“As soon as people see a camera, they change, and what you see you lose” – Vivian Cherry     Vivian Cherry (July 27, 1920 – March 4, 2019) showed a New York City of film noir energy and intrigue bathed in light and shadow. “The older photographers working at this time wanted to make pictures that looked like paintings but reality was coming up, and that was really great,” she said of her move into street photography.   Game of Lynching, East Harlem, 1947 playing at a Lynching, East Harlem, 1947   ‘There were no lynchings in New York, but there they are, playing that game and it didn’t matter if they were black or white” – Vivian Cherry   Third Avenue El, early 1950s   “I was walking by a printers called Underwood and Underwood, and I saw a sign saying, ‘Darkroom Help Wanted! – No Experience Necessary!’ I remember it was the ‘no experience’ bit that caught my attention – I didn’t know what the job would entail. At that time they were short on people to print photographs because so many men had been drafted, so I applied and got the job” – Vivian Cherry   Yorkville, 1947 “It was easier to take pictures of children then than it is now, because they’d always be running around in the open spaces in the city, playing cops and robbers and shooting each other with their fingers” – Vivian Cherry   “It’s funny because now everybody has a camera, but back then the people I photographed didn’t pay much attention to me… “If I saw something interesting, I’d put my camera to my eye straight away and shoot, and if someone started yelling at me, I’d turn around and say, ‘I didn’t do it!’ and then I’d walk away very fast!” – Vivian Cherry   Meatpacking Cows, undated   ‘And if somebody didn’t want their photograph taken, I didn’t take it … except that I did too” – Vivian Cherry Hudson river, 1955 Vivian Cherry grew up in the Bronx, New York. Her parents, Sasha and Ida (Agranovitch) Cherry, were Russian-Jewish immigrants. After arriving in the United States, her father anglicised his name to Sam and worked as a house painter, while her mother was a homemaker. Cherry’s earliest ambition was to become a dancer. She studied dance at the Denishawn School in the Bronx before attending Walton High School. She had been making her living as a dancer in nightclubs and on Broadway when a knee injury made her look for other ways to amke a living. “I was walking by a printers called Underwood and Underwood and I saw a sign saying, ‘Darkroom Help Wanted! – No Experience Necessary!’” she recalled. “I remember it was the ‘no experience’ bit that caught my attention – I didn’t know what the job would entail. At that time they were short on people to print photographs because so many men had been drafted, so I applied and got the job.” She worked as a printer, and began to think about image-making.“Eventually I got myself a 35mm camera and just started walking the streets taking pictures,” she said. Cherry’s knee healed and she returned to Broadway, dancing in a production of Showboat, but photography was her calling. “Dancing is wonderful,” she said, “but you don’t get much of reality… Helen Levitt, Dorothea Lange, Paul Strand and Fons Iannelli were my favourites.” In 1947, she joined the Photo League, founded by Sid Grossman and Sol Libsohn during the Great Depression, and thought about addressing societal issues through photography. She often took pictures on the Third Avenue EL and of families on the stoops of Spanish Harlem. Cherry continued to photograph her New York for decades. Her work an be seen in permanent collections at MoMA, the Smithsonian and the National Portrait Gallery.   Lower East Side, early 1950s Conductor, Third Avenue El, early 1950s Central Park Carriages, 1952 Spanish Harlem, 1948 Antoinette, Chelsea, 1954 Via: Daniel Cooney Fine Art, New York The post Restless New York In The Post-War Years By Vivian Cherry appeared first on Flashbak.

