11,727 stories by "Trav S.D."
If ya live long enough, you start to see little rivulets from your past converge into the rolling, muddy Mississippi of your existence (you may quote me). Long time Trav S.D. watchers (are t…
 Because I’ve had occasion to mention this franchise many times on this blog and in other writings, and it’s pretty important to film comedy history, I thought it fitting to …
Today is the anniversary of the release date of the Harold Lloyd talking feature Movie Crazy (1932). I think this is a terrific movie, as good as Lloyd’s best silents. Movie Craz…
Today is the anniversary of the release date of the Laurel and Hardy film The Big Noise (1944), directed by Mal St. Clair. This is one of the team’s last and worst films. They pl…
Today is the anniversary of the release date of Buster Keaton’s comedy The Cameraman (1928). The Cameraman was Keaton’s first film as an MGM contract player. The change …
Filed under: Contemporary Variety, PLUGS Tagged: Cobra Club, Force Majeure, Sara vaentine, Tanya Solomon
Tomorrow morning on Turner Classic Movies: films set at the opera! They’ll be showing: 6am (EST): The Phantom of The Opera (1925) This is handily one of the first silent movies I…
Ha! I didnt know until yesterday but some of my collaborations with Jim R. Moore will be screened tonight at 8:30pm in NY New York Clown Theater Festival at the Brick Theater: Â some of ou…
Today is the birthday of Bill Murray (b. 1950), the Saturday Night Live alumnus whose cinematic career is by far — light years — the most distinguished (unless  you want to in…
Tonight, TCM will be showing a pair of films calculated to appeal to show biz buffs: 8pm (EST): Neptune’s Daughter (1949) Unfortunately has nothing to do with the silent Annette …
Today is the anniversary of the release date of Mae West's third starring feature Belle of the Nineties (1934), directed be Leo McCarey. The film is kind of a "might have been", one that one…
Today is the anniversary of the release date of the very early Laurel and Hardy talkie short They Go Boom (1929), directed by James Parrott. This is one of their comedies with a…
It’s the first day of Autumn! And here to ring it in for us are Fibber McGee and Molly (Jim and Marian Jordan) in a 1953 episode of their radio program entitled Autumn Leaves Drive …
Today is the birthday of Melvin “Slappy” White (1921-1995). Comedian White was a little too young to have come up through black vaudeville, but he did spend much  time in its …
Today is the birthday of the legendary comedy director Norman McLeod (sometimes billed as Norman Z. McLeod, 1895-1964). A Michigan native, McLeod had been a fighter pilot in WWI, experience …
Today is the anniversary of the release date of Harold Lloyd’s feature length comedy The Freshman (1925). The Freshman is up there with Safety Last as being one of Lloyd’…
Filed under: BROOKLYN, Comedy, Hollywood (History), Movies, PLUGS, Silent Film Tagged: BROOKLYN, City Reliquary, silent movies, Slapstick Under the Stars
Today is the birthday of Blanche Payson (Mary Elizabeth Bush, 1881-1964). Payson’s near-giant proportions (6’4″, 238 lbs) made her highly useful in silent comedy, and Mack …
Tomorrow morning on Turner Classic Movies, two comedy classic starring Jack Benny. 7:00am (EST): The Horn Blows at Midnight (1945) The Horn Blows at Midnight (1945) was Jack Benny’…
Tonight on TCM, two of Mae West’s best movies, interesting shown in reverse order: 9:45pm (EST)  I’m No Angel (1933).  I’m No Angel was the follow up to West’…
Today is the anniversary of the release date of the hilarious Charley Chase short Bromo and Juliet (1926) directed by Leo McCarey. In this silent comedy classic Charley plays a you…
Today is the anniversary of the release date of the Harry Langdon comedy The Strong Man (1926), the very first feature film directed by Frank Capra. In The Strong Man, Langdon play…
Today is the anniversary of the release date of the Buster Keaton comedy Battling Butler (1926). Some background: Keaton’s recent feature Go West had not done so well, so h…
Today is the anniversary of the release date of W.C. Fields’ very first film Pool Sharks (1915). Most folks don’t know that before he made talkies, Fields had a silent film…
Today is the anniversary of the release date of the Laurel and Hardy comedy Come Clean (1931). This hilarious short opens with a retread of the opening of their 1928 silent Should M…
