Above - Henry Ford pictured along side one of his electric powered cars.

FUN FACTS & QUOTES

“Why use the forests which were centuries in the making and the mines which required ages to lay down, if we can get the equivalent of forest and mineral products in the annual growth of the fields?” - Henry Ford

“The claim is that the threat hemp posed to natural resource companies back in the thirties accounts for its original ban.” - Hugh Downs, ABC News

Did you know that the first cars were biofuel cars!

Nikolaus August Otto, the German inventor of the combustion engine, conceived his invention to run on ethanol.

Rudolf Diesel, the German inventor of the Diesel engine, conceived his invention to run on peanut oil.

In a 1912 speech, Rudolf Diesel said

“The use of vegetable oils for engine fuels may seem insignificant today, but such oils may become, in the course of time, as important as petroleum and the coal-tar products of the present time.“

Henry Ford designed the Ford Model T, a car produced between 1903 and 1926, to run on either gasoline or ethanol.

Ford was reported to have said;

“There is fuel in every bit of vegetable matter that can be fermented. There’s enough alcohol in one year’s yield of an acre of potatoes to drive the machinery necessary to cultivate the fields for a hundred years.“

In the 1930s the Ford Motor Company invested heavily in biomass fuels.

Ford operated a successful biomass conversion plant that included hemp, at their Iron Mountain facility in Michigan.

Ford engineers extracted methanol, charcoal fuel, tar, pitch, ethyl-acetate and creosote out of hemp.

This hemp ethanol — made to run cars — was a clean-burning, renewable biofuel made in America. Hemp crops grow like weeds (literally), need fewer pesticides, and remediates soil in the process.

Hemp Inside & Outside The Car

Not satisfied with just using biofuels, Ford actually made a car with a veggie-plastic body made from hemp, flax and ramie.

The 1941 prototype used the hemp-based plastic panels that were 10x stronger than steel and 70% lighter.

It was so tough, Ford could attack it with an ax and not leave a dent!

Interesting Fact…

Hemp removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere at a faster rate than trees. One (acre) of hemp can absorb 15 tons of CO₂ per year.

Footage of this car being attacked with a sledgehammer in mid-winter survives on the internet. Have a look…

So what happened to Ford’s dream of cars grown from the soil?

With US hemp prohibition in 1937, the best raw material for making veggie plastic feedstock was removed from the economy.

It was (Rockefeller’s) Standard Oil, (Mellon’s) Gulf Oil and DuPont who had the most to do with hemp prohibition, and the most to gain from it.

Hemp Prohibition and Big Oil

Prior to 1931, Harry Anslinger was Assistant U.S. Commissioner for Prohibition.

In 1931, Anslinger, was hand-picked to head the new Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN) by his uncle-in-law, Andrew Mellon, Secretary of the Treasury under President Herbert Hoover, designer of the FBN, and head of Gulf Oil.

Andrew Mellon was also the owner and largest stockholder of the sixth largest bank (in 1937) in the United States, the Mellon Bank in Pittsburgh. One of only two bankers for DuPont from 1928 to the present. DuPont owned General Motors.

In 1937, the Marijuana Tax Act put hemp farmers out of business.

It was a prohibition pretending to be a tax, similar to the Machine-Gun Tax Act created two weeks earlier.

Anslinger testified at the poorly attended committee hearing, calling for a total ban on “marihuana”.

Anslinger stated under oath that;

“Opium has all the good of Dr. Jekyll and all the evil of Mr. Hyde. This drug [cannabis] is entirely the monster Hyde, the harmful effects of which cannot be measured.”

This statement contradicted what he wrote in a confidential memorandum to the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury that;

“the drug trade still has a small medical need for marihuana, but has agreed to eliminate it entirely.“ (

Bureaucrats planned the hearings to avoid the discussion of the full House and presented the measure in the guise of a tax revenue bill.

An important clue to who was behind this prohibition-pretending-to-be-a-tax can be found in the DuPont 1937 Annual Report:

“The revenue raising power of government may be converted into an instrument for forcing acceptance of sudden new ideas of industrial and social reorganization.”

With hemp rope gone, DuPont’s new invention nylon would be one of the synthetic “sudden new ideas” accepted by citizens.

Electric Cars in Old Hollywood

As an aside - silent movies frequently used electric cars.

They were widely used both on camera as props and behind the scenes for production.

Electric Cars On-Screen

• The Electriquette: A popular electric cart wrapped in wicker (often compared to a motorized lounge chair) was famously featured in silent comedies.

• The Keystone Film Company’s silent film Fatty and Mabel at the San Diego Exposition (1915) features comedians Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle and Mabel Normand taking a scenic ride in these carts.

• Custom Prop Cars: Silent slapstick comedies frequently relied on weird and futuristic-looking vehicles for comic effect, including electric cars.

• For instance, Buster Keaton used heavily modified and electrically rigged trick houses and vehicles in his iconic 1922 short comedy The Electric House.

Electric Cars Behind the Scenes

During the 1910s and 1920s, electric vehicles were highly favored for everyday use by wealthy individuals and celebrities, including many silent movie stars.

• Practical City Driving: Electric cars were quiet, odorless, and did not require the laborious and messy hand-cranking process that early gas-powered cars demanded. Stars could easily drive them to the studio in full costume and makeup without getting dirty.

• Studio Operations: Silent film directors, camera operators, and crew members frequently used electric cars around the studio lots.

• It was because of their smooth, vibration-free ride, some studios even mounted heavy motion-picture cameras to them to capture moving tracking shots.

THANK YOU FOR READING.

HAVE A SENSUAL DAY.

Dyann Bridges xoxo

ALL Links – https://linktr.ee/bodyhouse1

—————————————————

When filming began on The Misfits (directed by John Huston) in the scorching Nevada desert, four of Hollywood’s most unforgettable stars arrived carrying very different burdens.

Marilyn Monroe, luminous yet increasingly fragile, depended heavily on her acting coach Paul Strasberg during filming, while her marriage to Arthur Miller, disintegrated,

Clark Gable, the legendary “King of Hollywood,” was 59 and in less robust health than anyone, including himself, could have guessed. Although, he gave one of the most poignant performances of his career, he had a massive heart attack 2 days after filming wrapped.

Montgomery Clift was battling intense personal demons, health issues from a car accident several years earlier, as well as, emotional struggles.

In fact, he was suffering to such an extent Marilyn Monroe famously said that Clift was, "the only person I know who is in worse shape than I am."

Eli Wallach, who played the hard-edged mechanic and ex-military pilot Guido Delinni, was the most stable of the quartet.

However, Wallach had just come off the success of The Magnificent Seven (1960) (starring Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen and Charles Bronson) and was balancing his film career with commitments to the New York stage.

He became increasingly frustrated by the endless delays caused by Marilyn Monroe's health struggles and crumbling marriage to Arthur Miller.

Perhaps strangely, Wallach developed an unexpected friendship with Arthur Miller who also wrote the script for The Misfits and was on the set daily.

Years later, Wallach observed that "what was happening in that movie was the undercurrent of what was happening in real life."

In fact, everyone on set could feel the tension of what was happening off set.

Wallach’s relationship with Clark Gable was complicated as well.

The two men initially disliked one another and struggled even to get through scenes together. Although, as filming continued, they developed a grudging respect for each other.

Looking back, Wallach may have been the only cast member who survived the end of an era.

So, it’s worth watching The Misfits (1961) as an interesting commentary on this time in our history.

Certainly, Miller creates a riveting commentary on the dynamics between men and women, disillusionment, the destruction and loneliness of men and the fickleness and all encompassing caring of women.

1. Quick Facts

• Release Date - in the United States on February 1, 1961.

• Running Time - 2hrs 5m

• Director - John Huston

• Writer - Arthur Miller (written specifically for Marilyn Monroe, who was his wife at the time)

• Studio - United Artists

• Genre - Drama / Modern Western

• Stars - Clark Gable - Marilyn Monroe - Montgomery Clift - Eli Wallach - Thelma Ritter

2. Summary

Roslyn Taber (Marilyn Monroe), is the type of woman who turns heads easily. As a former dancer in men’s clubs, she has recently moved to Reno, Nevada.

The move is in part to get a quickie divorce, but also to start over. We meet Roslyn when she is a ‘candle in the wind’.

Upon her arrival, Roslyn quickly meets several men and an older woman who befriends her.

Through these encounters Roslyn meets divorced, aging and grizzled cowboy Gay Langland (Clark Gable) and his friend Guido Delinni (Eli Wallach), a widowed mechanic and ex-military pilot.

Although it’s clear both men are highly attracted to the lovely Ros, it’s Langland she begins a relationship with.

Roslyn’s new friend, the nurturing Izzy Steers (Thelma Ritter), who originally came to Reno many years earlier for her own quickie divorce and never left, warns her about cowboys.

Nevertheless, Langland and Roslyn move into the perpetually under construction farmhouse owned by Guido. He had been building the house for his wife before she passed away.

After a series of events that brings them all closer together —- including Perce Howland (Montgomery Clift) a cowboy they pick up on the side of the road — things get seriously intense.

First, after entering a local rodeo, Howland becomes badly injured after taking a dive off a bucking bronco, as well as, a bucking bull.

Next, the movie crescendos into a scene where the men gather up several wild mustangs for the purpose of selling them as meat for dog food.

It pays well, so they all drive out to the local mountains to scout the wild horse herd.

They’re expecting to find fifteen horses, yet find only six.

Langland has done his best, once they get out there, to prepare Rosyln for what is about to take place.

Without spoiling anything, at that point, it becomes a matter of whether their congenial relationships can withstand the brutality of the cowboys.

Is Roslyn capable of love, caring and forgiving a man — or any man — who must do what he has to do to earn a living?

Can the men tolerate what they often perceive as weakness or pettiness within her?

