11,752 stories by "Trav S.d."
Anthony Slide mentions Galetti’s Monkeys as one of the important trained animal acts of vaudeville. The poster above is from 1892, and I find references to them as late as 1907. To fin…
Set yours DVR’s chillun, tomorrow July 16 at 7:45am, Turner Classic Movies is showing the terrific and wonderfully strange Hallelujah, I'm a Bum (1933), with songs by Rodge…
Today is the birthday of comic character actor Tom Kennedy (1885-1965). Like Edgar Kennedy, to whom he is no relation, he started out in the fight game; boxing provided his entree into show …
Today is the birthday of Woodrow Wilson Guthrie, better known as Woody. I first learned about him in third grade from a very groovy music teacher (it was 1973), but didn’t really get h…
Originally posted in 2010. Not to be confused with Ken Berry, or Jan Murray, nor even a love-child of the two, Ken Murray is the subject of one of the most astounding tales in show busin…
Today is the birthday of Oscar Willis (Oscar Henry McLain, 1843-1881). Interestingly, though the above photograph of him is in wide circulation (and for good reason, it’s rather distur…
According to some sources, today is the birthday of bearded lady Annie Jones (circa 1860-1902). Already a furry specimen by age nine months, she was hired (under the care of her mother) to b…
Today is the birthday of Henry “Rubberlegs” Williams (1907-1962). The best dope on Williams I’ve been able to find comes from the terrific two volume set Vaudeville Old …
Today is the birthday of Ted Koehler (1894-1973). Born in Washington DC, he began his career playing pianos for nickelodeons, and the began writing songs for singers to perform in vaudeville…
No, not the swingin’ Welsh pop singer. This is a musical adaptation of one of my favorite novels. I’ve not had a chance to vet it but it comes very highly recommended by a gentle…
Originally from Germany, Pallenberg's Wonder Bears started off as an act that presented a wide variety of trained, exotic creatures, eventually settling on “bears only” for reaso…
Today is the birthday of Jim “Roger” McGuinn (b. 1942). Originally a folk musician and banjo player in his native Chicago, he started out as a back up singer, guitar player and s…
Professor Wormwood’s Dog and Monkey act was a popular vaudeville act of the early 20th century. The act consisted of 31 Monkeys and 24 dogs that rode bicycles, turned somersaults, jugg…
Joey Faye’s birthday is the perfect occasion on which to make this announcement. Next week, Saturday July 20 at 7pm and 8:30 will be reviving Burlesque-a-pades as part of Horse T…
To be my age is to have grown up loving and admiring Bill Cosby (born this day in 1937). His public persona at least. Who knows what he’s like in real life? Well, nowadays a cranky old…
EXODUS CODE, ADVICE FOR WANDERERS a Jewish Vaudeville by Rob Hartmann, Laura Henry, Andrea Lepcio, Susan Tenneriello Music by Rob Hartmann Lyrics by Andrea Lepcio, Susan Tenneriello From an …
Filed under: Burlesk, Classical, Contemporary Variety, Dance, Music, PLUGS Tagged: baroque, burlesque, Classic Tassels, Cutting Room
Filed under: Burlesk, Contemporary Variety, PLUGS Tagged: Angie Pontani, Brian Newman, Jade Hotel, Red Room Revue
Originally posted in 2010 This author's first exposure to Milton Berle was in the 1970s, when he was principally one of a seemingly limitless crop of septigenarian, cigar-smoking comedians t…
Originally posted in 2010 Joey Faye (b. Joseph Anthony Palladino on this day in 1909) started in amateur shows and small time vaudeville before enjoying an eight year stretch in the role pos…
Today is the birthday of Andrew Wyeth (1917-2009). I find I like the idea of him more than I like most of his paintings, but there are a handful that I love. I happen to love Christ…
Today is the birthday of Jean Hersholt (1886-1956). A graduate of the Copenhagen Art School, his first acting experience was with the Danish Folk Theatre. After a couple of early movies in G…
I chanced to see a charming and magical show yesterday that’s opening tomorrow in the New York Musical Theatre Festival. The Awakening of Angel Deluna goes the average excellent musica…
Graphic artist Marlene Weisman was a tremendous help to us in photo research for Chain of Fools. We went to a showing of her beautiful collages last night at Powerhouse on 8th in Park …
Originally posted in 2010 and adapted from my liner notes to Nat M. Wills: The Famous Tramp Comedian, available to purchase at Archeophone Records here Nat M. Wills was one of the most…
