All stories by Trav S.D. on BroadwayStars

Monday, July 17, 2023

For National Tattoo Day: The Tattoos of Travalanche by Trav S.D.

Happy National Tattoo Day! We thought this a suitable day to share a finding aid to our little tattoo section of Travalanche, for we do indeed have one, with about 15 posts. None precisely t…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 10:19AM

Gale Garnett, In the Sunshine by Trav S.D.

I contemplated writing about a much more famous Canadian actor this morning, one who’d certainly attract more clicks, but that’s not how we roll on Travalanche. Mission first, clicks sec…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:07AM
Sunday, July 16, 2023

In Which We Are Unsssssssettled By “Sssssss” (1973) by Trav S.D.

My reasons for ssssssselecting Sssssss (1973) to write about today are ssssssseveral: Sssssss is also one of those movies that, when I talk to people of about my own age, most of them seem t…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:25AM
Saturday, July 15, 2023

In Support of the Strike by Trav S.D.

Unlike nearly everyone else of my acquaintance, I’ve been mum on the topic of the writers’ (and now actors’) strike for a variety of reasons. One is that, given my long-standing and ce…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 10:49AM
Friday, July 14, 2023

R.I.P. Jimmy Weldon by Trav S.D.

We just word on the passing a couple of days ago of ventriloquist, voice-over artist, announcer, children’s host, and actor Jimmy Weldon (1923-2023), just two months shy of his centennial …

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 04:13PM

A Look at Lucky Annabella by Trav S.D.

How lucky was French actress Annabella (Suzanne Georgette Charpentier, 1907-1996) to be born on Bastille Day? It’s kind of like George M. Cohan being born on the 4th of July. And that’s …

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 01:43PM

Happy Birthday, Tom Carvel! by Trav S.D.

Born today, the much-missed ice cream entrepreneur Tom Carvel (Athanasios Karvelas, 1906-1990). Those of a certain age RELISHED (and I mean ALL of us) Carvel’s voice-overs in his own TV an…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 10:25AM

In Which We Briefly Become “Tre’vellanche” by Trav S.D.

July 14 isn’t only Bastille Day, it’s now also Non-Binary Peoples Day, and so today we use the occasion to celebrate Tre’vell Anderson, founder of Slayzhon, podcaster, former Editor-At…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:19AM
Thursday, July 13, 2023

Dave Garroway: Today and Yesterday by Trav S.D.

Few people in show business have enjoyed such a huge impact in the daily lives of millions of Americans and then vanished from the public consciousness so utterly Dave Garroway (1913-1982). …

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:07AM
Tuesday, July 11, 2023

The Growth of Alfred E. Green by Trav S.D.

I find myself awestruck by that it is possible to have directed so many well-known Hollywood movies, many regarded as “classics” or semi-classics, while remaining as anonymous as Alfred …

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 07:07AM
Monday, July 10, 2023

Tilting at Tony Hendra by Trav S.D.

It wasn’t that long ago, but still I can’t recall what in particular it was that motivated me to take note of Tony Hendra (1941-2021) with the purpose of writing a post on him. It may ha…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 11:43AM

For the Betty Brian Centennial: On The Brian Sisters by Trav S.D.

July 10, 2023 would have been the centennial birthday of Betty Brian (1923-2015), who, with her sibs Doris (1926-2018) and Gwen (1928-1990) was one third of the juvenile sister act trio The …

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 08:33AM
Sunday, July 9, 2023

Taking Aim at Ed Ames and the Ames Brothers by Trav S.D.

Oh, don’t worry, I’m not going to be mean to the Ames Brothers — I just like a bit of sonic wordplay in my headlines. But if I’d written this post back in the ’70s when I was a kid…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:37AM
Saturday, July 8, 2023

Faye Emerson: Female TV Pioneer by Trav S.D.

An overdue salute today to early television pioneer Faye Emerson (1917-83). Emerson was a stunning Broadway, radio, and Hollywood movie actress who just happened to be married to Elliott Roo…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 08:43AM
Friday, July 7, 2023

Happy Birthday, Doc Severinsen by Trav S.D.

I just got the memo that today is the birthday of the STILL-LIVING Carl “Doc” Severinsen (b. 1927). Severinsen was a transitional figure of a very rare sort when I was a kid. Rock and ro…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 01:07PM

Dick Kallman and the Murder of Little Louie Groovy by Trav S.D.

