Rare Celebrity Photos From The Past!
These astonishing images of celebrities will show you the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Celebrities caught on film:
- Embarrassing Themselves
- Before They Were Famous
- Just being normal human beings
- Movie Outtakes & Behind The Scenes
- Enjoying Their Families
- Serving Their Country
- Mugshots
- And Much, Much, More…
Have fun reliving the past with these candid celebrity iconic photos.
Robin Williams – That Mime Looks Familiar
Although the photo was taken in 1974, the photographer did not realize that one of the mimes was Williams until 35 years later.
If just catching Robin Williams before he became famous was not enough, if you look closely at the photo, Williams can be seen wearing a pair of rainbow suspenders. These suspenders are identical, if not the same exact pair, that Williams wore in one of his first major break out roles, where he played the alien “Mork” on Mork & Mindy.
Williams would go on to star in many very popular films such as: Mrs. Doubtfire, Jumanji, Good Will Hunting, Good Morning Vietnam, Dead Poets Society, and Hook, before he passed away in 2014.
Michael J. Fox Rehearsal.
The photograph above is a picture of rehearsal in 1985 for the film Back to the Future. The man in the picture is none other than the star of the movie, Michael J. Fox who played the role of Marty McFly.
The scene that is under rehearsal in the image is one of the scenes in the climax of the action in which Marty plays the song, “Johnny B. Goode,” by Chuck Berry at a period before the song was actually recorded. The scene took place at a high school dance that took place when his parents were still students as he tries to make them fall in love to fix a mistake he made by time traveling. Fox wasn’t very musically inclined at this age, so he practiced hard in order to actually play the song in order to make his performance absolutely authentic.
The film would come out to acclaim from both critics and common moviegoers as the film was able to express a thoughtful plot with light-hearted humor, along with, thanks in part to Fox, stellar acting. Many cited both his and his costar, Christopher Lloyd (Doc Brown) as being the highlight of the movie because of how well they were able to make their characters come to life. People believed Fox was a carefree teenager who was trying to save his timeline, granting his role a true legitimacy that has kept the movie fresh in the minds of fans for years. The film would do so well as to gross an estimated $ 381.11 million before its time at the box office was over.
Jimi Hendrix in 34 Montagu Square.
Above is a photograph in the personal life of rock and roll superstar Jimi Hendrix. Not only is the person important, but the address the photo was taken in is also legendary to music as it is an apartment in the famous 34 Montagu Square.
This building was located in London, England and was closely intertwined into the musical careers of The Beatles. Front man Paul McCartney recorded a number of demos there for the band and Ringo Starr even was the landlord for the apartment complex in the building. So Jimi Hendrix was a tenant to the drummer of The Beatles. It is reported that Hendrix had roommates in the form of his girlfriend, manager, and manager’s girlfriend in their cozy little apartment. He inhabited this place from 1966 to late 1967. Not long after them moving in would Jimi’s career reach its pinnacle with the release of such hits as “Purple Haze.”
Jimi was eventually evicted from the premises because he covered the walls of the apartment in whitewash due to an out-of-control acid trip. This wasn’t Hendrix’s first problem with his behavior as he had actually been discharged from the Army because he had been reported to have been slacking off excessively. The apartment complex would later go on to house John Lennon and his lover Yoko Ono. Their apartment would even go on to serve as the location of the cover of their album, Two Virgins. Hendrix would meet an unfortunate end in 1970 from becoming asphyxiated.
Cyndi Lauper and Paul Reubens (Pee-wee Herman) playing mini golf together.
Above is a photograph of pop culture icons Cyndi Lauper and Paul Reubens as they play mini golf together. Cyndi Lauper is best known for her career as a highly acclaimed musician, producing such hits as “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” as well as “Time After Time.”
