View allAll Photos Tagged Cleanliness
Not known for its exterior cleanliness unlike the rest of the GWR fleet the driver of the 2C00 Plymouth - Penzance looks down his rake of MK3 stock .
Presumably the big bucket and brush seen for many years will also disappear with the HST's .
After its arrival in the final assembly building, on 1 April ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) was slowly lifted from the air cushion platform on which it sat during its transfer to the building. Following this process, it was lifted over 50 metres into the air, and then carefully lowered onto the top of the Ariane 5 rocket that will carry it into space.
This whole operation was performed under strict safety and cleanliness regulations to keep Juice in prime condition for launch on 13 April. The operators wore bright yellow suits; these are used whenever hazardous operations are carried out, for example when a spacecraft is moved.
Juice is being prepared to launch from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. After an eight-year journey to Jupiter, the mission will make detailed observations of the gas giant and its three large ocean-bearing moons – Ganymede, Callisto and Europa – with a suite of instruments. The mission will characterise these moons as both planetary objects and possible habitats, explore Jupiter’s complex environment in depth, and study the wider Jupiter system as an archetype for gas giants across the Universe.
Find out more about Juice in ESA’s launch kit
Credits: 2023 ESA-CNES-ARIANESPACE / Optique vidéo du CSG - JM GUILLON
Taken in Nice, France.
From what it says on the side of the truck, it looks like the truck has something to do with cleanliness of Nice on the French Riviera, exactly what, I do not know.
I was going to call this "Syphilitic Drip," but somehow, that seemed so crass.
Did you know there's something called "neurosyphilis?" I totally do not want that. I think you get that when you let a dirty hooker have sex with your mind. Or maybe you imagine having sex with a dirty hooker in your mind. And "dirty" isn't subjective -- I mean, actually filthy. Covered in garbage, say. A Fishwich wrapper in her hair, a brace of possums nesting between her bosoms, a fleet of crustaceans mining under her toenails for forgotten food. You know, that kind of "dirty."
With a trio of UP motors, oddly in descending order of cleanliness, the Nashville bound intermodal rockets north.
French postcard by Europe, no. 503. Photo: MGM.
American film star Joan Crawford (1904-1977) had a career that would span many decades, studios, and controversies. In her silent films, she made an impact as a vivacious Jazz Age flapper and later she matured into a star of psychological melodramas.
Joan Crawford was born Lucille Fay LeSueur in 1904, in San Antonio, Texas. Her parents were Anna Belle (Johnson) and Thomas E. LeSueur, a laundry labourer. By the time she was born, her parents had separated. The young Lucille was bullied and shunned at Scaritt Elementary School in Kansas City by the other students due to her poor home life. She worked with her mother in a laundry and felt that her classmates could smell the chemicals and cleaners on her. She said that her love of taking showers and being obsessed with cleanliness had begun early in life as an attempt to wash off the smell of the laundry. Her stepfather Henry Cassin allegedly began sexually abusing her when she was eleven years old, and the abuse continued until she was sent to St. Agnes Academy, a Catholic girls' school. By the time she was a teenager, she'd had three stepfathers. Lucille LeSueur worked a variety of menial jobs. She was a good dancer, though, and she entered several contests, one of which landed her a spot in a chorus line. Before long, she was dancing in the choruses of travelling revues in big Midwestern and East Coast cities. She was spotted dancing in Detroit by famous New York producer Jacob J. Shubert. Shubert put her in the chorus line for his show 'Innocent Eyes'(1924) at the Winter Garden Theatre on Broadway. Then followed another Schubert production, 'The Passing Show of 1924'. After hours, she danced for pay in the town it-spot, Club Richman, which was run by the 'Passing Show' stage manager Nils Granlund and popular local personality Harry Richman. In December 1924, Granlund called Lucille to tell her that Al Altman, a NYC-based talent scout from MGM had caught her in 'The Passing Show of 1924' and wanted her to do a screen test. