Laura Anderson
UK correspondent and erstwhile chanteuse Laura Anderson loves to Lindy-hop and Balboa, jangle her guitar, and relax with healthy doses of cake and Father Ted. She aspires to form a Jazz band someday...look for her onstage, she'll be the one hiding behind the drum kit to quell her stagefright.

Chris Bamberger
A part-time writer and film scholar, Chris hails from Arlington, Virginia. She's something of an expert on the career and life of Fred Astaire, whose films she has introduced at the American Film Institute's Silver Theatre, and she is co-moderator of an Astaire discussion list. She enjoys dancing, movies, books, and the history of most anything. Chat with Chris and others on the Astaire discussion list

Mark Benefield
Known on the street as "Dutch," Benefield is an L.A. native and a private dick for the film industry and all its types, be they the brassiest studio brass or Gower Gulch low-lifes. When not in his office rifling through musty back-issues of the Hollywood Reporter or pawing his secretary Zelda, he can usually be found around the low-rent district of Port Halcyon, sliding into whatever gin joints his dirty line of work takes him. He likes his drinks stiff, his .38 cocked, and his broads slim, stacked and just a little sleazy. Mark also contributes to www.filmradar.com

Sirkka E.H. Bertling
Sirkka E. H. Bertling recently received her MA in American studies from the University of Kansas; her thesis is entitled "The Swinger Returns: Rat Pack Masculinity, Nostalgia, and Film." She continues her work on the Rat Pack and other mid-century wonders while holding down a more "sensible" job to make a dent in her student loans. Contact Sirkka at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Karie Bible
Vintage diva Karie Bible runs FilmRadar.com, a website about specialty films playing all over Los Angeles. She is also the historic tour guide for the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, where she wears all-black vintage gowns and discusses the lives of Rudolph Valenino, Tyrone Power, Marion Davies, Douglas Fairbanks and other stars. She recently taped her first appearance on TCM, scheduled to air in 2005. In her free time, she can be found in her 1920s apartment indulging in her favorite hobby—sleep. Visit Karie's website: www.FilmRadar.com

Joe DiPietro
Fop, gadabout, flaneur and layabout Joseph DiPietro, when not busied polishing his collar studs or ducking the punches of jealous husbands, is a disbarred shyster and accomplished confidence trickster. Razor-sharp, button-cute, and eminently smoochable, he posseses one of the finest collections of pilfered witticism and time-warped sartorial tastes on the East Coast. He welcomes all communications from sloe-eyed lovelies, and can be reached at any rookery of the deviant.

Rich Drees
Rich Drees is a life long Looney Tunes fan and proprietor of the cinemaniac's dream, filmbuffonline.com. He prefers the earlier, crazier version of Daffy to the later, more vain version. Woo-hoo!! Get the latest cinema news here: www.filmbuffonline.com

Becky Feldman
Becky is an aspiring photographer, artist, and musician who publishes her own web comic called Peeto and Peeta. She has a love for all kinds of music, from Rockabilly to the Blues. Becky has been growing to love the retro scene for a while now, learning from her mother. She hopes to come to love and appreciate it more as she learns.

Michael S. Goldfarb
Michael S. Goldfarb grew up working alongside his pro photographer parents, and is a technical writer in his late forties who's a fan of all kinds of older technology, artifacts, and styles. He has taught film appreciation, written articles for the defunct webzine Retro, and helped lots of old-school photography fans on the Web get good results with vintage cameras and darkroom equipment. He'd love to hear from you at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Frankie Hagan
Frankie is a certified professional dance instructor and a member of the NDTA (National Dance Teacher's Association), the World Swing Dance Council, and the Triangle Swing Dance Society. His articles and reviews have appeared in swing-dance publications for several years. Learn more about Frankie at his website: www.dancefrankie.com

Susan Halteman
Susan Halteman’s love of the past has inspired her to become, among other things, a museum professional, a librarian, a classically trained musician, and a barefoot-and-pregnant housewife. While all may be noble pursuits, you’re most likely to find her whiling away the hours in the library stacks at Port Halcyon, dispensing advice and opinion on all things retro...and a few things not-so.

