11,936 stories by "Trav S.d."
I’ll level with ya. My usual world class, infallible critical acumen is generally not dialed up to 11 when I attend Nosedive’s (usually) annual Blood Brothers offering. I go with…
Today is the birthday of the “middle stooge”, Larry Fine (1902-1975). With hair like that, he could have been an intellectual! Look at Einstein! For more on Fine and how he came …
Today is the birthday of Star of Vaudeville #240, Louise Dresser (for more on her interesting story see here). She stars in this 1928 film about immigration A Ship Comes In as “Mama…
Today is the birthday of vaudeville and Broadway actor Carter de Haven, Star of Vaudeville #239 Â (for more info on him go here). Here, through the miracle of cinema in this 1925 short, he…
International entertainer “The Maine Attraction” grew up in a small town in Georgia and moved to New York City after she discovered performing was all she wanted to do. She lande…
British director Andrea Arnold tests the limits of how radically one may re-envision a classic while still remaining true to its themes in her new version of Emily Bronte’s Wutherin…
If you’re at all like me, this Hallowe’en season you’ll be asking the question: Â ”What are the best ape-related classic studio era horror films for me to watch thi…
This is one in a series of posts we are producing in connection with our new book Chain of Fools: Silent Comedy and Its Legacies from Nickelodeons to Youtube, available from Bear Ma…
After years of desk jockeying for “the man”, this Gal Friday decided to take her talents and apply them to the stage. Gal had the honor of performing at Miss Exotic World in …
Tonight at 8:30, join Sweet Soubrette for a full band performance at Jalopy to celebrate the release of their new video, "What's My Desire?" which will be screened at the show. Brooklyn-base…
The Hall of Hams is my series on some of my favorite actors who have brought the art of melodramatic acting into the modern era. Today is the birthday of Charlton Heston (1923-2008). When I …
The Countess and I caught this musical parody of Silence of the Lambs the other night, in the Elektra Theatre, a venue that is to die for, in the Times Scare complex (the former Show Worl…
TCM has been paying crazy big dividends lately. Sleep deprived last night from having stayed up til 2am the previous night to watch Dante’s Inferno (1935) (the last remaining mov…
This 1964 movie has a reputation for being an “early gore film”, but not to worry (if you’re worried–I was) , it contains very little of what a modern viewer would co…
ALBERT CADABRA: The Great Deceiver is a professional, award-winning, comedy sideshow magician who delivers powerful, amazing and devilishly wild magic. Albert pushes and twists the bounda…
Never mind the Presidential debates tonight (although they may be monstrous enough)! This evening TCM is showing a KILLER line-up of classic horror movies from the 30s and 40s. (Pun intended…
Today is the birthday of magician Harry August Jansen (1883-1955), originator of the magic words “Sim Sala Bim!” Interestingly, the phrase is not Arabic, as one would assume, but…
This is one in a series of posts we are producing in connection with our new book Chain of Fools: Silent Comedy and Its Legacies from Nickelodeons to Youtube, available from Bear Manor Media…
Today is the birthday of Josephine Sabel (nee Domingue, 1866-1945). A native of Lawrence, Massachusetts, she performed in vaudeville (and the music halls of Europe)Â from the ’80s th…
Actor/Dancer/Stripper/Performance Artist James “Tigger” Ferguson (primarily known for live work) has performed in New York & abroad since 1988. A Pioneer in the 1990s burlesq…
Today is Bud Abbott's birthday (1895-1974). I apologize for spelling his name wrong in No Applause. I am one of the few people who prefer Abbott over Costello, and by a pretty wide margi…
Today is Groucho’s Birthday With the possible exceptions of Ed Wynn and Fred Allen, no vaudeville comedy act ever attracted more highbrow approval than the Marx Brothers. A…
Neither the small Scotty dog from The Wizard of Oz, nor the rather embarrassing 70s' rock band, nor the later Italian movie star, this Toto was a successful clown who conquered many ki…
Today is the birthday of George “Spanky” McFarland (1928-1993). Unspeakably adorable at age three, he was less so at 13 when he neared the end of his reign as leader of Our Ga…
