Two things I learned about Bettie Page.

1. In her later years, she refused to be photographed, hoping to preserve the magical appeal of her youthful good looks in the minds of her scores of fans.
2. Bettie Page is hard to draw. Sure, she’s been artistically portrayed by countless artists all over the world, paying homage to her allure. But, I had a very, very difficult time capturing her likeness. I’m still not convinced I did her justice. Nevertheless, this is the best you’re gonna get from me.

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Juan Kachmanian was born in Argentina in 1930. His father was a boxing promoter and the family moved all over the world. Juan, a stocky, muscular fellow, entered the world of professional wrestling under the tutelage of trainer Rudy Dusek. Wresting under various ring names — Ervan the Armenian, Ivan the Terrible, The Missing Link — he finally settled on “Pampero Firpo” at the suggestion of heavyweight boxing champion Jack Dempsey. Dempsey said the young Juan reminded him of an Argentinian boxer that he once faced named Luis Ángel Firpo. Firpo was known as “Wild Bull of the Pampas.” Juan adopted the boxer’s surname and modified his nickname. Dempsey suggested that he bill himself as Luis Firpo’s son.

Pampero Firpo was an early proponent of “hardcore wrestling,” a no-holds-barred, often violent style of the sport. With his wild hair and bushy beard, Pampero cut an imposing figure in the ring. He engaged in bloody battles, bringing matches to conclusion with his signature “El Garfio,” a crushing bear hug that (allegedly) rendered opponents unconscious. During interviews, the wild-eyed Pampero with rub his talisman Chimu, the (supposed) shrunken head of a tribe leader from Ecuador. Pampero wrestled with the NWA [National Wrestling Alliance] and its rival WWF [World Wide Wrestling Federation] (currently the WWE, World Wrestling Entertainment) until his retirement in 1986, leaving a successful 33-year career. Along the way, he became a United States citizen, an event he noted as “one of the proudest moments of his life”

Pampero moved to San Diego and began a new direction in his life. He spent the next twenty-five years working for the United States Postal Service. He retired at the age of 78 and moved into an assisted living facility in San Diego. Pampero passed away in January 2020 at the age of 89.

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While still a student at the University of Pennsylvania, Bobby Troup wrote “Daddy” for a production staged by the school’s Mask & Wig Club, a campus theatre group. It was recorded by Sammy Kaye and his Orchestra. The recording was a hit and it stayed at Number One on the Billboard charts for eight weeks and was one of the top songs of 1941. “Daddy” was later recorded by Glenn Miller, Bing Crosby, Kay Kyser, and The Andrews Sisters. It was even included in a 1943 Tex Avery short, sung by an animated Little Red Riding Hood.

During a stint in the US Marine Corp, Bobby organized the Marines’ first African-American band at his home base of Montford Point, North Carolina. He wrote the song “Take Me Away from Jacksonville,” which went on to become an anthem for the Marines at Montford Point.

While on a road trip to California, Bobby wrote a travelogue of sorts that became the hit song “Route 66.” It was recorded by Nat King Cole and became an instant hit. While Bobby’s own recordings were disappointing on the charts, he continued to write songs that were made popular by other artists, including the title song for the Jayne Mansfield film The Girl Can’t Help It in 1956.

With songwriting royalties as his main source of income, Bobby entered the world of acting, taking roles in episodic television and in films where he played “Tommy Dorsey” to Sal Mineo’s “Gene Krupa” in The Gene Krupa Story. In 1970, he appeared in Robert Altman’s army comedy M*A*S*H, where he holds the distinction of saying the film’s final spoken line of dialog — “Goddamned army!” His name is also the last mentioned by the PA announcer in the closing credits.

After appearing in a 1967 episode of the procedural police drama Dragnet, Bobby was hired by producer Jack Webb to star in his newest series about the adventures of the LA Country emergency services team, creatively entitled Emergency! The series would also feature Bobby’s wife, actress/singer Julie London, who was previously married to Jack Webb.

Bobby passed away early in 1999 at the age of 80. His wife, Julie London died the following year. Bobby, Julie and Jack Webb are all interred at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills cemetery.

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22 year-old Vesna Vulović, a flight attendant for Yugoslavia’s JAT Airlines, reported for work on January 25, 1972. When she arrived, she was told that she wasn’t even on the schedule and that she was confused with another flight attendant named Vesna. Nevertheless, Vesna was anxious to travel to Denmark and she took the shift anyway.

While waiting to board Flight 367, Vesna and her colleagues watched the passengers deplane from the flight that had just landed. Vensa noticed one man looking particularly annoyed as he passed by on his way into the terminal. Thinking nothing of it, she boarded the plane with the rest of the crew and began welcoming new passengers.

Forty-five minutes into the flight, a bomb exploded in the baggage compartment and tore through the plane. The aircraft broke apart and rained debris over the Czechoslovakian village of Srbská Kamenice. Bruno Honke, a local and one-time army medic, instinctively ran out to the wreckage. He heard screams and discovered Vensa, in her blood-covered turquoise uniform, pinned under a food trolley. Bruno kept her alive until more rescuers arrived. All of the passengers and crew of JAT Flight 367 died, except for Vensa Vulović. Investigators determined that the food trolley and Vensa’s history of low blood pressure contributed to her survival. She was entered, dubiously, into the Guinness Book of Records for surviving a fall from the highest distance without a parachute. Vensa fell 33,330 feet.

After a lengthy hospital stay and grueling rehabilitation, Vensa returned to her job as a flight attendant – much to the surprise of the many admirers she gained in the wake of her incident. However, she was eventually fired from the airline for participating in anti-government demonstrations, specifically against Serbian statesman Slobodan Milošević.

Vensa, who suffered from “survivor’s guilt,” began chain smoking and it greatly affected her health. In December 2016, friends and family became concerned when Vensa stopped answering phone calls. A locksmith was called to break into her apartment — where she was discovered dead. Vensa was 66 years old.

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In the 1930s, Freddie Oversteegen and her older sister Truus watched their parents hide political refugees from the Nazis, eventually leading them to safety. The sisters were inspired to continue the work of their parents, especially as the Nazi stronghold became tighter and more oppressive.

As teenagers, the Oversteegen sisters joined up with the Dutch Resistance. First, they distributed anti-Nazi leaflets. Then, they offered assistance and sanctuary to those fleeing from the Nazis. In 1941, a massive Nazi crackdown on Dutch workers further infuriated Freddie and Truus. They joined a secret fighting cell and learned military-caliber combat techniques. Once fully equipped to battle their enemies, Freddie and Truus devised a unique plan. The sisters would frequent bars and taverns that were known hangouts for Nazi soldiers. They would flirt with the soldiers, enticing them into nearby woods with the promise of an “intimate encounter.” Once secluded, the Oversteegens’ comrades would emerge from the shadows and execute the Nazis. After a while, Freddie and Truus were shooting the soldiers themselves. In addition, the sisters rigged bridges with explosives and smuggled Jewish children out of concentration camps.

After the war, Freddie and Truus each married and raised familes. Truus named her daughter after a fallen colleague, Hannie Schaft (“The Girl with the Red Hair,” who died a martyr fighting Nazis and taunting her persecutors right up until her demise). Truus became an artist and eventually wrote a memoir of her war experience. She passed away in 2016.

Freddie served on the board of the Hannie Schaft Foundation, which was founded by Truus. She passed away in 2018, one day before her 93rd birthday.

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