11,847 stories by "Trav S.d."
"I've stranded more stars than the Shuberts ever starred" " quoth writer/director/producer Will Morrisey (1887-1957) according to his obituary. He was a known figure in his day. Today, not s…
Today marks the 80th birthday of Sir Paul McCartney (he doesn't look a day over 64!). It would be a benchmark in any case, but Sir Paul and others have helped the event along with several re…
The fame of Clyde Julian "Red" Foley (1910-1968) is magnified for us through the lens of Elvis Aaron Presley. Foley's 1935 song "Old Shep" (released 1941) was a favorite of Elvis's; he'd sun…
My review of the documentary Dreaming Walls: Inside the Chelsea Hotel, which is playing today and tomorrow in the Tribeca Festival, is now up at Chelsea Community News. It is my second piece…
Ilona Massey (1910-1974) was no relation to Raymond or Anna. Her real last name was Hajmássy and she hailed from Budapest. Unlike her countrywomen the Gabor sisters, Massey came from pove…
We have previously shared with you news of an Irish Giant, a French One, a Norwegian one, a Chinese One, and numerous others associated with U.S. States and regions of Great Britain, so it p…
In his time John McCormack (1884-1945) was the most popular Irish tenor in the world, and Victor's second most popular recording artist after Caruso. He did not play vaudeville that I have b…
Today a salute to broadcast announcer, producer, and host Ralph Edwards (1913-2005). Edwards grew up in the greater San Francisco area, and started out working at local radio stations as a t…
50 years ago today, FWIW, the American release of John Lennon' s worst solo album. I can't imagine that there'll be much debate about that here or anywhere else. Obviously, Lennon made terri…
Having already done posts on Hazel Green, Hazel Deane, and Hazel Dawn, I am chagrined to realize that I have not yet done one on Hazel Scott (1920-81), who made significant marks in nearly e…
Born 100 years ago today, the world-shaking Judy Garland (Frances Gumm, 1922-1969). Poor Judy never even made it halfway to 100; she was famously killed by the very business that elevated he…
Today, a tip of the Mouse Ears (or coonskin cap, if that is your preference) former child star Kevin "Moochie" Corcoran (1949-2015). Corcoran was particularly associated with the film and te…
A few words about stage and screen comedienne Louise Carver (Mary Louise Steiger, 1869-1956). The daughter of a Davenport, Iowa teamster, Carver studied singing in her youth, and performed i…
It's opening day at the Tribeca Festival (June 8-19) and I want to take the occasion to plug one film they're showing in particular. I don't usually get excited about modern movie shorts but…
Today is National Best Friends Day, a worthy occasion to celebrate, especially these days, when I imagine that many a friendship has been strained by the challenges of the times. Vaudeville,…
Some attention paid today to character actress Hope Summers (1902-1979), whose most prominent credits include the role of Clara on The Andy Griffith Show (1961-68) and Mayberry RFD (1968-197…
June 6 was the natal day of a long-forgotten but genuinely important American author named Timothy Shay Arthur (1809-1885). When I say that Arthur was important, I don't mean literarily. Poe…
Some few words of appreciation for an influential but obscure pop cultural figure of the late 20th century who would be turning 80 today, Ken Shapiro (1942-2017). Shapiro started out as a ch…
Well now, here is a third famous George Wallace we have to keep straight in our heads, a comedian, yet not the same as the contemporary African-American one, and certainly not the same as th…
Having already mentioned him in an article and lecture on medicine shows, I'm pretty certain I'd not have otherwise written an entire dedicated post about Edward Oliver Tilburn (1859-1940) a…
Stage and screen actor Walter James (1882-1946) had the rare distinction of playing good-sized supporting roles in features by all three top silent comedy stars: Battling Butler (1926) with …
My "to do" calendar for this June 2 boasts a whopping seven potential people for me to write about today, including two bona fide vaudevillians and a performing "freak"; I may or may not get…
June is Pride Month; it's usually a time for celebration and righteous defiance, but this year it arrives just as I am learning about the passing away of the most significant gay person in m…
Today we celebrate the great stage and radio comedian Fred Allen; our biographical post on him was one of our first ever on Travalanche. But that's going back a ways; we thought we'd augment…
Having already done more than one post touching on Joe Palooka, it would seem to be redundant to devote an entire post to one of the men who played him, but there are a few meaty things to a…
