Do You Know the Story behind These Iconic Photos?
They say a picture is worth a million words, but do you know the actual words behind some of these famous photos?
Queen Elizabeth during Her WWII Service: February, 1945
After months of begging her father, he finally let his heir Elizabeth, then an 18-year-old princess join the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service during World War II.
Known as Second Subaltern Elizabeth Windsor, she donned a pair of coveralls and trained in London as a mechanic and military truck driver. The queen remains the only female member of the royal family to have entered the armed forces and is the only living head of state who served in World War II. Source
The Kissing Sailor: August 14, 1945
While many people have claimed to be a part of the kissing duo over the years, the actual stars of this iconic photo are George Mendonsa and Greta Friedman, who despite rumors, was not a nurse.
Mendonsa and Friedman had never met prior to this kiss. Mendonsa, who was actually engaged at this time, traveled to New York City's Times Square with his fiancèe to hear if news of the war's ending was true.
As Friedman says in this interview, "It wasn't that much of a kiss. It was more of a jubilant act that he didn't have to go back (to war)." Source.
Weeping for FDR: April 13, 1954
This photo captures an openly weeping Chief Petty Officer (USN) Graham W. Jackson playing "Goin' Home" on his accordion while FDR's flag-draped casket leaves Warm Springs, Arkansas on April 13, 1945. This photo, taken by Ed Clark, has come to not only symbolize the nation's grief, but also black America's acknowledgement of Roosevelt's efforts on behalf of civil rights.
Key figures in the Civil Rights movement, Roosevelt and his wife Eleanor, who is remembered as being a progressive and active first lady, spent most of their political capital pushing for policies and programs that, while viewed as controversial at their time, today form the bedrock of America's social contract.
One such policy is Executive Order 8802, which FDR signed in June 1941. It was the first federal action designed to prohibit employment discrimination in the United States. Source.
Audrey Hepburn Shopping with Her Pet Deer, Ip: Beverly Hills, CA, 1958
In 1958, Audrey was shooting the movie Green Mansions. In the film, Audrey plays Rima, a girl living in the Venezuelan jungle, who is very connected with nature and has fawns following her everywhere.
In real life, this fawn was named Pippin and the trainer suggested that Audrey take her home so the two of them could get more comfortable together. The actress nicknamed the fawn "lp" and began taking care of her and even feeding her with a baby bottle. Soon the 3-foot-high pet was followed Audrey everywhere. Here they are photoed in 1958 at a Beverley Hills grocery store. Source.
Robin Williams as "Mork" Was Denver Broncos' First Male Cheerleader: 1979
The late Robin Williams joined the Pony Express cheerleading squad during an actual Broncos-Patriots game while in character as "Mork" for an episode of "Mork & Mindy" in November of 1979.
He donned a white sequined mini-skirt, go-go boots and an orange neckerchief, then pranced in front of a crowd that the Denver Post pegs at around 74,000 people. In doing so, Williams became the first male Broncos cheerleader in history. Source.
Muhammad Ali Talking Someone out of Jumping: LA, 1981
This is a photo captured in Los Angeles on January 20, 1981 when Muhammad Ali talked a 21 year old man out of jumping off a building.
You can watch the news cast here, which states that Ali told the young man, "I'm your brother, I want to help you." Source