Her career has left a tangible impact on music as she won the 1985 Grammy Award for Best New Artist and also a Tony Award for her career as a Broadway Composer. Lauper is often cited as a symbol of rebellion against the ordinary, something she is very proud of. Paul Reubens was the actor who played the iconic character of Pee-wee Herman. After an incredibly successful career on The Pee-wee Herman Show, Reubens would go on to star in films as his character. His greatest accomplishment came when he decided he would like to make a show that was a little more child-friendly. The now famous Pee-wee’s Playhouse was the result.
The two photographed were rather close friends through their work. Lauper wrote and sang the theme song to Pee-wee’s Playhouse under a different name. Since she was releasing a more serious album, called True Colors, at the time, she didn’t want to be credited with writing the theme song to a children’s program. Because of this, she was accredited as “Ellen Shaw” in the show’s credits. According to Lauper, the two really enjoyed each other’s’ company because of how fun and unique each were. The two would begin to drift apart throughout the years, though, due to their continuing careers.
The First Episode of Late Night with David Letterman.
The picture above is one that was captured during the first ever episode of Late Night with David Letterman. Back in 1982, the time of the premier, Letterman had some brief experience with hosting an entertainment program as he had just been responsible for a morning show that was unfortunately cancelled after a measly 18 weeks.
Not yet ready to give up, Letterman insisted that NBC keep him around to help do guest work for Johnny Carson’s show at the time. Eventually, due to his increasing popularity, the network decided it would be a good idea to give Letterman a second chance. By the time the show was put together, Merrill Markoe, Letterman’s girlfriend at the time, was slated to be head writer. After gathering a seasoned team of television veterans to act as crew, Late Night was ready to launch.
The first episode opened with a sketch that was based off of the opening monologue of the film Frankenstein (1931) followed by David coming out on stage surrounded by a swarm of dancers. With the ever-present band director, Paul Shaffer playing the intro, the show had officially begun. Letterman revealed his first guest to be Bill Murray. The two spent their time together on stage bickering at each other about how the show was going, but that was all scripted of course. The two played off each other very well to create a dynamite premier and cement the launch of Letterman’s first successful show. Murray would even go on to be Letterman’s final guest on the final episode of his proceeding show, Late Show with David Letterman.
Gwen Stefani Getting Sting’s Autograph.
Above is a picture of a meeting of the stars. Taken all the way back in 1983, this is a picture of a pre-fame Gwen Stefani getting an autograph from Sting. Sting was the lead singer of the rock and roll band The Police.
Born Gordon Summer, he selected the stage name Sting, because it was a nickname given to him by a band he played for briefly. He really rose to stardom, however after he formed The Police. With such hits as “Every Breath you Take,” and “Don’t Stand so Close to Me,” the band is considered an integral part of progressive rock in the late seventies and early eighties. It would be not long after this picture was taken that Sting would leave The Police to pursue a successful solo career. The Police were even inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the year 2003.
Gwen Stefani, the young lady in the picture, would go on to become famous in her own right. She began her career around 1986 when she became the lead singer of a band called No Doubt that was formed by her brother, Eric. She would go on to bring the band to quite a bit of fame. From 1986 to 2004 the band would experience a considerable amount of fame, but after that period, Stefani, like Sting, would leave to start a very successful solo career with such hits as, “Hollaback Girl,” and “Rich Girl.” The pair of Sting and Stefani would be reunited twenty years later as they performed together in the Super Bowl Half Time Show in 2003.
James Caan on Break
Above is a picture of actor James Caan on the set of the classic film, The Godfather. The film is a tale of the vicious criminal underworld run by the mafia and how its many different members play their parts in running a criminal organization.
The movie focuses around the Corleones, one of the most powerful families in the entire city of New York. Headed by their patriarch, Veto Corleone, (played by Marlon Brando) the family goes through trials and tribulations after going to war with another crime family. James Caan plays the role of Santino “Sonny” Corleone, the eldest son of the Corleone family and heir to their crime empire. He is a man of passion and recklessness, making the family concerned about whether or not he can truly be a good boss. The picture shows Caan as he is on break from shooting the death scene of his character in the film’s third act. Manipulating Santino’s brash nature, a rival gang sets up a trap they know he will rush into it head first. They gun him down and force his little brother, Michael, to take his place as heir.
