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The Oscars in the 1970's

March 10, 2023
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Oscars, 1970's Oscars, Old Hollywood Blog, Classic Movie Blog, Vintage Oscar Fashions, 1970's Fashion Inspiration

The 95th Oscars will be airing this weekend and I started to think about all the Oscars that I have watched. I think I have been watching it for over 40 years. I may have started around 1982 or 1983. All I know is that my grandma would put it on and I would be glued to the screen until the end. I didn't really recognize a lot of actors until I was a little older around the late 1980's and early 1990's. My grandma who gave me the gift of classic film, classic tv, and thrifting, also gave me the gift of watching the Oscars.

Like many of you I cannot wait to see who wins and who is wearing what. Here is a look at Oscars past with some images from the 1970's. Will you be watching the 95th Oscars this year?

A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Oscars, 1970's Oscars, Old Hollywood Blog, Classic Movie Blog, Vintage Oscar Fashions, 1970's Fashion Inspiration
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Oscars, 1970's Oscars, Old Hollywood Blog, Classic Movie Blog, Vintage Oscar Fashions, 1970's Fashion Inspiration
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Oscars, 1970's Oscars, Old Hollywood Blog, Classic Movie Blog, Vintage Oscar Fashions, 1970's Fashion Inspiration
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Oscars, 1970's Oscars, Old Hollywood Blog, Classic Movie Blog, Vintage Oscar Fashions, 1970's Fashion Inspiration
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Oscars, 1970's Oscars, Old Hollywood Blog, Classic Movie Blog, Vintage Oscar Fashions, 1970's Fashion Inspiration
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Oscars, 1970's Oscars, Old Hollywood Blog, Classic Movie Blog, Vintage Oscar Fashions, 1970's Fashion Inspiration
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Oscars, 1970's Oscars, Old Hollywood Blog, Classic Movie Blog, Vintage Oscar Fashions, 1970's Fashion Inspiration

A Vintage Nerd Supplementary Reading:

Remembering Raquel Welch

March 06, 2023
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Blog, Remembering Raquel Welch, Old Hollywood Blog, Classic Movie Blog, All About Old Hollywood, Old Hollywood Movie Stars

Raquel Welch was a without a doubt an icon of femininity in Old Hollywood. She once said in an interview in the 1990's, "I think of myself as a woman who one of the things that I have to play with is my sexuality. And I like it. I have never made too many bones about it, although sometimes it has been uncomfortable, but most o f the time it has served me very well. You know it is very, very hard, difficult, and pain staking, and  time consuming job to be feminine and maintain it."

Raquel Welch was beautiful, there is no denying that. She seemed to live out her life using the cards she was dealt with and enjoyed becoming a sex symbol. But if you ever get the chance to watch Raquel's movies especially from the late 1960's-1970's you get to see an actress that was more than her incredible looks but an actress who was complex and funny. One of those films is Kansas City Bomber (1972) which really showcased both Raquel's talent and her endless beauty.

Jo Raquel Tejeda was born September 5, 1940 in Chicago, Illinois to a Bolivian father who was a aeronautical engineer and a homemaker mother who had English ancestry. She was eldest of three and grew up mainly in California after her family moved from Chicago. I haven't had the privilege to read any books about Raquel yet (her autobiography Raquel: Beyond the Cleavage looks good) but what I can tell from her interviews through the years was that she seemed to grow up aloof about her Latina heritage. Like many uncover Latinos of her time, Raquel wasn't open about it publicly until later on in life. 

Raquel didn't begin her career on screen until the 1960's. Before she became the sex symbol icon that we all know and love, she was actually a wife and mother of two. She married her high school sweetheart, James Welch in 1959 and they had two children, Damon (born 1959) and Tahnee (born 1961). The couple separated in 1962 and divorced in 1964 but Raquel retained Welch's surname throughout her career. It was in 1964 when she decided to pursue acting and landed very small roles in A House is not a Home (1964), Roustabout (1964), and on television in McHale's Navy and Bewitched. The role that changed her career and life was that of Loana in One Million Years B.C. (1966). Her publicity still and subsequent posters of her from the film in which she is wearing a fur bikini as a prehistoric girl catapulted her into the sex symbol stratosphere. 