Few songs capture longing and nostalgia quite like “Blue Bayou,” the timeless ballad that became one of Linda Ronstadt’s most recognizable recordings in the late 1970s. While many fans strongly associate the song with Ronstadt’s emotional vocal performance, the track actually began its journey more than a decade earlier with music legend Roy Orbison. Released by Orbison in 1963, the song achieved moderate success and reached the Top 30 charts, but it was Ronstadt’s 1977 version that transformed it into a massive crossover hit. Her powerful interpretation introduced the song to a whole new audience and eventually turned it into one of the defining records of her career. “Blue Bayou” Originally Started As A Roy Orbison Song Roy Orbison, 1977 / Everett Collection Roy Orbison co-wrote “Blue Bayou” alongside Joe Melson, crafting lyrics filled with homesickness, hope, and dreams of returning to a peaceful place far away from life on the road. Although listeners often interpreted the song as deeply sad, Orbison himself insisted the meaning behind it was actually more optimistic than people realized. According to American Songwriter, Orbison once explained that the song reflected the loneliness that comes before happiness—the feeling of longing to return home after spending long periods traveling and performing. The imagery of fishing boats, sleepy mornings, and peaceful surroundings gave the song a deeply emotional atmosphere that resonated with listeners for decades. Linda Ronstadt Knew The Song Could Become A Huge Hit LINDA RONSTADT: THE SOUND OF MY VOICE, Linda Ronstadt, 2019. © Greenwich Entertainment / courtesy Everett Collection When singer-songwriter JD Souther introduced the song to Linda Ronstadt years later, she immediately connected with it. As she later recalled, Souther began singing it while she instinctively joined in with harmony, instantly realizing the song was perfect for her voice. The decision to record “Blue Bayou” was not universally supported at first. Ronstadt revealed that her producer Peter Asher worried the song might not become commercially successful and even encouraged her to look for a safer hit. Still, she trusted her instincts and moved forward with the recording anyway. Her confidence ultimately paid off. The song became one of the biggest singles of her career and earned multiple Grammy nominations. More importantly, Ronstadt’s heartfelt performance helped cement the song as one of the most beloved soft rock ballads of the 1970s. Even decades later, “Blue Bayou” continues to stand as a reminder of how a great song can evolve across generations while still preserving the emotional power that made it unforgettable in the first place.   Next up: Rare ‘Grease’ Premiere Photos Capture A Golden Era Of Hollywood The post One Of Linda Ronstadt’s Biggest Hits Actually Started With Roy Orbison appeared first on DoYouRemember? - The Home of Nostalgia. Author, Ruth A

Bob Odenkirk is opening up about the terrifying health scare he suffered filming the final season of Better Call Saul, revealing just how close he came to dying while suffering from a heart attack during the shocking medical emergency on set in 2021. The actor, now 63, admitted that he remembers very little from the incident itself but recalled one haunting realization afterward: “I was gone.” The emotional reflection has given fans a deeper understanding of the frightening ordeal that unfolded behind the scenes of the acclaimed AMC series. While viewers eventually saw Odenkirk return to work and continue acting, the actor now says the experience permanently changed how he views both life and his place in the world. Bob Odenkirk Suffered A Health Scare While Filming ‘Better Call Saul’ BETTER CALL SAUL, Bob Odenkirk, ‘Saul Gone’ (Season 6, ep. 613, aired Aug. 15, 2022). photo: Greg Lewis / ©AMC / Courtesy Everett Collection Speaking with The Times U.K., Odenkirk explained that he suddenly collapsed while filming scenes for the sixth and final season of Better Call Saul. Co-stars Rhea Seehorn and Patrick Fabian reportedly rushed to help him immediately while crew members scrambled to respond to the emergency. BETTER CALL SAUL, Bob Odenkirk, ‘Wine & Roses,’ (Season 6, ep. 601, aired April 18, 2022). photo: Greg Lewis / ©AMC / Courtesy Everett Collection The Bob Odenkirk health crisis became even more frightening because pandemic restrictions reportedly slowed reactions on set, with people initially spread far apart from one another. According to the actor, he turned gray as the situation unfolded, while even the on-set medic had never previously performed CPR in a real-life emergency. The Experience Completely Changed His Perspective On Life As an actor, writer, comedian, and more, Bob