Saturday, December 14, 2024

For Monkey Day: On the History of Performing Monkeys by Trav S.D.

December 14 has been designated Monkey Day, and who am I to argue? By now I have done many designated posts on various animals, mostly ones known to have performed in circuses and vaudeville…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 11:42AM
Friday, December 13, 2024

For National Day of the Horse: Eight Western Wonder Horses by Trav S.D.

In celebration of National Day of the Horse, we add to our existing store of equine related posts with this little gallery of top eight horse stars of the days of silents, serials, and kid o…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 05:24PM

The Legendary Lou Adler by Trav S.D.

It’s been a joy assembling all the various pieces of the multipartite career of producer Lou Adler (b. 1933) who managed to remain on the leading edge of pop culture for a quarter of a cen…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 10:54AM
Thursday, December 12, 2024

The Elusive Evelyn Sherman by Trav S.D.

I’d like to have more to tell about character actress Evelyn Sherman (Eva Mae Spear, 1882-1974), but I consider that what is known is of sufficient interest to rate a post here. Sherman wa…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:42AM

A Frank Sinatra Finding Aid by Trav S.D.

I’m pretty sure I’ll never undertake a single comprehensive post about Francis Albert Sinatra (1915-1998). The idea of writing a piece that includes all of his hit songs and all of his m…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 08:18AM
Wednesday, December 11, 2024

On Some Notable Passings, and Some Resurrections by Trav S.D.

We got a triple whammy of death notices yesterday. Typically when we learn of a death and we’ve already written about the subject, rather than penning a new obit I’ll go ahead and share …

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 08:32AM
Tuesday, December 10, 2024

The George MacDonald Bicentennial by Trav S.D.

This post on Scottish author and clergyman George MacDonald (1824-1905) may be a Travalanche first: a post about an artist whose work I don’t know it all. We take the risk on account of th…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 08:32AM
Monday, December 9, 2024

The Return of “Midget Wrestling” by Trav S.D.

I don’t know who needs this information (it certainly slipped by me) but this morning I accidentally stumbled across the intel that so-called “midget wrestling”, which had been declini…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 11:48AM

A Counter-Spell for “A Cursed Man” by Trav S.D.

What a delightful coincidence! Liam Le Guillou’s new documentary A Cursed Man opened yesterday at the Regal Union Square and the film begins with a quote from Milton (whom we just blogged …

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 08:42AM

The Moralizing Melodrama of Milton by Trav S.D.

We have just passed the 350th anniversary of the passing John Milton (1608-1674). Milton died on my birthday (November 8), a nugget I intend to dine out on going forward, as is the fact that…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 06:32AM
Sunday, December 8, 2024

Goodnight, Irene: The Life, Death, and Previous Career of the Famous Hollywood Costume Designer by Trav S.D.

Irene Lentz (1901-1962), often known professionally simply as “Irene”, or later sometimes “Irene Gibbons” after her second marriage, has over 200 screen credits as a Hollywood costum…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 12:42PM

R.I.P. Paul Maslansky, The Mind Behind the “Police Academy” Films by Trav S.D.

We’ve just learned from the Herald of Quietus Eve Golden that film producer Paul Maslansky has passed (1933-2024). The Maslankian oeuvre is a motley one; but in light of the fact that his …

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:31AM
Saturday, December 7, 2024

World War 2 on Broadcast TV by Trav S.D.

By my headline, I don’t mean television programming during World War Two, though believe it or not there was such a thing. The major combatants all had some version of TV up and running du…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 11:31AM
Friday, December 6, 2024

150 Years Ago Today: The Birth of Leo Sulky by Trav S.D.

There were at least a half dozen other people I might have written about today. I keep a daily tickler, and today’s entry contained several folks I haven’t written about, nearly all of w…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 08:18AM
Thursday, December 5, 2024

Cutting Up Custer (Pop Culture Takes on a Controversial Cavalryman) by Trav S.D.

Having just done a post on his battlefield opponent Sitting Bull, and this year marking the 150th anniversary of the publication of his book My Life on the Plains (1874), we thought this mig…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 10:42AM

Virginia Lee Corbin: The Dresden Doll of the Movies by Trav S.D.

Virginia Lee Corbin (1910-1942) became a movie star twice, and was getting her toe wet in movies yet a third time when she died tragically young of TB at age 32. Corbin was the daughter of a…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 07:24AM
Wednesday, December 4, 2024

100 Years Ago: The Premiere of Von Stroheim’s “Greed” by Trav S.D.

The title of this post has given me no end of agida. After all, it wasn’t precisely VON STROHEIM’S Greed which premiered on December 4, 1924. HIS version was over 8 hours long. The versi…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 11:36AM

The Many Incarnations of Jimmy Jewel by Trav S.D.