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) offered Crawford a contract at $75 a week. On New Year's Day 1925 she boarded the train for Culver City. Credited as Lucille LeSueur, her first film part was as a showgirl in Lady of the Night (Monta Bell, 1925), starring MGM's most popular female star, Norma Shearer. Crawford was determined to succeed, and shortly after she also appeared in The Circle (Frank Borzage, 1925) and Pretty Ladies (Monta Bell, 1925), starring comedian ZaSu Pitts. She also appeared in a small role in Erich von Stroheim's classic The Merry Widow (1925) with Mae Murray and John Gilbert. MGM publicity head Pete Smith recognised her ability to become a major star but felt her name sounded fake. He told studio head, Louis B. Mayer, that her last name, LeSueur, reminded him of a sewer. Smith organised a contest called 'Name the Star' in Movie Weekly to allow readers to select her new stage name. The initial choice was 'Joan Arden', but after another actress was found to have a prior claim to that name, the alternate surname 'Crawford' became the choice. She first made an impression on audiences in Edmund Goulding's showgirl tale Sally, Irene, and Mary (1925). The film, which co-starred Constance Bennett and Sally O'Neil, was a hit. Joan's popularity grew so quickly afterwards that two films in which she was still billed as Lucille Le Sueur: Old Clothes (Edward F. Cline, 1925) with Jackie Coogan, and The Only Thing (Jack Conway, 1925) were recalled, and her name on the billings was changed to Joan Crawford. In 1926, Crawford was named one of the WAMPAS Baby Stars, and she starred opposite Charles Ray in Paris (Edmund Goulding, 1926). Within a few years, she became the romantic female lead to many of MGM's top male stars, including Ramón Novarro, John Gilbert, and action star Tim McCoy. She appeared alongside her close friend, William Haines in the comedy Spring Fever (Edward Sedgwick, 1927). It was the second film starring Haines and Crawford (the first had been Sally, Irene, and Mary (1925), and their first onscreen romantic teaming. Then, Crawford appeared in the silent horror film The Unknown (Tod Browning, 1927), starring Lon Chaney, Sr., who played Alonzo the Armless, a circus freak who uses his feet to toss knives. Crawford played his skimpily-clad young carnival assistant whom he hopes to marry. She stated that she learned more about acting from watching Chaney work than from anyone else in her career. Her role as Diana Medford in Our Dancing Daughters (Harry Beaumont, 1928) elevated her to star status. Joan co-starred with Anita Page and Dorothy Sebastian, and her spunky wild-but-moral flapper character struck a chord with the public and zeitgeist. Wikipedia: "The role established her as a symbol of modern 1920s-style femininity which rivaled Clara Bow, the original It girl, then Hollywood's foremost flapper. A stream of hits followed Our Dancing Daughters, including two more flapper-themed movies, in which Crawford embodied for her legion of fans (many of whom were women) an idealized vision of the free-spirited, all-American girl." The fan mail began pouring in and from that point on Joan was a bonafide star. Crawford had cleared the first big hurdle; now came the second, in the form of talkies. But Crawford wasn't felled by sound. Her first talkie, the romantic drama Untamed (Jack Conway, 1929) with Robert Montgomery, was a success. Michael Eliott at IMDb: "It's rather amazing to see how well she transformed into a sound star and you have to think that she was among the best to do so."
