Famous Men : R.I.P. List #2
This is my 2nd tribute list of the talented and famous gentlemen individuals that have passed away....Their legacies will forever live in our hearts for us to continue to enjoy......May the Rest in Peace.......
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- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Commanding performer Bill Nunn made his feature debut in fellow Morehouse College graduate Spike Lee's School Daze (1988), but really etched himself into moviegoers' minds as a formidable screen presence in his second film with Lee, Do the Right Thing (1989), playing Radio Raheem, whose ever-present boom box is at the center of a fight that leads to his death at the hands of an overzealous police officer, the prelude to the all-out riot that follows (Nunn also acted in Mo' Better Blues (1990) and He Got Game (1998) for Lee). Though he made his initial mark playing young street toughs on screen, this veteran of the Atlanta stage showed he could use his impressive size for something other than menace with a critically acclaimed performance as Harrison Ford's sympathetic, high-spirited physical therapist in Regarding Henry (1991). Nunn subsequently played pretty much every type there is, all the way up to nice, huggable teddy bear guys like Whoopi Goldberg's protector Eddie Souther in Sister Act (1992).
His professionalism made him a favorite of other directors besides Lee. He portrayed a Southern police chief in Bill Condon's White Lie (1991) (USA Network), later reteaming with Condon for Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh (1995), and has also acted twice for Michael Apted (Extreme Measures (1996), HBO's Always Outnumbered (1998)) and Gary Fleder (Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead (1995), Kiss the Girls (1997)). Nunn also turned in a fine performance as Tim Roth's adoptive father in The Legend of 1900 (1998), Giuseppe Tornatore's first English-language feature, released initially in Italy and then in the United States in 1999. He can also be seen in Spider-Man (2002), People I Know (2002) with Al Pacino and the prison thriller Lockdown (2000).
Nunn has also found time to do numerous television pilots and three series. He was in the CBS series Traps (1994) with George C. Scott, sitcom Local Heroes (1995) for NBC and the critically acclaimed The Job (2001) with Denis Leary on ABC. He appeared on episodes of Chicago Hope (1994), Touched by an Angel (1994) (both CBS), New York Undercover (1994) and Millennium (1996) (both Fox), among others.
Nunn lived in Georgia with his wife Donna and daughters Jessica and Cydney.Date of Birth 20 October 1953, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Date of Death 24 September 2016, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Birth Name William Goldwyn Nunn III
Height 6' 3½" (1.92 m)
Spouse: Donna Anne Watts (? - 24 September 2016) (his death)
Trade Mark: Frequently cast in Spike Lee films.- Arnold Palmer was born on 10 September 1929 in Youngstown, Pennsylvania, USA. He was an actor, known for Return to Campus (1975), Call Me Bwana (1963) and Arnold Palmer: Course Strategy (1989). He was married to Kathleen Gawthrop and Winifred Walzer. He died on 25 September 2016 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.Date of Birth 10 September 1929, Youngstown, Pennsylvania, USA
Date of Death 25 September 2016, Latrobe, Pennsylvania, USA
Birth Name Arnold Daniel Palmer
Spouse (2) Kathleen Gawthrop (26 January 2005 - 25 September 2016) (his death)
Winifred Walzer (20 December 1954 - 20 November 1999) (her death) (2 children) - Director
- Actor
- Producer
Only one film-maker can claim the title "Godfather of Gore." That peculiar but apt identification seems to be the exclusive property of Herschell Gordon Lewis. With an unusual background that included teaching English Literature to college students, producing and directing television commercials, and voicing radio and television commercials, Herschell literally - and single-handedly - established the "Splatter Film" category of motion pictures. He accomplished this by writing and directing (including the musical score) a mini-budget movie titled "Blood Feast," shot in Miami in 1963 and released theatrically the following year. As critics lambasted the primitive effects and inattention to script and sub-par acting, audiences flocked to theaters to see why friends who had reacted to the movie's fiery marketing campaign had said, "You gotta see this." Armed with boxoffice grosses, Herschell and his producer-partner David Friedman quickly decided to build onto their newly-discovered base. Herschell wrote and directed "Two Thousand Maniacs." The lead singer of the musical group hired to perform background music had a tenor voice. Herschell had written the title song, "The South Gonna Rise Ag'in." He wanted a baritone, and without hesitation he made the switch: the voice on the sound track is his. After their third splatter film, "Color Me Blood Red," David Friedman moved to California, engaging in a different type of motio0n picture. Herschell continued to grind out one success after another, with titles such as "The Gruesome Twosome," "The Wizard of Gore," and "The Gore-Gore Girls." When major film companies began to invade his splatter-turf, Herschell took a hiatus, shifting full time to his "other career," writing advertising and mailings for marketers worldwide. He became one of a handful of experts to be inducted into the Direct Marketing Association's Hall of Fame. (Author of 32 books on marketing including the classic "On the Art of Writing Copy," Herschell is often called on to lecture on copywriting, just as he is invited to sing the theme from "Two Thousand Maniacs" at horror film festivals.) Over the years, an unusual reality came into place: Herschell's old films continued to play not just on TV screens but in theatres, years after conventional movies would have disappeared altogether. The result has been renewal of his life as a film director. Thus it is that a new Herschell Gordon Lewis movie is hoving into view: "Herschell Gordon Lewis's BloodMania," produced by James Saito in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and planned for 2015 release. Both the producer and the director encapsulate their opinion of "Herschell Gordon Lewis's BloodMania" in a single word: Enthusiastic.Date of Birth 15 June 1929, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Date of Death 26 September 2016
Nickname Godfather Of Gore
Height 6' 1" (1.85 m)- Born in Seattle, Washington, in 1922, as Solomon Krakovsky, to Russian Jewish immigrants, Hill became interested in the theater as a little boy. After graduation from high school, he served in the Naval Reserve (1940-44). From there, he worked alongside a young, unknown star Marlon Brando in "A Flag is Born." His real acting debut came about in 1950, when he co-starred opposite Hedy Lamarr in A Lady Without Passport (1950), and his career took off from there.
For the rest of the 1950s and 1960s, he co-starred in B-movies such as: The Goddess (1958), Kiss Her Goodbye (1959), A Child Is Waiting (1963), The Slender Thread (1965). Hill also became a leading character actor guest-starring in a wide variety of shows such as: Schlitz Playhouse (1951), Danger (1950), Playwrights '56 (1955), Studio One (1948), Playhouse 90 (1956), Naked City (1958), Espionage (1963), Dr. Kildare (1961), Ben Casey (1961), among many others. Another guest-starring role on Rawhide (1959), led him to starring on Mission: Impossible (1966). Though the series lasted seven seasons, Hill was not pleased with his role because he refused to abide by the production schedule that required working on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, being an Orthodox Jew. Hill was fired after 1 season, and was replaced in the series by Peter Graves. After his firing, he went on a sabbatical from acting, to focus on selling homes in real estate, hence he moved to New York.
After his long absence from acting, he returned to the small screen with the TV mini-series, King (1978). The 1980s saw Hill returning to the box office, co-starring in such blockbuster films such as: It's My Turn (1980), opposite Jill Clayburgh and Michael Douglas, Eyewitness (1981), Yentl (1983), Garbo Talks (1984), opposite Anne Bancroft and Carrie Fisher, On Valentine's Day (1986), and it's sequel, Courtship (1987), he played a Mafia Don in Arnold Schwarzenegger's another blockbuster film, Raw Deal (1986), then, in a blockbuster ten movie Running on Empty (1988), followed by The Boost (1988), White Palace (1990), and one of the last films, Billy Bathgate (1991).
In the 1990s, at 68, after a 23-year-absence from the small screen, he reestablished his career, as the last minute replacement for a starring role in Law & Order (1990), where he played the role of a pragmatic District Attorney, Adam Schiff, a character whom everyone grew to love. Despite not appearing in the pilot episode of the series, he quickly became one of Hollywood's likable and bankable stars, where he often had scenes, that were filmed, only in court. His co-stars on the show consisted of actors who have also made bankable names like Hill himself like Chris Noth, former Pee-wee's Playhouse (1986) alumnae, S. Epatha Merkerson, Sam Waterston, and newcomers Jill Hennessy and Benjamin Bratt. On Law & Order (1990) he was also nominated for Emmies twice, but did not win. The entire cast was shocked when, in 2000, he left his role to enjoy his retirement. Before then, the entire cast appeared with Hill on Larry King Live (1985), to say goodbye to a legendary star.Date of Birth 24 February 1922, Seattle, Washington, USA
Date of Death 23 August 2016, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
Birth Name Solomon Krakovsky
Height 5' 11½" (1.82 m)
Spouses: Rachel Schenker (1967 - 23 August 2016) (his death) (5 children)
Selma Stern (8 April 1951 - 1964) (divorced) (4 children)
Trade Marks: Often tells stories about his life as an Orthodox Jew Usually played roles that are both parental and authority figures His pragmatic voice - Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Muhammad Ali beat more champions and top contenders than any heavyweight champion in history. He defeated heavyweight kings Sonny Liston (twice), Floyd Patterson (twice), Ernie Terrell, Jimmy Ellis, Ken Norton (twice), Joe Frazier (twice), George Foreman and Leon Spinks. He defeated light-heavyweight champs Archie Moore and Bob Foster. Ali defeated European heavyweight champions Henry Cooper, Karl Mildenberger, Jürgen Blin, Joe Bugner, Richard Dunn, Jean-Pierre Coopman and Alfredo Evangelista. He defeated British and Commonwealth king Brian London. All of Ali's defeats were by heavyweight champions: Frazier, Norton, Spinks, Larry Holmes and Trevor Berbick. Ali also beat undefeated fighters Sonny Banks (12-0), Billy Daniels (16-0), 'Rudi Lubbers' (21-0) and George Foreman (40-0).Date of Birth 17 January 1942, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Date of Death 3 June 2016, Phoenix, Arizona, USA (respiratory ailments)
Birth Name Cassius Marcellus Clay
Nicknames The Louisville Lip The Greatest The People's Champion
Height 6' 3" (1.91 m)
Spouse (4) Yolonda Williams (19 November 1986 - 3 June 2016) (his death) (1 child)
Verónica Porche Ali (19 June 1977 - 1986) (divorced) (2 children)
Khalilah 'Belinda' Ali (17 August 1967 - 29 December 1976) (divorced) (4 children)
Sonji Roi (14 August 1964 - 10 January 1966) (divorced)
Trade Marks:
Trademark phrase: "Floats Like A Butterfly and Stings Like a Bee"
Predicting the round in which his opponents would fall, sometimes even down to the minute
The Ali Shuffle
Boastful behavior
Extraordinary speed and agility in addition to devastatingly powerful blows
Stinging taunts of opponents which frequently rhymed.
