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Trav’s Highlights of 2024
More than usual, 2024 was a year of joys and sorrows for us here at Trav S.D. Laboratories. The sorrows you can guess at — they began around November 5. But most of the Travisian twenty-four was grand and exciting. New ground was broken. And for once, my end-of-year wrap-up includes PLENTY of genuine bold faced names, including several movie stars and nationally celebrated authors. More like this going forward, please! Here’s what went down, even as we were movin’ on up:
January:
I was honored to be admitted into the Lambs’ Club, America’s oldest theatrical association, which turned 150 years old this year. I’ve been involved with the Lambs for years as an outsider, but now I’m a card-carrying member, just like many of the bygone stars I worship. Over and above the many events I was involved in there this year, or merely attended, I got my feet wet in doing some research in their wonderful archives, the fruits of which I unveiled in this post back in July. There will be more to follow, without a doubt.
February:
Travalanche (the blog you are now reading) turned sixteen years old. My post on that, the blog’s origins and recent benchmark statistics is here. Since then, we have made numerous improvements. We have introduced the new content streams described here (including the migration of my entire other site called The Travalog), and we have added scores of new finding aids to help with navigation. Throughout November we beefed up our Native American interest section with a series of daily dedicated posts.
The top 10 Travalanche posts for 2024 are as follows (with an * indicating a new post, published this year):
You’ll note that people seem to like the dark stuff. I promise this is not becoming a death site! It’s just that we’ve written about thousands of lives — and all lives end in death.
Also starting in February, this year I released over a thousand posts on my Patreon page that were previously available only to my paying members. Those posts are based around vintage media clips, and often contain substantive additional commentary to go with them. The current system gives supporters exclusive dibs on the new Patreon posts for a month, before they’re released to the public. See them (and please support Travalanche) here.
April
My new book The Marx Brothers Miscellany was published, with an original foreword by the one and only stage and screen star Austin Pendleton (Skidoo, What’s Up, Doc?)!
Also in April, I was a grateful guest on the Marx Brothers Council Podcast, where the topic of discussion was of course the new book.
April
I hosted and co-produced an all-star vaudeville bill at Coney Island USA with my old friend Robert Prichard of Surf Reality!
April
Gave a special talk at the Queens Theatre commemorating the 60th anniversary of the 1964 New York World’s Fair to a house that was standing room only.
May
May
Marxfest, our massive Marx Brothers convention held at the Lambs Club and adjacent ballrooms, as well as Coney Island USA! Got a million great photos in addition to those with the celebrities above, including Gabe Kaplan, Cinco Paul and Stan Lee biographer Danny Fingeroth. Check out the coverage here and here.
June
Was thrilled to be interviewed by director Josh Greenbaum (Too Funny to Fail,Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar,) for his upcoming film Playing POTUS, which also features Alec Baldwin, Dana Carvey, Will Ferrell, Maya Rudolph, Chevy Chase etc.
June
Got a shout-out in John Devore’s new memoir Theatre Kids, the cover of which was designed by my genius wife Carolyn Raship.
June
I inaugurated a new walking tour chronicling the history of show business in New York which I believe will be a keeper. It starts at Castle Clinton and winds up, several miles later, at Lincoln Center.
July
I was the first guest ever on Coney Island USA’s Dick Zigun’s new Youtube show.
July
July
Caught up with my old Comedy Corps colleague Illeana Douglas at the Lambs
August
It had been ages since I’d been asked to review a Broadway production, so I was particularly thrilled to get the assignment to opine on the hottest show in town, Oh Mary!
August
The release of the audiobook version of Chain of Fools, starring me!
September
Spoke on the Marx Brothers’ time in Great Neck to a packed house at the Great Neck Historical Society.
October
Spoke on the Marx Brothers and Surrealism at the Lambs. I was especially thrilled to have in the audience Diane Kiesel, the New York State judge in the Anna Delvey case, whose new book When Charlie Met Joan (about the legal battle between Charlie Chaplin and Joan Barry) comes out in February.
October
My entrepreneurial oldest son Cashel launched his own business in Portland, Maine: Lay Day Roasters! I’m proud as a peacock! Their coffee is delicious and they ship, so order your subscription today!
November
I gave the opening speech at Glen Heroy’s brand new Coney Island Clown Skool.
November
Celebrated the Centennial of the birth of the great actress Geraldine Page with three articles (a biography, a feature about Torn Page’s monthlong celebration, and a review of Angelica Page’s one woman show about her mom). There is yet another piece of this yet to come, so stay tuned!
November
Jason Trachtenburg (whom I consider a national treasure) held a screening of his 2020 film of Me and Lee: The Musical (in which I appeared) in Brooklyn.
November
Second son Charlie returned from his two and a half year hitch with the Peace Corps in Zambia. He improved a lot of lives during his stint, but also mine! Check it out: he introduced me to Zamrock!
December
A few days ago I learned the cool news that, for the first time ever, a theatrical show I had something to do with is going to Broadway. I was in on early writing sessions for the untitled project that became Dead Outlaw with David Yazbek, a LONG time ago (over 15 years ago). The entire idea was his, and it was too loosey-goosey at this early stage for me to claim there is anything of me in the final product (we parted ways after 3 or 4 sessions) but I did spend a considerable amount of time in the glorious headspace of the story of the hapless outlaw and accidental mummy Elmer McCurdy. Very much looking forward to its Broadway opening on April 27!
Coming Up:
Behind the scenes this year work also proceeded on many projects that will bear fruit next year, including two new books, a short film, a long-simmering opera, a podcast and Youtube series, more variety shows, and the resumption of the public speaking tour I left off on at the start of the pandemic five years ago.
Knock wood, though! The man who enters 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in about three weeks specializes in disrupting lives. So there’s that to anticipate as well.
I want to close, as always, by thanking you. For reading, for showing up, and for supporting this Quixotic enterprise. Without you, I’m chopped liver. (I’m chopped liver in any case. Ultimately, so are we all).
Have a Happy New Year! And also: have some chopped liver.
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