle), unidentified light coloured car probably Opel or Vauxhall, unidentified car, Ford Escort Mk II, unknown bus probably Daf or Leyland, Citroën Dyane...
 
Third row (traffic), front to back:
Volkswagen Golf I (Type 17), Renault R4, BMW 3-series (E21), unidentified truck probably DAF 2600, Fiat 126, Volkswagen T1 or T2a, unidentified light coloured car, Ford Escort Mk I, Fiat 128, Peugeot 304, unidentified car probably Ford,...
 
Fourth row (traffic), front to back:
Citroën GS Break, Opel Kadett B, Simca 1100, Honda Civic, Volkswagen T2b,...
 
Fifth row (parked), front to back:
Opel Kadett Caravan B (behind is a Opel Record C), Citroën Ami 8 Break, Simca 1307 (in front is a Ford Zephyr/Zodiac Mk IV), unidentified van probably Daf 33 estate, unidentified bus, Mercedes-Benz W114 or W116, unidentified light coloured car, Citroën Dyane, Fiat 127
 
Sixth row (parked, right of the Citroën GS Break):
Citroën 2CV, Simca 1100, Simca 1100 Break, Peugeot 504
 
Seventh row (parked, right of the Opel Kadett B Caravan):
Volkswagen 1200 (Type 1, Beetle), Volvo Amazon (series 120), after that it's getting very blurry, there is one light coloured Mercedes-Benz W116,...
 
Eight row:
Only the first car is identifiable: Opel Kadett C City
 
Ninth row (in front of the Opel Kadett C City):
Renault R4