Rope-a-dope strategy (absorbing round after round of punishing blows from the opponent only to come back stronger after the opponent exhausted themselves)
Suffered,for 30years, from Parkinson's Syndrome, caused by the numerous blows to the head during his boxing career.
[on Elvis Presley] Elvis was my close personal friend. He came to my Deer Lake training camp about two years before he died. He told us he didn't want nobody to bother us. He wanted peace and quiet and I gave him a cabin in my camp and nobody even knew it. When the cameras started watching me train, he was up on the hill sleeping in the cabin. Elvis had a robe made for me. I don't admire nobody but Elvis Presley. He was the sweetest, most humble and nicest man you'd ever meet.- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Steve Adams was born on 4 September 1960 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He was an actor and producer, known for Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002), Hollywoodland (2006) and The Bone Collector (1999). He died on 23 January 2012 in British Columbia, Canada.Born: September 4, 1960 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Died: January 23, 2012 (age 51) in Canada
Alternate Names: Stephen Adams
Height: 6' 2" (1.88 m)- Actor
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Soundtrack
Neil Alden Armstrong (August 5, 1930 - August 25, 2012) was an American astronaut and aeronautical engineer, and the first person to walk on the Moon. He was also a naval aviator, test pilot, and university professor.
Armstrong was born and raised in Wapakoneta, Ohio. A graduate of Purdue University, he studied aeronautical engineering; his college tuition was paid for by the U.S. Navy under the Holloway Plan. He became a midshipman in 1949 and a naval aviator the following year. He saw action in the Korean War, flying the Grumman F9F Panther from the aircraft carrier USS Essex. In September 1951, while making a low bombing run, Armstrong's aircraft was damaged when it collided with an anti-aircraft cable, strung across a valley, which cut off a large portion of one wing. Armstrong was forced to bail out. After the war, he completed his bachelor's degree at Purdue and became a test pilot at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) High-Speed Flight Station at Edwards Air Force Base in California. He was the project pilot on Century Series fighters and flew the North American X-15 seven times. He was also a participant in the U.S. Air Force's Man in Space Soonest and X-20 Dyna-Soar human spaceflight programs.
Armstrong joined the NASA Astronaut Corps in the second group, which was selected in 1962. He made his first spaceflight as command pilot of Gemini 8 in March 1966, becoming NASA's first civilian astronaut to fly in space. During this mission with pilot David Scott, he performed the first docking of two spacecraft; the mission was aborted after Armstrong used some of his re-entry control fuel to stabilize a dangerous roll caused by a stuck thrust. During training for Armstrong's second and last spaceflight as commander of Apollo 11, he had to eject from the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle moments before a crash. On July 20, 1969, Armstrong and Apollo 11 Lunar Module (LM) pilot Buzz Aldrin became the first people to land on the Moon, and the next day they spent two and a half hours outside the Lunar Module Eagle spacecraft while Michael Collins remained in lunar orbit in the Apollo Command Module Columbia. When Armstrong first stepped onto the lunar surface, he famously said: "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." It was broadcast live to an estimated 530 million viewers worldwide. Apollo 11 effectively proved US victory in the Space Race, by fulfilling a national goal proposed in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy "of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth" before the end of the decade. Along with Collins and Aldrin, Armstrong was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Richard Nixon and received the 1969 Collier Trophy. President Jimmy Carter presented him with the Congressional Space Medal of Honor in 1978, he was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1979, and with his former crew-mates received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2009.
After he resigned from NASA in 1971, Armstrong taught in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Cincinnati until 1979. He served on the Apollo 13 accident investigation and on the Rogers Commission, which investigated the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. In 2012, Armstrong died due to complications resulting from coronary bypass surgery, at the age of 82.That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. [First words spoken on the moon. The speech as written by his wife read "That's one small step for a man, a giant leap for mankind. Unfortunately he forgot the a in the between for and man, thus changing the meaning.]
Date of Birth
5 August 1930, Wapakoneta, Ohio, USA
Date of Death
25 August 2012, USA(Natural causes)
Birth Name
Neil Alden Armstrong
Height
5' 11" (1.80 m)
Spouse
Carol Held Knight (12 June 1994 - His death)
Janet Shearon (28 January 1956 - 1994) (divorced) 3 children- Actor
- Music Department
- Composer
Hoyt Axton was born on 25 March 1938 in Duncan, Oklahoma, USA. He was an actor and composer, known for Gremlins (1984), Forrest Gump (1994) and The Big Chill (1983). He was married to Deborah Hawkins, Donna "Bambi" Roberts, Kathryn Roberts and Mary Sanino. He died on 26 October 1999 in Victor, Montana, USA.Date of Birth 25 March 1938, Duncan, Oklahoma, USA
Date of Death 26 October 1999, Helena, Montana, USA (heart attack)
Birth Name Hoyt Wayne Axton
In November of 2007, the Oklahoma born-and-raised singer/songwriter was inducted posthumously, along with his mother, to the Oklahoma Country Music Hall of Fame in Muskogee, Oklahoma.
"Contemplating mankind's purpose turns people like me into pseudo-philosophers. I feel that life is simply a matter of one foot in front of the other and down the road we go. If we're lucky we get to enjoy a little dance or song now and then--I've been singing my song to life since I was born. I've learned that love and the blues seem to be partners."- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
Kenny Baker was born on 24 August 1934 in Birmingham, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Time Bandits (1981), Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) and The Elephant Man (1980). He was married to Eileen Baker. He died on 13 August 2016 in Preston, Lancashire, England, UK.Date of Birth 24 August 1934, Birmingham, England, UK
Date of Death 13 August 2016, England, UK
Birth Name Kenneth George Baker
Height 3' 8" (1.12 m)
Spouse: Eileen Baker (1970 - 1993) (her death) (2 children)
Trade Marks: Short stature Thick English accent Best known as R2D2 from the Star Wars films
He and Anthony Daniels are the only actors to have a role in all seven Star Wars movies. However, Baker worked only as an uncredited consultant in the seventh film while Daniels actually appeared in all seven films.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Born as George Victor Bishop in 1932. He changed his name to Edward when he became a professional actor, as there was already an actor named George Bishop. Raised in Peekskill, New York through high school. Served in the US Army 1952-1954, worked as a disc jockey on Armed Forces Radio at St Johns' Newfoundland. Planned for a career in Business Administration and went back to school at Boston University. Decided he didn't like Business Administration and enrolled in Boston University Theater Division (1956). Graduated in 1960 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree. Won a scholarship to study drama at London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in 1960. Started his professional acting career in July 1961. Married his second wife, the economist Hilary Preen at Caxton Hall in 1962. Met Hilary in Trafalgar Square when he was visiting places of interest in London. They had four children, who were born in 1964 (Daniel, who later died in a car crash), 1967 (Georgina), 1968 (Jessica) and 1971 (Serina). They lived in Napton on the Hill, a little village in Warwickshire, where he bought a large old house in 1980. Here he founded Napton Open Air Theatre and Napton Little Theatre, which staged high quality village productions. He later lived with his third wife, Jane Skinner, at East Molesey. Ed became a grandfather in 1994. He was a keen anti-war campaigner, addressing meetings in Manchester and attending demonstrations at arms fairs. He notably crashed one such fair dressed as General Pinochet, along with four other dictators that Britain had supplied arms to - and who had subsequently turned nasty: General Galtieri, Saddam Hussein, Adolf Hitler and Ivan the Terrible. It made the national news.Date of Birth 11 June 1932 , Brooklyn, New York, USA
Date of Death 8 June 2005 , London, England, UK (virus)
Birth Name George Victor Bishop
Height 5' 11" (1.8 m)
Spouses: Hillary Preen (1962 - ?) (divorced) (4 children)
Jane Skinner (? - 8 June 2005) (his death)
Died 5 days after his UFO (1969) co-star Michael Billington.
