#popculture27: W. Somerset Maugham Writes the Play “The Letter”

A real-life murder inspired the short story and play by this celebrated writer.

by Rich Watson 

W. Somerset Maugham was a European writer from the early twentieth century, best known for such books as Of Human Bondage, The Painted Veil and The Razor’s Esge.

He also wrote short stories and plays. One of his short stories became one of his greatest plays: The Letter.

#popculture27: Louis Armstrong Turns His Hot Five Into a Hot Seven

The future jazz superstar, when he first headlined his own band, and the woman who helped him along the way.

by Rich Watson 

Louis Armstrong was a legend. He’s in the Halls of Fame for not just jazz, but rhythm and blues AND rock. He was a Grammy winner. He appeared in movies and TV, and was the first black radio show host in American history. There’s even an asteroid named after him.

In 1927, his career was still rising. After headlining his first band, he expanded it.

#popculture27: Helen Wills Moody Dominates the Tennis World, Inspires Art

The Michael Jordan of tennis in the early twentieth century was this unassuming Californian who also had ties to the art world.

by Rich Watson 

In a Hall of Fame career that spanned two decades, Helen Wills Moody had a pretty good 1927. 

The tennis superstar already had two Olympic gold medals on her shelf. But in that year, she won the women’s singles at Wimbledon (the first of four in a row and eight in twelve years) and the US (her fourth in five years), plus the Wimbledon doubles, and began a 180-match win streak.

One could argue that the story of American women athletes in the twentieth century begins with her.