11,730 stories by "Trav S.D."
 Today is the birthday of James “Jimmy” Finlayson (1887-1953), often known to his fans as “Fin”. Finlayson is best known today as Laurel and Hardy's comic …
Today is the birthday of the amazing Johnny Eck (John Eckhardt, Jr., 1911-1991), best known for his role in Tod Browning’s Freaks (1932). It is often assumed that Eck was born &#…
Originally posted in 2009. This strange (and to many, irritating) performer was born Margaret Teresa Yvonne O'Reed on this day in 1916. As a comedian, she is in a class with Jerry Lewis…
Oddly, I received a review copy of a 23 year old book in the mail a few days ago. Vintage Books has just released a new edition of Wendy Smith's 1990 Real Life Drama: The Group Theatre and A…
Just got a bunch of swell pix in from our  Bathing Beauties show at Coney Island USA earlier this month, courtesy photographer Allen Lee. We thought you might like to see what you missed,…
Today is the birthday of John T. Kelly (1852-1922). A Boston native, Kelly got his start at age 12 as a jig and clog dancer with a touring vaudeville/ minstrel company run by M.B. Leavitt. H…
Today is the birthday of Ruth Roland (1892-1937). The daughter of a San Francisco theatre manager and a singer, she entered show business as a child actress in vaudeville billed as Baby Ruth…
Originally posted in 2009. Much is made of the ethnic stereotyping in vaudeville, frequently committed by people of the very ethnicity being satirized. Blacks, Irish, Germans and Jews in…
Today is the birthday of Ethel Hilda “Ruby” Keeler (1910-1993). She’s another of those performers about whom I keep saying, “I haven’t done a post on her yet…
You’ve one chance left to see The Accidental Hamlet in this year’s New York International Fringe Festival (if you think it’s your cup of mead) and it’s less tha…
Today is the birthday of Alice White (Alva White, 1904-1983). Though her mother had been a showgirl, White was one of those who fell into the business as a non-actor, working first as a secr…
Today is the birthday of Agnes Thatcher Lake (nee Mersman, 1826-1907). She moved with her family to Cincinnati from her place Alsace, France at age four. At age 16 she eloped with a circus c…
Today is the birthday of the lovely Marian Seldes (b. 1928). And yes she did kiss me once, when I was development director at Theater for the New City, during one of our gala benefits. Think…
Today is the birthday of one of America’s greatest drag performers and playwrights Charles Busch (b. 1954). While Busch was inspired by Charles Ludlam and his Ridiculous Theatrical Com…
Today is the birthday of Keith Moon (1946-1978). The loss of Moon so young though perhaps inevitable was unfortunate just the same. In addition to being one of rock’s greatest musical …
A new play opening at New York Theatre Workshop Tonight! Fetch Clay, Make Man Written by Will Power Directed by Des McAnuff In the days leading up to one of Cassius Clay’s most anticip…
You may not know this but in show business, all roads lead to Hudson Brothers. It’s true — or at least it has seemed that way as I’ve wended through the sea of celebrities …
Filed under: Classical, Contemporary Variety, PLUGS Tagged: Cerveris, Eric Satie, Metropolitan Room
Originally posted in 2010. Rags Ragland (born John Lee Morgan Beauregard Ragland on this day in 1905) was a Minsky’s burlesque comedian who was often a foil to Phil Silver…
Originally posted in 2010 Gene Kelly (born in Pittsburgh this day in 1912) started out in a kid act with his four dancing brothers and sisters — The Five Kellys. Gene was the middl…
Today is the birthday of Frederick “Fritz”Williams (1865-1930). Williams was a performer since childhood, singing in concert saloons and playing violin in the orchestra at Tony P…
Today is the birthday of Joan Whisnant (1923-1998). Born in Red Fork, Oklahoma, Whisnant came into the world without any arms, but was taught by her parents to do everything everyone else do…
Today is the birthday of Berniece Evelyn “Jeanie” Smith (1916-1999). Born with no legs and a pair of twisted arms, she nonetheless learned to walk on her upper limbs and to do…
Today is the birthday of Grace Hayes (1895-1989). A singer in vaudeville and nightclubs, she began to find success in the 1920s, with Broadway shows like The Bunch and Judy (1922), …
Today is the birthday of the great John Lee Hooker (1917-2001), one of the most distinctive blues stylists of all time. It’s impossible to name his most famous songs without hearing th…
