Michael Cavanaugh: Pianist, Vocalist

Michael Cavanaugh was hand-picked by Billy Joel to be the star piano-man and lead vocalist in the Broadway musical Movin' Out.

Joel wrote the music and lyrics, and the production opened in 2002.

The show was nominated for multiple awards. Cavanaugh was nominated for both Grammy and Tony awards, and Joel won a Tony.

Photograph © Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Catherine Dickens

In 2003, I was commissioned to photograph Catherine Dickens, the great-great-great- granddaughter of Charles Dickens. 

Ms. Dickens raised money for charity through the Charles Dickens Heritage Foundation, and resided in Budapest, Hungary.

Charles Dickens began writing A Christmas Carol in 1843. It was published during the Christmas season the same year - 174 years ago.

Here is my photograph published in USA Weekend - USA Today, December, 2003.

Photograph © 2003 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Patrons of the Arts

Many people who enjoy the performing arts in Kansas City will not recognize this couple. Not by sight, and not by name. And, I think this husband and wife are fine with that.

These are two of numerous dedicated patrons of the arts who generously provide financial support, plus use of their homes and business space for fundraising and events, with little concern for recognition. 

Our gratitude is endless. Each benefactor strengthens the creative capacity of our city, bringing about an enchanting place to live.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved. 

Painted

Painted. 

Model: Krystal Heib.

Photographs © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Runway Model

Kansas City Fashion Week, March 2017.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Lou Eisenbrandt, RN: Military Emergency Nurse (retired), Book Author

While preparing for this photograph, Lou Eisenbrandt advised me of her involuntary tremors. She suffers with Parkinson's disease from exposure to Agent Orange.

Lou served in the United States Army's 91st Evacuation Hospital in Chu Lai, Vietnam, as an emergency nurse from 1969 to 1970 - the height of the war. 

She was exposed to Agent Orange while cutting fatigues off wounded soldiers; their clothing was coated with the herbicide.

Lou recounts evocative experiences in her book, "Vietnam Nurse: Mending & Remembering." (Deeds Publishing). She was honored with an award from the Military Writers Society of America. 

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

#WomenYouShouldKnow

#CelebratingWomen 

Tom Savini: Special Effects Makeup, Stuntman, Actor, Director, Author

As a boy, Tom Savini was inspired by how movie-icon Lon Chaney, Sr., could transform himself using makeup techniques. 

Tom served in Vietnam as a combat photographer; his job was to document battle damage to equipment and people. To cope with experiencing the human carnage, Tom tried to imagine that what he was photographing were special effects. 

Later, he established himself as a special-effects makeup expert, working on movies including Martin, Dawn of the Dead, Friday the 13th and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, to name a very few.

Photograph © Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

George A. Romero: Moviemaker

George Romero is pretty much the father of modern zombie movies. 

In the mid-1960s, George made a movie titled Night of the Flesh Eaters for just over $100,000. In 1968, he took the movie to New York City hoping to sell it to a studio. 

No movie studio wanted it. He changed the title to Night of the Living Dead, and booked a few screenings. It was immediately disparaged by most critics, and loved by audiences. 

George made additional successful movies about the imagined zombie apocalypse, including Dawn of the Dead (1979), and Day of the Dead (1985). 

Roger Ebert, movie critic, described Dawn of the Dead as one of the best horror films ever made. 

Photograph © Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Bobby Bell - Football Superstar

Cleveland High School in Shelby, North Carolina, was segregated when Bobby Bell attended. He excelled at every sport.

He played football at the University of Minnesota, leaving to play professional football before finishing his degree.

Bobby's career highlights and awards include Super Bowl champion, College Football Hall of Fame, Pro Bowl Hall of Fame, AFL Defensive Player of the Year, and many more AFL and NFL honors. He was inducted into the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1980.

Fifty years after leaving college, Bobby returned. In 2015, he completed the last 3 classes he needed, and graduated from the University of Minnesota. 

Photograph © Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Reginald "Reggie" Griffin - Wrongfully Convicted

In 1988, Reggie Griffin was serving a 20-year prison sentence. While incarcerated, he was convicted of murdering a fellow inmate, and sentenced to death.

Reggie did not commit the murder. It was 2011 when the Missouri Supreme Court agreed to a retrial, ruling in his favor. Charges were dismissed by the prosecution in 2013, and Reggie was allowed to leave prison.

Innocence Project
Midwest Innocence Project

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Erin

Hot summer nights.

