Thursday, April 30, 2026

Your Travalanche Daily Digest for April 30, 2026 by Trav S.D.

Today’s new Travalanche posts for April 30, 2026 are about Gary Collins, William H. Crane, and the Till Marionettes Today we also celebrate: Walpurgisnacht and the Witches of Travalanche a…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 02:40PM

The Goods on Gary Collins by Trav S.D.

At this juncture, I feel the need to reorient my attitude toward TV personality Gary Collins (1938-2012). Is it a fit subject for worry? I reckon not. At any rate, I always found him likable…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 01:50PM

William H. Crane: The Original David Harum by Trav S.D.

William H. Crane (1845-1928) had a long career in the theatre, but is best known to us today from the handful of silent motion pictures he made during the last years of his life, a couple of…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 10:20AM

Till’s Marionettes by Trav S.D.

April 30 was the birthday of puppeteer and vaudeville entertainer John Coates Till (1843-1910). Forgive me, but I can’t recall now who put me on to the existence of “Professor” Till an…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:15AM
Wednesday, April 29, 2026

Your Travalanche Daily Digest for April 29, 2026 by Trav S.D.

Today’s new Travalanche posts for April 29, 2026 are about big bandleader Russ Morgan, and actress Eve Plumb, best known from The Brady Bunch. Also it is International Dance Dance, birthda…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 01:55PM

Happy Birthday, Eve Plumb: A Tribute to the Genuine Jan by Trav S.D.

Yes, I am an unabashed fan of the lovely Eve Plumb (birth year redacted for both our sakes) for all sorts of reasons, including 1) the fact that I met her once, when she was acting in my for…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 12:45PM

Russ Morgan: Music in the Morgan Manner by Trav S.D.

Strange that in all of our thousands of posts we haven’t yet had occasion to mention big bandleader Russ Morgan (1904-1969) even once. Remedied today! Morgan was born and raised in Scranto…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:10AM
Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Your Travalanche Daily Digest for April 28, 2026 by Trav S.D.

Today’s new Travalanche post for April 28, 2026 is about Harper Lee (born 100 years ago today) and To Kill a Mockingbird. Also for National Superhero Day, check out nearly 50 posts about s…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 10:10AM

The Harper Lee Centennial (Reflections on “To Kill a Mockingbird”) by Trav S.D.

Alabama novelist Harper Lee (Nelle Harper Lee, 1926-2016) was born 100 years ago today. A relative of Robert E. Lee (though not a descendent), the author was born, raised, and died in the sm…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:10AM
Monday, April 27, 2026

De-Coding Samuel F.B. Morse by Trav S.D.

Most educated people know but one thing about Samuel F.B. Morse (1791-1872); today we aim to fill the portrait out with some additional intel which amplify the signal of his greatness (see w…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 02:45PM

Your Travalanche Daily Digest for April 27, 2026 by Trav S.D.

Today’s new Travalanche posts for April 27, 2026 are about Samuel F.B. Morse, pin-up artist George Petty, playwright/screenwriter and Don Mullally. Earlier Travalanche posts for April 27 (…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 02:45PM

George Petty and The Petty Girls by Trav S.D.

April 27 was the birthday of pin-up artist George Brown Petty IV (1894–1975). This year (2026) marks a century since Petty opened his successful painting studio. You may have some vague i…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:20AM

Don Mullally: From Vaudeville to the Wax Museum by Trav S.D.

I first learned about screenwriter Don Mullally (1886-1933, sometimes spelled Mullaly) because he co-wrote Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933) with the similarly ill-fated Carl Erickson. He is …

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 08:15AM
Sunday, April 26, 2026

Your Travalanche Daily Digest for April 26, 2026 by Trav S.D.

Today’s new Travalanche post for April 26, 2026 is about agent and producer Charles K. Feldman. Also it’s World Burlesque Day. The Finding Aid to Burlesque on Travalanche is here. Earlie…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 03:10PM

Charles K. Feldman: From the Canteen to the Casino by Trav S.D.

There are many paths to a creative career in the film business. Some are less conventional than others. Charles K. Feldman (1905-1968) started out as an attorney for talent agencies, then be…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 11:50AM
Saturday, April 25, 2026

Your Travalanche Daily Digest for April 25, 2026 by Trav S.D.

Today’s new Travalanche posts for April 25, 2026 are about the late Randy Bourscheidt, the late Lynn Hamilton, and the still later Paula Trueman. Also check out this post for World Penguin…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 04:25PM

R.I.P. Lynn Hamilton by Trav S.D.

