Without people, where would the cars be? No, Radiator Springs doesn't count ;)
While not responsible designing or building cars, two persons prominently featured in this photo were very much connected to our favorite 4-wheeled device - at least when this picture was taken. One was on the way up in the world, not long after proclaiming they were likely to die (but lived to enjoy old age), and the other was about to take a long tumble from prominence to ignominy.
For the point, please identify the venue, the year. For 1 additional point, identify the two people about whom I've hinted, above.
Be sure to answer all parts of the question, if you'd like the point.
Only complete answers will earn a point
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It looks like late thirties, early forties. I'm not so sure about the car in the back.
So #1937-1943, Germany?
Quote from: Ray B. on September 21, 2011, 03:44:58 AM
It looks like late thirties, early forties. I'm not so sure about the car in the back.
So #1937-1943, Germany?
Right era, wrong place.
Italy? Those hats still look european to me...
Quote from: Ray B. on September 21, 2011, 04:23:25 AM
Italy? Those hats still look european to me...
No, not European
All right. the old U.S. of A.
"Ignominy" and those hats made me want to link this to WWII, I don't know why.
Quote from: Ray B. on September 21, 2011, 05:04:43 AM
All right. the old U.S. of A.
"Ignominy" and those hats made me want to link this to WWII, I don't know why.
Yes, in the US
Quote from: Ray B. on September 21, 2011, 05:04:43 AM
"Ignominy" and those hats made me want to link this to WWII, I don't know why.
World War II had indeed begun when this picture was taken, but the US had not yet declared war as part of the conflict.
Is Betty Hutton in the picture?
No sir.
One again, a clue to her identity is right here on this page. :D
Is this an opening of an auto show in 1940?
It is, but not in 1940
1939?
Yes - 1939
Is the car in the background a Fomoco product?
Quote from: Ray B. on September 26, 2011, 08:58:29 AM
Is the car in the background a Fomoco product?
I don't know, but it certainly could be
A one-off autoshow or a regular (previously there were similar events)?
Is the painting or photograph behind them a relevant clue?
1939 World's Fair?
Quote from: pnegyesi on September 26, 2011, 10:24:13 PM
A one-off autoshow or a regular (previously there were similar events)?
One in a long series of events
Quote from: Ray B. on September 27, 2011, 04:22:06 AM
Is the painting or photograph behind them a relevant clue?
It is probably auto-related. Beyond that, I don't know.
1939 New York Auto Show?
Chicago Auto Show?
A little East, and slightly North ;)
Detroit 1939
Quote from: pnegyesi on September 27, 2011, 11:05:53 AM
Detroit 1939
That was some right fancy detective work - well solved!
Patricia Mary Donnelly, Miss America 1939, a Detroit area native, was perhaps a natural for this ribbon cutting ceremony at the 1939 Detroit Auto Show, held in November of that year. Patricia Mary Donnelly sang in a "double trio" in grade school. She also sang on the radio, worked as a runway and floor model with J.L. Hudson and sang with a band right after high school. On a dare, she entered a pageant at Jefferson Beach and was crowned "Miss Michigan".
In events that featured famed film star Buddy Rogers and crooner Rudy Vallee, Pat didn't give herself much chance of winning in Atlantic City. Taking this all in good stride, Pat decided to take a swim in her only bathing suit on Saturday afternoon, only to find out that evening that she had made the finals. In a charming twist, another contestant loaned Pat her swimsuit to compete in.
For her talent presentation, Pat sang the ballad "To You" and then switched to a more upbeat number with "Old Man Mose" where in the second chorus she picked up the bass fiddle to end her routine. "I didn't really "play" it", Pat insists, "I slapped it!"
Standing among the final five that evening, Pat and the other finalists were called to speak with the judges in the judge's box. Their question to the contestants was, "What would you do if you became Miss America?" Pat waited until last to give her response as her peers told of what they'd do upon receiving the title. When they got to Pat, she said, "I'd drop dead!"
Reading was Detroit's mayor at the time but not much longer. Reading was for a time a semi-pro wrestler. He later worked variously as a printer, a newspaper executive, and a real estate dealer before entering public life. Reading was appointed City Assessor in 1921, moved to City Controller in 1924, and was elected City Clerk in 1926. He stayed in the office of clerk until 1939, when he ran for mayor, ultimately defeating Patrick H. O'Brien by nearly two-to-one. However, once in the office, Reading engaged in graft, selling protection to numbers racketeers and promotions to police officers. This corruption was exposed as the campaign for the next mayoral election was gearing up, and Reading was crushed by Edward Jeffries.
Shortly after leaving office, Reading was indicted on charges of accepting bribes and conspiring to protect Detroit's gambling rackets, and was sentenced to prison.
Here's a photo from the outside of the event.
If I can see what Otto's sentence meant "One was on the way up in the world, not long after proclaiming they were likely to die (but lived to enjoy old age), and the other was about to take a long tumble from prominence to ignominy.", and I recognized Miss America 1939, Richard Reading doesn't seem to be the man on the right, who has hair on the top of his head. So, the guy in the back?
Yep - I'd say it's the bald guy to her right, and behind.