Icons of the 20th Century - LIFE

Like Seeing Old Friends: Images From the ’90s Golden Globes

Bill Syken — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 17:44:50 +0000

Looking at red carpet photos of years past is a surefire way to trigger memories. Those memories can be as small as remembering the way an actress wore her hair, or as deep as recalling the days when stars who who are longer with us were young and healthy.

Looking at this photo gallery of images from the Golden Globe Awards in the 1990s might trigger such memories as:

—When the TV show Melrose Place, starring Heather Locklear, was America’s guilty pleasure.

—When Seinfeld was America’s top comedy—and in one episode Jerry lied about watching Melrose Place.

—When Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman were married. And how Kidman, who towers over Cruise in our photo, commented about being able to wear high heels again after the couple had divorced.

—Hugh Grant and Elizabeth Hurley in their dating years (and though the two are long separated they are reportedly still close friends).

—Speaking of old friends, we have Lisa Kudrow, Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox on the carpet as well. While often nominated, Friends took home only one Golden Globe (Aniston in 2003) and the beloved sitcom generally earned greater recognition at other awards shows.

—And seeing Christopher Reeve walking the red carpet in 1993 might conjure up all sorts of thoughts about the man who became a spinal cord injury advocate after a 1995 horse riding accident left him paralyzed. Reeve, who died in 2004, remains the embodiment of Superman for people of a certain age.

These stars all walked the red carpet at the Golden Globes because their performances made an impression on people, and those impressions remain. Which is as rare and meaningful as any award.

Actress Julia Roberts holding her Golden Globe Award for best actress in a musical or comedy for “Pretty Woman,” 1991.

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(L-R) Actors Jodie Foster, Al Pacino (holding his award for “Scent of a Woman”) and Patrick Swayze in the press room at the Golden Globe Awards, 1993

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Jerry Seinfeld and Julia Louis-Dreyfus holding their awards in Press Room at the 1994 Golden Globe Awards.

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Tom Cruise with Nicole Kidman at the 1995 Golden Globe Awards.

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Friends co-stars Lisa Kudrow, Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox at the 1996 Golden Globe Awards.

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Jason Priestley, star of “Beverly Hills 90210,” in the press room at the 1992 Golden Globe Awards.

Actor Val Kilmer at the Golden Globe Awards, 1994.

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Actor Brad Pitt holding his supporting actor award for his performance in “12 Monkeys” at the 1996 Golden Globes.

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Winona Ryder at the 1994 Golden Globes, where she won best supporting actress for her role in “The Age of Innocence.”

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Actress Helen Hunt at the Golden Globe Awards, 1994.

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Actress Heather Locklear at the 1996 Golden Globes.

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Actress Halle Berry in the press room at the 1997 Golden Globe Awards.

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Rupert Everett and Julia Roberts, co-stars in “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” at the 1998 Golden Globe Awards.

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Actors Gina Gershon and David Spade at a 2000 Golden Globe Awards party.

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Eddie Murphy and wife, Nicole Mitchell, at the 1997 Golden Globe Awards.

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Bruce Willis and Demi Moore at the 1997 Golden Globe Awards.

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Actors Hugh Grant and Elizabeth Hurley at a Golden Globe Awards pre-party, 2000.

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(L-R) Model Claudia Schiffer and actress Elizabeth Hurley at a party before the 2000 Golden Globe Awards.

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Tom Cruise at the 2000 Golden Globe Awards.

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Christopher Reeve and wife Dana at Golden Globe Awards, 1993

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The post Like Seeing Old Friends: Images From the ’90s Golden Globes appeared first on LIFE.

Meet Three-Time LIFE Cover Model Elsa Martinelli

Bill Syken — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 13:59:31 +0000

Elsa Martinelli had three things going for her. That was the analysis of LIFE magazine when she was introduced to readers on the cover of a 1957 issue as “a triple-threat Italian beauty.”

One of her chief assets was her was looks, wrote LIFE. Another was her flair for fashion. The third was her acting ability. And indeed in 1957 Martinelli was at the beginning of a long screen career in which she would play the female lead in the relatively minor works of some major movie stars, including Robert Mitchum, John Wayne and Kirk Douglas.

After her 1957 debut Martinelli was back on the cover in 1962 modeling “a toga to shed before going to bed,” and again in 1963 for a report on new fashions from Paris.

