John Hughes was a pioneering and influential filmmaker whose output dominated movie screens throughout the 1980s. With his directorial debut Sixteen Candles, John kicked off his signature style of portraying teen angst in an open, realistic and often humorous fashion. Thanks to the inspired casting of sixteen-year old Molly Ringwald, Sixteen Candles spawned other teen-centric …
What if you couldn’t feed ’em or get ’em wet during war rations?
Adlai Stevenson served as governor of Illinois from 1949 until 1953. During his term, he fought to rid local government, government services and law enforcement of all corrupt practices. In the thick of the so-called “Red Scare,” Stevenson vetoed a bill that would have “made it a felony to belong to any subversive group”, and …
14 year-old Hugh Masekela was inspired to pick up a trumpet after seeing Kirk Douglas in the 1950 film Young Man with a Horn. He sought out someone to teach him to play with the help and guidance of his friend, Johannesburg Archbishop Trevor Huddleston. Soon, Hugh was writing music that was reflective of his …
ZZ Top is one of the few bands in rock & roll history to feature the same personnel lineup for its 52 years of existence. Founded in 1969 by Frank Beard, Dusty Hill and Billy Gibbons, ZZ Top, the “Little Ol’ Band from Texas” as they are affectionately known, enjoyed a lengthy career, filled with …
What if the ‘constant sorrow’ began in 1942?
Cass Daley was a born entertainer. She sang on street corners as a child. Later, while working as a hat-check girl in a local club, Cass was given the opportunity to sing between shifts. She performed in vaudeville in the 1930s, eventually taking a featured role in the Ziegfeld Follies as a singer and comedienne. …
What if Frank Capra ventured into riskier territory?
