DCS: edward g. robinson

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 …

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from my sketchbook: patsy kelly

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 …

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from my sketchbook: edwin geist

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 …

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from my sketchbook: james baskett

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 …

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