1

Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill)

Image: superneox lightsaber

Luke Skywalker is one of pop culture’s most beloved icons. In the first "Star Wars" movie, this young man goes from a life of solitude and safe boredom to a wondrous journey filled with lasers and space magic. Luke not only finds invaluable friends, mentors, and comrades, but he also discovers the purpose he has been looking for his entire life.

Mark Hamill portrayed this character for over 40 years, from his days as a young Jedi apprentice in 1977 "A New Hope", to Luke’s last days as a wise hermit in 2017 "The Last Jedi". You would think that being typecast for such a long time would discourage Hamil, but the actor seems to always be happy to portray Luke on the big screen.

2

Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford)

Image: Colton Jones

Indiana Jones proved to an entire generation that archaeologists can be cool too! Harrison Ford first brought this iconic adventurer to life in the 1981 classic "Raiders of the Lost Ark", and continued to portray him for 4 more films, with the last one in the series (so far) being released in 2023.

Indiana is instantly recognizable through his wide-brimmed fedora, his trusted whip, and his quick-witted sense of humor. There’s not much we can say about this character that’s not already common knowledge, so we’ll end this entry with a less-known fact: Did you know that Indy’s full name is Dr. Henry Walton Jones, Jr?

3

Superman (Christopher Reeve)

Image: Jon Tyson

While up to date over 13 actors have portrayed " the Man of Steel " on film since the character’s creation in 1938, a pretty strong argument could be made that Christopher Reeve’s performance in the 1978 movie "Superman" truly brought this iconic superhero to life.

Reeve was just perfect for the part: He effortlessly brought a level of nuance and depth to Superman while still maintaining the warmth and disposition that made him a pop culture icon. In the end, Reeve is able to show us that, just like every American hero, Superman’s main source of strength is his heart.

4

Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox)

Image: Roger Ce

Marty McFly , the quick-witted and hot-headed protagonist of the "Back to the Future" trilogy, was meant to represent a typical American teenager. And yet, Marty is by all means definitively way cooler than the average teenager: He is charismatic, an amazing guitar player (so much so that he "invented" rock n’ roll), and extremely proficient with his trusted skateboard.

Much of Marty’s legacy as a pop icon can be attributed to Michael J. Fox’s performance. This amazing actor was able to portray Marty’s coolness as well as his bravery, sensitivity, and daredevil ways. Almost 40 years have passed since the release of the first "Back to the Future", but most of us still get goosebumps whenever we see Marty and his iconic Delorean speeding up through time.

5

Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver)

Image: Diego Marín

Few sci-fi characters inspire the awe and admiration that Ellen Ripley does. The very first movie in the Alien series depicts her as a cool-headed and strategic leader, who almost single-handedly manages to defeat one of the deadliest creatures in the universe.

As the films went on, Ripley’s guts and strength continued to grow, saving the Earth from a full-blown alien invasion on at least three different occasions. Portrayed by legendary actress Sigourney Weaver, Ripley is to this day considered to be one of the toughest characters in this genre’s history.

6

John McClane (Bruce Willis)

Image: Matt The Artist

Is John McClane the ultimate action hero? That’s definitively a heated debate, so it might be better to set that question aside for another article. However, no one can deny that Bruce Willis’ character in this groundbreaking series is one of the finest cops the NYPD has to offer.

Based on a character from the 1979 novel "Nothing Lasts Forever", John McClane is a sarcastic, wisecracking, and particularly skilled detective who finds himself in dangerous situations in which he is forced to single-handedly save the day. Willis has played McClane in five different films, which go from the original 1988 film to 2013’s "A Good Day to Die Hard".

7

Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks)

Image: Yosuke Ota

Some believe that Forrest Gump is the quintessential American protagonist, and with good reason: Whether it's his huge heart or a random stroke of luck, Forrest seems to always be at the right place at the right time. Not only that, but his personal story seems to be directly connected to major turning points during the latter half of the 20th century.

