11,744 stories by "Trav S.D."
Today is the birthday of magician Harry August Jansen (1883-1955), originator of the magic words “Sim Sala Bim!” Interestingly, the phrase is not Arabic, as one would assume, but…
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 Josephine Sabel (nee Domingue, 1866-1945). A native of Lawrence, Massachusetts, she performed in vaudeville (and the music halls of Europe)Â from the ’80s th…
Actor/Dancer/Stripper/Performance Artist James “Tigger” Ferguson (primarily known for live work) has performed in New York & abroad since 1988. A Pioneer in the 1990s burlesq…
Today is Bud Abbott's birthday (1895-1974). I apologize for spelling his name wrong in No Applause. I am one of the few people who prefer Abbott over Costello, and by a pretty wide margi…
Today is Groucho’s Birthday With the possible exceptions of Ed Wynn and Fred Allen, no vaudeville comedy act ever attracted more highbrow approval than the Marx Brothers. A…
Neither the small Scotty dog from The Wizard of Oz, nor the rather embarrassing 70s' rock band, nor the later Italian movie star, this Toto was a successful clown who conquered many ki…
Today is the birthday of George “Spanky” McFarland (1928-1993). Unspeakably adorable at age three, he was less so at 13 when he neared the end of his reign as leader of Our Ga…
Join me and host Halli Casser-Jayne tomorrow, Wednesday October 3 at 3pm on the The Halli Casser-Jayne Show as we explore the bumps and grinds and every aspect of burlesque old and new wi…
The most famous patronymic in the annals of burlesque management was to arrive late in the game — was indeed to oversee both burlesque’s Renaissance and demise all in one feel sw…
GLASS EYE PIX, in association with FEAR-MONGERS presents TALES FROM BEYOND THE PALE live at DIXON PLACE TONIGHT, Tuesday October 2nd at 9:30 PM featuring RAM KING by Joe Maggio (Bitter Feast…
Class act Andrea Louisa "Angie" Pontani began her career as a teenager in New York dancing in the Dutch Weismann Follies in the mid 1990s. After Dutch Weismann's closed, she went on…
Measured in terms of popularity and longevity, one can safely say that this is the most successful act in the history of show business. Over the past 80 years, their popularity has only grow…
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…
Today is the birthday of universally-beloved singer-actress Julie Andrews (born 1935). Her stage and screen career is well known. We would just like to point out today the lesser known fact …
Today is the birthday of the great dancer Charles “Cholly” Atkins (1913-2003). Buffalo native Atkins started out playing floor shows and revues with William “Red” Por…
Magical Nights and Monday Night Magic are back for their Fall Season. Tickets available now at Brown Paper Tickets website - Tickets - Sunday: Magical Nights at Loews Regency …
It’s five for Fally Markus At Only Half the Dough But It’s Two a Day for Keith And Three a Day for Loew – “The Vaudeville Song”, 1938 Fally Markus (ca. 1887-195…
This is the first installment in the second content stream we are producing in connection with our new book Chain of Fools: Silent Comedy and Its Legacies from Nickelodeons to Youtube. &#…
Wit's End and the Dorothy Parker Society invite you to celebrate the end of Summer jazz age style at the Wit's End's Flapper Holiday with live hot jazz from Molly Ryan! Saturday, September 2…
Well, Andy Williams has passed away, and that proto-Nazi Mike Love has kicked Brian Wilson out of The Beach Boys…seems like a fitting time to post this gorgeous version of “God O…
Today is the birthday of Al Capp (1909-1979), genius behind the long-running comic strip Li’l Abner. I wanted to share two Capp-related clips today. The first you may have seen exce…
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Today is the birthday of character comedian Arnold Stang (1918-2009). He started out when still a teenager in radio (with that voice, who’d have guessed?) In the 50s he was a regula…