Here’s a historical cul-de-sac! Hank (1965-66) was the first sit-com created by Garry Marshall and Jerry Belson, before Happy Days, before The Odd Couple, and before even Hey Landlord. It …

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:55AM
Thursday, July 6, 2023

A Different Della Reese by Trav S.D.

Della Reese (Delloreese Early, 1931-2017) wound up with that curse of the successful television star, public over-identification with a role on account her decade-long run on Touched By An A…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 12:07PM

Travalanche on “Stuff You Should Know” by Trav S.D.

Thanks Killy Dwyer for letting me know that Travalanche got a real nice mention on the popular podcast Stuff You Should Know on July 4. The episode topic was long-haul trucking industry of a…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 08:49AM
Wednesday, July 5, 2023

2 Weeks From Today: See Me (and Funny Friends) at QED! by Trav S.D.

It gives me great pride and pleasure to announce the next thing on the horizon, something that…just kinda made sense. I have a new monthly show at the Queens-based comedy club QED, 27-16 2…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 04:43PM

Today on TCM: The Phynx! by Trav S.D.

“Stop da music, stop da music!” as Jimmy Durante used to shout, for we have some absolute News You Can Use regarding a matter of timely importance. TCM is showing the rare and strange ci…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 11:13AM
Tuesday, July 4, 2023

On the Fourth, Fairs, and Festivals by Trav S.D.

In my never ending search for a Grand Unified Field Theory of Show Business, I have been harping an awful lot the last several months on the topic of the ancient Pagan holidays that were abs…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 11:55AM

The Snakes of Damajanti by Trav S.D.

Mysteries abound about the great snake charmer Nala Damajanti (1861-?). Like Little Egypt and many famous 20th century advertising mascots, “Nala Damajanti” may have been played by more …

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 07:37AM
Monday, July 3, 2023

A Window into Wynne Gibson by Trav S.D.

What a delight it’s been learning about minor movie star Winifred “Wynne” Gibson (1898-1987), whose name is an evocative mash-up of associations of folks from her own era; Wini Shaw, B…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 12:19PM
Sunday, July 2, 2023

The Day When Fragson Was Fatally Fragged by Trav S.D.

A brief remembrance of musical hall performer Harry Fragson (Léon Philippe Pot, 1869-1913). Fragson’s a slippery character — both French and English, and yet not to be confused with Fra…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 11:33AM
Saturday, July 1, 2023

60 Years of Dr. Strange by Trav S.D.

July, 1963 marked the first appearance of the Marvel character Dr. Strange in Strange Tales magazine #110. As I’ve had occasion to mention, Dr. Strange is my favorite Marvel character. Of …

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:33AM
Friday, June 30, 2023

A Post on Pat McCormick by Trav S.D.

If you’re like me (and in most ways its likely you’re not) you’ve always wondered who Pat McCormick (1927-2005) WAS. McCormick began showing up in major films and on popular TV shows i…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 12:49PM
Thursday, June 29, 2023

The Sunken Submersibles of Coney Island by Trav S.D.

I can’t believe it’s taken me ten days to think of this post, but on the other, prior to this was perhaps too soon and too close, and tempers were flying oddly high. For the post is obvi…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 02:19PM

Of Fred Grandy and “Monster Squad” by Trav S.D.

No one would ask or expect you to love a world in which Fred Grandy (b. 1948) were a right-wing Congressman from Iowa (1987-1995), a pundit, and talk radio host. But it gets better when you …

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 08:49AM
Tuesday, June 27, 2023

The Moving McDonalds by Trav S.D.

Grace McDonald (1918-1999) and Ray McDonald (1920-1959) were an Irish brother-sister act, specializing in tap dance. They played vaudeville together as children and teens just as vaud was wi…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 10:25AM

Tonight: Indie Theater Town Hall by Trav S.D.

Message received from our friends at the League of Independent Theater, about their meeting tonight (June 27, 2023, 7:00pm) In a “post-Pandemic” landscape, along with the recent announce…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 08:13AM
Monday, June 26, 2023

Some Scripts of Sidney Howard by Trav S.D.

We’ve had numerous occasions to mention playwright and screenwriter Sidney Howard (1891-1939) on Travalanche. Today he is best remembered as the principal screenwriter of Gone With the Win…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 04:55PM