Portrayed by Tom Hanks in an outstanding performance that earned him an Academy Award, Forrest Gump is a simple-minded but warmhearted and extremely talented Alabama man who lives an extraordinary life. His search for his childhood love takes him on a journey throughout American history: Forrest teaches Elvis how to dance, helps expose the Watergate Scandal, and runs a three-year marathon across the United States.

8

The Man With No Name (Clint Eastwood)

Image: Luis Domenech

Let’s start this entry by addressing the elephant in the room: Yes, Clint Eastwood’s iconic cowboy character does have a name. In fact, he has several: In the three movies this laid-back and quiet gunslinger appears, he is called by several names including "Blondie", "Joe", and "Manco". However, the truth of the matter is that a man with many names is the same as a man with none, so in the end "The Man with No Name" seems like an appropriate title.

Eastwood played this taciturn antihero in "A Fistful of Dollars", "For a Few Dollars More", and "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly." While his most notable characteristic is his silent manners, he is also instantly recognizable by his poncho and tan cowboy boots.

9

Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone)

Image: Zane Burko

Rocky’s story, both inside and outside the movie set, can be summed up into a single word: Resilience. In the first film, released in 1976, Rocky is an up-and-coming club boxer who risks it all at a shot at the heavyweight title. Likewise, Sylvester Stallone was a financially broke actor when he wrote the screenplay for "Rocky" in just three days. However, he resisted and persevered with his intent of playing the titular character, which eventually resulted in his most iconic movie role.

After the first movie became a huge hit, winning the Oscar for Best Picture, Stallone reprised this Philadelphia boxer in six different "Rocky" films. Not only that, Balboa has now taken on a mentor role in the franchise’s spin-off series "Creed".

10

Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart)

Image: Darius

We’ll end this article with an American legend. The 1942 film " Casablanca " is now considered one of the most influential films of all time: It is consistently on the top of lists of the best films in history, and it was selected for preservation by the U.S. Congress in the National Film Registry. In that regard, much of what made this film so unforgettable comes from Humphrey Bogart’s performance as Rick Blaine, a cynical American expatriate with a heart of gold living in Casablanca, Morocco.

Alongside Detective Sam Spade, Rick is perhaps Bogart's most iconic character. His seemingly bitter persona hides the pain of his long-lost love Ilsa Lund, wonderfully portrayed by Ingrid Bergman. In the end, Boggart helps Ilsa and her husband escape the German army, showing his good nature before leaving Casablanca.

1

Townhouse

Image: Aman Kumar

Most commonly found in cities, townhouses have spacious layouts, more amenities than the condo styles, and lower maintenance than most residential homes. They’re typically two or three-story homes, usually sharing one or two walls with adjacent properties, and a rooftop deck to enjoy sprawling views.

While the most famous examples are the ones from New York or San Francisco, thanks to TV series and movies, these types of homes can be found all over the country.

2

Cape Cod

Image: Phil Hearing

Cape Cod houses bring to mind the classic American cottage style but with a weekend feel to them. This type of home design migrated from the UK to the United States, maintaining its symmetrical design and central chimney.

These houses feature a steep roof to keep snow from accumulating, dormer windows for added light, wood siding and shutters to keep the heat in, and hardwood floors for comfort and practicality.

3

Modern

Image: Avi Werde

Funny how the word "modern" is used to define things that happened 100 years ago, right? Emerging in the 1920s to embrace minimalism and reject the more ornate house styles, modern house styles include progressive elements such as asymmetrical exteriors, flat roofs, and integrated outdoor spaces.

Many modern interiors also feature minimal to zero molding and trim, neutral color palettes, and metal accents to accentuate the simplicity of its design.

4

Farmhouse

Image: Raychel Sanner

A house design that has been around for a long time, the farmhouse style was created back in the early 1700s, as housing for farmers and is all about practicality.

Modern farmhouses still showcase many of the same features from the original design such as large, wraparound front porches, clapboard siding, large fireplaces, wood floors, eat-in kitchens, and oversized kitchen sinks.

