11,741 stories by "Trav S.D."
Today is the birthday of LaVonda Stapp, (1920-1963), variously billed as Tiny LaVonda, Little LaVonda, Princess Lavonda, and Lady LaVonda, and always “The Smallest Woman in the World.&…
Funny how unfolding events become clearer in retrospect. More than anyone, it seems to me, police procedural television auteur Jack Webb is father of the “partners” trope, whi…
Loney Haskell (1870-1933) made his greatest fame as a big time monologist and master of ceremonies at Hammerstein’s Victoria. His given name was Lorne Levy; Loney is a corruption of hi…
This is one in a series of posts we are producing in connection with our new book Chain of Fools: Silent Comedy and Its Legacies from Nickelodeons to Youtube, available from Bear Manor Media…
Today is the birthday of Lucia Zarate (1864-1890), one of the tiniest people ever recorded since civilization started keeping track of such things. Born in San Carlos, Mexico, her gro…
Today is the birthday of legendary burlesque performer Blaze Starr (Fannie Belle Fleming, b. 1932). The striking West Virginia native was discovered working in a Washington DC donut shop by …
This is one in a series of posts we are producing in connection with our new book Chain of Fools: Silent Comedy and Its Legacies from Nickelodeons to Youtube, available from Bear Manor Media…
Happy Old Year! Forgive me for taking this traditional moment for crowing, but a little mental calculus has resulted in a bursting of the dam. 2012 was easily the best year of my professiona…
Today is the birthday of John Denver (1943-1997). In 1974, there was a TV movie (followed by a short-lived tv series) called Sunshine that used Denver’s recent hit “Sunshine on M…
Today is the birthday of Star of Vaudeville #412: Rex Allen (for more on this cowboy star go here). And now here he is singing his over-the-top hilarious politically incorrect 1963 hit song …
Today is the birthday of Odetta (1930-2008). Her profile is different from most other African Americans associated with folk and blues music in that she trained in opera and got her start in…
Today is the birthday of Tin Pan Alley songwriter Edgar Leslie (1885-1976). He began writing songs for vaudeville acts in 1909, among them Nat Wills, Joe Welch, James Barton, Lew Dockstader,…
Today is the birthday of Adolph Amrein, a.k.a Ade Duval (1898-1965). He began his vaudeville career in the arly twenties with Andrew Blaeser in an act billed as the Duval Brothers. When the …
Okay, last one today, I promise! The musical stars must be truly alligned for December 30. It’s also Michael Nesmith’s birthday. I’ve already written a bit about the Monkee…
Today is the birthday of Ellas McDaniel, better known as Bo Diddley (1928-2008). While not usually placed in the pantheon of influential 50s rockers that includes Elvis, Chuck Berry, Buddy H…
A lot of music in the air today (and a couple of more posts after this!). Today is also the birthday of holy-punk-poet-saint Patti Smith. I first saw her/ heard her during her performance on…
Today is the birthday of Bert Parks (1914-1992). He started out as a singer and straight man on Eddie Cantor’s radio show in the early 30s. He went on to host several games shows, and …
Today is the birthday of Del Shannon (1934-1990). Since 1961, Shannon has been almost exclusively known for his #1 hit “Runaway”. And if you were only to be known for only one th…
Today is the birthday of Noel “Paul” Stookey (b. 1937). When I was a kid I played by dad’s old Peter, Paul and Mary records (especially their eponymous debut record) over a…
Today is the birthday of Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936). I was gratified to learn this weekend that my sons had studied his 1899 poem “The White Man’s Burden” in school, and t…
Today is the birthday of Johnny Wild (1843-1898). Born in Manchester, England he moved to the U.S. as a child, running off to join the fly-by-night Arlington and White’s Minstrels at t…
This is one in a series of posts we are producing in connection with our new book Chain of Fools: Silent Comedy and Its Legacies from Nickelodeons to Youtube, available from Bear Manor Media…
English comedian Billie Reeves (1864-1943) was among those who played the part of the drunk in "Mumming Birds" with Fred Karno prior to Charlie Chaplin. He went on to be featured in se…
Today is the birthday of Denzel Washington (b. 1954). He is a naturalistic actor, thus, I wouldn’t want to include him in my Hall of Hams (although I did see him as Richard III at the …
Today is Dame Maggie’s birthday (b. 1934). For someone of my age or younger it’s impossible to imagine she was ever not an old, crusty, imperious dowager. Only in retrospect d…
