Pencil Sketch of the Day (15FEB26): Oliver Hardy Pencil sketch on drawing paper - Greg Joens.

Pencil Sketch of the Day (15FEB26):

Oliver Hardy

Pencil sketch on drawing paper - Greg Joens.

Oliver Hardy (1892–1957) was an American comic actor best known as one half of the legendary duo Laurel and Hardy. With his round figure, expressive face, and mix of bluster and vulnerability, he brought warmth and humanity to slapstick comedy. Hardy’s meticulous timing and distinctive mannerisms turned simple gags into unforgettable moments on screen. Working with Stan Laurel, he appeared in dozens of silent shorts and sound films that helped define early Hollywood comedy. Beyond the laughs, Hardy’s legacy endures in the joy he brought to audiences worldwide and the lasting influence he left on generations of comedians.

Pencil Sketch of the Day: Leslie Nielsen 13FEB26

Pencil Sketch of the Day: Leslie Nielsen

13FEB26

Leslie Nielsen (born February 11, 1926 – died November 28, 2010) was a master of deadpan comedy whose perfectly straight face made the wildest jokes even funnier. After years as a dramatic actor, he reinvented himself in classics like Airplane! and The Naked Gun series, becoming a legend of parody and slapstick. His timing, charm, and commitment to every absurd moment made him beloved around the world. Though he is gone, his films continue to make us laugh, reminding us of his unique genius and timeless gift for comedy.

 

Burt Reynolds - Born February 11, 1936

 Artist Greg Joens presents a pencil tribute portrait of iconic American actor Burt Reynolds (born Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. on February 11, 1936, in Lansing, Michigan; died September 6, 2018, in Jupiter, Florida), whose rugged charm and magnetic screen presence made him one of Hollywood’s most recognizable stars of the 1970s and 1980s. Celebrated for roles in films like Deliverance, Smokey and the Bandit, and Boogie Nights, Reynolds balanced action, comedy, and vulnerability in a way few actors could. A little‑known fact about Reynolds is that before his film career took off, he was a standout college football player at Florida State University and dreamed of going pro, but a devastating knee injury and a subsequent car accident ended those hopes—ultimately steering him toward acting and the legendary career this portrait honors.

Sketch of the Day: Buster Keaton (1895–1966)

 Sketch of the Day: 11FEB26

Buster Keaton

Buster Keaton (1895–1966), often called “The Great Stone Face,” was a pioneering American silent film comedian, director, and stunt performer whose deadpan expression and groundbreaking physical comedy reshaped the language of cinema. Raised in a vaudeville family, Keaton honed astonishing acrobatic skills from childhood, later bringing that precision to films like The General, Sherlock Jr. and Steamboat Bill, Jr., where he performed many of his own daring stunts long before safety standards or special effects as we know them existed. His meticulous timing, inventive gags, and willingness to risk real danger made him a favorite among fellow filmmakers and a lasting influence on generations of comedians. A little‑known fact about Keaton is that magician Harry Houdini was his godfather—and may even have been the one who gave young Joseph Keaton the nickname “Buster” after watching him take a spectacular fall as a child.

Pencil Sketch of the Day: 09FEB26 Cole Porter (1891–1964)

 Pencil Sketch of the Day:

Cole Porter...

09FEB26

Cole Porter (1891–1964) remains the gold standard of American musical theater, uniquely distinguished as one of the few legends who wrote both music and lyrics for his enduring masterpieces. Born into an affluent Indiana family, he defied his grandfather’s legal ambitions to bring a worldly, urbane wit to the Great American Songbook. His career, marked by sophisticated rhythms and clever, occasionally risqué rhymes, produced iconic hits like "Night and Day," "Anything Goes," and "I've Got You Under My Skin". Despite a debilitating horse-riding accident in 1937 that left him in lifelong pain, his creative spirit triumphed with the 1948 smash Kiss Me, Kate—the first-ever recipient of the Tony Award for Best Musical. Porter’s legacy is a timeless "champagne" of glamour and complex emotion that continues to define musical elegance.

Laurel and Hardy - 08FEB26

 Pencil Sketch of the Day... 08FEB26

Long before they were known as the world’s most iconic slapstick duo, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were seasoned individual performers who crossed paths by complete accident at Hal Roach Studios. Though they first appeared in the same film, The Lucky Dog, as early as 1921, they played independent roles—Laurel as the hero and Hardy as a robber—and did not work together again for several years. Their official partnership only began in 1927 due to a literal kitchen mishap: Hardy severely burned his arm while cooking a leg of lamb, forcing the studio to bring in Laurel to fill his role in the comedy Get 'Em Young. Director Leo McCarey soon noticed the undeniable natural chemistry between the "thin one" and the "fat one," and by the release of Putting Pants on Philip later that year, the bumbling, optimistic "The Boys" were officially born.

Sketch of the Day: Conrad Bain (1923–2013)

Sketch of the Day:

Conrad Bain (1923–2013)

Conrad Bain was a Canadian-American actor best known for his warm, dignified portrayal of Phillip Drummond on the beloved sitcom Diff’rent Strokes. Trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, he built a rich career on stage and screen, often playing thoughtful, principled authority figures. Bain brought gentle humor and humanity to every role, endearing himself to generations of viewers. Beyond his work, he was admired for his professionalism, kindness, and quiet grace. Conrad Bain’s legacy lives on through the timeless characters he created and the enduring comfort his performances continue to bring audiences worldwide.