She also spent some time in front of a LIFE camera for a story that never ran in the magazine but produced some charming images. In 1964 photographer Carlo Bavagnoli followed Martinelli as she rode around Paris on a motorbike—it looks like a Honda CZ100, the first minibike sold to consumers. In her day Martinelli was often talked about as Italy’s answer to Audrey Hepburn, and the resemblance is prominent as she scoots about the City of Lights in a manner that calls to mind the playful spirit that Hepburn showed when she gadded about a different European capital in the cinema classic Roman Holiday.

Martinelli is of course smartly dressed in these photos and they also benefit from the flavor of Paris, especially when the Champs Elysées looms in the background.

Also included in this gallery are several shots of Martinelli by another LIFE photographer, Ralph Crane. These give a glimpse of what this cover model looked like in living color.

Elsa Martinelli rode a motorbike in Paris, 1964.

Carlo Bavagnoli/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock

Portrait of actress Elsa Martinelli, 1960.

Ralph Crane/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock

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Marilyn Monroe: Intrigue at the Gala

Bill Syken — Wed, 06 Aug 2025 19:53:32 +0000

In the 1950s the April in Paris Ball was one of the main events of the New York social season. The 1957 edition took place at the Waldorf Astoria hotel, and it attracted 1,300 guests who each paid $100—more than $1,100 in today’s dollars—to attend, with the money going to French and American charities. Women wore dresses specially designed for the event. The 1957 ball featured a reenactment of Marquis du Lafayette’s reception in New York in 1824—he was the last surviving general of the Revolutionary War—complete with two horses pulling a carriage through the hotel ballroom.

LIFE’s coverage focused on the spectacle, the charity and the famous guests, which included Marilyn Monroe and her husband of nearly a year at that point, playwright Arthur Miller (see photos of their wedding day here). John F. Kennedy, who was at that time a U.S. senator, also came to the gala, with wife Jackie. In hindsight Marilyn and JFK being in the same room is notable because the two reportedly had an affair when Kennedy was president.

But at the time of the ball Monroe’s presence stirred intrigue because the actress may have been an unwitting pawn in a high-society feud.

The organizer of the April in Paris Ball was Elsa Maxwell, who had a well-developed grudge with the Duchess of Windsor, another one of the attendees. As reported by the Times-Standard newspaper, Maxwell invited Monroe with the idea of upstaging the Duchess of Windsor, who was the honorary chair of the event and the supposed star of the evening. That star status apparently dimmed when Monroe showed up fashionably late and immediately became the center of attention. “More than 30 photographers abandoned the Duchess’ table in a body,” the newspaper reported. “They were followed at a pace only slightly more sedate by some of New York’s upper crust society dowagers, waving programs for autographs.”

Among those photographers with their lens on Monroe was LIFE’s Peter Stackpole, who captured the actress chatting and dancing with Miller and also talking to Winthop Aldrich, a banker who was coming off a four-year stint as ambassador the United Kingdom. Monroe looked both glamorous and delighted with her company.

While it is entirely unfair to read too much into a single still photo taken during an hours-long party, the one photo of Stackpole’s which included the Duchess of Windsor was not nearly as festive.

The April in Paris Ball continued as a major New York social event until its last edition in 1979. After that the American Friends of the Louvre picked up the mantle, staging its own April in Paris Ball and keeping the tradition alive.

During the 1957 April in Paris Ball held at the Waldorf Astoria, Lafayette’s visit to New York in 1824 was recreated with horse and buggy.

Peter Stackpole/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock

About 1,300 people attended the April in Paris Ball, which celebrated French-American relations and raised money for charity, New York City, 1957.

Peter Stackpole/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock

Marilyn Monroe and her husband, playwright Arthur Miller, shared a laugh at the April in Paris Ball at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City, 1957.

Peter Stackpole/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock

Marilyn Monroe with Winthrop Aldrich, a banker who had just completed a four-year term as U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom, during the April in Paris ball at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, 1957. At the far right is playwright Arthur Miller, who was Monroe’s husband.

Peter Stackpole/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock

Marilyn Monroe spoke with Winthrop Aldrich, a banker who had just completed a four-year term as U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom, during the April in Paris ball at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, 1957.

Peter Stackpole/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock

The head table at the April in Paris Ball, held at the Waldorf Astoria, included (from left) American socialite Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor, French Ambassador to the United States Herve Alphand, Chairman of the Ball Rosemary Warburton Gaynor, Edward VIII, Duke of Windsor, and Mrs George Baker, 1957.

Peter Stackpole/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock

Marilyn Monroe and her husband, playwright Arthur Miller, were centers of attention at the April in Paris Ball at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City, 1957.