In the early 1930s, tired of playing fun-loving flappers, Joan Crawford wanted to change her image. Thin lips would not do for her; she wanted big lips. Ignoring her natural lip contours, Max Factor ran a smear of colour across her upper and lower lips. It was just what she wanted. To Max, the Crawford look, which became her trademark, was always 'the smear'. As the 1930s progressed, Joan Crawford became one of the biggest stars at MGM. She developed a glamorous screen image, appearing often as a sumptuously gowned, fur-draped, successful career woman. She was in top form in films such as Grand Hotel (Edmund Goulding, 1932), Sadie McKee (Clarence Brown, 1934), No More Ladies (Edward H. Griffith, 1935), and Love on the Run (W.S. Van Dyke, 1936) with Clark Gable. Crawford often played hard-working young women who found romance and success. Movie patrons were enthralled, and studio executives were satisfied. Her fame rivalled, and later outlasted, that of MGM colleagues Norma Shearer and Greta Garbo. Among her early successes as a dramatic actress were The Women (George Cukor, 1939), Susan and God (1940), Strange Cargo (1940), and A Woman’s Face (1941). By the early 1940s, MGM was no longer giving Joan Crawford plum roles. Newcomers had arrived in Hollywood, and the public wanted to see them. Crawford left MGM for rival Warner Bros. In 1945 she landed the role of a lifetime in Mildred Pierce (Michael Curtiz, 1945). It is the story of an emotional and ambitious woman who rises from waitress to owner of a restaurant chain. The role gave her an opportunity to show her range as an actress, and her performance as a woman driven to give her daughter (Ann Blyth) everything garnered Crawford her first, and only, Oscar for Best Actress. The following year she appeared with John Garfield in the well-received Humoresque (Jean Negulesco, 1946). In 1947, she appeared as Louise Graham in Possessed (Curtis Bernhardt, 1947) with Van Heflin. Again she was nominated for the Best Actress award from the Academy, but she lost to Loretta Young in The Farmer's Daughter (H.C. Potter, 1947). Crawford continued to choose her roles carefully, and in 1952 she was nominated for a third time, for her depiction of Myra Hudson in Sudden Fear (David Miller, 1952) opposite Jack Palance and Gloria Grahame. This time the coveted Oscar went to Shirley Booth, for Come Back, Little Sheba (Daniel Mann, 1952). In 1955, Crawford became involved with the Pepsi-Cola Company through her marriage to company Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Alfred Steele. Crawford married four times. Her first three marriages to the actors Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. (1929–1933), Franchot Tone (1935–1939), and Phillip Terry (1942–1946) all had ended in divorce. After his death in 1959 she became a director of the company and in that role hired her friend Dorothy Arzner to film several Pepsi commercials. Crawford's film career slowed and she appeared in minor roles until 1962. Then she and Bette Davis co-starred in Whatever happened to Baby Jane? (Robert Aldrich, 1962). Their longstanding rivalry may have helped fuel their phenomenally vitriolic and well-received performances. Crawford's final appearance on the silver screen was in the bad monster movie Trog (Freddie Francis, 1970). It is said Bette Davis commented that if she had found herself starring in Trog, she'd commit suicide. Anyway, Joan Crawford retired from the screen, and following a public appearance in 1974 withdrew from public life. Turning to vodka more and more, she became increasingly reclusive. In 1977, Joan Crawford died of a heart attack in New York City. She was 72 years old. She had disinherited her adopted daughter Christina and son Christopher; the former wrote the controversial memoir 'Mommie Dearest' (1978). In 1981, Faye Dunaway starred in the film adaptation Mommie Dearest (Frank Perry, 1981) which did well at the box office. Joan Crawford is interred in a mausoleum in Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York.
Sources: Stephanie Jones (The Best of Everything), Michael Elliott (IMDb), Encyclopaedia Britannica, Wikipedia, and IMDb.
And, please check out our blog European Film Star Postcards.
>this glycerin and razor blade sculpture has grown crystal fungus (?) over the years spent in storage.
the cleanliness of the interior of ex London United TA336.
Clydesdale Place - Leyland.
Thursday 05/06/14.
Images are Copyrighted to Gregg Collins unless stated otherwise.
All rights reserved means just that, I will not tolerate photographs to be taken and reused without permission.
The amount of decay in Palermo is amazing. This place is not somewhere in the slums or in a distant rundown district â on the contrary, this photo was made from the main street in the historic center about 1 minute walk from the huge beautiful cathedral and 3 minutes from the splendid Norman Palace.
By the way, what is this blue contraption with wires on the window sill? Looks suspicious!
Palermo, Sicily. 2018
produced solely for checking on the cleanliness of my sensor and nifty fifty. Not perfect, but much better!
Have a great Thursday. Git R Done :)
Another type of suburban station on the New South Wales Railways. The cleanliness of the station and environs is a noticeable and attractive feature.
from Australia and New Zealand by William D. Boyce. Published by Rand, McNally & Company, Chicago, 1922, p. 65.
