Dressed to Kill (1946) is the fourteenth and final Sherlock Holmes film starring Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson. Universal Pictures released the last film (affiliate link) in the series on June 7, 1946. Once World War II ended, the series returned to non-war related crime stories. Cyril Delevanti plays a thief serving at Dartmoor […]
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On September 5, 1984, I walked through the doors of Grover Cleveland High School for the first time. I attended St. Louis’ most popular magnet school at the time, Kennard NJROTC Academy. The St. Louis School Board decided to move the program to “The Castle on Grand”. Cleveland High School would graduate many St. Louis children on St. Louis’ South […]
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The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (1927) is one of Alfred Hitchcock’s early silent films. The film is based on the Marie Belloc Lowndes story and play based on the Jack the Ripper murders. Hitchcock directed the film in 1926. However, it was released in February 1927 in London. It made it to the United States in 1928. The film begins with the […]
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Stanislaus Zbyszko toured the United States in 1910 in preparation for a title match with World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion Frank Gotch later in the year. His tour brought him to St. Louis on May 28, 1910. Zbyszko was scheduled to meet highly regarded light heavyweight grappler Charley Olson. Olson was a skilled wrestler, who trained with St. Louis wrestler George […]
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Julius “Uncle Jules” Johannpeter was born in St. Charles, MO on March 5, 1875 to recent German immigrants Frederick William Johannpeter and Johanna Johannpeter nee Grieve. “Uncle Jules” was seven years older than his sister Caroline Leah “Lee” Johannpeter, my great grandmother. When Lee’s husband William Ellis died in 1917, Lee had the challenge of raising her two-year-old son Gilbert as a single […]
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On July 12, 1939, Paramount Pictures released the final film (affiliate link) in their “B’ series adaptation of the Bulldog Drummond story. Bulldog Drummond’s Bride (1939) starred John Howard for the seventh final and time as Captain Hugh “Bulldog” Drummond. Heather Angel returns as Phyllis Clavering, Drummond’s long time fiancé. Phyllis has given Bulldog Drummond one last chance to marry […]
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Kate Chopin, daughter of a prominent French family and at the time local author, collapsed at the St. Louis 1904 World’s Fair on August 20, 1904. Madame Chopin was only 54 years old and suffered a brain hemorrhage or aneurism. She died at her home on McPherson Avenue on August 22, 1904. Kate Chopin was born Kate O’Flaherty in St. […]
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On July 7, 1939, Twentieth Century-Fox Films released the final Mr. Moto “B” film starring Peter Lorre as Inspector Kentaro Moto. Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation finds Mr. Moto accompanying the Queen of Sheba’s Crown from its discovery in an Egyptian archaeological site to a San Francisco museum. Mr. Moto suspects the arch criminal Metaxess, who authorities believed was dead, intends […]
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Abe Attell was a tough boxer. He won the World Featherweight Boxing Championship twice. He and his brother Monte were the first brothers to be world boxing champions at the same time after Monte won the World Bantamweight Championship. Abe Attell won his first title when he was based out of the West End Boxing Club in St. Louis, MO. […]
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On November 16, 1877, St. Louis Police Officer John S. White and his partner Officer Heffernan responded to a report of a wanted man tried to pawn stolen merchandise at Wright’s Pawnshop. The man later identified as Frank Rande entered Wright’s Pawnshop at about 9:30 a.m. Wright sent one of his assistants for the police. As Officer White and Heffernan […]
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