Caan would play the part of the hot-blooded Santino so well that it would net him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Considering his costars who were also considered for the nomination were Robert Duvall and Al Pacino to name a few, this is a true achievement. Caan even remarked in an interview that he once had a membership to a country club rejected because they thought he would be just as fiery in real life as he was in the film.
Stevie Nicks
Above we have a picture that was taken of the sensational songstress Stevie Nicks. Taken around 1977, the picture captures Nicks at a time when her career was reaching new peaks in the band Fleetwood Mac.
She was born in 1948 to a loving family that instilled in her a love of music and stories at a young age. It was her grandfather who happened to be a country singer that taught her how to sing. During her senior year of high school, Nicks fell in love with one of her classmates, a boy named Lyndsey Buckingham. The two hit it off thanks to their shared love of music and they started playing in a few local bands. The band Fleetwood Mac had been around for sometime at this point, but after losing members and desperately needing to replace them, drummer Nick Fleetwood began scouting out talent. Buckingham and Nicks wowed him, so they were invited to join the band.
This became Nicks’ big chance to shine in the spotlight. With Fleetwood Mac she sang such hits as “Dreams,” and “Rihannon,” and gained acclaim from music fans the world over. From here her story grew more tragic however as with the new success, her relationship with Buckingham was ripped apart. She became increasingly dependent on drugs and was noted for having many affairs that would never pan out. Despite this she continued making hits even after leaving the band for a solo career, songs like “Edge of Seventeen.” Nicks, despite the rough patches in life, has received the title of “The Queen of Rock and Roll.”
Robert De Niro and his Father.
While many people are familiar with acting legend Robert De Niro, star of such films as, “Meet the Parents,” “Taxi Driver,” and “The Godfather Part II.” Winner of multiple academy awards, he has definitely seen his fair share of limelight. But what if we told you he had a father who was also famous for work in the arts?
The picture above shows the young Robert De Niro Jr. with his father, Robert De Niro Sr. Robert De Niro Sr. was born in 1922 the son of Italian and Irish immigrants to America. Throughout his young life, he discovered a fondness for the art of painting. He saw it as a way to express your own thoughts in a way that words could never. He dedicated his life to improving his artistic skills and learned under the famous painter Hans Hoffman. De Niro Sr. quickly grew to center a style in cubism, painting only using simple shapes, and expressionism, which is to paint unspecific images to evoke emotion.
While studying, he fell in love with a fellow student named Virginia Admiral and the two were married. A son was born to the couple who would grow up to be the academy award-winning Robert De Niro Jr. we know today. Shortly after the boy was born, however, Robert Sr. and Virginia divorced. The father and son rarely got to see each other and this photo is one of the few in which they are together. De Niro then began to withdraw into his work, painting more than he ever did before. He would go on to have work featured in New York’s Charles Egan Gallery and the Hirshhorn Museum of Washington D.C. The artist would die at 71 years of age due to cancer.
Young Tony Hawk
This picture is a rarely seen look at Tony Hawk in his childhood. The photograph is believed to have been taken in 1986 of Hawk at his local skate park. Tony Hawk was born May 12th 1968 in Carlsbad, California, though, he grew up in San Diego.
Even at a young age he displayed his ability to excel in many areas. He was quite intelligent, participating in advanced placement courses in school. Physically, he was also gifted as he participated in baseball and his signature sport, skateboarding. Hawk was so good at skateboarding that at the age of fourteen he became a professional. He would go on from there by winning the title of National Skateboard Association world champion for a whole twelve years in a row. In 1999 Hawk was able to perform a trick that many professional skateboarders could only dream of. He managed to land a successful 900 degree rotation in the air. This was a moment Hawk would often point to as the pinnacle of his career.
In the year of 2009, President Obama even invited him to the White House to make him the first ever person to have permission to skateboard on White House grounds. He now owns the skateboard company, Birdhouse, and is the founder of the Tony Hawk Foundation which constructs skate parks in underprivileged areas. He also saw major success with his skateboarding video game series that also bears his name. The picture is a valuable insight into the first years of a current legend’s career.
