Carl Wyndham articles

Tom Petty may have come from the land of sunshine, trailers, and gators, but this rocker was no Florida Man. While running down his rock ’n’ roll dreams, he found himself on a crash course with heartbreak, addiction, and more than a few shadowy demons.

Robert Stack was born in Los Angeles on January 13, 1919, long before he became one of television’s most recognizable voices. His career would eventually stretch from glossy studio-era movies to weekly true-crime storytelling, but that journey was anything but predictable.

Plenty of today’s Hollywood action stars seem a little below average when it comes to height—not naming names. Jeff Chandler was something different entirely. With his broad frame, he towered over most of his costars. The wavy silver hair, dark complexion, and deep, resonant voice certainly didn’t hurt either.

Sure, the Grateful Dead were synonymous with psychedelics, free love, and 47-minute guitar noodles, but they were not synonymous with personal hygiene. Even so, only one guy earned the nickname “Pigpen,” and he was a walking contradiction. Pigpen McKernan just said no to acid and “Yes, please” to rotgut booze. And while the rest of the band drifted into cosmic improvisation, he stayed rooted in the blues.

Today, almost everyone in movies and on TV looks almost inhumanly perfect. It makes us miss the 1970s, when our screens were filled with amazing character actors with real faces that had "life" spelled all over them. How many of these B-list actors can you remember seeing on TV in the 70s and 80s?

Red Skelton, a legendary entertainer, charmed audiences with his clean humor and goofy characters. But behind the laughter was a life marred by crippling poverty, personal tragedy, and professional betrayal.

Meredith Baxter became a familiar face to millions as Elyse Keaton on Family Ties. The NBC sitcom premiered in September 1982 and ran for seven seasons. On screen, Elyse was loving, patient, funny, and grounded. Off screen, Baxter’s life was far more difficult than that comforting image suggested.

A rare survivor of the 1980s Brat Pack, teen idol Rob Lowe has had his share of Hollywood highs and lows. This self-proclaimed man of no regrets certainly has a lot to choose from: There’s the Oscar debacle, the nannies, and, of course, that infamous videotape.

When you think of a celebrity, you're probably thinking of a beautiful, charismatic star who seems perfect. But let's be real: What TV viewers really want is usually a Jerry Springer-level mess.