Arts & Entertainment

It was originally designed to lift employee morale after a rocky corporate merger.

Denim jeans, a quintessentially American garment, has unexpected origins—two centuries before Levi Strauss was born.

Springsteen's breakout. Dylan's heartbreak. P-Funk's Mothership. From punk poetry to hot-and-heavy disco, 1975 had something for everyone.

In April 1896, Thomas Edison rented a New York Vaudeville hall to show a film—an event that many consider to be America's first movie theater experience.

The legendary singer-songwriter mixed folk and rock, and proved longer songs could become hits.

The iconic 1939 movie starring Judy Garland is among the most-watched in history, but even the biggest fans may not know these details.

While the 1897 novel 'Dracula' launched a genre of literature and film about vampires, a 1922 knock-off film cast the villain in a whole new light.

Callas became the most celebrated operatic soprano of the 20th century, but then her career—and life—were cut short.

Some of the earliest versions of socially acceptable women's pants were worn by women vacationing on the beach.

The Disney animation team spent three years, $1.4 million—and nearly 2 million separate paintings—in making its first feature-length film.

Frank Herbert’s 1965 science fiction classic tackled ecological themes and predicted some real-world problems.

These visual artists helped modernize and reclaim African American portrayals through groundbreaking painting, sculpture and photography.

From how the kitchen was stocked, to who is buried on the grounds, explore facts about the estate that Priscilla Presley converted into a business.

Some commencement ceremony traditions, like the cap and gown, have medieval origins; others developed more recently.

Genetic analysis of the composer's hair reveals a likely cause of death.

Humans have conceived versions of intelligent machines for centuries.

Despite the virulent racism of their time, these talented African American artists found success—and left lasting legacies.

From Raggedy Ann to Barbie to Cabbage Patch Kids, these mass-produced playthings have delighted millions of children worldwide.

When Afro-Cuban mambo met big band jazz, musical sparks flew.

Colonization of the Americas allowed for the melding of European, Indigenous and African sounds—creating some very danceable musical styles.

These are some of the most surprising, and valuable, historical objects people have ever found by accident.

Pioneering shows from the 1950s, like 'I Love Lucy,' would help shape the medium for decades to come.

'I used to drink it,' the artist said. 'I used to have the same lunch every day for 20 years.'

Fort Knox empty? The disappearing White House cornerstone. America's version of Stonehenge. And Leonardo's missing notebook page.

'Walk' among the terra cotta warriors. Tour Anne Frank's secret annex. Read letters to FDR. And more.

Suicide? Murder? P.R. stunt? Marie Empress's 1919 disappearance from an ocean liner remains a total enigma.

The iconic music festival faced massive resistance from local residents who feared an invasion of long-haired druggies in August of 1969.

The Kim Sisters’ success in Las Vegas allowed their family in war-torn Korea to eat.

These controversial artworks shocked the world.

Mickey Rooney's portrayal in 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' is often cited as offensive and a well-known example of yellowface.

The late Kim wanted Choi Eun-hee and her director ex-husband to improve North Korean cinema.

Extreme close-ups. Fast-motion reverse shots. And flesh-stabbing sound effects made with a knife and a casaba melon.

Nuclear war and race relations weren't the usual kiddie-show fodder, but they made their way into the safe space of 'Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.'

Hollywood’s Humble Origins In 1853, a small adobe hut was all that existed where Hollywood stands today. But over the next two decades, the area became a thriving agricultural community called Cahuenga Valley. When politician and real estate developer H...

Little known facts about the astronomical life of author, cosmologist and physicist Stephen Hawking.

Many memorable performances were fueled by “pep pills.”

Here’s why three famous winners didn’t take their Oscars home.

An art lover’s guide to travel.

If popular folklore is to be believed, he's a tattooed former military sniper with a dark secret.

Female extras and dancers were often lured to parties under false pretenses.

How eight lucky people found work by famous artists.

Television brought film into people’s homes—but flattened Hollywood.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that marriage isn’t always in the cards.

The country once taxed the number of windows people had—in effect, making them pay to breathe.

'King Cohn' lived up to his despicable reputation.

Biloxi, Mississippi, will remove the book from school curriculums.

