Retro

This is indeed Carol Ann from Poltegeist (Heather O'Rourke). She was discovered by Steven Spielberg when she went with her sister and mother to MGM studios for her sister Tammy's part in Pennies from Heaven (1981) who played uncredited as a dancer. They were eating in the MGM cafeteria when Spielberg spotted her. Her mother was a seamstress and her stepfather a truck driver, so when the movie part came along, it was life changing. Unfortunately, in the late eighties O'Rourke developed a bowel obstruction which could have been cured by a simple operation. Unfortunately, her symptoms were misdiagnosed as Crohn's disease. The medication caused the big puffy cheeks you see in Poltergeist III; and sadly the untreated bowel obstruction ultimately caused a fatal heart attack. The advertisement above is from 1981, shortly before filming on Poltergeist. It is said her ghost still haunts the set where she filmed 12 episodes of Happy Days (Paramount Pictures State 19). Believe it.... or Not! Speaking of Happy Days... And it's all I need to have a mental image of Big Al with a nasty rash. And isn't it interesting that ads for medical and hygienic type products (i.e. hemorrhoid creams, antacids, cold medicine) always have a goofy looking guy? Whereas, ads for cigarettes, alcohol, and cars always feature a studly dude with no trace of goofiness. And note that the woman will look good in either scenario. But she did get dressed - just didn't bother buttoning her shirt. Maybe it's not her bra; she's just lazy. This is the most misleading advertisement in history. It literally says "without a stimulant" - that's its big selling point. Yet, the box clearly states: "contains phenylpropanolamine", an amphetamine known to cause strokes in women (and is a main ingredient in meth production).... but, hey, there's no caffeine! I love it when you call me Big Poppa. It's incredible to think that Kodak was one of the top companies in the US for decades, and with the advent of cheap and easy digital photography, they have literally perished. They weren't able to transition to the new technology and subsequently became the poster child for businesses that can't keep up with the times. Also, Landon's hair was glorious, wasn't it? And speaking of long standing companies that perished overnight, how about the most unfortunately named product of them all? Ayds had been around for decades before the HIV-AIDS epidemic hit, causing an irredeemable phonetic connection. A popular urban myth when I was in elementary school was that Ayds candies actually contained tapeworm eggs. Turns out, it was something worse: amphetamines. BEFORE AYDS AFTER AYDS

Cher turns 67 today, and to help celebrate the folks at Can't Miss TV invited me to post this groovy infographic showing the history of Cher's career. I'll always remember Cher's impressive movie career, especially as she hit her stride in films in the 70s and 80s, the decades I grew up in. Moonstruck remains one of my favorite romantic flicks, ever. Happy 67th to Sonny Bono's better half! Images under CC BY-SA 3.0 & CC BY 2.0. Additional data from Wikipedia and DirectSpecialTV.

Rolling Stone shares a new, live version of "California Girls" from the Beach Boys' Live – The 50th Anniversary Tour out this week.

Via Dangerous Minds:

Apparently a "fiddlefoot" is a drifter. Learn something everyday, no matter how useless.

The shirt dress, that staple of the 40s wardrobe, has been reproduced with varying degrees of success of late, leaving many vintage devotees hunting for something a little more authentic. Thank goodness then for this faithful reproduction from 20th Century Foxy. Everything about this dress ticks the authenticity boxes; the label based the design on original patterns and photographs from the period to ensure they got it 100% right. Between the leg of mutton sleeves with shoulder pads, gathered back yoke, perfect cut and modern fabric designed to behave like a vintage crepe, you can't get much more spot on. £99 online.

We love an old school robot. We're just not sure a room full of them, courtesy of the Robots Wallpaper by Hoopla, would be overkill or not. Of course, it might work as a feature wall and for a kid's room, well it could be just the thing. A wall or room full of different coloured versions of different robots would certainly get attention and brighten up a space.If you want to go down that road, a roll of paper is sized around 0.52 x 10.05 metres and sells for £9.95 per roll.Find out more at the I Love Wallpaper websiteVia Junior Hipster

We have featured a number of 1960s portable record players of late, with a number still on eBay right now. But if you want something a little later, check out this 1970s Philips Stereo 200 portable record player. In red, this portable player compacts down to carry around (although you'll need mains power to play), it has two removable loudspeakers and the deck with volume controls for individual audio control of those speakers.The seller says it is 'used but in mint nearly' condition, with some slight scratches and little marks on the outside, although the surface is quite glossy and shiny. Working, of course.The price is £180, but you can make an offer on it too.Find out more at the eBay website

Celebrate the 150th anniversary of London's beloved below ground rail network with this wittily retro Underground print by Blanca Gomez. We've shown you some of Blanca's illustrations before and this newbie fits in well with lovers of her trademark 60s Saul Bass-esque style. This mid century inspired design pictures a typical day in the capital, filled with drizzle and brollies, with travellers standing beneath the iconic Roundrel logo. A fitting tribute to 150 years of the underground our readers are sure to be charmed by. £27 from her store on Etsy.

Some classic British rockers enjoying a typically British indulgence on this Under The Influence tote by emilythepemily.  Rather than sex or drugs, this illustration shows the likes of David Bowie, Marc Bolan and Johnny Rotten and Sid Vicious, alongside other musical stars, indulging in nothing more rock n roll than a cup of tea. It's a fun black and white illustration, with a great British sensibility.  The tote is yours for £10.  Buy it from Totes Amazed