11,732 stories by "Trav S.D."
Be sure to tune in tomorrow, June 26 at 3pm E.S.T. to The Halli Casser-Jayne Show, when I’ll be joining Halli and fellow guests Rob McClure (Chaplin the Musical, Tony Award Nomin…
This gender bending performer is one we are presenting in a series to celebrate NYC Pride Week. Gilbert Sarony (sometimes rendered Saroni) was remembered as one of the earliest and funnie…
In 1943, Rodgers and Hammerstein created the role of Aunt Eller in Oklahoma! for stage veteran Charlotte Greenwood, a testament to her popularity on the stage over the previous four de…
Today is the birthday of Jimmy “J.J.” Walker (b. 1947). The jury is still out — did he set the cause of civil rights back 30 years? One thing is certain in retrospect: in t…
I caught these chaps in my local subway stop again this morning. A pleasant way to start the day… Filed under: American Folk/ Country/ Western, Buskers, Contemporary Variety, Music Tag…
Today is the birthday of Phil Harris (Wonga Phillip Harris, 1904-1995). Most people today know him only as a Disney voice-over actor in such films as The Jungle Book (1967), The Ari…
Today is the birthday of one of my favorite American writers, the great Ambrose Bierce (1842-1913?). One thing I find very interesting about his work is that, despite the fact that it is spr…
This gender bending performer is one we are presenting in a series to celebrate NYC Pride Week. According to vaudeville encyclopediast Anthony Slide, Herbert Charles performed in vaudevil…
Today is the birthday of the lovely Georgia Hale (1905-1985), today almost exclusively known for her role as “Georgia” (very imaginative!) in Charlie Chaplin’s The Gold …
This gender bending performer is one we are presenting in a series to celebrate NYC Pride Week. Everett Stewart billed himself as “Stuart, the Male Patti”. (After the great op…
This gender bending performer is one we are presenting in a series to celebrate NYC Pride Week. Bobby Kimber (Ronald Victor Kimberly, 1918-1993) was a female impersonator and ventriloquis…
Dempsey fools around with Houdini Originally posted in 2010. Unlike Jake LaMotta, who only worked in night clubs when he was way, way down (remember Raging Bull?), World Cham…
Today is the birthday of songwriter Gene Austin (Lemuel Lucas, 1900-1972). He started out at age 15 playing piano in a local Houston, Texas vaudeville house. After serving in World War One h…
This gender bending performer is one we are presenting in a series to celebrate NYC Pride Week. Walter H. Lambert (1869-1949) was a British female impersonator and ventriloquist whose mos…
This gender bending performer is one we are presenting in a series to celebrate NYC Pride Week. Ray (Rae) Bourbon (Hal Waddell, 1893-1971) was a modern style drag performer with risque, r…
This gender bending performer is one we are presenting in a series to celebrate NYC Pride Week. According to vaudeville encyclopediast Anthony Slide, Gypsy Byrne was a fixture of New York…
At least he’d better…because if he doesn’t accomplish reaching the other side of the Canyon it will mean he has fallen to his death! Tonight at 8pm, the Discovery Channel i…
Today is the birthday of Peaches Browning (Frances Belle Heenan, 1910-1956). In 1926 (do the math — she was 16), the young girl met (through a classified ad)Â and married (within wee…
Today is the birthday of silent comedian Billy Franey (1889-1940). Starting out making Universal “Joker” comedies in 1914 (paired with Louise Fazenda, then Gale Henry). He was no…
Torkova Magic at Coney!!! Sundays at 8:00pm June 23rd - Mind ReadingJuly 14th - Mind Reading July 21st - Amazing Magic Sept. 1st - Amazing Magic A rare opportunity to…
 This gender bending performer is one we are presenting in a series to celebrate NYC Pride Week. Ella Wesner (1841-1917)  began as a ballet dancer in the late 1860s, and was for a t…
This gender bending performer is one we are presenting in a series to celebrate NYC Pride Week. Annie Hindle (born circa 1847) is considered by many to be the first modern drag king. An orph…
Today is the birthday of Freddie Prinze (Frederick Pruetzel, 1954-1977). I can think of few events in the annals of show business than his sudden suicide at age 22. Drugs and depression and …
Today is the birthday of silent screen comedienne Dorothy Devore (Alma Inez Williams, 1899-1976). Originally from Texas, she moved with her family to the LA area when still in school. Her fi…
Charlie Murray hailed from Indiana but became known in Hollywood for playing a direct-from-Ireland Irishman. Born on this day in 1872, he started off in circuses and then performed as …
