As a teenager, Ray Nelson was an avid science fiction fan and budding writer in the genre.  After graduation from high school, Ray attended the University of Chicago, where he majored in theology. Post college, he spent four years in Paris, where he rubbed elbows with such iconic and influential writers as William S. Burroughs, Jean-Paul Sarte and Allen Ginsburg. He worked with other writers smuggling government-banned Henry Miller novels out of France.

Ray had a number of his stories and cartoons published in a variety of science fiction periodicals. His most famous story — Eight O’Clock in the Morning — was published in late 1963. Nearly twenty years later, director John Carpenter used the tale as the basis for his film They Live. The the late 1960s, Ray befriended and collaborated with author Philip K. Dick on several projects. He also supplied Dick with LSD on several occasions. Ray continued to write into his later years, winning the prestigious Philip K. Dick Award in 1982 for his novel The Prometheus Man.

Ray Nelson passed away in November 2022 at the age of 91.

Despite his success and recognition as a writer, Ray is better remembered for something else. As a high school student in Cadillac, Michigan, Ray invented the propeller beanie cap as a symbol for the science fiction fan community. He also claimed that he created the “Beany” character for the children’s’ television series Time For Beany (later known as Beany and Cecil). Ray said that he submitted the character to a contest in 1948 as a 17-year old. This story is debated and animator Bob Clampett is officially credited as the creator of Beany and Cecil.

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Baroness Daisy von Freyberg zu Eisenberg was born to an  impoverished, yet aristocratic German family in the early 1900s. Using the stage name “Daisy D’Ora,” she pursued an acting career. She changed her name to avoid embarrassment to her family. Although they lacked wealth, they still had their pride. At the time, a career in “show business” was looked down upon by high society.

Daisy appeared in a number of silent films, moist notably Pandora’s Box with Louise Brooks. The film was acclaimed worldwide and Daisy’s stardom soared. However, she left her chosen profession in 1930 to enter the world of beauty pageants, becoming Miss Germany and eventually entering the 1931 Miss Universe contest.

Daisy later married Nazi diplomat Oskar Schlitter and gave birth to two children. She outlived her spouse and both of her offspring, passing away in June 2010 at the age of 97.

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From his humble beginnings as an in-hose songwriter getting paid fifty dollars a week, Bern Berns elevated himself to one of the most prolific songwriters and producers you never heard of.

In 1960, Bert Berns took a job with a music publishing company. In 1961, the Jarmels recorded “A Little Bit of Soap,” one of Bert’s compositions, and it became a hit. From that point, there was no looking back. Bert wrote or co-wrote hit after hit after hit, including “Twist and Shout” for the Isley Brothers (and later The Beatles), “Tell Him” by The Exciters, “Cry to Me” by Solomon Burke and “Cry Baby” first recorded by Garnett Mimms but later served as a big hit for Janis Joplin.

In 1962, Bert replaced the great Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller as staff producer at Atlantic Records. Here, Bert worked the board and his magic for the likes of  his pal Solomon Burke as well as the Drifters, Barbara Lewis, Little Esther Phillips, Ben E. King, Wilson Pickett and LaVern Baker.

With the burgeoning British Invasion taking over the music charts and a number of Bert’s songs being recorded by British bands, Bert became the first American producer to travel to England. He produced songs for Decca recording stars like Van Morrison’s Them and Lulu.

My the mid-60s, Bert started his own record label — BANG Records — where he signed The McCoys, The Strangeloves, Van Morrison and an up-and-coming singer-songwriter named Neil Diamond. A year later, Bert formed Shout Records to showcase his love of rhythm and blues. He wrote “Piece of My Heart” for singer Erma Franklin, but, a short time after, psychedelic band Big Brother and the Holding Company recorded the song with singer Janis Joplin taking the vocals.

With a history of heart trouble from an early age when he contracted rheumatic fever, Bert passed away in his New York apartment in the last week of December 1967. He accomplished a lifetime of success by the age of 38.

Led Zeppelin recorded the unreleased tune “Baby Come On Home,” in 1968. Originally entitled “A Tribute to Bert Berns,” the song finally saw the light of day in a rarities box set released in 1993. The song was credited to Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and Bert Berns.

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While working as a model, Imogene Robertson was discovered by Broadway impresario Florenz Ziegfeld and immediately he put her into his famous follies, performing under the name “Imogen ‘Bubbles’ Wilson.” Entertainment columnist Mark Hellinger noted that only two people in the country could draw out every reporter in New York — The President of the United States and Imogene Robertson. Imogene began a tumultuous affair with married comedian Frank Tinney, in which Tinney frequently beat her. The affair, coupled with Imogene’s suspected drug use, forced Ziegfeld to fire her.

Imogen moved to Germany where she appeared in a number of films to much success. After a few years, she decided to return to Hollywood, using the name “Mary Nolan” to disassociate herself from previous scandals.  She made a couple of pictures for United Artists before signing with Universal. While at Universal, “Mary” began an affair with married studio executive Eddie Mannix. On several occasions, Mannix severely beat “Mary.” The results of one beating landed “Mary” in the hospital for six months. While recovering, she became addicted to morphine. Her addiction caused a decline in her desirability as an actress. “Mary” was relegated to bit parts in low-budget movies produced by Poverty Row studios. She made her final screen appearance in 1933.

Bad investments and a failed attempt at operating a Hollywood dress shop led to a deep depression for “Mary.” She moved to New York to try her hand at the vaudeville circuit. Unpaid bills caught up with her and she was sent to jail and later to Bellevue for psychiatric evaluation. In 1937, “Mary” returned to Hollywood. She sold her life story to American Weekly — a Hearst publication — and appeared in several issues.

In late 1948, “Mary” was discovered dead in her apartment from an overdose of Seconal. She was 45. Her few personal possessions — including Rudolph Valentino‘s piano — were sold at an estate sale.

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