(Author’s note: I’m currently shopping my historical fiction novel set in 1965. From time to time I’ll share some historical stories from that time so you can get a flavor for the period.)
Julie Andrews appeared on the cover of Life Magazine to celebrate the premiere of her new movie, The Sound of Music. Critics called it “one of those rare movies you can see with your family without being embarrassed”. The movie would go on to run in theaters for 4 ½ years. As popular as the movie became, I bet producers never dreamed it would become a Christmas Day tradition.
While Julie is on the cover, the largest article in the magazine is dedicated to Donald Dawson’s search for his brother, Danny, who went missing in action in Vietnam. This was the first time I’d heard of this story, which was heartbreaking. After his brother’s plane was shot down, Donald Dawson flew to Vietnam against the wishes of the United States, hoping to learn what happened. The trip nearly bankrupted him. He left his wife and kids behind with less than $30 in the bank. Life Magazine followed him as he traveled from village to village offering a reward for information. He would even illegally cross into Vietcong territory. A few weeks after the pictorial ran, Donald was captured by the Vietcong and spent close to 6 months as a prisoner of war. While there, he learned from a guard that his brother had been shot and killed. However, he wasn’t allowed to see the grave and was unable to bring his brother home.
Elsewhere in the magazine, Aspen complained about the surfer-turned-ski bums who invaded the town every winter, and Australian swimmer Dawn Frasier was suspended for misconduct during the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo. Her crimes: disobeying orders to march in the Opening Ceremony (the swim team was prohibited from participating because they were scheduled to compete the next day), not wearing the official team swimsuit, and stealing the Olympic flag outside Emperor Hirohito’s house.
And hey! How about a mattress for $79.50?
