July 13 - Cheech Marin

Image courtesy lionking.fandom.com

On this day, in 1946, Richard Anthony Marin was born in South Los Angeles, California. The son of Mexican American parents (he doesn't speak Spanish although a lot of his relatives do), Cheech attributes his nickname to one of his uncles. When his parents brought him home from the hospital, his uncle looked at him and said he looked like a little chicharron, which is Spanish for fried pork rind. So, in retrospect, Cheech makes for a much better handle than an English speaking uncle would have bestowed, something along the lines of Porky. At any rate, the name stuck and since most of the characters he's played over the years have strong Chicano accents, Cheech fits better than Richard, even if only in a stereotypical way. He graduated from Bishop Alemany High School, a Catholic school in the Mission Hills area of Los Angeles. From there he moved on to San Fernando Valley State College, but he wouldn't last long enough to graduate again. In 1967, Cheech moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada as a way to avoid being drafted into the Vietnam War. One day, when he was visiting Calgary, Alberta, he met a guy who would change his life.

Image courtesy amazon.com

When Cheech met Tommy Chong, the two men instantly bonded. Noticing that they easily bounced comedic lines off each other, they decided to form a stand-up duo. Cheech and Chong became highly successful throughout the Seventies and into the Eighties. They released eight comedy albums, seven movies (four of which Chong directed) and made countless appearances in clubs and at festivals. Their humor was mostly based around hippies and the drug culture, most notably referenced in the title of their first film, Up in Smoke, and albums like Let's Make a New Drug Deal. The most famous line associated with the duo is "Dave's not here" from a routine on their debut album. By 1985, however, Cheech was looking to widen his career and felt that he needed to distance himself from drug based humor in order to do that. The break up of Cheech and Chong turned bitter, but Cheech was able to reinvent himself in the process.

Image courtesy imdb.com

Cheech spent the rest of the Eighties starring in successful films like Born in East L.A. and not so successful films like The Shrimp on the Barbie. In 1990, he transitioned to television when he was cast in the spin-off of The Golden Girls, the short lived The Golden Palace, a Buena Vista Television production. He played Chuy Castillos, a hotel chef, for the 24 episode run of the show. Two years later, Cheech struck television gold when he was cast opposite Don Johnson for six seasons on the detective show Nash Bridges. Since then, he's had recurring roles on Judging Amy, Lost and Rob. He has the distinction of being the champion of the very first Celebrity Jeopardy! tournament and came in second in the Celebrity Jeopardy! Million Dollar Invitational. 

Image copyright Pixar

Cheech has had a fairly prolific career making contributions to Disneyana. His first appearance for the company came in 1988, when he played a Disney Janitor in the television special Mickey's 60th Birthday. That same year he played the hyperactive chihuahua, Tito, in the hit movie Oliver and Company. His most well known Disney voice role is probably Banzai, one of the hyenas in 1994's The Lion King. He would return in that role for the direct-to-video sequel The Lion King 1 1/2 in 2004. Cheech stars as Chili, a Mexican redknee tarantula who shoots quills at the audience, in the 3D movie It's Tough to Be a Bug at Disney's Animal Kingdom. He plays Ramone, a 1959 Chevy Impala Lowrider, in all three Cars movies as well as the Radiator Springs attraction in Disney's California Adventure. He was the voice of Manuel the Rat in Beverly Hills Chihuahua. He played a Corrections Officer in 2017's Coco. And he has a recurring role on Elena of Avalor as Quita Voz. Whew.

Image courtesy newsweek.com

In recent years, Cheech and Chong have patched up their relationship and made appearances together ranging from guest shots on The Simpsons to an episode of Tom Green Live to recording a series of stand-up shows for release on DVD. The pair starred in their first film in almost three decades, 2013's Cheech and Chong's Animated Movie, and is reportedly working on the script for another movie as well. Cheech released an autobiography in 2017, Cheech Is Not My Real Name... But Don't Call Me Chong, and continues to make appearances on screens both big and small. You never know where he'll pop up next, but you do know you are likely to laugh when he does. Happy 73rd birthday, Cheech!

May 9 - Billy Joel

Image courtesy ultimateclassicrock.com

On this day, in 1949, William Martin Joel was born in the Bronx, New York. When he was two, Billy's family moved to Long Island, settling in the town of Hicksville (insert your own joke here) near Oyster Bay (the origin town mentioned in the song The Ballad of Billy the Kid for obvious reasons). When his parents divorced in 1957, his father, who'd emigrated to America to escape Nazi Germany, returned to Europe. Billy and his mother remained in Hicksville, where his mother forced him to take piano lessons he didn't really want to bother with. Thankfully, mom won that battle. He took up a second battle by learning how to box as a teenager, mostly for self defense. He actually became a Golden Gloves contender, winning 22 out of 24 bouts. When his nose was broken in his last fight, he decided that singing might be safer and laid down his gloves.

