Part 20: WWll, Chicago, and Those Wacky Lectures
Dad was in his early 20s when the war broke out, healthy as a horse, tall, handsome, articulate. So why didn't he serve in that war?
Part 18: Riley's Journal Fragments: "There is Suffering and Misery Everywhere Throughout America."
The most productive nation in the world, yet unable to properly feed, clothe, and shelter a third of its population. --- Riley Shepard 1938
Part 15: Women, Sid Grauman, and Hillbillies.
In 1937 I went to California. I felt the need to explore new possibilities. Sid Grauman saw me perform at a theater and agreed to be my agen
Part Seven: Riley's Cowboy Act (& Fact-Checking)
As a kid, I called my father "Riley." I was allowed to call my parents by their first names, or Mom and Dad. Sometimes in this blog,...
Part Five: My Father Put A Fake Name on My Birth Certificate & More Fact Checking.
I took a good look at my birth certificate. I wanted to see if my father put his real name down, Riley Shepard. He did not.
Part Three: Riley Shepard's Early Years & His Maternal Grandmother, Martha Tindal
The Primitive Baptists were somewhat like the people in the "Footloose" movie. No dancing, musical instruments, or music for entertainment.