Byte Sized Biographies…

On February 3, 1959, Buddy Holly was in the middle of the tour from hell and would do anything to avoid another three hundred mile, overnight bus ride that already had inflicted frostbite on another band member.  That determination changed American popular music forever. Buddy Holly and Waylon Jennings in a NY photo booth. In mid-January, when the three band members got to NY, Allsup and Bunch che...

Possessing a 167 IQ, admitted to Harvard University at age 16, a uniquely talented mathematician, this former Berkeley college professor became the subject of the longest and most expensive investigation in FBI history. Ted's high school yearbook photo. As a youngster, Ted did develop a precocious interest in reading, math and science, his mother reading to him articles from Scientific American th...

Possessing a 167 IQ, admitted to Harvard University at age 16, a uniquely talented mathematician, this former Berkeley college professor became the subject of the longest and most expensive investigation in FBI history. Kaczynski's drivers license. But Kaczynski had another motive for heading to Chicago.  Before he left Montana on a Greyhound bus, he constructed the first of his explosive devices....

Adolf Hitler intended the 1936 Berlin Olympics as a coming out party for his Aryan Master Race.  African-American Jesse Owens crashed the venue by winning four gold medals. Jesse Owens 1936 At the Penn Relays, he won the long jump and the 100 meter dash.  Unfortunately for Eulace Peacock, the sprinter completely tore his hamstring during a preliminary heat, an injury so severe that Peacock was una...

Adolf Hitler wanted the 1936 Berlin Olympics to be a coming out party for his Aryan Master Race.  Jesse Owens crashed the venue by winning four gold medals. Jesse Owens in the 1936 Olympic Long Jump Owens then had to hustle to the long jump competition which also began at 10:30 AM.  Here he faced an athlete from Germany who was his first formidable foreign competition, a 22 year old German; Carl L...

Of the many political figures involved in Mexico's 1910 Revolution, Pancho Villa remains the most famous and charismatic. Pancho Villa on horseback. Like the history of Mexico itself, Villa’s early life and biography is obscured or disputed.  Much of the information about Pancho Villa came from his own self-serving autobiography or biased journalism and glorifying newsreels from the time period. ...

Of the many political and military figures  involved in Mexico's 1910 Revolution, Pancho Villa remains the most famous and charismatic. Felipe Angeles Villa formally requested that Felipe Angeles be permitted to officially join Villa’s military staff. Angeles was a traditional army officer with an expertise in artillery.  He served during the Diaz government but was in France when the revolution b...

In 1925, a diphtheria epidemic threatened to wipe out the town of Nome, Alaska. Hear the incredible story of the men and dogs who saved the day. Leonard Seppala and his team with Togo (far left) and Fritz (far right. Seppala was employed by Hammon Gold as its main dog driver and the supervisor of freight logistics into the remote areas and mining camps that the company operated.  But Seppala was a...

In 1925, a diphtheria epidemic threatened to wipe out the town of Nome, Alaska. Hear the incredible story of the men and dogs who saved the day. Balto in news footage during re-enactment. Within days Kaasen got an offer from a Hollywood film producer to appear in a movie with his dog team.  Kaasen and Balto were soon standing on the steps of Los angeles’ city Hall with the mayor and Mary Pickford....

Risking his own freedom, Canadian ambassador Kenneth Taylor upheld diplomatic decorum and the international rule of law in the face of a tyrannical and dangerous regime. Mohammed Mossadeq, right, meeting with American Secretay of State Dean Acheson The Shah of Iran appointed a popular veteran politician, Mohammed Mossadeq, in April of 1951.  Mossadeq quickly announced his intention to nationalize...

Risking his own freedom, Canadian ambassador Kenneth Taylor upheld diplomatic decorum and the international rule of law in the face of a tyrannical and dangerous regime. The Ayatollah Khomeini returns to Iran in triumph. Less than three weeks later, the Ayatollah landed at Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport, the city greeting him with a crowd of over three million people.  Khomeini’s political attitudes we...

According to the Library of Congress, The Wizard of Oz is the most viewed film in the history of motion pictures. Still photo with the Wizard of Oz' major characters Most of the other roles were plugged in with various MGM contract players or veteran character actors who got salaries lasting only a few weeks.  Ray Bolger was initially asked to play the Tin Man although he had his heart set on the...