Welcome to Kabukicho Ichiban-gai, the iconic gateway to Tokyo’s most vibrant entertainment district. This unmistakable red arch, adorned with retro-style neon lights and bold Japanese characters, serves as a cultural and architectural landmark. The bright red design juxtaposes modern Tokyo’s sleek, high-rise buildings and reflects Kabukicho’s lively energy as the “Sleepless Town.” The signage warns visitors that smoking on the street is prohibited, a nod to Tokyo's meticulous city planning and emphasis on urban cleanliness.
Originally developed after World War II, Kabukicho was named for a planned kabuki theater that was never built. However, its name lives on, and the area flourished into a hub of entertainment, blending traditional Japanese aesthetics with ultra-modern urban design. The Ichiban-gai entrance stands as a symbolic welcome to a world of eclectic adventures, from izakayas and karaoke to late-night ramen shops and vibrant nightlife.
Framing the entryway are modern glass-front buildings, such as the one on the left featuring geometric patterns, contrasting sharply with the bold, colorful advertising to the right. This architectural mix highlights the district’s adaptability, fusing cutting-edge design with the neon-drenched nostalgia of mid-20th-century Tokyo. The narrow streets beyond the arch hold endless treasures, including hidden alleyways brimming with culinary delights and niche bars.
Kabukicho Ichiban-gai is more than an entertainment district—it’s a testament to Tokyo’s ability to evolve while retaining its unique character. Whether you’re here for a night of exploration or simply soaking in the atmosphere, this dynamic entryway sets the tone for the unforgettable experiences that lie ahead.
Canon EOS R6 Mark II, Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM, bearbeitet in Lightroom und Photoshop.
The cleanliness is real, my only Photoshop work was to remove one paper tissue on the platform and a small graffito on the train.
Day and Night / The Stars are Bright / Deep in the Heart / of Berlin (apologies . . )
Wikipedia: "Die Gestaltung von Max Dudler wurde vom berühmten Schinkelschen Bühnenbild zur Oper Die Zauberflöte aus dem Jahr 1816 inspiriert und sieht über den Gleisen als dessen Sternenhimmel ein aquamarinblaues Tonnengewölbe mit 6662 Lichtpunkten vor. Die Wände wurden in Anlehnung an die klassizistische Architektur der umliegenden Gebäude mit hellem Naturstein verkleidet, hierfür kam Granit aus dem Fichtelgebirge zum Einsatz."
Wikipedia: "The design by Max Dudler was inspired by a stage design by Karl Friedrich Schinkel for the opera The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte) from 1816 and features a starry sky on a dark blue barrel vault with points of light over the tracks."
This stage design is also echoed in a ceiling in the nearby Alte Nationalgalerie.
www.maxdudler.de/de/projekte/u-bahnstation-museumsinsel/
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/U-Bahnhof_Museumsinsel
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museumsinsel_(Berlin_U-Bahn)
Whether it be the elderly, children, homeless, the workers or the men and women that carry out the mating ritual on the city sidewalks. .. My social photography intends only to inform, and to share with others what I observe and find to be interesting. I apologize if I inadvertently offend anyone ~Rhpsr
The Deutsche Bahn (DB), which is the successor to the Deutsche Bundesbahn, faces a number of operational challenges. Issues with punctuality are a frequent complaint, with delays often caused by a combination of aging infrastructure, maintenance work, and signal failures. Additionally, the railway network is highly utilized, leading to capacity issues, especially on major routes. Customers also sometimes report problems with cleanliness and the reliability of on-board services.
Despite these issues, the condition of the trains is generally not as depicted in this image. The ICE trains, for example, are high-speed, modern electric multiple units designed for passenger comfort and speed. While regular maintenance is required, they are not at all "rotten" or "overcrowded" to the extreme, with passengers riding on the exterior of the train. This image is a dystopian and exaggerated depiction, not a factual representation of the current state of DB's fleet.
The scene serves as a visual metaphor rather than a realistic portrayal of public transportation in Germany. While DB may have its problems, the trains and infrastructure are maintained to a much higher standard than the "dystopian" image suggests, and safety regulations would prevent such a situation from occurring.
