11,543 stories by "Trav S.D."
The career of Adele Jergens (1917-2002) is an interesting instruction on how influential burlesque is on the culture at large. While I haven't come across any information on her working on t…
The promising life and career of Christine Maple (Christine Raphael, 1912-1947) was cut short by episodes of bad behavior ostensibly stemming from mental illness, though whether her unhappin…
I know there's an entire Thanksgiving between now and then but today still seems the right time to plant the bug in your ear about Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. For…
Three things are normally brought out about Helen Gahagan Douglas (1900-1980): her one starring role in Hollywood; her celebrity husband (Melvyn Douglas); and her political significance. We'…
Some brief tribute today to Mexican illusionist Cantu (Abraham J. Cantu, 1896-1949). Originally from Monterey, Mexico, Cantu began his working adult life as a barber, gradually making his wa…
The extent to which the careers of certain silent screen stars' careers were destroyed by sound is often exaggerated, but the case that that is what happened to Ethlyne Clair (Ethlyne Wil…
We got the word from pal Sheila O'Malley just now that Michael J. Pollard is dead at the age of 80. I first knew Pollard from the classic Star Trek episode "Miri", where he and Kim Darby (an…
As we find ourselves neck deep in televised impeachment hearings, it feels particularly apropos to celebrate the memory of impressionist David Frye (David Shapiro, 1933-2011). As Vaughn Mead…
Of his nearly 200 screen roles, Robert Armstrong (1890-1973) is known today almost enirely for one. But what a one! Armstrong was born in Saginaw, Michigan where his father and uncle operate…
 We take the opportunity of Jodie Foster's birthday (b. 1962) to recall an interesting blip in her early career that has no doubt been forgotten by most. Foster was ubiquitous as a child…
Thanks to the 2016 book Unsung Hollywood Musicals of the Golden Era: 50 Overlooked Films and Their Stars 1929-1939 by Edwin M. Bradley, and the intrepid gang at Nitrateville, I have managed …
His name is not exactly a household word but Paul Sills (1927-2008) was one of the most influential figures in American comedy history, the principal founder of Second City and the key guru …
Good news for folks who may have missed our earlier performances of Jason Trachtenburg's Me and Lee over the past year at Sidewalk, Dixon Place, the Brick, and Theater for the New City. W…
The name Katie Crippen (Catherine Crippen, 1895-1929) would undoubtedly be better known if she weren't taken at such a young age, for her career intersected with many legendary performers an…
Many famous actresses have been associated with the plum role of Peter Pan over the past century: Maude Adams, Mary Martin, Sandy Duncan, and most recently Allison Williams. The star of the …
Apropos of nothing this morning " a short survey of a surprisingly small cul de sac in the realm of comedy grooming: the crew cut. I'd always considered it a principal accompaniment to ne…
There would well have been more to tell about Frank Moore (1880-1924) had he lived longer but he did manage to make a minor mark in show business all the same. The older brother of actress F…
The fascinating career of Dona Drake (Eunice Westmoreland, 1914-1989) is a story of resourceful subterfuge and a talent so great that no such misdirection should have been required at all. D…
An appreciation today for a terrifically solid actress/performer/light comedienne with an impressive body of work you may have seen without "seeing", Rosemary DeCamp (1910-2001). I don't kno…
Sidney Stone (1902-1986) spent his formative years in vaudeville and burlesque, and on Broadway, where was in the original productions of two plays by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, The Fa…
The short life and career of silent screen star Evelyn Nelson (1899-1923) are tantalizing in their thwarted promise and in their mystery. Originally from Chloride Arizona, Nelson was to star…
Much like Ben Turpin or Marty Feldman, Jack Elam (William Scott Elam, 1920-2003) dined out for decades on a wayward eye. Unlike t'others, Elam employed his in the service of MENACE a good…
The interesting career of actor/writer/ director Richard Quine (1920-1989) contains many phases and is a bridge between old school show biz and the modern era. First he was a child perfor…
Latina love goddess Raquel Torres (Paula Maria Osterman, 1908-1987) poured unsuspected amounts of showmanship into her screen presence. While indeed born in Hermosillo, Mexico to a Mexican m…
Like many of my favorite actors (George C. Scott, William Holden), Richard Burton (Richard Walter Jenkins Jr, 1925-1984) radiated a rare combination of intelligence and macho charisma. He wa…