Kurt Cobain mugshot, taken when he was 19 years old.
This is a mugshot photograph of the legendary musician Kurt Cobain. Cobain was the singer, guitarist, and song writer for the band Nirvana.
Taken in 1986, the picture shows a bit about Cobain that most don’t know about, his criminal record. Born in 1967, Cobain grew up with a rather checkered childhood seeing music as a way to escape his problems. After his parents divorced he became especially withdrawn into the music he dwelled in. Eventually he would come to put this love of music to good use as he formed the band Nirvana in the late 80’s. Their style of music now called “grunge” was very popular with young people who felt the same way Cobain did about the painful state of the world. Eventually, this group of young people who called themselves “Generation X.” would come to rally behind Cobain as their spokesperson. Cobain would go on to marry fellow musician Courtney Love.
The picture was taken after his first arrest in the town of Aberdeen, Washington where he grew up. Reports say he was arrested for graffitying nonsense on the sides of buildings. Later he would be arrested for trespassing on the roof of a warehouse. Unfortunately this wouldn’t be the end of his criminal behavior. With the start of his career, he became addicted to heroin, an addiction that would nearly cost him his life. The singer tragically ended his own life in 1994 at the height of his popularity. To this day, he acts as a symbol for those who feel hurt by the world, especially for young people.
R2-D2 & C-3PO Behind The Scenes
R2D2 and C3PO actors riding around in between filming.
This iconic photo is of two of the most fan favorite characters to ever grace the big screen, but most viewers won’t recognize them out of costume.
The driver of the motorcycle is Kenny Baker and his passenger is Anthony Daniels. They are, respectively R2-D2 and C-3PO, the lovable and sometimes quirky droid pair in the Star Wars Universe.
This picture, shot in black and white shows the famous duo in a rare out of costume moment together. The actors have famously (or infamously) not gotten along, and are the only two actors to have appeared in all 7 Star Wars films to date.
From our research, this is a publicity photo for the original 1978 film Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, which attempts to show the two in a bit of off screen fun, with Baker piloting a miniature motorcycle with Daniels as his passenger, standing on the back pegs, and pointing to something in the distance over Baker’s head.
Baker’s grin appears strained in the photo, as if it is a physical exertion to smile, while Anthony Daniels’ face appears to have no emotion whatsoever.
Elvis In The Army
This photograph is a rare view of one of America’s most influential musicians, Elvis Presley. 
Above he is pictured in his serviceman’s uniform as he does his part to protect the interests of his nation. While most are familiar with his legendary career in rock and roll music, it is not widely known that the musician/superstar also served in the military. For nearly four years he had been the center of the attention of the musical scene with such hits as “Love Me Tender,” and “Heartbreak Hotel.” However, when the draft for able-bodied young men to serve in the army came about in 1958, Presley was selected for duty.
Being a musician and an entertainer of the era, it was very possible for the young Elvis to apply to Special Services and be permitted to simply travel around performing for the soldiers, he chose to decline this special privilege in order to serve as any other soldier. Joining the 3rd Armored Division, he was shipped out to the then divided nation of Germany.
Living in the western half, it was the duty of him and the rest of his division to keep the peace during the ever-intensifying Cold War of the era. His service didn’t prevent him from following his passion, though, Elvis still managed to continue recording in Germany.
It was actually while he was in service that he met his future wife, Priscilla Beaulieu. The two were introduced by a mutual friend in West Germany and spent nearly every moment of free time together. By the end of his service, Elvis Presley had been promoted to the rank of Sergeant and had gained an enormous amount of respect from both his peers in the Army and the nation which he served.
Marilyn Monroe Meeting the Queen.
Here we have an iconic history photo that was taken of famous actress Marilyn Monroe as she was given the honor of meeting Queen Elizabeth II of England. The picture was taken in 1956 at the English premiere of the film The Battle of River Plate.
