# What is this iconic picture? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 10, 2007, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-iconic-picture/418640 "2007-09-10T02:43:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2007, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-iconic-picture/418640/1 "2007-09-10T02:43:27Z")
(Mods, This is a question about art, but it has a factual answer. I put it here, but feel free to move it to CS if you think that is best) On Saturday I went to lunch with some friends at a diner/coffee shop that dates back to the 1940s (founded in 1941) Anyway on the wall over the kitchen there were several painted pictures. Not framed pictures, but painted directly on the wall. Anyway one of them is a copy of a picture I have seen many times before, but I will be damned if I can remember where the original came from. Here is what the picture looked like: In the background was a circa 1955 Drive in. In the foreground is a female car hop wearing roller skates, black stretch pants, and a white top. She is leaning backwards somewhat and in her right hand (left side of pic) is a tray of food held at about shoulder level. The girl of course is smiling. I have seen this picture (or one just like it) a bunch of times, but I don’t know where it came from. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2007, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-iconic-picture/418640/2 "2007-09-10T02:46:29Z")
[QUOTE=Rick] (Mods, This is a question about art, but it has a factual answer. I put it here, but feel free to move it to CS if you think that is best) On Saturday I went to lunch with some friends at a diner/coffee shop that dates back to the 1940s (founded in 1941) Anyway on the wall over the kitchen there were several painted pictures. Not framed pictures, but painted directly on the wall. Anyway one of them is a copy of a picture I have seen many times before, but I will be damned if I can remember where the original came from. Here is what the picture looked like: In the background was a circa 1955 Drive in. In the foreground is a female car hop wearing roller skates, black stretch pants, and a white top. She is leaning backwards somewhat and in her right hand (left side of pic) is a tray of food held at about shoulder level. The girl of course is smiling. I have seen this picture (or one just like it) a bunch of times, but I don’t know where it came from. [/QUOTE] Was it a [Ruby’s Diner](http://www.rubys.com/)? ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2007, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-iconic-picture/418640/3 "2007-09-10T02:50:18Z")
No, the girl is wearing pants and roller skates not a skirt, and the food is on the wrong side. But I would love to have a date with Ruby. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2007, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-iconic-picture/418640/4 "2007-09-10T03:17:50Z")
You mean the promotional poster image for the George Lucas movie, [American Graffiti](http://rateyourmusic.com/misc/link_image?album_id=20311&image_hotlinked)? ---
**Author:** ![Rhubarb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/59ef9b/32.png) [@Rhubarb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhubarb)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2007, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-iconic-picture/418640/5 "2007-09-10T03:20:54Z")
Well, I don’t know where it came from, but [if this is it](http://www.retroclipart.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1195), I know where you can buy a copy of it. I suppose if you really need to know it’s origins, you could ask [Retro Bob.](http://www.retroart.com/about.html) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2007, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-iconic-picture/418640/6 "2007-09-10T03:24:09Z")
[QUOTE=Rick] But I would love to have a date with Ruby. 🙂 [/QUOTE] Some of the Ruby’s waitresses really go for the look. (They wear the uniform, but some of them take the extra steps.) Lots of Ruby’s in SoCal. (Even a few in WA.) Good burgers too. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2007, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-iconic-picture/418640/7 "2007-09-10T03:42:38Z")
[QUOTE=GuanoLad] You mean the promotional poster image for the George Lucas movie, [American Graffiti](http://rateyourmusic.com/misc/link_image?album_id=20311&image_hotlinked)? [/QUOTE] **DING!** Winner. :smack: Why I could not remember that is beyond me. Thanks