11,719 stories from Trav S.D.
March 27 was the birthday of Maud Gage Baum (1861-1953), just three days after the birthday of her famous mother Matilda Joslyn Gage. Today Maud is much better known for her relationship wit…
I was more aware of Snooky Lanson (Roy Landman, 1914-1990) than I otherwise might have been as a kid growing up in the 1970s because a close family friend had the same nickname, apparently d…
Today's new Travalanche post for March 26, 2026 is about character actor Strother Martin. I've also updated my post on Martin Short to reflect recent sad developments. Earlier Travalanche…
Odd to report, I happen to know that exact day that I learned the name of character actor Strother Martin (1919-1980). Martin was the guest host on one of the very last episodes of Saturday …
Just a brief shout out for director and all around movie man Ray Enright (1896-1965). Enright made his mark in three cinematic genres (others as well, but these three, in particular): comedi…
Today's new Travalanche posts for March 25, 2026 are about movie directors David Lean and Ray Enright, and vaudeville and Broadway star Ralph Herz. Also, today is the anniversary of the T…
That's right! Ralph C. Herz (1878-1921) Get with it, people! I only learned about Herz because I was writing about one of his wives, Lulu Glaser, to whom he was married from 1907 through 191…
I think it's funny that a man noted for making lengthy, bloated, motion picture epics was named David Lean (1908-1991). The director's best known films are about as svelte as Jack Sprat's Wi…
Today's new Travalanche posts for March 24, 2026 are about a new exhibition on magicians at the NYPL, pioneering feminist (and L. Frank Baum's mother-in-law) Matilda Joslyn Gage (born 200…
Today is Houdini's birthday. He's the only magician who has his own section here on Travalanche. I've something big planned for later this year, since 2026 marks the 100th anniversary of the…
Here's a thing of significance known well to most hard-core Oz fans, but not the general public: the mother-in-law of Oz creator L. Frank Baum, Matilda Joslyn Gage (1826-1898) was an importa…
Today, a tribute to a minor player in the American Revolutionary and Early Federal Periods, as well as an early figure in American Arts and Letters: Joel Barlow (1754-1812). I first learned …
Today's new Travalanche posts for March 23, 2026 are about Kenneth Tobey (Airplane!) and the upcoming Coney Island Book Fair. It also happens to be the day in 1960 on which Algonquin Roun…
Great news! Last year's inaugural Coney Island Book Fair was such a smasheroo that it is returning to Coney Island USA on May 17. I know we're nearly still two months out, but I wanted to gi…
When folks rave about the clever stunt casting in the 1980 ZAZ comedy Airplane! the names that are usually brought up are Leslie Nielsen (of course), Lloyd Bridges, Peter Graves, Robert Stac…
We love theatrical dynasties! And par usual we were made aware of this one by some of the more recent representatives of the line, which seems to end (from a show business perspective) aroun…
Today's new Travalanche post for March 22, 2026 is about the Compton dynasty (which includes such luminaries as Fay Compton, Compton Mackenzie, and Tracy Reed, the girl with George C. Sco…
Today's new Travalanche post for March 21, 2026 is about the poet Phyllis Wheatley, in observance of World Poetry Day. If that ain't vaudeville enough for yer, earlier Travalanche posts for …
Today being World Poetry Day, one that falls during the 250th anniversary year of American Independence, it seemed the ideal moment to acknowledge one of America's first significant poets, P…
The first day of Spring used to be the first day of the year on European calendars (it's slightly complicated but that's why April Fool's Day is April 1. It was originally part of New Year's…
Today's new Travalanche posts for March 20, 2026 are about Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, and the First Day of Spring. Earlier Travalanche posts for March 20 (in no particular order) include on…
I have a damning admission to make, one that risks alienating some readers. I found the revival of interest in Fred Rogers (1928-2003) several years ago, surrounding the release of the films…
Knowest Thou of Poster House? Apparently it opened in 2019, a year when I was out of town a lot, and then came Covid and the lock-down, and that went on for a couple of years at least. Plus …
Today's new Travalanche posts for March 19, 2026 are about Tod Slaughter, the late John Bengtson, and some great recent exhibitions at Poster House. Earlier Travalanche posts for March 19…
What a happy, happy discovery we have made in the person of British stage and screen star Tod Slaughter (Norman Carter Slaughter, 1885-1956). Where has he been my whole life??? Most American…