"The end is nigh" is a phrase that signals a warning about an impending and often catastrophic event, typically a doomsday scenario. It is a modern English translation of a passage from the Bible, specifically from the Book of Revelation, which describes the end times and the second coming of Jesus Christ. The phrase has transcended its religious origins and is now commonly used in a more secular context to describe any situation where a significant and negative change is believed to be imminent. The tone of the phrase is often one of urgency and foreboding, implying that there is little time left to prepare or change course. It is often associated with images of an apocalyptic future and is a common trope in literature, film, and other media.
Historically, the phrase gained prominence through its use by street preachers and prophets who would walk through cities with signs bearing the words "The End Is Nigh." This practice was particularly common during periods of social unrest, economic depression, or heightened religious fervor. These individuals often saw natural disasters, plagues, or political instability as signs of the impending apocalypse. Their public pronouncements were intended to serve as a call to repentance and a warning to the populace to prepare for divine judgment. The visual of a lone figure holding a sign with this ominous message has become an enduring cultural image, symbolizing a last-ditch effort to warn humanity before it's too late.
In modern usage, "the end is nigh" has lost much of its literal religious meaning and is often used metaphorically or even sarcastically. For example, one might say "the end is nigh" when a favorite sports team is losing badly or when a long-awaited technological device is about to be replaced by a newer model. This more casual use of the phrase highlights its shift from a literal prophecy to a dramatic exclamation. It can be used to add a sense of hyperbole or theatricality to a situation, making a minor inconvenience seem like a major catastrophe. The phrase's adaptability across different contexts demonstrates its powerful emotional resonance, even when its original meaning is no longer the primary focus.
The phrase taps into a deep-seated human fear of the unknown and the inevitable. Throughout history, societies have grappled with the concept of their own demise, whether it be from natural causes, war, or divine intervention. "The end is nigh" encapsulates this anxiety in a concise and powerful statement. It reflects a cyclical view of time, where periods of prosperity and stability are inevitably followed by decline and collapse. This idea is present in many myths and legends, from the Norse Ragnarök to the Hindu concept of Kali Yuga, where the world is believed to be in its final, most degenerate stage before its eventual destruction and renewal. The phrase serves as a modern echo of these ancient eschatological beliefs.
In conclusion, "the end is nigh" is a multifaceted phrase with a rich history, evolving from a literal biblical warning to a widely used cultural idiom. Its power lies in its ability to evoke a sense of urgency, fear, and finality, regardless of the context. Whether used by a doomsday preacher or a sarcastic friend, the phrase effectively communicates the idea that a significant, often negative, conclusion is imminent. It reflects a universal human preoccupation with the end and serves as a powerful reminder of the fragility of our existence and the cyclical nature of life and civilization.
German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 4529/1, 1929-1930. Photo: MGM.
American film star Joan Crawford (1904-1977) had a career that would span many decades, studios, and controversies. In her silent films, she made an impact as a vivacious Jazz Age flapper and later she matured into a star of psychological melodramas.
Joan Crawford was born Lucille Fay LeSueur in 1904, in San Antonio, Texas. Her parents were Anna Belle (Johnson) and Thomas E. LeSueur, a laundry labourer. By the time she was born, her parents had separated. The young Lucille was bullied and shunned at Scaritt Elementary School in Kansas City by the other students due to her poor home life. She worked with her mother in a laundry and felt that her classmates could smell the chemicals and cleaners on her. She said that her love of taking showers and being obsessed with cleanliness had begun early in life as an attempt to wash off the smell of the laundry. Her stepfather Henry Cassin allegedly began sexually abusing her when she was eleven years old, and the abuse continued until she was sent to St. Agnes Academy, a Catholic girls' school. By the time she was a teenager, she'd had three stepfathers. Lucille LeSueur worked a variety of menial jobs. She