American radio broadcaster and author Richard Lamparski, whose popular series of books, Whatever Happened to ...?, included profiles and interviews with dozens of film personalities, has died. He was 93 years old.
Lamparski started an interview radio show on WBAI in March 1965, for which he interviewed old time entertainers including vaudeville performers and silent movie stars. Over the course of his career, Lamparski conducted more than 1,000 interviews. His long-running series of books, Whatever Happened to ...?, devoted to "famous personalities of yesteryear", ran 11 volumes. Notably, the third volume in the series -- which was published in 1970, included a two page profile of Louise Brooks. It was among the earliest mainstream pieces on the actress following her rediscovery in the 1950s.
Lamparski's two page profile of Louise Brooks can be found HERE. Seemingly, the author either corresponded with or spoke with the actress, as she is quoted in the piece.
A 2010 interview with Lamparski can be found on The Showbiz Wizard blog.
THE LEGAL STUFF: The Louise Brooks Society™ blog is authored by Thomas Gladysz, Director of the Louise Brooks Society (www.pandorasbox.com). Original content copyright © 2025. Further unauthorized use prohibited. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
1 comment:
He turned an obsession with forgotten stars into a popular series, long before “Where Are They Now?” features became ubiquitous. The New York Times obit: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/books/richard-lamparski-dead.html
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