Combat Sports Historian and Martial Artist
Posts about the history of St. Louis, Missouri, family history, classic film, and miscellaneous history.
Columbia Pictures’ Lone Wolf series, starring Warren Williams as Michael Lanyard, is one of my favorite “B” film series. Williams played the debonair jewel thief, who somehow always ends up helping the police solve a series of crimes. Counter-Espionage (1942) begins with Lanyard stealing top secret plans from Sir Stafford Hart’s safe. Scotland Yard’s Inspector Stephens rushes to the scene
The Vampire Bat (1933) is a genre bending film starring Lionel Atwill. Ostensibly, it is a horror film but is actually more of a mystery. It would fall into the “B” movie category, a short film meant to be the appetizer for the main film on a double bill. Majestic Pictures produced the film, which was directed by Frank R.
My second great-grandfather George Washington Story was born in August 1843 to Gilford Dudley Story and his second wife Nancy Jane Story nee Womack. George was born in Shawneetown, Gallatin County, Illinois, USA. He was the fourth of Dudley’s and Nancy’s nine children. George Washington Story married his first wife and my second great-grandmother Malinda Davis on November 26, 1863,
On September 16, 1932, RKO Pictures released The Most Dangerous Game (1932), a film about a big game hunter becoming the hunted. Joel McCrea plays big game hunter Bob Rainsford. Rainsford is on a yacht off the South American coast discussing his latest hunt, when another guest asks him, “Do you ever think how the tiger felt?” Rainsford laughs at
Being both a fan and film historian, I was aware of Sunset Blvd.‘s reputation in film circles. Billy Wilder’s 1950 film tells the sad story of a forgotten silent film star Norma Desmond. William Holden is a screen writer, who stumbles upon her crumbling mansion and agrees to help fix her screenplay. Norma believes the screenplay will lead to a
In 1877, St. Louis was the largest city west of the Mississippi. St. Louis Police dealt with the typical problems of a major city. St. Louis Police Officers responded to reports of murder, rape and robbery. On the morning of December 12, 1877, St. Louis Police Officer Daily responded to the report of a bear on the Downtown St. Louis
Many Zimmermans always believed my great-grandfather Parker L. Zimmerman was married five times. However, Parker was married three times to Victoria Harris, Mellie Bollinger and Lydia Margaret “Dollie” Story. It was actually Parker’ sister-in-law Amanda Isabelle “Mandy” Story, who was married five times. Mandy was born in Illinois on July 16, 1877 to George Washington Story and Malinda Davis although
During February 1901, St. Louis professional wrestler and local businessman George Baptiste reluctantly filed for divorce from his wife, Nellie May Baptiste, alleging desertion. It was actually the second time, Baptiste filed for divorce from Mrs. Baptiste. During the summer of 1896, Baptiste was vacationing in Millford, Connecticut. The 31-year-old was a powerful swimmer and all-around athlete in addition to
Before reading Gangs of St. Louis: Men of Respect by Daniel Waugh, I knew and wrote about Robert Creed and his brother Thomas murdering St. Louis Police Officer George Geisler on Halloween Day 1920. What I didn’t know was Robert Creed was a member of the Cuckoo Gang, an ultra violent criminal organization in the 1920s. Robert Creed was the
On February 22, 1924, unknown suspects took $20,000.00 in American Express Company money orders from the Mercantile Trust Company in Downtown St. Louis. Initially, the American Bankers Association hired private detectives. After the detectives were unable to discover any serious leads, the association turned the case over to the St. Louis Police Department. When the bank association turned over the