Tuesday, February 10, 2026
Today’s new Travalanche posts for February 10, 2026 are about the late Roberta Flack, vaudeville singer Sid Gary, and pin-up/ starlet Valerie Allen. Earlier Travalanche posts for February …
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:01AMValerie Allen (1936-2013) would have been 90 years old today. Allen was second generation show business, and came awfully close to stardom, but she shifted gears after a dozen years before t…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 06:54AMA few fragments on vaudeville vet Sid Gary (Sidney Garfunkel, 1901-1973). Was he related to Art Garfunkel? I dunno, but I mean, come on, how many Garfunkels could there be? What I do know is…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 06:54AMMonday, February 9, 2026
Today’s new Travalanche post for February 9, 2026 is about the political revolutionary Thomas Paine. Earlier Travalanche posts for February 9 (in no particular order) include ones on: The …
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 01:24PMThis year we celebrate the birthday of Thomas Paine (1737-1809) at a time when his ideas are once again in dire need of dissemination, absorption, and implementation. The cultural forces he …
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 11:18AMSunday, February 8, 2026
Today’s new Travalanche posts for February 8, 2026 are about music producer (and Doris Day son) Terry Melcher; and early movie actors Hallam Cooley and Doris McMahon. It’s also National …
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 03:42PMFebruary 8 was the birthday of early screen star Hallam “Hal” Cooley (Hallam Burr, 1895-1971). Cooley claimed to have been a relative of Aaron Burr’s, hence, I surmise, the name change…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 02:36PMToday we treat of show business legend Terry Melcher (Terrence Paul Jorden, 1942-2004). Melcher’s legacy has had the misfortune of being overshadowed by two larger personalities who intere…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 12:24PMToday we celebrate the birth of New Vaudeville comedian Emo Philips (Philip Soltanec, b. 1956). To those too young to process the designation — we do not mean that Philips sports a hat and…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:06AMSaturday, February 7, 2026
February 7 was the birthday of silent film star Ann Little (Mary Hankins Brooks, 1891-1984). We call her the “bigger” Ann Little because she was a more consequential star than another pe…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 01:24PMToday’s new Travalanche post for February 7, 2026 is about the silent western star Ann Little. It’s also National Ballet Day! Check out the ballet section of Travalanche posts here. Othe…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 01:24PMFriday, February 6, 2026
Today’s new Travalanche post for February 6, 2026 is about Disney’s new Muppet Show special. Earlier Travalanche posts for February 6 (in no particular order) include ones on: Charlie Ch…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 02:36PMI had only just gushed online about how much I enjoyed the Feb 1 Grammy awards ceremony, with its mix of old and new performers, diverse artists and styles, and stunning, clever production n…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:18AMThursday, February 5, 2026
Today’s new Travalanche post for February 5, 2026 is about Aleen Leslie, creator of A Date at Judy; and a new exhibition about The Battle of Brooklyn. Earlier Travalanche posts for Februar…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 04:06PMBorn of a February 5, writer Aleen Leslie (née Wetstein, 1908-2010), best known as the creator of the multi-platform franchise A Date with Judy, and for being the oldest member of the WGA W…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 12:48PMThe 250th anniversary of The Battle of Brooklyn (a.k.a. The Battle of Long Island) is coming up in August. Readers who give a hoot about such things know that I’m an enthusiast on this top…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 10:31AMWednesday, February 4, 2026
Today’s new Travalanche post for February 4, 2026 is about David Ketchum (Get Smart). Earlier Travalanche posts for February 4 (in no particular order) include ones on: David Brenner Jerry…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 10:48AMCharacter actor, comedian, and scriptwriter David Ketchum (1928-2025) passed away back in August. Not to be confused with Hank Ketcham, creator of Dennis the Menace! Ketchum was nearly ubiqu…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:36AMTuesday, February 3, 2026
February 3 is National Take a Cruise Day but some of us aren’t so lucky; we just watch television shows about luxury! Having already posted about The Love Boat (twice actually, here and he…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 12:54PMToday’s new Travalanche posts for February 3, 2026 are about Blythe Danner, and two recent tv shows set on cruise ships for National Take a Cruise Day (Good Ship Murder and Doctor Odyssey)…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 12:54PMThis year marks a decade since I have been unchained to any sort of a day job. I’m thankful for the blessing, but I also can’t help being grateful for the experiences I had at most of th…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 08:31AMMonday, February 2, 2026
Today’s new Travalanche posts for February 2, 2026 are about Sinners and movie director Frank Lloyd (Mutiny on the Bounty). Also it’s National Ukulele Day. Go here for my 2023 post on ev…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 05:12PMBorn on February 2, Scottish-born Hollywood director Frank Lloyd (1886-1960). Though forgotten today, Lloyd had a very successful career spanning four decades. He directed some 135 movies, a…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 12:48PMJust wanted to add my voice to the chorus enthusiastically praising Ryan Coogler’s Sinners (2025). We caught it a few months ago, but it seemed appropriate fodder for Black History Month (…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:36AMSunday, February 1, 2026
Today’s new Travalanche posts for February 1, 2026 are about Demond Wilson, Morty Gunty, Woodie King Jr, James P. Johnson (composer of the “Charleston”), and some great New York museum…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 04:12PMI had certainly seen Morty Gunty (1929-1984) in films and television many times, but never knew him by name until someone mentioned him a few days ago. He was a Jewish nightclub comic from B…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 03:06PMDemond Wilson (1946-2026) would have turned 80 this year; even so, I’m uncertain whether I would have done a dedicated post on him, having already written about Sanford and Son and the ill…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 02:12PMSome years we manage to lean into Black History Month (February) more than others, and this’ll be one of those years. As it happens this, is the centennial of there being some kind of nati…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 11:48AMFebruary 1 was the birthday of musician and songwriter James P. Johnson (1894-1955). I am surprised, though perhaps I oughtn’t to be, to learn that he was no relation to J. Rosamond Johnso…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 07:24AMDowntown theatre giant Woodie King Jr. (1939-2026) passed away on January 29. I thought it appropriate to hold my tribute a couple of days for Black History Month. Mr. King was the founder a…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 05:12AMSaturday, January 31, 2026
Today’s new Travalanche posts for January 31, 2026 are about KC and the Sunshine Band, and Alexandre Patty, the Upside Down Man. We also continue to mourn the loss of the great comic actre…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 05:12PM 