Had three daughters. He also had a son named Daniel who passed away.- Actor
- Writer
Born on April 30, 1938 in Venice, California, Gary Collins was one of the most versatile actors in the entertainment industry. Gary attended Santa Monica City College and then enlisted in the United States Army for two years. While in uniform, Gary discovered acting and performed as a radio and television personality for the Armed Forces Network. A talented and diverse actor, he portrayed a variety of characters in films, television movies, miniseries, television series and on stage. In addition to these roles, Gary was also well known for his easygoing style and warmth as a Host. Gary was married to actress, television personality and former Miss America Mary Ann Mobley. He and his wife were involved with the March of Dimes for more than 20 years and they were active volunteers in relief organizations to end world hunger. They were also involved with the National Foundation for Ileitis and Colitis. Gary Collins died at age 74 of natural causes on October 13, 2012 in Biloxi, Mississippi.Date of Birth
30 April 1938, Venice, California, USA
Date of Death
14 October 2012, Biloxi, Miss., USA
Birth Name
Gary Ennis Collins
Height
6' 1" (1.85 m)
"Needless to say, DeMolay had a profound effect on me. It arrived at a critical point in my life. For at fourteen, the issues of fraternity, faith, and trust were insignificant. The example of Jacques DeMolay's courage helped me to see that there was another dimension to one's life and that the attempt to reach a worthy goal could give so much more meaning to one's life. Of course, the opportunity to go through the chairs was an honor and certainly nurtured whatever leadership qualities I might possess today."- Composer
- Music Department
- Actor
Songwriter ("Magic Moments", "Baby Elephant Walk", "What the World Needs Now is Love") and author, educated at New York University. Joining ASCAP in 1943, he collaborated musically with Burt Bacharach, Sherman Edwards, Lee Pockriss, [error], Redd Evans, Don Rodney, John Barry and Henry Mancini. His other popular-song compositions include "Four Winds and the Seven Seas, The", "American Beauty Rose", "My Heart is an Open Book", "Broken-Hearted Melody", "What Do You See in Her?", "Sea of Heart Break", "La Charanga", "Our Concerto", "Johnny Get Angry", "You'll Answer to Me", "Don't Make Me Over", "Make it Easy on Yourself", "Only Love Can Break a Heart", "Story of My Life, The", "Blue on Blue", "True Love Never Runs Smooth", "24 Hours From Tulsa", "Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?", "Anyone who Had a Heart", "Walk On By", "Any Old Time of the Day", "Reach Out for Me", "I Wake Up Cryin'", "Don't Envy Me", "First Night of the Full Moon, The", "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me", "Magic Potion", "This Empty Place", "You'll Never Get to Heaven", "To Wait For Love", "Trains and Boats and Planes", "We Have All The Time in the World" and "Lifetime of Loneliness, A".Date of Birth
25 May 1921, New York City, New York, USA
Date of Death
1 Sept 2012, Los Angeles, USA (complications from a stroke)
"Pop songs are not as graceful as they used to be. Performers today haven't gone through the regimen of learning how to write. And of course, everyone wants to own copyrights. Rap culture is interesting and different and has purpose but it has a non-romantic view of life and of social feelings. There may be a void in that."- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Michael Clarke Duncan was born on December 10, 1957 in Chicago, Illinois. Raised on Chicago's South Side by his single mother, Jean, a house cleaner, Duncan grew up resisting drugs and alcohol, instead concentrating on school. He wanted to play football in high school, but his mother wouldn't let him, afraid that he would get hurt. He then turned to acting and dreamed of becoming a famous actor.
After graduating from high school and attending community college, he worked digging ditches at People's Gas Company in Chicago. When he quit his job and headed to Hollywood, he landed small roles while working as a bodyguard. Duncan's role in the movie Armageddon (1998) led to his breakthrough performance in The Green Mile (1999), when his Armageddon co-star Bruce Willis called director Frank Darabont, suggesting Duncan for the part of convict John Coffey. He landed the role and won critical acclaim as well as many other Awards and Nominations, including an Academy Award Nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
After suffering a heart attack on July 13, 2012, he was taken to a Los Angeles hospital, in which his girlfriend Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth tried to save his life with CPR. Unfortunately, on September 3, 2012, Michael Clarke Duncan died at age 54 from respiratory failure.Date of Birth
10 December 1957, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Date of Death
3 September 2012, Los Angeles, California, USA (cardiac arrest)
Birth Name
Michael Clarke Duncan
Nickname
Hollywood
Big Mike
Height
6' 5" (1.96 m)
[on The Green Mile (1999)] I think the toughest scene for me to film was the two dead girls, simply because I had a lot of crying to do, a lot of howling to do, and it really drained me.- Actor
- Director
- Soundtrack
Both a leading and a supporting actor in movies and on television, name a role - lawyer, airline pilot, rig foreman, doctor, gunslinger, real-life person, good guy, bad guy - and Chad Everett has probably played it. He was born Raymon Lee Cramton on June 11, 1937 in South Bend, Indiana. In high school, he did stage plays and wanted to become an actor.
After he graduated from Wayne University, Chad came to Hollywood and signed a contract with Warner Brothers. He first became known playing a deputy in the short-lived television series, The Dakotas (1962) but acted in a number of supporting roles, such as Get Yourself a College Girl (1964) and Made in Paris (1966), and played the title role in Johnny Tiger (1966) and Return of the Gunfighter (1966).
He was probably best-known for his seven-year run as "Dr. Joe Gannon" in the television series, Medical Center (1969), which earned him two Golden Globe nominations. After "Medical Center" was canceled, Chad starred in the mini-series, Centennial (1978), and played the title role in Hagen (1980). In the early '80s, Chad was in television films, including The Intruder Within (1981), and did a number of guest appearances on The Love Boat (1977) and Murder, She Wrote (1984).
Chad's recent work has included roles in the remake of Psycho (1998) and in Mulholland Drive (2001). Today, he is still seen on television in Manhattan, AZ (2000). He recently completed a new film with Gwyneth Paltrow, View from the Top (2003), which is soon to be released. Chad is married to Shelby Grant, and they have two daughters.Date of Birth 11 June 1936, South Bend, Indiana, USA
Date of Death 24 July 2012, Los Angeles, California, USA (lung cancer)
Birth Name Raymon Lee Cramton
Height 6' 1½" (1.87 m)
Spouse Shelby Grant (22 May 1966 - 25 June 2011) (her death) 2 children- Kevin 'Kimbo Slice' Ferguson was born on 8 February 1974 in Nassau, Bahamas. He was an actor, known for Blood and Bone (2009), Locked Down (2010) and The Motherfucker (2015). He died on 6 June 2016 in Coral Springs, Florida, USA.Date of Birth 8 February 1974, Nassau, Bahamas
Date of Death 6 June 2016, Coral Springs, Florida, USA
Birth Name Kevin Ferguson
Nickname Kimbo Slice
Height 6' 2" (1.88 m) - Actor
- Writer
Paul Fix, the well-known movie and TV character actor who played "Marshal Micah Torrance" on the TV series The Rifleman (1958), was born Peter Paul Fix on March 13, 1901 in Dobbs Ferry, New York to brew-master Wilhelm Fix and his wife, the former Louise C. Walz. His mother and father were German immigrants who had left their Black Forest home and arrived in New York City in the 1870s. (The name "Fix" is of Latin/Germanic origin, and is derived from St. Vitus and means "animated" or "vital").
Besides Peter Paul, the Fix family consisted of two girls and three boys, the youngest of whom was six years older than the future actor. Peter Paul's childhood was a happy one. He and his family lived on the 200-acre property on which the Manilla Anchor Brewery, where his father was brew-master, was situated. Such was the importance of the senior Fix to the brewery that when he died at the age of 62 on the eve of America's entry into the First World War (two years after his 54-year old wife had died), the brewery closed.
The orphaned Peter Paul, who kept to himself a lot and had a vivid imagination, was sent to live with his married sisters, first one who lived nearby in Yonkers, and then to another in Zanesville, Ohio. The just-turned-17-year-old Peter Paul Fix joined the U.S. Navy on March 12, 1918, and spent his state-side service time during World War I in Newport, Rhode Island and Charleston, South Carolina. He first tread the boards as an actor while a sailor stationed in Newport, when the baby-faced salt (who looked much younger than his age) was one of six gobs chosen to play female roles in the Navy Relief Show "HMS Pinafore". The Navy staging of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta was a big hit and chalked up a run of several weeks in Providence and Boston.
Fix was assigned as an able-bodied seaman to the troopship U.S.S. Mount Vernon, which was torpedoed by a German U-boat off the coast of France but did not sink as it was run aground. The rest of Fix's naval career was less exciting, and he was demobilized on September 5, 1919. After his discharge, Fix went back to his girlfriend Frances (Taddy) Harvey, whom he had left behind in Zanesville. He and Taddy were married in 1922 and they moved to California as Fix had always wanted to live in a warm climate.
Fix and his bride settled in Hollywood, not so much because he had set ideas about becoming an actor but because he didn't know what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. He liked writing and acting in local plays, and soon became friends with the fellow tyro actor Clark Gable, who was his own age. Fix and Gable were discovered by the stage actress Pauline Frederick, who hired them to be members of her touring troupe that traveled by train the length of the West Coast putting on plays. In all, Fix - who had informally renamed himself Paul Peter - appeared in 20 plays with Gable.
Paul Fix had one of his earliest acting roles on celluloid in the mid-1920s, appearing in a silent Western starring William S. Hart. The Western genre eventually would become the one he was most identified with. He played uncredited bit parts and small roles in silents before getting his first credited role in an early talkie (which was part-silent and part-talking), The First Kiss (1928), which starred future Hollywood superstar Gary Cooper and the dame that drove King Kong ape, Fay Wray. In all, Fix appeared in 300-400 films. The Western programmers of the silent and early talkie days could be shot in less than a week.
In 1925, Taddy gave birth to their daughter Marilyn Carey, who eventually would marry Harry Carey Jr., the son of one of the first great Western superstars. They would have three more children and become part of the extended family gathered around the director John Ford. In his career, Paul Fix would appear with another Western legend, John Wayne, in 26 films, starting in 1931 with Three Girls Lost (1931). Urged on by Loretta Young, Fix became an acting coach for the young actor, and Wayne later paid him back when he became a star by having Fix appear in his movies. (The Duke also was a part of the close-knit group that collected around John Ford). With the Duke's patronage, the kinds of roles that Fix played changed. He had been typed as villains in the 1930s but, in the 40s, he began assaying a better class of character.
Paul Fix was also a screenwriter, and is credited as the writer on three films: Tall in the Saddle (1944), Ring of Fear (1954) and The Notorious Mr. Monks (1958). His favorites parts included playing the stricken passenger in the John Wayne picture The High and the Mighty (1954), Elizabeth Taylor's father in George Stevens' classic Giant (1956), the grandfather of the eponymous The Bad Seed (1956) and the judge in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962). His last screen appearance was in the Brooke Shields movie Wanda Nevada (1979), but he is most famous for appearing in the recurring role of "Marshal Micah Torrance" in the popular Western TV series The Rifleman (1958). As of 1981, the 80-year old Fix was still getting mail from all over the world from "Rifleman" fans.
Paul Fix died October 14, 1983 of kidney failure. He was survived by his daughter Marilyn Carey and son-in-law Harry "Dobe" Carey, three grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.Date of Birth 13 March 1901 , Dobbs Ferry, New York, USA
Date of Death 14 October 1983 , Los Angeles, California, USA (kidney failure)
Birth Name Peter Paul Fix
Height 6' (1.83 m)
Spouses: Beverly Pratt (20 August 1949 - 13 November 1979) (her death)
Frances Harvey (1922 - 1945) (divorced) (1 child)
Buried in Woodlawn Cemetery, Santa Monica, California - Block 17.
