We were sorting through some archival photos the other day and wondered about this photo:

Goodness! Is that Marilyn?
And what’s with those high heels?
Must be beauty queens. (If so, where are their sashes? Their tiaras? Didn’t they have tiaras back then? What good is it being a beauty queen if you don’t get to wear a tiara…)
If you’re wondering where this was taken, it was back when the Santa statue was located in front of Santa Claus Land’s main buildings (this area is now “back of the house”). Santa was elevated somewhat, and there were steps to get up on the same level with him.
Anyone recognize these ladies? If so, please be sure to email me so we can share the story.
(The above blog entry was first posted on 9/8/05 and by the next week, we had some “answers.” Here’s the second HoliBlog post:)
Where are they now?
Remember those mystery ladies from one of last week’s posts? We’ve identified them all!
Thanks to a series of emails from interested parties (actually, they were all from my Cousin Jeff in St. Louis), we now know that those beauties all went on to find successful careers in the public eye.
Again, this is a photo from our Santa Claus Land archives. No scribbled notes on the back. No date.
But don’t you think this might be Marilyn?
Just take a quick look and you’ll probably agree.
Don’t stare, though.
That’s rude.

And couldn’t this possibly be Jackie?
You know…Jackie O. …back when she was Jackie B.
After identifying the most famous beauties, I was stuck.
Cousin Jeff came to the rescue within hours via email.

This beauty next to “Jackie” looks like Lucy’s friend (not Ethel … her other friend) but I’m drawing a blank.
Hmm … let’s Google that
Oh yes – Betty Ramsey! (The actress’s name was Mary Jane Croft. She hailed from Muncie, Indiana. )

And Jeff says this next bathing beauty must be Andrea Martin.
By golly, she does look familiar, but I’m not sure if the ages synch up.
Close enough.
We’re almost done!
But this one (no offense, Jeff!), I really do question.

According to Jeff, “The final beauty is now a grandma. Why, that’s Lindsay Lohan’s grandmother Bertie Lohan. Her friends just called her “Bert.”
Maybe we’ll try this again someday. We have lots and lots of old photos. And for some reason, every single face looks familiar.