Image courtesy wikipedia.com

Throughout his high school years, Billy was frequently absent from class, but not because he was deliberately skipping. Those piano lessons were already paying off. Billy was playing in piano bars, earning money to help his mom make ends meet, but staying out too late to make it to school the next day. When it came time to graduate, Billy didn't have enough credits, even though he was an above average student when he showed up. Rather than spin his wheels in summer school, he said "If I'm not going to Columbia University, I'm going to Columbia Records," and began his singing career in earnest. Twenty-five years later, Billy would write some essays (the credit he was missing was in English), submit them to the school board and finally earn his high school diploma. Of course, by then he didn't need it to find decent employment, it was just a worthwhile life goal.

Image courtesy pinterest.com

Billy had joined his first band when he was 16, the Echos, a British invasion cover group. The Echos changed their name a few times before Billy left in 1967 to join The Hassles. The new group released two albums but made no money. Billy and Hassles drummer Jon Small formed their own group in 1969, Attila. The duo was short lived, releasing a single album that made the list of AllMusic's worst rock albums ever, breaking up when Billy had an affair with Small's wife, Elizabeth. She ended up walking away from both men (although she would later become Billy's first wife and then, even later, his business manager), leaving Billy bandless and dateless. In a deep depression, he attempted suicide by drinking a bottle of furniture polish. Ironically, it was Jon who rushed him to the hospital and saved his life.

Image courtesy amazon.com

Following his recovery, Billy wrote and released his first solo album, Cold Spring Harbor. A mistake in the mastering process caused the record to be played at a slightly off speed, which resulted in less than stellar sales. He did a tour anyways, opening for the likes of The Beach Boys and Badfinger, and his popularity slowly grew. A concert recording of Captain Jack became enough of a hit along the East Coast to bring him to the attention of Columbia Records. In the summer of 1972, five years after he said he would, he got a record deal with them. He released three albums over the next five years, producing a few modest hits, including his staples Piano Man and New York State of Mind.

In 1977, Billy released The Stranger and became a bona fide rock star. The album reached number two on the charts, contained four top 40 hits, won Grammy Awards for Album and Song of the Year and became Columbia's top selling record ever. His next album, 52nd Street, hit number one and yielded three Grammy Awards. 1980's Glass Houses also hit number one, gave Billy his first number one song, It's Still Rock and Roll To Me, and won another Grammy. Over the next six years, he released three more albums, did a worldwide tour culminating in a concert in Russia, participated in the charity mega-hit We Are the World, got divorced and remarried, this time to Christie Brinkley, and spent time recovering from a motorcycle accident that could have permanently injured his hands (luckily, it did not). You can see why people find the life of rock stars to be exciting.

Image copyright Disney

Billy became part of the Disney family in 1988, in that period just after the studio hit rock bottom with The Black Cauldron, but before the Disney Renaissance found any traction. As the voice of Dodger in Oliver and Company, Billy gave a rare turn as an actor. When the film's producers decided to move the action of Dickens' Oliver Twist to New York, they looked for New Yorkers to fill their cast. Once they thought of Billy, they sent him some dialog and he actually auditioned over the phone. The added bonus of course was that he could sing as well and performed Why Should I Worry for the movie. In a later interview, when asked why he did Oliver, he said he'd just had a daughter (Alexa Ray Joel with Christie Brinkley) and he knew a Disney movie would be something she could relate to instantly, unlike his music.

Image courtesy jambase.com

Since Oliver, Billy has only released two more pop albums (both of which reached number one on the charts) and one of classical compositions. Most of his time has been spent playing sold out concerts in stadiums around the world, Madison Square Gardens in particular. He played his 100th Concert at the venerable New York arena last July. He also started a boating company in 1996 and a custom motorcycle shop in 2010, both located on Long Island. He's also been divorced twice more, married twice more and had two more daughters. With little signs of slowing down (will he reach 200 performances at MSG?) the 70 year old rocker seems to be enjoying life to the fullest. Happy Birthday, Billy!

