All stories by Trav S.D. on BroadwayStars

Tuesday, April 22, 2025

Celebrating Sylvia Lewis by Trav S.D.

Thanks Eve Golden and Mel Newhouse for calling my attention to Sylvia Lewis (b. 1931), whom I’d certainly seen onscreen many a time without connecting all the dots. Her most prominent cred…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 08:24AM
Monday, April 21, 2025

Now Thru Summer: Come Catch Me at Coney! by Trav S.D.

The recent world takeover by billionaires has inspired nothing so much in me as a desire to rub elbows at the People’s Playground, Birthplace of the Nickel Hot Dog. So look for me at Coney…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 04:12PM

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

We’ve known she’s been in hospice for weeks but I’ve been dreading this day for years, not because I obsess about Rochelle Denton, whom I’m mourning the loss of today, but because I�…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 02:03PM

On Patriots Day, The Natale di Roma, and the Birth and Death of Republics by Trav S.D.

Wow, are the stars ever crazily aligned today. Massachusetts and a few other states celebrate Patriots Day today, a holiday that commemorates what would be called the Birth of America if we …

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 10:42AM
Sunday, April 20, 2025

On Resurrection, Re-enactment, Reclamation, and Revolution by Trav S.D.

What a cluster of symbolically weighted days we are in the midst of. The Revolutionary anniversaries of April 18 (Paul Revere’s Ride) and April 19 (Lexington and Concord) combined with yes…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 08:32AM

Hello and Goodbye to Johnny Tillotson by Trav S.D.

Johnny Tillotson (1938-2025) passed away back on April 1 — but that’s kind of a fraught date on which to announce anything, so I figured I’d leave this little tribute to his birthday, …

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 05:24AM

Memoriam for Monte Landis by Trav S.D.

This would appear to be a rare case of Travalanche scooping both Wikipedia and IMDB. Today would have been the 92nd birthday of character actor Monte Landis (Monte Landstein, 1933-2024) had …

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 05:24AM

The Harry Albacker Centennial by Trav S.D.

Born 100 years ago today, magician Harry Albacker (1925-1994) — his oft-told tale that he was born on Halloween, 1926, right after Houdini died, was a show biz fib. A lifelong native of th…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 03:06AM
Saturday, April 19, 2025

250 Years Ago: The Revolution Begins by Trav S.D.

Well, I wish I was on Lexington Green today watching the re-enactors re-create what happened there 250 years ago, but c’est la guerre. I do have my “eyes on the ground” in Lexington an…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 08:36AM
Friday, April 18, 2025

250 Years Ago: The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere by Trav S.D.

A quarter of a millennium ago, on April 18, 1775, occurred Paul Revere’s famous ride to alert the slumbering Minutemen to an eminent crackdown by British leaders on the rebel Patriots at L…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:48AM
Thursday, April 17, 2025

The Other John Ford by Trav S.D.

April 17 was the baptismal day of Jacobean playwright John Ford (1586-ca. 1639). That’s my copy of his collected plays above. (If you’re looking for the director of Hollywood westerns, g…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:54AM

Olivia Hussey: Not Just Juliet by Trav S.D.

Olivia Hussey (1951-2024) would be turning 74 today; we lost her back in December. We tend to think of this actress in only one role because she was so iconic in it, but she actually had a t…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 08:48AM
Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Chaplin News and More by Trav S.D.

April 16 is kind of a comedy holy day ’round here. It’s the anniversary of the release date of Laurel and Hardy’s The Music Box and Way Out West and Chaplin’s The Cure, and the birth…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 11:54AM

The Stealers Wheel Story by Trav S.D.

An atypical post today, for it concerns an artist who was ambivalent about show business. Many of us are. For me it’s a love/hate thing. I hope I convey what I love about it here every sin…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 08:42AM
Tuesday, April 15, 2025

All About Eve (Golden) by Trav S.D.

I found this picture of Eve Golden (reclining) from the Digital Transgender Archive. It shows her in an off-Broadway play in 1981. Eve hasn’t acted in some time, but she manifests the thea…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 01:03PM

The Theatre of Leonardo Da Vinci by Trav S.D.

The title of this post could take you down any number of legitimate paths — a playhouse named after the great Italian polymath, say, or biographical stage works about him. Instead, somethi…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 12:03PM

On the OTHER John Williams by Trav S.D.

