Gypsy Rose Lee. Tempest Storm. Lily St. Cyr. If there’s one word associated with these famous women, it’s “burlesque.”

In the modern sense of the word, burlesque was a popular form of theatrical variety show featuring risqué comedy, parody, and pastiche. When it was exported from Victorian England to the United States in the 1840s, American elements were added: minstrel show performances, stage magic, contemporary athletics, and, most importantly, exotic dancing.

One hundred years later, all pretenses to high-brow art had been gradually abandoned. Striptease was now the main attraction at burlesque shows. Vaudeville-style comedians, preceding and introducing each performer, were the only elements left from the original form. The performances of the 1940s, 50s, and 60s, — what’s remembered fondly as the heyday of American burlesque — were actually the nadir of the original art.

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When the opening credits for an Alfred Hitchcock film start rolling, it’s impossible to not be instantly captivated. The simple concept, bold graphics, and dynamic animations are all evidence of Saul Bass’s genius at work.

Saul Bass began his career by designing print ads for movies. His first collaboration with director Otto Preminger was the film poster for Carmen Jones. From there, it seemed a natural progression for Bass to move from designing posters to some of the most memorable film title sequences in movie history. His best-known and often imitated work is Preminger’s Anatomy of a Murder.

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The name’s Binder, Maurice Binder.

You may not recognize the name but you’d know his work if you saw it. The opening sequence of James Bond looking down a gun barrel is one of the most iconic moments in film history. Through saturated colours and tantalizing silhouettes, Maurice Binder created the most memorable, eye-catching title credit sequences of the 20th century for the James Bond film franchise.

Binder spent the first half of his design career in New York as a graphic designer in advertising, eventually working his way up to Advertising Director for Macy’s department store. Seeking a challenge, Binder turned his attention to film. In 1958, he struck up a working partnership with director Stanley Donen, designing title sequences for Indiscreet, The Grass is Greener, and Charade.

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Let’s climb aboard the Alweg Monorail in Downtown Seattle and take a trip back to the 1962 World’s Fair: Man in the Space Age. The Century 21 Exposition brought the first World’s Fair in North America since 1940 and the United States was eager to demonstrate its new ideas and advancements in technology, science and entertainment. Rapid technological advancements, Googie architecture, and the Space Race tantalized imaginations with the possibilities of the 21st century and beyond. The Future promised push button telephones and flying cars. While innovations raced towards the future, values remained firmly rooted in the past. Kitchen gadgets targeted housewives while innovations in office communication targeted businessmen. Nuclear families would populate the suburbs of the Moon in the 21st century.

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With all the running around preparing for the holidays and shopping for that perfect gift, I always find myself exhausted by New Year’s and once again… no new calendar! Usually by the time I get around to getting one I’ve missed at least January. But not this year! I’ve found some gorgeous mid-century modern calendars – some even free! The best one (I think) is the beautiful letterpress calendar produced by Pistachio Press. It is printed on 100% tree-free cotton paper using environmentally conscious studio practices. Each page is printed by hand on an antique Vandercook No. 4 letterpress. This is the kind of calendar that you want to frame the images when the year is over.

Another fabulous calendar is from Blue Ant Studio. This one is a free downloadable calendar showcasing modern furnishings such as chairs, lamps, and lots of other modern goodness.

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The origins of “Googie” design can be traced back to the actual coffee shop designed by architect John Lautner and by the works of his contemporaries. Appearing first in commercial buildings and used primarily in designing restaurants, coffee shops, motels, gas stations and bowling alleys, as well as schools, churches, shopping centers and airline terminals, this style of design was directed at the masses for commercial purposes. In Los Angeles, where Googie began, the 1930’s brought a large influx of the automobile and service industries. So the design aspects of Googie were heavily influenced by America’s new car culture.

Owning a car meant freedom for the old idea of a central “downtown” and the sprawling suburbs of L.A. grew in every direction. By the 1950’s everyone owned at least one car and fast food drive-ins were appearing in neighborhoods and on roadsides everywhere. Bold, dynamic architecture was used to attract customers whizzing by on roads and highways—to catch their eye—beckoning them off the street. Drive-ins (diners, movie theaters, gas stations) had advanced this car-oriented architectural design. They were essentially architectural billboards advertising the business to vehicles on the road. By using distinct styling, high energy silhouettes, large pylons with elevated signs, bold neon letters and circular parking lots the architecture worked to make the most of strip malls and other roadside location while allowing customers easy access from their cars.

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