Happy National Newspaper Week

Oct 6 - 12 is National Newspaper Week. Please try to contain your excitement. Naturally, a (slightly embellished) short history of newspapers is appropriate. Published in today's Virginian-Pilot.

Marsha Hunt Turning 102

If your name is Marsha, there’s a good chance you were named after Marsha Hunt who turns 102 on Oct. 17. Whether you’re named directly or indirectly after the veteran actress probably depends on your age, but nonetheless, Hunt believes she holds claim to being the first girl named Marsha - at least with that spelling... and she wants to hear from you.

Gilligan's Island Turning 55

Gilligan’s Island first aired 55 years ago this September. A new exhibit at the Hollywood Museum will display some neat items from the show. Dawn Wells will be on hand for the opening. Dawn turns 81 in October and looks fabulous. Maybe there was something to all those coconut cream pies. Story here or here.

Marge Champion

Turning 100 this week is one half of the Marge and Gower Champion dance duo - and that would be the Marge half. Still remember her visit to our campus a few years ago when she was just a kid of around 90.
Story here.

Jumping Beans are Back

Hard to find for the past couple of years because of poor weather conditions in Mexico, jumping beans are now available. Batteries not included, because you don't need any to enjoy these little mysteries of nature. Learn all about them here.

Apollo

As if the media wasn't flooded enough with Apollo 11 stories, here's one more. Some years ago, I had the chance to ask several Apollo astronauts some questions about each of their missions. I've resurrected some of their answers here.

Glenn Ford rides again

Another great Monday night of Glenn Ford movies on TCM this July. Last night, a half dozen westerns. Last week I asked Peter if he had been watching his dad's films. His answer was not surprising. He and Lynda now live in Montana, having left Hollywood a few years ago. Why did they leave California? You can read about it here.

Remembering Errol Flynn

Born 110 years ago on June 20, Tasmania's own Errol Flynn. So I cobbled together some comments from my interviews with actors/family over the past 10 years (including unpublished ones from Paul Picerni) and here they are, appropriately, in a Tasmanian newspaper - the Launceston Examiner

Tim Conway

Benoit Photo - used with permission

Some actors are just universally loved like Tim Conway. Many actors are also involved in charitable causes and for Tim his work to help injured jockeys made him even more respected and loved.  We talked about this some years ago. Interview updated as we remember him in the Courier-Journal.

Eggs, Rabbits and Easter

We're used to associating eggs and rabbits with Easter, but why? All is explained right here.