April 11 - Roscoe Lee Browne

Image courtesy biography.com

On this day, in 2007, Roscoe Lee Browne passed away in Los Angeles, California. Roscoe was born on May 2, 1922 in Woodbury, New Jersey (although some sources say it was 1925, Roscoe went on record at least once with the 1922 date). The fourth son of a Baptist preacher, he earned a bachelor’s degree at Lincoln University in Oxford, Pennsylvania. He served in the United States Army’s 92^nd Infantry Division during World War II, spending most of his tour in Italy. As an amateur runner, Roscoe helped organize the division’s track and field team. After an honorable discharge following the end of the war, he continued his studies at Middlebury College in Vermont and Columbia University in New York City. While he worked on his Master’s degree, he also managed to win the Amateur Athletic Union’s 1000-yard national indoor championship. Twice. From 1946 through the early Fifties, Roscoe moonlighted as a professor at his alma mater, Lincoln University, while at the same time earning a living as a wine salesman for Schenley Import Corporation. I’m not sure how he did that as they mostly dealt in bourbon, but maybe that made his next career move that much easier.

Image courtesy pinterest.com

In 1954, Joseph Papp decided New York City needed its own Shakespeare Festival and began advertising auditions. Roscoe heard about the idea and, since he both studied and taught comparative literature (and was presumably tired of shilling booze), decided he should be a part of it. His friends all decided he was crazy to leave a steady job for the world of the theater. He did it anyways. That first season of what eventually became known as Shakespeare in the Park, Roscoe landed the roles of soothsayer and Pindarus in Julius Caesar. That cemented the end of his steady salesman career and the beginning of a steady stage career.

Roscoe continued working with the Shakespeare Festival Theater and demand quickly grew for his deep, rich voice. His first film role came in 1961, as the off-screen camera man in the experimental movie The Conncection. He appeared in 30 films over the next 35 years and lent his voice to dozens more. Highlights from his big screen career include The Cowboys with John Wayne, Logan’s Run, Jumpin’ Jack Flash with Whoopie Goldberg, and both of the Babe movies (he’s the narrator). Even with such an impressive resume on film, it’s his television career that really made him a household face, if not necessarily a household name.

Roscoe’s first gig on the small screen was as a regular cast member for the 1964 satirical show That Was the Week That Was. A largely lost show (only audio recordings exist of most of its episodes), TW3, as it’s sometimes abbreviated, boasted a large rotating cast including Henry Fonda, Alan Alda, Henry Morgan, Gene Hackman, Woody Allen and Steve Allen. From there the sky was the limit for Roscoe. He guest starred on everything from Mannix to All in the Family to Soap to Law and Order. He also continued doing voice over work on shows like The Real Ghostbusters, Batman: The Animated Series and The Wild Thornberrys. Along the way he earned an Emmy nomination for his appearance on Barney Miller in 1976, an Emmy win for The Cosby Show in 1986, a Soap Opera Digest Award nomination for Falcon Crest in 1989 and a Daytime Emmy nomination for Spider-Man in 1995.

image courtesy latimes.com

Roscoe tried his best not to take on the kind of stereotypical roles traditionally offered to black actors and mostly succeeded. When he couldn’t find the parts he wanted, he created them himself. In 1966, he wrote and directed A Hand Is on the Gate, which was produced off-Broadway and starred Cicely Tyson and James Earl Jones. Later he toured the country with Anthony Zerbe, doing a two-man show consisting of comedy bits and poetry written by Roscoe. But his biggest theatrical successes over the decades came when he took roles in the plays of August Wilson, which earned him a Tony nomination in 1992 for Two Trains Running. His smooth voice and perfect diction didn’t always serve him well, though his humor did. During the run of Two Trains, he was accused of having “too white” a voice. His reply? I’m so sorry, I had a white maid once.

Image copyright Disney

Roscoe joined the Disney family in 1973 when he was cast as Gazenga in The World’s Greatest Athlete. His next contribution wasn’t part of Disneyana at the time, but is now. In 1977, he was asked to narrate a record presenting an abridged version of a movie popular that year directed by George Lucas. The result was The Story of Star Wars and it allowed Roscoe to check 'be on a gold record' off his list. Eleven years later, he provided the voice of Francis in Oliver and Company. Roscoe's final role for the Mouse was as Mr. Arrow in 2002's Treasure Planet.

Roscoe continued to steadily work right up to the end of his life, never giving a second thought to his friends worries about his career. His final performances, on both television and film, premiered after his passing. For all his contributions to the world of theater, Roscoe had been inducted into the Black Filmmaker's Hall of Fame in 1977 and was posthumously included in the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2008.

