Paul Vance, one of the most successful songwriters of the bubblegum pop era in the early 1960s, died May 30 at age 92.
Born Joseph Paul Florio, Vance and cowriter Lee Pockriss were a songwriting machine as staff writers in the famed Brill Building hit factory in New York. Vance was credited with more than 300 songs, including hits Catch A Falling Star, Playground of My Mind, and Tracy.
But it was Brian Hyland’s rendition of Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini that dominated Am radio of the era, making Hyland a teen idol in the process. The song hit No. 1 on the Billboad Hot 100 and was a hit around the world. The song was allegedly inspired by Vance’s daughter, who was too shy to wear a bikini in public.
The success was a double-edged sword for the songwriting team, who became somewhat pigeonholed as novelty songwriters. Their next hit...
Born Joseph Paul Florio, Vance and cowriter Lee Pockriss were a songwriting machine as staff writers in the famed Brill Building hit factory in New York. Vance was credited with more than 300 songs, including hits Catch A Falling Star, Playground of My Mind, and Tracy.
But it was Brian Hyland’s rendition of Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini that dominated Am radio of the era, making Hyland a teen idol in the process. The song hit No. 1 on the Billboad Hot 100 and was a hit around the world. The song was allegedly inspired by Vance’s daughter, who was too shy to wear a bikini in public.
The success was a double-edged sword for the songwriting team, who became somewhat pigeonholed as novelty songwriters. Their next hit...
- 6/4/2022
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Taos, New Mexico — Snow and frigid temperatures didn't stop thousands of screaming teenagers from crowding into the Washington Coliseum in the nation's capital for the Beatles first live concert on American soil.
And not having a flash didn't stop photographer Mike Mitchell, then just 18 years old, from using his unrestricted access to document that historic February night in 1964 using only the dim light in the arena.
Ghostly shadows and streams of light filled some negatives. With the help of modern technology and close to 1,000 hours in front of the computer screen, Mitchell was able to peel back decades of grunge and transform those old negatives into a rare, artful look at one of pop culture's defining moments.
Mitchell's portraits of the Beatles are the centerpiece of a monthlong exhibition at the David Anthony Fine Art gallery in Taos – the first time the prints have been exhibited since being unveiled in...
And not having a flash didn't stop photographer Mike Mitchell, then just 18 years old, from using his unrestricted access to document that historic February night in 1964 using only the dim light in the arena.
Ghostly shadows and streams of light filled some negatives. With the help of modern technology and close to 1,000 hours in front of the computer screen, Mitchell was able to peel back decades of grunge and transform those old negatives into a rare, artful look at one of pop culture's defining moments.
Mitchell's portraits of the Beatles are the centerpiece of a monthlong exhibition at the David Anthony Fine Art gallery in Taos – the first time the prints have been exhibited since being unveiled in...
- 8/2/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
By Rachel Bennett
Television Editor & Columnist
***
Before I dig into this post, let me say that it’s not an easy one to write.
It’s only been three days since the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., and I’m still — and will be for some time — digesting it as a person, not just as a journalist. I, along with many others, have been hypnotically glued to the news, reeling at every heartbreaking detail and hoping to gain some idea of why this happened.
Of course, none of us will grasp a complete understanding of this horrible event, yet watching it on TV provides a needed sense of community. We may not know anyone hurt in the shooting (but if you do, my deepest condolences), but seeing how others are similarly responding let’s us know we’re not alone in our grief — and, really, that we’re just not alone.
Television Editor & Columnist
***
Before I dig into this post, let me say that it’s not an easy one to write.
It’s only been three days since the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., and I’m still — and will be for some time — digesting it as a person, not just as a journalist. I, along with many others, have been hypnotically glued to the news, reeling at every heartbreaking detail and hoping to gain some idea of why this happened.
Of course, none of us will grasp a complete understanding of this horrible event, yet watching it on TV provides a needed sense of community. We may not know anyone hurt in the shooting (but if you do, my deepest condolences), but seeing how others are similarly responding let’s us know we’re not alone in our grief — and, really, that we’re just not alone.
- 12/17/2012
- by Rachel Bennett
- Scott Feinberg
The father of the alleged shooter in the Connecticut school massacre has broken his silence, expressing condolences to the families of the victims. "Our family is grieving along with all those who have been affected by this enormous tragedy," said Peter Lanza in a statement Saturday night. "No words can truly express how heartbroken we are. We are in a state of disbelief and trying to find whatever answers we can." His son Adam Lanza, 20, is suspected of opening fire on the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., on Friday, killing 20 children and six adults before taking his own life.