Personal Quotes: The only reason some people get lost in thought is because it's unfamiliar territory.
[of John Wayne] He was too generous. He was just like his father and that I respect.
[of "Chata" Wayne] Not someone to settle down with. You just knew she was trouble.- Actor
- Writer
At the age of eight, Fleming hopped on a freight train to Chicago to escape his abusive father. Following hospitalization for gang fight injuries, he returned to California where he lived with his mother and worked at Paramount as a laborer. Fleming joined the Merchant Marine, and then he served in the U.S. Navy in the Pacific in WW II, where he was a Master Carpenter in the Seabees.
From 1946 to 1957, Fleming appeared on stage in Chicago and New York with featured roles in numerous plays on Broadway including "My Three Angels," "Stalag 17," and "No Time For Sergeants." Fleming's television career began in the early 1950's with live performances on "Hallmark Summer Theatre," "The Web," "Suspense," "Kraft Television Theatre," and many other dramatic series. In 1954, he starred in Paramount's film "Conquest of Space," followed by "Queen of Outer Space" for Allied Artists. In 1958, Fleming became the star of CBS-TV's long-running western "Rawhide" as the trail boss Gil Favor. He remained with the top-rated show for seven of its eight seasons, and he had planned to retire to Hawaii where he had purchased a ranch.
He acted in "The Glass Bottom Boat" in 1965, and he was hired by MGM-TV to film the two-part adventure program "High Jungle" in Peru. During the shooting of location shots on the Huallaga River on September 28, 1966, Fleming dove (intentionally?) from a dug-out canoe after paddling it beyond the rapids. His body was lost in the turbulent water and was not recovered until three days later.Date of Birth
4 July 1925 , Santa Paula, California, USA
Date of Death
28 September 1966 , Tingo Maria area, Peru (drowned)
Birth Name
Edward Heddy
Height
6' 4" (1.93 m)
Drowned while filming a TV scene in Peru at age 41.
Fleming was unmarried and had no children. He was to have married long-time companion Lynne Garber within two days of his death.
During Fleming's enlistment in the Seabees in 1942, his face was shattered when a 200-pound block of steel slipped from a hoist. A long convalescence and four plastic surgical procedures created the face familiar to Rawhide (1959) viewers.
Personal Quotes:
[Citizen-News/Los Angeles, March 1, 1962] Most cattle today are like one large fillet. They are too pampered to appear on Rawhide (1959).- An accomplished actor, painter/sculptor and writer, Denis Forest attended Ryerson Theatre School in Toronto, Canada. He was an associate artist with the Necessary Angel Theatre Company from 1982-1987, where he collaborated on a number of award-winning plays under the direction of Richard Rose ("Tamara"). In 1983 "Mein" received the Dora Mavor Moore Award for Best New Play, and in 1984 Denis was nominated for an ACTRA acting award for the CBC drama A Man in Uniform (1993). In 1985 he was co-recipient of the prestigious Chalmers Award. In 1990 he moved to Los Angeles, where he played a number of memorable roles in film and on television. Recent film credits include Eraser (1996), Cliffhanger (1993) and The Mask (1994) (which showcased his comic abilities). He also starred in John Frankenheimer's Against the Wall (1994), Andersonville (1996), Stephen King's Storm of the Century (1999) and the drama The Shield (2002)). In March 2002 he appeared in two episodes ("Provenance 1" and "Provenance 2") of The X-Files (1993) and was preparing to begin work on a film.
He has also written screenplays, among them "Blind Spot" and "Into the Fire". As an acclaimed artist, his paintings and sculptures have been exhibited and are permanently displayed in galleries and venues such as the William Turner Gallery in Venice, California (2000-2001), Bedlam Art in Los Angeles (March-April 2002), Soolip Gallery (2000), JP Morgan Securities in San Francisco, Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas (2000), Four Seasons Hotel in Las Vegas (1999), the Laguna Museum of Art (2000; his work is also featured in the sales and rental office of the museum), LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) Group Show (1999), DeVorzon Gallery in Beverly Hills, D2 in Seat Vision, Diana Derpic, the William Turner Gallery in San Francisco at the Triton Hotel (1996) and in private collections.
Although Denis was often cast to play bizarre and eccentric characters, his dramatic work (including a flawless performance in "The Shield") speaks of his amazing range, talent and sensitivity. Denis spoke of his delight at the success in his native Canada of the children's film Tadpole and the Whale (1988) ("The Tadpole and the Whale"), which made his character Marcel a favorite with children - who would recognize him and approach him on the street. In his personal life, Denis was an engaging, sensitive, spiritual, kind, funny, extremely intelligent and enlightened person; he will be remembered as a truly gentle soul. Denis' special interests included poetry, literature, philosophy, art, film, music, yoga, and alchemy which held a special intrigue for him and figured profoundly into his painting. Denis was truly a Renaissance Man. Denis passed away suddenly following a massive stroke in Los Angeles on March 18, 2002, after having dinner in a Franklin Avenue restaurant in Hollywood with a few friends. An incredibly talented actor, writer, and artist, a wonderful and inspiring friend who left us too soon, a ray of light - that is how Denis will be remembered by those who had the good fortune of knowing him.Date of Birth 5 September 1960 , Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Date of Death 18 March 2002 , Los Angeles, California, USA (stroke)
Denis passed away suddenly following a massive stroke in Los Angeles on March 18, 2002, after having dinner in a Franklin Avenue restaurant in Hollywood with a few friends. - Music Artist
- Actor
- Composer
Juan Gabriel was born on 7 January 1950 in Parácuaro, Michoacán, Mexico. He was a music artist and actor, known for 30 Minutes or Less (2011), Roma (2018) and Te sigo amando (1996). He died on 28 August 2016 in Santa Monica, California, USA.Date of Birth 7 January 1950, Parácuaro, Michoacán, Mexico
Date of Death 28 August 2016, Santa Monica, California, USA (Heart Attack)
Birth Name Alberto Aguilera Valadez
He was Mexico's leading singer-songwriter and top-selling artist. His biggest hits include "Hasta Que Te Conoci" ("Until I Met You") and "Amor Eterno" ("Eternal Love"). His song "Querida" ("Dear") topped Mexico's charts for an entire year. He wrote his first song when he was 13, and went on to compose more than 1,500 songs.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
Sherman Hemsley played characters known to be wise-cracking, "Weezy" loving, boisterous fools which America and the entire world laughed with kindheartedly. Sherman Alexander Hemsley, Air Force veteran and actor, was born on Feb. 1, 1938 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His father, William Hemsley, worked at a printing press while his mother worked at various factories during the war. As a child, Hemsley was introduced to acting during school where the teachers would ask students to play different characters. The first play he did as a kid in school was about fire prevention and Hemsley played the fire. He eventually ended up dropping out of school and joined the Air Force. During his adolescence he never considered acting as a profession until after he served in the military. Hemsley then moved from south Philadelphia where he had spent most of his life to New York City. He worked graveyard shift as a post office clerk during the night and actor during the day. He considered New York the best place to be as it had several acting workshops and theater companies such as The Negro Ensemble Company (NEC)founded by Robert Hooks which helped actors/actresses obtain roles on theater, television and movies. His former co-star, Roxie Roker, was also part of the NEC alumni. Hemsley made his professional acting debut on the Broadway play, Purlie, and toured with the show for a year. In 1971, while on tour for Purlie, he received a call from producer/creator/writer Norman Lear. Lear wanted Hemsley to audition for a role which was going to be part of his sitcom All in the Family (1971). Due to his commitment to the Purlie project, Hemsley declined the role. Norman Lear said he would have the role open for him and Hemsley joined the cast two years later. Hemsley and co-star, Isabel Sanford were chosen to do a spin off of the show All In The Family called The Jeffersons (1975). Despite the age difference between Hemsley and Sanford (twenty years apart), many described their on-screen marriage as truly hilarious. Hemsley was nominated for a Golden Globe for his outstanding performance as George Jefferson. The Jeffersons turned out to be a success spanning eleven seasons ending in 1985. After The Jeffersons, Hemsley steadily started working on other projects and in 1986 joined the NBC sitcom Amen (1986) where he played religious deacon Ernest Frye. The show ran for five seasons until 1991. Hemsley then made his debut as a voice actor as part of the ABC live action-puppet series, Dinosaurs (1991). Hemsley played Bradley P. Richfield, Earl's cruel boss. The show ran successfully for four seasons. In 1997, the remaining cast of The Jeffersons had a reunion on the Rolonda (1994) talk show, still having the same charm they did decades ago. Isabel Sanford and Sherman Hemsley made television guest appearances together on well-known television programs such as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990) and were in commercials for The Gap, Old Navy and Denny's. Hemsley and Marla Gibbs guest starred on the TBS show House of Payne (2006) in 2011. Sherman Hemsley will be remembered as an actor who was on shows that addressed serious issues but also one who brought laughter into homes every week.Date of Birth 1 February 1938, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Date of Death 24 July 2012, El Paso, Texas, USA (superior vena cava syndrome due to lung cancer)
Birth Name Sherman Alexander Hemsley
Height 5' 6" (1.68 m)
[When he was about to co-star with Isabel Sanford on "All in the Family" (1968)'s spinoff, "The Jeffersons" (1975)]: Isabel Sanford, who played his wife, Louise Jefferson, was reluctant to leave "All in the Family" (1968). She didn't know how the show would go."- Actor
- Composer
- Music Department
David Alexander Hess was born in New York City in 1936. He began his professional career as a songwriter for Shalimar Music, in 1957, under the pseudonym of David Hill. His first recording was a quick hit, which was later performed by and credited to Elvis Presley, "All Shook Up."
David went on to compose "Start Movin'" for Sal Mineo and "Rockin' Shoes" for the The Ames Brothers. He continued to write songs for Elvis throughout the 1950s and 1960s, including "I Got Stung," "Come Along" (from the film "Frankie And Johnny"), and "Sand Castles" (from the film "Paradise, Hawaiian Style"). He also wrote "Make Me Know You're Mine" (first performed by Conway Twitty, and "Blue Lagoon." "Your Hand, Your Heart, Your Love" became a 1960s hit when it was performed by Andy Williams. In 1963 David wrote and recorded "Speedy Gonzalez," which became a #1 single for Pat Boone, selling more than eight million copies worldwide. David then recorded two solo albums for Kapp Records, again topping the charts, this time with a Top Ten folk hit called "Two Brothers."