Karl Heitmueller Jr.
Karl's lifelong obsession with pop culture continues to shift focus to older TV shows, movies, comics and musical artists as he slides closer to midlife. Ah, these kids today, they don't know from the good stuff! TOUGH GUY Goods and Services is the portal for his art, comics and writing. Check out Karl's website: www.toughguygoods.com

D. Beecher Hickox
With two tone shoes, and grease in his hair, he can usually be found wandering the halls of Brock University or wrenching on his 1940 hot rod in his shop. Having grown up in a small town, there aren't many people in his area that know retro like Beecher. With his trademark pompadour he's worn since grade 6, it is easy to see that he is an old soul.

Tammi Johnson
This twin from the twin cities enjoys singing and drawing, and collects classic movie memorabilia and vintage clothing. She hopes to have some of her paper dolls published in the near future, and to someday put out an album of torch songs. Tammi has been talking voice lessons for seven years and hopes to win a scholarship to sing opera in Italy in the near future. She loves Irish music and history, and enjoys writing about and talking about all things retro. Visit Tammi's website

Eileen Forster Keck
Eileen Forster Keck has had almost nine lives: opera singer, actress, costumer, housewife, technical editor, file clerk, make-up artist and bonne vivante...(not necessarily in the order named). She married her brand new husband because he had the most closets. At the moment, you're most likely to find Eileen with a can of spackling in one hand and plans for dinner in the other.

Randall Keith
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Randall Keith began a career in music playing his first live show in a New York bar at the age of sixteen. After countless live performances across the country and numerous collaborations along the way, Harlem Moon is the culmination of Keith's twenty years of ups and downs in the field of music. Visit Randall at his website: www.randallkeith.com

Chad Kincaid
Professional stylist and occasional surf-rat Chad Kincaid is a longtime fixture in the New York retro culture. In addition to his many credits in the fashion industry, he's also written for ATOMIC magazine and DJed swing nights at many New York nightclubs. Spot him and his lovely wife Phoebe on their scooters in Brooklyn's Williamsburg neighborhood.

Koop Kooper
Koop is the host of The Cocktail Nation, a lounge and exotica podcast out of the Sydney Penthouse. Each week Kooper talks to the movers and shakers of the lounge and tiki scenes and plays the very best in swingin' tunes, and we are lucky enough to have him bestow his wit & wisdom upon us at Retrospectmag.com

Andrew Lawrence
As a growing child, Andy's hand was always rattling in a box of Lego's or wielding a spanner. A time-served apprentice on the London Underground and today a Signals Technical officer on the Piccadilly Line, his working time is spent chasing signalling faults on an ageing infrastructure. In his spare time, he works on restoring his 1959 BMW Isetta bubble car, attempting to dance Hollywood style Lindy, cine photography, model making and generally making a thorough nuisance of himself.

Michelle Leflar
Thinks outside of the box. Colors inside the lines, but can scribble if necessary. Plays exceptionally well with others. Never sleeps at nap time. Michelle Leflar desires perpetual childhood to enable her to keep up with her son, and to always aid her with future artistic endeavors. Currently working on redecorating her living room with the finest of '50s kitsch around, her motto is "Out with the new, in with the old".

Erin Leis
Raised by wild orangutans in Borneo, Erin Leis now resides in the much calmer surroundings of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A freelance writer by day, Erin combs flea markets and thrift stores for vintage treasures to put in her already full house. Besides hoarding old goodies, Erin's other hobbies include keeping the lost arts of knitting and embroidery alive and practicing to become a crazy old cat lady when she retires.

Athan Maroulis
Athan Maroulis is a native of Brooklyn, NY where he currently resides and poses as a writer, music archivist, singer, film buff and owner of the vintage label Sepiatone Records. Formerly the head of LA-based Stardust Records, Athan can be found on most Sundays driving around in his 1961 Dodge Polara pretending Natalie Wood is next to him.