- 12/16/2012
- by Mike Fleeman
- PEOPLE.com
We all tell stories. All the time. To make sense of the stimuli created by our senses, the brain creates narrative. “Minds seeks patterns,” David Eagleman, a neuroscientist, says in his often troubling book, Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain. What makes it disturbing is that Eagleman is not a philosopher or a psychologist; he’s a scientist working with what the brain actually does. Through tests, through imaging, neuroscientists like Eagleman can see what part of the brain lights up when certain stimuli comes in or certain tasks are performed. Consciousness, as he points out, actually plays a very small part in the brain’s overall functioning.
We make up the stories in order to make sense of the world around us. We crave stories to explain the apparent chaos we find ourselves in. When my late wife, Kimberly Yale, was dying from breast cancer, I could take...
We make up the stories in order to make sense of the world around us. We crave stories to explain the apparent chaos we find ourselves in. When my late wife, Kimberly Yale, was dying from breast cancer, I could take...
- 12/16/2012
- by John Ostrander
- Comicmix.com
Law enforcement officials are beginning to piece together Adam's motive behind killing 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Friday Dec. 14. A new report claims that Adam fought with four teachers at the school on Dec. 13 and returned the next day to kill them all. As if this horrific story could not get any worse, it appears as though Adam Lanza, 24, returned to Sandy Hook Elementary School on Friday Dec. 14 to finish what he started the day before, however, this time, he planned to kill the four teachers he had an argument with one day prior. Three were shot dead, one wasn't at the school on Dec. 14. While earlier reports suggest that Adam was "buzzed" into the school on Dec. 14, police are now saying that the killer forced his way in. Sadly, there are no details on what Adam's altercation with the teachers entailed or if it was reported to authorities.
- 12/15/2012
- by Christopher Rogers
- HollywoodLife
There was breaking news this morning out of Newtown, Connecticut when at least one gunman opened fire at Sandy Hook Elementary School. CBS News is reporting that a minimum of 27 people were killed in this massacre, including an estimated 18 young children.
Lt. J. Paul Vance of the Connecticut State Police held a press conference to assure concerned citizens that "the scene is secure" and "the shooter is deceased inside the building." Twenty-year-old Adam Lanza has reportedly emerged as the gunman. Brother Ryan, 24, had previously been named as the suspect, but sources are now telling the Associated Press that after being questioned by police it was determined that he was not involved. Their mother was a teacher at the school and is presumed to be one of the fatalities. An additional investigation is ongoing at another location, where one more victim was allegedly killed. The two crime scenes are thought to be linked. President Obama has been...
Lt. J. Paul Vance of the Connecticut State Police held a press conference to assure concerned citizens that "the scene is secure" and "the shooter is deceased inside the building." Twenty-year-old Adam Lanza has reportedly emerged as the gunman. Brother Ryan, 24, had previously been named as the suspect, but sources are now telling the Associated Press that after being questioned by police it was determined that he was not involved. Their mother was a teacher at the school and is presumed to be one of the fatalities. An additional investigation is ongoing at another location, where one more victim was allegedly killed. The two crime scenes are thought to be linked. President Obama has been...
- 12/15/2012
- Entertainment Tonight
What had Et readers buzzing this week?
1. N.M. Men Suspected of Plotting Bieber's Death
Police confirm to Et that two New Mexico men have been suspected of plotting to murder pop sensation Justin Bieber.
As first reported by Albuquerque news station Krqe, the plot was allegedly hatched by two prison inmates and one of their nephews to murder Bieber at a sold-out show at NYC's Madison Square Garden.
According to a police report obtained by Et, a New Mexico prisoner named Dana Martin, serving out two life sentences for the rape and murder of a 15-year-old girl, enlisted the help of former fellow inmate Mark Staake and his nephew Tanner Ruane to carry out four murders. Two of the reported targets were Justin Bieber and his bodyguard.
The report continues to claim that Martin actually has a tattoo of Bieber on his leg.
The report also delves into the details of the planned murders, which involved...
1. N.M. Men Suspected of Plotting Bieber's Death
Police confirm to Et that two New Mexico men have been suspected of plotting to murder pop sensation Justin Bieber.
As first reported by Albuquerque news station Krqe, the plot was allegedly hatched by two prison inmates and one of their nephews to murder Bieber at a sold-out show at NYC's Madison Square Garden.
According to a police report obtained by Et, a New Mexico prisoner named Dana Martin, serving out two life sentences for the rape and murder of a 15-year-old girl, enlisted the help of former fellow inmate Mark Staake and his nephew Tanner Ruane to carry out four murders. Two of the reported targets were Justin Bieber and his bodyguard.
The report continues to claim that Martin actually has a tattoo of Bieber on his leg.