Actress Lynn Hamilton (1930-2025) passed away back in June; as I often do, I decided to push what amounts to an obit back to the decedent’s next birthday. She is not to be confused with Li…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 01:15PM

True Facts About Paula Trueman by Trav S.D.

Those who know the work of Paula Trueman (1897-1994) at all likely know her as one of those ubiquitous professional old ladies of the ’70s and ’80s, along with the likes of Ruth Gordon, …

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 12:15PM

R.I.P. Randy Bourscheidt by Trav S.D.

Thanks, James Monroe, of Monroe and Company, for conveying the sad news that our mutual mentor Randall “Randy” Boursheidt (1944-2026) passed away about a week ago. I had the pleasure of …

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 10:05AM
Friday, April 24, 2026

Your Travalanche Daily Digest for April 24, 2026 by Trav S.D.

Today’s new Travalanche posts for April 24, 2026 are about Willem de Kooning, Lord Haw Haw, and comedy writer Gary Belkin. Earlier Travalanche posts for April 24 (in no particular order) i…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 03:25PM

de Kooning at The World’s Fair by Trav S.D.

April 24 was the birthday of abstract-expressionist painter Willem de Kooning (1904-1997). This year (2026) marks a century since the Dutch kid hopped a ship in Rotterdam and stowed away, ar…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 01:40PM

The Hanging of Lord Haw-Haw by Trav S.D.

Today marks the 120th anniversary of the birth of William Joyce (1906-1946); we’re also in the 80th year since his execution for treason. Let his story stand as a cautionary tale to broadc…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 10:25AM

Michel Fokine, in Brief by Trav S.D.

I have had numerous occasions to mention Michel Fokine (Mikhail Mikhaylovich Fokin, 1880-1942) on Travalanche, for he was an important figure in the history of ballet, and many of his cohort…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:50AM

The Gary Belkin Centennial by Trav S.D.

Today is the centennial birthday, according to the New York Times, of comedy writer Gary Belkin (1926-2005). Contrary to a popular misconception, not everybody in the writers room of Sid Cae…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 08:15AM
Thursday, April 23, 2026

Your Travalanche Daily Digest for April 23, 2026 by Trav S.D.

Today’s new Travalanche posts for April 23, 2026 are about Lucy Worsley’s new show on the American Revolution, and a little acknowledgment of World Book Day. And also Happy St. George’…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 11:50AM

Lucy Worsley Investigates: The American Revolution by Trav S.D.

Somewhere in space there is another dimension where I’m still the p.r. director at the New-York Historical Society, and got to assist Lucy Worsley and her crew in displaying the broken pie…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:50AM
Wednesday, April 22, 2026

Happy 80th Birthday, John Waters by Trav S.D.

Today marks the 80th birthday of that Great American Cultural Treasure John Waters (b. 1946). I’ve mentioned Waters upwards of 80 times on Travalanche, but have not yet created a single de…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 05:35PM

Your Travalanche Daily Digest for April 22, 2026 by Trav S.D.

Today’s new Travalanche post for April 22, 2026 is an 80th birthday tribute to John Waters. And for Earth Day: On The Green Man Several Environmental Horror Films of the 1970s Earlier Trav…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 05:35PM
Tuesday, April 21, 2026

Your Travalanche Daily Digest for April 21, 2026 by Trav S.D.

Today’s new Travalanche posts for April 21, 2026 are about opera singer Estelle Liebling, and the passing of scientist and Surrealist Desmond Morris. Earlier Travalanche posts for April 21…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:20PM

R.I.P. Desmond Morris by Trav S.D.

I heard the news about the passing of Desmond Morris (1928-2026) too late in the day yesterday to post at that time, but we thought it worth sharing today. (Thanks, Eve Golden, for the intel…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 07:05PM

50 Years of Jessica Lange by Trav S.D.

April 20 is the birthday of Jessica Lange (b. 1949), whose career as a screen star reaches the half century mark this December. Who can say how conscious it is, but I can’t think of any ot…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 05:02PM

All that Chat

2025-2026 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 12, 2025: Call Me Izzy - Studio 54
Sep 16, 2025: Art - Music Box Theatre
Oct 08, 2025: Beetlejuice - Palace Theatre
Nov 13, 2025: Oedipus - Studio 54
Nov 16, 2025: Chess - Imperial Theatre
Mar 23, 2026: Giant - Music Box Theatre
Apr 06, 2026: Becky Shaw - Hayes Theater
Apr 16, 2026: Proof - Booth Theatre
Apr 26, 2026: Drama Desk Cut-Off