did men shave their heads in the golden era?

[green papaya]

how popular was the shaved head look back during the golden era? seems like lots of guys going bald just shave their heads these days, I never saw so many shaved heads before?

I think the toupe was more popular back then? in some old movies or comedies they show men that lose their toupe when it gets windy or snagged on something lol

 

[Foofoogal]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbiofcuTZBo

this one did. Mr. Clean 1959 commercial. lol

 

[bunnyb.gal]

He bears a certain resemblance to Yul Brynner, does Mr. Clean. Who, come to think of it, shaved his head, didn't he?

 

[TheModernLife]

Makes me think of this:

 

[Doc Average]

Mussolini certainly did...

 

[Shangas]

Head-shaving, or at least, really really short hairstyles were popular amongst the American military forces in the 1940s, I think. The practical reasoning was that having short hair (or a shaved head) prevented enemy soldiers from grabbing your hair and pulling it. I reckon an order like that still exists in the military today, for the same reason.

 

[JimWagner]

Head-shaving, or at least, really really short hairstyles were popular amongst the American military forces in the 1940s, I think. The practical reasoning was that having short hair (or a shaved head) prevented enemy soldiers from grabbing your hair and pulling it. I reckon an order like that still exists in the military today, for the same reason.

The real reasons for short hair in the military are for hygiene and for proper seal on chemical and biological protective equipment.

By hygiene I mean for dealing with lice and such while in the field. Head injuries are common in combat and short hair also makes it easier to deal with that.

And finally, it's also for a more uniform appearance.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Pre-war, probably the most famous shaved head other than Mussolini's belonged to Erich Von Stroheim, who indelibly associated the look with haughty German aristocrats and the like.

It was also common for convicts to have their heads shaved -- and when a man came around with a very short haircut the common remark was "When did *you* get out of jail?"

 

[Doc Average]

It was also common for convicts to have their heads shaved -- and when a man came around with a very short haircut the common remark was "When did *you* get out of jail?"

As worn by the inimitable Walter Long!

http://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=32128

 

[Tomasso]

Pre-war, probably the most famous shaved head other than Mussolini's belonged to Erich Von Stroheim,

Don't forget Jack Johnson.....

 

[flat-top]

It was also common for convicts to have their heads shaved -- and when a man came around with a very short haircut the common remark was "When did *you* get out of jail?"

An older gentleman that I used to work with said that very thing to me when I showed up with a shaved head.
This kind of haircut was also referred to in the U.S. as a Heinie, which was influenced by the images of German solidiers during the War.

 

[Nik Taylor]

Uncle Fester did...The Addams Family started in The New Yorker as a cartoon 1938

Benito Mussolini (1883 - 1945 )

 

[Talbot]

By hygiene I mean for dealing with lice and such while in the field.

My wifes father shaved his head (when he could) all through the New Guinea campaign for hygeine.

 

[MisterGrey]

Probably the most famous, non-fascist shaved head of the forties was Ike Eisenhower, who shaved it in the 1930s during his time in the Philippines with MacArthur, in an attempt to combat the head. Even upon his return to civilian life, he seemed to favor rather short hair (well, what was left of it) :