The title of today’s post is meant to differentiate its subject from the motion picture composer, although this John Williams (Hugh Ernest Leo Williams, 1903-1983) had a famous classical m…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 11:03AM
Monday, April 14, 2025

160 Years Ago Today, Booth Shot Lincoln by Trav S.D.

I know this isn’t a very round anniversary, but ten years ago (at the 150th), Travalanche hadn’t much expanded beyond vaudeville and silent film comedy as far as subject matter was conce…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 02:12PM

Travalanche Named One of NYC’s Top 100 Blogs by Trav S.D.

Yeah, I said! Just got the word from Feedspot that Travalanche ranks #57 of all New York City based blogs and websites, which I call not too shabby given that the list is topped by the likes…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 01:12PM

Claire Windsor: Of Weber and WAMPAS by Trav S.D.

Some attention paid today to Hollywood screen actress Claire Windsor (Clara Viola Cronk, 1892-1972). Windsor was a major star of the 1920s and early ’30s, encompassing the late silent and …

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 10:01AM
Sunday, April 13, 2025

For International Romani Day: A New Film About Chaplin’s Romani Origins by Trav S.D.

This International Romani Day we thought we’d give you a head’s up about a new film that focuses on Charlie Chaplin’s Romani heritage and how it influenced his art. It’s directed by …

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 01:32PM

Bill Maher Isn’t the Only One Who Has Gone Over to the Dark Side by Trav S.D.

This is the second time I’m felt the need to single out Bill Maher for conspicuous bad-acting. (The first was about five years ago). Now that he’s been to the White House to kiss the Kin…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 08:06AM
Saturday, April 12, 2025

Herbie Hancock and Hollywood by Trav S.D.

This will make an interesting companion piece to yesterday’s post, which concerned major players in the birthing of jazz. The music has no end, one hopes, but today’s post discusses a ma…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 10:24AM
Friday, April 11, 2025

A Very Vaudeville Kind of Day by Trav S.D.

And just what do I mean by a very vaudeville kind of day? Well it’s National Barber Shop Quartet Day, as well as the birthday of Nick LaRocca of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, not to me…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 12:54PM

On Nick LaRocca and The Original Dixieland Jazz Band by Trav S.D.

We choose the birthday of Dominic “Nick” LaRocca (1889-1961) for this tribute to the Original Dixieland Jazz Band (original rendered as the Original Dixieland Jass Band). This seminal qu…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:36AM
Wednesday, April 9, 2025

The Mystical Magic of Moll Pitcher by Trav S.D.

April 9, 1813 was the date upon which Moll Pitcher (Mary Diamond) transitioned from this Mortal Plane into the Great Beyond. In modern parlance, Moll can best be described as a celebrity psy…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 11:06AM

A Peek at Paula Stewart by Trav S.D.

April 9 is the birthday of singer and actress Paula Stewart (Dorothy Paula Zürndorfer, b. 1929) Stewart is very much still with us — I’ve even had the pleasure of interacting with her …

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 10:12AM
Tuesday, April 8, 2025

Happy National Banjo Day by Trav S.D.

Happy National Banjo Day! As I wrote in No Applause, this quintessentially American instrument originated in Africa, made its way here through the cultured of enslaved black people, and then…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 05:03PM

Keep Your Shertzinger On! by Trav S.D.

The name Victor Shertzinger (1888-1941) has not withstood the test of time but once you learn of his accomplishments you may wonder why it hasn’t. He was not only a movie director, but als…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 12:42PM
Monday, April 7, 2025

Neal Hart: America’s Pal by Trav S.D.

As you might have guessed, western star Neal Hart (1879-1949) was a cousin of the much bigger western star William S. Hart. Less predictably, he was born on Staten Island! According to his d…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 02:42PM

Memoriam to Margia Dean by Trav S.D.

A belated centennial celebration and obituary for the late star Margia Dean (Marguerite Louise Skliris, 1922-2023). 101 at the time of her passing! I see dozens of articles idiotically parro…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 01:42PM

All that Chat

2024-2025 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 05, 2024: Home - Todd Haimes Theatre
Jul 30, 2024: Job - Hayes Theater
Sep 12, 2024: The Roommate - Booth Theatre
Nov 14, 2024: Tammy Faye - Palace Theatre
Nov 17, 2024: Elf - Marquis Theatre
Dec 12, 2024: Cult of Love - Hayes Theater
Dec 19, 2024: Gypsy - Majestic Theatre
Mar 17, 2025: Purpose - Hayes Theater
Apr 10, 2025: Smash - Imperial Theatre