11,654 stories by "Trav S.D."
August 5, 1926 was an important day in American popular cinema history. On that date Warner Brothers unveiled their first releases making use of their new Vitaphone sound on disk process. Co…
Today’s new Travalanche posts for August 4, 2026 is about the mother of the author of this blog, who was born 100 years ago today. Earlier Travalanche posts for August 4 (in no particular …
You’ve probably noticed I don’t do fluff. Thousands of biographies on Travalanche, but no hagiographies. If you want cheerleading and fanboy shit, surely you’ve learned to bark up anot…
Today’s new Travalanche posts for August 3, 2026 are about Tony Bennett’s TV work (for his 100th birthday) and Carolyn Castiglia’s new show! Earlier Travalanche posts for August 3 (in …
I’m pretty sure I’ve been following the work of solo performer/ stand-up comedian Carolyn Castiglia for over 20 years now. Somehow she has managed to look just as young, and to remain ju…
Born 100 years ago today, Anthony Dominic Benedetto of Astoria, Queens, otherwise known as Tony Bennett (1926-2023). Having been in Tony’s employ early in my career, I have long since done…
Today’s new Travalanche post for August 2, 2026 is about ill-fated sculptor Michael Richards. Also For National Psychic Day: A Celebration of Fortune Tellers For Sisters Day: A Boatload of…
Like a nesting doll inside a nesting doll, America’s 250th anniversary year contains another one within it — the 25th of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. I’ll be marking it…
Back when this was a much less ambitious blog I did a perfunctory post on the sitcom Lotsa Luck (1973-1974) and in all the years since that has served as my entry on Dom DeLuise (1933-2009).…
Today’s new Travalanche posts for August 1, 2026 are about Dom DeLuise and Carol Arthur, and Theater for the New City’s new street theater show. Also For Clown Week, peruse the clown sec…
A few days ago someone online made the harrowing observation that both commercial and not-for-profit theater are in serious danger, with financial support from backers and donors drying up, …
Today’s new Travalanche posts for July 31, 2026 are about Little Billy Merchant and some new show biz book reccs! Earlier Travalanche posts for July 31 (in no particular order) include one…
Time once again to plug some excellent showbiz books I’ve heard tell about. So now you’ve heard tell about them too. The Patty Duke Show and the American 60s: Hot Dogs and Crepes Suzette…
Just a few words today to mark the memory of English “dwarf clown” Little Billy Merchant (William Alfred Merchant, 1919-2001) — not to be confused with the wheelchair character on The …
Today’s new Travalanche posts for July 30, 2026 are about David Sanborn/ Night Music and the new film My Grandfather Charles Manson. Earlier Travalanche posts for July 30 (in no particular…
It’s been two years since David Sanborn (1945-2024) passed away but not long ago I was reminded of the TV show he hosted when I was in my 20s, which I hadn’t thought about in many years.…
In spite of the fact that the story of Charles Manson has its own content area on Travalanche, I came close to blowing off My Grandfather Charles Manson, the new Hulu documentary by Sophia M…
Today’s new Travalanche post for July 29, 2026 is about Robert Fuller. Earlier Travalanche posts for July 29 (in no particular order) include ones on: Thelma Todd Professor Irwin Corey The…
July 29 is the natal day of actor Robert Fuller (Leonard Leroy Lee, b. 1933). Fuller’s longevity is especially notable in light of the fact that his younger Emergency! costar Randolph Mant…
Today’s new Travalanche posts for July 28, 2026 are about Claude Fields (son of W.C.) and Marcel Duchamp. Earlier Travalanche posts for July 28 (in no particular order) include ones on: Th…
My good friend Harriet Fields just tipped us off to the fact that July 28 was her late father’s birthday. William “Claude” Fields. Jr. (1904-1971) was the sole legally-recognized offsp…
The 139th anniversary of the birth of Marcel Duchamp (1887-1968) is hardly a round benchmark, yet this would appear to be the year to celebrate him, in light of the current retrospective at …
Today’s new Travalanche posts for July 27, 2026 are about Joseph Moncure March (The Wild Party), Titanic Survivor and Bagpipist Eugene Daly, and Christopher Nolan’s screen adaptation of …
July 27 is Bagpipes Appreciation Day. I’m not sure I would have marked it or written this biographical squib if I had not watched the 2025 BBC docudrama series Titanic Sinks Tonight less t…
I’d have been grateful for Christopher Nolan’s screen adaptation of The Odyssey if only for the opportunity to write here a little bit about Homer. As obscure as many of my subjects are,…
