11,489 stories by "Trav S.D."
John Emery (1905-1964) is one of those Hollywood actors who is much more interesting for his associations than for his actual career. The son of two Broadway stars, Edward Emery (1861-1938) …
Today’s new Travalanche posts for May 20, 2026 are about comedy bit player Jerry Hausner and John Emery (Barrymore’s secret son?) Earlier Travalanche posts for May 20 (in no particular o…
A salute to one of the unsung this morning: character actor and voice-over artist Jerry Hausner (James Bernard Hausner, 1909-1993). Hausner supported numerous classic comedians on radio, tel…
Today’s new Travalanche posts for May 19, 2026 are about The Ramones and some tv shows sponsored by Buick. Earlier Travalanche posts for May 19 (in no particular order) include ones on: I�…
I snapped the photo above about six weeks ago on my way to the Clem Burke Memorial. It’s been at the intersection of Bowery and East 2nd Street since 2003, and I guess I’ve seen it befor…
This post won’t have much to do with Bob Dylan‘s 1965 song, it’s just the coolest thing we could think of to call it. May 19, 1903 was the date the Buick Motor Company was incorporated…
Today’s new Travalanche posts for May 18, 2026 are about Meredith Willson (The Music Man), Francis Bellamy (The Pledge of Allegiance), and a recent documentary about Devo. Earlier Travalan…
What mischievous joy it gave me to type the words in that title — and even better, they’re true. Francis Bellamy (1855-1931) was the cousin of Edward Bellamy, writer of that utopian tome…
Last August, I did a post on my favorite contemporary from my high school years, and my appreciation of Devo headed the list. Then just a couple of weeks later, Netflix dropped a new documen…
It’s been a pleasure becoming more acquainted with the early work of composer Meredith Willson (1902-1984), for not only did he write a couple of my favorite Broadway musicals, but he had …
Today’s new Travalanche post for May 17, 2026 is about child star Baby Early Gorman. Also Happy Ride a Unicycle Day. Earlier Travalanche posts for May 17 (in no particular order) include o…
Baby Early Gorman (Earle Gorman, 1906-1982) was a child star, very much in the vein of Baby Peggy, Baby Marie, Baby Rose Marie, Baby June, and Baby Leroy. She was the niece of actress Elsie …
Today’s new Travalanche post for May 16, 2026 is about a recently passed friend whose memorial appropriately coincides with National Classic Movie Day. Earlier Travalanche posts for May 16…
We are saddened that previous commitments and other circumstances are keeping me from gathering with old friends today to honor the memory of Paul Mania. Paul was the dad of two of my good f…
Today’s new Travalanche posts for May 15, 2026 are about Eddy Arnold and twin playwrights Anthony and Peter Shaffer. Earlier Travalanche posts for May 15 (in no particular order) include o…
Eddy Arnold (1918-2008) is one of those figures who was wildly popular in his own time and has now tumbled into relative obscurity. He was a country cross-over artist, not unlike Tennessee E…
Born 100 years ago today, playwrights Anthony (1926-2001) and Sir Peter Shaffer (1926-2016). What is with the British and identical twins? You’ve got these guys, plus the Kray Brothers, pl…
Today’s new Travalanche posts for May 14, 2026 are about two recently passed individuals, both of whom will be mourned by subsets of the comedy community: Kitty Bruce and John Barbour. Ear…
Thanks, Eve Golden, for the intel that Canadian-American comedian and journalist John Barbour (b. 1933) has passed. Barbour was a close associate of the legendary George Schlatter, working w…
This morning, I’m hearing from several friends who knew her that Kitty Bruce (Brandy Kathleen Bruce, b. 1955) has passed away. Apparently she went in to the hospital for a knee replacement…
Today’s new Travalanche post for May 13, 2026 is about the Paragon Ragtime Orchestra’s upcoming performance in Queens. Earlier Travalanche posts for May 13 (in no particular order) inclu…
First, a reminder that the Coney Island Book Fair is this Sunday, May 17, 1-5pm. We’d love to see you there. And June 4, myself and others will be presenting at the Lambs’ Club on the se…
Today’s new Travalanche posts for May 12, 2026 are about the late Rex Reed, and Jazz Age singer Scrappy Lambert. Earlier Travalanche posts for May 12 (in no particular order) include ones …
When you despair that everything is horrible and the nation and the world are spiraling into a chaos from which we will never emerge, at least we can derive some solace today from the knowle…
It’s high time we pay obeisance to Jazz Age vocalist Scrappy Lambert (Harold Lambert, 1901-1987). Lambert was a kid from New Brunswick, New Jersey who had the good luck to attend nearby Ru…
