I’ve done several “space”-related illustrations. Most depicting a science fiction theme or NASA-style astronauts, even a few with television or movie references. But this one is to appease my friend Steve, who, for years, has been trying to convince me that the 1969 Moon Landing was staged. Happy, Steve? Here are some of my other …
Earnest Evans, a cheerful, fun-loving, energetic young man from the low rent projects of Philadelphia, changed his name to Chubby Checker and cut a record in 1960. It was a cover of Hank Ballard’s “The Twist,” and Chubby turned it into a national dance craze. “The Twist” was the only single to top Billboard‘s Top …
“I can’t decide what to call it – either ‘rock’ or ‘internet’.” * * * * Here’s my post from December 2010, when Illustration Friday previously suggested the word “prehistoric”.
With her dark hair, dark eyes and exotic beauty, Victoria Vetri was destined for stardom. She wrote poetry, sang and tried her hand at acting. In Hollywood, Victoria was cast in early roles portraying women from a variety of nationalities – Mexican, Italian, Native American – in motion pictures and episodic television. She turned down …
Curtis Ousley began playing the saxophone at twelve years old. In a relatively short time, he became an accomplished musician. Curtis turned down college scholarships in favor of joining the great Lionel Hampton‘s big band. Using the stage name “King Curtis,” he earned a reputation as a respected session musician, playing on recordings by artists …
“Let me have a Three Musketeers, and a ball point pen, and one of those combs there, a pint of Old Harper, a couple of flashlight batteries, some beef jerky… and four hundred pounds of carrots.” * * * * * * It looks like Illustration Friday suggested the word “disguise” way back in August …
Gladys George made her stage debut at age 3 alongside her showbiz parents. It was her Broadway debut, at age 18 opposite Isadora Duncan, that seemed to be Gladys’ path to stardom. She was a hit in the comedy Personal Appearance, which Mae West adapted for the film Go West, Young Man. West took Gladys’ …
When I graduated from high school, I didn’t know what the hell I wanted to do with my life. I was working as a cashier at the women’s clothing store that my mother managed. I was planning on a career in the retail business, perhaps one day working my way up to manager myself. But, …
Prolific director Allan Dwan saw 12-year-old Jane Peters playing baseball on a Los Angeles street and cast her in his film The Perfect Crime in 1921. Young Jane was a contract player in low-budget films for Fox and Pathé, until both studios dropped her and she signed with Paramount. Jane, now using the stage name …
She was a seven-year old, just dancing in her father’s drug store, when a representative of RCA Victor hired her to advertise Victrolas at the 1915 Panama–Pacific International Exposition. A short time afterwards, young Lina Basquette was studying ballet. At ten, she was signed to a contract with Universal Pictures to star in a series …
