11,549 stories by "Trav S.D."
Happy National Dolphin Day! It seems these days that practically every animal species on earth has a human fanbase and a national day or international day of celebration, but few actually pr…
Francine Everett (1915-1999), was briefly one of the biggest stars of race films in the U.S. Â While her time in the spotlight was short, she rose about as high as anyone could given the p…
Magician Jack Gwynne (Joseph McClode Gwynne, 1895-1969), began his professional career as a builder and designer of props and illusions. As a kid in Pittsburgh Gwynne had been inspired by ef…
April 11 was the birthday of magician, mentalist, escape artist, ventriloquist, and all around instigator Leon Mandrake (Leon Giglio, 1911-1993). Raised by his mother and an aunt in British …
Cowboy star Tim McCoy (1891-1978) was born this day. Folks who only know this man casually as a B movie western star may be surprised and gratified to know that he is far more interesting th…
19th century stage actress Fanny or Fannie Davenport (Fanny Lily Gypsey Davenport, 1850-1898) was born of an April 10. Born in London, she was the daughter of actors Edward Loomis Davenport …
Staten Island born Alfred McGonegal (1900-1974), the Runyonesque character actor who played crooks and coppers and mugs and cabbies, might have done well to have kept his given name, rath…
We learn of the juvenile dance team of Don Tomkins and Ruth Love from the Sobel's Pictorial History of Vaudeville. Tomkins (1907-1987) is said to have introduced the Varsity Drag to vaudevil…
Sharon Lynn (1901-1963) is best remembered today for her penultimate performance, that of the scenery chewing villainess Lola Marcel in Laurel and Hardy's Way Out West (1937). Born D'Auvergn…
Today we use National Zoo Lovers Day and our recent encounter with this ad in an old TV Guide as an excuse to recall The New Zoo Revue (1972-77). The New Zoo Revue was probably the first …
Be careful what you ask for " you just may get it! Marion Mack (Joey Marion McCreery, 1902-1989) traveled all the way from rural Utah to sneak on to Mack Sennett's Hollywood studio lot and a…
Stanley Adams (1915-77) is well known to fans of the original Star Trek for his bravura, over-the-top performance as the unscrupulous trader Cyrano Jones in the episode "The Trouble with Tri…
As we announced here, our Stars of Vaudeville blog series turned ten years old this month. To celebrate we hope you will join us at this: April 16: The Stars of Vaudeville 10th Anniversary C…
Jewish sports legend Benny Leonard (Benjamin Leiner, 1896-1947) also dabbled in vaudeville and silent film. Considered by many to be one of the greatest boxers of all time, he was the world …
Having had many an occasion to refer to this organization, and having done posts on many of its rival concerns, today a brief look at the Sells-Floto Circus. Like all the big American circus…
San Francisco born Milburn Morante (sometimes rendered Moranti, 1887-1964) started out in vaudeville with his brother Al and father Joe as one of The Three Morantes. Morante's first known fi…
A few words on familiar character actor Jed Prouty (Clarence Gordon Prouty, 1879-1956). A Boston native, Prouty broke into vaudeville and stock theatre as a teenager. There is a Jed Prouty I…
Celebrity impressionist, comic and character actor Frank Gorshin (1933-2005) has somewhere around 250 film and tv credits, and scores of live theatre and nightclub credits to his name. It wo…
Army brat Charlotte Merriam (1906-1972) was only 13 years old when she was cast in the Universal picture A Flip of the Coin (1919). This led to her appearing in a series of comedies with Edd…
Marion Aye (1903-1951) had a fairly good run of about six years in silent film, mostly comedies, culminating with a fairly abrupt parting of the ways, and eventually tragedy. The daughter of…
We've spilled a good bit of ink, virtual and otherwise, on the topic of silent screen comedian Larry Semon over the years. Much like his better remembered rivals Charlie Chaplin and Buster K…
Thanks to the still thriving chain of dance schools, the name Arthur Murray remains nearly as famous as it ever was. Certainly more famous than Moses Teichman, his given name. Murray (1895-1…
Florida-born Frances Langford (Frances Newbern, 1913-2005) was one of the most prominent members of that rare, fleeting subspecies: a star whose stardom and lasting memory burned brightest i…
Huzzah and Many Happy Returns of the Day! Today marks the 10th anniversary of my Stars of Vaudeville series, which is effectively the 10th anniversary of Travalanche. I had actually launched…
Some props for comedy character actor Jack Shutta (Charles Schutte, Jr., 1899-1957). Shutta started out in the family vaudeville act with his mother Augusta "Gussie" Shutta and his older sis…