There was no turning back for her. Although she refused to do nudity in films and often said, "I was not brought up to be a sex symbol, nor is it in my nature to be one. The fact that I became one is probably the loveliest, most glamorous, and fortunate misunderstanding." Raquel Welch's best work can be seen in Forbidden Planet (1966), Bedazzled (1967), Kansas City Bomber (1972), The Last of Sheila (1973), and The Three Musketeers (1973)-where she won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. Raquel stated in an interview once that one of her most special films was Tortilla Soup (2001) because she was finally able to play the part of a Latina. 

Jo Raquel Tejada (Raquel Welch) passed away on February 15, 2023, at her home in Los Angeles, following a brief illness. She was 82 years old. She leaves behind her son, Damon and her daughter, Tahnee, and a slew of films that will remind us of her incredible beauty and talent.

A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Blog, Remembering Raquel Welch, Old Hollywood Blog, Classic Movie Blog, All About Old Hollywood, Old Hollywood Movie Stars

Retro Food: Birthday Dinner Recipe 1977

January 26, 2023
A Vintage Nerd, Teen Magazine March 1977, Retro Recipes, Vintage Food Recipe, Birthday Dinner Recipe 1977, Vintage Teen Magazine, Retro Lifestyle Blog, Vintage Lifestyle Blog

One thing I love about vintage magazines are the recipes they have. Since my birthday recently passed I thought I'd share a neat birthday dinner recipe I found in my copy of Teen Magazine from March 1977. 

The birthday dinner recipe includes a main dish made with hotdogs and a special sauce, a potato salad, side salad, a punch drink, and a chocolate cake for dessert. It seems to be an easy peasy recipe and doesn't look half bad either. What do you think?

A Vintage Nerd, Teen Magazine March 1977, Retro Recipes, Vintage Food Recipe, Birthday Dinner Recipe 1977, Vintage Teen Magazine, Retro Lifestyle Blog, Vintage Lifestyle Blog


Be Inspired: So This Is 47

January 24, 2023
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Blog, Retro Lifestyle Blog, Red Beret, Vintage Nerd,  Style Over 40, Vintage Inspired Fashion

So this is 47. This new year brings me a lot of the same things and hope for some things to evolve. I'm still a mom, still struggling with my disability, and still blogging. The things that I hope to evolve will or won't with time. They say another year older is another year wiser. My hopes for myself is that I become wise enough to ignore any doubts I may have within myself and believe more in my abilities.

There are so many blessings that come with age. One of them is the gift of time. With time you can work on your goals, change what you need to change, and learn better skills to help you become more of the person you want to be. So here's to 47.

Remembering Gina Lollobrigida

January 17, 2023
A Vintage Nerd, Gina Lollobrigida, Old Hollywood Stars, Exploring Old Hollywood, Remembering Gina Lollobrigida

Just a few days ago I watched my first Gina Lollobrigida film called, Come September (1961). It is a romantic comedy where Gina's costar was the dashing, Rock Hudson. The film was so much fun to watch and I was bedazzled by Gina's performance. Then on January 16, 2023 I learned that Gina Lollobrigida passed away at 95 years old. 

Gina was born Luigia Lollobrigida in Subiaco, Italy on July 4, 1927. She came from a humble background and studied art at Rome's academy of Fine Art. One day she was spotted by a talent scout and was offered a small role in an Italian film. Lollobrigida was not keen to be an actress but soon found joy in the profession. She also won many beauty contests and once came in third for the Miss Italia beauty pageant. In 1949, she married a Slovenian doctor named Milko Skofic and had her only child in 1957. 

In 1950, Howard Hughes had Lollobrigida sign a seven year contract to make three films a year but she refused because she wanted to work only in Europe. She made films in Europe with American film studios until 1959 when she was finally out of her contract and allowed to work in the States. She made many films with major movie stars like Frank Sinatra, Humphrey Bogart, Anthony Quinn, Yul Brynner, Yves Montand, Sean Connery, Ernest Borgnine, and Shelly Winters just to name a few. She made two films with Rock Hudson, Come September (1961) and Strange Bedfellows (1965). Her career was at its height in the sixties and slowed down in the seventies but she created not only a career to be proud of but a reputation as an undisputed bombshell.