Odenkirk has a lot of big accomplishments, but creating Matt Foley remains unique among them. / AP/Richard Shotwell Doctors placed Odenkirk into a medically induced coma after he suffered a “widowmaker” heart attack, one of the most serious cardiac emergencies caused by a major blocked artery. He revealed that he lost an entire week of memories during the ordeal and only truly became aware again while leaving the hospital days later. BETTER CALL SAUL, Bob Odenkirk, Dedicado a Max, (Season 5, ep. 505, aired Mar. 16, 2020). photo: Greg Lewis / ©AMC / Courtesy Everett Collection The Bob Odenkirk health scare pushed the actor toward major lifestyle changes. He reduced his sugar intake, takes daily heart medication, and stays active through regular stunt training. Instead of avoiding action-heavy roles, he chose to remain physically active, later describing the experience as life-changing in a positive way. According to PEOPLE, he said the weeks following the heart attack left him feeling deeply engaged with life and grateful simply to exist in the world again. Next up: Larry Hagman Convinced Patrick Duffy To Return For One Wild ‘Dallas’ Plot The post Bob Odenkirk Shares Terrifying Details About His Heart Attack While Filming ‘Better Call Saul’ appeared first on DoYouRemember? - The Home of Nostalgia. Author, Ruth A

During the height of The Waltons‘ popularity in the 1970s, the beloved family drama was praised by millions of viewers for its warmth, strong values, and hopeful outlook on life. But despite its enormous success, not everyone appreciated the wholesome tone that made the series such a comforting television staple. Some critics argued that the Walton family felt unrealistic for the era, claiming the show presented an overly idealized version of American life. Richard Thomas, The Waltons star who famously portrayed John-Boy Walton, strongly disagreed with those criticisms. In fact, the young actor became one of the show’s most passionate defenders during its early years, openly speaking out against those who dismissed the series as unrealistic or overly sentimental. Richard Thomas, The Waltons Star, Believed The Show Reflected Real Family Values THE WALTONS, (top, from left): Ralph Waite, Michael Learned, John Walmsley, Judy Norton-Taylor, Richard Thomas; (bottom): Mary Beth McDonough, Kami Cotler, Will Geer, Ellen Corby, Eric Scott, David Harper, 1972-81 In a 1974 interview highlighted by MeTV, Thomas explained that many critics misunderstood what the Walton family actually represented. While some viewers assumed the family represented poor struggling farmers during the Great Depression, Thomas pointed out that the show never portrayed the Waltons as the poorest people in their community. The actress, now 59 years old, starred in iconic 70s drama The Waltons: Express Celebrity/X The actor believed critics were reacting negatively because American culture had become increasingly focused on alienation, conflict, and cynicism during that period. According to Thomas, the Waltons instead offered audiences something they deeply needed at the time—unity, emotional connection, and a reminder that strong family bonds still mattered.   The Series Became A Source Of Comfort For Many Families THE WALTONS, front row, from left: David W. Harper, Judy Norton, and Mary Beth McDonough; seated, second row, from left: Kami Cotler, Ralph Waite, Michael Learned; back row, standing, from left: Eric Scott, Jon Wamsley, Richard Thomas, Will Geer, Ellen Corby, (1972), 1971-1981. ph: Douglas Jones / TV Guide / ©ABC / courtesy Everett Collection Richard Thomas revealed that his upbringing closely resembled the family-centered world of The Waltons, making it easy to connect with John-Boy’s values. As the show grew in popularity, viewers told him the series brought their families together and encouraged conversations about kindness, values, and relationships. THE WALTONS, Ralph Waite, Michael Learned, 1972-81 / Everett Collection Although critics sometimes described the series as overly sweet or unrealistic, Thomas continued defending its hopeful approach throughout his years on the show. He believed television had the power to heal divisions by giving people shared experiences and emotional connection during difficult times in American society. Decades later, The Waltons still remains one of television’s most beloved family dramas, proving that audiences never truly lost their appreciation for stories centered around compassion, togetherness, and hope.   Next up: Bob Odenkirk Shares Terrifying Details About His Heart Attack While Filming ‘Better Call Saul’ The post Richard Thomas Did Not Hold Back About ‘Waltons’ Haters appeared first on DoYouRemember? - The Home of Nostalgia. Author, Ruth A