was a good dancer, though, and she entered several contests, one of which landed her a spot in a chorus line. Before long, she was dancing in the choruses of travelling revues in big Midwestern and East Coast cities. She was spotted dancing in Detroit by famous New York producer Jacob J. Shubert. Shubert put her in the chorus line for his show 'Innocent Eyes'(1924) at the Winter Garden Theatre on Broadway. Then followed another Schubert production, 'The Passing Show of 1924'. After-hours, she danced for pay in the town it-spot, Club Richman, which was run by the 'Passing Show' stage manager Nils Granlund and popular local personality Harry Richman. In December 1924, Granlund called Lucille to tell her that Al Altman, a NYC-based talent scout from MGM had caught her in 'The Passing Show of 1924' and wanted her to do a screen test. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) offered Crawford a contract at $75 a week. On New Year's Day 1925 she boarded the train for Culver City. Credited as Lucille LeSueur, her first film part was as a showgirl in Lady of the Night (Monta Bell, 1925), starring MGM's most popular female star, Norma Shearer. Crawford was determined to succeed, and shortly after she also appeared in The Circle (Frank Borzage, 1925) and Pretty Ladies (Monta Bell, 1925), starring comedian ZaSu Pitts. She also appeared in a small role Erich von Stroheim's classic The Merry Widow (1925) with Mae Murray and John Gilbert. MGM publicity head Pete Smith recognised her ability to become a major star but felt her name sounded fake. He told studio head , Louis B. Mayer, that her last name, LeSueur, reminded him of a sewer. Smith organised a contest called 'Name the Star' in Movie Weekly to allow readers to select her new stage name. The initial choice was 'Joan Arden', but after another actress was found to have prior claim to that name, the alternate surname 'Crawford' became the choice. She first made an impression on audiences in Edmund Goulding's showgirl tale Sally, Irene and Mary (1925). The film, which co-starred Constance Bennett and Sally O'Neil, was a hit. Joan's popularity grew so quickly afterwards that two films in which she was still billed as Lucille Le Sueur: Old Clothes (Edward F. Cline, 1925) with Jackie Coogan, and The Only Thing (Jack Conway, 1925) were recalled, and her name on the billings was changed to Joan Crawford. In 1926, Crawford was named one of the WAMPAS Baby Stars, and she starred opposite Charles Ray in Paris (Edmund Goulding, 1926). Within a few years, she became the romantic female lead to many of MGM's top male stars, including Ramón Novarro, John Gilbert, and action star Tim McCoy. She appeared alongside her close friend, William Haines in the comedy Spring Fever (Edward Sedgwick, 1927). It was the second film starring Haines and Crawford (the first had been Sally, Irene and Mary (1925)), and their first onscreen romantic teaming. Then, Crawford appeared in the silent horror film The Unknown (Tod Browning, 1927), starring Lon Chaney, Sr., who played Alonzo the Armless, a circus freak who uses his feet to toss knives. Crawford played his skimpily-clad young carnival assistant whom he hopes to marry. She stated that she learned more about acting from watching Chaney work than from anyone else in her career. Her role of Diana Medford in Our Dancing Daughters (Harry Beaumont, 1928) elevated her to star status. Joan co-starred with Anita Page and Dorothy Sebastian, and her spunky wild-but-moral flapper character struck a chord with the public and zeitgeist. Wikipedia: "The role established her as a symbol of modern 1920s-style femininity which rivaled Clara Bow, the original It girl, then Hollywood's foremost flapper. A stream of hits followed Our Dancing Daughters, including two more flapper-themed movies, in which Crawford embodied for her legion of fans (many of whom were women) an idealized vision of the free-spirited, all-American girl." The fan mail began pouring in and from that point on Joan was a bonafide star. Crawford had cleared the first big hurdle; now came the second, in the form of talkies. But Crawford wasn't felled by sound. Her first talkie, the romantic drama Untamed (Jack Conway, 1929) with Robert Montgomery, was a success. Michael Eliott at IMDb: "It's rather amazing to see how well she transformed into a sound star and you have to think that she was among the best to do so."
In the early 1930s, tired of playing fun-loving flappers, Joan Crawford wanted to change her image. Thin lips would not do for her; she wanted big lips. Ignoring her natural lip contours, Max Factor ran a smear of colour across her upper and lower lips. It was just what she wanted. To Max, the Crawford look, which became her trademark, was always 'the smear'.
