Born Alice Jones in Edinburgh, Scotland, Quinn O’Hara (taking the more colorful Anglo name) was named the first “Miss Scotland” as an entrant in a beauty contest that predated the Miss Universe Pageant. She moved to southern California when she landed uncredited roles in a trio of Jerry Lewis films in the early 1960s. In 1966, …
Chris Cornell, the pioneering grunge guitarist and founder of the bands Soundgarden and Audioslave, performed for the last time on May 17. His final song of the evening was a cover of Led Zeppelin’s In My Time of Dying. After the show, he hanged himself in his Detroit hotel room. He was 52.
My mom, circa late 1939.
A runner-up in the 1951 Miss Universe pageant, Anita Ekberg was offered a “starlet’s contract” by Universal Pictures, despite speaking very little English. She was given small roles in a handful of films including Blood Alley, Hollywood or Bust and the Martin & Lewis comedy Artists and Models. However, Anita was the darling of the …
Mary Frances Penick was given the nickname “Skeeter” by her grandfather because she was a bundle of energy. The outgoing youngster met Betty Jack Davis in high school and the two became best friends. Going by the name “The Davis Sisters,” Skeeter and Betty sang in school, in church and, eventually, on a Detroit radio station. …
A clerk at a Chicago Marshall Fields department store, Mary Dorothy Slaton was spotted by band leader Herbie Kay in a local talent show. Herbie introduced her to the vaudeville circuit, where she sang under the stage name “Dorothy Lamour,” a play on her stepfather’s surname of “Lambour.” Soon, Dorothy had her own fifteen minute radio show …
After signing with an agent at five years-old, Erin Moran was cast as a regular in the wildlife adventure series Daktari in 1968. She went on to film several theatrical movies, including Melvin Van Peebles’ social commentary Watermelon Man and the family drama 80 Steps to Jonah in which she played a blind girl. Erin appeared …
Joan Blondell placed fourth in the 1926 Miss America Pageant, but used the opportunity to get jobs as a model and eventually a Broadway actress. She caught the eye of Al Jolson, who cast her opposite James Cagney in the musical Penny Arcade. It was the first of several films in which Joan would appear …
I remember watching Don Rickles on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson in the 70s. He was funny. He was very funny and very unlike all of the other comedians of the time. While guys like Bob Hope told corny jokes and Milton Berle did goofy slapstick shtick, Rickles was visceral. He insulted people. All people. …
Victor Lownes passed away at the age of 88. He spent the last few years of his life in seclusion, rarely making any public appearances. It was a sad ending for such an extroverted and influential man. You’ve never heard of Victor Lownes? I’m not surprised. At 18, Victor married Judith Downs. He had a …
