11,867 stories by "Trav S.D."
Today is the birthday of movie director Wesley Ruggles (1889-1972). The younger brother of actor Charlie Ruggles, Wesley too started out on the stage, acting in musical comedies, stoc…
We just received news that Harold Cromer (1921-2013), best known as the second “Stumpy” in the team of Stump and Stumpy (see earlier post here) has passed away. Comedian and nove…
Today is the birthday of Rich Hall (b. 1954). Hall was one of the ubiquitous American comedians of the 1980s, having been a regular on David Letterman’s Daytime Show (1980), Fridays…
Today is the birthday of Chester Arthur Burdett, a.k.a, Howlin’ Wolf (1910-1976). Influenced by Charley Patton, Jimmie Rodgers, Blind Lemon Jefferson and others, Burdett had been playi…
Today is the birthday of the great lion tamer and circus impresario Clyde Beatty (1903-1965). Beatty wasn’t the first in his line to use a whip and chair, but he was to become the perf…
Today is the birthday of Anita Berber (1899-1928), the epitome of decadent Berlin cabaret during the Weimar years. Berger began dancing in cabarets in 1916, and appearing in films two years …
Today is the birthday of William Leonard Hunt (1838-1929), a.k.a The Great Farini. Raised in rural Ontariom this seminal (and self-taught) funambulist made his professional debut in 1859 whe…
Today is the birthday of the remarkable trailblazer Sessue Hayakawa (1889-1973). A member of the Japanese nobility, he was thwarted in his ambition to serve in the military due to an ear inj…
Originally posted in 2011. Today is the birthday of James Edmondson, Sr., a.k.a Professor Backwards (1910-1976).  Edmondson was a comedian with a vaudeville nut who possessed the rare …
Originally posted in 2010. Like so many in this section of our annals, Hattie McDaniel may be described as an early pathbreaker now stigmatized for embodying a stereotypical role —…
The Gumm Sisters: Little Frances is on the right Originally posted in 2010. One of the two or three major factors that led your author to the subject of vaudeville was a childhood obsess…
Filed under: Burlesk, Contemporary Variety, PLUGS Tagged: Circa Tabac, The Frolic
What a day for music! In addition to Skip James, Fred Waring and Cole Porter, it is also the birthday of Les Paul (Lester Polsfuss, 1915-2009). This Renaissance Man of the modern music indus…
Originally posted in 2011. Today is the birthday of Cole Porter. I was introduced to Porter’s work as most people nowadays are I imagine, by doing a high school production of on…
Originally posted in 2010. Talk about a distinctively American Renaissance man: Fred Waring not only had his own orchestra, but he also invented the blender! Born in Tyrone, Pennsylvania in …
Today is the birthday of Skip James (1902-1969). This influential Mississippi guitar player (associated with a distinctive open E minor tuning) began his working life as a bootlegger and sha…
Today is the birthday of Hugh Fay (1882-1926). Son of Henry “Hugh” Fay of the Irish vaudeville comedy act Barry and Fay, the younger Fay got his start (like his sister Elfie) …
Today is the birthday of Harry Gribbon (1885-1961). Gribbon began as a teenage singer in vaudeville, then joined the comedy team of Heelan and Helf. Subsequent stage credits included support…
Today is the birthday of William S. Seiter (1910-1964). Staring out as a stuntman in 1913, by the following year he was playing bit parts for Mack Sennett at Keystone. By 1918 he was in dema…
Here’s a project that deserves your support. Dancer/ choreographer Cori Olinghouse is currently working on a live series of interlocking ghost and shadow characters that conjure ele…
Today is the birthday of the great comedienne Joan Rivers (b. 1933). I want to take the occasion to recommend the 2010 documentary Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work, a peak behind the curtains at…
PECULIAR WORKS PROJECT presents MANNA-HATA by Barry Rowell performed in spaces throughout THE JAMES A. FARLEY POST OFFICE future home of the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Station 425 Eighth Avenue…
Had a chance to “first act” Strange for Hire last night, the new weekly variety show in the Crypt Cafe at Times Scare put on by Todd Robbins and Donny Vomit. It was an amaz…
Filed under: BROOKLYN, Burlesk, Contemporary Variety, PLUGS, Rock and Pop Tagged: burlesque, Catcalls and Gutterballs, The Gutter
Today is the birthday of Charley Bowers (1877-1946). Bowers is rare among the silent comedians for possibly being more well known and appreciated NOW then he was during the silent era. This …
