11,839 stories by "Trav S.d."
August 5 was the birthday of Hollywood actor Robert Taylor (Spangler Brugh, 1911-1969) and, having mentioned him a couple of dozen times on this blog I feel obligated to give him his own ent…
Pin-up model, movie starlet, and golf hustler Jeanne Carmen (1930-2007) sometimes went as a blonde, sometimes as a brunette, but wherever she went, she was all gal! Haha, I made that up all …
August 4 was my late mother's birthday; it also happens to be National Psychics Day, which facts combine to remind me of the occasion when I was in my late teens, during which my mother and …
It's how we define kitsch, isn't it? At least, it's what I always think of to illustrate the concept: a painting of a sad clown on black velvet. It's National Clown Day. I've written 175 pos…
Today marks the 100th birthday of the elusive creature Connie Converse (Elizabeth Converse, b. 1924) and this year also marks many other round anniversaries connected with the woman besides.…
Well, not only were Carol O'Connor and James Baldwin born 100 years ago today, but so was Alan Abel (1924-2018) " that's the emmis. In the age of Trump and QAnon it may be difficult to remem…
James Baldwin (1924-1987) was born in Harlem 100 years ago today. The one-two punch of the films I'm Not Your Negro (2016) and If Beale Street Could Talk (2018) brought Baldwin's genius roar…
August 7, 1974 was the date that French acrobat Philippe Petit made his unthinkable (and quite illegal) tightrope walk across the Twin Towers of the original World Trade Center. As I chronic…
Happy International Clown Week, which always falls the first week of August. I'd like to kick it off by referring you back to this recent post plugging the upcoming Coney Island Clown Skool …
The performance that made me curious about Salem Ludwig (1915-2007) was his role as Peter Sellers' father in one of my favorite sixties comedies I Love You, Alice B. Toklas (1968). That same…
A salute today to the singing McGuire Sisters, all of whom were with us quite recently! The trio was comprised of Christine (1926-2018), Dottie (1928-2012, not to be confused with actress Do…
Yes, I know. Joe Exotic is so 2020. I had contemplated doing a post on him when he first made his big splash that year, but (much like, let's say, a cat) I always resist moving with the herd…
While I do occasionally post about authors and illustrators per se on this blog, there actually is a show biz angle (my more usual beat) to the story of Beatrix Potter (1866-1943). As I post…
Those of us of a certain age are apt to associate Sally Struthers (b. 1947) with a single role, but as you will see, it's an injustice to do so. The prologues and epilogues are substantial c…
I have no idea how so major a stage star as Truly Shattuck (Clarice Ferguson, 1875-1954) evaded my notice for so long, nor how she did eventually come to my attention, but I am delighted to …
This one goes out to my friend Seth Shelden, Harpo interpreter and peace-monger extraordinaire. Today is Stanley Kubrick's birthday. Having already done a general post on the great director,…
The above was taken back in April, and it depicts my joyous opportunity to reunite and catch up with actress/author/presenter Illeana Douglas (Illeana Hesselberg, b. 1961) I knew Illeana sho…
I first heard the name Frank Silvera (1914-1970) when I was working in the back office of Theater for the New City; I think the Frank Silvera Writers Workshop had presented work there, or ma…
Today we celebrate Ruth Duccini (Ruth Robinson, 1918-2014) whose place in history is assured by being the last female surviving cast member of the 1939 classic picture The Wizard of Oz. Ducc…
A few days ago I took advantage of my membership in The Lambs to start diving into their remarkable archives, starting with the papers of the Homer of Vaudeville, Joe Laurie Jr, whom I first…
Comedy writer and producer Bob Booker (1931-2024) no longer resides in the Land of the Living. Booker has been top of mind for me lately, as I had ample chance to talk about one of his more …
This is my beautiful wife during our recent trip to the Laurie Beechman which I wrote about yesterday. She hates having her picture taken so I always have to sneak candids like this one, but…
This piece started out as a review, and then it grew to two related reviews, in the midst of which circumstances then dictated that it also include some hard news reporting, which then sugge…
An interesting if belated new edition to our Stars of Slapstick series, screen comedian Addie McPhail (Addie Dukes, 1905-2003). McPhail was born in Kentucky, but moved to Chicago with her fa…
Most of the photos one finds online of character actor Dallas (sometimes Dal) McKennon (1919-2009) look like this one: a grizzled, bearded western sidekick type. One might be apt to mix him …