OMG, in the UK they give plaques for “Comic Heritage”? What a civilized nation! December 4 was the birthday of British comedian and actor Jimmy Jewel (1909-1995). The name is virtually u…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:03AM
Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Please Support Travalanche — Some OTHER Day by Trav S.D.

Giving Tuesday — what a dumb idea! To have every charity in the country beg for money all at the same time! I’d be interested to know if it actually works. I should think you’d have LE…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 05:48PM

The Spirit of Barbara Fritchie by Trav S.D.

December 3 was the birthday of Barbara Fritchie (1766-1862). I don’t expect that you will know the name off the bat but I hope you at least possess a vague sense that you have encountered …

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:03AM
Monday, December 2, 2024

When Travis Stewart Made the News by Trav S.D.

When working on the piece about my recently deceased colleague Kathleen Hulser I did some googling to refresh my memory about our New-York Historical Society days when I stumbled on a few ra…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 05:03PM

It’s CyberMonday: Perfect Time To Complete The Trav S.D. Section of Your Library by Trav S.D.

Well, today is an ideal time to pick up one of my works for that show biz loving loved one in your life as a holiday gift. Major online bookdealers are offering 40-50% off today for CyberMon…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:32AM

On Comden and Green and Company by Trav S.D.

This story begins with a New York cabaret act based in Greenwich Village in the late ’30s and early ’40s called The Revuers. We’ve written about two alum of this unusual act: Judy Holi…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 07:12AM
Sunday, December 1, 2024

R.I.P. Marshall Brickman by Trav S.D.

How odd to learn one day after Woody Allen’s birthday (from Eve Golden, natch) that one of Allen’s prime collaborators has passed on. Marshall Brickman (1939-2024) was a behind-the-scene…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 10:42AM

100 Years Ago in Berlin: The Launch of the Kabarett der Komiker by Trav S.D.

The Kabarett der Komiker (the Cabaret of Comedians, often shortened to “Kadeko”) was a Berlin variety venue which throve especially during the Weimar Era. It was founded on December 1, 1…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 08:36AM
Saturday, November 30, 2024

Woody Allen: More TV Work (1960-72) by Trav S.D.

November 30 (it turns out) is the birthday of Woody Allen (b. 1935). We used to think it was December 1, but Allen’s recent memoir set the record straight. I originally planned a highly am…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 12:54PM

Happy Felton: From the Orchestra Pit to the Dugout by Trav S.D.

Yes, I know this photo makes him seem more like “Sinister Felton” but it was the best photo I could find of Francis “Happy” Felton (1907-1964), prior to the guise he was best known f…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 09:36AM

A Meeting Near a Statue by Trav S.D.

November is Native American History Month; next year (2025) will mark the 350th anniversary of King Phillip’s War, the beginning of the end for the native people as the dominant polity …

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 07:31AM
Friday, November 29, 2024

For Native American Heritage Day: A Finding Aid to the Corresponding Section of Travalance by Trav S.D.

The day after Thanksgiving is always Native American Heritage Day, a day, I guess, when things are even more Native American Heritagey than they are during Native American Heritage Month, wh…

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 07:36AM

Memorializing Crazy Horse by Trav S.D.

November is Native American History Month; next year (2025) will mark the 350th anniversary of King Phillip’s War, the beginning of the end for the native people as the dominant polity …

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 06:31AM
Thursday, November 28, 2024

A Bio-Pic About Squanto by Trav S.D.

November is Native American History Month; next year (2025) will mark the 350th anniversary of King Phillip’s War, the beginning of the end for the native people as the dominant polity …

SOURCE: Trav S.D. at 10:54AM

All that Chat

2024-2025 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 05, 2024: Home - Todd Haimes Theatre
Jul 11, 2024: Oh, Mary! - Lyceum Theatre
Jul 30, 2024: Job - Hayes Theater
Sep 12, 2024: The Roommate - Booth Theatre
Nov 14, 2024: Tammy Faye - Palace Theatre
Dec 12, 2024: Cult of Love - Hayes Theater
Dec 19, 2024: Gypsy - Majestic Theatre
Mar 17, 2025: Purpose - Hayes Theater
Apr 10, 2025: Smash - Imperial Theatre
TBA: Titanic
TBA: Ragtime