A Century of Burns and Allen by Trav S.D.

A century ago this year, George Burns teamed with Gracie Allen and made their debut in a vaudeville house somewhere in New Jersey. Nowhere that I've been able to find (and I and others have …

Love for Richard Lester by Trav S.D.

The amazing director Richard Lester (Richard Lester Liebman, b. 1932) is still with us, though he hasn't directed for 30 years, and his career hasn't been honestly vital for 40. The reason w…

Of A.A. Milne and Winnie the Pooh by Trav S.D.

We've had numerous occasion to mention author A.A. Milne (Alan Alexander Milne, 1882-1956) on this blog, and as often as not, the references were NOT to his most famous creation Winnie-the-P…

A Century of Stanislavski in the States by Trav S.D.

When I graduated from high school, my aunt/godmother gave me an incredibly thoughtful gift: a paperback copy of An Actor Prepares by Konstantin Stanislavski (Konstantin Stanislavski Alekseye…

R.I.P. Lollobrigida by Trav S.D.

News travels so quickly nowadays " apparently the great Italian star Gina Lollobrigida (1927-1923) died TODAY at age 95 and the press release is already out. Usually, you know, it's a few ho…

Frank Bacon: Lightnin' by Trav S.D.

Vaudeville was all about the Big Finish; the best shows and the best acts all ended on a spectacular, climactic note because audience reaction was everything. Frank Bacon's (1864-1922) was o…

Gene Krupa: The Chicago Flash by Trav S.D.

January 15 was the birthday of the father of modern drumming Gene Krupa (1909-1973) and this year will also mark 50 years since he shuffled off this mortal snare. Krupa remains one of the mo…

Journey for Margaret (O'Brien) by Trav S.D.

Today is the birthday of Margaret O'Brien (Angela Maxine O'Brien, b. 1937), not to be confused with Margaret Sullavan or Maureen O'Sullivan, who is not to be confused with Maureen O'Hara. No…

R.I.P. Vaudeville Scholar Arthur Wertheim by Trav S.D.

We were very sorry to learn the other day, a year after the fact, of the passing away of vaudeville scholar and author Arthur Frank Wertheim (1935-2020). In all fairness to ourselves in miss…

Remembering Rip Taylor by Trav S.D.

I feel hugely out of step, even a little guilty this morning. Every other show biz writer is going to be discussing yesterday's passing of Lisa Maria Presley " and I will cop to the fact the…

Frazier in the Footlights by Trav S.D.

Today we add world heavyweight champion Joe Frazier (1944-2011) to our honor roll of fighters who moonlighted in the limelight behind the footlights. Raised on a South Carolina farm, Frazier…

The Long Life and Short Reign of Luise Rainer by Trav S.D.

For most of my time on this earth Luise Rainer (1910-2015) was one of Hollywood's best known unknown actresses, on account of several distinctions that catapulted her to trivia contest immor…

Murray Alper: "Where To, Mac?" by Trav S.D.

Broadway and Hollywood supporting player Murray Alper (1904-1984) had over 250 screen credits (basically he was the Brooklyn cabby from central casting), but we thought it would be expedient…

Tonight: Klezmer in the Kitchen (Hell's Kitchen, That Is) by Trav S.D.

For National Shop for Travel Day: On Steamer Trunks by Trav S.D.

Thanks, Noah Diamond for slipping me this image of an old ad for steamer trunks. Believe or not, I actually used to own one of these babies. My friend and performing partner Robert Pinnock g…

Gisele Mackenzie: Her Hit Parade by Trav S.D.

I learned the name of Gisele MacKenzie (1927-2003) around the same time I learned that of Ghislaine Maxwell, and now I live in fear that I'll always mix them up, for aren't they similar? But…

Six Flicks on Tricky Dick (A Look at Richard Nixon in the Movies) by Trav S.D.

Here's an image you can't unsee; a picture of President Richard M. Nixon (1913-1994) playing the piano, singing, and apparently trying to feel something. Nixon was second only to Truman as a…

Coming in 2 Weeks: Rice-Centennial, The Dan Rice Centennial by Trav S.D.

Two weeks from now: please join us for two major celebrations of the bicentennial birthday of the 19th century's greatest clown and pioneering American circus impresario Dan Rice (1823-1900)…

In Which I Step into a Cinema for the First Time in 3 Years and It Proves Oh So Worth It by Trav S.D.

I promise I don't write about every single thing I see or do, but last night was minorly momentous as far as I'm concerned. It marked the first time I have watched movies in a room with othe…

30 Years Ago: Chaplin (A Missed Opportunity) by Trav S.D.

According to IMDB, today is the is 30th anniversary of the U.S. wide release of the movie Chaplin (1992). Don't get too excited! I'm not here for any knee-jerk celebration! Well past the cen…

A Memorandum on Marion Meade by Trav S.D.

This will be a nearly content free post, designed purely to make you aware of the works of author/biographer Marion Meade (b. 1934). Such is the scope of her interests that I am attracted to…

A Number on Norma Nichols by Trav S.D.

The name of Norma Nichols (1894-1989) ought to be better known to silent comedy fans and not just because it combines the first name of a Talmadge with the last name of one of Keystone's ear…

Cheers for Fears: The Charles Addams Legacy by Trav S.D.

My first proper date with my wife was a lecture about the life of Charles Addams (1912-88) at the Museum of the City of New York. (It was actually our second date, but it was the first one w…

Midways and Monsters: The "Tarzan Mike" Lane Story by Trav S.D.

Born this day 90 years ago, boxer, wrestler and actor Mike Lane (1933-2015). Originally from Washington DC, Lane grew to nearly 6'8″ tall in adulthood. He started out boxing and wrestl…

Slapstick Comes to Queens by Trav S.D.

Color me excited (that's a black and white movie joke, son). Nelson Hughes is bringing That Slapstick Show to the Q.E.D. comedy club, much closer to my Long Island digs than a lot of what's …

Libba Cotten: Engineered "Freight Train" by Trav S.D.

January 5 was the birthday of folk and blues singer Libba Cotten (Elizabeth Nevills, 1893-1987). Cotten's best known song is "Freight Train", off her 1958 Folkways album Folksongs and Instru…

'22: The Year in Review by Trav S.D.

The image above is from the wrong '22, of course " it's a still from Cecil B. De Mille's Manslaughter and depicts the aftermath of an orgy. We should have been so lucky! I'm about a week lat…

Talking of Tolkien by Trav S.D.

J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973) is top of mind at the moment for a variety of reasons. Watching The Rings of Power prequel series prompted my wife and I to go back and look at the two Peter Jacks…

James Melton: Mozart and Motor Cars by Trav S.D.

I first became aware of singer James Melton (1904-61) as a member of The Revelers, a jazz age vocal group who were popular on records, on radio, in big time vaudeville, and at least one Vita…

100 Years Ago: The Royal American Shows by Trav S.D.

1923 was the year that Carl John Sedlmayr (1886-1965) first hung out banners bearing the brand "Royal American Shows". He had been in the carnival and sideshow business for years by then, fi…

Milestones for Don Novello, a.k.a. Father Guido Sarducci by Trav S.D.

Don Novello turns 80 years old today; his best known character Father Guido Sarducci turns 50 this year, as well. This character always intrigued me when I was a kid. I'm not a Catholic, so …