Photographer: Michael Abramson

Between 1975 and 1977, Michael Abramson hit Chicago’s South Side night clubs – Perv’s House, Pepper’s Hideout, The High Chaparral, The Patio Lounge, and The Showcase Lounge, not to capture the artists on stage, but to shoot the lively, mostly black, mostly youngish crowd. These were inner city, working mans clubs. Dancin’, drinkin’ and fightin’ was the weekend norm, and then back to work on Monday. These photos were first published in Abramsom’s thesis Black Night Clubs of Chicago’s South Side. Many of these were later published in a photography book / 2 LP record set entitled Light on the South Side (2009), The collection of music featured on the LPs are blues songs by mostly Chicago recording artists, and reflect what was actually playing on the jukeboxes in these clubs at the time.

Design: Early Rock and Blues Tour Posters

All these come from about 1963-1966. It’s hard to believe that The Beatles even existed in the same time period  as, say, Howlin’ Wolf or Etta James, and that the Stones were ever second on a bill to Brian Poole and the Tremelos, or that the opener for The Monkees could have been The Jimi Hendrix Experiance. Design-wise, they are beautiful. Usually cheaply produced, hand silk screened on heavy paper with minimal colors and tons of fonts. They would be sent to venues with a blank portion, usually the top, were the club could include their own name, dates and cost (Jesus Christ man – Howlin Wolf and Muddy Waters for $4.00).

 

A Good Story: Whatever Happened to Sean Flynn

Sean Leslie Flynn (born May 31, 1941; disappeared April 6, 1970, age 28; declared legally dead in 1984)  Sean was the only child from the marriage of early Hollywoods’ biggest star Errol Flynn and French actress Lili Damita. Sean tried acting like his famous parents, appearing  at the age of 15 in an episode of his Dad’s TV show – The Errol Flynn Theater. Acting never really stuck for Sean, though he’d do it off and on over the years whenever he was broke. Adventure was the life for Errol’s boy – leaving the US to become a Safari guide and then a game warden in Kenya. Flynn also tried his hand as a singer; recording two songs 1961. The songs were released regionally as a 45rpm single, “Stay in My Heart” b/w “Secret Love” – an exceptionally rare collectors item.

Sean finally found his calling, traveling to Vietnam in 1966 as a photojournalist for Paris-Match and later Time-Life. His photos were soon published around the world. He made a name for himself as one of that group of high-risk photojournalists who would do anything to get the best pictures, even going into combat.

On April 6, 1970, while traveling in Cambodia, Flynn and Dana Stone (on assignment for Time magazine and CBS News) were captured by communist guerrillas at a roadblock on Highway One. They were never heard from again and their remains have never been found. Although it is known that they were captured by Vietnamese Communists, it has been suggested that they died in the hands of “hostile” forces. There was suggestions of sightings for years, but the logical and accepted story was that he was killed by the Cambodian Khmer Rouge about a year after his capture.

Lili Damita spent all her time and money searching for her son, finally giving up in 1984, having him legally declared dead. In 2010 a mass grave of western bodies was found near were Sean went missing. Seans’ body was not among them

Sean Flynn – Vietnam 1969

Son of Captain Blood – 1962-63

Errol Flynn 1938

Lili Damita

Mom and Dad

Sean and Errol, Las Vegas

Sean and Errol

Unlikely Pop Star

Sean’s Movie Posters

1966, Duc Phong, Vietnam

Sean and Company

Around 1966

Sean and Dana, Chi-Phou. The last ride, 1970

The last photo of Sean Flynn

Bumper Sticker

Sean’s apartment in Paris was left untouched for over 20 years, finally being opened after his mother’s death in 1994 (she didn’t want to change anything should he come home). When it was finally opened all sean’s possessions were perfectly in place, just as he’d left them.

Seans apartment 1990

Apartment part 2

Sean Flynn

Design: Back to School Ads

Well it’s that time again for some of us, or our families – so get ready. Have your mom buy those new school supplies, get a cool pair of Buster Browns, a nice pair of slacks, a fall jacket, socks and underwear and a carton of sweet Chesterfield Kings….hey, wait a minute – what?

Design: Vintage Travel Posters – Italy

Apparently there were once people called travel agents, and the idea of traveling to another country by plane or ship was a romantic, exciting adventure – one you’d dress up for. As there was no internet in the 40’s and 50’s (really) people’s perceptions of foreign countries were what they may have read, some weird travelogue they’d seen at the movies or these posters. This was a new era when travel by air was becoming available to almost anyone. Great care went into these, even though they were considered to be simple throwaway advertising. Beautiful illustrations, great design and printed as stone lithographs – some real time went into their creation. The below are all for Italy, some printed for the European market, some for the American, all beautiful.

The Art of Packaging: Studebaker

Studebaker – Founded in 1852 under the name of the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company, the company was originally a producer of wagons for farmers, miners, and the military.

Studebaker entered the automotive business in 1902 with electric vehicles and in 1904 with gasoline vehicles, all sold under the name “Studebaker Automobile Company”. Over the next 50 years, the company established an enviable reputation for quality, reliability and unique design. The South Bend plant ceased production on December 20, 1963, and the last Studebaker automobile rolled off the Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, assembly line on March 16, 1966.

Below are advertisements and production photos for many of the Studebaker models, starting in 1950 and ending with the 1963, Raymond Loewy designed Avanti. Beautiful cars, beautiful ads.