Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Looks like he caught the streetcar


The young Mr. Aldredge had little interest in theater, but wanted to see the inside of a grand Broadway house. He asked the stagehands -- for stagehands they must surely be -- for a peek.

“Buy a ticket,” one replied, and he did, for $1.80.

From his seat, Mr. Aldredge watched as the “stagehands” -- Karl Malden and Marlon Brando -- walked out under the lights to play “A Streetcar Named Desire,” and after that he was never completely the same.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

The Cliff Notes version?


Dennis Thalman, 63, of Scottsdale, AZ. Born in Oak Park, to Margaret and Marshall, attended Ascension, Oak Park High, and DePaul. Our lives were immeasurably enriched by knowing and loving him. He made us laugh. Private service to be held at the Veterans Cemetery, in Phoenix, AZ. Donations to pancreatic cancer research.

(This is how all obits would read if copy editors got their hands on them!)

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Friday, July 15, 2011

Dickie Douglas-Boyd, WWII pilot turned peacetime book salesman


Pelham also published successful dog books, though Douglas-Boyd's affection for dogs waned after an accident when mowing the lawn barefoot: he sliced off his big toe, and before he could retrieve it ...

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Can you name all the U.S. presidents -- in order? How about state capitals?


Dave loved small children and few got by him without being squeezed, pinched or even bitten, much to the horror of their mothers; but the kids seemed to love it as they often came back and offered up their arm or cheek for more.

Dave was a prodigious reader who loved history and poetry and could still recite poems he learned in grade school. His great memory also allowed him to name all of the Presidents of the United States in order and all of the state alphabetically with their capitols, a feat that he took great pride in and that amazed others.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

I love it when people are other than they appear, don't you?


Jane Marie Scott was born in Cleveland on May 3, 1919. The first record she bought was Jimmy Rushing singing “Sent for You Yesterday,” which she played on her hand-cranked Victrola. (A Victrola is something like an iPod, only larger.)

H/T to Tad Friend