S. Clayton Moore
S. Clayton Moore is a freelance writer currently sending down his scribblings from a hideout in the mountains near Boulder, Colorado. This follows a year on the run in the bloody streets of London and a recuperative stay on the coast of Italy. Subjects of his recent articles include fantasy author Neil Gaiman, hard-boiled crime writer Andrew Vachss, swingin' jazz musicians, and burlesque girls. His publications include ATOMIC Magazine, Go World Travel Magazine, Riff Music Magazine, About.com and the Rain Taxi Review of Books. Offer him gigs or pester him for juicy celebrity details at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Dante Murphy
Port Halcyon's co-founder and digital handyman has been slinging ink on retro topics since a past life, including feature articles and reviews for Swing Time and ATOMIC Magazine. He's always wandering the main streets and back alleys of Port Halcyon, chatting and fixing and tidying...if you don't see him around, drop him a line.

Amanda Porter
Betty Grable-esque Amanda Porter is a bona-fide vintage fanatic. Her primary flights of fancy include cutting a rug and relentlessly collecting 1930s and 40s fashions. This journalist also masquerades as your friendly local bridal consultant. She married her "earnest 40s man" last fall and ever since has been trying to convince modern day brides that borrowing from the past is far better than living in the present.

Barrett Reynolds
Singer, voice-actor, and radio personality Barrett "Buddy-Rey" Reynolds has been into the music, fashion, films, style, and lifestyle of decades past for as long as he can remember. At age eight, Elvis became his hero, opening the door to so many great musical icons of the past, from Sinatra to Stravinsky. He is known locally as the karaoke circuit's foremost interpreter of big band, swing, and jazz standards, and you can sometimes catch him on widely-syndicated radio programs across the southeast US.

Tim Swank
Voted "Most Likely to Succeed" and "Most Dependable" in high school, I keep both as a reminder that you have to live before you die, and that living is a choice. Hence the reason I choose to live with swing music as my background...it's a choice that fits my life of pauses before panic. At an early age I realized that to be appreciated, it helps to take a moment and appreciate someone else. Live a life of appreciation, and all things will come back to you more valuable.

Ami Thomas
Ami Thomas lives in Charm City, USA with 2 kids, 2 cats and her husband. She is a semi-retired bombshell who writes about her life and often drinks martinis before lunch. When she isn't writing, cooking, cleaning or breaking hearts, she can be found in a bubble bath with a bottle of champagne and a trashy novel. She doesn't wear a watch, but if you shake a cocktail loud enough, she'll get there eventually. Visit Ami's website: www.charmcitydaily.com

Johnny Vallis
Johnny is dedicated to the preservation of great retro music, whether it's with his uncanny renditions of the classic masters or his insightful reviews of their work. He's an entertainer, a singer, an archivist, and a fan. Learn more about Johnny at www.johnnyvallis.com

Will Viharo
Will "the Thrill" Viharo is a freelance writer, beatnik lounge lizard at large, and host/producer of the long-running live cult movie cabaret "Thrillville," which he hosts with his lovely assistant and patient wife, Monica Tiki Goddess. The Thrills live on the exotic isle of Alameda, CA with their cats Chungking and Tiki. When in the mood for a cheap thrill, please swing by www.thrillville.net

Joe Wood
RETROspective's founder and Port Halcyon's co-founder began his retro career by creating the retro music portal Pennsylvania65000.com. "Smilin' Buddha Joe" has dabbled in booking and event productions, and in 1998 he produced the 21st Century Swing radio show and launched the first online retro magazine, which eventually merged with ATOMIC Magazine. While with ATOMIC, Joe ran the magazine's online entity and wrote reviews and feature articles.

Dave Wright
Dave has survived and tiptoed around quite a few musical trends in his time, but has always had both feet firmly planted on retro ground. Perhaps it started with his dad's Hank Williams 78s,or hearing "The Shadow" radio show on cassette...who's to say? Dave lives in Northern New Jersey with his beautiful wife Diane and 2 cats and is still trying to convince her that watching black & white movies is, indeed,very cool.