All stories by Trav S.d. on BroadwayStars

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Abbott and Costello on Radio by Trav S.D.

One more post for Bud Abbott’s birthday! Simultaneous to the launch of their film career in the early forties Abbott and Costello became weekly radio fixtures, first on the Chase an…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 04:36PM[SHARE]

Flywheel, Shyster and Flywheel: The Marx Brothers on Radio by Trav S.D.

Another post in honor of Groucho’s birthday! For six months from late 1932 through early 1933, the Marx Brothers had their own radio situation comedy, Flywheel, Shyster and Flywheel.Â…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 03:36PM[SHARE]

The Abbott and Costello Show by Trav S.D.

Today is Bud Abbott’s birthday. Those who really know me know I’m a huge fan of Abbott, and, um, less enthusiastic about Costello (see previous post here and my section on them i…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 11:30AM[SHARE]

Stars of Slapstick #5: Marx Brothers by Trav S.D.

Rare pic of all 5 Marxes Today is Groucho’s Birthday With the possible exceptions of Ed Wynn and Fred Allen, no vaudeville comedy act ever attracted more highbrow approval …

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 10:12AM[SHARE]

George "Spanky" McFarland by Trav S.D.

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…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 08:04AM[SHARE]

Stars of Slapstick #4: Toto by Trav S.D.

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…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 07:43AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, October 1, 2013

On the Glories of "Lt. Joe Kenda: Homicide Hunter" by Trav S.D.

It’s a red letter day at Travalanche, for tonight marks the season premiere of season three of Investigation Discovery’s Lt. Joe Kenda: Homicide Hunter.  It may shock and a…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 12:16PM[SHARE]

Stars of Vaudeville #366: Charles T. Aldrich by Trav S.D.

Originally posted in 2011 Charles T. Aldrich was the father of well-known character comedian Gale Gordon (1905-1995), best-known (to this correspondent) as Mr. Mooney on Here’…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 10:43AM[SHARE]

Lola Star Fashion Show Tonight! by Trav S.D.

Filed under: Coney Island, PLUGS, SOCIAL EVENTS, Women Tagged: Coney Island, fashion show, Hillary Flowers, Lola Star

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 10:18AM[SHARE]

Stars of Slapstick #3: Ted Healy and the Three Stooges by Trav S.D.

Measured in terms of popularity and longevity, one can safely say that this is the most successful act in the history of show business. Over the past 80 years, their popularity has only grow…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 08:09AM[SHARE]

Julie Andrews by Trav S.D.

Andrews with her performing mother and stepfather Originally published in 2012 Today is the birthday of universally-beloved singer-actress Julie Andrews (born 1935). Her stage and scre…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 07:47AM[SHARE]

Stars of the Slapstick #2: Minta Durfee by Trav S.D.

Originally posted in 2010 Today is the birthday of Arabella Estelle “Minta” Durfee (1889-1975). The diminutive Durfee had become a chorus girl by age 17. While acting in mu…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 07:32AM[SHARE]

Mme. Abomah, the African Giantess by Trav S.D.

Thanks, Susan DeCarava, for alerting me to the existence of this amazing person.  October, 1865 was the birth month of Ella Grigsby (later Williams), later billed as Mme. Abomah, the Tall…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 04:08AM[SHARE]

Stars of Vaudeville #825: Cliff Friend by Trav S.D.

Today is the birthday of Cliff Friend (1893-1974). A second generation musician Friend studied at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music before being sidelined for several years with TB. He we…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 03:08AM[SHARE]

Willie Camper by Trav S.D.

Today is the birthday of Willie Camper (Guicel Willie Camper, 1924-1943). Hailing from the Memphis area, Camper was advertised as being eight and a half feet tall, probably “showmen…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 02:35AM[SHARE]
Monday, September 30, 2013

Marc Bolan (T. Rex) by Trav S.D.

Today is the birthday of the late Marc Bolan (Mark Feld, 1947-1977), the Father of Glam, and thus also partially the little rivulets that spring from this Edenic source (minor trends such as…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 03:46PM[SHARE]

Forgotten Shows of My Nonage #60: Police Woman by Trav S.D.