Peter Stackpole/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock

Marilyn Monroe danced with her husband, playwright Arthur Miller, at the April in Paris Ball held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, New York City, 1957.

Peter Stackpole/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock

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There’s Cool, and Then There’s Keith

Bill Syken — Wed, 21 May 2025 15:51:30 +0000

In his wonderful 2010 autobiography Life—hey, nice title—Keith Richards wrote that “We age not by holding on to youth, but by letting ourselves grow and embracing whatever youthful parts remain.”

His philosophy seems to be working, because Keith Richards has moved through the decades with a spirit that remains remarkably untouched by time. He is first and foremost known as a member of The Rolling Stones and for his guitar work on classics such as Sympathy for the Devil. But the unapologetic and unrepentant way he has lived his life has come to be appreciated as its own work of art. It’s why the most popular photo of Richards in the LIFE print store shows him holding not a guitar but a bottle of whiskey.

This collection of performance and paparazzi shots from the 1980s and 1990s captures Richards showing his mastery on stage, and also living the life of a beloved rock star. Included are photos of the breathtaking all-star jam at the 1992 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, in which he shreds on classics such as All Along the Watchtower and Green Onions with the likes of Neil Young, Johnny Cash, Jimmy Page, Little Richard and The Edge, among others.

While offstage, Richards posed for photos with, among others, action star Tom Cruise, fellow rock legend Bruce Springsteen, and President of the United States Donald Trump. When you are as cool as Keith Richards is, everyone wants to be in the frame with you.

Keith Richards took center stage during the Rolling Stones’ ‘Voodoo Lounge’ tour, 1994.

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Rolling Stone band members Mick Jagger (left) and Keith Richards shared a laugh.

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Keith Richards and his father, 1983.

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Keith Richards outside New York’s Danceteria night club, 1980.

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Keith Richards.

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Keith Richards in concert.

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The Rolling Stones, with Bill Wyman, Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts, basked in the cheers.

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Bruce Springsteen and Keith Richards.

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Keith Richards

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Actor Tom Cruise (right) chatted with Keith Richards (right) and Ron Wood backstage before a Rolling Stones concert in Las Vegas.

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Keith Richards (right) with (left to right) The Edge, Carlos Santana and John Fogerty at the 1992 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

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Keith Richards, with (left to right) Neil Young, The Edge and Jimmy Page at the 1992 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

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Keith Richards with Johnny Cash, John Fogerty, Little Richard and others at the 1992 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

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Actress Elizabeth Hurley with rock musician Keith Richards and his wife, Patti Hansen, at the premiere of the 1999 film Mickey Blue Eyes, which Ms. Hurley co-produced.

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Keith Richards and wife Patti Hansen with Donald and Melania Trump.

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Madonna (and Friends) Striking Poses

Bill Syken — Mon, 12 May 2025 14:06:36 +0000

In the 1980s and 1990s, Madonna was such a big star that people started comparing her to Marilyn Monroe. Madonna had the hit songs, of course—such as Like a Prayer and Vogue, to name a couple. But as the reigning sex symbol of the MTV generation, she had a a cultural influence that went beyond her album sales.

This collection of photos from the height of her fame shows her on stage but also highlights the company she kept. Here she is pictured with, among others, Warren Beatty (her costar in the movie Dick Tracy and also a one-time flame), Sean Penn (her husband from 1985 to 1989), Rosanna Arquette (her costar in the movie Desperately Seeking Susan), Jellybean Benitez (the DJ who produced Madonna’s early music) and actors Joe Mantegna and Ron Silver (her costars in the 1988 Broadway production of David Mamet’s Speed-the-Plow).

This collection also includes a photo of Madonna with Michael Jackson, the rare pop star who could meet her on equal footing. The two attended the 1991 Academy Awards together, which led to breathless speculation that they might actually be a couple. Madonna later told VH1 that their Oscar night date came about in a casual way: “Michael was like, ‘Well, who are you going to go with? I looked at him and said, ‘I don’t know. You want to go?’ And he said, ‘Yeah, that’d be great.’” While their relationship seems to have been mostly friendly and professional, Madonna did say that they kissed at one point, with her playing the initiator.

But even if the reality is that there wasn’t all that much to their relationship—they never made any music together either, despite apparently discussing the possibility—it’s not hard to see why the mere idea of their union gripped the imagination. A relationship could have led to an American version of a royal wedding. Thus does the photo of these two icons attending the Academy Awards remain the best-selling image of Madonna in the LIFE print store.

