11,836 stories by "Trav S.D."
Well, someone else has a birthday today — prolific character actor Dick Miller (b. 1928). I first knew Miller from his role as the man who eats flowers in Roger Corman’s original…
Today is the birthday of the pathbreaking Eugene “Pineapple” Jackson (1916-2001) Jackson got his start as a child actor in silent films. He was all of five when he appeared as Ve…
It’s well known that W.C. Fields was a comedian, a screenwriter and a juggler — probably less well known that he was an amateur cartoonist. His drawings were interesting, origina…
Today is the birthday of the always hilarious Eric Blore (1887-1959). Astounding to note that we haven’t done an appreciation of this stalwart comic actor until this late date. I think…
Today is the birthday of the poet Edwin Arlington (E.A.) Robinson (1869-1935). I first became aware of Robinson 20 years ago when I stayed for two months in his old cottage on a writing fell…
Tomorrow on TCM:Â several classics by the Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock. On the menu: 6:00am (EST):Â Mr and Mrs Smith (1941) An interesting hybrid film — Hitchcock directing…
Filed under: Broadway, Comedians, Comedy, Uncategorized, Vaudeville etc., W.C. Fields Tagged: American Theatre of Actors, canary trial, comedy, W.C. Fields
Today is the birthday of Edith Taliaferro (1894-1958). Taliaferro was born into a theatrical family in Richmond Virginia. Not only were her parents in the theatre but so were her sister (Mab…
Today is the birthday of Adele Ritchie (1874-1930). Ritchie was a contemporary and peer of Lillian Russell; her name is often paired with hers, although usually in a “Coke and Pepsi…
Dooley and Sales were a popular, big time, headlining male-female comedy team in the teens and twenties. I have only been able to glean scraps about them thus far. I know they played the Pal…
Hola, amigos — it’s been a while since I’ve done this, so with less than a week of shopping days ’til Christmas, I’m going to take the liberty of reminding you …
This post arises from the fact that in recent months and years a bunch of my friends, colleagues and acquaintances have published books for kids and young adults. It’s gotten so itR…
Today is the birthday of one of Hollywood’s great contemporary film directors, Steven Spielberg. And what better way to celebrate someone’s birthday than by coldly scrutinizing t…
Today is the birthday of Mary Nolan (Mary Imogene Robertson, 1902-1948). Nolan has to be one of the prime examples of good luck and bad luck simultaneously arising from the same source ̵…
While you’re still Christmas shopping, here’s a little plug for a gift for the Marx-Loving Middle Schooler in your life, or really, any kid you’d like to interest in old ti…
Today marks the 100th anniversary of the release date of Charlie Chaplin’s Burlesque on Carmen. Chaplin's last official film for Essanay, Â Carmen would represent the fruit of his da…
Tomorrow is George Stevens‘ birthday. Stevens got his start working on Laurel and Hardy movies! (read my full portrait of the director here). To honor the day, TCM will be showin…
I was going to save this post for Ernie Fosselius’s birthday — but that would truly be neurotic of me, wouldn’t it? And what has everybody been talking about for days?Â…
Edward Hastings Ford (1887-1970) was a vaudeville comedian who later went on to even greater fame in radio. References to the Brooklyn-born Ford’s stage career can be found as early as…
I’ve been attending the Big Apple Circus nearly every season for 20 years now…and lately every time I go I feel like the show I’ve just seen was the best ever. I’ve w…
a two day celebration of movies, madness, special guests and live performance Source: The Marx Brothers Weekend Festival of BritainFiled under: Uncategorized
Today is the birthday of the great Edward G. Robinson (Emanuel Goldenberg, 1893-1973). Unlike his fellow Hollywood tough guys James Cagney and George Raft, Robinson did not start out in vaud…
Filed under: BROOKLYN, PLUGS, Uncategorized Tagged: Cobra Club, Flatbush, Force Majeur, Tanya Solomon
Filed under: Burlesk, Christmas, Contemporary Variety, PLUGS Tagged: Angie Pontani, burklesque, Burlesque-a-Pades, Le Poisson Rouge, Sleigh Ride
This past weekend saw the 50th anniversary of the release of the Beatles album Rubber Soul; yesterday was the 35th anniversary of John Lennon’s death. Today finds me…catching up.…
