Archive for Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx)

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Otto Preminger

Posted in Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx) with tags , on August 3, 2026 by Cade

December 05, 1905 – April 23, 1986

Otto Preminger was an Austrian-born film and theatre director who was as know for his successful projects as he was for his hot-tempered demeanor.

Born in what is modern-day Ukraine (formerly of the Austria-Hungarian empire) was raised in a Jewish family. When World War I broke out and the Russian army invaded his hometown, the Premingers moved to Graz, and then later to Vienna, where young Otto gained an interest in the theatre. He worked his way up to directing and was eventually offered a chance to direct a film…which he reluctantly accepted.

Several German-speaking theatrical and film credits followed and when he was 29, Otto met Jospeh Schenck and Darryl Zanuck, who were looking for talent for their new studio in Hollywood: Twentieth Century Fox.

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Victor Herbert

Posted in Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx) with tags , , on July 6, 2026 by Cade

February 1, 1859 – May 26, 1924

Cellist and composer, Victor Herbert, had a string of successful operettas in early-Broadway era New York. While the operetta artform was exploding at the end of the 19th Century thanks to the success of the British duo, Gilbert and Sullivan, and theatre in New York becoming more and more accessible to the middle class, Herbert churned out hits like The Fortune Teller, Babes in Toyland, The Red Mill and Naughty Marietta. His shows explored more intimate themes and varied styles of popular music, helping bridge the gap between classic opera and what would become known as the “Broadway musical.”

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Cicely Tyson

Posted in Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx) with tags , on June 29, 2026 by Cade

December 19, 1924 – January 28, 2021

A legend of the stage and screen, Cicely Tyson was a trailblazing performer whose career spanned more than 70 years. Born and raised in New York City, Tyson wanted to be an actor from an early age. She was brought up in a religious home and her parents were initially reluctant for her to enter the profession…until they saw her perform.

Tyson studied under the renowned acting coach, Lee Strassberg. She got her first part at a YMCA production of Dark of the Moon. In 1961, she appeared in Jean Genet’s The Blacks opposite an array of future stars including Louis Gossett, Jr., Maya Angelou, Roscoe Lee Brown and an actor Tyson would go on to perform with many times over the decades, James Earl Jones. The Blacks ran off-Broadway for a record-setting 1,408 performances.

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Lionel Hampton

Posted in Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx) with tags , , on June 8, 2026 by Cade

April 20, 1908 – August 31, 2002

Lionel Hampton was one of the biggest names in jazz for nearly all of his 75 year career. A percussionist, Hampton started out as a drummer in Chicago while he was still a teenager. He moved to California, where he wowed audiences with his energetic drumming and acrobatic drumstick moves at venues like Sebastian’s Cotton Club. At the age of 22, he was starting to expand his repertoire when a visiting Louis Armstrong overheard him practicing the vibraphone, liked what he heard and offered Hampton a job.

And when Louis Armstrong says you’re a vibraphonist, brother, you’re a vibraphonist.

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Celia Cruz

Posted in Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx) with tags , on June 1, 2026 by Cade

October 21, 1925 – July 16, 2003

Dubbed the “Queen of Salsa,” Celia Cruz was one of the best-selling Latin artists of all time. In her spectacular career, Cruz sold more than 30 million records and was nominated for 14 Grammys (winning 2), 7 Latin Grammys (winning 4) and dozens of other awards. In 1994, the United States Congress awarded her the National Medal of Arts. She was honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards from The Hispanic Heritage Awards, Desi Entertainment, Musa de Oro, the Recording Academy of the United States (Grammys) and the Smithsonian Institute….twice.

Celia Caridad Cruz Alfonso was born and raised in Havana, Cuba. According to her mother, Celia sang from the moment she could make sounds. Growing up in 1930s Havana meant exposure to the burgeoning Cuban Band scene. Her aunt would often take Celia and her cousin to local cabarets to sing. Her father didn’t approve…but, recognizing the talent, he didn’t try too hard to stop her, either. Celia made an attempt at what her family considered a “respectable” career as a teacher…but the music called.

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Diahann Carroll

Posted in Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx) with tags , , on May 18, 2026 by Cade


July 17, 1935 – October 4, 2019

Golden Globe and Tony winning actress, Diahann Carroll, likely didn’t intend to spend her career kicking down barriers, but that’s exactly what she did. Her 1962 Tony win for No Strings was the first time an African American actress had won the category. Her Golden Globe win in 1968 was for the title role in the television series, Julia, which was the first starring role for a black woman that was not a domestic worker or servant.

In 1963, Carroll received her first Emmy nomination (for Naked City) – again, one of the first for a black actress. And in 1996, she played the role of traditionally-white character, Norma Desmond, in a Toronto production of Sunset Boulevard.

And those are just the groundbreaking accolades.

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Ace Frehley

Posted in Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx) with tags , , on May 11, 2026 by Cade

April 27, 1951 – October 16, 2025

Paul “Ace” Frehley was the lead guitarist and a founding member of the renowned rock band, KISS. Born and raised in the Bronx, New York City, Frehley came from a family of musicians and sought out rock and roll as an alternative to getting pulled into street gang life in his neighborhood. Frehley’s career in music started early as he joined his first band in high school. He played in a half dozen bands in New York City in the late 1960s and early ’70s. In 1972, he answered an ad in the Village Voice that was seeking  a guitarist for a new band. The audition went well and Frehley joined Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley and Peter Criss on a new rock and roll endeavor. The foursome eventually settled on the name KISS.

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Joseph Pulitzer

Posted in Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx) with tags on April 1, 2014 by Cade

pulitzer1April 10, 1847 – October 29, 1911

Sporting one of the most famous surnames in American history, Hungarian-born Joseph Pulitzer is best remembered as a newspaper publisher and for the annual prizes that bear his name. He also, briefly. represented the state of New York in the U.S. House of Representatives. The publishing battles between Pulitzer and rival, William Randolph Heart, paved the way for the modern, ad-driven, multi-faceted newspaper industry. He got his start as a penniless vagabond in St. Louis after the American Civil War. By way of a job with a rail company, he began reporting for the Westliche Post. He worked his way up the ranks and eventually bought and sold shares in the paper – making a decent profit. Continue reading →

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W.C. Handy

Posted in Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx) with tags , , on March 11, 2014 by Cade

handy1November 16, 1873 – March 28, 1958

William Christopher Handy was a legendary blues man who is often cited as the “Father of the Blues.” Handy was notable for drawing on folk and dixie jazz stylings and for his prolific publishing. The latter is especially important since he was one of the first African Americans to have success in music publishing. His scores such as “Memphis Blues,” “Yellow Dog Rag” and “Saint Louis Blues” would become standards of the genre’s early popularity. Continue reading →

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Bat Masterson

Posted in Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx) with tags on March 4, 2014 by Cade

masterson1November 26, 1853 – October 25, 1921

William Barclay “Bat” Masterson was just your typical Canadian, Old West lawman/gambler turned newspaper columnist/boxing beat writer. It’s a story as old as time, really. Masterson served as a sheriff and marshal all throughout the west hitting up hot spots like Dodge City and Tombstone, oftentimes alongside fellow lawman, Wyatt Earp. Bat ran gaming halls in these towns (and others) as well, because…well, it was the Wild West. Continue reading →

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