11,579 stories by "Trav S.D."
Stage and screen character actress Marcia Rodd (1938-2025) — definitely one of those occasions when a photograph told me what the name didn’t. Rodd was in two episodes of All in the Fami…
Today’s new Travalanche post for July 8, 2026 is about character actress Marcia Rodd. Also RIP, Louise Lasser, who passed away yesterday. Earlier Travalanche posts for July 8 (in no partic…
Today’s new Travalanche posts for July 7, 2026 are about silent movie star Ben F. Wilson plus the late Carter de Haven III. Earlier Travalanche posts for July 7 (in no particular order) in…
Thanks once again Eve Golden for timely intel about the passing of someone with deep roots in American show business, in this case Carter de Haven III (1932-2026). The decedent was not only …
Today marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of silent era actor, director, and producer Ben F. Wilson (Benjamin Franklin Wilson, 1876-1930). Originally from Corning, Iowa, Wilson began hi…
Today’s new Travalanche posts for July 6, 2026 are about naval warrior John Paul Jones & the late historian Mike Wallace. Earlier Travalanche posts for July 6 (in no particular order) …
I don’t mean to seem flip; this is to clarify that we are not referring to the better known I don’t mean to seem flip; this is to clarify that we are not referring to the better known CB…
Oh, don’t worry, not the bassist from Led Zeppelin. THAT John Paul Jones has been married to his wife for 60 years, surely an indication of what kind of guy he is. No, I am referring to th…
Today’s new Travalanche posts for July 5, 2026 are about Diana Lynn (My Friend Irma) and Tommy Cook (Rollercoaster). Earlier Travalanche posts for July 5 (in no particular order) include o…
Tommy Cook (b. 1930) has reinvented himself many times and may do so yet again — for the 95-year-old Hollywood professional is still among us! Cook began his career as a child actor on rad…
Born 100 years ago today: actress, child star, and concert pianist Diana Lynn (Dolores Loehr, 1926-1971). Classic comedy fans are apt to know Lynn from three movies with Dean Martin and Jerr…
Today’s new Travalanche posts for July 4, 2026 is about…July 4, 1776. Happy 250th, birthday, America! For lots of relevant reading, see: My Finding Aid to Posts Related to the American R…
Well today is the big day. I last experienced something similar 50 years ago at the Bicentennial, a tortured time no less than our own which I wrote about here. I’ll be watching the Tall S…
Today’s new Travalanche posts for July 3, 2026 is about the 1996 film Independence Day. Earlier Travalanche posts for July 3 (in no particular order) include ones on: Castle Garden Leon Er…
Continuing our theme from yesterday…. Released nationwide 30 years ago today (July 3, 1996), Roland Emmerich’s Independence Day. How fortuitously timed, right there in the perineum betwi…
I seldom venture into first-run cinemas any more these days, but this one was my Father’s Day present, which I very much appreciated! I was especially keen to see the film on account of my…
Today’s new Travalanche posts for July 2, 2026 are reviews of Larry David’s new history-themed sketch comedy series, and Steven Spielberg’s latest movie Disclosure Day. Earlier Travala…
Sorry to do this to you on your birthday, Larry David, but this new show just dropped, and episode two premieres tomorrow, plus the show is advertised as being linked to the 250th birthday o…
Today’s new Travalanche posts for July 1, 2026 are about kids of Edie Adams, and playwright Susan-Glaspell. Also, July is International Zine Month. July 1 is Canada Day. For which this pos…
Born 150 years ago today: Pulitzer Prize winning playwright, author, journalist, and Provincetown Playhouse co-founder Susan Glaspell (1876-1948). Today, Glaspell is most widely known as the…
Here’s news related to yesterday’s post on It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. Betty Kovacs (1947-2026), daughter of Ernie Kovacs and adopted daughter of Edie Adams, died of pancreatic ca…
Today’s new Travalanche posts for June 30, 2026 are about a new book on It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, and Walter Stanton, vaudeville’s “Giant Rooster” and his performing family.…
June 30 was the birthday of animal impersonator Walter Stanton (Walter Stanton Burch, 1855-1943), who performed in the guise of various barnyard critters, roosters a specialty, in music hall…
I rarely cop to wishing I’d written someone else’s book, or a book on “that” topic, but this is one of those occasions. In fact, I have been kidded that, at 12,000 words, my post on …
Today’s new Travalanche posts for June 29, 2026 are about B movie star Dorothy Short and vaudeville dancer Lucille Page. Earlier Travalanche posts for June 29 (in no particular order) incl…
