11,798 stories from Trav S.D.
Two facts of life inspired me to subtitle this post on Conrad Brooks (Conrad Biedrzycki, 1931-2017) "never say die". The first is because, as happened in one of Brooks' better known films, s…
Rudy Wiedoeft (1893-1940) is widely revered as the man who pioneered and popularized the jazz saxophone. Wiedoeft was Rudy Vallee's musical hero (Vallee's first name is an homage to Wiedoeft…
The world lost Yolanda Montes a.k.a. Tongolele (1932-2025) just last February. Having heard about her strictly from the obits, I figured I'd save a post for her natal day, as she was a perso…
Alma Taylor (1895-1974) was one of Great Britain's earliest and biggest film stars during the silent era. In 1915 she was voted Britain's most popular screen actor, beating out even Charlie …
Today's new Travalanche posts for January 2, 2026 are about crooner Julius La Rosa, and a new show about Feltman's Hot Dogs! Other earlier Travalanche posts for January 2 (in no particular o…
I don't often plug shows sight unseen (here or anywhere), but there are times when the pull is so great, I'll take the risk. I first became aware of Michael Quinn as a Coney Island booster a…
When I was a kid in the '70s, Julius La Rosa (1930-2016) was still remembered for being at the center of one of the most notorious incidents in show biz history. All the grownups seemed to e…
Today's new Travalanche post for January 1, 2026 is about character actor Rick Hurst from The Dukes of Hazzard. Way to start the New Year with a bang, Trav! Other earlier Travalanche posts f…
Country character actor Rick Hurst (1946-2025) would be 80 years old today, had he not passed away back in June. Standing 6′ 5″ and gifted (or if you prefer, afflicted) with a a …
My annual report, down to the wire, and a little truncated. But I want to celebrate this year's triumphs, and to thank you for being a part of it. There were fewer public events this year, a…
Today's new Travalanche posts for December 31, 2025 are about the early days of MTV, and my annual end of year Travalanche wrap-up. Other earlier Travalanche posts for December 31 (in no par…
For those of us who there at the beginning, MTV has long been dead, i.e., the part that mattered, the showing of round-the-clock music videos. But apparently there's some scrap or remnant th…
Today's new Travalanche posts for December 30, 2025 are about Patti Smith, and a wrap-up of those we lost in 2025. There are a large number of rock and rock adjacent births on December 30. I…
I won't mince words. The top things we lost in 2025 weren't mere individuals, they were institutions that once served American society: democracy, rule of law, the U.S. Congress and Supreme …
Patti Smith (b. 1946) hits a much rounder birthday next year, but I have multiple reasons for wanting to visit this topic now, among them: 1) the fact that Smith's debut LP Horses turned 50 …
December 27 is the birthday of Lenny Kaye (Lenny Kusikoff, b. 1946). Kaye is a man of many accomplishments, but I am going to tout one in particular. The nephew of Hollywood songwriter Larry…
This one goes out to my good friend Tammy Faye Starlite, New York's, and probably the world's, pre-eminent Marianne Faithfull impersonator. Tammy also does Mick Jagger, which makes me YEARN …
Today's new Travalanche posts for December 29, 2025 are about the late Marianne Faithfull, jazz man Clyde McCoy, and bio-pics about President Andrew Johnson and air force pioneer Billy Mitch…
I have a question for any Hatfields out there (I have some Hatfield relatives): in your bid to pick off and incapacitate McCoys, would you include CLYDE McCoy (1903-1990)? For the jazz trump…
Born December 29, two (unrelated) American leaders who broke rules, were publicly disgraced, and yet became the subjects of Hollywood bio-pics, Andrew Johnson and Billy Mitchell. The stories…
Today's new Travalanche post for December 28, 2025 is about Alex Chilton of The Box Tops, Big Star, et al. Earlier Travalanche posts for December 28 (in no particular order) include ones on:…
In a land and a business predicated on perpetual change it's rare for those in the music business to maintain street cred across multiple generations, but Alex Chilton (1950-2010) did. Few k…
Today's new Travalanche posts for December 27, 2025 are about Beulah Booker (from Keaton's The Saphead) and author/actress Sarah Vowell. Also, we've just learned (from Eve Golden) that the l…
Today a rare appreciation for a public figure who's younger than this correspondent, the divine Sarah Vowell (b. 1969). Vowell is probably most widely known for playing the teenaged daughter…
Here I thought I'd long since written about every one of Buster Keaton's leading ladies, but here's one that fell through the cracks (with good reason though). Beulah Booker (1901-1973) had …