Below is a trailer (of sorts) for The Misfits. I could find no free version of it anywhere.

Although there is a new streaming service I watched this movie on - they are positioning themselves to be “the Spotify of TV.” More on that later…

Have a look at this trailer…

THE OLD HOLLYWOOD NEWSLETTER REVIEW

3. The Performances

MONROE

Was this one of the best performances for Marilyn? Absolutely, Y-E-S!

Everyone in this movies does a great job. Montgomery Clift, Clark Gable and Eli Wallach all put in excellent, believable performances.

I would say, certainly for Marilyn, this was one of her finest. That could be for many reasons.

Although, it was written by her husband at the time - Arthur Miller - specifically as a vehicle for her - she puts in a complicated and nuanced performance.

Miller writes that way. Complicated. Nuanced.

If you’ve read any of his plays - his characters are complex.

He must have seen that in Marilyn as his wife and muse. Despite her reputation as a dumb blonde, she was a serious actor who was exceptionally well read and studied her craft with diligence.

Miller was clearly very aware of how many men found Marilyn attractive. So, wrote her as the object of many desires.

Although this is truly a dramatic film, Marilyn - as she always does - brings something playful, sensual, feminine and undeniably luminous to the screen.

It’s interesting to note that the cast themselves are very mismatched. Arthur Miller must have envisioned this type of casting as none of them seems like an easy fit with each other.

I remember a short quote from Clark Gable saying something like he couldn’t wait to get off that set because the three of them were such different people.

It was Marilyn’s last completed movie. Her reputation for that last 5-6 years at least had been one of extreme tardiness. She would show up 3-4 hours late to the set… daily.

For a consummate professional like Gable — it infuriated him.

As for Clift, it was a known fact that he was gay — something Gable didn’t understand and didn’t respect.

Gable couldn’t get off that set fast enough. Although, there was never anything said that would indicate he treated anyone with disrespect. Gable was a class act.

GABLE

Gable is one of the few men in Hollywood who was at least an equal, if not a raised screen presence to Marilyn. His masculinity is as penetrating as her femininity is.

Gable has the kind of masculine strength that allows his compassion, kindness and humanity to always shine through.

At the same time, there is something about him that suggests that you don’t ever want to mess with him either. Like all real men, Gable’s aggression sits deep and rises up when that switch is flipped.

Perhaps ironically, Gable’s character’s name is Gay Langland. I’ve never heard of a man being called “Gay” as a first name before. That must have been Miller’s decision.

Of all the men that pursue Roslyn, it’s Langland that she starts a relationship with.

CLIFT

Montgomery Clift does a great job as Perce Howland a cowboy who is competent, but adrift.

Clift was a good casting choice because to me, his face holds something that looks a little lost —- all the time.

Perhaps he often felt adrift in his own life. I don’t know, but it fit this character perfectly.

There are flirtations between Roslyn and Perce throughout the movie as he is the cowboy with a “heart”. He’s a bit softer than the others and therefore sympathetic to Roslyn’s concerns.

However, they don’t ever actually ‘hook up’ as Ros is with Langland. She barely keeps that resolute.

WALLACH

Eli Wallach plays Guido Delinni, a widowed mechanic that offers his empty lodge for the newly arrived Roslyn to stay in.

He’s clearly taken by her and “waits’ until she gives him an obvious sign she is interested. He waits quite awhile and ends up frustrated.

Guido Delinni represents the male character who’s cynical view of women — after years of being let down — grapples with his desire and disillusion.

RITTER

Thelma Ritter plays Isabelle Steers, the older woman who introduces Roslyn to the area. She takes her under wing, so to speak, and introduces Ros to all the men who all take a shine to her.

Ritter does a great job of being supportive of Marilyn’s character who needs guidance, yet has no sense of jealousy or judgement. She play Isabelle Steers as the nice older lady in the neighborhood that you can count on to be kind and caring.

This character is mostly shown in the beginning. Once the characters get to know each other the drama really begins and the Steers character is no longer as essential.

HUSTON & MILLER

This must have been a grueling shoot.

Much of the film is set outside in the desert — especially the last 1/3 of the movie.

They all — cast and crew alike — had to have been hot and very uncomfortable most days. Nevada temps get well above 100 degrees F.

Arthur Miller began this project several years before filming started. At the time, his marriage to Monroe was still good so he was inspired.

However, once filming began, the marriage had disintegrated badly. Everyone on set couldn’t help but notice the tension between the writer and the star.

To complicate things further, Miller kept making revisions to the script as they were filming!

This is considered a huge no no in Hollywood.

It’s precisely because it puts everyone into a state where they must prepare, at the end of each day, with brand new material.

4. Behind-The-Scenes Insights

Miller Wrote It For Monroe

It could be said, The Misfits occupies a unique place in American film history.

It was the only original screenplay written by Arthur Miller specifically as a starring vehicle for his wife, Marilyn Monroe.

The project began years before production.

In 1956, while Miller was in Reno waiting to establish residency so he could divorce his first wife and marry Monroe, he became fascinated by aging cowboys.

He found it intriguing these men would capture wild mustangs for slaughter.

Those encounters inspired a 1957 short story he called, “The Misfits.”

Miller later expanded it into a screenplay after he and Monroe wanted a film they could make together.

Miller essentially built the screenplay around what he admired in Monroe: her vulnerability, compassion for animals, emotional openness, and sense of being out of place in the modern world.

However, by the time filming began in 1960 under director John Huston, the marriage had deteriorated badly.

Apparently, Miller kept rewriting the script during filming.

This is highly unusual as it puts tremendous extra pressure in the actors.

Reports say that in early drafts the mood was much more romantic in tone, but as Miller kept revising, it became darker and more melancholy.

Many critics have observed that Roslyn still embodies the qualities Miller loved in Monroe, yet the male characters increasingly express disappointment, frustration, and loneliness that seem to echo Miller’s own emotional state.

Once filming on The Misfits ended Miller and Monroe divorced immediately.

The production became legendary (within the industry and after its release) for its emotional intensity.

Their Final Bow

The Misfits was an auspicious film for many reasons. Just look at the endings this movie experience produced for those attached to it.

Besides the ending of Monroe’s and Miller’s marriage;

• Clark Gable died of a heart attack 10 days after filming ended

• Montgomery Clift was battling addiction and poor health on set and then died in 1966 at the age of 45. He struggled with injuries sustained in a 1956 car accident.

• Monroe was hospitalized during production because of exhaustion, depression and health problems, which temporarily shut down filming.

• The next year Monroe was dead, at 36, from what is officially known as an overdose of prescription drugs.

It should be noted that many film historians now regard the screenplay as one of Miller’s finest achievements outside his theater work.

Although the film was only a modest commercial success when released, it has since been reevaluated as a classic.

It’s admired for its emotional honesty and for Monroe’s most nuanced dramatic performance.

5. Moments To Watch For

The Dancing Scene - About 30 minutes in - with Roslyn Taber and Guido Delinni. There is a point at which Guido says his wife was never as graceful as Ros. Then Roslyn starts to challenge him on that comment. She mentions he could have taught her to be a graceful dancer if he wanted to.

The Bed Scene - At about 35 minutes in Langland comes in to where Roslyn is sleeping and wakes her with a kiss. Marilyn was supposed to be wearing a bra or small top under the covers. Yet, she didn’t.

The scene is shot from an angle that is just off to one side of the headboard. We nearly catch a glimpse of Marilyn’s bare breasts. Apparently, it was a bit scandalous at the time, but not so much so it needed to be removed from the final cut. Marilyn’s sensual nature steals another scene.

The Horse Wrangling Scene - Near the end, when they are in the desert - Roslyn starts to protest against the horse wrangling. She’s very emotional. Screaming even.

All three men - Langland, Howland and Delinni all stare at her. The three men seem to represent three varying degrees of understanding toward seeing a woman this distressed. I found it fascinating to watch.

6. My Rating

Out of a possible 10 as the highest rating —>

I give The Misfits —→ 8.5 💋 lipstick marks.

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7. Why This Movie STILL Matters

More than 65 years later this movie is still worth watching because it’s a commentary on the tendencies of men and women.

Men have tendencies toward destruction, aggression, cynicism and loneliness.

Women have tendencies toward vacillation, indecision, hysterics and disloyalty.

To me, Arthur Miller has been a writer who — through his writing — is not afraid to be harsh with women, humanity in general and with himself.

His work is emblematic of many successful writers of the day. How the characters feel and what drives them is insinuated more than is actually said.

As you travel along with The Misfits you see how they are drawn together and then, what drives them all apart to go their independent ways.

It may have always have come to that, but who they were and what they wanted, forced them in opposite directions in the end.

When viewed with sensitivity and understanding I think ultimately, The Misfits is a stellar way to spend a couple of hours.

Especially, with a romantic interest you can recognize any tendencies in.

THANK YOU FOR READING.

HAVE A SENSUAL DAY.

Dyann Bridges xoxo

ALL Links – https://linktr.ee/bodyhouse1

—————————————————

Greetings Celebrators of Vintage Sensuality;

Welcome to the July/2026 issue of the Old Hollywood Newsletter.

In this month’s issue we’re bringing you the bright and brilliant DORIS DAY.

Doris Day was America’s Sunshine Sweetheart who we couldn’t help but fall in love with as she fell in love with someone else —> on screen and off.

In many ways, Day was Old Hollywood’s ultimate symbol of summer romance and good times.

She embodied postwar American optimism, projected a healthy, outdoorsy, all-American image and often portrayed independent women looking for love while maintaining their self-respect.

Her films evoke an idealized America and as such Doris Day perfectly captures the spirit of our July issue.

As you’ll learn below, her real life reveals a deeper, darker and more complex character to the woman behind the sweet smile and dancer’s figure —-> She was married 4 times, had one son with one husband and then another husband adopted him, and a devastating financial situation after that same husband died.

