11,879 stories by "Trav S.D."
Today is the birthday of the late Harry Blackstone Jr. (for more on this great second generation magician, go here). His most famous illusion is the “Floating Light Bulb”, so wel…
Today is the birthday of funny lady Joan Davis of “I Married Joan” and much more (for a full bio go here). Now here she is performing “Olga from the Volga” from the 1…
The always out of hand Killy Dwyer has having her shoutrageous party tonight and Saturday to celebrate the release of her new CD! (Details below). And don’t miss July 19 at 9:30 …
Today is the birthday of screen comedienne Polly Moran (for her full bio go here). Here she is along with Slim Summerville and Charlie Murray in the Mack Sennett classic Her Painted HeroÅ
In the mid 1970s if you asked me who my favorite comedians were I would have said Steve Martin and the Unknown Comic. The latter’s identity at the time was a well kept secret. I didn&#…
Today is the birthday of crazy-legged comedienne Charlotte Greenwood (for her full bio plus a clip of her with Buster Keaton go here). In the clip below from Down Argentine Way she follows t…
Today is the birthday of “The Street Singer” Arthur Tracy (for a full bio go here). Now here he is singing one of the better known tunes from his repertoire: To find out more abo…
2 p.m. today! Go here for all the details!
Good news for Ernie Kovacs fans! Kovacs’ archivist Ben Model recently came across an unreleased set of Percy Dovetonsil recordings made by television’s original genius and left j…
Go figure: Iron Mike gets a Broadway show and I get to guest-blog at the New York Times! Well, stranger things have happened – - and to me! At any rate, my piece is here, at http://art…
Mike Tyson will hardly be the first prizefighter to take to the stage after his athletic career is done.
Final Curtain: The Last of Ed Wood, presented by Horse Trade Theater Group at The Red Room (85 East 4th Street between 2nd Avenue and Bowery), June 20-July 1. Five, count ‘em…
Today is Sir Paul’s birthday (for my longer article on him go here). The clip below is the sort of thing that reminds me of the amazing times we’re living in. When I was a teenag…
For someone of my age, Jack Albertson was VERY present in the early 1970s: Grandpa Joe in Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971, pictured above), Manny Rosen in The Poseidon Adventure…
Today is the birthday of Bobby Clark, the chap from whom I stole my drawn-on glasses. For more on him and his comedy partner Paul McCullough, go here. Clark and McCullough are an interesting…
Today is the birthday of Stan Laurel (for his full bio go here). Here is part of one of his solo shorts Oranges and Lemons, made four years before he teamed up with Oliver Hardy. You’l…
Today is the birthday of Lupino Lane. (For his full bio go here). Many know him as the very acrobatic star of silent comedy films in the U.S. This, at least, was my own introduction …
Lounge, Film Friday 7:30pm Jim Moore & Katy Einerson A Quiet Night at the Movies: Lon Chaney’s He Who Gets Slapped Tickets: Free Admission A Quiet Night at the Movies, hosted by Ji…
Today is the birthday of silent comedy great Harry Langdon (for full article on him go here). 1926 was his big year. So ubiquitous was his face that year that he made this cameo in Colleen M…
Today is the birthday of Harriet Beecher Stowe (for my full article on her and her landmark novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin go here). Below, a clip from it’s first cinematic adaptation, …
Sure, sure, maybe you’re too busy to read every single major American play, or, worse, attend productions of them? Have no fear! That’s why Roger Nasser is here! Opening this…
Today is is the birthday of singer Jack Pepper (for more on this fellow go here). A nice youtube contributor has put together this nice slide show, cut to his 1927 recording of “Girl o…
Today is the birthday of the great circus trick rider Poodles Hanneford (for more on his amazing life go here). Above is a fragment of his 1923 comedy short No Loafing, directed by none othe…
