Found this while poking through the file cabinets in the library:
You may say: so? Well: it's a promotional still from "Roman Scandals," a movie released in 1933. (I've seen it, too. Not that hot, although it has a Busby Berkeley number with a very young, and extremely blonde, Lucille Ball.) When I come across things like this I'm reminded how deep our archives are, how far back they go; the tireless employees have digitized much, but there's only so much they can do. Don't know what we have unless you know what you're looking for.
So how about helping out? Send me the name of an old obscure person, a long-forgotten movie star, a politician, and I'll see what I can find. Everyone who had a half-second of fame walked in front of a camera somewhere, and chances are the picture has been undisturbed for decades. The other day, for example, I found this guy:
Not who you think. But close. Famous mostly for being the son of the guy with the sleepy eyes who just didn't care. Anyway: send your requests to jlileks@startribune.com, and I'll see what I can do.
