11,857 stories by "Trav S.D."
Today’s new Travalanche post for October 14, 2026 is about E.E. Cummings. Earlier Travalanche posts for October 14 (in no particular order) include ones on: Harry Anderson Lux Radio Theatr…
We were sorry to miss Jonny Porkpie’s launch event at The Lambs a few days ago for his Burlesque 1937 trading cards, due to a dental emergency (you don’t know how sorry). We hope to part…
Today’s new Travalanche post for October 13, 2026 is about Sammy Fuchs and Sammy’s Bowery Follies. Earlier Travalanche posts for October 13 (in no particular order) include ones on: Bust…
Many Internet sources erroneously give July 4, 1884 as the birthday of Sammy Fuchs, but his grandson Charlie Katz (a very good friend to Travalanche) tells us that October 13, 1903 is the co…
As promised, a few days ago we attended the recently opened exhibition The Bowery: Devil’s Mile at the New Museum. Of course, we are delighted with the impulse to create such a show. See…
Today’s new Travalanche posts for October 12, 2026 is about the New Museum’s new Bowery exhibition. Here are Columbus Day posts. Earlier Travalanche posts for October 12 (in no particula…
Today’s new Travalanche posts for October 11, 2026 are about Jerome Robbins, Leo Reisman, and Clifford Fischer. Earlier Travalanche posts for October 11 (in no particular order) include on…
Wherever he is, Leo Reisman’s ears must be burning — I had caused to mention him here on Travalanche only yesterday. Reisman (1897-1961) was somewhat unusual in that he fronted the big b…
October 11 was the birthday of Broadway and ballet giant Jerome Robbins (Jerome Rabinowitz, 1918-1998). I was considering backdating this post (as I often do) for the centennial of Robbins�…
Clifford C. Fischer (ca 1882-1951) was, like Florenz Ziegfeld, Martin Beck, and Ike Rose, an important figure in international variety and someone who linked vaudeville, Broadway, and cabare…
Today’s new Travalanche post for October 10, 2026 is about the Johnny Green. Earlier Travalanche posts for October 10 (in no particular order) include ones on: Johnny Stompanato W.C. Field…
You’ve got your Johnny Mercer, your Johnny Williams, your Adolph Green and now you’ve got your Johnny Green (1908-1989). Green was a musical Jack of All Trades who left his mark on Broad…
Today’s new Travalanche post for October 9, 2026 is about Ruth Ellis, The Last Woman Executed in the UK. Earlier Travalanche posts for October 9 (in no particular order) include ones on: J…
Today marks the 100th birthday of Ruth Ellis (Ruth Nielsen, 1926-1955). The centennial arrives at a time of maximum resonance on several fronts, both in the wider world and on this blog. Con…
Today’s new Travalanche post for October 8, 2026 is about The Vanderbilt Cup. Earlier Travalanche posts for October 8 (in no particular order) include ones on: The Great Chicago Fire and t…
October 8, 1904 marked the first iteration of the Vanderbilt Cup. You might think that any race bearing the Commodore’s name would involve yachting but not in this case. The great grandson…
Today’s new Travalanche post for October 7, 2026 is about exploitation auteur Dwain Esper. Earlier Travalanche posts for October 7 (in no particular order) include ones on: Andy Devine Jun…
How delightful that the birthday of exploitation impresario Dwain Esper (1894-1982) lies during the Halloween season, a perfect time of year in which to screen his motley cinematic works. I …
Contrary to appearances this is not a local New York post. The Bindlestiff Family Circus Open Stage Variety Show does indeed take place in downtown Brooklyn but the good news is that it stre…
Today’s new Travalanche posts for October 6, 2026 are about Murray Hill’s new book and what’s up with the Bindlestiff Family Circus. Earlier Travalanche posts for October 6 (in no part…
Murray Hill is having a moment, and I am here for it. (Ugh, I hate how that came out, but it is proof that I once wrote for legit newspapers and magazines). Some of us have been watching thi…
Today’s new Travalanche posts for October 5, 2026 are about 150 Years of the Yiddish Theater, Harriet McGibbon (The Beverly Hillbillies), and September 11 victims from my home state. It is…
This one goes out to one of Travalanche’s best friends, the superlative biographer, inexhaustible gossip, and hilarious wit Ms. Eve Golden, one of the few human beings whose advice I will …
October 5th 1876 saw the world’s first professional theatre production in the Yiddish language. Previous to this there had been amateur productions, concerts, poetry readings, singing and …
This is one of the more provincial posts I’ll burden my readers with but it’s probably an inevitable one. It concerns the intersection of the place where I spent the first 1/3 of my life…
