Saturday, October 18, 2025
Well, today we bid a sad farewell to a sideshow Renaissance man. I had the honor of working with Scott Baker (1948-2025) eleven years ago in Dick Zigun’s play Dead End Dummy at Coney Islan…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:02AMToday’s new Travalanche post for October 18, 2025 is about the passing of the late Scott Baker. Earlier Travalanche posts for October 18 (in no particular order) include ones on: BBC Forme…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:02AMFriday, October 17, 2025
Today’s new Travalanche posts for October 17, 2025 are about Captain Midnight, the late George Wendt, and a new play about Saturday Night Live. Earlier Travalanche posts for October 17 (in…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:06PMI truly wanted to like Not Ready For Time, a new play about the first five seasons of Saturday Night Live (1975-80) which is now playing at the very-complicated to say Newman Mills Theater a…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 07:54PMUniversally beloved character actor George Wendt (1948-2025) passed away in May of this year, from a number of conditions related to his enormous girth (over 450 pounds at the max, although …
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 12:24PMOctober 17, 1938 marked the debut of the radio adventure series Captain Midnight. Like The Shadow, The Green Hornet, and others, Captain Midnight is an interesting for being what is essentia…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 10:12AMThursday, October 16, 2025
October 16 was the birthday of Alice Pearce (1917-1966) most widely known as the first Mrs. Kravitz on Bewitched. In light of which fact, there is a temptation to use a photo from the show, …
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 01:36PMToday’s new Travalanche posts for October 16, 2025 are about Noah Webster, creator of the American dictionary; and Alice Pearce, who played Mrs. Kravitz on Bewitched. And there you have th…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 01:36PM200 years ago Noah Webster (1758-1843) finished the first edition of what we now call, many editions later, the Meriam-Webster Dictionary. The 70,000 word original, known as the American Dic…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 10:12AMWednesday, October 15, 2025
Today’s new Travalanche posts for October 15, 2025 are about Virginia Leith (The Brain That Wouldn’t Die); radio star Ransom Sherman; B movie star Judd Holdren; a screening of the myster…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 07:12PMYesterday was the publication date for our friend Pam Grossman’s latest book Magic Maker: The Enchanted Path of Creativity, and we were delightd to be there last night for the launch party…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 05:02PMApologies for the late notice, but better late than never. If you happen to be in NYC, my friends at the Silent Clowns Film Series are screening Undercrank’s restored version of Roland Wes…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 02:54PMOctober 15 was the birthday of B movie star Judd Holdren (1915-1974). Holdren had a hot couple of years as a star of serials like Captain Video: Master of the Stratosphere (1951), Zombies of…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 01:48PMSultry actress/model Virginia Leith (1925-2019) was born 100 years ago this day. Having trouble placing her? She was the lead head in The Brain That Wouldn’t Die (1962) — and it’s just…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 10:31AMA few quick lines about a popular personality who was well known in America for at least three decades, now completely forgotten, Ranson Sherman (1898-1985). As is not uncommon, Sherman’s …
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 10:31AMTuesday, October 14, 2025
Today’s new Travalanche post for October 14, 2025 observes the 30th anniversary of the debut of Mad TV. Earlier Travalanche posts for October 14 (in no particular order) include ones on: H…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 03:02PMI wasn’t that old when Mad TV (1995-2009) first went on the air 30 years ago. Still, I’m going to assume that it will be generations younger than mine who would regard it as a “classic…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 08:36AMMonday, October 13, 2025
Today’s new Travalanche post for October 13, 2025 observes the 250th anniversary of the American Navy. Earlier Travalanche posts for October 13 (in no particular order) include ones on: Bu…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 02:12PM250 years ago today (October 13, 1775) marked the official foundation of the Continental Navy, the iteration of the American Naval forces that fought in the Revolutionary War. The Continenta…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:54AMSunday, October 12, 2025
I’ve long planned a post on movie director Susan Seidelman here, as well as something more extensive on the No Wave directors in general, as that what was still going on when I arrived in …
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 06:36PMToday’s new Travalanche posts for October 12, 2025 are about Aleister Crowley (born 150 years ago today), professional giant Lock Martin, and the 40th anniversary of Desperately Seeking Su…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 06:36PMNo, no, not Doc Martin — LOCK Martin (Joseph Lockard Martin Jr (1916-1959). Said to stand a full seven feet seven inches in adulthood, Martin had a twin brother who died in childbirth. The…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 12:02PMBorn 150 years ago this day, Aleister Crowley (1875-1947), prophet, poet, scholar, and all around English decadent. We’ve posted twice before on this influential figure, once merely as a s…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 08:42AMSaturday, October 11, 2025
Today’s new Travalanche post for October 11, 2025 is about Revolutionary War hero Casimir Pulaski. Earlier Travalanche posts for October 11 (in no particular order) include ones on: Sig Ru…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 01:24PMOctober 11 is celebrated in America (among Polish Americans and those who love them anyway) as General Pulaski Memorial Day. It marks the day in 1779 when Polish General Casimir Pulaski (b. …
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 12:12PMFriday, October 10, 2025
Today’s new Travalanche posts for October 10, 2025 are about the painter Benjamin West and tomorrow’s ceremony at the Childs Restaurant Building in Coney Island. Earlier Travalanche post…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 12:24PMThis just in — lovers of Coney Island USA and of NYC architectural history in general may want to attend the ceremony they’re holding out at 1208 Surf Avenue, tomorrow, Saturday, October…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 11:18AMWe’ve had numerous opportunities to mention the influential painter Benjamin West (1738-1820) on Travalanche in the past, for he instructed or otherwise advised such renowned pupils as bot…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:06AMThursday, October 9, 2025
Today’s new Travalanche posts for October 9, 2025 are about The History of Peep Shows, a snapshot of Brooklyn’s Albee Square, and British music hall comedian Leslie Fuller. Earlier Trava…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 04:42PMA little post about the Once and Future Brooklyn that I love so well. It’s a follow up of sorts to a mini-post I left here about a dozen years ago, when I realized that my place of work (m…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 03:36PMDon’t get all excited! I never said or implied I was referring to pornographic or live sex peep shows, did I? They’re a sub-set of what I’m talking about, but by now you should know be…
SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 10:02AM 
