Will Rogers was a part-Cherokee American who grew up in Indian Territory and began his career in vaudeville doing rope tricks; he went on to become one of the most […]
Will Rogers (1879-1935): His Wisdom Still Applies Today Read More »
Ormes’ comic strips were syndicated in black newspapers in the 1930s and ‘40s, making her the only nationally syndicated black woman cartoonist until the 1990s. Her characters were fashionable and
Jackie Ormes (1911-1986), First African-American Female Cartoonist Read More »
In the early days of rock ‘n’ roll, before MTV and the Internet, iTunes and Spotify, record companies began to gravitate to advertising their musical groups on billboards along Los
Rock ‘N’ Roll Billboards of the Sunset Strip–New Book Presents Iconic Billboards Read More »
American Snapshots, my November newsletter on “P.T. Barnum, Promoter Extraordinaire”, provided a few snippets of information about P.T. Barnum, and last week I received an email from friend, author and expert, David Carlyon, Ph.D. Carlyon is not only a theatre historian who has written a book about the very successful 19th century performer, Dan Rice (Dan Rice: The Most Famous Man You’ve Never Heard Of), but he spent the early years of his career working as a clown with the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus.
P.T. Barnum, New Details Read More »
One of the early female comics (Moms Mabley preceded her, performing in the 1910s, but she was on the black vaudeville circuit; more about her another day)Born Celine Zeigman in Paris, France, she moved with her family to New York City when she was still a child. Her father was abusive to her mother. Growing up in that atmosphere led Celine to the conclusion that she needed to be self-supporting, to never have to be dependent upon a man.
Jean Carroll (1911-2010), Pioneered the Path for Female Stand-Up Comediennes Read More »
Magical tap dancers; charismatic performers
The Nicholas Brothers may never have become the household names that Gene Kelly or Fred Astaire became, but they should have. Astaire and Kelly were great dancers; the Nicholas Brothers were even better. In Fayard’s obituary from USA Today in 2006, Gregory Hines notes that if the Nicholas brothers’ life story were ever to be filmed, their dance numbers would have to be computer-generated because no dancer could duplicate them.
The Nicholas Brothers: Fayard (1914-2006) and Harold (1921-2000) Read More »
