Dean Robbins
Dean Robbins is a children’s author based in Madison. He has won state and national awards for arts, features and news stories, and has contributed to magazines and newspapers around the country.
Latest Contributed Stories
January 16, 2025
Remembering actor Gena Rowlands, a Wisconsin native who put raw truth onscreen
Actor Gena Rowlands was known for her dramatic, deeply emotional performances in movies like "A Woman Under the Influence," "Gloria" and "The Notebook." She won four Emmy awards, two Golden ...
January 8, 2025
Martial Arts Elvis: When the King broke up a fight in Madison
Throughout his career, Elvis Presley mastered so many talents. He was a musician, actor, dancer and — of course — martial artist. Elvis’ passion for karate played out on the ...
September 19, 2024
The Rebirth of Jazz Saxophonist Frank Morgan
Imagine making it as a musician not only once, but at two distinct moments in your life. That’s what happened to jazz saxophonist Frank Morgan of Milwaukee. Author Dean Robbins ...
September 3, 2024
Milwaukee Meets The Beatles
On September 4, 1964, the Beatles played their only show in Wisconsin. Writer Dean Robbins tells us about the madness that greeted John, Paul, George and Ringo on their North ...
August 8, 2024
Wisconsin native Meinhardt Raabe made lasting impression as coroner in ‘The Wizard Of Oz’
"The Wizard Of Oz" is a beloved, iconic film that has captivated generations of fans. Author Dean Robbins of Madison tells the story of Farmington, Wisconsin native, Meinhardt Raabe, whose ...
March 5, 2024
‘The fastest girl drummer in the world’: Celebrating Wisconsin’s Viola Smith
Drummer Viola Smith was a musical trailblazer and innovator. Known as "the fastest girl drummer in the world," her career lasted almost 100 years. Author Dean Robbins took a trip ...
February 8, 2024
‘The Day The Music Died’: Buddy Holly and his final shows in Wisconsin
Buddy Holly is a rock ‘n’ roll legend. In the 1950s, he became a musical torchbearer, helping popularize the genre with his band, The Crickets. They had big hits with ...
December 19, 2023
A miracle in Milwaukee: Oprah’s best Christmas
Media mogul Oprah Winfrey is known for so many things. There’s her long-running talk show "The Oprah Winfrey Show," her OWN TV Network and, of course, her philanthropy and the ...
May 4, 2023
The Racine Belles and Kenosha Comets: In a league of their own
A major event in sports history took place in September 1943. Two teams played in the first championship series of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Both were from Wisconsin. ...
January 31, 2023
Remembering Wisconsin Astronaut Laurel Clark’s Interstellar Dreams
Astronaut Laurel Clark’s life ended abruptly on February 1, 2003, when the space shuttle Columbia exploded near the end of its mission. She was only 41, with a husband and ...
July 14, 2022
How Two Rivers invented the ice cream sundae
Wisconsin is home to many firsts. The first blender, the first typewriter, and even malted milk was developed and introduced to the world right here in the dairy state. Two ...
June 14, 2022
Password’s Allen Ludden: From small-town Wisconsin to game-show glory
I recently visited Mineral Point to sample its famous attractions, including the historic mining sites and the 19th century architecture. But during my stay in southwestern Wisconsin, I also stumbled ...
January 13, 2022
Dear Abby, Ask Ann Landers And Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Legendary advice columnists Ann Landers and Abigail Van Buren dished out wise and witty advice to millions of readers for more than half a century. The two were also twins ...
November 4, 2021
Joni Mitchell Skates On Lake Mendota—And Into Music History
This story brings together a mid-winter ice storm, the southeast shore of Lake Mendota in Madison, ice skating, and a series of photographs that became a record album cover. Dean ...
April 8, 2021
When Wisconsin United Against The Polio Virus
Decades before COVID-19, there was an epidemic story with a happy ending. During the 20th century, Americans pulled together to defeat the polio virus, putting their faith in scientists and ...
February 22, 2019
Is That Really Madison Up On The Big Screen?
The 91st Academy Awards ceremony is happening this Sunday, which got Dean Robbins thinking about movies set in and around Madison. It’s always a thrill to see Wisconsin’s capital city ...
November 14, 2018
Sun Prairie Vs. Georgia O’Keeffe
This week marks the 131st birthday of Georgia O’Keeffe one of the most, if not the most famous artist from Wisconsin. At first, her celebrity was embraced by her hometown ...
May 4, 2018
The Chordettes, Sheboygan’s Singing Sensations
I’ve always imagined Wisconsin in the 1950s as an extraordinarily innocent place. What other conclusion can I draw after hearing the Chordettes? The Chordettes were a female vocal quartet formed ...
February 23, 2018
John Steinbeck Considers Wisconsin
John Steinbeck’s Wisconsin I’ve felt close to John Steinbeck ever since my 11th grade English class. We all had to choose an author for a term paper, and I picked ...
October 6, 2017
Bob Dylan’s Ode To Wisconsin
Have you ever noticed that people rarely sing the lyrics to our state song, “On Wisconsin”? The tune is rousing, but the words sound hopelessly old-fashioned more than one hundred ...
