Sep 27, 2013
The Roosevelt dime was designed by John Sinnock, who was the
chief engraver of the United States Mint when Roosevelt
died.
He said he based the design on a Roosevelt medal he had designed
four years earlier.
But others believe he used the design of an African-American sculptress named Selma Burke, who had been...
Sep 24, 2013
Abe Burrows was a New York wit, a composer/singer of clever
parodies that made him a favorite of Danny Kaye, Robert Benchley,
and Groucho Marx.
He also wrote Broadway musicals, like Breakfast at Tiffany's,
Can-Can, and Guys and Dolls. And he won a Pulitzer Prize for
How to Succeed In Business Without Really...
Sep 16, 2013
One of the best-selling books of 1942 was THIS IS MY BEST,
edited by Whit Burnett. Burnett asked 93 different authors to
name their best short story, and those stories were printed in this
anthology.
In 1944, the anthology became a CBS radio series. Orson
Welles hosted the show for a short time, but he was fired...
Sep 13, 2013
Did you know our Jefferson nickel was designed by a man who
fought against the United States in World War I?
Felix Schlag was a German soldier in that war, but in 1929 he
became an American, and in 1938 his design was chosen for the
Jefferson nickel.
The back of his nickel looked rather goofy, and he was...
Sep 10, 2013
That Brewster Boy was a radio sitcom that ran pretty much
concurrently with World War II.
The formula was typical of radio sitcoms - Mom and Dad, and cute,
popular teenage daughter, and younger, boisterous son.
The main character, Joey Brewster, was played first by Eddie
Firestone, then by Arnold Stang, and finally...