December 1 - Bette Midler

Photo courtesy of twitter.com

On this day, in 1945, Bette Midler was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. She was named after another famous entertainer, Bette Davis, although she pronounces their shared name with only one syllable instead of two. Voted "Most Dramatic" of her senior class in high school (shocking, I know), Bette would go on to study drama at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She only lasted three semesters before dropping out to try to make some money.

In the mid Sixties, Bette made her film debut in an uncredited (but still paid) role of a seasick extra in a movie titled, appropriately enough, Hawaii. Using the money she earned from that experience, she moved to New York City. Her first paid stage roles came in off-off-Broadway productions by Tom Eyens (Tony Award winner for writing the book for Dreamgirls). In 1966, Bette made her Broadway debut as Tzeitel in Fiddler on the Roof. After three years of Matchmaker, Matchmaker, she joined the original cast of the rock musical Salvation, playing alongside Barry Bostwick (whose big break was of course as Brad in the Rocky Horror Picture Show).

Image copyright Disney

In 1970, Bette made a pivotal career move as she joined a long list of first class entertainers and began performing at the Continental Baths, a gay bathhouse at the Ansonia Hotel. She not only became close to her pianist there, one Barry Manilow, but she earned one of her nicknames, Bathhouse Betty, and perfected another, the Divine Miss M. The latter nickname would be the title of her debut album in 1972 (produced by Barry) and the former would be the title of an album released in 1998, long after the Continental Baths would close its doors. The Divine Miss M would go Platinum and earn Bette a 1973 Grammy Award for Best New Artist. Not bad for her first time out. Her second album, Bette Midler, would also be produced by Barry and would also reach the Billboard Top 10. The remainder of the Seventies would see two more albums, a three year stint as the voice of a wooden spoon on PBS's Vegetable Soup and an Emmy winning television special, Ol' Red Hair is Back. Bette ended the decade with a disco album that flopped and her first starring role on the big screen in The Rose, which didn't. She nabbed an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe win for that. Her single version of the film's title song went Gold and won her another Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Performance.

Image copyright Disney

For the beginning of the Eighties, Bette released a concert film, Divine Madness, that was relatively successful and a comedy, Jinxed!, which was not and caused her to concentrate on the singing side of her career for several years. She released two more albums and performed for the famous "We Are the World" recording and for Live Aid, both of which benefited famine victims in Africa.

Image copyright Disney

In 1985, Bette joined the Disney family when she signed a multi-picture deal with Touchstone Pictures. Starting with Down and Out in Beverly Hills, with Nick Nolte and Richard Dreyfuss, she began a string of successful comedic turns. She followed this with Ruthless People, Outrageous Fortune (earning a Golden Globe nomination) and Big Business. Bette was cast in 1988's Oliver and Company as the voice of the spoiled pooch, Georgette. One of her biggest hits (in spite of generally negative reviews) came that same year in a decidedly more dramatic role: C.C. Bloom in Beaches. The soundtrack for Beaches became Bette's biggest selling record, featured her biggest selling single, Wind Beneath My Wings, and won her a third Grammy Award for Album of the Year. She then appeared in Touchstone's Stella and Scenes From a Mall with Woody Allen. In 1993, Bette starred with Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy in the now-cult classic, Hocus Pocus. She was also part of the original Back Lot Tours at the Disney-MGM Studios. A short film staring Bette, titled The Lottery, was used to demonstrate and explain everything that goes into making a movie, with set pieces and props available for viewing. It's also has the distinction of being the first film to be entirely shot at the park.

Photo courtesy of variety.com

Since her days under the Disney umbrella, Bette has continued to appear in movies as varied as What Women Want and the remake of The Stepford Wives. She's released several more albums including tributes to Rosemary Clooney and Peggy Lee. In February of 2008, she opened in her own Vegas show at Caesar's Palace that ran for nearly two years. In 2012, the Songwriter's Hall of Fame awarded her the Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement award. Bette returned to Broadway after an absence of over 30 years for 2013's I'll Eat You Last. The show was such a success, it moved to Los Angles for another run after the Broadway version closed. Starting in March of 2017, she continued on Broadway, reviving the role of Dolly Levi in Hello Dolly, snagging a Tony Award in the process.

After 25 albums, 20 concert tours, three Grammy Awards, four Golden Globes, three Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards and a fair number of controversies along the way, the Divine Miss M shows no signs of slowing down. Will she ever be in a sequel to Hocus Pocus? Will she find the energy for another go at Broadway? Will she release a tribute album to... herself? Only time will tell.