Discover more about Doris Day below….

Thank you for reading and stay sensual.

07/2026

Dyann Bridges, writer, publisher and voice actor

In The Beginning

Doris Day was born Doris Mary Anne Kappelhoff on Monday, April 3, 1922 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

She passed away on May 13, 2019, at the age of 97 of pneumonia in her home in Carmel Valley, California.

She left this life surrounded by close friends and caregivers. Her death was announced shortly afterward by the Doris Day Animal Foundation, which she had founded and remained deeply involved with late in life.

Doris Day began as a big-band singer before becoming one of Hollywood’s biggest stars.

She was known for her bright singing voice, wholesome image, and natural charm and was one of the top box-office attractions of the 1950s and early 1960s.

Day had tremendous range as an actress and starred in romantic comedies, musicals, dramas, and thrillers. She often sang in her movies as well.

Later in her life, Day became a passionate animal welfare advocate.

TOP MOVIES

MOVE OVER DARLING (1963)

Move Over Darling (1963) is a fun and energetic (albeit a bit juvenile) romantic comedy.

It’s widely reported that Doris Day thoroughly enjoyed working with James Garner. in this movie. She praised both his talent and his easygoing personality. This chemistry helped launch this film as an audience favorite of the early 1960s.

Looking back on the collaboration with James Garner, Day said;

“We had fun. He’s a marvelous actor. He’s very real when he talks to you. He’s so funny and so nice, I just love him—even though he broke two of my ribs.“

During the filming of a scene in which Garner lifted her off a bed, he accidentally cracked two of Day’s ribs.

Remarkably, she continued filming without complaint, a story Garner later recounted in his memoir with admiration.

Their mutual affection and professionalism shone through in every scene they shared.

Clearly Day was a tough cookie despite her sweet and tender exterior.

Check out the P.O.D. Shop

PILLOW TALK (1959)

Doris Day often described her experience working with Rock Hudson on Pillow Talk (1959) as one of the happiest collaborations of her career. It was also her only role where she was nominated for an Academy Award.

In fact, when reflecting on her friendship with Hudson, she said;

“Rock and I just clicked. We trusted each other completely, and we had so much fun together.”

Although they had known each other socially before filming, it was during Pillow Talk that they discovered their remarkable on-screen chemistry.

Day admired Hudson’s warmth, humor, and professionalism, qualities that made their performances feel natural and effortless.

Their genuine affection for one another translated into one of Hollywood’s most beloved screen pairings. So much so, the starred in a total of three films together, along with Lover Come Back (1961) and Send Me No Flowers (1964).

They had a lifelong friendship — even when she found out Hudson was gay.

Doris Day was surprised on learning that her tall and masculine friend was gay, but remained deeply supportive of Rock Hudson.

When Hudson publicly disclosed that he had AIDS in 1985—the first major Hollywood star to ‘come out’—Day said she had not known he was gay during the years they made films together.

However, she expressed sadness rather than judgment about his sexuality.

In interviews after Hudson’s death, Day emphasized that learning he was gay did not change how she felt about him.

One of her best-known remarks of Hudson was;

“He was a wonderful person, and I loved him dearly.”

She also reflected on how difficult it must have been for Hudson to keep such an important part of his life hidden during the studio era.

Being openly gay at that time could have destroyed a Hollywood career.

Day expressed compassion for the pressures he faced and never suggested that she felt betrayed or deceived.

Her Real-Life Romances and Marriages

Doris Day’s personal romantic life was far more complicated than her cheerful screen image suggested.

First Marriage: Al Jorden

Married April/1941 (*Exact day not publicly documented) – Divorced February/1943

• Married Jorden when she was very young. Day was only 19.

• Relationship was troubled and reportedly abusive.

• They had one son, Terry Melcher.

• Terry Melcher was Doris Day’s only child.

His biological father was Al Jorden, a trombonist.

Terry was born as Terrence Paul Jorden on February 8, 1942, during Doris Day’s first marriage.

After Doris Day married her third husband, Martin Melcher, he legally adopted Terry, who then took the surname Melcher and became known professionally as Terry Melcher.

Terry went on to become a highly successful record producer, working with artists including:

• The Byrds

• Paul Revere & the Raiders

• The Beach Boys

Terry Melcher died on November 19, 2004, at the age of 62.

Jorden and Day below.

Second Marriage: George Weidler

Married March 30, 1946 – Divorced May 31, 1949

This one ended quickly and quietly.

Weidler and Day Below.

Third Marriage: Martin Melcher

Married April 3, 1951 (her 29th birthday) and ended April 20, 1968 upon his death.

Day and Melcher were married 17 years.

• Melcher is often considered the great love and defining partnership of her life.

• He managed much of her career.

• After his death, she discovered serious financial problems and debts tied to the management of her business affairs. She spent years repairing the damage.

• After Doris Day married Martin Melcher, he legally adopted Terry, who then took the surname Melcher and became known professionally as Terry Melcher.

Melcher and Day below.

Fourth Marriage: Barry Comden

Married April 14, 1976 – Divorced April 2, 1982

• Their marriage was quite different from her earlier ones because it came after she had largely stepped away from Hollywood. Day had begun focusing on her life in Carmel, California, and her growing commitment to animal welfare.

• Comden was about 13 years younger than Day

• Their shared interest in animals led to a business that ended badly. Comden helped launch a pet food company that would carry Doris Day’s name, with the intention of supporting her animal welfare work. The venture failed after unscrupulous business partners meddled.

• The marriage ended because Comden felt Day spent more time with her ‘animal friends’ than with him.

Comden and Day below.

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Contact: thebodyhouse.biz@gmail.com

Discover more classic beauties here:

IRISH McCALLA

MARTHA HYER

ACQUANETTA

BARBARA LANG

VIRGINIA MAYO

SYLVIA SIDNEY

EARTHA KITT

Don’t Forget to Get That Beautiful Mug on a Mug!

The year is 1949.

You and your family are gathered around the large Philco radio in the living room.

The speakers crackle and the announcer proclaims, “The Adventures of Frank Race…”

The organ music blares and your excitement grows.

Dad lights his pipe. Mother continues her needlepoint. Sister sips a glass of juice.

All is well and everyone is ready to be intrigued…

In this week’s Old Hollywood Line Up we’ve got intrigue, fixers and ‘slutting out’ so check it out below…

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There have always been FIXERS in Hollywood. Here’s one that became a meme…

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I thought it might be an important reminder to understand how we’ve gotten to where we’ve gotten in American society.

It’s important as well to know that the darker side of the entertainment industry has always been there — and they still affect us today.

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Contact - thebodyhouse.biz@gmail.com

THANK YOU FOR READING.

HAVE A SENSUAL DAY.

Dyann Bridges xoxo

ALL Links – https://linktr.ee/bodyhouse1

LIKE LISTENING TO YOUR EROTICA WITH A GLASS OF WINE?

TRY THIS…

(Find this audiobook and on Audiobooks.com and all major platforms)

Frank Race is a former attorney who left behind a conventional life after World War II to becomes a globe-trotting troubleshooter.

It combines elements of detective fiction, espionage, adventure, and a little romance. Race seems to find himself falling for a different lady in each episode.

The series is known for its fast-paced storytelling, atmospheric sound effects, and international settings.

The program earned a loyal following among radio drama fans although, it lasted for just a single season.

The original series ran for 43 episodes, beginning in 1949 and ending in early 1950.

East Coast broadcasts ran from May 1949 through February 1950.

However, because the show was syndicated rather than carried by a single national network, stations could air it on different schedules.

Some West Coast stations didn't broadcast it until 1951–52.

As a side note - The lead actor for the first 22 episodes was played by Tom Collins. The last segment of episodes starred Paul Dubov.

The Adventures of Frank Race still remains a favorite among enthusiasts of classic old-time radio which is why I am digitally restoring each episode and posting them here…

CHECK BACK TO THIS PAGE OFTEN TO VIEW THE UPDATED EPISODES

In Chronological Order;

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Don’t Forget to Get That Beautiful Mug on a Mug!

Thanks for Celebrating Vintage Sensuality at The Old Hollywood Newsletter !

Why not Subscribe (for FREE) and some vintage sensuality in your inbox…

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The biggest Old Hollywood studios most often had a small team of fixers on their staff.

Their prize assets — their movie stars — were after all, only human and therefore, fallible.

So when one of their money makers went afoul, one or more of their fixers were called in immediately to suppress the story from the media.

Below is a picture of Loretta Young and Clarke Gable. Eddie Mannix helped to cover up their scandal which led to a secret love child. More details below…

EDDIE MANNIX

One of the most famous Hollywood ‘fixers’ was Eddie Mannix, a powerful executive at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM).

Although officially he managed production and studio operations, he became legendary for handling the crises and messes MGM’s stars got into — out of the newspapers.

Mannix worked during the height of the studio system. This was the time when major studios controlled their actors’ careers and public images.

Hollywood gossip columnists could be highly influential back then — much like today’s social media influencers do today. The biggest difference being the way people would spend their money based on an influencer’s opinion.

Then people would keep spending their money to see movies where their stars were thought to be upstanding people off camera.

Today, it’s the influencer themselves that the people they influence spend money on.

This distinction put Old Hollywood studios in a precarious postion which why they made sure they had enormous leverage over newspapers and fan magazines.

BELOW IS A PICTURE OF EDDIE MANNIX DURING HIS TIME AT MGM

Mannix’s reputation was this — if one of their stars got into trouble with either an affair, an arrest, an unwanted pregnancy, a drunken incident etc. —he would find a way to make the problem disappear.

It’s difficult to know exactly how Mannix worked his cover up magic because many stories about him come from memoirs rather than actual records.

However, there is one juicy example of Mannix’s studio worth and it involves actress Loretta Young.