5

Craftsman

Image: Lernestorod

This style became increasingly popular in the 1900s and has remained a staple throughout the 21st century. Craftsman style adds charm to any neighborhood with its exterior features, including shingles, low-pitched roofs, and covered front porches.

These types of houses feature interior details such as thick trim, prominent ceiling beams, and built-in shelving and seating.

6

Contemporary

Image: James Kovin

A style often compared to modern style architecture, contemporary is very much a trend these days among house builders. These homes have simple forms without elaborate ornamentation or detail.

Showcasing geometric lines, large windows and doors to bring in light, and open floor plans, contemporary homes often incorporate sustainable and eco-friendly building materials, textures, and components, exposed roof beams, and flat or low-pitched roofs.

7

Cottage

Image: Czapp Botond

As the name implies, cottage houses of the 1920s and 30s were inspired by the cozy cottage-style houses of the English countryside, but with a more modern twist.

This style of house typically has a steep, thatched roof, arched doorways, and shuttered windows. They can be found in semi-rural areas, closed communities, and holiday spots, among other places.

8

Mid-Century Modern

Image: Lenalensen

A style that has been well represented in modern media, the mid-century modern style is part of the modernism movement and dates back to post-World War II, and remained popular throughout the 1970s.

This design is characterized by minimalism. Think of clean lines and floor-to-ceiling windows, open layouts, and a mix of natural and manufactured materials for the interior elements like wood, stone, steel, and plastic.

9

Colonial

Image: Mateus Campos Felipe

Another early style, colonial architecture has maintained its allure in many parts of the United States. These classic homes are known for their vintage charm, decorative doorways, and symmetrical window placement.

Many of these houses will be similar to the Cape Cod-style home because of their symmetry and side-gabled roofs but with two or three stories, fireplaces, and brick or wood exteriors.

10

Ranch

Image: Michal Průcha

A style that dates back to the 1930s, ranch homes grew in popularity during the 1950s and 1960s, and are still popular today. This architecture is known for its simple, single-story floor plan, low-to-the-ground look, often with an open layout and occasional basement.

With a smaller yard, attached garage, and a low-pitched roof, the ranch-style home often features large windows and sliding glass doors, encouraging an indoor-outdoor living style. A ranch can also be called a ‘rambler,’ depending on which region in the country it is located.

1

People spent weeks sitting on flagpoles

In the 1920s, sitting still became a spectator sport —as long as the seat was on top of a flagpole. Stuntman Alvin "Shipwreck" Kelly, from New York City, helped launch the craze in 1924 by remaining aloft for 13 hours and 13 minutes. Soon, imitators across the country were competing to stay up longer.

Kelly kept raising the bar. He spent seven days on a pole in St. Louis, 23 days in Baltimore, and 49 days and one hour above Atlantic City’s Steel Pier in 1930 . He ate, shaved, and even slept on his perch before the Great Depression helped bring the strange craze back down to earth.

2

College students crammed themselves into telephone booths

In 1959, American college students embraced a wonderfully pointless challenge: stuffing as many people as possible into a telephone booth . The fad had already appeared overseas, including a 25-student attempt in Durban, South Africa, before spreading rapidly across U.S. campuses.

At Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, California, 22 students squeezed into one upright booth , producing one of the craze’s most famous photos. Arguments soon broke out over rules: Did feet have to fit? Could the booth lie sideways? By the end of 1959, the fad was already giving way to the next campus novelty.

3

Pet Rocks were a thing

In 1975, advertising executive Gary Dahl came up with the perfect low-maintenance pet: a rock. For about $4, buyers received a smooth Mexican beach stone in a cardboard carrier with straw, air holes, and a tongue-in-cheek manual explaining how to "train" and care for it .

The joke became a genuine business sensation. Dahl later estimated that about 1.5 million Pet Rocks were sold, especially during the 1975 holiday season, making him a millionaire. The craze faded almost immediately afterward, but it proved that clever packaging could turn an ordinary stone into a national phenomenon.

