Jason Statham, the stunningly handsome man you occasionally see glistening on the cover of Men’s Health or kicking The Rock in the face in the latest Fast and the Furious movie, is primarily known for two kinds of roles- action movies, where he uses his formidable athleticism to beat up dozens of nameless thugs, and comedy films, where he usually […]

It was the Christmas season of 1963 when the Beatles agreed to star in “The Beatles Christmas Shows” at the Astoria Cinema in Finsbury Park, London. These shows had been arranged by the Beatles’ manager, Brian Epstein, and included several of his other acts including Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, Tommy Quickly and Cilla Black. These shows were, quite […]

There’s a good chance you’ve never heard of Mantan Moreland. But, if you are lucky enough to have seen him in a film—any film—you’ll definitely remember him. Moreland’s comic timing manages to transcend the decades in films like King of the Zombies (1941), where he steals the show, saving what would otherwise be a completely forgettable (and by now, probably […]

The date was July 25, 1956. The place was the world-famous Copacabana nightclub in New York City. Dean Martin, the suave, smooth, baritone singer and his hilarious comedy partner, Jerry Lewis, were about to go onstage for the 2:30 a.m. show. It was to be their last of three shows that night, and also the final appearance of the most […]

The following is an article from Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Here’s an inside look at the world’s most popular comic strip and the man who created it. BACKGROUND To say that Peanuts is the most famous daily comic strip in the history of the art form is an understatement. Like Superman and Mickey Mouse, Peanuts transcended its medium and became […]

The Beatles’ 1967 hit “Strawberry Fields Forever” has long been considered one of the greatest pop songs ever recorded. Released in February of that year as a double A side single along with Penny Lane, the song peaked at number eight on the US Billboard charts (The Turtles’ “Happy Together” was number one that week). In 2011, Rolling Stone named […]

On June 3, 1964 Ringo Starr inexplicably collapsed and was rushed to the hospital where it was found he was suffering from severe tonsillitis that required immediate surgery. Unfortunately for the band, Ringo had collapsed literally the day before they were due to embark on their world tour, for which many thousands of tickets had already been sold and a […]

John K. asks: I heard that the NFL is tax-exempt. Why is this when they make billions every year? The NFL made over nine billion dollars this past year in gross revenue. That is over one billion dollars more than Major League Baseball, the next most profitable American professional sports league. The Jacksonville Jaguars, the NFL’s least valuable team, is […]

Whenever a director needs to finish a work without a particular actor, but needs to make it appear as if said actor is being filmed, they employ a “Fake Shemp.”  So who was the “Shemp” in question and how did the saying get its start in Hollywood?  It all began with the Three Stooges and a particular contractual obligation. The […]

The Beatles hit the big-time and became national stars in Britain in early 1963. They toured the country, playing countless gigs in theaters, music halls, and clubs. Their records and albums, each one seemingly better than the last, soon perpetually reached the #1 spot in their respective sales charts. They appeared on every possible contemporary television show. The next logical […]