Model: Erin

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Tom Devlin: Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Author

Tom Devlin co-founded Rent-A-Center when he was 25 years old, and sold it for $584 million.  

He is a generous benefactor, and has donated much of the proceedings.

As we chatted, Tom emphasized, "Everyone's important."

Read more about Tom in his autobiography Playing Through.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved.

#EveryoneIsImportant

Jon Fulton Adams - Clothing Designer

Clothing designer Jon Fulton Adams of Queen's Rocket at Kansas City Fashion Week, March, 2017.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved.

Sonia Warshawski 48689

#WomenYouShouldKnow   #CelebratingWomen

As a Polish girl of Jewish faith, Sonia Warshawski 48689 lived in a death camp, and watched as her mother was marched to the gas chamber. 

When Sonia was 15 years old, the camp was being liberated by British soldiers and Sonia was shot. The bullet travelled close to her heart, through her, and she survived. 

"Big Sonia" is an inspiring documentary about Sonia's life. 

48689 is the number tattooed on her arm.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved.

Savannah Liles - Actress

#WomenYouShouldKnow 

Savannah Liles (Savannah Halliday) starred in the movie "Prodigy" (2017), as Ellie, a young genius working with a psychologist.

At eleven years old, Savannah has 11 movie and television credits, and a 12th project in post-production. 

In 2016, she appeared on The 37th Annual Young Artist Awards television special where she won Best Performance in a Short Film - Young Actress.

Savannah resides in Los Angeles.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Mrs. Missouri USA 2017

Lori Brown is Mrs. Missouri USA Universal 2017.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Milton J. Shelley, Sr. - Vietnam Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient

Milton J. Shelley, Sr., served with the 9th Infantry U.S. Army, and was wounded in combat. 

He waited 48 years to receive his Purple Heart.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Tricia J. Bushnell - Attorney

Tricia J. Bushnell, a former law professor, is Executive Director of Midwest Innocence Project.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Alvin Brooks

Alvin Brooks: Police officer, Chief of Police, Police Commissioner, community activist, founder of Ad Hoc Group Against Crime, civil rights advocate. 

In meetings with Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama, he communicated from first-hand experience the correlation of poverty to crime and violence. 

President George H.W. Bush appointed Alvin advisor to the National Drug Advisory Council in 1989, and named him one of America's 1000 Points of Light.

As a police officer in the 1950's, Alvin was asked to participate in a line-up, in plain clothes. He was picked out of the line-up as the perpetrator of a mugging. Had he not been having lunch with a Detective at the time the crime was committed, he firmly believes he would have been charged.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved.

Ryan W. Ferguson - Wrongfully Convicted

Ryan W. Ferguson was a 17-year-old high school student when he was charged with murder.

He spent nearly 10 years in prison, before being found innocent.

You may have seen Ryan hosting MTV's Unlocking the Truth.

Midwest Innocence Project
Innocence Project

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Nancy Pickard: Novelist

#WomenYouShouldKnow 

Nancy Pickard, author of a multitude of novels and short stories, has been honored with more than two-dozen awards for her writing.

"If you read for pleasure, there's probably more pleasure per inch in Pickard's work than almost any other current crime novelist." - Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Pickard has evolved into a novelist of substantial literary power." - The Denver Post

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved. 

#CelebratingWomen

Patrick Lewallen

Patrick Lewallen

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Matt Baldwin

Matt Baldwin.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Anthony Ray Hinton - Wrongfully Convicted

In 1985, Anthony Ray Hinton was convicted of murdering two restaurant managers, a crime he did not commit.

He spent the next 30 years in prison, most of it on Alabama's death row, before the United States Supreme Court overturned his conviction.

In January, 2016, Scott Pelley conducted an interview with Anthony for CBS's "60 Minutes", and you may follow this link for a written synopsis.

The Midwest Innocence Project

Innocence Project

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Christian Micheal Shuster: Designer

Christian Micheal Shuster's modern clothing-design labels are ChristianMICHEAL men's wear, and sHe by cM.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Ciara

Model: Ciara Barton

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Elise

Model: Elise Hardenburger

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Miss Kansas City's Outstanding Teen

Kaitlyn Rigdon is Miss Kansas City's Outstanding Teen, 2017.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Contemplating Red Bull

A moment of meditation on the runway with the Red Edition of Red Bull at Kansas City Fashion Week.