According to the Library of Congress, The Wizard of Oz is the most viewed film in the history of motion pictures. One of the original pairs of the Ruby Slippers. Even the magical slippers, a major plot device in both the novel and film are changed from silver to ruby, to take advantage of the Technicolor film process used for the Wizard of Oz. Dorothy, over the rainbow Judy Garland faced challenge...

Soviet spies who betrayed the secret of the A-Bomb or innocent victims framed by Cold War hysteria, legal corruption and anti-Semitism? Over seventy years later the debate rages on. Julius Rosenberg, mug shot Julius and Ethel Rosenberg began their lives as two of the most unlikely individuals to ever acquire their eventual high profile notoriety.  Julius’ immigrant father, Harry, worked in the Gar...

Soviet spies who betrayed the secret of the A-Bomb or innocent victims framed by Cold War hysteria, legal corruption and anti-Semitism? Over seventy years later the debate rages on. Morton Sobell, while traveling to East Germany in the seventies Sobell was a co-defendant of the Rosenbergs and claimed to be an innocent victim of a government frame-up.  He eventually admitted that he had passed secr...

A uniquely American institution. The Stooges, Mid-Thirties Columbia quickly designated “Women Haters” as the Stooges first project.  They play travelling salesmen who vow never to get married or even romantically involved.  This predictably does not last very long with each Stooge eventually charmed by actress Marjorie White and Larry married to Marjorie.  The studio was encouraged enough by this...

A uniquely American institution. Stooges, with Shemp after Curly's stroke Conversely, Columbia was rather cold hearted, quickly billing Moe, Larry and Shemp as the Original Three Stooges, a designation that was actually historically accurate.  From a production perspective, although unable to duplicate the unique persona of Curly, Shemp was an experienced and disciplined actor who was always prepa...

After searching the Valley of the Kings for decades, for a tomb that every other expert in Egyptology declared nonexistent, Howard Carter eventually discovered the most important archeological find of the 20th century. Howard Carter From the age of 17, Englishman Howard Carter worked in Egypt in the field of archeology.  In the late nineteenth century with color photography as yet unavailable Cart...

After searching the Valley of the Kings for decades, for a tomb that every other expert in Egyptology declared nonexistent, Howard Carter eventually discovered the most important archeological find of the 20th century. Anubis, God of the Dead Alabaster ceremonial cup from the tomb of Tutankhamen The Lotus Bust of Tutankhamen, which raised suspicion about Carter's methodology Detail from the second...

Fletcher Christian and William Bligh are permanently linked to the Mutiny on the Bounty. Listen to the true story of this infamous incident. Fletcher Christian Initially, Fletcher Christian was not destined for a naval career.  He was Born on the 25th of September, 1764 in the Cumbrian village of Eaglesfield. His father, Charles, was a wealthy attorney originally from the Isle of Man.  Descended f...

Fletcher Christian And William Bligh are permanently linked to the Mutiny on the Bounty. Here is the true story of this infamous incident. Wreck of the HMS Pandora The Pandora, towing a launch constructed by the mutineers during their stint on Tahiti, reached the vicinity of the Great Barrier Reef in late August. Whether he was careless or stupidly sailing in the dark, Edwards struck a reef on the...

In his sixty year career, Alfred Hitchcock established himself as one of the most important cultural figures of the 20th century Publicity photo for The Birds, early sixties. A photo of Hitchcock, early in his career Hitchcock broke into show business by getting a job with the newly arrived motion picture studio Famous Players-Lasky British Producers, a venture associated with Paramount Pictures. ...

In his sixty year career, Alfred Hitchcock established himself as one of the most important cultural figures of the 20th century. Robert Walker and Farley Granger in Strangers on a Train   Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly in Rear Window   Grace Kelly, publicity photo for Rear Window Vertigo movie poster   With Kim Novak on the set of Vertigo   Cary Grant, North by Northwest   Eva Marie Saint, North b...

Although he never robbed a bank or a train, never fought a traditional duel and didn't drink, Billy the Kid remains one of America's most notorious outlaws. The only authenticated photo of Billy the Kid, taken in 1880 Over one hundred films have portrayed him in various scenarios ranging from predictable western themes to plots even involving Count Dracula.  He is the subject of music composed by...

He never robbed a bank or a train and never fought a traditional duel but Billy the Kid remains one of America's most notorious outlaws. Sheriff Pat Garrett Garrett was an acquaintance of Billy the Kid, he had even tended bar in Fort Sumner’s most popular saloon.  6’ 6”, and powerfully built, Garrett ran as an alternative to the current lawlessness in Northern New Mexico.  Federal authorities were...