Today is the birthday of Angie Dickinson (b. Angeline Brown, 1931), a fitting time to remember her groundbreaking tv series Police Woman (1974-1978). Police Woman was ground-breakin…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 02:16PM[SHARE]

The Legends of Burlesque Panel at NYBF by Trav S.D.

“Free” and “I’m already in the same neighborhood or at least the same borough” are a couple of important preconditions for my attendance at an event…but a…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 01:20PM[SHARE]

Stars of Vaudeville #824: Wilton Lackaye by Trav S.D.

Today is the birthday of Wilton Lackaye (William Andrew Lacky, 1861-1932). Lackaye was a major star of the legitimate stage starting with Francesca da Rimini in 1883. The biggest role …

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 08:33AM[SHARE]

Stars of Vaudeville #823: Renée Adorée by Trav S.D.

Today is the birthday of Renée Adorée (Jeanne de La Fonte, 1898-1933). She started out performing in French circuses with her parents at the age of five, migrated to theatre in young ad…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 08:08AM[SHARE]

Stars of Vaudeville #490: Cholly Atkins by Trav S.D.

Originally posted in 2012 Today is the birthday of the great dancer Charles “Cholly” Atkins (1913-2003). Buffalo native Atkins started out playing floor shows and revues with …

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 07:36AM[SHARE]

Stars of Vaudeville #365: Salerno by Trav S.D.

Originally posted in 2011 Adolph Behrend (a.k.a. “Salerno”, b. this day in 1869) is known for several things: * He was one of the originators of the style known as “gentlem…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 07:36AM[SHARE]

Stars of Vaudeville # 822: Lily Morris by Trav S.D.

Today is the birthday of Lily Morris (Lilles Mary Crosby, 1884-1952) a great singing comedienne in the English music hall who also scored big in American vaudeville. She started out in panto…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 07:33AM[SHARE]
Sunday, September 29, 2013

Gene Autry: Back in the Saddle by Trav S.D.

Today is the birthday of the original Singing Cowboy Gene Autry (Orvon Grover Autry, 1907-1998). Autry was a one man empire, star of radio, movies, television and the recording industry, and…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 10:43AM[SHARE]

Jerry Lee Lewis: The Killer by Trav S.D.

Today is the birthday of Jerry Lee Lewis (b. 1935). He is rightfully known as the wildest, most objectionable, most downright diabolical of all the first generation of rock and roll performe…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 10:00AM[SHARE]

Stars of Slapstick #1: Billy Bevan by Trav S.D.

Bevan is the One on the Right Originally posted in 2012 Today is the birthday of silent comedy star Billy Bevan (1887-1957). The Australian native began performing as a child and spent…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 08:26AM[SHARE]

Stars of Vaudeville #821: Fred Russell, Father of Ventriloquism by Trav S.D.

Today is the birthday of Fred Russell (Thomas Fredick Parnell, 1862-1957) often known as the Father of modern ventriloquism (he is often said to have been the first to use a dummy on the kne…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 08:17AM[SHARE]
Saturday, September 28, 2013

Wit's End is Tonight! by Trav S.D.

Come in your finest vintage or vintage-inspired attire to Wit's Endâ„¢ and dance and drink Prohibition era cocktails and end the summer in style with live hot jazz from The Red Hook Ramb…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 11:37AM[SHARE]

Elmer Rice: Street Scene by Trav S.D.

Today is the birthday of the great American playwright Elmer Rice (Elmer Reizenstein, 1892-1967). While he wrote dozens of successful plays, Rice’s reputation today rests principally o…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 10:37AM[SHARE]

"Sundays with Hitch" on TCM Concludes Tomorrow by Trav S.D.

Every Sunday in September TCM has shown dozens of works by Alfred Hitchcock from morning until…well into the next morning. It’s not the entire canon, but it’s enough …

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 10:12AM[SHARE]

R.I.P. John Calvert by Trav S.D.

Just got word that one of our few living vaudevilians, Star of Vaudeville #773 John Calvert has passed on at the age of 102. The Indiana native was inspired to take up magic by a boyhood tri…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 08:45AM[SHARE]

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