I haven’t been posting illustrations to this blog as often as I’d like. So, in 2016, I will post at least one illustration per week (maybe more) on the subject for which I’ve gained a reputation — dead celebrities. The first one is actor Edward G. Robinson. Ten-year-old Emmanuel Goldenberg emigrated with his family from …
While appearing in a high school production, young Thalia Dickerson was spotted by a talent scout from Warner Brothers Studios. She was signed to a contract and made her debut with the stage name “Gloria Dickson” in 1937’s They Won’t Forget, a fictionalized account of the events surrounding the murder of 13-year-old Mary Phagan. The film …
Twelve-year old Patsy Kelly made her show business debut as a vaudeville dancer. She eventually moved on to Broadway as a teenager until she landed a contract with producer Hal Roach. Young Patsy appeared in a series of popular shorts with Thelma Todd. Here, she honed her character of the wise-cracking sidekick. Patsy and Thelma …
Edwin Geist taught and composed music and served as occasional conductor in his native Berlin in the early 1930s. However, when Nazi Minister of Propaganda Joseph Goebbels founded the Reichsmusikkammer (The Reich Chamber of Music), Edwin’s music was declared “degenerate,” along with compositions by Debussy, Stravinsky, Mendelssohn, even Artie Shaw and Bennie Goodman. Banned from …
Anne Frank received a journal as a present for her thirteenth birthday. Nearly a month later, she was hiding from the Nazis in a secret annex with her family. She remained in seclusion for a little over two years until someone, who still remains officially unidentified, exposed the family to Nazi officials. Three days after …
“As I grow older, I pay less attention to what men say. I just watch what they do.” — Andrew Carnegie In 1889, self-made millionaire Andrew Carnegie wrote an article called “The Gospel of Wealth,” in which he described the responsibility of the country’s wealthy upper class to share and distribute their surplus funds to …
A one-time pharmacology student, James Baskett headed to New York City to become an actor. He joined Bill “Bojanges” Robinson and Louis Armstrong on Broadway in the all-black revue Hot Chocolates in 1929. When the musical Hummin’ Sam failed to open, James turned to motion pictures, with bit parts in comedies and horror films. He …
In 1980, Saturday Night Live cleaned house. The remaining members of the original “The Not Ready For Prime-Time Players” were let go when creator/producer Lorne Michaels parted ways with the late-night series, and a new crop of sharp, young talent was signed on. Among the new cast members was Charles Rocket. Charles, a graduate of the …
Just as true now as it was then. That Lincoln was a smart guy.
Harry Earles was the most successful actor in Hollywood. The most successful actor under 40 inches tall, that is. Harry came to the United States as Kurt Schneider at the age of 13. He came with his sisters Freida (later called “Grace”) and Hilda (later called “Daisy”). The family, all little people, worked in the circus for a man …