As the musical celebrates its 60th anniversary, it stands as more than art: It was an artistic confrontation of social issues from immigration to economic inequality to gang violence.

Surrealism, an artistic movement that formed in the early 20th century, has had a lasting impact on painting, sculpture, literature, photography and film.

Art Nouveau showcased curvaceous lines in visual arts and design, before the streamlined style of Art Deco flourished in displays of architecture and fashion.

Richard Hornberger was famous for his wisecracking characters, but his real accomplishments were as a surgeon.

Modernism was a movement in the arts that lasted from the late 19th century to the middle of the 20th century.

Does the King still hold appeal for a younger generation?

Bauhaus was an influential art and design movement in early 20th century Germany that championed a geometric, abstract style with no historical nods.

Car chases. Drag races. Spy maneuvers and more. The film world has long had a love affair with its four-wheeled stars.

Impressionism, an art movement that emerged in France in the mid- to late 1800s, emphasized plein air painting and new expressions of light and color.

Cubism is an abstract artistic movement created by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque in the early 1900s that influenced other forms of art, music and literature.

The cartoon vixen was an unlikely candidate for a lawsuit—and for popularity.

The midcentury TV show  traded big prizes for women’s sob stories—and predicted the reality shows of today.

Check out 10 of history’s most fashionable world leaders.

The effect a Tony Award has on a Broadway production is similar to what an Oscar can do for a Hollywood film. It’s the industry’s highest honor and can make or break a play when it is given—or not. Although it may seem like a mainstay now, the Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway […]

MTV made waves when Emma Watson was awarded a non-gender specific “Best Actor” award for her performance in “Beauty and the Beast.” But while this may be a first for the MTV Movie & TV Awards, it’s not a first for the entertainment industry. For the top honors in film and theater, awards have always […]

Hemingway, America’s best-known novelist and one of the most famous figures in the history of literature, had a secret espionage past.

When the daguerreotype—the proto-photo—was first popularized in 1839, French poet and critic Charles Baudelaire railed against the form, calling it “deplorable.” And in the 178 years since its invention, the camera—and photographers—have courted controversy and headlines in equal measure. Here are the 10 most controversial moments in the history of the camera: 1. Death on […]

Meet eight Muppet characters who've helped kids—and adults—learn some powerful life lessons.

From Bette vs. Joan to the ultimate sibling rivalry, check out these legendary Hollywood battles.

Have you heard of these groundbreaking LGBT characters?

Get the facts on eight of the most magnificent libraries of the ancient world.

Referring to someone as a “Horatio Alger hero” means that person has overcome adversity and achieved success thanks to hard work and perseverance. The term is linked to the fictional stories of real-life, 19th-century author Horatio Alger Jr., who penned tales about street children who managed to better their circumstances through a combination of factors […]

The late-night television show rescued the game from being branded as too risqué—and made it a pop culture sensation.

Find out how a real-life black bear owned by a Canadian soldier serving in World War I inspired the famous children’s book.

These classic works of literature ran afoul of government censors.

Read about Roald Dahl’s secret life befriending presidents and bedding socialites as part of a British spy ring in the United States.

In 1911, a former Louvre employee perpetrated one of the greatest art heists in history: the theft of Leonardo da Vinci’s immortal painting “Mona Lisa.”

Check out nine little-known facts about the jazz legend nicknamed “Satchmo.”

From an Oscar-winning scriptwriter to a hardboiled detective novelist.

Find out how these three priceless objects were recovered and learn how stolen items associated with Walt Whitman and King Croesus also have happy endings.

From Drake’s Plate of Brass to the Archaeoraptor fossil, explore seven fascinating historical hoaxes.

Going back in time—to play a famous man or woman from history—was the ticket to Oscar gold for these nine men and women.

Explore 10 surprising facts about history’s most influential magician.

Check out five surprising facts about the author of 'War and Peace' and 'Anna Karenina.'

From Queen Victoria’s favorite lion tamer to a doomed aerialist, step right up and meet eight of the most beloved and influential stars of the big top.

Explore some illuminating facts about the so-called Queen of Crime.

Check out eight whiz kids who made their mark on history.

Historical figures and events informed George Lucas as he created his sci-fi saga in a galaxy far, far away.

