Bombshells: Debra Paget

Born Debralee Griffin on August 19, 1933 in Denver Colorado, Debra Paget’s acting career began as a teenager, making her film debut at 15 in Cry of the City (1948). She went on to star in westerns, swashbucklers, and period pieces over a career that lasted until the early 1960s, when she retired after marrying … Continue reading Bombshells: Debra Paget →

Bombshells: Betty Grable, the Girl with the Million Dollar Legs

"I became a star for two reasons, and I'm standing on them." — Betty Grable Legs for days. American actress and pinup model Betty Grable (1916–1973) was a big box office draw, starring in many successful films during her movie career, including Mother Wore Tights (1947) and How to Marry a Millionaire (1953)—the latter of … Continue reading Bombshells: Betty Grable, the Girl with the Million Dollar Legs →

Bombshells: Chili Williams, the Polka-Dot Girl

A popular pinup girl in her day, the Minneapolis-born Chili Williams would still likely be categorized as a minor bombshell. Her film career lasted less than a decade—which certainly wasn’t uncommon for minor bombshells of the 1940s and 1950s—but she earned everlasting fame as “The Polka-Dot Girl” after a photo of her sporting a polka-dotted … Continue reading Bombshells: Chili Williams, the Polka-Dot Girl →

Bombshells: Adrienne Dore

The sultry and sexy Adrienne Door (1907–1992) was a model, first runner-up in the 1925 Miss America pageant, and an actress whose unremarkable and brief film career began during the silent era, but whose stunning pinup work endures for all time. A total smokeshow with a penchant for rocking garter belts and stockings, she also … Continue reading Bombshells: Adrienne Dore →

Hot Shots of the Week: Thou Shalt Not

[A.L. “Whitey”] Schafer decided to create a novelty shot to satirically slap at the Production Code, the censorship standards of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors Assn. His satirical image, entitled, “Thou Shalt Not,” displayed the top 10 faux-pas disallowed by industry censors, who approved every photographic image shot by studios before they could be … Continue reading Hot Shots of the Week: Thou Shalt Not →

Season of the Witch: Dusty Anderson

Three years ago I celebrated Halloween 2020 with three posts under the “Season of the Witch” banner. Each one was a brief love letter to a beloved witch—Michelle Pfeiffer as Sukie Ridgemont in The Witches of Eastwick, Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha from Bewitched, and Morgan Fairchild’s memorable photo shoot. Witches are by far one of … Continue reading Season of the Witch: Dusty Anderson →