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 →

The Art of the Ad: This Bud’s for You

In 2023, sales for the US beer market topped $117 billion. Americans sure are crazy about our brewskies. In another grand American tradition, these vintage advertisements show that using sexy people to sell beer is always a winning combination. As Billy Dee Williams would say, it works every time! The height of cool right there, … Continue reading The Art of the Ad: This Bud’s for You →

Cheesecake Queen Marilyn Monroe

It likely comes as no surprise to anyone, but cheesecake is the official dessert of the Starfire Lounge. There is no decadent sweet treat I love more than cheesecake, plus it’s long been used to as a shorthand for sexy pinup modeling, which we’ve been known to feature here at the Lounge here and there, … Continue reading Cheesecake Queen Marilyn Monroe →