Born: April 29, 1954 Jerry Seinfeld knew from the start exactly what he wanted to do with his life: tell well-crafted, observational jokes about the minutia of life. After graduating from Queens College in 1976, Seinfeld quickly began shaping his unique style of comedy, performing in New York clubs and anywhere and everywhere else he … Continue reading Jerry Seinfeld: “Laid back, cool and glib”
Month: December 2023
Andre the Giant: “Came at him with chains and wrenches and venom”
Born: May 19, 1946 Died: January 28, 1993 When 7-foot-tall Bulgarian wrestler Andre Roussimoff visited South Africa this week, the Grand Hotel in East London found it had no beds large enough for him. So hotel owner Peter Morris called another hotel and borrowed a special bed that was built for ex-President C. R. Swart … Continue reading Andre the Giant: “Came at him with chains and wrenches and venom”
Agatha Christie: “Mrs. Christie herself has vanished”
Born: September 15, 1890 Died: January 12, 1975 It’s 1920 and Agatha Christie has had six books rejected by publishers. She is 30, married to Archibald Christie, a former British military officer turned businessman, and they have a daughter, Rosalind. And then, finally, literary success … followed soon after by the mysterious disappearance of Agatha … Continue reading Agatha Christie: “Mrs. Christie herself has vanished”
Arnold Schwarzenegger: “I am like ordinary man only bigger and stronger”
Born: July 30, 1947 Body building wasn’t a mainstream sport until … Arnold came along. This is the story of how he became bodybuilding’s first worldwide superstar. Arnold Schwarzenegger can, when the mood takes him, punch a hole in a wall. If you ask him nicely, he will blow up your hot water bottle until … Continue reading Arnold Schwarzenegger: “I am like ordinary man only bigger and stronger”
Harry Houdini: “I thought it was the Devil”
Born: March 24, 1874 Died: October 31, 1926 From an 1899 newspaper story The sensation … was the pair of trick artists, called [the] Houdini brothers. Their illusion, entitled “Metamorphosis,” is more mystifying than Herman’s latest Chinese puzzle. In plain view of the audience a man was securely bound with ropes, put in a case, … Continue reading Harry Houdini: “I thought it was the Devil”
Barack Obama: “Down the road, he plans to run for public office”
Born: August 4, 1961 The future P.O.T.U.S. stayed off the radar (and the pages of newspapers) through college (Occidental College and Columbia University) and the first few years of his professional career in New York. He moved back to Chicago in 1985 and eventually landed a job as executive director of the Developing Communities Project … Continue reading Barack Obama: “Down the road, he plans to run for public office”
Bruce Springsteen: Mayhem at the Swim Club
Born: September 23, 1949 Before there was Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band … there was Bruce Springsteen and the Castiles; Earth; Child; and Steel Mill. So many bands! The Castiles (Springsteen on lead guitar, George Theiss on rhythm guitar, Curt Fluhr on bass, Paul Popkins percussion and Vince Maniello on drums) were Springsteen’s … Continue reading Bruce Springsteen: Mayhem at the Swim Club
Oprah Winfrey: “Did not realize her name spelled backwards was Harpo”
Born: January 29, 1954 It was apparent from an early age that Oprah Winfrey was an overachiever destined for success and possibly stardom. At the 1970 annual Awards Day held at East Senior High School, Oprah won the prize for “speech.” It seems Oprah was a spell-binding speaker from an early age. In April 1971, … Continue reading Oprah Winfrey: “Did not realize her name spelled backwards was Harpo”
Alex Trebek: “His natural presence comes through”
Born: July 22, 1940 Died: November 8, 2020 Attention, Mrs. Housewife: A tall, dark and handsome stranger is about to enter your home. He’s a bachelor to boot. Don’t leave your front door unlocked – just close the drapes and turn on your television set. The wavy-haired, mustachioed stranger is a newcomer to American television. … Continue reading Alex Trebek: “His natural presence comes through”
Jackie Robinson: “You need mechanized cavalry to stop him”
Born: January 31, 1919 Died: October 24, 1972 Jackie Robinson made his Major League debut on April 15, 1947, for the Brooklyn Dodgers, breaking baseball’s seemingly unbreakable color line. He was 28 and had already been making headlines in California newspapers for more than a decade as one of the country’s best and most versatile … Continue reading Jackie Robinson: “You need mechanized cavalry to stop him”
From Unknown To Famous 