The magazine Titbits was once so popular it was the first paper to sell more than a million copies a week in Great Britain. The “tit” part isn’t what you think, though this cover image might lead you to jump to conclusions. But actually, the magazine was launched in 1881 as Tit-Bits, and its full name from back then clarifies matters: “Tit-Bits from all the interesting Books, Periodicals, and Newspapers of the World.” So basically, it just rewrote news items—tidbits—from other sources, packaged it all together and sold it off as original content. That successful formula would be emulated by many later magazines, including some of the mid-century tabloids we love to share. This Titbits, which appeared today in 1968, features Pulp Intl. fave Elke Sommer in her famous Deadlier Than the Male bikini. See more of her wearing it here, here and here.
The name doesn’t mean what you think.