In the 1960's and 70's there was no more recognizable face on television than that of Foster Brooks. He was that drunk guy who would stumble into a scene and confuse his words in a drunken stupor.
Born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1912. Foster Brooks started his career as a radio announcer and singer. In the 1950's Brooks moved to Los Angeles to start a stand up career. It was then he came up with his signature character the drunken guy. He was the lovable lush usually attending a convention. He wasn't so drunk he couldn't stand up but drunk enough to confuse the situations he found himself in. It was on the Dean Martin Celebrity Roast that Brooks really made his name. He was famous for inviting Dean Martin to join his organization "Alcoholics Unanimous".
Brooks also appeared on several TV shows as a sober person. In real life Brooks rarely drank. He once claimed he gave up drinking as part of a $10. "At the time I needed the $10."
Foster Brooks died in Los Angeles in 2001.
We all knew this would happen it has been like waiting for the next shoe to fall. Justine Bieber has been arrested. The poor little mess has been walking a tight rope and the time has come for the fall. The mistake Justine made was to be in Miami. Florida is a state not known for its tolerance and Miss B is lucky no gun was pulled. No Justine is in the slammer and all the rats will leave the ship. Lets see who is still around in the next couple of weeks.
PS don't Drop the soap honey!
Picture this: It's 1980, you are 13 years old working in a cleaners in South London and you like to sing,the next thing you know Malcolm McLaren comes into the shop and offers you a record contract; naturally you take it and in no time at all you are on "Top of the Pops" and MTV everyone knows your name and your name is Annabella.
True Story!
Annabella Lwin has lived every punk rock girls dream. Her story is the ultimate 1980's punk rock dream come true. The stuff of an early Gary Oldman movie! Discovered while in high school Malcolm McLaren made her the lead singer for the band Bow Wow Wow. He took her from the streets to international stardom almost over night. They charted with several singles including "I want Candy" and then she really knew fame when she appeared nude on the album cover for their first full length record "See Jungle..."
Three years later she was booted form the band and made an attempt at a solo career. She did record but never achieved the success that she had seen with Bow Wow Wow. In 1997 the band reformed and went on a North American tour with No Doubt.
Annabella still performs and has been doing so with some minor success. She is now 47 years old.
There are certain actresses you know by face but never by name. Ruth McDevitt is one of those actresses. her stock character was a befuddled and some what confused lady and she played them to the hilt. Her film career started after the death of her husband in the 1930's.
She was born in Michigan in 1895 with the name Ruth Thane Shoecraft and studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts fully intending a career as an actress. She met and married her widowed husband after graduating and decided to devote her time to being a wife. It was after he died she slowly got back into acting first in small theater and eventually taking a role in "Arsenic and Old Lace" on Broadway. She is in her late 40's and early 50's when her career really took off. She was cast as Wally Cox's mother on his TV sitcom "Mr. Peepers".
She appeared on television and in movies until her death in the 1970's. She moved to Los Angeles and found she was constantly cast in roles. She played the pet shop owner in Hitchcock's "The Birds" as well as several films with Don Knotts. She also appeared in "The Parent Trap" and "Mame".
Ruth McDevitt died at the age of 80 in Hollywood in 1976.
Who is the best Nazi in the world? John Banner! His real name may not be a household word but his character's is. John Banner played the iconic character of Sergeant Hans Georg Schultz on the popular TV series "Hogan's Heroes".
Banner was actually a Austrian Jew born in Vienna. He escaped the Nazi occupation and got to Hollywood. Banner was then cast as a Nazi in the anti-German films during and after the war. His career was stalled until he had his break through as Sgt. Schultz the most inept Nazi in a stalag of ineptitude Stalag 13.
John Banner after his fame on "Hogan's Heroes" was able to be cast in guest starring role on many TV shows. He and his wife decided to return to his native Austria in 1972. It was while visiting friends in Vienna John (Johann Banner) Banner died. It was on his 63rd birthday.
Kappa Alpha Psi may just go down as the wildest frat in the good ole USA. They decided to have a toy drive for the Xmas season at a hotel in Long Beach, California. Well you know how toy drives can get, the next thing you know a festive holiday step contest starts up as they do. Natch a riot breaks out. Sucker punches and pepper spray rear theirs heads. Happy Holidays!
