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Saturday, March 14, 2015

First Selfie?


It might not be the very first, but certainly an early one!
Frank Sinatra, age 23, in his Hoboken bathroom mirror, 1938.

This, and a group of other never-before seen photos, 
are being shown as "The Sinatra Experience"
at the Morrison Hotel Gallery, NYC, this month.

It would be fun to see, wouldn't it?
I wonder what color those wall tiles were.

♥

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53 comments:

  1. GeorginaMarch 13, 2015 at 4:36 PM

    Do you think that' same tin of talcum powder in the corner on the right? Whatever happened to talc?

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    1. Betsy BrockMarch 13, 2015 at 4:59 PM

      Yes, talc! It's gone! The last powder to be around was Shower To Shower. Do you remember that? I wonder if they discovered it wasn't good for us...maybe breathing in that fine powder or something.

      Delete
    2. MarthaMarch 13, 2015 at 5:19 PM

      I read once that once you inhale talcum powder it stays in your system (or lungs or something). Your body doesn't have a way to get rid of it. I guess that makes a lot of us walking baby powder canisters...
      :0)

      Delete
    3. Betsy BrockMarch 13, 2015 at 5:42 PM

      I thought it was something like that! I didn't grow up with it, so didn't use it on my kids or myself. But I know some people use it every day...starting in their baby's diaper.

      Delete
    4. Betsy BrockMarch 13, 2015 at 5:44 PM

      If you google Shower to Shower, it's obvious it was linked to cancer...ovarian cancer, specifically. Wow. Better to just shower, period. ha.

      Delete
  2. AnonymousMarch 13, 2015 at 4:40 PM

    very cool pic. That tile is black with some Easter egg color. Yellow or pink, maybe or would that have been more late 40's-early 50's? Have a great weekend Betsy. Taria

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    1. Betsy BrockMarch 13, 2015 at 5:00 PM

      I've added the date...1938....so maybe it was just white and black?

      Delete
  3. GeorginaMarch 13, 2015 at 4:43 PM

    You know, sometimes I hate my iPad. It just writes what it wants. I edited my post twice to say "do you think that's a tin of ...... " but it went its own sweet way anyhow. So. Under my own steam, and checking carefully for stupid predictive text: whatever did happen to talcum powder? Remember when we couldn't dry ourselves properly without it?

    I bet the tikes are either white or that weird turquoise that used to be so popular in the 1950s. (still battling with recalcitrant iPad).

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    1. Betsy BrockMarch 13, 2015 at 5:01 PM

      My iPad does the exact same thing and if I happen to catch it before hitting Publish, it doesn't let me edit one word...I have to backspace over the whole darn comment. And of course, it only happens when I've written a novel of a comment! Very frustrating!

      The picture was taken in 1938 so it was before the lovely turquoise or pink! ha.

      Delete
  4. WandaMarch 13, 2015 at 4:43 PM

    Now that is downright interesting!! Was he ever young. Haven't bathroom mirrors changed over the years. HaHa

    I have a picture of my sister and myself that was hand tented in pastel colors.

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    1. Betsy BrockMarch 13, 2015 at 5:02 PM

      He looks like he's 13 instead of 23! hahaha...

      Delete
  5. GeorginaMarch 13, 2015 at 4:46 PM

    OK third time lucky Betsy, I bet those tiles are either white or turquoise. V popular bathroom colour in the 50s turquoise.

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    1. Betsy BrockMarch 13, 2015 at 5:02 PM

      What was popular in the 1930's? I'll have to do a google search!

      Delete
    2. GeorginaMarch 14, 2015 at 3:27 AM

      Sudden thought. Why is he wearing a hat in the bathroom?

      Delete
    3. Betsy BrockMarch 14, 2015 at 7:03 PM

      Hmm...Probably taking one last look before walking out the door. I do that...

      Delete
  6. AnonymousMarch 13, 2015 at 5:20 PM

    My father saw Frank perform at a dance at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville in the early 1940's before he hit it big. I remember his saying Frank was very unimpressive (skinny, acne-faced) at least in my dad's opinion. Lynne in NC

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    1. Betsy BrockMarch 13, 2015 at 5:35 PM

      Oh, isn't that interesting! Look how far he came!

      Delete
  7. MarthaMarch 13, 2015 at 5:21 PM

    Is that a cell phone he's holding?
    He looks like he's about 12 instead of 23.

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    1. Betsy BrockMarch 13, 2015 at 5:36 PM

      haha...bet it's one of those cool little Brownies. He does look like a child, doesn't he?

      Delete
    2. MarthaMarch 13, 2015 at 6:27 PM

      He really does look like a little kid.

      Delete
  8. ChristineMarch 13, 2015 at 5:30 PM

    How cute is that !?!

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  9. Eddie BluelightsMarch 13, 2015 at 7:48 PM

    Yes, 'young' blue eyes himself, looking younger than 23 . . . . . looks like 'he did it his way' ~ maybe tiles were grey . . .
    He was a great singer wasn't he ~ his main equal was Dean Martin in my book . . . . both singers would make you purr like a kitten . . . . :)

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    1. Betsy BrockMarch 13, 2015 at 7:54 PM

      I'll bet they did....but that was way before my time. ha.