Lewis Carroll’s 1865 novel “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” famously features an eccentric character called the Hatter, who’s referred to in the story as “mad” and became popularly known as the Mad Hatter. However, the phrase “mad as a hatter,” used to describe someone who’s crazy or prone to unpredictable behavior, didn’t originate with Carroll. Instead, […]

The origins of “in the limelight,” which refers to being the focus of public attention, are linked to a type of stage lighting that was popular in the 19th century. The “lime” in limelight has nothing to do with the green citrus fruit but rather with a chemical compound, calcium oxide, also known as quicklime. […]

Stories of killer whales have circulated on the high seas for generations.

The famed writer died suddenly—and under strange circumstances.

Get the facts about the famous comic strip Peanuts and its creator.

Get the facts on the actor who epitomized coolness and youthful angst.

Find out more about the Dutch-born painter, including what he did before becoming an artist, the unusual place where he painted some of his best-known works and why he might not have been responsible for cutting off his own ear.

From the development of his massive Spruce Goose aircraft to his involvement in a top-secret CIA plot to recover a Soviet sub, get the facts about the eccentric billionaire.

Check out 10 surprising facts about the 19th century’s most legendary showman

Explore the story of this literary classic and its author, L. Frank Baum, whose jobs ranged from chicken breeder to frontier storekeeper before he struck literary gold in 1900.

Explore the true history behind one of the most popular films of all time, “The Sound of Music.”

From the business setback that spurred him to develop Mickey Mouse to that persistent cryogenics myth, discover seven fascinating facts about this entertainment legend.

It's one of the rarest and most influential books in world history. But was it the first?

From Martin Luther King’s immortal jailhouse letter to a classic of philosophy completed on death row, get the facts on eight of the most influential and incendiary works written from behind bars.

From Charles Dickens’ obsession with order to a Greek politician’s bizarre trick for avoiding procrastination, learn more about eight historical figures that had unorthodox methods for getting things done.

Check out eight fascinating facts about the world-famous author, including why his riverboat career was marred by tragedy and who served as the real-life model for Huck Finn.

Take a look back at the Lumière brothers and their groundbreaking invention, the Cinématographe.

Check out nine surprising facts about the man known as the big screen’s “Master of Suspense.”

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s fictional detective with the knack for solving crimes through observation and reason was modeled after Dr. Joseph Bell, one of Conan Doyle’s medical school professors. Conan Doyle, born in Scotland in 1859, studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh and went on to work as a physician in England while writing […]

Explore 10 surprising facts about the famed American novelist.

From his challenging childhood to his stolen coffin, the silent film star's story was anything but ordinary.

Explore eight surprising facts about the Man of Steel.

Read the incredible tale of Marcus Luttrell and his fellow Navy SEALs that is the basis for the film.

Find out more about the extraordinary circumstances of seven of history’s most unlikely friendships.

The 26-second snippet of JFK's assassination became a major piece of evidence for government investigators and conspiracy theorists alike.

Orson Welles' 1938 program is the most famous—and dramatic— broadcast in radio history.

Check out six sinister themes in his work you likely wouldn’t find in a modern-day children’s story.

Check out some surprising facts about the world-famous museum and its long history.

From a Russian national treasure looted by the Nazis to a da Vinci painting that no one has ever seen, find out more about eight of art history’s missing masterworks.

Explore some surprising facts about this famed symbol of the U.S. movie industry.

Thirty years after the Hitler Diaries were exposed as a fraud, here’s a look back at some of history’s other famous fictions.

Find out more about the unusual origin stories behind 10 everyday phrases.

Check out seven surprising facts about the prolific and influential artist.

The Nobel Prizes, awarded annually on the anniversary of founder Alfred Nobel’s death, remain some of the most prestigious awards in the world.

The famous children's book author and illustrator

Explore seven fascinating facts about the English novelist and his extraordinary life.

From Thomas Edison to MTV, the music video's long history.

Amy Winehouse, Kurt Cobain and Janis Joplin number among the tragically long list of musicians who died at 27.

Mark Twain, the pseudonym of Samuel Clemens, was an American writer and humorist known for his travelogues and books such as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

The Hollywood Ten were film professionals who denounced the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1947, resulting in their blacklisting from the industry.