In 1969 he became head of A&R at Mercury Records in New York. There he linked up with Western classical composer John Corigliano, and together they wrote the Grammy award-winning rock opera "The Naked Carmen", which became a big hit of the Berlin Ballet Week in 1970. David's work with Mercury also included "And the Children Toll the Passing of the Day," a 1969 album he wrote for Irish actor Malachy McCourt.
In 1972 his career split off into several new directions with his starring role in the Wes Craven horror classic The Last House on the Left (1972), for which he also composed the soundtrack. He went on to score Buck ai confini del cielo (1991), a children's film based on a collection of Jack London stories. It won the top prize for film and direction at the Giffone Film Festival. A subsequent job offer from PolyGram Records' German affiliate gave David the opportunity to move to Munich, Germany, and a multilingual career in film dubbing from 1972 to 1976, which in turn led him to write the English-language shooting scripts for such German greats as Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Reinhard Hauff and his present collaborator, Peter Schamoni.
His ability to switch seamlessly from in front of the camera to the production team earned him the opportunity to direct his first American feature film, To All a Goodnight (1980), for Media Home Entertainment in 1980. He also appeared in two low-budget horror films directed by Ruggero Deodato, House on the Edge of the Park (1980) and Body Count (1986).
In 1991 he played the part of the American in Peter Schamoni's Max Ernst: Mein Vagabundieren - Meine Unruhe (1991). From 1993 to 1995 he produced Niki de Saint Phalle (1996).
David's final musical accomplishments included the release of two albums, "Caught Up In The Moment" and "Live & Unplugged in Hollywood, 2002." He lived in Southern California, just outside of Los Angeles, with his wife, with whom he had three children.
David Hess died on 7 October, 2011.Date of Birth 19 September 1936, New York City, New York, USA
Date of Death 7 October 2011, Tiburon, California, USA (heart attack)
Birth Name David Alexander Hess
Height 5' 11" (1.80 m)
[on being a guest at horror conventions] I love doing them. Maybe other people don't. I just think if you're not in touch with your fans, why bother? I mean, it's a job but it's not a job. I can't do that many of them though. I try to limit my appearances to maybe four or five a year if that sounds right. When you're on screen and you're depicting something, you're influencing a lot of people. So it's very important if you're influencing them in a way that can be negative, that you go out there and show the positive side of you. The convention circuit is a good way to get out there and meet and greet your fans and say thank you. And at the same time, pick up a little pocket money if you're not working. So it works on both ends.
[on his first love] I'd say the music. That's my essence. I always tell people, "Don't make me choose because you won't get me in any more films!" Of course, that's not realistic because nobody forces you to choose ... you choose yourself. Essentially, I'm a musician. Always have been. When that darkness comes, I always resort to music to try and get myself back into a positive state of mind. That's not to say making films, writing or acting isn't important to me. It's very important because it's another way of telling people how I feel and who I am.
"My style of acting is to go over the edge during rehearsal -- to push it as far as I possibly can, just to see how far I can go. And I set my parameters from there."- Actor
- Writer
Richard Hillman was born on 13 December 1974 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for Bring It On (2000), Detroit Rock City (1999) and Boys and Girls (2000). He died on 27 June 2009 in Los Angeles County, California, USA.Date of Birth 13 December 1974, Los Angeles, California, USA
Date of Death 27 June 2009, Los Angeles County, California, USA
Birth Name Richard Hayes Hillman Jr.
Did not get along with his father, producer Richard Hillman Sr., during his lifetime. The two were estranged at the time of his death. Contracted HIV in the late 1990s.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Leslie Howard Steiner was born in London to Lilian (Blumberg) and Ferdinand "Frank" Steiner. His father was a Hungarian Jewish immigrant, and his English mother was of German Jewish and mostly English descent. Leslie went to Dulwich College, then worked as a bank clerk until the outbreak of World War I, when he went into the army. In 1917, diagnosed as shell-shocked, he was invalided out and advised to take up acting as therapy. In a few years, his name was famous on the stages of London and New York. He made his first movie in 1914: (The Heroine of Mons (1914)). He became known as the perfect Englishman (slim, tall, intellectual, and sensitive), a part that he played in many movies which set women to dreaming about him. His first sound movie came out in 1930: Outward Bound (1930), an adaptation of the stage play in which he starred. In Never the Twain Shall Meet (1931) and Smilin' Through (1932), he played the Englishman role to the hilt. His screen persona could perhaps best be summed up by his role as Sir Percy Blakeney in The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934), a foppish society gentleman.
It was Howard who insisted that Humphrey Bogart get the role of Duke Mantee in The Petrified Forest (1936), a role that Bogart had played in the stage production. As he became more successful, he also became quite picky about which roles he would do, and usually performed in only two films a year. In 1939, he played the character that will always be associated with him, that of Ashley Wilkes, the honor-bound, disillusioned intellectual Southern gentleman, in Gone with the Wind (1939).
However, war clouds were gathering over England, and he devoted all his energy on behalf of the war effort. He directed films, wrote articles and made radio broadcasts. He died in 1943, when the KLM plane he was in was shot down by German fighters over the Bay of Biscay.Date of Birth
3 April 1893, Forest Hill, London, England, UK
Date of Death
1 June 1943, Bay of Biscay (casualty of war)
Birth Name
Leslie Howard Steiner
Height
5' 10½" (1.79 m)
Spouse
Ruth Evelyn Martin (March 1916 - 1 June 1943) (his death) 2 children
Died when the 1936 Douglas aircraft «Isis» he was in, with 4 crew members and 12 other passengers, KLM flight #777 of the regular line Bristol - Lisbon, was shot down by Luftwaffe fighter planes over the Bay of Biscay.
Disclosed in 1944, Leslie Howard left an estate totaling $251,000. The majority was held in trust to his widow, son and daughter. Howard had also left a Beverly Hills home to his secretary, Violette Cunnington (with whom he was rumored to be having an affair), but she had died six months before his own death.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Geoffrey began his extensive stage career at the Unity Theatre in Liverpool. He then appeared in several West End productions, such as Say Goodnight to Grandma and Run for Your Wife. He appeared in numerous TV shows, including Coronation Street (1960) and Keeping Up Appearances (1990), where he played the slob Onslow. When not acting, Geoffrey enjoyed sailing, cricket, and music. He died on the Isle of WightDate of Birth
2 February 1944, Wallasey, Cheshire, England, UK
Date of Death
27 July 2012, The Isle of Wight, Hampshire, England, UK (prostate cancer)
Height
5' 11" (1.80 m)
"The joy of doing a play as an actor is that you've got that interaction with the audience and you're also your own editor. If I want to make a pause three quarters of an hour long, I can, whereas on television and film you've got an editor and if you feel there's a rhythm to a line and you want to say it that way, there's no guarantee it'll stay that way."- Actor
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Henry Hull, the actor who created the role of Jeeter on Broadway in "Tobacco Road," was born in Louisville, Kentucky, on October 13, 1890, the son of a drama critic. Originally intending to become an engineer, Hull became an actor and made his Broadway debut in "Green Stockings" less than two weeks before his 21st birthday, on October 2, 1911. Two years later he appeared again on Broadway in support of John Barrymore in "Believe Me, Xantippe." He then quit the stage to go prospecting for gold, using his skills as a mining engineer. When he failed to find his El Dorado, Hull turned back to acting, appearing in "The Man Who Came Back" in 1916. He made his first films at the nearby World Pictures in 1917, most famously starring as the ill-fated Aleksandr Kerensky in Rasputin, the Black Monk (1917). The following year he appeared in the second film adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's famous novel Little Women (1918).
Although he appeared in about a dozen films from just after World War One to the mid '30s, Hull concentrated on the stage until he went to Hollywood to appear as Magwitch in Great Expectations (1934). He even had a play he wrote produced on Broadway, "Manhattan," which made its debut on August 15, 1922, at the Playhouse Theatre and ran for a respectable (for the time) 86 performances.
Hull made his mark in the history of the horror film, one of Hollywood's most venerable genres, by appearing in the title role in Werewolf of London (1935). Six feet tall and slender, Hull had a rich and cultured voice, which put him in demand as a supporting player in the Golden Age of Hollywood. He was, however, somewhat of a mannered actor in a style that went out of favor after the death of John Barrymore, and he often gave a performance, such as that of the newspaper editor in The Return of Frank James (1940), that was a thick slice of ham. However, his mannerisms and plummy voice were perfect for certain roles such as the obnoxious millionaire conceived by populist John Steinbeck for Lifeboat (1944).
Hull's greatest success as an actor was on Broadway, limning Erskine Caldwell's Jeeter in "Tobacco Road," which still ranks as the longest-running drama in the Great White Way's history, opening on December 4, 1933, and closing on May 31, 1941, after 3,182 total performances. (Hull, of course, did not play the entire run; Jeeter was also played by James Barton and Will Geer). By early 1936 Hull was starring on Broadway in Maxwell Anderson's "The Masque of Kings". When John Ford went looking to cast roles in his film version of the play Tobacco Road (1941), he chose lovable old coot Charley Grapewin for Jeeter; Grapewin had been memorable as Grandpa Joad the year before in Ford's classic adaptation of Steinbeck's novel, The Grapes of Wrath (1940).
Henry Hull's last film appearance was as a sort of chorus along with Jocelyn Brando in The Chase (1966). He was the brother of actor Shelly Hull, the brother-in-law of Shelly's wife Josephine Hull and the father of producer Shelley Hull with his wife, actress Juliet Fremont, with whom he had appeared on Broadway in 1916 in "The Man Who Came Back." Their son Henry Hull Jr. had a minor career on Broadway, appearing in and serving as assistant stage manager in his father's "The Masque of Kings," as well as appearing in the ensemble in the legendary "Hamlet" of John Gielgud that was on Broadway in 1936.Date of Birth
3 October 1890, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Date of Death
8 March 1977, Cornwall, England, UK (following a stroke)
Birth Name
Henry Watterson Hull
Height
6' (1.83 m)
Juliet van Wyck Fremont (30 November 1913 - 3 March 1971) (her death) 3 children
Died in England but was interred in the Rockland Cemetery in Sparkill, New York next to his wife.
