What an astounding track record was racked up by Ralph Bellamy (1904-1991), if only as measured in years. Bellamy was a contemporary screen star throughout the first 25 years of my life. Unl…
June 17, 1976 was the release date of Mel Brook’s Silent Movie. Which raises a rather startling fact: this parody of silent films is now farther in the past than silents were when Brooks m…
Today’s new Travalanche posts for June 16, 2026 are about actor John Franklin (The Addams Family, Children of the Corn) and silent star Peggy O’Day. Earlier Travalanche posts for June 16…
A brief nod today to silent movie actress Peggy O’Day (Genevieve Berte, 1900-1964). The daughter of professional baseball player Harry Berte, the actress was raised in Ohio, Kentucky, and …
The title of this post is to differentiate it from the eponymously named arctic explorer, whom we’ll be doing a post on in a few months, as we have done about such figures as Ernest Shackl…
Today’s new Travalanche posts for June 15, 2026 are about Deney Terrio of Dance Fever, and the eminent hypnotist and magician Ormond McGill. Earlier Travalanche posts for June 15 (in no pa…
We’re not quite at the 50 year mark for Dance Fever (1979-87) or even Saturday Night Fever (1977), but today is the birthday of Deney Terrio (Denis George Mahan, 1950) so I thought I’d k…
I’m not positive that we can state categorically that Ormond McGill (1913-2005) was the pre-eminent hypnotist of his time, but we commend him for honoring the ancient vaudeville tradition …
Today’s new Travalanche post for June 14, 2026 is about Cy Coleman. For Flag Day, you may wish to check out this essay I wrote about patriotic iconography a few years back.. It’s also Na…
This only occurred to me belatedly but it’s true: my early years in New York placed me (rather obliviously) in the eye of the massive weather system that was Cy Coleman (1929-2004) at the …
Today’s new Travalanche posts for June 13, 2026 are about Paul Lynde (happy hundredth), the late Gene Shalit, and my podcast appearance on Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia. Earl…
Today marks the 100th birthday of comic character actor Paul Lynde (1926-1982). My 2013 post on this comedy idol was a rather barebones critical appreciation of his acting style, so I though…
As promised and described last month, today it gives us great pleasure to share our podcast conversation with Peter Schmitz of Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia. The topic: Interna…
Gene Shalit passed away yesterday at the age of 100, and I can’t help thinking of it as a response to the death of Rex Reed, almost as though he were saying “Okay, now that he’s gone, …
And they’re all types, too! Poetry, fiction, drama, biography, history, memoir. I wasn’t angling for a cross section, this is just what randomly came tumbling my way and I caught them in…
Today’s new Travalanche posts for June 12, 2026 are about Vic Damone, and several cool new show biz related books. Also Happy Superman Day! Also, RIP Ronnie Schell (and thanks Eve Golden f…
One of the many ongoing sub-themes of this blog over the years has been contrition for past prejudices borne of my time and place. All critics need ought to make that part of their ongoing p…
Today’s new Travalanche post for June 11, 2026 is about a family of theatrical Cochlans. Earlier Travalanche posts for June 11 (in no particular order) include ones on: A Day at the Races …
And a moment in the sunlight is about all the sunshine enjoyed by cowboy actor and musician Monte Hale (Samuel Buren Ely, 1919-2009) — to be more accurate, about six years (1944-1950). (Mo…
Today’s new Travalanche post for June 8, 2026 is about B movie western star Monte Hale. Also Happy National Best Friends Day! Celebrate with this post on several famous “best friends” …
Born 100 years ago today: actress Mona Freeman (1926-2014). Freeman grew up in Pelham, New York, in Westchester County, right outside the Bronx. She began modeling in high school, culminatin…
Today’s new Travalanche post for June 7, 2026 is about Glen Gray and The Casa Loma Orchestra. Earlier Travalanche posts for June 7 (in no particular order) include ones on: Charley Bowers …
June 7 was the birthday of big bandleader Glen Gray (Glenn Gray Knoblauch, 1900-1963). Gray was a sax player from Roanoake, Illinois who played with various Detroit area jazz outfits through…
Readers of Travalanche know that we love theatrical dynasties here, though they can sometimes be nettlesome to sort out. Actors tend to be more promiscuous than most, especially true in ages…
Today’s new Travalanche post for June 10, 2026 are about British character actor Lionel Jeffries and songwriter/ producer/ impresario Bobb Goldstein. Earlier Travalanche posts for June 10 …