For my first post of 2009, I’ll relate an interesting story that I recently came across. As I write this, incumbent Norm Coleman and challenger Al Franken are battling for the lead in a heated race for a US senator from Minnesota. A tedious recount has taken place since November 2008 and a winner has …
1930s radio comedian Harry Einstein changed his name to Harry Parke. But, he was most famous as “Parkyakarkus”, a name taken from a line in his act. When he asked you to sit down, hed say park yer carcass! He became known by his character name rather than his stage name. He was a featured performer …
The challenge word this week on illustrationfriday.com is “clandestine”. Meeting on deserted streetcorners, their clandestine relationship was doomed from the start.
You may not know Paul Frees, but you know his voice. Paul had one of the most sought after and recognizable voices in movie and television history. At one time, he was employed by nine different animation studios. He started as a voice actor in the 1940s in radio. His career led him to movies, …
You know the song “Ho ho the mistletoe/Hung where you can see/Somebody waits for you/Kiss her once for me”. Aside from a creepy vision of Burl Ives asking you to plant a wet one on your wife on his behalf, these lyrics bring to mind the question “why do people kiss under the mistletoe?” …
The illustrationfriday.com challenge word this week is “rambunctious”. Carl Switzer, and his older brother Harold, were discovered by producer Hal Roach while they were on a studio tour with their parents. The Switzer brothers were singing in the studio commissary and Roach was impressed by the performance. He signed the Switzer kids to appear in …
The word of inspiration at Inspire Me Thursday.com is “dress”. “Say what you want about long dresses, but they cover a multitude of sins.” Mae West
Mary Kay Bergman’s idols were Carol Burnett, Gilda Radner, Tracey Ullman and Lucille Ball. She wanted to be like those funny women. Mary Kay became a voice actress. At different times, she provided the voice for Daphne on “Scooby-Doo”, Timmy on “The Fairly Odd-Parents“, Ariel’s sister in “The Little Mermaid” cartoon series and the modern …
Chung Ling Soo was the stage name of American magician William Robinson. He changed his name to Chung Ling Soo to add an air of foreign mysticism to his act. The name was a variation of a real Chinese magician’s name – Ching Ling Foo – and he performed many of the tricks that Foo had …
Kirsty MacColl couldn’t get a break. She wrote great, heartfelt songs that were humorous, biting, and, at times, achingly sad. She had a lovely voice tinged with a slightly smoky British accent. But, major success somehow eluded her. After a brief stint as a singer in a punk band, Stiff Records signed Kirsty to a contract. …