Lived on an Old Lyme, Connecticut farm with his wife for over thirty years. Following her death in 1971 and after suffering a stroke, he moved to his daughter Joan's home in Cornwall, England.
Had three children: Henry Jr., an infrequent performer and stage manager; Shelley (named after his deceased brother and a prolific TV producer); and Joan.- Actor
- Director
- Soundtrack
Michael Jeter was an American actor from Tennessee. His best known roles were that of math teacher and assistant football coach Herman Stiles in the sitcom "Evening Shade" (1990-1994) and "Mr. Noodle's brother, Mister Noodle" in "Sesame Street", a role he played from 2000 to 2003. He specialized in playing "eccentric, pretentious, or wimpy characters".
In 1952, Jeter was born in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, located between Chattanooga and Memphis. The town is mostly associated with local hero Davy Crockett (1786-1836), who owned a powder mill there in the early 19th century. The area is home to the David Crockett State Park.
Jeter's father was dentist William Claud Jeter (1922-2010), and his mother was housewife Virginia Raines (1927-2019). The Jeters were a large family, and Jeter had one brother and four sisters. Jeter enrolled at the Memphis State University (later renamed to the University of Memphis) with the intention to follow a medical career. His interests changed, and he pursued an acting education instead.
Jeter started his career as a theatrical actor, regularly performing at the Circuit Theatre and Playhouse on the Square, both located in Memphis. He made his film debut in the anti-war film "Hair" (1979), playing Woodrow Sheldon. The film depicted the hippie counterculture and the Vietnam War.
Jeter's early film roles included appearing in the historical drama "Ragtime" (1981), the sex comedy "Soup for One" (1982), the mockumentary "Zelig" (1983), the comedy film "The Money Pit" (1986), the action thriller "Dead Bang" (1989), and the action comedy "Tango & Cash" (1989). Meanwhile he appeared in guest-star roles in then-popular television series, such as "Night Court" and "Designing Women". His first recurring role in television was that of Dr. Art Makter in the short-lived medical drama "Hothouse". He appeared in all 7 episodes of the series.
Jeter found fame and critical success when playing the nerdy Herman Stiles in the sitcom "Evening Shade". He won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series and the Viewers for Quality Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Quality Comedy Series. The series lasted for 4 seasons, and a total of 98 episodes
Jeter guest starred as Peter Lebeck in three episodes of "Picket Fences". For this role he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 1993, but the award was won by rival actor Laurence Fishburne (1961-). Jeter had another notable television role as Bob Ryan in an episode of "Chicago Hope". He was again nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 1996 for this role, but the award was instead won by rival actor Peter Boyle (1935-2006).
Jeter played mostly supporting roles in 1990s film. He played (amon others_ a homeless cabaret singer in "The Fisher King" (1991), Father Ignatius in the Catholic nun-themed comedy "Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit" (1993), the inventor Old Gregor in the post-apocalyptic film "Waterworld" (1995), alcoholic clown Norm Snively in the sports comedy "Air Bud" (1997), and sympathetic prisoner Eduard 'Del' Delacroix in "The Green Mile" (1999).
Jeter next earned the recurring role of "Mr. Noodle's brother, Mister Noodle" in "Sesame Street", His character replaced Mr. Noodle (played by Bill Irwin) in the "Elmo's World" segments of the series. Both character were silent mimes who made mistakes, but were able to correct them with the help of "enthusiastic kid voice overs". Jeter was enthusiastic about his role, and called it a career favorite. He played the role until his death.
The openly gay Jeter was HIV positive, but had been in good health for many years. In March 2003, Jeter was found dead at his home in Los Angeles. According to his life partner Sean Blue, the death was caused by an epileptic seizure. Jeter was 50-years-old at the time of death.Date of Birth
26 August 1952, Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, USA
Date of Death
30 March 2003, Los Angeles, California, USA (epileptic seizure/asphyxiation)
Nickname
Mike Jeter
Height
5' 4" (1.63 m)
Revealed his HIV status on "Entertainment Tonight" (1981) before it could be revealed by any tabloids.
Survived by his life partner, Sean Blue; his parents, Dr. William and Virginia Jeter of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee; his brother, William; and four sisters: Virginia, Amanda, Emily, and Larie.- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Alex Karras was born on 15 July 1935 in Gary, Indiana, USA. He was an actor and producer, known for Blazing Saddles (1974), Victor/Victoria (1982) and Porky's (1981). He was married to Susan Clark and Ivalyn Joan Jurgensen. He died on 10 October 2012 in Los Angeles, California, USA.Date of Birth
15 July 1935, Gary, Indiana, USA
Date of Death
10 October 2012, Los Angeles, California, USA (kidney failure)
Birth Name
Alexander George Karras
Height
6' 3" (1.91 m)- Actor
- Director
- Soundtrack
Son of character actor Robert Keith and stage actress Helena Shipman. He grew up on the road with his parents while they toured in plays. First appeared at age 3 in film Pied Piper Malone (1924) with his father. Began acting in radio programs and on stage before World War II. Joined the Marines and served as a machine gunner. Returned to Broadway stage after the war and branched out into television and film. Worked as an extra in several films before achieving speaking roles and subsequent stardom.Born:
Robert Keith Richey Jr.
November 14, 1921 in Bayonne, New Jersey, USA
Died:
June 24, 1997 (age 75) in Malibu, California, USA(suicide)
At the time of his death, he was suffering from emphysema and terminal lung cancer, as well as mourning the recent gunshot suicide of his 27-year-old daughter, Daisy Keith, only ten weeks prior. His own suicide happened after he returned from a stay at a hospital.- Actor
- Director
- Soundtrack
Native New Yorker and Italianate Bruno Kirby tended towards assertive, pushy, streetwise characters and was armed with a highly distinctive scratchy tenor voice that complemented his slim eyes and droopy puss and accentuated his deadpan comedic instincts on film and TV. The well-regarded character actor was born Bruno Giovanni Quidaciolu on April 28, 1949, in New York City, the son of Lucille (Garibaldi) and actor Bruce Kirby. He was raised in NY's Hell's Kitchen section.
In the late 1960s he moved with his family to California. His career began to rev up in the early 1970s with a part in the TV pilot episode of M*A*S*H (1972) and roles in the films The Young Graduates (1971), The Harrad Experiment (1973), Cinderella Liberty (1973) and Superdad (1973). Most notable of all, however, was his featured part as Young Clemenza alongside Robert De Niro's young Vito Corleone in The Godfather Part II (1974). Bruno also played Richard S. Castellano's son in the short-lived ethnic sitcom The Super (1972). Coincidentally, Castellano played older Clemenza in the original The Godfather (1972).
On stage in the 1980s and 1990s, Bruno appeared in "On the Money" (1983) and "Geniuses" (1985) and later replaced Kevin Spacey on Broadway in "Lost in Yonkers" in 1991. In 1997 he showcased off-Broadway, playing writer Alan Zweibel in "Bunny Bunny," Zweibel's tribute to comedienne Gilda Radner and their close 14-year friendship.
Bruno's close association with director Rob Reiner and actor Billy Crystal arguably led to the apex of his film career. In the early 1980s he chummed around with both Reiner and Crystal on a softball team, along with writer/actor/director Christopher Guest. Bruno wound up playing Crystal's best buddy in two of Crystal's biggest box-office hits -- When Harry Met Sally... (1989) and City Slickers (1991). He also appeared in Reiner's cult hit This Is Spinal Tap (1984). Other important film roles for him included his humorless lieutenant in Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), the refined salesman named "Mouse" in Tin Men (1987) and Marlon Brando's nephew in The Freshman (1990), that more or less amusingly parodied the "Godfather" association.
Bruno was equally effective in taut, heavier stories and supported such up-and-coming stars as Leonardo DiCaprio in the dark and downbeat The Basketball Diaries (1995) and Johnny Depp in the mob family-styled drama Donnie Brasco (1997). On TV he was a regular on It's Garry Shandling's Show. (1986), played dogged prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi in the miniseries Helter Skelter (2004), which was a reenactment of the Charles Manson family horror, and appeared on the more popular shows of the day, such as Entourage (2004). He was married for the first time to actress Lynn Sellers in 2004 at age 55. His brother John is a well-known acting coach. An occasional TV director to boot, Bruno was diagnosed with leukemia shortly before his death on August 14, 2006, after having completed his part in the film Played (2006) starring Gabriel Byrne.Date of Birth
28 April 1949, New York City, New York, USA
Date of Death
14 August 2006, Los Angeles, California, USA (complications from leukemia)
Birth Name
Bruno Giovanni Quidaciolu Jr.
Height
5' 6½" (1.69 m)
Spouse
Lynn Sellers (29 September 2003 - 14 August 2006) (his death)
"I've been very lucky. And in this business, you have to have a certain amount of timing and luck because I know, right now as we're sitting here talking, there's a guy driving a cab in New York City who can put me away."- Actor
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Barton MacLane graduated from Wesleyan University, where he displayed a notable aptitude for sports, in particular football and basketball. Not surprisingly, his physical prowess led to an early role in The Quarterback (1926) with Richard Dix. MacLane once commented that, as an actor, he needed to have the physical strength to tear the bad guys "from limb to limb", if necessary. Ironically, it was usually Barton himself who was destined to be at the end of a hiding (when not getting shot, instead), typically as snarling henchmen, outlaws and other assorted dubious or abrasive types throughout most of his 40-year acting career. In fact, Barton became so typecast, that his name was for a time used proverbially, to generally describe a shouting, hard-nosed ruffian.
After training at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, MacLane joined a stock company in Brooklyn. In 1927 he had his first part on Broadway, a brief moment as an assistant district attorney, in the melodrama "The Trial of Mary Dugan". He then played a small featured role as a police officer in "Subway Express" (1929-30), a drama enacted in the interior of a subway car. In mid-1932 MacLane tried his hand at writing his own starring vehicle for the stage, entitled "Rendezvous". While the play closed after just 21 performances, it led to a contract with Warner Brothers.
