21 Funny Photos From History Showing People Have Always Had a Sense of Humor

Carly Tennes Published 07/17/2024 in Funny

While old-school photographs are often seen as stoic affairs, defined by stiff upper lips and blank stares, these images only offer a single snapshot (pun unavoidable) into what life was like for our ancestors. Case in point? The rich archive of face-contorted, funny snaps that prove the time-honored tradition of taking a "silly one" is as old as the camera itself.

From family photos gone wrong to photobooth hijinks, here are 21 funny photos from history that show we've always had a sense of humor.

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1.
“Having fun in front of the camera. 1900.”
2.
“This is my mom and dad in the 60’s. My father is a very serious man and this is one of the only times I’ve ever seen him make a silly face. They were married for 48 years. I had this framed for him on Father’s Day.”
3.
“My Grandmother in the 1950s. She was always artistic and silly. The best of both worlds!”
4.
“Ministry of Silly Walks 1970.”
5.
6.
“Brigitte Bardot being silly on a swing set.”
7.
“My grandma - always silly and sweet, since the 1950s.”
8.
“My Nana and Granda, ages 19, 1963, being silly on a walk in Ireland.”
9.
“My grandma making a silly face at her workplace (1957).”
10.
“Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn make silly mustaches. 1957.”
11.
“Just my dad being silly. USSR Circa 1985.”
12.
“John Cleese and Michael Palin showing the girls how it’s done while filming Monty Python’s Flying Circus in 1970.”
13.
“My friend's late Aunt being silly on her wedding night. They were married over 50 years.”
14.
“Four men posing for a studio portrait in Black River falls, Wisconsin, 1900.”
15.
“My grandfather and grandmother acting silly. Mid 1910s.”
16.
“Girls being silly & pretending to be toddlers, 1895.”
17.
“My favorite picture of my often very silly grandparents. 1960s Brooklyn.”
18.
“Tongues out. Early 1900s.”
19.
Vintage photo from a family album, Freeport, IL
20.
“My great-grandfather (left) and a buddy being silly in their WWI uniforms.”
21.
“My Grandma and her siblings. Today she would have turned 100.”
22.
“My gran, having a smoke, being silly in Somerville, MA - 1939.”
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1.
“Having fun in front of the camera. 1900.”
2.
“This is my mom and dad in the 60’s. My father is a very serious man and this is one of the only times I’ve ever seen him make a silly face. They were married for 48 years. I had this framed for him on Father’s Day.”
3.
“My Grandmother in the 1950s. She was always artistic and silly. The best of both worlds!”
4.
“Ministry of Silly Walks 1970.”
5.
6.
“Brigitte Bardot being silly on a swing set.”
7.
“My grandma - always silly and sweet, since the 1950s.”
8.
“My Nana and Granda, ages 19, 1963, being silly on a walk in Ireland.”
9.
“My grandma making a silly face at her workplace (1957).”
10.
“Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn make silly mustaches. 1957.”
11.
“Just my dad being silly. USSR Circa 1985.”
12.
“John Cleese and Michael Palin showing the girls how it’s done while filming Monty Python’s Flying Circus in 1970.”
13.
“My friend's late Aunt being silly on her wedding night. They were married over 50 years.”
14.
“Four men posing for a studio portrait in Black River falls, Wisconsin, 1900.”
15.
“My grandfather and grandmother acting silly. Mid 1910s.”
16.
“Girls being silly & pretending to be toddlers, 1895.”
17.
“My favorite picture of my often very silly grandparents. 1960s Brooklyn.”
18.
“Tongues out. Early 1900s.”
19.
Vintage photo from a family album, Freeport, IL
20.
“My great-grandfather (left) and a buddy being silly in their WWI uniforms.”
21.
“My Grandma and her siblings. Today she would have turned 100.”
22.
“My gran, having a smoke, being silly in Somerville, MA - 1939.”
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.