      Delete
    2. Eddie BluelightsMarch 13, 2015 at 8:02 PM

      Well I guess I shall have to sing instead . . . . rofl

      Delete
    3. Robert SmithMarch 13, 2015 at 8:12 PM

      Oh no! Don't sing Ed, the wallpaper will peel off. . . ha

      Delete
    4. Betsy BrockMarch 13, 2015 at 8:12 PM

      At least you have blue eyes...

      Delete
    5. Betsy BrockMarch 13, 2015 at 8:20 PM

      Ed, back in your painting days, is that how you removed the wall paper?

      Delete
    6. Eddie BluelightsMarch 13, 2015 at 8:25 PM

      My voice was so 'appealing' . . . . ha

      Delete
    7. Betsy BrockMarch 13, 2015 at 8:27 PM

      and melting, I take it!

      Delete
    8. Eddie BluelightsMarch 13, 2015 at 8:34 PM

      Why yes . . . golden tonsils . . . . . (believe that, believe anything!) . . . lol

      Delete
    9. Betsy BrockMarch 13, 2015 at 8:37 PM

      You sing with your tonsils? Now I really MUST hear you sing!

      Delete
    10. Eddie BluelightsMarch 14, 2015 at 6:33 AM

      OK . . . coming over ~ I see the backing 'crooners' are on your header already . . . rofl

      Delete
  10. Robert SmithMarch 13, 2015 at 8:10 PM

    I never did like Sinatra, there was something about him that didn't seem right. Mind you, he probably didn't like me either!

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    1. Betsy BrockMarch 13, 2015 at 8:12 PM

      Was he way before your time, too?

      Delete
    2. Robert SmithMarch 13, 2015 at 8:13 PM

      No, he was too much in it. I am incredibly old you know.

      Delete
    3. Eddie BluelightsMarch 13, 2015 at 8:18 PM

      Some of us younger chaps liked him . . . . lol

      Delete
  11. MariMarch 13, 2015 at 9:12 PM

    What a cool photo. I'm enjoying the comments too. I remember shower to shower!

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    1. Betsy BrockMarch 13, 2015 at 9:15 PM

      Don't think of the commercial or that song will get stuck in your head! ha.

      Delete
  12. Pat HattMarch 13, 2015 at 9:13 PM

    Never would have guessed that was him
    Taking a selfie on a whim
    Maybe he created it
    Black and white selfie fit

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    1. Betsy BrockMarch 13, 2015 at 9:17 PM

      I have a selfie of my great uncle from way before that.
      But Blue Eyes did a great one in his black and white flat.
      They've been around much longer than we think
      and Kim Kardashian didn't invent a thing! haha.

      Delete
  13. LaurieMarch 13, 2015 at 11:13 PM

    Love this post.....lots of great comments. I agree, Frank looks very much younger than 23. I bet Nicole Curtis would know what color the tile was. LOL! Do you have her phone number? I'm guilty of putting baby powder on my kids bums. Lord, I hope I haven't ruined their lungs!

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    1. Betsy BrockMarch 14, 2015 at 7:04 PM

      Nicole would know for sure! I'm thinking it was just white and black...wish I had her number. ha.

      Delete
  14. AnonymousMarch 13, 2015 at 11:14 PM

    I love this!! And yes it would be very fun to see!! <3 Where did you find this photo Betsy, and may I share on Facebook? Before selfies existed, there was Frank Sinatra taking a selfie lol

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    1. Betsy BrockMarch 14, 2015 at 7:05 PM

      I saw the story on the news last week. But I found the photo on the internet..just google Frank Sinatra selfie and you'll find it. Sure..put it on facebook....it's in the public now for all to see!

      Delete
  15. SuzaMarch 13, 2015 at 11:32 PM

    Cool photo - he looks like a boy. I lived in an older apartment at one point and it had an odd array of tile colours. The bathroom had three, in fact. Black, pink and turquoise - but predominantly pink. It was like living inside a bottle of Pepto Bismol.

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    1. Betsy BrockMarch 14, 2015 at 7:06 PM

      The 50's were all about pink, weren't they? My parents had a pink phone by their bed with the curly cord. ha. Remember those?

      Delete
  16. TannaMarch 14, 2015 at 9:14 AM

    What a cool photo! Oooh, I don't know what color they were, but I'm sure I would have loved them! ha! blessings ~ tanna

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  17. LindaMarch 14, 2015 at 5:35 PM

    Cool!
    I'll bet the tiles were either green or pink.....
    Enjoy your evening...
    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

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    1. Betsy BrockMarch 14, 2015 at 7:11 PM

      You might be right! Funny how those would not be our first choices now! ha.

      Delete
  18. UnknownMarch 16, 2015 at 8:50 AM

    I bet they were (plastic) coral, no pink for Sinatra! Ha! He looks sooooo young in this picture! And his ears are sticking out....I don't remember that.

    ReplyDelete

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