It is one of many wonderful photos of Madonna in the LIFE archives, and here is a sampling of some favorites. Especially when she was on stage, she could strike a pose like there was nothing to it.

Madonna and Michael Jackson (left) arrived at the Shrine Civic Auditorium for the 63rd Annual Academy Awards ceremony, March 25, 1991.

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Madonna performed at the MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Hall in New York, 1984.

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Singer Madonna with record producer Jellybean Benitez at tge opening of the club Private Eyes, 1984.

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Madonna with Rosanna Arquette, the costar of her 1985 film “Desperately Seeking Susan.”

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Madonna with singer David Lee Roth in the mid 1980s.

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Madonna out for a run with a trainer, 1987.

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Madonna in concert, 1987.

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Madonna with actor Sean Penn, her husband from 1985 to 1989.

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Madonna in concert, 1987.

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Madonna with Ron Silver (left) and Joe Mantegna (right), her costars in the Broadway production of the David Mamet play Speed-the-Plow, 1988.

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Madonna in concert, 1988.

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Madonna performed in Los Angeles during her Blonde Ambition tour, 1990.

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Madonna in concert, 1990.

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Madonna with her boyfriend, model Tony Ward, at the premiere of the 1990 film Goodfellas at the Museum of Modern Art; Ward appeared in videos for the Madonna songs “Cherish” and “Justify My Love.”

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Madonna with Rosie O’Donnell, her costar in the 1992 movie A League of Their Own.

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Madonna performed at Madison Square Garden, 1993.

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Former flames Warren Beatty and Madonna at the nightspot Moomba for the premiere party of the 1997 motion picture Two Girls and a Guy.

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Bob Dylan and Madonna in the late 1990s.

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Madonna in concert, 1990.

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Twilight of an Idol: A Portrait of Mickey Mantle in Decline

Sun, 04 May 2025 16:54:00 +0000

The greater the athlete, the tougher it is to leave the arena. It was certainly the case for Yankees center fielder Mickey Mantle. A tremendous natural talent, Mantle became a dominant force on the diamond almost as soon as he joined the Yankees in 1951. He would go on to win three MVP awards and the 1956 Triple Crown, all the while making a name for himself with towering home runs. His purported 565-foot moonshot in 1953 gave birth to the phrase “tape-measure home run.” Mantle also delivered big when the stakes were highest, leading the Yankees to seven championships. To this day he still holds World Series records for career home runs (18), RBIs (40) and total bases (123).

While the young Mantle was electrifying, his career was plagued by injuries great and small until, by the time he was in his 30s, his legs were so thoroughly wrapped and bandaged on game days that he literally hobbled to the plate to hit. His heavy drinking also contributed to his physical decline. Mantle wrote in a 1994 story about his drinking habits in Sports Illustrated that he began to lean on alcohol during his second season in the majors, after his father died from Hodgkin’s disease.

The image by LIFE staff photographer John Dominis that is featured in this story was taken in 1965, when Mantle’s skills were clearly slipping. Mantle had just stumbled through a lousy at-bat, and he tossed his helmet in frustration. It is the kind of action shot you rarely see, and one that captures the anguish of a sports hero in decline. It is no surprise that this resonant photo is one of the top sellers in the LIFE print store.

Dominis’s photo ran with a story in LIFE magazine titled “Last Innings of Greatness.” The image was taken during a meaningless game midway through the team’s disappointing 1965 season (the Yankees finished below .500 for the first time in 40 years). The story began with with a description of Mantle’s helmet toss and then offered a quote from the fading star: “It isn’t any fun when things are like this,” Mantle told LIFE. “I’m only 33, but I feel like I’m 40.”

Despite his frustrations Mantle kept at it for three more years until 1968, when his batting average slipped to an anemic .237, and that was his last year in the game.

In 1995 Mantle died of liver cancer at age 63. On the occasion of his death, Richard Hoffer wrote an obituary in Sports Illustrated that attempted to explain the meaning of Mantle to those who witnessed his beautiful prime:

For generations of men, he’s the guy, has been the guy, will be the guy. And what does that mean exactly? A woman beseeches Mantle, who survived beyond his baseball career as a kind of corporate greeter, to make an appearance, to surprise her husband. Mantle materializes at some cocktail party, introductions are made, and the husband weeps in the presence of such fantasy made flesh. It means that, exactly.

Dominus’ photo captures the moment of the fantasy coming to an end for the man who was fortunate enough to live it.

Mickey Mantle tossed his batting helmet in disgust after a lousy at-bat, Yankee Stadium, 1965.

John Dominis/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock

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