Barton had already appeared in bit roles for Paramount at their Astoria Studios, including The Marx Brothers' debut film The Cocoanuts (1929). He portrayed mobster Brad Collins in 'G' Men (1935) (with James Cagney), which set the tone for most of his future assignments. Brawny, with squinty eyes and a rasping voice, MacLane was the ideal surly tough guy, particularly suitable for westerns and the type of films noir Warner Brothers excelled at. He was often cast as cops, be they bent or honest. Some of his most representative performances include gangster Al Kruger in Bullets or Ballots (1936), which won him some of the best critical notices of his career; outlaw Jack Slade in Western Union (1941); crooked construction boss Pat McCormick, who gets beaten up by Humphrey Bogart and Tim Holt over past-due wages in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948); hard-nosed cops Detective Dundy in The Maltese Falcon (1941) and Lt. Reece in Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (1950). MacLane, on loan to Universal, also had a starring role in Prison Break (1938) as an innocent tuna fisherman who is framed for murder. He was prominent as a tough but sympathetic cop, foil to sleuthing girl reporter Glenda Farrell in the "Torchy Blaine" series of the mid- to late 1930s. In the 1960s Barton began to cultivate a good-guy image as Marshal Frank Caine in the NBC western series Outlaws (1960) as well as showing up in a small recurring role as Air Force Gen. Martin Peterson in I Dream of Jeannie (1965).
Barton was married to the actress Charlotte Wynters, who appeared with him in six of his films. When not on the set, the couple spent time on their 2000-acre cattle ranch in Madera County, California. For his work in television, Barton has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.Date of Birth
25 December 1902, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
Date of Death
1 January 1969, Santa Monica, California, USA (cancer)
Birth Name
Ernest Barton MacLane
Height
5' 10" (1.78 m)
Spouse
Charlotte Wynters (22 November 1939 - 1 January 1969) (his death)
Martha Stewart (1925 - 1930) (divorced) 2 children- Ted Manson was born on 23 October 1926 in Columbus, Ohio, USA. He was an actor, known for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006) and Runaway Jury (2003). He died on 1 June 2008 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.Date of Birth 2 February 1944, Wallasey, Cheshire, England, UK
Date of Death 27 July 2012, The Isle of Wight, Hampshire, England, UK (prostate cancer)
Height 5' 11" (1.80 m)
"The joy of doing a play as an actor is that you've got that interaction with the audience and you're also your own editor. If I want to make a pause three quarters of an hour long, I can, whereas on television and film you've got an editor and if you feel there's a rhythm to a line and you want to say it that way, there's no guarantee it'll stay that way." - Christopher Mayer was born on 21 February 1954 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Liar Liar (1997), Glitter (1984) and The Dukes of Hazzard (1979). He was married to Shauna Sullivan, Eileen Davidson and Teri Copley. He died on 24 July 2011 in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California, USA.Date of Birth 21 February 1954, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
Date of Death 23 July 2011, Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California, USA (brain aneurysm)
Birth Name George Charles Mayer III
Nickname Chip
Height 6' 4" (1.93 m)
Spouses: Shauna Sullivan (24 December 1988 - ?) (divorced) (2 children)
Eileen Davidson (16 August 1986 - 1988) (divorced)
Teri Copley (1982 - 1984) (divorced) (1 child)
Was engaged to be married for a 4th time at the time of his death. - Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Martin Sam Milner was born December 28, 1931 in Detroit, Michigan. His mother, Jerre Martin, originally from Oregon, was a dancer with the Paramount Theater circuit. His father, Sam Gordon Milner, a Polish Jewish immigrant, was a film distributor. The Milners moved to Seattle when Martin was a baby and to Los Angeles soon after. At age 15, Martin's father got him an agent and he was chosen to play the role of "John Day" in Life with Father (1947), Warner Bros.' version of Clarence Day, Jr.'s popular Broadway play. Milner contracted polio shortly after filming was completed and his career was put on hold for a year as he recovered from the illness. After graduating from North Hollywood High School and studying for one year at the University of Southern California, Milner worked steadily in films during the years 1949-1960. He appeared in films such as Sands of Iwo Jima (1949), Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957), Marjorie Morningstar (1958) and Sweet Smell of Success (1957). He put his career on hold again when he was inducted into the Army in 1952 for two years. Shortly after joining the Army, he was assigned to the Human Research Division, where he directed military training films and served as Master of Ceremonies for a touring show based at Fort Ord, California. Milner married television actress and singer Judy Jones in 1957 and they have four children--Amy, Molly, Stuart, and Andrew.
Milner met Jack Webb during the filming of Halls of Montezuma (1951) and later worked with him on his "Dragnet" radio show as well as the TV series Dragnet (1951). Milner appeared as 17-year-old high school student "Stephen Banner" in the episode "The Big Producer" in 1952. According to Webb's biography "Just the Facts, Ma'am", Webb owed Milner money from a card game. When Webb called him to the studio to pay him back, he offered Milner a role in the "Dragnet" radio show. After that, Webb continued to find roles for Milner until he offered him the role of "Pete Malloy" on Adam-12 (1968). Milner continued to appear in films throughout the 1970s and 1980s and made many guest appearances on television shows such as Murder, She Wrote (1984), the "Columbo" made-for-TV movies, MacGyver (1985), and Diagnosis Murder (1993). Milner was an avid fisherman and has been co-host of the syndicated radio talk show "Let's Talk Hook-up" since 1993. He also hosts fishing trips through "Let's Talk Hook-Up."
Apart from the Webb connection, Milner starred as "Tod Stiles" in his own groundbreaking CBS-TV series, Route 66 (1960). The series was notable for its coast-to-coast location shooting, eloquent scripts by co-creator Stirling Silliphant and others, impressive guest casts, and a distinctive theme song by Nelson Riddle. The series allowed Milner to explore a range of characterizations as his nomadic travels in a Corvette convertible took him from job to job all over the United States, where he dug deeply into the lives of the people he encountered there -- with traveling companions "Buz Murdock" (George Maharis) and, after Maharis left the show, "Lincoln Case" (Glenn Corbett).Date of Birth 28 December 1931, Detroit, Michigan, USA
Date of Death 6 September 2015, Carlsbad, California, USA (after a long illness)
Birth Name Martin Sam Milner
Height 6' 1" (1.85 m)
Died peacefully on a Sunday night at his home in Carlsbad, California, surrounded by his family.
Milner's memorial service occurred six days after his passing in Oceanside, California with Law Enforcement and community members paying tribute to him.
He is buried at Eternal Hills Memorial Park in Oceanside, California.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Music Department
Puppeteer, actor, musician, and master of voices, Jerry Nelson originally joined Henson & Company as a temporary replacement for Frank Oz, who had been drafted into the armed services in the 60's. He later re-joined the crew as a full-time performer in the 70's, and has since been heavily involved in almost every major Muppet project, including Sesame Street (1969), The Muppet Show (1976), Fraggle Rock (1983) and feature films. Memorable characters include "The Count", "Herry Monster", "Mumford the Magician", "Robin the Frog", "Crazy Harry" and "Gobo". Come the late 1990s, Nelson has begun to focus more on his musical career but continues his involvement in The Muppets.Date of Birth 10 July 1934, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
Date of Death 23 Aug 2012, USA
Worked on Sesame Street for 42 years until his death.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
Hugh O'Brian had the term "beefcake" written about him during his nascent film years in the early 1950s, but he chose to avoid the obvious typecast as he set up his career.
O'Brian was born Hugh Charles Krampe on April 19, 1925, in Rochester, New York, to Ohio-born parents Edith Lillian (Marks) and Hugh John Krampe, a United States Marine Corps officer. His paternal grandparents were German immigrants, while his mother was of half German Jewish and half English/Scottish descent. O'Brian first attended school at New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois, then Kemper Military School in Booneville, Missouri. Moving from place to place growing up, he managed to show off his athletic prowess quite early. By the time he graduated from high school, he had lettered in football, basketball, wrestling and track. Originally pursuing law, he dropped out of the University of Cincinnati in 1942 (age 19) and enlisted in the Marine Corps. Upon his discharge he ended up in Los Angeles. Hugh joined a little theater group and a Santa Barbara stock company, where he developed his acting chops and slowly built up his résumé. He was discovered for TV by director/actress Ida Lupino, which opened the door to his signing with Universal Studios for films.
Hugh's gentlemanly ruggedness, similar to a James Garner or a Gene Barry, was ideal for pictures, and his lean physique and exceptionally photographic mug had the modest, brown-eyed, curly-haired looker plastered all over the movie magazines. He rebelled against the image for the most part and, as a result, his years with Universal were not as fruitful as they could have been. For the duration, he was pretty much confined as a secondary player to standard action pictures such as The Return of Jesse James (1950), The Cimarron Kid (1952), The Battle at Apache Pass (1952), Red Ball Express (1952), Son of Ali Baba (1952), The Lawless Breed (1952), Seminole (1953), Saskatchewan (1954) and Drums Across the River (1954). It was Rock Hudson who earned all of the Universal glamour guy roles and the out-and-out stardom that could easily have been Hugh's. In 1954, he left Universal to freelance but did not fare any better with more serviceable roles in White Feather (1955) and The Twinkle in God's Eye (1955).
Hugh finally earned top status in the "B" action adventure The Brass Legend (1956) but it did little to advance his film career. Offered the starring role in The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955) on TV, a year later, it became a mainstay hit and Hugh an "overnight" star. During his six-year run on the western classic, he managed to show off his singing talents on variety shows and appeared on Broadway, replacing Andy Griffith for a week in the musical "Destry Rides Again" in January of 1960.
