11,723 stories by "Trav S.D."
Western star William Boyd (1895-1972) was born on this day. Almost exclusively known as “Hopalong Cassidy” today, Boyd had acted in pictures for nearly two decades before that fo…
I’ve seen the late Dennis Weaver (1924-2006) in a wide variety of vehicles over the years: the TV western Gunsmoke (1955-1964), Orson Welles’ Touch of Evil (1958), Way……
The late Tony Curtis (Bernard Schwartz, 1925-2010) was born on this day. This won’t be a terribly in-depth post, but will essentially take a look at the fact that for a period roughly …
Jerry Mathers came into the world on June 2, 1948. I wasn’t yet born during the original run of Mathers’ great claim to fame, Leave it to Beaver (1957-1963); I began to watch …
A terrific plug for my book Chain of Fools in the NY Times today in Jason Zinoman’s review of a new novel about Stan Laurel: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/01/books/review/john-connol…
Marilyn Monroe (Norma Jean Mortenson, 1926-1962) was born on June 1. It may seem madness that I did a post on Jayne Mansfield five years ago, but have not yet done one on Monroe, the much mo…
Born on June 1, Ada Jones (1873-1922), one of the first popular recording artists and one of the first female singers ever recorded. Originally from Lancashire, she immigrated to the U.S. at…
The title of this post refers of course to the 1960s, not the age of the performers, although that certainly applies as well. I struggled mightily with what to title this piece. The real sub…
I fulfilled a long-standing bucket list goal last week in getting to meet the legendary Black-Eyed Susan of the Ridiculous Theatrical Company! On the table (besides those pill bottles) was a…
Russ Brown (1892-1964) is best remembered for winning his Tony winning performance as Van Buren, manager of the Washington Senators in the original 1955 Broadway production of Damn Yankee…
Today is the birthday of Ian Fleming (1908-1964). Having already written about Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and having often referred to the Bond franchise, cultural touchstone that it is, on th…
Johnny Wayne was born today — not the Duke, whose birthday was a couple of days ago, but the Canadian comedian (1918-1990) whose real name was Louis Weingarten. For over half a century…
James Arness (1923-2011) was born this day. A World War Two vet with some radio experience in his native Minneapolis, Arness came to Hollywood in the 1940s where his good voice, likable pers…
Times like this weekend I wish I stilled live a half hour subway ride from Coney Island. Tonight Dick Zigun and Chicava Honeychile open their new Bettie Page show at Coney Island USA: And…
Singer Billy Murray (1877-1954) was born on this day. The son of Irish immigrants, Murray was born in Philly and raised in Denver and apparently not a close relation of the 20th century scre…
Screen actor Creighton Hale (1882-1965) was born on this day. Born Patrick Fitzgerald in County Cork, Ireland he moved to America early in the 20th century with a touring theatrical troupe. …
Just heard that Clint Walker (b. 1927) passed away a couple of days ago. Walker was a star I particularly liked. It’s hard to articulate why — he wasn’t a tremendously g…
Movie fans who know and love James Gleason (1882-1959) as a crusty character actor in such films as Meet John Doe (1941), Arsenic and Old Lace (1944), and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945)Â …
I just came across the 8 x 10 publicity still for alligator wrestler Tahar Douis and there’s not much doing on the blog today so I thought I’d give him a shout-out. Born in Ma…
Thank Barry Mitchell, for the tip that resulted in this post! William and Wilbur Baron (1922-2010, both of them) were a pair of tap dancing twins! Born in Youngstown, Ohio they moved to Balt…
Hollywood actor Robert Montgomery (Henry Montgomery, Jr., 1904-1981) was born on this day. Montgomery has become a favorite star of mine, mostly because I discovered him so late in life. I d…
Born today: stage and screen star Mabel Taliaferro (1887-1979). From one of America’s oldest Italian-American families, Taliaferro was raised in Richmond and started out in the theatre…
Raymond Burr (1917-1993) was born on this day. Over the years I have discovered and enjoyed Burr’s performances in many places, from his hit series Perry Mason to films like the Mar…
Today is the birthday of Thomas D. Rice (1808-1860), a.k.a. T.D. Rice, or Daddy Rice, or sometimes by the name of the character he created, Jim Crow. Yes, Jim Crow. It was Rice who launc…
It’s true! Jimmy Stewart (1908-1997) starred in his own sitcom for one season (1971-72). That’s intrinsically notable; so is the fact that this show represents the only occasion …
