Beauty Contest - Venice Beach, CA
We're right in the thick of Summer, and I thought it would be fun to look at some photos from Venice, California, from sometime in the 1950s (I would guess roughly 1955) - a beauty/swimsuit contest! You can practically feel the sunshine, hear the nearby ocean, and smell the Sea and Ski.
Look at that crowd! This was quite a popular event; and I can see why. There were many fabulous beauties, such as this lovely lass. I noticed the words "Joey Baker: Real Estate" on the building to the left, and discovered that Joey Baker was "a pioneer in Venice Real Estate for over 50 years". He passed away in 2013.
The first one is my favorite. No, wait, THIS one is my favorite! I wonder if any of these young ladies went on to fame and fortune?
In searching Google to try to figure out the exact spot where this event took place, I found that distinctive brick building in the distance, I'm pretty sure it's the same building as seen (partly obscured now) in the newer view. This is the famous Muscle Beach part of Venice, named after Sir Albert Muscle.
Seriously, how can you choose a winner? They are all winners in my book.
As Shaggy from "Scooby Doo, Where Are You?" might say, ZOIKS.
One could argue that this cutie in pink is the classic "California Girl", but it's not nice to argue. There is a woman playing piano accompaniment, what song would be appropriate? To the left, an officer of the law and a military man keep everyone safe.
Well well well, we know who won. I tried to figure out what year Venice Beach had a Surf Festival that went from July 10th through to August 14th, but had no luck.
I hope you have enjoyed this vintage beauty contest!
9 comments:
Major-
Hubba... hubba-! (But where are the two piece bathing suits-? Too risqué for the 1950's-?) As far as a music selection is concerned - "The Stripper" always works for me.
Thanks, Major.
Leave it to Major to post such UPLIFTING ( ahem..) photos ….
Major, I'm gonna nudge the time of these photos ahead a couple of years and say 1962. No reason, really. They just have that 'look'.
The "Zoiks" gal (in white) is really workin' that pose! And the guy in the black shirt with charcoal gray slacks looks particularly eager to get a picture of that pose. (Major, the full-size image isn't showing up.)
Maybe Piano Lady is playing "A Pretty Girl is like a Melody"? Or maybe some nice church music; "Rock of Ages" perhaps. ;-p
I think they picked the right one; the "classic California Girl".
This definitely fits into the "anything goes" Saturday category. Thanks, Major. (Hey, maybe Piano Lady is playing "Anything Goes"?
Maybe that pianist was playing "Muscle Beach Party and maybe Annette Funicello came out and sang it......"Flex your muscles for kicks now, now, now!" But I guess that isn't possible since that song (and movie) didn't come out until 1964.
It's funny that they had to have directional arrows painted on the stage. How hard is it to remember to walk down the runway, turn right at the end, step up on the box, pose, step off of the box, turn around and walk back up the runway?
Thanks, Major! Don't forget to "take your vitamin pill, now!"
Beauty contests...as American as apple pie...but now I think they've become a bit like wearing a fur coat...they are beautiful, but hhmmmmmmm....lots to unpack there. The girls had their show, and the boys did too: both in Venice. I'm not sure this Venice is what Abbott Kinney had in mind when Venice was developed in the early 20th century...the actual "idea" of Venice was wonderful...and there are still some original architectural "artifacts" intact: albeit very few. If you take a virtual walk through this part of Venice on the map site of your choice, you will see that Venice has changed...considerably...but still home to a bohemian culture...and super expensive real estate of course. You wouldn't know that by walking Ocean Front Walk...and it seems this would be the epitomization of what Walt did not want in his Magic Kingdom miles away in Anaheim. Disney DID have a semblance of bathing beauties in my time. At the Queen Mary we did a bathing beauty show with vintage cars and bathing suits from Cole...from 1939. I will say it was really well done, albeit for a very short period of time. In Disneyland, for the State Fair promotion a "Miss" from many different states and places were part of the festivities...however in more respectable wardrobe than just a bathing suit. They wore their crowns. In any case, this part of California is what brought hundreds of thousands of people West....and who could blame them. Sunshine and healthy happy looking lads and lasses. Surfing at Venice is kind of "meh"...perhaps back then the waves were bigger...good for those who are just starting...go further up or further down the coast for a better "ride". Venice: home to bathing beauties and Rydell High. Thanks Major for the trip to the seaside this morning.
ZOIKS! (Eyeballs pop out while alarm bells and sirens go off in Tex Avery fashion) Ava Gardner in a white suit.
Brilliant find, Major. With sights like these, it’s no wonder the police AND the military were there to prevent the wolves from rushing the stage. I think you nailed the before-and-after views.
Happy for the young lady in pink, everyone loves a winner.
JG
Nanook, I’m trying to imagine “The Stripper” played on an upright piano! With the crowd they attracted, I’m surprised they didn’t have a small brass band.
Mike Cozart, D’OH!
JB, hey, these could be from 1962, but to me they have a very 50s feel. Who knows. This contest looks fun, but I can’t help feeling bad for the “losers”, who were fabulous beauties, each and every one of them. I truly don’t know how a winner could be chosen. “Rock of Ages”, hmmm! “Chopsticks” is a good one! The gal who won is a cutie without a doubt.
TokyoMagic!, ha ha, if this was 1955-ish, Annette would have been around 13 years old! I used to see those old Beach Party movies on TV when I was a kid, but it has been decades now. I know what you mean about the arrows on the walkway, but I could see getting flustered up in front of hundreds (thousands?) of people!
Bu, yeah, there has always been something kind of icky about beauty contests. The “Miss America” and “Miss Universe” contests used to be big deals, actually televised, and you don’t even hear about them anymore. The Bohemian culture you mentioned is exactly why an event like this would have been just the thing for a California beach. Maybe a few great abstract artists were in the crowd; Ed Ruscha, Robert Graham? I have no spent a lot of time in Venice, mostly passing through, though I find the parts of Ocean Front Walk to be weird enough to be kind of fascinating. Henna tattoos! Religious whackos! Hip-hop dancers! Panhandlers! Weed! Disneyland has none of those, and it suffers by comparison (ha ha). I sort of like that these photos are from the days of the one-piece suits, it makes them more “vintage”, and my gosh, all the ladies look amazing.
JG, yeah, these were a lucky find, and I was extra-glad to discover that they were not from Daytona Beach or wherever. Tex Avery would definitely be proud. If you look on Google Image Search, they did similar beauty contests for years, it’s interesting to see how the “look” of the women changes.
In light of Brian Wilson's passing, I have to sing "I wish they could all be California girls!" But I'm also thinking this contest did not include any interviews or Q&A with the judges. Or maybe the judging was simply by audience applause. Hubba hubba! KS
@ JB-
"I'm gonna nudge the time of these photos ahead a couple of years and say 1962".
Nah... the clothing styles fail to indicate [even] the early 1960's. And besides, the 48 star flag in the 5th image kinda bursts that bubble.
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