BELOW IS A PICTURE OF LORETTA YOUNG

The Loretta Young & Clark Gable Pregnancy Cover-Up

In 1935, during the filming of The Call of the Wild, Young became pregnant.

She was having an affair with the magnetic and irresistible Clark Gable.

It’s important to note that at the time —→ Gable was married, and an out-of-wedlock pregnancy could have severely damaged both careers.

This would have x-times the crash and burn risk of this event.

BELOW IS A PICTURE OF YOUNG AND GABLE WHILE WORKING TOGETHER

MGM’s — and therefore Mannix’s response — was swift and heavy handed.

• They made Loretta Young disappear from public view for a number of months

• Public explanations were given for her absence that sounded plausible (illness in family etc.)

• Young gave birth to the daughter she conceived with Gable privately born on November 6, 1935.

• Later, their daughter, Judy Lewis (nee Young), was presented publicly as an adopted child.

The studio - with Mannix’s help - kept this scandalous story and the true parentage of the girl largely secret for decades.

MORE THAN JUST MANNIX

Of course, with a scandal of this magnitude, Mannix was not the sole player of the deep secret.

In fact, multiple studio and media people were involved.

Old Hollywood historians often cite the Young-Gable case as a classic example of how the studio system could control public narratives surrounding their stars.

What’s especially interesting is that this was not just the quelling of nasty gossip.

This scandal required cool, underground coordination between publicists, executives, reporters, medical staff and at times—- even religious institutions and lawyers.

It really wasn’t until daughter - Judy Lewis - wrote a book later in her life about how exactly she discovered her true lineage that the truth about the scandal emerged.

Why Mannix Became a Legend

Mannix’s reputation grew because Old Hollywood insiders gave him credit for countless cover-ups to him.

Mannix’s scandal suppression skills ranged from affairs and pregnancies to full out criminal activities.

By the time the big studio era ended, the term “call Eddie Mannix” had become shorthand for getting yourself a fixer, Fast!

*** Stay tuned for another fixer —- Howard Strickling —- who is often best known for his role in managing the cover up of actress Jean Harlow’s illness, as well as, many other MGM crises.

Strickling is often considered the real master mind of movie star reputation management. Even more than Mannix.

Look for it right here!***

A PICTURE OF GABLE AND YOUNG DURING THE FILMING OF ‘CALL OF THE WILD’

THANK YOU FOR READING.

HAVE A SENSUAL DAY.

Dyann Bridges xoxo

ALL Links – https://linktr.ee/bodyhouse1

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If you liked this article you might also like….

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Greeting Celebrators of Vintage Sensuality;

Welcome to the June/2026 issue of the Old Hollywood Newsletter.

In this month’s issue we’re bringing you the incredibly beautiful Irish McCalla.

McCalla was never a huge name in Hollywood, but found success on television, as a model and then later in her life — as an artist.

You’ll want to learn more about this beautiful, talented and perhaps surprisingly down to earth star. Have look below.

Thank you for reading and stay sensual.

06/2026

Dyann Bridges, writer, publisher and voice actor

SHEENA QUEEN OF THE JUNGLE

McCalla was tall, standing nearly 6′. She was also athletic, having grown up playing many sports, very well.

This helped garner her the role she’s best known for — the lead as Sheena in SHEENA – Queen of the Jungle – a 1955 television series.

The role ultimately made McCalla one of the first female action heroes on TV— and became an inspiration for girls nation wide.

One of the most revealing comments about Sheena came not from men, but from a female viewer.

She recalled that Sheena didn’t fit the standard female television mold of the era which made her feel more capable.

IN THE BEGINNING

Irish McCalla was born Nellie Elizabeth McCalla on Christmas Day, December 25, 1928 in Pawnee City, Nebraska.

She passed away on February 1, 2002 (at the age of 73) in Tucson, Arizona.

By all accounts, McCalla was a tomboy who loved to play sports and be outside.

She wasn’t afraid of hard work and held jobs in factories and stores as a teen. She liked doing things like skin diving in her time off.

McCalla grew unusually tall at a young age and developed into a striking young woman which made her a natural choice for pin-up modeling.

It all started — apparently — when she was spotted by a photographer while she was sunbathing on the beach.

He asked if she would pose for pictures as Miss Navy Day.

“Sure,” she said, “why not?”

ALBERTO VARGAS

Modeling was a natural path for McCalla and once she was discovered her career rolled along nicely.

In the course of her budding modeling career she worked with Alberto Vargas.

Vargas was one of the premiere pin up artists of the 1940s and 50s. His work is still celebrated today.

Below are several photos of McCalla posing for the artist Alberto Vargas (born Joaquin Alberto Vargas y Chávez; 9 February 1896 – 30 December 1982).

McCalla first met Alberto Vargas when he judged a Miss California beauty contest that she had entered as an 18-year-old.

She didn’t win the show but Vargas offered her a job posing for him as a pin-up girl.

With some reluctance, Irish posed nude for the December 1951 page in a Vargas calendar.

McCalla was married to her first husband Patrick Macyntire

A Down-To-Earth Gal

Over the years, McCalla repeatedly suggested she wasn’t obsessed with her own sex-symbol status.

In one interview she says that if not for her measurements, she might have led an ordinary life.

One of the most revealing quotes attributed to McCalla is that she was embarrassed by the very physical features everyone else obsessed over.

She said she never understood the fascination with bust measurements. and would have preferred people notice how long her hair was or how flat her stomach instead.

Before she garnered the television role of Sheena in Sheena – Queen of the Jungle, McCalla was already a successful pin-up model and a favorite subject of Alberto Vargas.

Additionally, her appearance in men’s magazines — such as Playboy –helped make her a recognizable commodity.

Although, it’s said that Irish McCalla was a replacement for the original choice to play Sheena — Swedish actress Anita Ekberg. Ekberg turned it down or didn’t show up for meetings – the accounts differ – either way McCalla became Sheena not the Swede.

Perhaps it was fate as McCalla fit the role of Sheena perfectly.

Tall, athletic, sun-bronzed, and grounded in her attitude, McCalla possessed a beauty that was feminine and strong.

She embodied a kind of female confidence that was neither aggressive nor self-conscious. Exactly what the role of Sheena needed.

Although, even Irish herself said, “I couldn’t act, but I could swing through the trees.”

She even did most of her own stunts for Sheena. This was very rare and still is.

To watch her run around in her leopard skin costume seems natural. McCalla looks perfectly at ease in her own skin.

It’s interesting to note that during the height of her modeling career and role as Sheena — she was married with two sons and then divorced.

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IRISH McCALLA’S LOVE LIFE

This is my favorite part of this newsletter… who did this beautiful woman date, fall in love with, get married to, have children with and/or divorce?

Unfortunately, when featuring a lesser known star like Irish McCalla it’s sometimes difficult to get information. I’ve offered up the best tidbits on her relationships I could find. However, there are few photos of her and the men she loved.

Husband #1: Patrick McIntyre

McCalla married insurance salesman/executive Patrick McIntyre in 1951.

The marriage ended in divorce in 1957.

They had two sons – Kim (the older son) and Sean (the younger son).

There is little that is know about her sons, but there is an interesting quote from Kim. McCalla’s eldest son.

Kim says he saw his mother swing from vine to vine while being on the set of Sheena. He saw her perform her own stunts and even wrestle mechanical alligators during production.

It’s interesting that while McCalla was becoming one of America’s most recognizable glamour models, she was simultaneously a wife and mother.

According to her later accounts, one reason she declined nude publication opportunities was because she was concerned about embarrassing her sons.

Husband #2: Patrick Horgan

Soon after her first marriage ended McCalla date and then married English actor and scholar Patrick Horgan in 1964.

The marriage ended in divorce in 1969.

Unfortunately, I found little material describing the relationship itself.

Husband #3 ??? Chuck Rowland

By some accounts Irish McCalla married Chuck Rowland in 1982. Others say they were never married. Either way, they parted ways in 1989.

Although they eventually separated, but before that they moved from California to Arizona which is where she spent the remainder of her life.

Again, there is little documentation on the personal dynamics.

QUICK FACTS

Born Nellie Elizabeth McCalla on December 25, 1928, in Pawnee City, Nebraska, Irish McCalla grew up far removed from the Hollywood glitz and glamour.

She was the third of eight children, raised in a modest household that often required a child to be resilient and independent.

Irish McCalla passed away on February 1, 2002, at the age of 73,

There was some moving around during her childhood until the family settled in Des Moines, Iowa, where she attended high school.

Perhaps surprisingly, the name “Irish” was not a Hollywood invention, but a nickname she carried from girlhood. The moniker reflected her heritage and what some might call her ‘fiery’ personality.

After high school, she moved westward, finding herself in California just as the Golden Age of Hollywood was booming — post-war.

Following her retirement from acting, she became an accomplished painter of seascapes and Western or Native American motifs.

While modeling her measurements were 39-24-38 and she kept this size for her entire life. It’s said she wore the original Sheena outfit in 1998 at an industry event for the public by popular demand.

Sheena lasted one season from 1955-1956. There were 26 episodes in its only season and was produced for first-run syndication. The episodes were approximately 30 minutes long and were filmed in Mexico.

Was cast in the lead role of the short-lived television series Sheena: Queen of the Jungle (1955) only after Anita Ekberg had declined the role.

At age 17, she rejoined some of her siblings in Southern California, where she worked as a waitress and in an aircraft factory.

She overcame a brain tumor in 1969 and again when it returned in 1981.

Was president of her own art company entitled McCalla Enterprises, Inc. and she was a member of Woman Artists of the American West organization.

Her artwork is displayed in the Western White House, Los Angeles Museum of Arts and Sciences, and the Cowgirl Hall of Fame.

When McCalla died in 2002, some biographies reported that she was survived by: her two sons, Kim and Sean, and two granddaughters. Academic Dictionaries and Encyclopedias)

She has painted more than 1,000 paintings, eight collector plates and numerous limited-edition lithographs.