Photograph © Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Model: Preston Jeffrey Parsons

Art Still - NFL Football Defensive End

Art Still played ten seasons for the Kansas City Chiefs. 

Art was selected to play in the Pro Bowl four times, named Chiefs Most Valuable Player twice, and a member of the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame.

He was eventually traded to the Buffalo Bills, where he played two seasons.

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Ernest Foltz - Drummer

Blues drummer Ernest Foltz entertains an enthusiastic, full-house audience.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Go Red For Women Fashion Show

Runway. Photographs © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved. 
Model on left: Alexa. Model on right: Lexy   Makeup: Shannon Nemec

Mark A. Norell, PhD

Dr. Mark A. Norell is a paleontologist and molecular geneticist. He is Division Chair and Macaulay Curator, plus Paleontology Professor at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

Dr. Norell is acknowledged as one of the most important living vertebrate paleontologists.

His articles appear often in major scientific journals, including Science, Nature (cover stories), and Time magazine listed his work in the 10 most significant science stories for three years.

He was named a New York City Leader of the Year by the New York Times.

Please enjoy this New York Times article, and this Wall Street Journal article.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Runway Model - LaRae Fashions

This dress is by designer Madison Durant of LaRae Fashions.

Model: Brynn Shaffer
Hair: Travis Harland
Makeup: Shannon Nemec

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Jennifer Tierney

Jennifer Tierney is the owner, designer, and in this image, the runway model for J.tierina Designs.


Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Dan Verbeck: Radio Reporter and Newsman

After working two years for newspapers, Dan Verbeck enjoyed a distinguished 48-year career reporting news on the radio.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Henry W. Bloch

Henry Bloch co-founded H&R Block in 1955 with his brother Richard.

It was through the U.S. Army Air Corps he received graduate training at Harvard University School of Business.

In 2001, Henry was inducted into the U.S. Business Hall of Fame.

Photograph © Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved. 

Kevin Willmott: Producer, Screenwriter, Director

Kevin Willmott was the executive producer and co-writer of Chi-Raq, a Spike Lee movie. 

He also wrote and directed feature movies including C.S.A.: Confederate States of America, Gordon Parks Elementary, Ninth Street, Jayhawkers, The Only Good Indian, The Battle for Bunker Hill, and more.

Photograph © Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Cynthia J. Popp: Producer, Director

Cynthia J. Popp won an Emmy® for producing The Bold and The Beautiful, and two awards from the Directors Guild of America for the same television show. 

She also directed episodes of Frasier, Jacob's Edge, and Passions.

Presently, Cynthia is Chief Executive Officer of Elocin Entertainment, and a partner in 2North Entertainment.

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

#WomenYouShouldKnow

Angelo Pizzo: Screenwriter, Producer, Director

Angelo Pizzo began his career at Warner Brothers Television, then moved to Time-Life Films.

He and David Anspaugh wrote the movie Hoosiers (1986), which earned two Oscar nominations, and named best sports film of all time by ESPN and USA Today.

In 1993, Angelo wrote and produced the movie Rudy, and in 2005 he did the same with The Game of Their Lives.

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved.

#Writer 

Pakistani Style

MH is a confident, fashion-forward Pakistani woman.

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Jason London

Jason London is a television and movie actor whose many credits include Dazed and Confused, Jason and the Argonauts, CSI, Grey's Anatomy, NCIS, 7th Heaven, and over 100 more.

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Barry Washboard Barnes, Musician

Barry Washboard Barnes plays the washboard, and is often seen playing with Ernest James Zydeco Band.

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved.

Max and Vincent Modeling Mens Apparel

Models Max MacDonald and Vincent Sung at ULAH.

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Wrongfully Convicted: Joe Amrine - 17 Years on Death Row

For a thought-provoking look at criminals, death sentences, religion and redemption, also read this article.

Joe Amrine surrendered to authorities when he was accused of committing a crime.

While incarcerated, he was charged with murdering a fellow inmate. With testimony from three other inmates, Joe was convicted and spent 17 years on death row.

Eventually, the other inmates admitted they lied.

With the help of Midwest Innocence Project, and criminal defense attorney Sean O'Brien, the Missouri Supreme Court overturned his murder conviction. He is back in society, and doing well.

Innocence Project

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Quixotic

Innovative Performance Art

Quixotic let me play with them backstage.

Photographs © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Kansas Air National Guard

Thank you for keeping us safe.

Kansas Air National Guard.

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.