As the 1930s progressed, Joan Crawford became one of the biggest stars at MGM. She developed a glamorous screen image, appearing often as a sumptuously gowned, fur-draped, successful career woman. She was in top form in films such as Grand Hotel (Edmund Goulding, 1932), Sadie McKee (Clarence Brown, 1934), No More Ladies (Edward H. Griffith, 1935), and Love on the Run (W.S. Van Dyke, 1936) with Clark Gable.
Crawford often played hard-working young women who found romance and success. Movie patrons were enthralled, and studio executives were satisfied. Her fame rivalled, and later outlasted, that of MGM colleagues Norma Shearer and Greta Garbo. Among her early successes as a dramatic actress were The Women (George Cukor, 1939), Susan and God (1940), Strange Cargo (1940), and A Woman’s Face (1941).
By the early 1940s, MGM was no longer giving Joan Crawford plum roles. Newcomers had arrived in Hollywood, and the public wanted to see them. Crawford left MGM for rival Warner Bros. In 1945 she landed the role of a lifetime in Mildred Pierce (Michael Curtiz, 1945). It is the story of an emotional and ambitious woman who rises from waitress to owner of a restaurant chain. The role gave her an opportunity to show her range as an actress, and her performance as a woman driven to give her daughter (Ann Blyth) everything garnered Crawford her first, and only, Oscar for Best Actress. The following year she appeared with John Garfield in the well-received Humoresque (Jean Negulesco, 1946). In 1947, she appeared as Louise Graham in Possessed (Curtis Bernhardt, 1947) with Van Heflin. Again she was nominated for a Best Actress from the Academy, but she lost to Loretta Young in The Farmer's Daughter (H.C. Potter, 1947). Crawford continued to choose her roles carefully, and in 1952 she was nominated for a third time, for her depiction of Myra Hudson in Sudden Fear (David Miller, 1952) opposite Jack Palance and Gloria Grahame. This time the coveted Oscar went to Shirley Booth, for Come Back, Little Sheba (Daniel Mann, 1952). In 1955, Crawford became involved with the Pepsi-Cola Company through her marriage to company Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Alfred Steele. Crawford married four times. Her first three marriages to the actors Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. (1929–1933), Franchot Tone (1935–1939), and Phillip Terry (1942–1946) all had ended in divorce. After his death in 1959 she became a director of the company and in that role hired her friend Dorothy Arzner to film several Pepsi commercials. Crawford's film career slowed and she appeared in minor roles until 1962. Then she and Bette Davis co-starred in Whatever happened to Baby Jane? (Robert Aldrich, 1962). Their longstanding rivalry may have helped fuel their phenomenally vitriolic and well-received performances. Crawford's final appearance on the silver screen was in the bad monster movie Trog (Freddie Francis, 1970). It is said Bette Davis commented that if she had found herself starring in Trog, she'd commit suicide. Anyway, Joan Crawford retired from the screen, and following a public appearance in 1974 withdrew from public life. Turning to vodka more and more, she became increasingly reclusive. In 1977, Joan Crawford died of a heart attack in New York City. She was 72 years old. She had disinherited her adopted daughter Christina and son Christopher; the former wrote the controversial memoir 'Mommie Dearest' (1978). In 1981, Faye Dunaway starred in the film adaptation Mommie Dearest (Frank Perry, 1981) which did well at the box office. Joan Crawford is interred in a mausoleum in Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York.
Sources: Stephanie Jones (The Best of Everything), Michael Elliott (IMDb), Encyclopaedia Britannica, Wikipedia and IMDb.
And, please check out our blog European Film Star Postcards.
For NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and its incredibly sensitive scientific instruments, cleanliness is critical. Contamination Control Engineers like Yingrui “Zao” Huang, who has been on the mission since 2013, play an important role in ensuring Webb’s hardware is in pristine condition during the testing and integration that lead up to launch.
Zao is pictured in the Spacecraft Systems Development and Integration Facility (SSDIF) at NASA Goddard, standing in front of the wall of filters that help keep the cleanroom clean.
Image credit: NASA/Chris Gunn
[Hygiene, freshness and cleanliness are difficult to dissociate from blue. Advertisers continually use it to demonstrate those qualities in numerous products which they either colour in blue or package in blue: windshield washer antifreeze, powdered detergent and its blue particles and mint candies are but a few examples.]