11,936 stories by "Trav S.d."
Today is the birthday of the great Douglas Fairbanks (1883-1939). For some on his early career, including his vaudeville background go here. And for a sample of what he did best, a snippet f…
Today is the birthday of Artie Shaw, the Thinking Man’s Big Band Leader (1910-2004). The famously difficult Shaw went through 8 wives, including Lana Turner and Ava Gardner. Some insig…
Today is also Harry Ritz’s birthday (full bio here). What’s that you say? Aren’t they triplets? How is Harry any different from the other two that he gets a different b…
Today is the birthday of the great Russian actress and Hollywood heartbreaker Alla Nazimova (full bio here). Here she is in her version of Camille, with Valentino as Armand Duval: To find ou…
Today is Cher’s birthday! Her first #1 solo hit majorly captured my imagination when I was a kid, although I was naturally oblivious to the sexual aspects, which I learned to appreciat…
The stars were alligned on this day to produce to of rock and roll’s greatest showmen. Pete Townsend (b. 1945) and Joey Ramone (1951-2001). In celebration, two of my favorite songs by …
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Today is the birthday of Frank Capra. I know it’s not fashionable among the intelligentsia, but he’s one of my favorite directors — and precisely for the reasons that make …
The Maestrosities, a.k.a. the Coolest Band in the World are starting a new web series and they need your help! With one week to go, they are just shy of halfway to their Kickstarter goal. Go…
Today is the birthday of the great Julius Tannen. For more on his vaudeville career go here. That’s him as O’Brien the Tailor in this clip from Preston Sturges’s Unfaithful…
Today is the birthday of Izzy Baline (a.k.a Irving Berlin). For the full scoop on his vaudeville beginnings go here. And here’s a clip I found very moving, Berlin on the eve of his bir…
Today is the birthday of the great Phil Silvers. For the full dope on his early background in vaudeville, go here.And here is something absolutely AMAZING: A clip on Silvers in 1982 on An…
The swell Bayou ‘n’ Brooklyn music festival opens today and runs through the weekend at Jalopy in Brooklyn. For the full amazing line up go here.
I know several of the artists involved in this. It’s definitely where I’d be tonight if I didn’t have a book to finish! Plus it’s FREE! AMERICA-IN-PLAY invites you to…
Today is Fred’s birthday. For all the dope on his vaudeville beginnings go here. And here he is in a sparking number from Broadway Melody of 1940 with Eleanor Powell: To find out more …
Dixon Place presents Bindlestiff Open Stage Variety Show First Monday of Every Month, next show tonight at 8pm! Dixon Place, 161A Chrystie Street, New York, NY … Door $5 (suggested don…
Our Vaudephone taping schedule is officially on hiatus as I work on my new book Chain of Fools: Silent Comedy and Its Legacies from Nickelodeons to Youtube. We will be resuming with a who…
Today is the birthday of the great Bing Crosby. (For more on him and his vaudeville beginnings go here). Not many people know this, but Bing was discovered for the pictures by Mack Sennett o…
Some confuse some aspects of what I do (whatever that is) with nostalgia. But since vaudeville and such-like perished decades before I was born, that can’t be right, can it? (…
Today is Pinky Lee’s birthday. For the full story on this burlesque comic/children’s tv host go here. And here he is in action: To learn more about vaudeville, consult No Appl…
The Countess and I donned our finest threads and arrived at the Players Club just in time to miss dinner last night. The occasion? The 2012 Theatre Museum Awards for Excellence. Last nig…
Today is the birthday of “Grandpa” Al Lewis (Albert or Alexander Meister, 1923-2006). Among many other fake biographical tidbits, Lewis often gave out that he was born in 1910. S…
I had a moving experience last night. The Countess and I went to Loews Jersey to see a double bill of A Night to Remember and The Poseidon Adventure. I’ll probably scribble a few notes…
Tonight’s Roller Derby match-up: at 8pm the Manhattan Mayhem take on the Bronx Gridlock at Long Island University. For more info and tickets go here.
