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20 Fascinating Mugshots from the Fabulous Fifties

History Bizarre September 30, 2025

Last Updated on September 30, 2025 by Matt Staff

Some of these individuals became infamous, others were quickly forgotten, yet all carry a raw honesty in their gaze. Their expressions hint at rebellion, missteps, or calculated risks, offering a glimpse into a world of risk and consequence just beneath the era’s cheerful facade. In an age often remembered for conformity and optimism, these images are a striking reminder that life in the Fabulous Fifties was far from perfect and sometimes criminally fascinating. Let’s take a look at 20 mugshots from the 1950s.

1. Cher’s mugshot at age just 13, 1959

Black and white mugshot of a young woman with dark hair, wearing a light-colored top, looking at the camera. The placard reads "BK2154713 01-27-59 LOS ANGELES POLICE: HWD.
bronsiorai/via reddit.com

2. The infamous Charles “Whitey” Bulger, 1956

Mugshots of Charles "Whitey" Bulger
seniorpelle/via reddit.com

3. Phillip “The Chicken Man” Testa, 1956

A black and white portrait of a middle-aged man with a receding hairline, wearing a collared shirt, looking directly at the camera with a neutral expression.
via wikimedia commons

4. Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson, 1954

Black-and-white portrait of a man wearing a light-colored button-up shirt and a dark tie, looking directly at the camera with a neutral expression.
via wikimedia commons

5. American mob boss Howie Winters

Black and white mugshot showing a man facing forward and in profile, holding a sign reading “POLICE SOMERVILLE MASS. 3578 9-3-57.” Handwritten text shows the name “Winters Howie” and personal details.
via wikimedia commons

6. The “Birdman of Alcatraz,” Robert Stroud, 1951

Black and white mugshot of an older man with a serious expression, dressed in a collared shirt and tie, shown in both profile and frontal views, holding an Alcatraz prison identification plaque.
via wikimedia commons

7. Don King, 1954

Black-and-white mugshot of a man in a checkered jacket holding a sign reading "79254 Police Dept Cleveland O Aug 14 1954." He is looking straight at the camera with a neutral expression.
felix_babakintos/via reddit.com

8. Gangster Alvin Karpis, 1958

Black and white mugshot of a man in a prison uniform. The photo shows both a side profile and a front view. He holds a sign reading "U.S. Penitentiary Alcatraz 325, 10-16-1958.
via wikimedia commons

9. Burton W. Abbott at San Quentin, 1956

Black and white mugshot of a man with light hair. He is facing forward, holding a sign that reads "California Prison A 35539 B.W. Abbott 2 11 1956.
via wikimedia commons

10. Dalton Trumbo at the Federal Correctional Institution, 1950

Black and white mugshot of a man in two views, profile and front-facing. He holds a sign reading "D.C. Dept of Corrections 85297 6 9 1950.
via wikimedia commons

11. Danny Greene, 1959

Black and white mugshot of a man wearing a suit. He holds a sign with the numbers 101279 and text reading "Cleveland O, 5'11, 185, Dec 4, 1959.
via wikimedia commons

12. Ernest Burkhart, before being released from federal prison, 1959

Black-and-white mugshot of an older man with short gray hair, shown in both side and front profiles, wearing a collared shirt and jacket. A card with numbers hangs around his neck.
via wikimedia commons

13. Fred William Bowerman, 1953

Mugshot photo of a man with short, light hair, shown from the front and side against a plain background. The image is black and white and has a grainy texture.
via wikimedia commons

14. Gus Hall, arrested for conspiring to overthrow the U.S. government

Black and white mugshot of a middle-aged man with short hair, wearing a buttoned shirt and dark tie, shown facing forward and in profile. A placard below displays "USPLK-68051-11-18-54.
via wikimedia commons

15. FBI Most Wanted mugshot of Hugh Bion Morse, 1954

Black and white portrait photo of a young man with short dark hair, wearing a collared shirt. The name "Hugh Bion Morse" is printed below the image.
via wikimedia commons

16. John Paul Scott, Alcatraz, 1959

Black-and-white mugshot of a man in a button-up shirt with a sign reading "U.S. Penitentiary Alcatraz 1403 4 4 59" hanging on his chest. The man is looking slightly to the side.
via wikimedia commons

17. Johnny Dio, 1956

Black-and-white mugshot of a man in a suit and tie, shown in both profile and front views, with an identification board reading "N.Y.C. POLICE 114267 10 29 56.
via wikimedia commons

18. Joseph Corbett Jr., 1951

Black-and-white mugshot of a young man with short hair, seen in both profile and front views, wearing a jacket. He holds a placard showing "California Prison" and identification details.
via wikimedia commons

19. Nick George Montos, one of the FBI’s most wanted, 1956

Black-and-white mugshot of a man with short hair, wearing a light-colored shirt, looking at the camera. Text below the photo reads "NICK GEORGE MONTOS.
via wikimedia commons

20. Raymond Snowden’s mugshot with the Idaho Dept. of Corrections, 1956

Black and white mugshot of a man with short dark hair, shown from the front and side, wearing a striped shirt and holding a sign reading “IDAHO STATE 9509 PENITENTIARY 10-27-56.”
via wikimedia commons

Want to see more vintage mugshots?

Check out 21 Mugshots from the Turbulent Phases of the 1970s, or take a look at 20 Mugshots from the Prohibition Era. Finally, if you want to see mugshots from the early 1900s, check out 20 Historical Mugshots from the Early 1900s.

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