Odd, but true: Bela Lugosi, a pioneer in American film and a legend of classic horror roles, died at the age of 73 in the summer of 1956, and was buried most fittingly in one of his “Dracula” capes.Ironic, then, that Dracula was buried in a cemetery named Holy Cross.
First Dog update: It’s down to labradoodle vs. Portuguese water dog.
Last year The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ran a 40th anniversary feature on the death of Martin Luther King. It’s well worth a visit on this week of Dr. King’s 80th birthday. The feature is packed full of photos, story archives, links, and videos like the one below, with his friends talking about the days before he died.
Here’s a great 10-minute interview with Arne Duncan, the new Secretary of Education-to-be. (Courtesy of the education site Edutopia.)Duncan’s a fascinating guy. His basketball history has gotten quite a bit of coverage, and rightfully so: After starring at Harvard, he went to Australia and played pro ball from 1987-91.
“Thank God that Doris Kearns Goodwin didn’t write a profile of Montezuma’s cabinet. Otherwise they’d be eating human flesh at Barack Obama’s inauguration!”Political Machine chuckling about the Lincoln-oriented menu for Inauguration Day.
People swears that it’s not like last time. This time it’s absolutely, positively for certain: Tom Brady is marrying Gisele Bündchen.”The couple is discussing a huge fashionista event in the spring or a more intimate and quicker ceremony in Costa Rica, where Gisele has a home.”
We had 1924 as the birth year for Telly Savalas, but our friends at Answers.com asked us to double-check the date.We did, by writing to CMG Worldwide, the management company that runs the official Telly Savalas website and manages his image for his estate. Their reply:Hello, thank you for your inquiry on Telly Savalas. I have confirmed his birthdate was Jan. 21, 1922. Thank you for you time and concern. Regards,Matt Graves
That was the complete six-word inaugural address of the Barack Obama stand-in at today’s practice inauguration.Obama was played by an Army staff sergeant wearing a sign reading “Pres.-Elect Obama”; Michelle Obama’s stand-in was a Navy yeoman.Stars and Stripes has photos.
Blast from the distant past: Kurt Russell tries out for the part of Han Solo in Star Wars…
William Zantzinger, the villain in Bob Dylan’s 1964 song “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll,” has died at age 69.