Although Monroe wasn’t actually in the movie, she made an appearance at the premier to meet some of England’s most important figures. The viewing took place in Leicester Square, a small section of the western side of London. It would appear that the man who is accompanying Monroe is her husband at the time, the famous play write, Arthur Miller. Monroe and Miller met at a premiere and hit it off. Marilyn was quickly rising to stardom at the time, and Arthur had already reached it. After not knowing each other for much time at all, they decided to get married. The pair were wed just a few months before they met the queen.
Unfortunately, their relationship would face severe strain because of Miller being accused of being a Communist and Monroe’s excessive drug use. Monroe also found writings by her husband that revealed he was worried that Marilyn was just going to freeload off of him. It would also go on to say that he didn’t love Marilyn, he just wanted children. From here the couple’s marriage would spiral out of control, culminating in a divorce after five years of domestic life. The picture captures a happy moment in an unhappy union and it also is an interesting glimpse at a meeting of two of the 20th century’s most iconic women.
Charlie Chaplin on Wall Street.
Above is a picture of comedian Charlie Chaplin in the year 1918 as he stands in front of an enormous multitude of people on Wall Street in New York City. He is being held up by the famous director of the era, Douglas Fairbanks in an attempt to let the entire crowd see him.
The two showed up here on this day in an effort to promote Liberty Bonds to the various higher-ups and brokers of the economic center. Chaplin, one of the most notable comedians of the early 1900’s, was a star of black and white films, both with and without sound. He is often accredited with the popularization of films because of how universally loved his comedies were. Movies such as, “The Gold Rush,” “The Great Dictator,” and “A King in New York,” were some of his most beloved works and what landed him in the public eye.
Fairbanks was a director of some of America’s first movies. Mostly working in silent films, Fairbanks was considered a master of displaying characterization before dialogue could even be achieved on screen. A good majority of his movies were tales of rogues and swashbucklers, such as, “The Three Musketeers (1921),” and “The Mark of Zorro.” Although the pair would never directly work together on a film, they did start a film company together in the form of United Artists. Chaplin and Fairbanks were good friends throughout life and decided together that they should use their combined popularities for good purpose and so they toured the country selling Liberty Bonds to support the country during WWI. As seen in the picture, the tour was immensely successful, garnering considerable support from patriotic movie fans.
Walt Disney’s First Studio
The picture above shows the humble beginnings of one of the most influential men in the history of cinema, Walt Disney. Here, Walt and his brother Roy are posing outside of their first animation studio.
The photograph was taken in Los Angeles in 1923, back when Disney animation was getting started as Disney Brothers Cartoon Studios. This first studio was nothing much, merely the back room of a realty company’s office, but with the eventual success of the pair’s films and characters. In 1928 they would move into a larger abode to house their studio and would shorten the name of their enterprise to just Disney Studios. In later years, Disney would break ground by producing the first ever animated feature film when they created Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Continuous success with films like Fantasia then solidified the Disney brothers’ place in film at the time.
While the two were making film after film, Walt began to focus on his more personal dreams. He decided he wanted to build a theme park that would be safe and fun for the whole family. This would eventually become the world famous Disney World. He also began work on projects he had hoped would improve urban living for America. EPCOT and the Community of Tomorrow would come as the final fruits of Walt Disney’s imagination as he would pass away in 1966. Roy would go on to rename the company Walt Disney Studios in memory of his brother. The entertainment empire was created by these men in a tiny little back studio. They embody the American Dream and this photograph makes the humble beginning of their legend apparent.
John Lennon’s Glasses
Here we have a somber photo of the glasses John Lennon wore when he was murdered, with the city of New York in the background. Lennon started his career in music when he became singer/songwriter/guitarist for The Beatles in 1956 when he and Paul McCartney began writing music together.
