11,887 stories by "Trav S.D."
Today’s new Travalanche posts for October 25, 2026 are about a visit to Houdini’s Grave, the opera houses of New York City, and little person Gustav Shaffrath. Today is also Internationa…
October 25th is celebrated as International Dwarfism Awareness Day, in honor of Billy Barty, whose birthday it is. We use the occasion to add another entry to our store of over 100 posts on …
October 25th is World Opera Day. Have you visited the Opera section of Travalanche? It consists mostly of profiles of operatically trained singers who crossed over into vaudeville or other a…
October 25 through October 31 is National Magic Week, as designated by the Society of American Magicians! The natural time for me to encourage you to read 250 articles about great stage illu…
Today’s new Travalanche post for October 24, 2026 is about May Pang. Earlier Travalanche posts for October 24 (in no particular order) include ones on: The Marx Brothers (almost) in A Day …
Vaudeville notwithstanding, the musical act I have written about the most on Travalanche by a factor of ten is The Beatles, with well over 50 posts published, and several others planned. It�…
Counting down to the Centennial of Harry Houdini’s legendary passing, which famously took place on Halloween, 1926. The anniversary is just over a week away. I was going to save this post …
Today’s new Travalanche posts for October 23, 2026 are about a great new kids book about vaudeville, and all the upcoming events marking the 100th anniversary of the death of Houdini. Earl…
Today we take the unaccustomed step of recommending a contemporary vaudeville book that’s not our own. It’s less because I’ve suddenly become a paragon of generosity, than a reflection…
Today’s new Travalanche posts for October 22, 2026 are about Bowery Theatre and Joseph N. Welch. Als, thanks Adam McGovern, for the shout-out in your recent post about Liza Minnelli! Earli…
Unclear as to the significance of the subject of this post, Joseph N. Welch (1890-1960)? But you have all the clues you need in the title and in the photo above! Welch was lead counsel for t…
One of New York City’s most storied venues, The Bowery Theatre, first opened its doors 200 years ago today. The playhouse changed its name and its mission many time over the course of its …
Today’s new Travalanche post for October 21, 2026 is about the late centenarian fiddle queen Violet Hensley. Earlier Travalanche posts for October 21 (in no particular order) include ones …
Violet Hensley (1916-2026) passed away two months ago, else today she would be celebrating her 110th birthday. (Thanks, Eve Golden, for putting her on my radar.) This isn’t a post about lo…
Today’s new Travalanche posts for October 20, 2026 are about Dell O’Dell and George Wyner. Earlier Travalanche posts for October 20 (in no particular order) include ones on: Bela Lugosi …
One century ago this month (October, 1926) a man named Edward Wyner bought a parcel of land in Boston on which, within a couple of years, he built that city’s Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Little di…
Dell O’Dell (1897-1962) is not the first female magician we have profiled here on Travalanche. Previously we have done posts on Talma, Adelaide Hermann, and Sticky Vicky (who counts only i…
Today’s new Travalanche posts for October 19, 2026 are about Peter Max and The Comfortable Chair. Earlier Travalanche posts for October 19 (in no particular order) include ones on: Uncle F…
The third Monday in October is supposed to be International Adjust Your Chair Day. It’s not the worst idea. As with many writers, for me a comfortable chair and sitting position make all t…
Last month, Peter Max (Peter Max Finkelstein, 1937-2026) transitioned into the vibrating, ever-expanding, multi-colored universe. He is now in his true element! Max was one of many artists a…
Today’s new Travalanche post for October 18, 2026 is about Millie La Mar, the Albino Mind Reader. Earlier Travalanche posts for October 18 (in no particular order) include ones on: BBC For…
Just a few words this morning about performer Millie La Mar (Emma Morrissey, 1863- 1905) who billed herself in show business as “the Albino Mind Reader”. Originally from York, PA. La Mar…
Today’s new Travalanche posts for October 17, 2026 are about Beverly Garland, Julie Adams, and Bill Minkin. Earlier Travalanche posts for October 17 (in no particular order) include ones o…
Actor and comedian Bill Minkin (1942-2026) passed away earlier this year. Minkin was known principally for three things: As Vaughn Meader was to John F Kennedy and David Frye was to Richard …
I don’t typically bundle biographies together into single posts, but these two actresses were born on the very same day and their careers have too many similarities to ignore. The Hallowee…