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IRISH McCALLA THE ARTIST

Irish McCalla’s art career is much more substantial than most people realize.

She had been working at her painting from the time she was young. Her art was never abandoned.

So, after her Hollywood career ended, she spent decades developing herself as a serious painter and sculptor.

Her creativity particularly flourished after relocating to Arizona in 1982.

She became a member of the Women Artists of the American West and exhibited and sold work throughout the Southwest.

What did she paint?

Her work covered a surprisingly wide range of subjects such as; Western themes, Native American portraits, mountain men, landscapes, seascapes, children, nudes and still lifes.

McCalla herself said she worked in oils, watercolors, and pastels, and that her favorite subject often changed depending on what she was painting at the moment.

Living in Arizona increased demand for her Western-themed works, but her paintings of children and nudes were also popular.

It’s interesting that Irish McCalla had — in some ways – a much more successful carer as an artist.

While she never became a household name in the fine-art world, she was a commercially successful regional artist.

Reports from the time indicate that many of her paintings sold for between $1,500 and $6,000.

At least one of her works reportedly sold for about $12,000 during a successful one-woman exhibition in Scottsdale in the late 1980s.

She also sold lithographs of her paintings.

*One interesting story is that a seascape painted by McCalla was purchased by Pat Nixon and reportedly displayed in the White House.*

***

EXAMPLES OF IRISH McCALLA’S WORK BELOW…

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Discover more classic beauties here:

MARTHA HYER

ACQUANETTA

BARBARA LANG

VIRGINIA MAYO

SYLVIA SIDNEY

EARTHA KITT

DOROTHY MCGUIRE

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It follows a beautiful, glamorous and very sharp San Francisco private investigator named Candy Matson as she solves mysteries with humor, quick dialogue, and a distinctly modern-for-its-time female lead.

Unlike other noir radio dramas of the era, Candy Matson mixed suspense with flirtation and stylish city atmosphere. It made the program feel like part detective story and part romantic comedy.

I’ve DIGITALLY REMASTERED these audios for clarity and audio regulation.

Below is a playlist and all 14 surviving individual episodes of Candy Matson PI

CANDY MATSON PLAYLIST

Subscribe now

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Thanks for Celebrating Vintage Sensuality at The Old Hollywood Newsletter !

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The year is 1934.

You and your date are dressed in your evening best.

The seats are covered in smooth red velvet.

The air feels cool and comfortable. This theater was one of the first public buildings in the U.S. to adopt modern air conditioning.

You find your seats and nestle against each other — elbows sharing the chair arm.

Soon the lights go down and the stage lights come up.

The live orchestra in the pit begins to platy as beautiful girls in flashy costumes dance in unison.

It’s impossible not to be a little excited and everyone erupts in applause.

Below is 72 second reminder of a time when women were sweet, pretty, coquettish and talented…..

For this week’s Old Hollywood Line Up we’ve taken a closer look at how the sensual massage industry i s changing.

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THANK YOU FOR READING.

HAVE A SENSUAL DAY.

Dyann Bridges xoxo

ALL Links – https://linktr.ee/bodyhouse1

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If you liked this article you might also like….

10 things NOT to do at a sensual massage...

The Masculine and Feminine Energies According To Tantra

Understand Your MAN GIFTS & How Valuable You Really ARE!

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Hello Celebrators of Vintage Sensuality;

As I write this, it’s raining, yet again. It’s almost May.

At some point, the eastern part of the US has to experience Spring.

So, to move us closer to sunny days and flowers blooming, we’ve got a beautiful, elegant lady featured in May’s edition of The Old Hollywood Newsletter...MARTHA HYER

If you’d like to know more about this lovely lady, then have a look below...

Thank you for reading and stay sensual.

05/2026

Dyann Bridges, writer, publisher and voice actor

***INTERESTING FACTS ***

Martha Hyer was born on August 10, 1924, in Fort Worth, Texas.

Her father was involved in film production and exhibition.

Hyer studied drama at the Pasadena Playhouse, which launched many Hollywood careers.

Her early film work in the late 1940s and early ’50s consisted mostly of small or uncredited roles, but she gradually gained recognition.

Her breakthrough came with the film Some Came Running, where she starred alongside Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Shirley MacLaine. (Watch the scene below)

Her performance earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

Hyer was married twice and had no children.

In The Beginning....

Martha Hyer was born on August 10, 1924, in Fort Worth, Texas.

She was the daughter of Julien Capers Hyer, a Colonel during the Second World War, then judge advocate of the Fourth Army in July 1944.

He participated in the war crimes trials in Nuremberg after the end of the conflict.

Her mother Agnès Rebecca (née Barnhart), a housewife who took care of her first daughter Agnès Jr. - born in 1920 - then Martha in 1924 and in 1929, Jeanne would complete the trio of three Texan girls with brown curls.

As a child, passionate about cinema, Hyer was determined to become an actress.

After completing her studies at Fairfax Hall Junior College, she took drama classes at Northwestern University in Illinois, then enrolled at the Pasadena Playhouse in California.

Spotted by a talent agent, she obtained a contract with RKO and off she went to Hollywood.

Hyer played a bridesmaid, an uncredited role in ‘The Medallion‘ (1946) by John Brahm with Robert Mitchum.

Hyer played many supporting roles in a series of B-movie westerns.

When her contract with RKO ended in 1951, she spent a year in Japan making two films including; the thriller ‘Oriental Evil’ (1951) by George P. Breakston.

Breaking Through...

Hyer often portrayed refined, sophisticated women—sometimes romantic interests, sometimes emotionally conflicted characters.

Hyer’s notable films include:

• The Sons of Katie Elder (with John Wayne and Dean Martin)

• The Carpetbaggers, a high-profile drama about ambition and excess

• Ice Palace, a historical drama set in Alaska

She also appeared frequently on television in shows throughout the 1950s and ’60s, which helped sustain her visibility as film roles became less frequent.

HERE’S MARTHA HYER IN A SCENE FROM ‘SOME CAME RUNNING‘ WITH SHIRLEY MACLAINE.

When The Lights Fade...

Later in life, Hyer largely stepped away from acting and focused on writing and religious pursuits.

She co-authored a book on Christian themes and lived a quieter life out of the Hollywood spotlight.

Martha Hyer passed away on May 31, 2014, at the age of 89 in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Martha Hyer was not as well known as some other classic movie stars, but her career spanned 30 years.

She remains a recognizable Old Hollywood figure, especially for her Oscar-nominated performance in Some Came Running.

MARTHA HYER Photo Gallery

MARTHA HYER’S LOVE LIFE

Martha Hyer had a relatively mundane personal life compared with many of her contemporaries.

She was married twice and had no children.

Marriages

1. C. Ray Stahl (1951–1954) — her first husband; the marriage ended in divorce.

2. Hal B. Wallis (1966–1986) — a major Hollywood producer (known for films like Casablanca). They stayed together until his death.

1st Marriage to C. Ray Stahl

Hyer’s first husband C. Ray Stahl was born on 24 December 1920 in California.

Stahl was a writer and producer, known for Geisha Girl (1952), The Scarlet Spear (1954) and Oriental Evil (1951).

***I could not find pictures of C. Ray Stahl - with or without Hyer***

Second Marriage to Hal B. Wallis

Her second marriage—to Wallis—was the defining personal relationship of her later life and appears to have been stable and long-lasting.

After marrying Wallis, Hyer converted to Judaism, as it was his religion.

A Tangled Web...

Martha Hyer’s marriage to Hal B. Wallis is one of those classic Hollywood partnerships where personal life and studio power overlapped in interesting ways.

Hyer met Wallis in the film industry as he was one of the most influential producers of the era.

One of his best known productions was Casablanca.

By the time they married in 1966, Wallis was 25 years older than Hyer. He was born in 1899.

Wallis was already established as a top-tier producer, and previously married to actress Louise Fazenda until her death.

The marriage between Hyer and Wallis is generally described as:

• Stable and private by Hollywood standards

• More traditional and low-profile than many celebrity relationships

• It seemed to be more centered on Wallis’s status as a powerful industry figure while Hyer was content to take smaller roles

Both Wallis and Hyer did not like Hollywood drama so they largely avoided tabloid attention.

How her marriage to Wallis impacted her career -->

By the mid-1960s, Hyer’s acting career had already slowed, but marrying Wallis seems to have accelerated her withdrawal from acting. She shifted into a role where she became more supportive of his career and accompanied him socially. This also reduced the need for her to keep bringing in paychecks, as she was helping to support her husband’s lucrative career.

They remained married for 20 years, until his death in 1986.

The relationship appears to have been genuinely contented and enduring.

After Wallis’s death, Hyer lived a very private life. She rarely returned to acting and instead focused on preserving his legacy and maintaining a low public profile.

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Discover more classic beauties here:

ACQUANETTA

BARBARA LANG

VIRGINIA MAYO

SYLVIA SIDNEY

EARTHA KITT

DOROTHY MCGUIRE

FAY WRAY

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Situationships are defined as a relationship that lacks clear boundaries, labels, responsibility, honesty and commitment.

It’s basically somewhere between casual dating and a fully committed relationship.

It’s where emotions are involved, but exclusivity or long-term goals are not clearly defined or even thought about.

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So, Who Tends To Find Themselves in Situationships?

1. Young Adults and Millennials (In General)
   Younger generations, particularly those in their 20s and early 30s, are the most likely to find themselves in situationships. Although, there are others in middle years (and beyond) who find themselves in these types of relationships as well.

   However, it’s the younger generations which often get caught up in situationships. They tend to prioritize fields of interest such as; personal growth, career ambitions, or travel over romance. Casual dating is common among this group. For many, navigating their own desires and life goals is a large enough challenge.

