Part 31: Outlaws in the Wild Wild West
In the late 1950s, something went terribly wrong for Riley. So wrong that he dragged his wife (kicking and screaming) out of NY.
Part 30: Riley Writes About Marilyn Monroe When She was 19
I found a page of my father's journal, and I wasn't sure what to make of it. I read it over and over. I remember our talks about her.
Part 29: The Cat and The Ashes
*The role of Jo's cat in this blog will be played by Sarah Harlett's cat, Alfie... Alfie is a member of SAG/AFTRA and Equity.
Part 28: Half-Sister, Full Blog. A History, by Leslie Sullivan.
This is a special guest post, written by my half-sister, Leslie. Below is a photo Leslie shared today, one I'd never seen. Jo (brunette...
Part 27: Lou Levy, Harry Belafonte, Wife Number Four
Leslie repeated a story her mother told, that Harry Belafonte had come to their apartment for dinner, and sang to her when she was a baby.
Part 26: "Here Comes Peter Cottontail" and Riley Sells Songs...
Why did my father work so hard to get respect, fair treatment, and equal pay for hillbilly performers, only to squander his own money?
Part 25: Riley's Son, My Half-Brother, Richard Shepard
Richard told me that the night of his birth at the Doctor’s Hospital in Manhattan, Riley had made a bet that Truman would win the Presidency
Part 24: Living the Life of Riley
Victor Shepard had stories to tell. He loved to gossip. "Your father was the horniest man I've ever met," Victor said.
Part 23: "He Enjoyed Tricking People," She said.
Here's what I grapple with. Did my father believe his lies sometimes, or lie so often that he became confused about reality?
Part 22: Making A Brand New Start of It, New York, New York
If I had to point to a time when my father had some prestige and success, it would've been the years from 1944-1948. He was young, talented,