Her beauty and talent helped her create a career and lifestyle that perhaps being a traditional artist may not have allowed her have. I have read quite a few articles about her and she seemed to have lived life big, full, and without regrets. Although I have only seen the one film I mentioned earlier, here are a few of her films that I have heard are a must-watch: Beat the Devil (1953), The World's Most Beautiful Woman (1955), Trapeze (1956), Solomon and Sheba (1959), Venere Imperiale (1963), and Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell (1968). 

She leaves behind her son Andrea and her grandson, Dimitri. Gina Lollobrigida seemed to live a life filled with the things and people she loved most. I now feel so lucky to have watched one of her films and plan on exploring her work further. What are your favorite Gina Lollobrigida films? What films of hers do you recommend I see next?

A Vintage Nerd, Gina Lollobrigida, Old Hollywood Stars, Exploring Old Hollywood, Remembering Gina Lollobrigida

15 Websites Dedicated to Old Hollywood Stars

January 11, 2023

A Vintage Nerd, Old Hollywood Star Websites, Old Hollywood Blog, Websites Dedicated to Old Hollywood Stars, Classic Movie Star Blog
 If you're like me your curiosity when it comes to Old Hollywood and Classic Films is boundless. The other day I was thinking about websites dedicated to Old Hollywood stars because I have come across a few before but I didn't know how many were out there. I found 15 websites which are mainly run by family members or their estate. Only a few that I have listed in this post are fan run websites. 

I think its really neat that there are so many sites dedicated to Old Hollywood stars and happy to see that many of their families want to continue to share their relatives work and legacy with the world.

 Here are 15 websites dedicated to Old Hollywood Stars:

A Vintage Nerd, Old Hollywood Star Websites, Old Hollywood Blog, Websites Dedicated to Old Hollywood Stars, Classic Movie Star Blog

A Vintage Nerd, Old Hollywood Star Websites, Old Hollywood Blog, Websites Dedicated to Old Hollywood Stars, Classic Movie Star Blog

Be Inspired: Nice Is The New Cool

January 01, 2023
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Blog, Nice is the new cool, Be Inspired, Life Advice, Inspirational Blog Post

The new year is upon us all and going forward I would to share something that is important to me. Being nice isn't a sign of weakness. It doesn't take a lot of effort to be nice. A simple smile, a "good morning", or some words of encouragement are all it takes to make another persons day a little bit brighter. 

We are living in challenging times and spreading a little joy out there in the world does make a difference. And as you share that joy with others don't forget the importance of being nice to yourself. Being nice is the new cool. 

A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Blog, Nice is the new cool, Be Inspired, Life Advice, Inspirational Blog Post
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Blog, Nice is the new cool, Be Inspired, Life Advice, Inspirational Blog Post

A Classic 1950's Kitschy Christmas

December 23, 2022

From my vintage nerd family to yours, Merry Kitschy Christmas!

A Vintage Nerd, Retro Christmas, TWA Hotel Christmas, 1950's Kitschy Christmas, Unique Vintage Reindeer Skirt, Retro Christmas Inspiration, Vintage Mom, Vintage Christmas
A Vintage Nerd, Retro Christmas, TWA Hotel Christmas, 1950's Kitschy Christmas, Unique Vintage Reindeer Skirt, Retro Christmas Inspiration, Vintage Mom, Vintage Christmas
A Vintage Nerd, Retro Christmas, TWA Hotel Christmas, 1950's Kitschy Christmas, Unique Vintage Reindeer Skirt, Retro Christmas Inspiration, Vintage Mom, Vintage Christmas
A Vintage Nerd, Retro Christmas, TWA Hotel Christmas, 1950's Kitschy Christmas, Unique Vintage Reindeer Skirt, Retro Christmas Inspiration, Vintage Mom, Vintage Christmas
A Vintage Nerd, Retro Christmas, TWA Hotel Christmas, 1950's Kitschy Christmas, Unique Vintage Reindeer Skirt, Retro Christmas Inspiration, Vintage Mom, Vintage Christmas

Outfit: 1950's Reindeer Circle Skirt from Unique Vintage, White Turtleneck from J Crew, Red Cropped Cardigan from Retrolicious, Christmas Brooch and Earrings are Vintage, and Santa hats are from Amazon

Location: TWA Hotel

 
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