The report also delves into the details of the planned murders, which involved...
- 12/15/2012
- Entertainment Tonight
A horrific day turned to a night of unspeakable grief as parents received formal notifications that their children were killed in the Connecticut school massacre.The last of the dozens of bodies - most of them children - were removed by early Saturday from Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., as police narrowed in on a motive and released the names of the victims. Investigators have found "very good evidence ... as to how, and more importantly, why, this occurred," State Police spokesman Lt. J. Paul Vance told reporters. He didn't disclose what this evidence was. Earlier, Vance said police...
- 12/15/2012
- by Mike Fleeman
- PEOPLE.com
A horrific day turned to a night of unspeakable grief as parents received formal notifications that their children were killed in the Connecticut school massacre.The last of the dozens of bodies - most of them children - were removed by early Saturday from Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. "Our objective certainly was to positively identify the victims to try to give the families some closure," State Police Spokesman Lt. Paul Vance tells CBS News. "Our detectives worked well through the night. By early this morning, we were able to positively identify all of the victims and make...
- 12/15/2012
- by Mike Fleeman
- PEOPLE.com
Police investigating the horrific mass murder in Connecticut on Friday have uncovered "very good evidence" as they work towards finding a motive for why Adam Lanza opened fire in a public school yesterday, killing 20 children and six adults.State police spokesman Lt. J. Paul Vance said investigators were collecting evidence both at Sandy Hook Elementary School and at the home of Lanza's mother, but would not elaborate on what that evidence was.He explained, "The...
- 12/15/2012
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
A massive, deadly shooting broke out Friday morning at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., about 65 miles northeast of New York City. Of the 27 people confirmed dead, 20 are children - 18 were originally reported and now two more have perished at the hospital. Six adults, plus the shooter, died at the scene. The shooter's mother was found dead at another location. "The shooter is deceased inside the building. The scene is secure," Lt. J. Paul Vance of the Connecticut State Police department said in a press conference Friday afternoon. "Many agencies are working together to answer questions about what...
- 12/14/2012
- by Stephen M. Silverman
- PEOPLE.com
Mashantucket, Conn. -- Rapper Jim Jones was arrested Saturday in a brawl that broke out after a party hosted by Sean "Diddy" Combs at the Foxwoods Resort Casino, police said.
A total of five people were charged in the fight that started after 2 a.m. in the foyer of the MGM Grand casino, where Combs headlined a "platinum party" as part of a 20th anniversary celebration for Foxwoods.
A state police detective was treated for minor injuries at a hospital and was released, police said.
Jones, a hip-hop artist and actor whose "We Fly High" was one of 2007's top-selling rap tracks, was charged with resisting arrest for an alleged assault on an officer and breach of peace, state police spokesman Lt. J. Paul Vance said. The other four people arrested faced charges including inciting to riot.
Vance said he was not certain how the altercation began.
Jones said on...
A total of five people were charged in the fight that started after 2 a.m. in the foyer of the MGM Grand casino, where Combs headlined a "platinum party" as part of a 20th anniversary celebration for Foxwoods.
A state police detective was treated for minor injuries at a hospital and was released, police said.
Jones, a hip-hop artist and actor whose "We Fly High" was one of 2007's top-selling rap tracks, was charged with resisting arrest for an alleged assault on an officer and breach of peace, state police spokesman Lt. J. Paul Vance said. The other four people arrested faced charges including inciting to riot.
Vance said he was not certain how the altercation began.
Jones said on...
- 2/26/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
The Associated Press
Hartford, Conn. -- Lee Pockriss, who wrote pop hits such as "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" for an eager, youthful post-World War II generation, has died in Connecticut after a long illness. He was 87.
His wife, Sonja Pockriss, confirmed his death. She says he died at home in Bridgewater on Monday.
Pockriss, who also worked in musical theater, co-wrote several songs with Paul Vance, including 1957's "Catch a Falling Star."
In a 2006 interview, Vance called "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" - about a shy young woman in a skimpy bathing suit - a "money machine."
Listen to "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini":...
Hartford, Conn. -- Lee Pockriss, who wrote pop hits such as "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" for an eager, youthful post-World War II generation, has died in Connecticut after a long illness. He was 87.
His wife, Sonja Pockriss, confirmed his death. She says he died at home in Bridgewater on Monday.
Pockriss, who also worked in musical theater, co-wrote several songs with Paul Vance, including 1957's "Catch a Falling Star."
In a 2006 interview, Vance called "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" - about a shy young woman in a skimpy bathing suit - a "money machine."
Listen to "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini":...
- 11/18/2011
- by AP
- Huffington Post
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