After a bout of meningitis, William Hoy was rendered deaf at the age of three… but it never hindered his determination. After graduating as valedictorian from the Ohio State School for the Deaf, he opened a shoe repair business and played baseball on the weekends. Impressed with William’s on-field prowess, baseball manager Frank Selee signed …
21-year old Argentine model Norma Cappagli entered the 1960 Miss World contest and, much to her surprise, was crowned the winner. She was the first representative from Argentina to win the title since the pageant’s inception a decade earlier. She became an ambassador of the contest, making goodwill appearances all over the world. In 1962, …
Anthony Bourdain was a renowned chef and world traveler. He was also well known for speaking his mind and calling things as he saw them. In his 2001 travelogue/memoir A Cook’s Tour, Bourdain visited Cambodia. After viewing — first-hand — the long-term devastation the country suffered as a result of illegal military directives orchestrated by …
Frederick Pruetzel realized he had a knack for making his classmates laugh while a student at LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts. He ditched his career aspirations of becoming a ballet dancer in favor of stand-up comedy. He started performing at small clubs alongside future stars David Brenner and Jimmie Walker. Freddie chose the stage …
Brenda Stone was a high school cheerleader and homecoming queen. She even had a few dates with Elvis Presley. She longed to be a model but didn’t want to embarrass her father, a well-known and respected deacon at a Memphis Baptist church. So, she used the name “Gail Stanton” when she posed nude for a …
Future disco queen Vicki Sue Robinson kicked off her career in rather unusual fashion. At six years of age, she accompanied her mother, folksinger Marianne, on stage at the Philadelphia Folk Festival. Later, at 18, Vicki joined the Broadway cast of Hair, alongside then-unknown Barry Bostwick, Richard Gere and Nell Carter. On off days, she …
In 1945, Tara Browne was born into British royalty. His father was the 4th Baron Oranmore and his mother was an heiress to the Guinness Brewery fortune. Upon his 25th birthday, Tara was set to inherit 1 million pounds. In the meantime, Tara ran with an elite crowd. He attended — and often hosted — …
Richard Moll passed away on October 26, 2023 at the age of 80. He was an actor that enjoyed a pretty successful career as a supporting player in both comedy and drama. Although he appeared in a number of films and episodic television in roles that crossed a variety of genres, he is best remembered …
Anne Francis began modeling as a toddler. She made her big-screen debut as a teenager in a small role in the musical This Time for Keeps with Esther Williams and Jimmy Durante. In 1955, she played a supporting role in the tense drama Bad Day at Black Rock as well as a lead role as …
In 1949, budding actress, the former Rosetta Jacobs, signed a contract with Universal Pictures. Studio executives changes the seventeen-year old’s name to Piper Laurie, a name which she used for the rest of her life. The young ingénue was cast opposite the top male leads of the day. She appeared in all genres — comedies …
