Jim Souder was my illustration teacher in my senior year of art school. In my four years of art school, he was arguably the best teacher I had. (And this statement comes from someone who hates to rank and rate things. Let’s just say every other teacher I had was tied for second place.) When …
Pennsylvania-born Felicity Colby enrolled in ballet and other dance classes as a child. She had dreams of becoming a professional dancer. She was lucky enough to be cast in several musicals before trying her hand at dancing on the London scene in the 1960s. In late 1966, Felicity — now going by “Flick” — founded …
Debra DeSanto was born in Pierre, South Dakota in 1955. However, there may never have been a “Debra DeSanto” born in Pierre, South Dakota in 1955. In 1978, producer-director-entrepreneur Jim Clark (sometimes known as “Jim Buckley”) released the pornographic film Debbie Does Dallas. The film, a loose account of the trials and tribulations of an …
Colorado-born Randy VanWarmer moved to England with his family just after the sudden death of his father. The musical Randy, a teenager at the time, wrote several songs. He was signed by Albert Grossman’s Bearsville Records. In 1978, Randy released his debut album Warmer. The disc spawned the hit single Just When I Needed You …
I met Lynne Marie Stewart at a collector show in Gaithersburg, Maryland, along with her best friend, actress Cindy Williams. I have been going to collector shows and autograph conventions for many, many years, back when I used to collect autographed photos of some of my favorite celebrities who featured prominently in films and TV …
David Johansen, the front man of the seminal glam-punk band The New York Dolls, passed away in February 2025 after a five year battle with cancer, exacerbated by a fall in late 2024 in which he broke his back in two places. Despite his raucous, exuberant, over-the-top stage persona, David was — by all accounts, …
In 1959, three Detroit musicians formed a singing group called “The Blenders…” with little success. The next year, popular singer Jackie Wilson suggested the trio become a quartet with the addition of Jackie’s cousin Hubert Johnson. Hubert was accepted and the group changed their name to The Contours. Soon after, music impresario Berry Gordy signed …
As a young man in New Orleans, Sam Theard began performing in the circus, as well as theaters and nightclubs. In 1929, accompanied by noted blues musicians Tampa Red and Cow Cow Davenport, Sam wrote and recorded “Ill Be Glad When You’re Dead, You Rascal You” under the whimsical moniker “Lovin’ Sam from Down in …
