Thursday, January 31, 2019

6word Portrait: Jackie Robinson

Broke baseball's color barrier; changed America.



Born 100 years ago today (d. 1972)

Wikipedia

Baseball-Reference page

Wednesday, January 30, 2019

6word Portrait: Franklin D. Roosevelt

Led America through Great Depression, WWII



Born this day in 1882 (d. 1945)

Wikipedia

Quotes

Tuesday, January 29, 2019

6word Portrait: W.C. Fields

Never gave suckers an even break.


Born this day in 1880 (d. 1946)

Wikipedia

Video

Monday, January 28, 2019

6word Portrait: Claes Oldenburg

Whimsically turned everyday objects into sculptures.



Born 90 years ago today.



Sunday, January 27, 2019

6word Portrait: Mikhail Baryshnikov

Russian "Misha" defined balletic virtuosity, defected.



Born this day in 1948.

Wikipedia

Video

Saturday, January 26, 2019

6word Portrait: Bob Uecker

Must be in the front row.


Born 85 years ago today.



Friday, January 25, 2019

6word Portrait: Virginia Woolf

Who's afraid of her incisive prose?



Born this day in 1882 (d. 1941)

Wikipedia

Quotes

Thursday, January 24, 2019

6word Portrait: John Belushi

SNL, Animal House, Blues Brothers, forever.



Born 70 years ago today (d. 1982)




Wednesday, January 23, 2019

6word Portrait: Ernie Kovacs

Inventive comedian introduced, influenced TV zaniness.



Born 100 years ago today (d. 1962)

Wikipedia


Video

Tuesday, January 22, 2019

6word Portrait: Sergei Eisenstein

Russian Battleship Potemkin director pioneered montage.



Born this day in 1898 (d. 1948)


Battleship Potemkin online
(Click CC to get English subtitles)

Monday, January 21, 2019

6word Portraits: Plácido Domingo

Spanish tenor with 60-year opera career.


Born this day in 1941

Wikipedia

Video

Sunday, January 20, 2019

6word Portrait: George Burns

'God'ly radio/TV/film comedian lived to 100.



Born this day in 1896 (d. 1996)



Saturday, January 19, 2019

6word Portrait: Edgar Allen Poe

Gothic author/poet quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”



Born 210 years ago today (d. 1949)

Wikipedia

"The Raven" online

Friday, January 18, 2019

6word Portrait: Danny Kaye

"Kid From Brooklyn" later in Skokie



Born this day in 1911 (d. 1987)

Wikipedia

IMDB

Thursday, January 17, 2019

6word Portrait: Betty White

TV star longer than any woman. 



Born this day in 1922

Wikipedia

IMDB

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

6word Portrait: Sade

British Nigerian songstress a "Smooth Operator"



Born 60 years ago today.

Wikipedia

Video

Tuesday, January 15, 2019

6word Portrait: Drew Brees

Saints quarterback; most NFL passing yards



Born 40 years ago today.

Wikipedia

Statistics

Monday, January 14, 2019

6word Portrait: Andy Rooney

"A Few Minutes with" his thoughts.


Born 100 years ago today (d. 2011)



Sunday, January 13, 2019

6word Portrait: Gwen Verdon

Damn Yankees, Sweet Charity, Chicago actress/dancer


Born this day in 1925 (d. 2000)




Saturday, January 12, 2019

6word Portrait: Haruki Murakami

Wrote Kafka on the Shore, 1Q84



Born 70 years ago today.



Friday, January 11, 2019

6word Portrait: Clarence Clemons

"The Big Man joined the band."



Born this day in 1942 (d. 2011)

Wikipedia

Video

Thursday, January 10, 2019

6word Portrait: George Foreman

The heavyweight champion of electric grills. 



Born 70 years ago today. 

Wikipedia

Video

Wednesday, January 9, 2019

6word Portrait: Joan Baez

Preeminent female folk singer and activist.



Born this day in 1941

Wikipedia

Video

Tuesday, January 8, 2019

6word Portrait: Elvis Presley

The King of Rock and Roll.



Born this day in 1935 (d. 1977)



Monday, January 7, 2019

6word Portrait: Jon Lester

Beat lymphoma; won three championship rings.



Born 35 years ago today.

Wikipedia


Baseball-Reference.com

Sunday, January 6, 2019

6word Portrait: Syd Barrett

Early creative force behind Pink Floyd. 



Born this day in 1946 (d. 2006)

Wikipedia


Video

Saturday, January 5, 2019

6word Portrait: Diane Keaton

Earned Best Actress as Annie Hall



Born this day in 1946

Wikipedia

AllMovie.com filmography

Friday, January 4, 2019

6word Portrait: Helmut Jahn

Chicago-based architect known for flashy style. 



Born this day in 1940. 

Wikipedia

Gallery of buildings

Thursday, January 3, 2019

6word Portrait: J. R. R. Tolkien

His Lordly storytelling become Hobbit forming. 



Born this day in 1892 (d. 1973)

Wikipedia

The Tolkien Society

Wednesday, January 2, 2019

6word Portrait: Christopher Durang

Absurdist playwright won Tony in 2013. 



Born 70 years ago today.

Wikipedia

IBDB Broadway Credits

Tuesday, January 1, 2019

6word Portrait: Grandmaster Flash

Pioneering "Message" rapper with Furious Five.



Born (as Joseph Saddler) on this day in 1958.

Wikipedia

Video