The pair would go on to find the other members and truly begin the band. Lennon is often considered the front man of the band as he was so involved in the music process and press events. The group went on to be highly successful, but after meeting a woman named Yoko Ono, Lennon’s life would forever become changed. Despite the fact that he was married, Lennon fell in love with Ono and divorced his wife to marry her. At her request, he also quit The Beatles and the pair instead focused on making music together. They also became very politically active, promoting peace and an end to wars in the world.
They eventually settled down in New York City but continued their music making. Unfortunately, despite his life dedicated to peace, Lennon would die as the result of violence. On December 8th 1980, while John and Yoko were making their way back to their apartment, a crazed Beatles fan approached John and shot him seven times. No motive was discovered, but it is suspected the man was unhinged. The glasses in the picture are the ones Lennon was wearing when he was shot down, overlooking the city where he passed. Because of his life and death, John Lennon is remembered as a symbol of peace and is considered one of the most prolific stars in rock and roll history.
Bridgette Bardot – The Birdcage
A photograph of a young Brigitte Bardot next to an empty birdcage.
Above is a photograph from the history of international films. This is Brigitte Bardot, one of France’s most famous movie stars, in her younger years. It is estimated this photo was taken in her late teens before her rise to fame, but the exact time and place of this picture are currently unknown.
Bardot was born in Paris in 1934. Throughout her early life, she studied dance, especially ballet. She made her film debut in the year 1952, at only eighteen years of age, by appearing in the movie, Crazy for Love. At this point in time, Bardot would go on to act in an entire seventeen films just from 1952 to 1956 with only one of them gaining much exposure for her career. It was a movie called And God Created Woman at the end of this period that brought her into the limelight and cemented her as one of the world’s favorite international movie stars.
Bardot quickly became America’s favorite French actress because of her bewitching looks and impressive acting skills. She put this publicity to good use as in 1973, she decided to work towards helping promoting the rights of animals. Living life as an animal lover, she saw the poor treatment of animals in the world back then and felt she should do something to help. Continuously she would attend fundraisers and meetings to promote her agenda. She has also been politically active against such groups as she has branded harmful to animal rights. To this very day she is continuing her battle and shows no signs of slowing.
The Blues Brothers
Here is another iconic photo, this one from the 1980 American Film, The Blues Brothers.
It features John Belushi (right) and Dan Aykroyd (left). Belushi and Aykroyd played Jake and Elwood Blues respectively in the now cult classic, which was originally developed from a Saturday Night Live skit.
Both “brothers” are seen wearing their distinctive black suits, white shirts and black “skinny” ties, along with matching fedora hats, and similar but distinctive dark sunglasses. The sunglasses worn by both actors are the iconic Ray-Ban Wayfarer style, with Aykroyd displaying a traditional black frame and lenses, and Belushi’s sunglasses sporting a tortoiseshell finish and dark lenses. The popularity of this film, and its subsequent cult following have helped to give this particular Ray-Ban frame somewhat of a cult following itself.
The film this picture is taken from was the last of three films that Belushi and Aykroyd would make together, the other two being 1941 and Neighbors.. The duo also performed together on Saturday Night Live together.
The Beatles In India
This picture was taken in February 1968, when the Beatles visited India along with their wives. The Beatles travelled to Rishikesh to attend a Transcendental Meditation training session at the ashram of Maharishi Mahesh yogi. The Beatles first met the Maharishi in August 1967, and they kept in contact with him and made necessary arrangements to attend training at his teaching centre located near Rishikesh in “the valley of saints” at the foothills of Himalayas.
John Lennon, Paul Mccartney and George Harrison wrote many songs during their time spent in India and Ringo Starr finished writing his first song while there. Eighteen of these songs were recorded for the Beatles on “The White Album”, two songs also appeared on the “Abbey Road” album, and other songs were used in various solo projects.
The Maharishi arranged a simple lifestyle for the guests which included stone cottages and vegetarian meals. Their days were devoted to meditation and attending lectures by the Maharishi. The Maharishi also gave private lessons to individual Beatles. The trip to India was the last time all four Beatles travelled abroad together. The Beatles came to India for enlightenment and peace and they left with a collection of memorable songs.