2. Couples in the Middle of Moving On
   Many people who are recovering from a breakup or a past relationship find themselves slipping into situationships. They might still crave intimacy or the companionship they had with previous romances. So, they can’t quite let go. The lack of defined boundaries in these situationships, offers the people involved an undefined space where they can give and receive without the responsibility of a commitment.

3. Those Who Want To Avoid Vulnerability
   For some, a situationship is a way to avoid the emotional risks that come with a committed relationship. People who fear rejection, being vulnerability, or being hurt end up in situationships because it keeps boundaries loosey-goosey. Good boundaries facilitate good relationships. However, to provide clear boundaries, an individual must have the strength and self understanding to be consistent in stating those boundaries regularly without fear. This can be a tall order for those who are too timid or who have sustained trauma. For this group, it can feel safer to be in a situationship, but the downside is self-avoid or even self-sabotage.

   ---

How Does Someone Get Out Of Situationships?

Situationships are often a product of modern dating dynamics.

Sadly, it’s a very unnatural way to have a romance. It’s also a statement on how weak many individuals have become.

People crave intimacy yet, don’t have the wherewithal to set specific and consistent boundaries with another person.

This is mostly due to fear. Fear itself is not necessarily the problem. It’s the lack of clear thought and forthrightness that keeps things willy-nilly. It takes self responsibility and good self-management to get close to another person.

In the long run, situationships are a panacea.

They help a person successfully avoid themselves. That’s a detriment to everyone involved especially the individual themselves.

So, to successfully and gracefully end a situationship, one just needs to state calmly and clearly that they would like to define this as a real committed romance — to the world — or leave it altogether. Easier said than done… yes.

The reaction you get, may not be what you expected. If you can stay present and calm in the moment is really the best way to handle any situation.

Even -- and especially -- if it’s a situationship.

Thanks for reading/listening.

I wish you a very sensual day, Dyann xoxo

Contact: thebodyhouse.biz@gmail.com

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Hello Celebrators of Vintage Sensuality;

On this 15th day of April- the middle of the month - in the Old Hollywood Lineup, I’ve brought you two issues of concern and a defunct publishing company of erotica.

We’re looking at ‘Gray Divorce’, male loneliness, and why a once multi-million dollar a year publisher of erotica went under.

Have a look…

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My own parents were divorced while I was young. So, I know divorce it a difficult situation at any time.

However, I believe a ‘gray divorce’ brings a unique set of concerns.

For example, the issues for a gray divorce tends to be about things that affect the couple as a single entity. Such as:

• Their personal finances

• The health conditions of each individual

• Relating to their adult kids as a single person

One thing I noticed about my divorced parents (which was in the 70s), was that my mom dated for awhile afterward and then got fed up with it. She never remarried.

My father got married again within a few years of the divorce and stayed married.

Statistically, this is within the norm.

A gray divorce for women, is often about a sense of security.

For men, if a man suddenly finds himself alone, it tends to throw his sense of self into turmoil.

A man’s sense of long term vision doesn’t stop.

They still want to make an impact and they still — don’t want to be alone.

Some of the Most Common Concerns In A Gray Divorce

1. Financial Security & Retirement

This is often the biggest concern for these reasons;

• Retirement savings split (401(k), IRA, pensions)

• Potential spousal support (alimony)

• Reduced income close to or after retirement

• Delayed retirement plans

• Healthcare costs without a spouse’s insurance

• Fear of outliving savings

At 60+, there’s less time to rebuild wealth, so financial anxiety can feel intense.

2. Loneliness & Social Isolation

Many men in long marriages relied on their spouse for social planning and emotional connection.

Common fears are:

• Being alone after decades of partnership

• Losing mutual friends

• Smaller social circle now that they are single

• Holidays and milestones feel empty

Men statistically tend to have fewer close friendships, which can make the transition harder.

3. Identity & Purpose

After 30 or 40 years of marriage, identity is deeply tied to being a husband or wife.

Concerns include:

• Who am I without this marriage?

• Loss of role as a daily family anchor

• Regret over past mistakes

• Fear that it’s “too late” to start over

This can trigger a period of deep self-reflection which can include uncomfortable growth and sometimes depression.

4. Relationship with Adult Children

Even when kids are grown, divorce can strain relationships.

The worries include:

• Adult children taking sides

• Reduced access to grandchildren

• Becoming emotionally distant

• Being blamed for the breakup

Many men fear losing their “family position” more than they admit.

5. Health & Aging Alone

Health becomes more real in the 60s.

Common thoughts include:

• “Who will take care of me if I get sick?”

• Managing medications or surgeries alone

• Emotional stress affecting physical health

• Lack of emergency support

• Concerns about doing daily chores alone such as cooking, cleaning, yard work etc.

• Downsizing and finding a new place to live

• Learning tasks that the spouse handled

Divorce can magnify mortality awareness.

6. Dating Again at 60+

Re-entering the dating world after decades can feel overwhelming.

Concerns include:

• Body image and sexual performance

• Competing with younger men

• Fear of rejection

• Navigating modern dating apps

• Protecting assets in new relationships

For some, the prospect of beginning to date again is exciting and for others it’s intimidating.

7. The Emotional Struggles

Across all these areas, both men and women often struggle with:

• Not wanting to ask for help

• Resistance to changing routines and the loss of familiar surroundings

• Suppressed grief

• Shame

• Fear of being seen as a failure

• Anger

• Deep sadness

• Fear of what the future holds

Many men going through a gray divorce don’t usually talk about these concerns.

However, they are common and deeply human.

The fact is, gray divorces are on the rise and we live in very strange times.

If you find yourself in this situation here are a few very practical tips to get through it with your sanity and sense of self intact.

• Stabilize Your Finances Fast: Rework your budget, downsize if needed, and meet with a financial planner (fee-only).

• Rebuild Your Social Circles: Reconnect with friends (old and new), join groups, and do your best to find activities you enjoy and just chat with others a little while engaging in these activities.

• Focus On Improving Your Health: Prioritize exercise, sleep, and regular checkups.

• Create Routine & Purpose For Yourself: Do volunteer work. Consult. Find part-time work or take up that hobby you’ve been thinking of.

• Update Legal Documents: Wills, beneficiaries, insurance, and financial accounts.

• If Needed — Consider Professional Support: I’m not necessarily a proponent of therapy, but a good coach can speed up your recovery and get you back into a balanced head space fast.

I hope these tips have been helpful on your ‘gray divorce’ pathway.

And if you want to listen to short podcast I created that offers some insight into using your masculine sexual energy… listen here.

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Hello Celebrators of Vintage Sensuality;

With a deeply cold winter that has stretched almost to the spring -- we need a good warm up.

That’s why April’s featured vintage beauty is ACQUANETTA ---> The Venezuelan Volcano!

Although her exotic looks turned heads she was born and bred in in the good ole’ USA.

It was Universal Studios who came up with the name The Venezuelan Volcano although there is no evidence she has any Venezuelan ancestry.

Where -- in the USA exactly -- she was born is a bit of a mystery.

There are reports she said she was born in Wyoming, records indicate she was born in Pennsylvania to the Davenport family.

I found a local newspaper account celebrating the fact that just 4 years out of high school (Norristown High) she made it big in Hollywood.

I have to say I really like not knowing the exact background details of a movie star.

It’s none of our business and it adds to the mystery.

If you’d like to know more about this mysterious, exotic beauty then have a look below...

Thank you for reading and stay sensual.

04/2026

Dyann Bridges, writer, publisher and voice actor

***INTERESTING FACTS ***

Although Universal Pictures tried to present her as an exotic Hispanic, naming her “The Venezuelan Volcano,” she was in fact a light-skinned African American woman.

Old Hollywood had strong racist tendencies. So, Acquanetta presented herself as white to avoid the stereotype trap.

It’s interesting to note that black-focused media like Jet magazine covered her career extensively.

As well, one of her siblings, Horace Davenport, was referred to as the first black judge in his county of PA.

She is known for her trademark long black braids, beautiful silver and turquoise jewelry and as sidekick to Johnny Weissmueller’s Tarzan.

Her beauty, career and mysterious background inspired an opera entitled - what else - "Acquanetta."

In The Beginning....

Acquanetta was born as Mildred Davenport, somewhere in Pennsylvania to William and Julia Davenport on July 17, 1921 and passed away on August 16th, 2004 at the age of 83 in Arizona from Alzhiemers disease.

It’s sometimes reported that she was born in Wyoming, but census records suggest she was born in Pennsylvania,

It’s also likely that she was a light-skinned African American woman passing as white.

Early Years & Breakthrough...

Acquanetta was probably best known for starring in Tarzan and the Leopard Woman (1946) .

She had a strong career up until the early 1950s when she met and married

In the 1950s, Acquanetta moved to Phoenix and married the owner of a local car dealership.

She achieved local celebrity status when she appeared in numerous ads for her husband’s business. She also was the host of her own TV program, “Acqua’s Corner,” that played movies.

Acquanetta also authored a book in 1974 called “The Audible Silence,” a compilation of poems about life, love, and Indian jewelry.

She used her celebrity and charm to support/raise money for a number of cultural groups and charities including Mesa Lutheran Hospital, the Heard Museum, the Phoenix Indian School, Stagebrush Theatre, and the Phoenix Symphony.

Below is a short clip with Acquanetta in Tarzan and the Leopard Woman (1946)

***I can find no full length movies with Acquanetta on youtube***

ACQUANETTA Photo Gallery

ACQUANETTA’S LOVE LIFE

Acquanetta was married three times.

T Luciano Bashuk​​ (m. 1948; div. 1950)​

Henry Clive​​ (m. 1950; div. 1953)

Jack Ross (m. c. 1955; div.)

