I am no fan of halls of fame, especially the incredibly biased, incredibly derisive and incredibly dismissive Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I refuse to join in with the “who deserves to be inducted” debate. That said, Connie Francis is one of the best-selling music artists in history, with estimated sales of over 100 …
Discovered as a student at Indiana University, Pamela Jean Bryant was selected as “Miss April,” the centerfold for that month’s issue of Playboy in 1978. Like many before and after her, she was able to use her modeling experience (and willingness to appear nude) to embark on a career in acting. Pamela Jean landed small …
Robert Chesebrough began his career as a chemist refining and clarifying sperm whale oil. With the development of coal oil and when petroleum was discovered in Titusville, Pennsylvania, Robert’s job suddenly became obsolete. Robert packed his bags for Titusville to see if he could use the new material for something else. He spoke with some …
Arthur Anderson began his career as a child. He portrayed “Buddy” on the NBC radio serial Tony and Gus. In 1936, he began his long association with the children’s radio show Let’s Pretend. As a teenager, Arthur met and began to work with fledgling impresario Orson Welles. He appeared with Welles’ Mercury Theater and took …
June is Pride Month. James Bidgood was an aspiring filmmaker and an early performance artist. Under the guise of “Les Folies des Hommes,” James produced films and photographic series of a homoerotic nature. From 1963 until 1970, James filmed scenes in his Manhattan apartment for what would become Pink Narcissus. James wrote the script and …
June is Pride Month. A respected columnist for the Los Angeles Times and a regular contributor to The Advocate, The Village Voice and Salon, Norah Vincent created her most ambitious work in 2006. Norah chronicled her eighteen-month “experiment” of living as a man in her book Self-Made Man. Using the name “Ned,” Norah joined an …
June is Pride Month. Thierry Mugler launched his eponymous fashion house in the early 1970s. He gained attention for his avant-garde, often theatrical, designs. Thierry was groundbreaking in his insistence of diversity in his runway shows, featuring drag queens, porn stars, and transgender women as models. Thierry created signature looks for a number of celebrities, …
Brian Wilson was the embodiment of “tortured genius” – both parts of that description are undeniable. Here’s a story, as related by shock rocker Alice Cooper, that illustrates Brian Wilson’s tortured genius. I was sitting backstage after the 1974 Grammys with Bernie Taupin (Elton John’s lyricist) and John Lennon. This was when Brian was really …
June is Pride Month. Tom Spanbauer, the author of five novels, created a concept known as “dangerous writing.” His writing often focused on themes of race and sexual identity. As a teacher, he encouraged his students to overcome their fears and write painful personal truths. In his courses, he spoke of bringing one’s inner life …
Aspiring actress Mariana Levy landed her first role as a teenager, playing “Veronica” in the Mexican soap opera Vivir Enamorada. After taking a year off, Mariana returned to the small screen. She appeared in a long string of telenovelas, including a stint playing three different characters in Yo compro esa mujer. Mariana appeared with her …
