After her parents separated, Merna Kennedy’s mother packed up the family and moved to California. Mama Kennedy began to teach, prep and train seven-year old Merna and her brother Merle to perform as a song-and-dance duo. The siblings were a popular vaudeville act and were featured often at Los Angeles prominent vaudeville theaters. They caught …
For 20 years — for 20 Christmases — jovial John Toomey played Santa Claus for Macy’s at its famed Union Square location in San Francisco. And boy!, did John fit the part. Sporting a chest-length white beard and cherry-red cheeks, John was the spitting image of the traditional Santa Claus that danced in the minds …
Heavily influenced by her parents’ love of traditional Romanian folk music, teenage Mădălina Manole began taking guitar lessons and joined a local youth choir. After college, Mădălina worked as an air traffic controller while performing at festivals in her free time. She met and married fellow singer Şerban Georgescu, who took an interest in furthering …
June Wilkinson was a born performer. She danced on stage at twelve and, at 15, became the youngest topless dancer at London’s venerable Windmill Theater. While on a promotional tour of the United States, the young star-to-be caught the eye of publisher Hugh Hefner. He immediately arranged for a photoshoot for the 18-year old and …
John Scott Harrison was one of ten children born to Indiana Territory Governor (and future United States President) William Henry Harrison. John was elected to and served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1852 to 1857. After he was defeated for a third term, he retired to his farm in Ohio. John and his …
