Judith Cohen was as smart as a whip. By the time she was in fifth grade, her classmates were paying her to do their math homework. Inspired by her natural ability with numbers, Judith set her sights on becoming a math teacher. She entered Brooklyn College on a math scholarship, but soon switched her major …
River Phoenix died of an accidental drug overdose on Halloween evening 1993… as his career was on a meteoric rise. His untimely death paused a number of projects in development in Hollywood. River was about to start filming his next picture in early November 1993. He had been cast to play “Daniel Molloy” in Interview …
The sixth of eleven children, Wilma Mankiller was born in 1945 in Oklahoma. Her father was a full-blooded Cherokee. Her mother was of Dutch and English heritage. Wilma grew up in her family’s ancestral home — without running water, electricity or telephones. In an act that echoed her family’s history, the Mankillers were moved to …
When her parents died, teen-age Marjorie House took over the responsibility to support her younger brother and sister. Taking the name “Marjorie Daw” from a popular children’s story, she pursued an acting career. With much determination, she was successful. Marjorie appeared in 76 films between 1914 and 1929. Along the way, she had a brief …
Before John Belushi, I wasn’t sure what a samurai was. I’m still not sure.
Charles Haeger had a pretty unremarkable baseball career. In six years, he played for three different teams, regularly moving from the minor leagues to the majors. His pitching was erratic, with good games followed by early exits from the mound after a shelling. He called it a career in 2010 with a 2-7 record, but …
As a teenager, Joan Shawlee had aspirations to become a ballet dancer. In her 20s, she was appearing in Broadway productions. She made the jump to films, with roles in a number of Jack Lemmon/Billy Wilder vehicles. Joan played band member “Sweet Sue” in Some Like It Hot, “Sylvia” in The Apartment and “Amazon Annie” …
Italian-born Adolfo Bresciano began his professional wrestling career in Canada the 1970s. Using the name “Dino Bravo,” he joined up with various organized wrestling alliances, becoming one of Canada’s most popular wrestlers. With his flamboyant manner, his bleached blond hair, his trademark fleur-de-lis gauntlets and his “pro-Canada” bravado, he was a fan favorite. He worked …
In post-World War II England, Philomena Lynott found work as a nurse in Manchester. She met and began dating Cecil Parris, a young man from British Guiana. Although their relationship didn’t last long, Philomena discovered she was pregnant after Parris was transferred to London. She moved into a group home for unmarried mothers with her …
