Mala Powers

In the 1950s, you were never far from a pin-up, even in the more mundane publications. This is Mary Ellen Powers (1931-2007) in the May 1952 issue of the Rootes Group Review magazine, apparently modelling a bloomer playsuit. She acted in many US films from the age of ten, until 2002.

Here Comes the Sun

A magazine insert for Sun Life Assurance, dated 1952; the cover illustration was drawn by 'Armitage', although he does not appear to be Joshua Armitage, also known as Ionicus, featured elsewhere in this blog.

Fairey Gannet

The carrier borne Fairey Gannet, used primarily in submarine detection, went into production in 1953, hence the attention in the Navy press at the time. Around 350 had been built by 1959, mainly for the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm. A number have survived, in the UK, Germany, Australia and elsewhere.

These are from The Navy magazine, December 1952 and May 1953.

Ava Norring

Born in Hungary in 1929, Ava Norring moved to the USA following her first marriage in 1948. Despite being dubbed "20th Century Fox's Hungarian answer to Zsa Zsa Gabor", her only credited film appears to have been as Beatrice in The Snows of Kilimanjaro. These pictures are part of a spread by Robert Halmi from the June 1955 issue of Esquire magazine; the advert for the film appeared in the December 1952 issue of Photoplay.

Muriel Pavlow

Actress Muriel Pavlow appeared in many film and TV roles, particularly in the 1950s and later, from the 1980s. Credits include Doctor in the House, Reach for the Sky, Dixon of Dock Green, Emmerdale, Men Behaving Badly and Perfect Strangers.This photograph appeared in Picturegoer magazine, 22 November 1952.

Stanley smokes Craven 'A'

It seems almost inconceivable today that a professional footballer should endorse cigarettes, but it was not uncommon back in the 1950s and earlier; here is "football genius" Stanley Matthews, who played for Stoke City, Blackpool and England, putting his name behind Craven 'A' in Picturegoer magazine, 15 November 1952. A vegetarian and teetotaller, Matthews did live to be 85, so perhaps smoking Craven 'A' really was OK...............

Coaching with Midland Red

An Advert for Midland Red coach tours and cruises, at it appeared in the summer 1952 edition of the ABC Coach Guide. The vehicle illustrated is C1 class coach 3302, the chassis being built by the company (BMMO) and bodied by Duple.

Moving forward some thirteen years, here is an advert for Midland Red's Birmingham to London express service via the M1 motorway, introduced in 1959. The coach here is an all-BMMO product, the CM5 class. This appeared on the rear of Ian Allan's British Bus Fleets - 15: Midland Red, tenth edition, 1965.