Much like Lou Costello, Tom Smothers was a character. His stammering naiveté was a concisely conceived and performed character. That’s right — a character. Tom was a star competitor in track and field at San Jose State College, as well as a competitive unicyclist. Tom, along with his younger brother Dick, set out to be …
In 1941, after a few roles in live-action films, Kent Rogers kicked off his career as a voice actor with a role in Goofy Groceries, a “Merrie Melodies” animated short directed by Bob Clampett. Just two months later, Kent’s talents were given a chance to shine, as he voiced 14 different characters in the famous …
Victoria María Aragüés Gadea studied classical ballet for fifteen years, eventually performing on stages in and around her native Barcelona. Victoria had a sort of novelty act with her sister, a contortionist. After the death of dictator Francisco Franco, Spain began to relax its strict laws on the sexual explicity of entertainment. Victoria, ready to …
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 …
