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"Stars" of an earlier day from email of Bill Oliver (21
Jun 1998)-
This probably deserves to be on the trivia board ... however:
What do Davis & Crosbie, Spalding & Rogers, Yankee
Robinson, Don Costello, Van Amberg, W W Cole and O'Connor, have in
common? These were owners of enterprises. They traveled
[mostly] by wagon. Often late for scheduled appointments
due to lousy roads and unpredictable weather. The first one
apparently appeared in Nebraska as early as 20 June 1857. Usually
charging 50 cents for adults and 25 cents for children. No, they
are not traveling 'medicine' men. If I add the name BARNUM to the
list you will know the occupation. These outfits were "monotony"
breakers for the settlers of Nebraska.
Chautauqua - "Intellectual Fair" - Group of
traveling "entertainers" that provided a schedule of speakers
& performers intended to educate, enlighten the population.
Moved from county to county. Usually held meetings for 2-5 days,
often on county fair grounds. Attendees stayed with friends nearby
or camped on the grounds. Lectures might include science, history,
philosophy, political theory, literature... The arts would be
represented by a singer or choir, small group of instrumentalists,
a poet reading own works, etc. A prominent agriculturist might
speak on soil conservation, crop rotation, or some other
improvement of interest to farmers.
While it may seem strange at first
glance - there are still "media stars" whose specialty is not in
the arts, but some other field. Scientists that have "presence,
command of the language" will become narrators of TV science
programs. Those that lecture on musical education for children
often have "original career" in the arts. Those that speak on
history or genealogy are often employed in other fields. They are
also "media stars".
Artists
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John CASSEL |
cartoonist |
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Elizabeth Honor DOLAN |
muralist |
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Terence DUREN |
artist - "The Old Opera House" (in blk/wht) from "Bellwood, NE: The First 100 Years" |
| Robert HENRI (birth name: Robert Henry Cozad, born Cincinnati - grew up in Cozad, NE) | artist, teacher; 1909: opened Henri Art School in NY. Author of "The Art Spirit". |
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Dwight KIRSCH |
artist |
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William Henry JACKSON |
artist, photographer, explorer |
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Herbert JOHNSON |
cartoonist |
| John MAYER | wildlife artist |
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Grant REYNARD |
illustrator, born in Grand Island, NE |
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Bios of "artists & explorers", "pioneers", "first Nebraskans", "contempory" |
Authors
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novelist |
Elmwood, NE |
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"A Lantern in Her Hand", "The Lieutenant's Lady", "Miss Bishop", "Mother Mason", "The Rim of the Prairie", "Spring Came on Forever", "A White Bird Flying" (sequel to "Lantern ...") |
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Willa CATHER |
novelist, short stories, essays, poetry. Magazine editor. |
Red Cloud, NE |
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Pulitzer Prize in 1922. "Death Comes for the Archbishop" (1927), "My Antonia", "O Pioneers!". etc. |
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| Ted KOOSER - US Poet Laureate (professor at UNL) | |||
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Apr 2005 - Pulitzer for collection "Delights and Shadows." |
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Wright Marion MORRIS |
Chapman, Merrick, NE |
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Award winning author & photographer |
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John G. NEIHARDT |
poet laureate of NE, author of Western epics |
Lived at Bancroft, Cuming Co. (memorial center there) |
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"Black Elk Speaks", etc. |
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novelist, mystery writer. |
Howard County, NE |
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"Go Lovely Rose" (1954 Edgar Award), "The Evil Wish" (1963), etc. |
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Jacquelyn (KRASNE) REINACH |
children's author, songwriter |
b. Omaha, Douglas, NE |
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Co-creator of "Sweet Pickles" series, assisted with Headstart books; wrote many songs for children and one for the women's movement "Liberation, Now". "The Family" was theme song for UN 1994 International Year. |
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| Gail ROCK | Valley, Douglas, NE | ||
| Novels for young people: "The House Without a Christmas
Tree" and other "Addie" novels. See archives of Fremont Tribune, 26 Dec 2003 |
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| Charles S. RYCKMAN | Fremont, Dodge, NE | ||
journalist/editor of Fremont Evening Tribune See archives of Fremont
Tribune for 12 May 2005 |
1931 Pulitzer | ||
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novelist |
Sheridan County, NE |
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"Old Jules", "Cheyenne Autumn", etc. |
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Grant SHUMWAY |
historian |
homesteader in Banner County |
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"History of Western Nebraska and It's People" |
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Movies and Television:
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Performers: |
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Fred ASTAIRE |
Musicals, comedy, drama - dancer, singer, actor |
Omaha, Douglas Co., NE |
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Marlon BRANDO |
Comedy, drama |
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Johnny CARSON |
TV host, "Tonight Show" |
Lincoln, Lancaster, NE |
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Richard "Dick" CAVETT |
TV host |
Buffalo Co. (Who's Who in NE) |
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Montgomery CLIFT |
Movies |
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James COBURN |
Comedy, westerns, adventures |
Cedar Co. |
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Sandy DENNIS |
Movies |
Hastings, Adams County |
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Henry FONDA |
Comedy, drama |
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Edmund "Hoot" GIBSON |
Westerns |
Tekamah, Burt Co., NE |
| Marg HELGENBERGER | movies, TV series "CSI" | North Bend, NE |
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Comedy |
Pawnee County, NE |
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Dorothy McGUIRE |
Stage, movies & TV - drama |
Omaha, NE |
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Robert TAYLOR |
drama, comedy |
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Producers, Directors, etc. |
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Barney OLDFIELD |
press agent |
Lincoln State Paper - Tribute, Dec 2003 |
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Darryl ZANUCK |
director |
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Fred NIBLO (orig. surname LIEDTKE) |
one of the co-founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, actor, director & writer |
York Co., NE (16 Mar 1998 email of Nancy Beach, York Co. Coordinator) |
Music:
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Composers |
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Howard HANSON |
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Paul WILLIAMS |
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Rock & Roll: |
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"The Drifters" |
Norfolk, Madison, NE |
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"The Strollers" |
Norfolk, Madison, NE |
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Zager & Evans |
Lincoln, Lancaster, NE |
Photographers:
| Earl BUNKER | Photo: "Homecoming" (WW II) - 1944 Pulitzer |
There are undoubtably many other Nebraskans prominent in assorted entertainment fields, this is simply a sampling. Use one of the search engines such as "Yahoo", "Google", "Excite", "Snap", etc. - and search for the name.
The above names gathered from assorted publications and from the Nebraska Trivia game played on the NE Heritage list. To join the NE Heritage list, click here. If you prefer genealogy only - join the NE Roots list.
© 1998-2005 for the NEGenWeb Project by Ted & Carole Miller with help from the CC's & members of NE Heritage list.