11,738 stories by "Trav S.D."
 This is anecdotal, but I think it holds true. The pecking order of genre popularity (and Q recognition) in old silent films today runs something like this: 1. Slapstick comedy 2. Horror…
Today is the birthday of Eddie Quillan (1907-1990). Quillan was a man with many show biz lives. 1) He started out with his parents and siblings in the family vaudeville act “The Rising…
Today is the birthday of James “Buster” West (1901-1966.) West was an eccentric dancer who started out in a vaudeville act with his parents. He worked with a variety of partners …
Today is the birthday of John Lee Curtis “Sonny Boy” Williamson (1914-1948), not to be confused with another performer who also became famous using that name whom we’ll wri…
I remember this show so well — how is it possible it only aired for five episodes? At any rate, we are prompted to post it today because one of the regulars was Jerry Fujikawa (here bi…
This is the sixth and final of the series on the show biz ancestry of writer-actress Cynthia Fujikawa, which we launched here several weeks ago. We met a couple of weeks ago and she took me …
Today is the birthday of tin pan alley songwriter Albert Von Tilzer (1878-1958). He started out as a musical director in vaudeville, then he went to work for his brother, tin pan alley songw…
He’s reading the funnies Quick! Call a cab! Today, tomorrow and Sunday at 11am, the IFC Center in NYC is showing  Will Rogers‘ 1934 feature Judge Priest. Time has…
Today is the birthday of Billy Quirk (1873-1926). Quirk was one of the first comedy stars, but his time at the top was short and in the final analysis he is considered a minor figure. He sta…
A post in celebration of Women’s History Month The International Sweethearts of Rhythm were the first fully integrated all-girl band, featuring members who were black, white, Latin Ame…
Dynamism! Adaptability! Change! Progress! The Future! For over a century these have been the American watchwords and I certainly consider myself one to sign on to them as virtues and hopeful…
Today is the birthday of magician Fred Keating (1897-1961). When he was eight years old he saw Buatier de Kolta perform, and this is what gave him the idea he wanted to go into magic. Years …
Today is the birthday of creepy-beauty vampy spider lady Gloria Swanson (1899-1983). Ya didn’t know, did ya? That she got her start with Chaplin at Essanay and then moved on Mack Senne…
The Fred Karno Troup was the pre-eminent company of British Music Hall pantomimes. Karno's most distinguished alumni included both the man who revolutionized the art of silent comedy (Charli…
There have apparently been rumors afoot for the past several years that there is an umpteenth remake of Brewster’s Millions in developent. Nothing is more depressing than googling s…
Today is the birthday of flamboyant glam rock songwriter and performer Sir Elton John (b. Reginald Dwight, 1947). Where to start? Impossible to start. His career sort of coexists timewise wi…
Today is the birthday of Andy Clyde (1892-1967). Best known to modern audiences from roles on Lassie and The Real McCoys, Clyde was a second general Scottish actor (his father was acto…
A post in honor of Women’s History Month. Winona Winter (1888-1940) was the daughter of pre-eminent minstrel man and songwriter Banks Winter. She made her vaudeville debut as a soub…
Yiddish Theatre is one of the many theatrical cul-de-sacs I’ve found myself investigating as an inevitable by-product of my exploration of vaudeville. But even I, who know far more …
A post in celebration of Women’s History Month. Originally from New Jersey, Florence Bindley (1868-1951) made her name initially as a male impersonator in both American vaudevil…
Today is the 100th birthday of New York’s Palace Theatre. Built on this day in 1913 as the flagship for the big time vaudeville circuit run by E.F. Albee and Martin Beck, manager of th…
Today is the birthday of Donna Pescow (b. 1954). She was always more cute and loveable than she was funny, although John Travolta did get a few cruel laughs at her expense in Saturday Night …
A post in celebration of Women's History Month. The Harlem Playgirls were an all girl African American swing band of the late 30s and 40s. Assembled from former members of the Dixie Sweethea…
Today is the birthday of Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle (1887-1933). Born in Smith Center, Kansas he moved with his family to Santa Ana, California the following year. His mother …
Today is the birthday of sui generis comedian Marty Allen (b. 1922). From 1957 to 1968, and then in 1974, and then from 1984 to 1985, and then from 1990 to 1994 he was teamed with crooner…