4

Raccoon coats became a college status symbol

During the Roaring Twenties, enormous raccoon-fur coats became a fashionable badge of college life . Princeton’s student newspaper reported in 1923 that the coats were "as thick as flies" on campus. They were warm enough for chilly open cars, but they also signaled money and status .

They were expensive, too: typical prices reportedly ranged from $350 to $500 in the 1920s (worth about $5,840 to $8,350 today). Football star Red Grange and movie heartthrob Rudolph Valentino helped popularize the look , and the 1928 song "Doin’ the Raccoon" celebrated the fad. After the 1929 crash, however, such extravagant outerwear lost much of its appeal.

5

Troll dolls were everywhere

With potbellies, oversized heads, wild hair, and faces that were more odd than cute, troll dolls somehow became a huge American toy craze. Danish creator Thomas Dam developed them in the 1950s, and by the 1960s the strange little figures had become enormously popular in the country .

Americans bought more than one million genuine Dam trolls in 1964 alone. Demand for their distinctive hair reportedly grew so large that Dam’s company bought Iceland’s entire sheepskin harvest. The popular dolls had a revival of sorts in the late 80s and early 90s, but nowhere near their first wave.

6

Cabbage Patch Kids caused shopping mayhem

Cabbage Patch Kids turned holiday shopping into chaos in 1983. The dolls, based on creations by Georgia artist Xavier Roberts, came with names, birth certificates, and adoption papers. When Coleco mass-produced them, demand quickly overwhelmed supply across the country.

At a Hills store in Charleston, West Virginia, about 5,000 shoppers reportedly crowded in during one sale. Elsewhere, customers camped outside, grabbed dolls from carts, and even suffered injuries in the rush . More than 2.5 million dolls (not counting the black market versions that preyed on the craze) were sold in their first year, with a price tag ranging from $18 to $35 depending on location.

7

Pogs took over playgrounds

For a brief stretch in the 1990s, colorful cardboard discs became serious playground currency. Pogs grew from a Hawaiian milk-cap game revived by teacher Blossom Galbiso around 1991. Players stacked the discs and struck them with a heavier "slammer," trying to flip them over .

The trouble came when children played "for keeps," taking any Pogs they flipped. Arguments, theft, distractions, and concerns about gambling led many schools to ban or restrict the game.

8

Dance marathons lasted weeks

Dance marathons began as a 1920s endurance craze and became far harsher during the Great Depression. In 1923, New York instructor Alma Cummings danced for 27 hours, inspiring imitators . Promoters soon turned marathon dancing into paid entertainment watched by large crowds.

Contestants could be required to remain in motion for 45 minutes of every hour, day and night, with only brief rest periods. Some events lasted for weeks: a 1935 marathon in Wenatchee, Washington, ran for 1,492 hours . Cities increasingly objected to the grueling conditions, and Seattle banned the contests in 1928. The bleak Depression-era extremes of the fad were dramatized in the 1969 film They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? starring Jane Fonda.

9

The Davy Crockett caps craze

When Disney aired its Davy Crockett television adventures beginning in late 1954, actor Fess Parker helped turn the frontiersman into a national sensation. Children suddenly wanted the hero’s trademark coonskin cap, complete with a furry tail hanging down the back .

At the height of the craze, about 5,000 children’s caps were reportedly selling each day. "Polly Crockett" versions were even marketed to girls. By May 1955, TIME estimated that Americans had bought about $100 million in Crockett merchandise.

10

More than 20 million Hula Hoops sold in four months

When Wham-O introduced the Hula Hoop in 1958, the toy became one of the fastest-moving crazes in American history. Founders Richard Knerr and Arthur "Spud" Melin were inspired by hoops used by Australian children and developed a lightweight plastic version for the local market.

The company promoted the toy directly to schoolchildren, and the strategy worked spectacularly . More than 20 million Hula Hoops were sold in the country within four months. Wham-O was reportedly producing around 20,000 a day as competitors rushed in, before the mania faded almost as quickly as it had begun. Nowadays, Hula Hoops are still popular, but nowhere near their heyday.