from my sketchbook: happy holidays

My annual Christmas music compilation is available as a FREE DOWNLOAD for a limited time. 26 unusual songs, an annoying BONUS track and a custom full-color cover with track listings — all for you and for FREE! Just CLICK HERE for “A Non-Traditional Christmas 2010.” Happy Holidays from your pal JPiC! (Please contact me if you have …

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from my sketchbook: mario monicelli

Beginning with his first film, 1935’s I ragazzi della via Paal, Mario Monicelli wrote and directed over one hundred films and earned praise as one of the most beloved masters of the Commedia all’Italiana (Italian-style comedy) in a career that spanned eight decades. He worked quite often with stars Vittorio Gassman and Marcello Mastroianni, as well …

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from my sketchbook: ted healy

In the early 1920s, young Lee Nash developed a comedy vaudeville act and was soon joined by his childhood friend Morris Horowitz. Lee, now known by the stage name “Ted Healy”, told jokes onstage and was heckled by Morris, who was planted in the audience. Morris would then come up to the stage and engage Ted …

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DCS: gloria grahame

No one played the tramp like Gloria Grahame. After her 1944 film debut as trampy Sally Murfin in Blonde Fever, Gloria shot to stardom as trampy Violet in the Frank Capra holiday favorite It’s A Wonderful Life. She went on portray sluts, bad girls and tramps in a career that spanned five decades. With her pouty …

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from my sketchbook: carole landis

After appearing in bit parts in films throughout the late 1930s, Carole Landis made a huge splash as “Loana” in the 1940 prehistoric fantasy One Million BC.  That film was a springboard for her career. Carole was cast in 22 films over the next eight years, mostly due to her secret affair with powerful producer …

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from my sketchbook: banjo pig

This is just what is looks like. A pig playing a banjo. It’s inspired by a website called “Dueling Banjo Pigs”. They tell their story this way: “It started out with a duel between friends. Guy Francis challenged fellow illustrator, Stacy Curtis, to a duel of banjo playing pigs. Now, other illustrators have joined the …

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