Charles’ 
Slide of the Week: February 29th, 2008
Family Value, New York, 1957
There are family portraits and then there is this family portrait taken in front of cloud-reflecting plate glass windows of a modern suburban strip mall supermarket somewhere in New York in 1957.
This has to be, in no uncertain terms, an all-time favorite find. It’s not because Howdy Doody and his big brother are dressed alike in tweed suits; not because daddy-o remembered the movie camera but forgot his dress socks; not because little Miss “Bobby Socks” has a bee-themed board game called Buzz; and not because the lady in black sits there like she owns the place.
Its because the star poser, toting a picturesque plastic purse and brown paper bag, stands there in front of those supermarket super graphics with the dignity and poise of a goddess – the super goddess of Americana.
Here’s to Family Value, the goddess of Americana and YOU!
Charles Phoenix
Los Angeles
February 2008
17 Comments on “Family Value, New York, 1957”
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February 29th, 2008 at 11:38 am
I bet these people went shopping after church. This brings back memories of spending every Saturday at Orangefair Mall in Fullerton, my mom, sister & I dressed up, paying on our school-clothes layaways (no credit cards back then!), having lunch at either Woolworth’s or W.T. Grant, and culminating in the weekly grocery shopping at Mayfair Market. Dad picked us up in the 2 tone station wagon late afternoon and we got home in time to catch Lawrence Welk. Love all your slides, Charles. They always bring back fond memories.
February 29th, 2008 at 11:52 am
Wow, this is an especially great picture, Charles! I love the entire Doody family!
February 29th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Charles, the Godess is perfect for this picture. AHHH yes, I remember being in New York in the 50’s and clomping around in my high heels, and gloves and going to 21 — sign most glorious days.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Who’s the shiksa goddess?
February 29th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Charles, with your perception of her as a “goddess”, your roots are showing. Her body position is almost an exact mirror-image of the goddess Pomona in the city seal. Swap out daddy-o for a cornucopia and Howdy Doody for a greyhound, and she’s a dead ringer!
February 29th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Charles, Charles, Charles…please! That is a LUCITE purse and it is absolutely divine. Plastic is just so beneath it!
February 29th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
I’ll bet the little girl got that game with Top Value Stamps. That’s the sign her mom’s standing in front of. They were like S&H Green Stamps (which I think are now called greenpoints.) You’d get stamps for every dollar you spent on groceries, paste them into books and take them to redemption stores, where you could get everything from toys, jewelry and appliances to fur coats and motorcycles.
February 29th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Charles–A family outing never looked more fabulous! I now know I was truly born in the wrong era! This is how every woman should go to the grocery store!
February 29th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Charles, the “super goddess” bears a strong resemblance to actress Charlotte Greenwood, looking here as if she might have stepped off the set of some 20th Century-Fox 1940’s musical. She clearly doesn’t belong with this group.
February 29th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
My friend Charles. Thanks again for this beautiful and unforgetable picture of this american family. The family is the base of all. God bless you for this great memory. Your friend from São Paulo, Brazil
March 1st, 2008 at 7:57 pm
Why does this family seem to have two moms? Someone commented that this family probably went shopping after church. In 1957 stores were not open on Sunday.
March 2nd, 2008 at 1:10 pm
I hope the original family doesn’t stumble upon this, and see how you have labled their family.
March 4th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Your slide of the week looks like a car I have. A 1959 Chevrolet Nomad Wagon with a 348 engine.
Thanks for showing us.
Jerry
March 5th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
I stumbled across this while trying to do some research on Anaheim back in 1964. I have been trying to locate a city map from that year to look up a street that I lived on. I don’t remember the name of the street but could pin point it by landmarks that I remember. Your book with old photo’s look wonderful for reminising about old times. Thanks.
March 6th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
excited to see you at Hukilau again!
March 18th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
I think the reason the lady in black is sitting there as if she owns the place is because this family does indeed own this place, hence the candid but posed family portrait in their Sunday best in front of it. Beautiful shot.
March 24th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
i am gonna show this to my friend, man