11,758 stories by "Trav S.d."
Today is the birthday of John Entwhistle (1944-2002), best known as the “anchor man” for The Who, the man who stood stick still and played rock steady while his bandmates smashed…
Today is the birthday of John Lennon. Having already done posts about Paul, George and Ringo, it’s more than fair that I do one about their bandmate, although for the past few years I …
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 Ma…
Today is the birthday of Star of Vaudeville #242 Aimee Semple  McPherson (for more on her go here). Sister Aimee’s time in vaud was brief — audiences thought being preached at…
One on my favorite New York actors/poets/storytellers/ personalities (perhaps the poster above already covers it–”raconteurs”) Edgar Oliver opens his new show tonight, deve…
I was excited to learn that Target Margin would be doing a two-year lab of Yiddish plays, the first leg of which will be opening up at the Brick Theater October 17. This sounded like an intr…
Today is the birthday of Star of Vaudeville #368, Waterbury-born (!) cowpoke Will Ahern (for a full squib on him and his wife/ partner Gladys go here). They weren’t in many films, but …
Happy Columbus Day! In honor of the day Indie Theatre Now has added my play “Columbia the Germ of the Ocean” to their stock of online plays! It’s a play in which Columbus i…
After making her way to the Big Apple to fullfill her dreams of studying at the Alvin Ailey School of Dance and performing in modern dance companies, Helen decided it was time for false eyel…
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 Star of Vaudeville #241 Nora Bayes, at one point the top singing comedienne in vaudeville (for the full article go here). In honor of the day, here she is singing on…
Todays is the birthday of Clarence Williams (1893-1965), one of the first artists to use the word “jazz” to publicize his work. The Plaquemine, Louisiana native ran away from hom…
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 Kate Bateman (1842-1917) She and her sister Ellen were child prodigies of the stage, the daughters of the performing couple Hezekiah Linthicum Bateman and Sidney Fra…
Today is the birthday of Milton Ager (1883-1979). Chicago native Ager began his career as an accompanist in nickelodeons and then vaudeville. His songs began to get performed and published a…
The Manhattan Inmates Take on the Brooklyn Sailorettes for the GGRD championship tonight at CCNY. For full details go here.Â
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 Francis Joseph Flynn (1872-1898), professionally known as “General Mite”. Born on a farm in upstate New York, his birth weight was two and a half pounds …
Today is the birthday of the Swedish Nightingale, Jenny Lind (1820-1887). The Swedish opera singer had been renowned throughout the halls of Europe for twelve years when P.T. Barnum booked h…
Quark (1977-78) was one of my favorite shows during my junior high school years. Created by Buck Henry it was a parody of Star Trek and Star Wars which starred Richard Benj…
Tomorrow, October 6, at 2:30pm: John Barrymore -is- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Stan Laurel -is- Dr. Pyckle and Mr. Pryde The Silent Clowns Halloween celebration presents the great Joh…
I’ll level with ya. My usual world class, infallible critical acumen is generally not dialed up to 11 when I attend Nosedive’s (usually) annual Blood Brothers offering. I go with…
Today is the birthday of the “middle stooge”, Larry Fine (1902-1975). With hair like that, he could have been an intellectual! Look at Einstein! For more on Fine and how he came …
Today is the birthday of Star of Vaudeville #240, Louise Dresser (for more on her interesting story see here). She stars in this 1928 film about immigration A Ship Comes In as “Mama…
