Former USAF pilot Gus Grissom was selected from a group of 110 test pilots to join NASA’s Mercury Project space program, the space agency’s first foray into manned space exploration. In 1961, Gus was the pilot on the second Mercury Project flight. Three years later, Gus was selected as the pilot for the Gemini 3, …
Joel Fluellen took some small jobs while he pursued his dream of becoming an actor. After a few appearances on the New York stage, he moved to Hollywood and landed an uncredited role in the film Cabin in the Sky. As an active member of the Screen Actors Guild, Joel fought for more meaningful parts …
After working in a number of Clio Award-winning commercials, Ruth Buzzi performed as an inept magician’s assistant “Shakundala the Silent” on a 1964 episode of The Garry Moore Show, playing opposite comedian Dom DeLuise as an equally-inept magician. Later, she was a member of the repertory company on the short-lived variety show The Entertainers. A …
This is sad. This is really sad. Jill Sobule, the vivacious, insightful, funny singer-songwriter died on May 1st in a house fire in Woodbury, Minnesota. What makes Jill’s death particularly sad was that she was so full of life. She had plans for the immediate and long-term future. She had just wrapped up a tour …
After disbanding his group Mother’s Milk after just a year of performing, musical impresario Tom Sholz recorded a bunch of demos on which he played all of the instruments except for drums. Those duties were taken by Tom’s friend Jim Masdea. Vocals on the demo tracks were provided by Tom’s friend Brad Delp. Tom’s demo …
In late December 1968 and the summer of 1969, up-and-coming British blues-rockers Led Zeppelin appeared at a handful of multi-band music festivals with the American psychedelic band Spirit. Spirit was riding high on the success of their self-titled debut album and its breakout track, the Jay Ferguson-penned “Fresh Garbage.” (Yes, the same Jay Ferguson who …
Susan Tyrrell was born of the fringe of show business. Through her father’s connections as a talent agent for the mighty William Morris Agency, young Susan was able to land auditions and roles in Broadway and off-Broadway productions. She appeared in a wide range of plays from broad comedy to Shakespeare to period pieces to …
