Moms Mabley, In Vaudeville and On Stage

After a difficult childhood, this comedic icon got her start in vaudeville and the stage before TV helped make her a mainstream star.

by Rich Watson 

It has been suggested that Moms Mabley might have been the first successful stand-up comic. Her heyday was the vaudeville era. She achieved her fame by playing in front of live audiences. She also performed in theater.

With television, Mabley was rediscovered. Even today, her memory has been kept alive.

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Carol Burnett Appeared in a Variety TV Series Before Starring in Her Own

This comedy legend developed her chops as part of a variety series from the Golden Age of TV.

by Rich Watson

Over forty years since her television show went off the air, Carol Burnett is still loved and remembered. This past Halloween, I saw a woman dressed like Burnett from arguably her funniest skit: her Gone With the Wind parody. The costume wasn’t a perfect match for that dress, but it was recognizable.

Before The Carol Burnett Show won hearts and Emmys year after year, its star was part of a different ensemble comedy cast—one from an earlier generation.

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Five Types of Hess Toy Trucks

For almost sixty years, the Hess Corporation has created top-quality toys of their vehicles.

by Rich Watson 

It doesn’t seem likely that toy vehicles used to promote an oil company would be a thing, but it is—and has been for sixty years. 

I should know: I loved Hess toy trucks as a kid. Every time we passed a Hess gas station, it seemed, I’d beg my parents to buy me a toy truck. I remember seeing the TV commercials, the photos in Sears catalogs, and something about these toys made me want them.

Knowing they’re still around today almost makes me want one again!

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