#september 1952

[chicinsilk]

US Vogue September 15, 1952

Sunny Harnett wears an embroidered satin dress. By Hattie Carnegie. Sunny Harnett porte une robe en satin brodée. Par Hattie Carnegie.

hoto Irving Penn vogue archive

[theamericanpin-up]

Eddie Chan - September 1952 Esquire Magazine Calendar Illustration - American Pin-up Calendar Collection

[gameraboy2]

"September" by Eddie Chan for Esquire, January 1952

[spiritundaunted]

King George VI and Princess Margaret leaving the Theatre Royal on Drury Lane after the King took his family to see the musical South Pacific, January 30, 1952.

It's hard to believe the King only had about a week to live after this. He is looking so well here. Of course he was tired and frail, but he really did think he was getting better - he was pleased with his recovery from the lung operation he had on 23 September 1951. Under that gorgeous coat (isn't it marvelous!) he was wearing an electrically heated vest to ward off any chills that might cause a problem with his one remaining lung. (I think he liked these sort of "gizmos" - definitely a Bertie thing.)

But of course, his limited recovery was all an illusion, or a merciful reprieve at best. The King would pass away in his sleep on 6 February 1952.

Thinking about that operation today, as it is 23 September, seventy-three years to the day that Bertie went under anesthesia to have his left lung removed. It must of been quite harrowing and emotional for him. One of the attending doctors described him as being "significantly tearful" before going under. Perhaps he feared he would not wake up again. Or perhaps, the thought of what he faced after the surgery and simply the grief one feels at losing a part of oneself, just overwhelmed him in that moment.

But wake up he did! And to a certain extent, he did recover, from the surgery anyway. Obviously it didn't eliminate all his health problems.

The surgery was performed at Buckingham Palace, where a full surgical theater was set up.

Interestingly, the operating table that was used in the surgery was gifted to the Science Museum in 1984 from Westminster and Roehampton Hospital and has a small plaque commemorating the operation. Here it is on display at the museum in 2016.

Below is some insight on the preparations to operate on the King at Buckingham Palace. (The King wasn't opposed to having the surgery in a hospital; he said he had just "never heard of a King going to a hospital before." So it was decided it would take place at the Palace. The King, incidentally, had had two other surgeries that took place at Buckingham Palace: one in 1917 to remove a duodenal ulcer; and a more recent one in 1949 to relieve circulatory problems in his legs.)

In September 1951, Sarah Minter – then Senior Theatre Sister at Westminster Hospital – was about to go on holiday when Clement Price-Thomas (later Sir) a renowned Chest Surgeon came into her office. After carefully closing the door, he informed her that he had to perform a major chest operation on King George VI – and at the Palace’s insistence the operation would take place at Buckingham Palace. Sarah was tasked with coordinating the equipment and nursing team that would be needed for the operation. Cancelling her holiday, Sarah set to work. Absolute secrecy was essential. From sterilizing to lighting apparatus – Sarah selected what equipment she could from Westminster’s surgical theaters including the operating table, in order to create a replica theatre inside the Palace. Part of the challenge was to ensure enough of the right surgical equipment remained at the hospital so that operations could continue uninterrupted by what was happening at the Palace.  

Many, many professional hands helped the King through this very dramatic experience. They were all given honors of one sort or another.

At least Bertie did have some very nice days with his family at the very end of his life, doing what he enjoyed most. The plucky king, whose life always seemed to be marked by personal challenges of one sort or another, seemed to finally be allowed a little peacefulness in the end.

[chaplinfortheages]

The top is a slightly different version of a well known photo (see below) shot by Richard Avedon. Taken on September 13th 1952, four days later Charlie and family sailed to London for premiere of “Limelight”. Not then realizing, he would not return (and only for 10 days) to America again till April 1972.

[federer7]

Marge's Little Lulu #51. September 1952

Cover: John Stanley (Pencils) and Irving Tripp (Inks)

[theflapperdamefilm]

high noon Pickwick theater with a three stooges short shot on the frontier

september 13 2023

My life at the movies

[nerds-yearbook]

The Phantom Stranger first appeared in his own title, cover date aug/Sept 1952. He was created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino. ("The Haunters From Beyond!", "When Dead Men Walk", "Goblin in the Bottle", "The House of Strange Secrets", The Phantom Stranger 1#, DC Comic Event)

[everything-anything3345]

Lost Honeymooners Sketch: "The New Bowling Ball". Airdate: September 20,1952. Running Time: 9 Minutes and 35 Seconds. This is from CBS and The Jackie Gleason Show. Note: First appearance of Audrey Meadows as Alice Kramden.

[chicinsilk]

US Vogue September 15, 1952

Nina de Voogt wears a topaz-mink jacket by Emba mutation designed by Ritter Bros. Jewel by Companion. Gloves, by André David.

Nina de Voogt porte une veste en vison-Topaze de mutation Emba conçu par Ritter Bros. Bijou de Companion. Gants, par André David.

Photo Roger Prigent vogue archive

[theamericanpin-up]

Ted Withers - "Mary" - September 1952 Following a Star in the Artist's Sketch Pad Calendar Illustration - Brown & Bigelow Calendar Co. - American Pin-up Calendar Collection

[usafphantom5]

U.S. Navy F4U Corsair taking off from the USS Midway (CVA-41) September 17, 1952 during Operation Mainbrace. (NPC)

@kadonkey via X

[nonhapiupareti]

It was on September 14 that the seventh round of the 1952 Nations motorcycle Grand Prix was held at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Italy. For the 250 class, the winner was Enrico Lorenzetti on a Moto Guzzi also designed to his instructions.

[chaplinfortheages]

Savoy Hotel London September 23rd 1952 - Charlie Chaplin, Oona O'Neill, Claire Bloom and Sydney Chaplin attend a press conference.

I'm sure Charlie was asked about his film "Limelight" along with his visa being revoked.

[newyorkthegoldenage]

Edith Piaf before her wedding to Jacques Pills on September 20, 1952, at the Saint Vincent de Paul Church. With her is her matron of honor, Marlene Dietrich.

Photo: Keystone-France via Vogue France

[poirott]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AGATHA CHRISTIE! (b. September 15 1890)

Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE (née Miller; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. She also wrote the world's longest-running play, the murder mystery The Mousetrap, which has been performed in the West End of London since 1952. A writer during the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", Christie has been called the "Queen of Crime"—a moniker which is now trademarked by her estate—or the "Queen of Mystery". She also wrote six novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. Guinness World Records lists Christie as the best-selling fiction writer of all time, her novels having sold more than two billion copies.