Jimmy Durante

Jimmy Durante was an all-around entertainer, from the early 1900s right into the 1970s. He performed on stage, in movies, on radio, and on tv during his very long career.

Mr. Durante was one of my earliest autographed photo requests. I wrote him in 1968, sending the letter to his residence in Beverly Hills, and he responded with this letter and this 5x7 photo.

For a few years following, I sent him a Christmas card. He always sent one in return, always with a theme of 'Santa playing a piano'. Below is one from 1970.

Here's a video clip from 1960 of Jimmy Durante joking and singing along with Steve Allen.

Marjorie White bio now available

This is being posted as a courtesy to Gary Olszewski, who has completed his thoroughly researched biography of 1930s actress Marjorie White, and is now making it available on CD.

Click here for my original blog posting about Gary's research.
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Here are a few sample images from the CD, followed by purchasing information:

Mary Wickes

Mary Wickes was an actress who began her movie career in the 1930s, and in tv shows from the 1960s into the 1990s. She is known for her supporting and character roles.

Ms. Wickes is probably best remembered for two characters - 'Marie Murkin' in the 1980s tv series "Father Dowling Mysteries" which starred Tom Bosley and Tracy Nelson, and as 'Sister Mary Lazarus' in two comedy feature movies, "Sister Act" (1992) and its sequel "Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit" (1993), both starring Whoopi Goldberg.

I wrote to Ms. Wickes in 1985, to her Los Angeles residence, requesting a photo, and she sent this photo within two weeks.

Wynne Gibson

Wynne Gibson was a beautiful blonde actress who appeared in a few dozen movies of the 1930s. The movies were B-features and she played leading and supporting roles. She left the on-screen part of the movie business to become an agent.

I sent her this photo in 1981, to her residence in Laguna Niguel, California, and she returned it within two weeks.

Lowell Thomas

Lowell Thomas was a renowned broadcaster who was a well-traveled person. He broadcast his radio shows from all around the world, wherever he happened to travel. Additionally, he narrated dozens of movie travelogues in the 1930s, as well as wrote many books about his travels.

I'd heard some of his early radio broadcasts when I was collecting 'old-time radio shows' in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He always made everything so very interesting.

In 1980, I wrote to him at his residence in Pawling, New York, sending him two photos I requested he sign. He did, and returned them within one week. They can be seen here and here.

Lois January

Lois January was an actress who played leading and supporting roles in many B-movies of the 1930s. She's probably best remembered today, though, for being the leading lady in several B-westerns, co-starring with 'cowboy' actors Johnny Mack Brown, Fred Scott, Bob Steele, and others. I liked her in those features, as she was very pretty and certainly a sight to see among all those rough and tumble cowboys and horses. I'd also seen her in one or two non-westerns.

In 1982, I sent her this vintage portrait, which she signed and returned within two weeks, including two 'contemporary' photos which can be seen here and here.

Virginia Sale

Virginia Sale was a character actress who appeared in nearly a couple hundred movies and several tv shows from the late 1920s until she retired in the 1970s. She was adept at playing both dramatic and comedic roles, but it's latter for which she is remembered by fans of old movies.

When I wrote to Miss Sale in 1981, she was a resident of the Motion Picture Country Home in Woodland Hills, California. I sent her this character pose, which she signed and returned within two weeks.