She also had four sons with Jack Ross

• Jack Ross Jr., 45

• Lance Ross, 50

• Tom Ross, 47

• Rex Ross, 43

***I could not find pictures of Acquanetta with her husbands or children.***

In 1947, Acquanetta and a man who was described as a “Mexican-Jewish millionaire, Luciano Baschuk, had a son, Sergei. The boy died of cancer in 1952 at age five.

Apparently, she thought they were married yet no, marriage record could be produced when they began divorce proceedings in 1950.

It was a bitter divorce from Baschuk and Acquanetta fought to receive half of his fortune, but without the marriage record she got nothing.

In the same year -1950 - Acquanetta married painter and illustrator Henry Clive, who was 40 years her senior. At this point she also returned to acting.

Perhaps the age difference was too much as the couple were divorced in 1953. That same year she retired from films and became a disk jockey for radio station KPOL (AM) in Los Angeles.

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Discover more classic beauties here:

BARBARA LANG

VIRGINIA MAYO

SYLVIA SIDNEY

EARTHA KITT

DOROTHY MCGUIRE

FAY WRAY

RHONDA FLEMING

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It seems there is a so-called male loneliness epidemic which keeps circulating online.

I’m not one to spend a lot of time on social media, but it can be useful in keeping your finger on the pulse of our fast changing American society.

Men are experiencing social isolation in ways they hadn’t before.

This specifically impacts their dating experiences, emotional intimacy, and connection with women.

What I see online, as far as how and what men should be considering in regard to women looks something like this;

• the language a man uses when he’s with a woman

• the expectations around his emotional availability

• how relationship norms are changing with the use of dating apps and older demographics getting back into the dating pool

Ugh.

If I was a man I wouldn’t want to deal with this.

In fact, I don’t like dealing with a lot of women today.

Why?

Because women have internal ups and downs daily. Many times daily. It’s up to us to figure out how to deal with all that going on in the inside as we go through our day.

I’ve found that fewer and fewer women are taking the management of their inner environment seriously these days.

So… ugh.

Why Are So Many Men Lonely?

In recent years, researchers, psychologists, and public health experts have begun noticing the deep loneliness and sense of disconnection many of their male clients are experiencing.

In fact, across many countries, men are sharing that they have fewer close friends, less emotional support, and fewer meaningful social connections than previous generations.

People everywhere are noticing this trend and it’s a problem.

The patterns that are emerging among so many men these days, reveal something deeper about modern masculinity, connection and society.

Some Cultural Shifts Which Have Contributed To The Epidemic of Male Loneliness & Connection;

1. Traditional gathering spaces such as; local clubs, churches, neighborhood groups etc., have mostly gone away.

2. Work has become more remote thereby reducing daily face time with real human beings.

3. Boys are being taught to socialize “emotionally” which means showing up with a sense of vulnerability — which is most often seen as weakness by both men and women — which neither men or women appreciate or respect.

4. Social media and online gaming tend to create an illusion of connection without the depth of a shared physical presence. It keeps the bonds between people open, but tenuous.

5. There has been much upheaval in people’s lives in the last few years. Whenever you start something new, more effort is needed to get it moving forward. So, things like a major move, a divorce, a marriage, new fatherhood — all of this can dramatically shrink a man’s social circle.

The Impact of Loneliness

Loneliness isn’t just a feeling. It can be measured.

Studies say that chronic isolation leads to increased risks of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and even cardiovascular disease.

Additionally, loneliness can fuel frustration, disconnection, and a loss of purpose.

For men, this is surely devastating. Men tend to need a strong purpose in life or they flounder. With women, it’s more about their sense of contribution that is motivating.

Without trusted friends and family members, men can often build up internal stress rather than learn how to release that stress in an effective way.

So, seeking a remedy for male loneliness requires both cultural and personal change.

Sadly, what so many ‘experts’ say men should do to emerge from their sense of loneliness often keeps them deeper in it.

For example…

Experts suggest joining weekly basketball or squash games etc. These have often been friendship making activities. Most men join these clubs to get exercise, a sense of competition AND for comradery.

However, for men, if they get a whiff of desperation in another man, they will steer clear. That’s a masculine trait. When you’re an apex predator, you don’t hang with the weak.

Experts suggest that we ‘redefine’ strength (as if we should).

They say true resilience includes interdependence — and for the most part I agree.

However, what they describe as ‘interdependence’ is not so ‘inter’ as rather dependent. The experts say that men should seek support in the form of therapy or mentorship. They say this is a proactive investment in well-being.

Mentorship can be helpful when a man is young and learning the ropes. At some point, though the mentor leaves.

And… therapy as support?

Hhhmmm… unless someone is really hurting and dealing with a lot of trauma, most therapy does more harm than good. I say that from experience.

To encourage men to indulge in this way is flat our dependency. It’s not the new strong form of “inter-dependency” the experts say is healthy.

The Good News Is This…

The epidemic of male loneliness & connection is not inevitable.

Sadly too many ‘experts’ have adopted the idea that men have been taught to seek belonging, understanding, and shared experience.

And to a certain extent it’s true. All human beings need connection.

However, too many ‘experts’ suggest men be given permission and opportunity to build authentic bonds with others. WTF?

Since when are men told to be '“given” opportunities and not “make” their own opportunities?

The warrior’s way has been around since the beginning of time. It’s not really about actual physical battle which most of us do not engage in these days.

The warrior’s way is much more about a mindset that keeps your physical body and spirit calm, focused and battle ready — in a verbal way — than to just be aggressive.

If a man, with all his masculine energy, can’t go boldly forward to overcome challenges and make his own way, how will a man ever become truly masculine?

Perhaps, that’s exactly what the ‘experts’ have been convinced we don’t want.

I say embrace your masculinity in all its true, genuine, strength, resilience and focus, gentlemen.

It’s the warrior’s way and it’s the way to connection and banishing loneliness forever.

And if you want to listen to short podcast I created that offers some insight into using your masculine sexual energy… listen here.

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Hello Celebrators of Vintage Sensuality;

I hope your Sunday is going well and that you’re staying warm — It’s still pretty cold throughout much of the country.

On this Sunday in the Old Hollywood Newsletter though, I’ve got a few good ideas to stay warm and sensual.

Have a look…

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It’s part of what I do with The Body House brand which forces me to stay abreast of the mess the dating and relationship arena has become.

I’m happy to say, that common sense is beginning to prevail…

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If you’ve ever been curious about what a Tantra massage is, this post gives a succinct explanation.

Tantra is so much more than just sex. It’s our Western obsession and singular focus on climax that has taken this complex, yet organized philosophy for a better life, and perverted it.

Unlike ascetic forms of religion — such as Buddhism, Christianity or Hinduism, who separate the spiritual from the worldly — Tantra teaches:

• ALL aspect of human life—ethics, ritual, mind, body, speech, desire—is a pathway to liberation.

• Spiritual practice is suppose to be holistic. Tantra preaches the integration of the inner life and outer life; the mundane and the sacred.

• Add its core, Tantra teach esthat liberation is a transformation of how we live.

• Sensual aspects of life - such as massage - can enhance your life greatly!

  ---

Click the pic below to read more in the differences between Tantra and traditional massage.

THANK YOU FOR CELEBRATING VINTAGE SENSUALITY WITH US

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Don’t Forget to Get That Beautiful Mug on a Mug!

Hello Celebrators of Vintage Sensuality;

I’m not sure if you can feel it, but 2026 has an unusual flavor -- it’s ripe for huge breakthrough and opportunity AND/OR devastation.

There doesn’t seem to be much in between.

That’s part of why this month’s featured beauty and classic movie star is Super Sultry BARBARA LANG.

She was a self-taught vocalist who entrusted her accompanist to select each song’s key and pitch.

Lang was well on her way to a career in singing when she woke up one day in 1953 unable to move. She had been stricken with polio.

Her speech was affected and her legs and facial muscles had become paralyzed. She was told that she might never walk again.

During this difficult time, she turned to the Bible and built her faith.

She credits God for performing a miracle which allowed her to walk and talk normally again. It seems she made an almost 100% recovery from the disease which is extremely rare. The most persistent lingering effect she experienced was tiring easily.

So it’s an interesting turn of fate -- or perhaps faith -- that Lang began singing in nightclubs to pay her medical debts.

Lang then turned to film career was short. She made just four movies. She was not credited in two of them.

Lang found much greater success in TV and appeared in

Discover more about this determined, talented blond beauty below...

Thanks for reading and stay sensual.

03/2026

Dyann Bridges, writer, publisher and voice actor

***INTERESTING FACT ***

LANG was listed among 15 other young actresses predicted for stardom and presented at the Deb Star Ball in Hollywood in 1957 by the Hollywood Make-Up and Hair Stylists.

In The Beginning....

Barbara Lang was born in Los Angeles, California on March 2, 1928 and passed July 22, 1988 at the age of 54 reportedly from pneumonia

Although her career was limited, having appeared in just 4 films - although she was not always credited - her screen presence and striking beauty made her a memorable figure in mid-20th-century Hollywood.

However, Lang was known more for her many television roles through the 50s and 60s.

Early Years & Breakthrough...

Although her film career was brief, she worked extensively in television during the 1950s and early 1960s.

According to IMDB Lang’s confirmed feature film credits are:

1. House of Numbers (1957) - Opposite Jack Palance

2. Party Girl (1958)

UNFORTUNATELY I COULD ONLY FIND TRAILERS FOR THE 2 MOVIE ROLES BARBARA LANG WAS CREDITED FOR.

BARBARA LANG Photo Gallery

BARBARA LANG’S LOVE LIFE

Lang’s personal life involved three formal marriages, including one annulment early in her Hollywood career, and she was the mother of two children.

• William McCorkle – Married in 1946, later divorced in 1952; they had two daughters together

• Alan Wells – Married in 1956; this union was annulled in 1958 because Wells’ prior divorce wasn’t finalized at the time of their wedding.

