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 …
Actress Winona Ryder has starred in a number of high-profile, iconic films over the course of her five-decade spanning career. She was won industry accolades, including a Golden Globe Award and two Academy Award nominations. With her breakout role in Lucas, her gothy take in Beetlejuice and her dark comedic turn in Heathers under her …
On January 27, 1967, Gus Grissom was killed in a fire in a pre-launch test aboard Apollo 1 (then known as AS-204). Grissom, along with fellow astronauts Roger Chaffee and Ed White, were working in the Command Module of the spacecraft. Grissom said: “”How are we going to get to the Moon if we can’t …
Singer/songwriter/musician Bobby Womack started off his career singing with his brothers as The Womack Brothers. They toured the country, accompanied by their mother and father on piano and guitar respectively. The group caught the attention of singer Sam Cooke. Cooke became the band’s mentor and booked them on a national tour with The Staple Singers. …
