11,499 stories by "Trav S.D."
Coincidentally we watched a couple of Apatow movies over the last couple of days, but what's new about that? The same could be said of almost any week over the past 30 years! Judd Apatow is …
Today's new Travalanche post for January 25, 2026 is about a pair of recent and excellent documentaries from the shop of Judd Apatow: Other earlier Travalanche posts for January 25 (in no pa…
Today's new Travalanche post for January 24, 2026 is about Vicki Baum, author of Grand Hotel. Other earlier Travalanche posts for January 24 (in no particular order) include ones on: Marvin …
January 24 was the birthday of Hedwig "Vicki" Baum (1888-1960). The Viennese-born writer is not widely known by name in the U.S. though it ought to be: her name is on over a dozen Hollywood …
Today's new Travalanche posts for January 23, 2026 are about the passing of Uncle Floyd, as well as a tribute to Founding Father John Hancock. Other earlier Travalanche posts for January 23 …
January 20 was the birthday of one America's Forgotten Founding Fathers' though one of the most important, Robert Morris (1734-1806). Morris was the wealthiest American at the start of the A…
We continue to observe the 250 anniversary of the American Revolution with today's acknowledgement of the birthday of John Hancock (1737-1793). Hancock's memory survives thankfully, though f…
I awoke this morning to find my feed aflame with the news, sad but not unexpected, that Uncle Floyd, Floyd Vivino (1951-2026) has gone to vaudeville heaven. It feels odd to report something …
We confess that this post is a bunt " I am out all day on various errands which you will soon learn about in upcoming posts. But this information is no less valuable. Tonight is the premiere…
Today's new Travalanche post for January 22, 2026 is about the new Mel Brooks documentary! Also, January 22 is National Polka Dot Day. See my post on the origins of the comics character "Lit…
Oscar Eagle (1861-1930) " a man whose name conjures no fewer than two different Muppets! Eagle was an actor and director of the stage and the silent screen. Readers of Travalanche will no do…
Today's new Travalanche posts for January 21, 2026 are about Wolfman Jack and old time director Oscar Eagle (The Cocoanuts and Animal Crackers original stage productions). Other earlier Trav…
Yesterday (Jan. 20) was National Disc Jockey Day but it seemed kind of wrong to do a post on DJs until I had honored Wolfman Jack (Robert Smith, 1938-1995), whose birthday is today. But look…
Today's new Travalanche post for January 20, 2026 is a centennial celebration of Patricia Neal. Other earlier Travalanche posts for January 20 (in no particular order) include ones on: Georg…
Today would have been the 100th birthday of Patricia Neal (1926-2010). Both of my parents were fans of this actress, for reasons that are easy for me to glean. Like my dad, she was from Tenn…
Today's new Travalanche posts for January 19, 2026 are about two upcoming events, one celebrating Dorothy Parker, and another William Henry Lane (Juba). Also it's Martin Luther King Day " my…
Here's another one for Martin Luther King Day! It concerns the famous dance-off between the legendary black performer William Henry Lane, known as Juba or Master Juba, and his Irish American…
Speaking of the Laurie Beechman….(we spoke of it yesterday), here is a thing that is happening there tonight to benefit the NAACP. Did you know that when she died Dorothy Parker left her e…
I sometimes come to regret my obituaries for famous businesses and restaurants that fold, because unlike people, some of them come roaring back to life (e.g. The Laurie Beechman, and Hallowe…
Today's new Travalanche posts for January 18, 2026 are about Daniel Webster, the closing of Cafe Un Deux Trois, and vaudevillian Andy Rice. Other earlier Travalanche posts for January 18 (in…
Daniel Webster (1782-1852) was born on January 18; the statue dedicated to him in Central Park turns 150 years old this year. (A terrific article on the 1876 monument is here). When I was a …
The ephemeral reference above is the only image I came across that provides any sort of visual on vaudeville writer and performer Andy Rice (1881-1963). The path that led me to awareness of …
I know I've been assaulting you with posts today, but all the people I'm writing about have a January 17 birthday, and I've been overdue to include them all here. And I really want to includ…
Today's new Travalanche posts for January 17, 2026 are about Amy Sherman-Palladino, Sheree North, Warren Hull, Dick Contino, and Oscar Apfel. Other earlier Travalanche posts for January 17 (…
Most contemporary folks would be apt to know Sheree North (Dawn Shirley Crang, 1932-2005) from memorable recurring roles on sit-coms: she was Kramer's mom on Seinfeld, Blanche's sister on Th…