• John George – Married in 1967, divorced in 1972.

Two daughters are Pam and Cheryl, both live in Oregon.

***I could not find pictures of Lang with any of her husbands.***

THANK YOU FOR CELEBRATING VINTAGE SENSUALITY WITH US

Contact: thebodyhouse.biz@gmail.com

Discover more classic beauties here:

VIRGINIA MAYO

SYLVIA SIDNEY

EARTHA KITT

DOROTHY MCGUIRE

FAY WRAY

RHONDA FLEMING

GALE ROBBINS

MERLE OBERON

Don’t Forget to Get That Beautiful Mug on a Mug!

Situationships are relationships that are more than just casual, but not fully committed either.

So, the understanding of what a situationship is seems to be this -- a man and a woman are having sex on a regular or semi-regular basis. They are also doing things like hanging out having coffee or going to a movie or to listen to a some live music etc. Things that friends or a regular couple would do.

However --->

They are NOT friends and they are NOT a couple.

So, what are they? They are in a situationship.

Aye, there’s the rub.

No real boundaries. No real emotional intimacy. Nothing like complete honesty and certainly no real authority.

It seems that in general, many people, especially the younger ones, are tolerating the nonsense of situationships.

You can probably tell at this point I’m not a big fan.

I’ve been in situationships when I was younger. Although we didn’t call it that then.

It was just confusing. If someone asked you were dating that man -- the best I could say, was “sort of”.

How stupid is that?

I don’t think human beings were really made for “sort of.”

Emotions are a funny thing. They are wildly unpredictable and totally ephemeral.

Which means they can bleed past boundaries - both physical and mental - unless we have some iron clad discipline -- which most people don’t. Especially, younger people.

Now, you mix lax social-sexual boundaries and weakened personal sovereignty and you get -- a situationship.

This is supposed to be considered normal, now.

Perhaps this is why we have such a particular view of the sexual attitudes of the Victorian era...

In the Victorian era, our social-sexual boundaries were locked in place. It was conservative and formal.

Men and women were expected to behave a certain way. There was courtship where a man and woman would spend time together, but always in the company of at least one other.

We were told they all -- or at least the good majority -- stayed virgins until they married.

However, the more I research historical times and sexual practices, I have learned that actual sexual activity was much more rampant than we have been led to believe.

The truth is that Victorian couples would plot and scheme their way to some alone time... AND...

They weren’t using their privacy just for kissing.

They were getting it on... full on. These Victorian “prudes” were having full on intercourse and loving it!

The men AND the women were enjoying sex.

This has been my observation which flies directly in the face of what we’ve been told.

Why is it that I find thousands of early era silent films that show naked women romping around in a forest, field or even a Victorian living room? The women are the ones getting undressed while the men stay clothed and ogle.

Where did the film maker find these brazen hussies?

I’m willing to bet he just asked a few ladies who were happy to oblige. All of the women in these early films look fresh and like they are having fun.

No embarrassment or manipulation in sight!

Fast forward 100 or so years and we now have ‘situationships.”

Our superficially ‘loose’ social-sexual norms are putting people in an emotionally gray area.

While in the Victorian era one could just ask, “What are your intentions with me, sir?” and expect an honest answer.

NOW....

You can’t ask and you better not be honest.

Which brings us back to the situationship... again. Ugh.

How utterly unsatisfying.

Yet, situationships continue because enough people are telling themselves it’s ‘modern,’ ‘hot’ or ‘cool’ or whatever.

Which suggests we are not thinking for ourselves. We only think we are thinking for ourselves.

When in reality we have allowed decades of ‘programming’ from movies, media and various authority figures to tell us how we should think.

We’ve accepted the situationship because it’s become part of our social-sexual norm that’s anything but normal.

Some argue situationships are a new way to navigate intimacy without traditional relationship pressures, while others feel it’s just a way to avoid real commitment.

Frankly, any way you look at situationships, they become lame really fast.

Victorian courtship expectations lasted for generations for good reason.

Publicly, men and women expected decorum. Privately, they could, should and did become defrocked, unleashed and unhinged.

In my opinion, the Victorian way of proper courtship make more sense.

It gave both men and women a chance to establish a real connection and develop feelings of comfort and acceptance from one another.

So, by the time they were sexually intimate, the corsets were flung off and the waistcoats abandoned for a good old-fashioned fucking. At that point there would be no ambiguity. No wondering. No ‘gray’ areas.

The expectations were clear. The intentions, set. Hence, the actions could follow with purpose.

In light of all this, situationships are an up front, sad, weak, tepid little bath of intimacy next to the simmering pot of Victorian stew sitting on the back burner.

So I say ditch the situationship and insist on knowing their intentions with you.

If you need a little help with that try a special type of hug....

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Thanks for reading/listening and have a very sensual day. Dyann. xoxo

Contact - thebodyhouse.biz@gmail.com

All links - https://linktr.ee/bodyhouse1

So I’m pleased to see, that studies show that as of February 2026, we are moving toward slower, more emotionally grounded dating.

Which means fewer superficial chats and more thoughtful conversation and actual build up to a sexual encounter.

Both men and women are demanding honesty up front.

We’ve become weary of the fibs and outright lies from others to impress or manipulate.

In 2026, the dating scene looks

noticeably different from just a few years ago.

That’s according to Esquire and several other leading culture journalism type of sites.

Discover one of their great article here…

In a nutshell, the difference is this —→ instead of flashy romance and fast escalation, many single men and women are choosing to connect organically.

We Want Slower, More Intentional Dating

After years dominated by dating apps that encourage ‘swipe culture’ many daters are choosing the “talking stage” for longer periods of time.

Men and women are taking longer stretches of time to get to know the other through dialogue alone.

Not because they’re flaky - which seems like an odd critique by many today - but because they are intentionally choosing to enter a relationship slowly.

Both men and women are seeking out emotional safety before physical intensity.

Personally, I’m thrilled to discover this.

I always thought that a lot of ‘bed hopping’ was corrosive on many levels. It wears down the body, mind and spirit no matter how we try to spin to ourselves.

Couples are now focusing on consistency, effort, and shared values.

The trend reflects a growing fatigue with performative dating — where chemistry was instant, but connection was shallow.

Today, emotional intelligence — a bit of a rank term that denigrates true intuition - is seen as more important than rizz.

Ditching The Lack of Clarity

Another major shift in the dating scene, is the expectation of clarity. What do this person really want? - is what people are asking themselves and the person they are with.

In the past, undefined relationships — a situationship - was tolerated.

Now vague intentions, and mixed signals are just pissing people off. More men and women are asking direct questions early on... and expecting honest answers.

Questions such as;

• Are you dating for marriage or companionship?

• Do you want children?

• What does commitment look like to you?

This upfront communication is a great sign of emotional maturity.

Independence Without Detachment

Modern heterosexual relationships are also redefining independence.

Many women are prioritizing financial and emotional self-sufficiency — which seems fine on the surface until you grow and mature enough to realize, human beings are meant to be connected. This is one of those “feminist” ideas that really has compromised women to a large extent.

Many men are now beginning to understand that being stoic is necessary to being masculine. What is not, is an aggressive unavailability to their inner life from those closest to him.

Partnership these days has become less about a sense of dependency and more about mutual support between two already whole individuals. ←- This is solid!

Upside Down Gender Roles

The so called “traditional scripts” of the man initiating, paying and leading, is becoming negotiable.

**In my opinion, too many things are becoming ‘negotiable’... and that’s a problem.**

What negotiating too often boils down to is indecision and wishy-washy boundaries.

Negotiation is good for specific situations, not for every little thing two people do together.

Many heterosexual couples are customizing roles based on their individual strengths, preferences, and practical realities rather than a true understanding of male/female dynamics.

Perhaps the biggest change that is also a bit disturbing for me, is the importance men and women are placing on emotional intelligence.

There is nothing wrong with emotional intelligence. I just don’t think it’s the best tool for growth and maturity. It’s an adequate tool, not a great tool.

Dating couples are now looking for a high EI in their dates.

Self-awareness, therapy literacy, being ‘trauma-informed’, having conflict resolution skills and a sense of accountability are strongly valued.

Ultimately…

These shifting expectations between men and women suggest we are finally coming to a place with more balance between the sexes in relationships.

We are coming back to a place where there is a sense of stability, depth and authenticity.

My hope is that this trend continues and the sexes come back to a place where the deepest understanding is that men and women are equal, but NOT THE SAME.

Thanks for reading/listening. I wish you a very sensual day, Dyann xoxo

Contact: thebodyhouse.biz@gmail.com

ALL Links: https://linktr.ee/bodyhouse1

Happy Valentine’s Day to you all!

I hope you’re doing something special and sensual today.

To help in that quest — I’ve got a few tips for giving your partner a sensual massage.

I am a certified massage therapist and have been since the 1990s.

I no longer see clients (except for a few friends) but I practiced for more than 25 years.

In the below article, I offer a few tips for giving a great massage to your partner so that you can celebrate Valentine’s Day in proper sensual fashion.

Continuing in the vein of sensual touch, I’ve give you a few more tips on how a man can touch his lady for maximum connection.

Of course, the favor can be returned and I’m willing to bet at least one of these areas will be a surprise to you.

Here’s something pretty romantic that would NEVER happen today…

Remember the famous ‘Kissing Sailor’ photo from the 1940s?

Here’s the backstory…

If you’re in the mood for some vintage style entertainment this Valentine’s Day why not have a listen to the 1984 BBC audio production of The Maltese Falcon?

If nothing else, you may want to read and discover a few interesting facts about the author —> Dashiell Hammett. (find his books here)

This is well worth the listen if you like Old Time Radio programs…

FIND MORE SPICY STORIES AND VINTAGE AUDIO ENTERTAINMENT ON THE BODY HOUSE CHRONICLES PODCAST ON SPREAKER…

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