September 1, 2017
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Photographer
Photographer Pedro Guerrero was born 100 years ago this month. At age 22, he became the favored photographer for the world’s most famous architect – Frank Lloyd Wright. Dean Robbins ...
June 16, 2017
Jazz Pianist Joan Wildman Blows Up Time and Space
Jazz legend Joan Wildman doesn’t perform much anymore. But she’s made indelible mark on the students she taught at UW-Madison and the people, like Dean Robbins, who tells us about ...
April 19, 2017
Jim Lovell’s Wisconsin Roots
Growing up in the 1960s meant idolizing United States astronauts. In elementary school, we made scrapbooks of the Mercury 7 in their silver spacesuits. We cheered John Glenn’s dangerous orbit ...
October 14, 2016
Shot In The Chest, Theodore Roosevelt Kept Talking In Milwaukee
President Theodore Roosevelt was on his way to a campaign rally in Milwaukee when he was shot at close range by a would-be assassin. Dean Robbins tells us what happened ...
July 8, 2016
The Redemption Of Watertown’s Fred Merkle: More Than Baseball’s ‘Bonehead’
We all hope to be remembered for our successes rather than our mistakes. Watertown’s Fred Merkle played on six World Series teams but was remembered not for his admirable career ...
December 14, 2015
Han Solo In Ripon: Harrison Ford’s Wisconsin Roots
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away from Hollywood, future movie star Harrison Ford was coming of age in Wisconsin. He went to college here, discovered his ...
June 11, 2015
Celebrating bassist and Madison jazz legend Richard Davis
Editor's note: Legendary bassist Richard Davis of Madison, Wisconsin passed away in early September 2023, surrounded by his loved ones. He was 93 years old. To honor and remember Davis, ...
April 23, 2015
Discovering Orson Welles’ Wisconsin Roots
People don’t associate Orson Welles with Wisconsin. Even biographers gloss over the fact that the brilliant theater, radio, and film artist was born in Kenosha and schooled in Madison. Welles ...
March 30, 2015
Moving to Madison
After growing up in St. Louis, I wanted to settle down somewhere smaller. I liked Midwestern college towns, so I narrowed the choices to Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Madison, Wisconsin. ...
June 6, 2014
Les Paul
Les Paul was a musical legend whose pioneering work made the sound of rock and roll possible. In honor of his June 9th birthday, Dean Robbins tells us the story.
May 16, 2014
Chris Farley
With the season finale of Saturday Night Live this month, we’re looking back at the Madison start of one of the show’s biggest stars. Dean Robbins has the story.
February 12, 2014
Lincoln in Wisconsin
Abraham Lincoln was born on this day in 1809. While he’s most commonly associated with the state to our south, writer Dean Robbins tells us the little known story of ...
January 24, 2014
Houdini in Wisconsin
On January 27, 1908, magician Harry Houdini debuted his sensational milk can escape. It was a challenge he described as his greatest invention. Writer Dean Robbins fell in love with ...
December 6, 2013
How Otis Redding Touched One Madison Man’s Life
Forty-six years ago, Otis Redding lost his life in Madison. Few events loom as large in city lore. Writer Dean Robbins shares how Redding touched his life.
October 25, 2013
War of the Worlds
Seventy-five years ago, millions of radio listeners were shocked to hear alerts announcing the arrival of Martians. Writer Dean Robbins tells us the story behind one of history's greatest stunts.
July 10, 2013
Wisconsin’s Maestro Liberace
Liberace is an American and Wisconsin original. Even decades after his death, he still attracts attention and was the subject of a recent movie. Dean Robbins shares the story of the flamboyant ...
June 5, 2013
Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson's historic life was recently the subject of the hit film. But there's a lesser known Robinson story with a Wisconsin connection. Commentator Dean Robbins has the story.
May 24, 2013
Duke Ellington in Wisconsin
Today is the anniversary of the death of musical legend Duke Ellington. The most prolific composer of the 20thcentury, Ellington was a musical innovator throughout his life. Commentator Dean Robbins ...
February 27, 2013
Dylan Slept Here
What makes an ordinary place extra-ordinary? Discovering that one of your heroes slept there, maybe. Commentator Dean Robbins recently stumbled on a little-known piece of music history.
February 5, 2013
Woody Herman
This year marks the centennial of the birth of big band jazz legend Woody Herman. Writer Dean Robbins tells us what made the Milwaukee native so great.
September 21, 2012
Nirvana in Madison
20 years ago, Nirvana’s album “Nevermind” went to number one on the music charts, bringing alternative rock to a mainstream audience. Commentator Dean Robbins remembers the album’s Wisconsin roots.
July 7, 2012
Baseball Legend Hank Aaron’s Early Career In Eau Claire
It’s baseball season, and today, commentator Dean Robbins shares a story about a legendary player and a small Wisconsin city. == You might know that one of baseball's greatest players ...
February 7, 2012
Paramount Records
February is Black History month. Today, commentator Dean Robbins uncovers a little-known story, about the Wisconsin roots of some of the late, great, Delta blues musicians.
December 31, 2011