I discovered the Rocky Horror Picture Show in 1978 when I was a junior in high school. Talk of Rocky Horror spread through the halls of my Far Northeast Philadelphia high school. Every Monday morning, there was new buzz about this raucous audience participation phenomenon that occurred every weekend evening at the TLA Cinema, an …
Dolly Parton carefully crafted her signature look. Her over-the-top glamor was based on the women she thought were beautiful. Despite young Dolly’s admiration for them, they were known by the rest of the population of Pittman Center, Tennessee as the town tramps. Nevertheless, Dolly was determined to look “beautiful” and they were Dolly’s vision of …
C.C.A. Baldi was the embodiment of the “Great American Dream.” Born in Salernoo, Italy, young Charles Baldi dreamed of going to America. As a teen, he helped his nighbors write letters to relative that had already immigrated to the “New World.” He dreamed of living in America and taking advantage of all the opportunities American …
Hal Smith started off as a DJ in upstate New York. He soon was tapped to be “The Pancake Man” on a morning kids’ show on local Los Angeles television sponsored by International House of Pancakes. Dressed in a classic chef’s uniform, she showed cartoons and told jokes to the amusement of his juvenile audience. …
In the early 1870s, Mississippi lawyer Finis Bates moved with his family to Texas. In 1873, he met a man named John St, Helen, with whom he shared many interests, including the theater, specifically the works of William Shakespeare. The two became friends and saw each other often socially. In 1878, John St. Helens became …
Despite being born with cystic fibrosis, Alice Martineau was determined to succeed. After graduating from college, the pretty blond pursued a career in modeling. She hid her health condition from prospective modeling agencies by arriving very early for interviews so not appear “winded” or tired. She posed for print ads as opposed to runway or …
As a child in Oregon, Daveigh Chase entered local talent shows where her vocal ability was warmly recognized and critically praised. On a trip to Los Angeles, she began attending casting calls, eventually landing a role in a Campbell’s Soup commercial at the age of seven. In 1998, Daveigh was cast in a small role …
Arthur “T-Boy” Ross grew up in a rough part of Detroit. He hung with a rough group until his sister, singer Diana Ross, brought him into Motown Records as a songwriter. T-Boy began a prolific and successful career as a songwriter. He collaborated with Leon Ware and the duo composed songs Marvin Gaye and Michael …
