Entertainers

Famous actor and comedian Robin Williams playing his popular role as Mork (from Ork) on the 1970's television show "Mork and Mindy". Robin McLaurim William has won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, two Emmy Awards, four Golden Globes, two Screen Actors Guild Awards and five Grammy Awards.

This is an early photo of Mr Riley B. King (1925 - 2015) described as a blues singer, song writer, and guitarist - but better described as legend. B.B. King (his stage name) was born in Mississippi on a cotton plantation near the town of Itta Bena. His parents were sharecroppers. His recording career began with his first single in 1949. It took a couple of years for him to catch on, but when he did, a legend was born. He was married twice and had between 11 and 15 children. At the time of his death, on May 14th, 2015, he was living in Las Vegas. You could say "the thrill is gone" but his music and his guitar, Luciille, will be with us forever. Thank you, B.B!

A child playing with Howdy Doody, the main character of "Howdy Doody", an American children's television program. The series was created by E. Roger Muir and produced by NBC.

A photo of James Scott Bumgarner (James Garner) born April 7, 1928, taken in the 1950's. He was born in Norman, Oklahoma, the youngest of 3 boys. His mother died when he was 5 and he and his brothers went to live with relatives until his father remarried. His relationship with his step-mother was rocky at best, and her actions led to a divorce by his father. He joined the Army during the Korean War and won a Purple Heart during that conflict. After the war, he turned to acting, legally changing his name to "Garner". He is probably best known to Baby Boomers as Bret Maverick on "Maverick" and Jim Rockford in "The Rockford Files". My favorite movie role of his was in "Support Your Local Gunfighter" - he was good looking and funny! James Garner died on July 19, 2014 in Brentwood Hollywood of natural causes. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.

A photo of John Patrick Clancy, son of Frederick Clancy. Frederick Melton "Foghorn" Clancy was a famous rodeo promoter, historian, and author. Since he was born in 1882, and already famous by 1923, this is probably a photo of a young boy impersonating him. So cute! At the age of 15, Foghorn picked up a job as a town crier for a newspaper in Texas. This is where he got his nickname - he had a booming voice! He and a friend entered a local bronc riding contest - Foghorn was bucked off but his voice had become well enough known that the promoter of the contest offered him a job as an announcer. (Remember - microphones were decades in the future. A booming voice could be heard in a huge arena.) At the beginning of his career, Foghorn announced not only Wild West Shows (rodeos) but also polo games, boxing matches, and carnivals. By the early 1900's, he had become famous throughout the nation. As time went on, Clancy branched out into promoting the rodeos he announced - and when the microphone became ubiquitous, he began writing about the early West. One of his books - My Fifty Years in Rodeo: Living with Cowboys, Horses and Danger - is still a source for historians. Foghorn died in 1957. Thirty four years later - in 1991 - he was posthumously inducted into the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum’s, Rodeo Hall of Fame. No wonder this little boy wanted to be him!

A photo of Laurence Herman (1918 - 1996)

John Robert "Joe" Cocker seen singing "With a Little Help from My Friends" at the 1969 Woodstock festival at approximately 2pm Sunday. Joe Cocker is a famous British signer most known for his cover versions of songs made popular by the Beatles.

A photo of Bill Paxton, actor and director. He appeared in The Terminator, Weird Science, Aliens, Predator 2, True Lies, Twister, Titanic, and many other movies. Nominated for an Emmy for the tv movie The Hatfields and McCoys, he also starred in "Big Love" on HBO. After heart surgery, it is reported that complications from the surgery lead to a stroke, ending his life on February 25th, 2017 at the age of 61. He is survived by his wife, Louise, and children James and Lydia. James is also an actor. RIP Mr. Paxton - you entertained us all.

RIP Alice. A picture of Ann B Davis and Allan Melvin - Alice and Sam the butcher on "The Brady Bunch." Ann Bradford Davis was born Schenectady, New York on May 5, 1926. She first became well-known as the character "Schultzy" on the Bob Cummings show. Remember that? But her most well-known character was Alice the housekeeper on the Brady Bunch. . Ann died June 1, 2014 after complications from a fall at her home in San Antonio Texas. She never married and had no children.

This is a photo of Agnes Moorehead added by Amanda S. Stevenson on April 5, 2020.

In the mid-1960s, Alex Trebek was the host of CBC-TV's Music Hop, a CBC-TV teen dance show that aired for several years and featured various musical guests. (Barry Wilson/CBC Still Photo Collection)

This is a photo of Max Von Sydow added by Amanda S. Stevenson on March 9, 2020.

Joan Rivers (Joan Alexandra (Molinsky) Rosenberg) was born June 8, 1933 In Brooklyn New York, the daughter or immigrant Russian Jews. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Barnard College and after trying a few other jobs began a career as a stand up comedian at a time when women weren't accepted as stand up comedians. She was always one gutsy lady - breaking into a career that wasn't easy for a woman, recovering and thriving after the suicide of her husband (which left her bankrupt), changing her image and material to reflect current standards, and working until she died. (Not to much all of the plastic surgery!) Joan died on September 4 2014 in Manhattan, New York - not far from where she was born. This is a picture of her with Johnny Carson on the tonight show, early in her career.

My paternal grandfather, Nicolae (the one with the violin) and his friends.

A photo of a lithograph of five elephants playing tubas. Ringling Bros. World's Greatest Shows ... the Funny, Wonderful Elephant Brass Band

Leonard Nimoy, best known for his role as Spock in the original Star Trek television series, dressed as Mr. Spock. Live long and prosper! I believe the child might actually be his son.

Pencil or charcoal drawing, I found this in one of the old family albums, no names are mentioned, but since I have photos of most of the Tomlinson grandparents, this has to be way back there, our family came from around Summitville IN, but have no idea the date this was done.

This is a Vaudeville entertainer named Billy Barty. I am pretty sure he must have performed with Hanlon & Clark.

Art Morrison in his first company car in 1917. Gypsy Oil Co., now Gulf Oil Co.

Alex dedicated his life to his passion of entertaining others.