The hirsutely handsome bachelor remained a durable talent throughout the 60s and 70s with plentiful work on the big screen, including Come Fly with Me (1963), Love Has Many Faces (1965), Ten Little Indians (1965), Ambush Bay (1966), Africa: Texas Style (1967), Strategy of Terror (1969), John Wayne's last film The Shootist (1976), and Bruce Lee's last film Game of Death (1978), as well as with the TV-movies Wild Women (1970), Harpy (1971), Murder on Flight 502 (1975), Benny and Barney: Las Vegas Undercover (1977), Murder at the World Series (1977), Cruise Into Terror (1978). He also starred in the crime adventure series Search (1972), but never got the one role to earn the critical attention he merited. In addition, he kept busy on the summer stock circuit.
In later years, he appeared in the Arnold Schwarzenegger/Danny DeVito comedy "Twins"; returned as "Wyatt Earp" in the TV movies The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw (1991) and Wyatt Earp: Return to Tombstone (1994); and made guest appearances on such TV shows as "Fantasy Island," "The Love Boat," "Matt Houston," "Murder, She Wrote," "L.A. Law" and made his last on-camera appearance on the series "Call of the Wild" in 2000.
A sports enthusiast, his hobbies included sailing, tennis, swimming and long-distance bicycling, and his many philanthropic efforts did not go unrecognized. His proudest achievement was the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY), which he founded in 1958 after spending considerable time with Dr. Albert Schweitzer and his clinic in Africa. Struck by the impassioned work being done by Schweitzer, O'Brian set up his own program to help develop young people into future leaders. O'Brian was awarded honorary degrees by several prestigious institutions of higher learning. The perennial bachelor finally "settled down" and tied the knot at age 81 with longtime companion Virginia Barber, who was close to three decades his junior. They lived in his Benedict Canyon home.
Hugh died on September 5, 2016, in Beverly Hills, California, of natural causes.Date of Birth 19 April 1925, Rochester, New York, USA
Date of Death 5 September 2016, Beverly Hills, California, USA (natural causes)
Birth Name Hugh Charles Krampe
Height 6' (1.83 m)
Spouse: Virginia Barber (25 June 2006 - 5 September 2016) (his death)- Actor
- Writer
- Soundtrack
At 14, Ron Palillo (born Ronald Gabriel Paolillo) started his own summer theater in Cheshire, Connecticut. His parents, Gabriel and Carmel Paolillo, were surprised when the summer theater actually made money. After graduating from high school, Ron went to the University of Connecticut at Storrs, where he majored in drama. He appeared in many school plays in college. After graduation, Ron got a job with a touring company which performed in Shakespearean plays. He claimed to have received invaluable drama training during that tour, acting in Shakespearean masterpieces like "Macbeth", "The Taming of the Shrew" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream".
After his Shakespearean tour, Ron became a member of a repertory company in Miami, Florida. Shortly after arriving in New York, Ron got a role in the off-Broadway success "Hot l Baltimore." He stayed with the show for over a year. Because of his work in "Hot L Baltimore". Ron was given a lead role in a musical special, "The Last Sweet Days of Isaac", on television. After Isaac, he once again went on tour and appeared with Mickey Rooney in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and with Jan Sterling in a serious play, "Summer Brave". He has two brothers and a sister. His elder brother, Richard Paolillo, is an eye surgeon, his brother Robert Paolillo, is a salesman and his sister Ann, became a teacher.Date of Birth
2 April 1949, Cheshire, Connecticut, USA
Date of Death
14 August 2012, Palm beach, FL, USA (Heart Attack)
Birth Name
Ron Paolillo
Height
5' 7" (1.70 m)
Was the second of the main cast members of "Welcome Back, Kotter" (1975) to pass away in 2012. The first was Robert Hegyes, who ironically also passed away from a heart attack.- Stafford Repp was born on 26 April 1918 in San Francisco, California, USA. He was an actor, known for Batman: The Movie (1966), Batman (1966) and Playhouse 90 (1956). He was married to Theresa Valenti Moriarty, Sharon Diane Currier and Berta J. Slack. He died on 5 November 1974 in Inglewood, California, USA.Date of Birth 26 April 1918 , San Francisco, California, USA
Date of Death 5 November 1974 , Inglewood, California, USA (heart attack)
Birth Name Stafford Alois Repp
Nickname Staff
Height 5' 11" (1.8 m)
Spouse (3) Theresa Valenti Moriarty (6 November 1970 - 6 November 1974) (his death)
Sharon D. Currier (23 November 1969 - 5 November 1970) (divorced)
Berta J. Slack (1967 - 1968) (divorced)
He suffered a fatal heart attack on November 5, 1974 while at the Hollywood Park racing track. After his death, his sister, a TV writer, established the Stafford Repp Memorial Scholarship for alumni of his alma mater, Lowell High School, in San Francisco.
Veteran character actor best known for his role as Chief O'Hara on the _"Batman" (1966/II)_ TV series. He became a wealthy man through a business partnership in a chain of car washes before his early death at the age of 56. - John Saunders was born on 2 February 1955 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was married to Wanda. He died on 10 August 2016 in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, USA.Date of Birth 2 February 1955, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Date of Death 10 August 2016 - August Schellenberg was born on 25 July 1936 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He was an actor, known for Black Robe (1991), The New World (2005) and DreamKeeper (2003). He was married to Joan Karasevich. He died on 15 August 2013 in Dallas, Texas, USA.Date of Birth 25 July 1936 , Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Date of Death 15 August 2013 , Dallas, Texas, USA (lung cancer)
Birth Name August Werner Schellenberg
Nickname Augie
Height 5' 8" (1.73 m)
Lived in Montreal until moving to Toronto, Ontario, where he resided from 1967 until 1995. Was living in Dallas, Texas when he died.
He was Métis (Swiss-German and Mohawk). His father was of Swiss descent and his mother was of English-Mohawk descent. - Producer
- Director
- Actor
Tony Scott was a British-born film director and producer. He was the youngest of three brothers, one of whom is fellow film director Ridley Scott. He was born in North Shields, Northumberland, England to parents Jean and Colonel Francis Percy Scott. As a result of his father's career in the British military, his family moved around a lot. Their mother loved the going to the movies and instilled a love of cinema in her children. At age 16, Tony made his first appearance on screen as 'the boy' in his brother's directorial debut, the short film Boy and Bicycle (1965). In 1969, Tony directed his own short film One of the Missing (1969) about a soldier in the American civil war.
Tony had a talent for art and painting. He spent a year in Leeds College of Art and Design and went on to study for a fine arts degree at the School of Art at the University of Sunderland. He won a scholarship to study for his Masters of fine arts at the Royal College of Art. Following university, he spent several years as a painter. But life as a painter proved a struggle, so he decided to forge a different career path and partnered with Ridley in advertising at Ridley Scott Associates. It was there that he began shooting commercials. In 1971 he wrote, produced and directed Loving Memory however his vampire movie The Hunger (1983) starring Susan Sarandon, David Bowie and Catherine Deneuve wasn't a critical success but it attracted attention from Hollywood. He was asked by producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer to direct Top Gun (1986) starring Tom Cruise. He would work again with Cruise on another high adrenaline film Days of Thunder (1990), which proved less successful. He followed the success of Top Gun with the sequel Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) with Eddie Murphy, which was well received.
In 1993, he directed True Romance (1993), which was written by emerging director Quentin Tarantino. Scott had a lot of control over the film and received some great reviews.
Tony has worked five times with actor Denzel Washington with Crimson Tide (1995), The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009), Deja Vu (2006), Man on Fire (2004) and Scott's final film in the director's chair Unstoppable (2010).
Tony Scott passed away at age 68 on August 19, 2012 in California, USA.Date of Birth 21 June 1944, North Shields, Northumberland, England, UK
Date of Death 19 August 2012, San Pedro, California, USA (Suicide)
Birth Name Anthony D. L. Scott
Nickname T-Scott
Height 5' 6½" (1.69 m)
[on Top Gun (1986) and similar films] I see these pilots as rock 'n' roll stars of the skies. I see deep blue skies and silver steel. I hear the rock music and smell the jet fuel. I love shooting real things in the real world.
[on Days of Thunder (1990)] The problem was, we started on the movie without a script. Tom [Cruise] was already part of the line-up when I arrived and they said: "Tom can sit behind the wheel of a race car and smoke a cigarette and this movie will make a fortune." And that was the attitude we went in with. Robert Towne would be writing the scenes at night, we would shoot in the morning. It was a dangerous way to work. But we really thought, "Look - it's racing cars and it's Tom Cruise!" But you always have to get a story and you've got to get character first, and we hadn't.
(The studio) saw a cut of The Hunger (1983) and all of a sudden my parking spot at Warner Brothers was painted out.
"I always get criticized for style over content, unlike Ridley's films that go into the classic box right away. Mine sort of hover. Maybe with time people will start saying they should be classics, but I think I'm always perceived as reaching too hard for difference, and difference doesn't categorize you as the 'classic category'.
"The biggest edge I live on is directing. That's the most scary, dangerous thing you can do in your life."
"The scariest thing in my life is the first morning of production on all my movies. It's the fear of failing, the loss of face, and a sense of guilt that everybody puts their faith in you and not coming through?"
"I like changing the pace of my life, changing my discipline. It gives me ideas for how to see the world differently."
"Ridley makes films for posterity. My films are more rock 'n' roll."- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Bud Spencer, the popular Italian actor who starred in innumerable spaghetti Westerns and action-packed potboilers during the 1960s and 1970s, was born Carlo Pedersoli on October 31, 1929, in Naples. The first Italian to swim the 100-meter freestyle in less than a minute, Spencer competed as a swimmer on the Italian National Team at the Olympic Summer games in both Helsinki, Finland, in 1952 and Melbourne, Australia, in 1956. He was also an Olympic-class water polo player.
Educated as an attorney, he was bitten by the acting bug and appeared as a member of the Praetorian Guard in his first movie, MGM's epic Quo Vadis (1951) (which was shot in Italy) in 1951. During the 1950s and first half of the 1960s he appeared in films made for the Italian market, but his career was strictly minor league until the late 1960s. He changed his screen name to "Bud Spencer" in 1967, as an homage to Spencer Tracy and to the American beer Budweiser. Spencer allegedly thought it was funny to call himself "Bud" in light of his huge frame.
After the name change, Spencer achieved his greatest success in spaghetti Westerns lensed for a global audience. Teaming up with fellow Italian Terence Hill, the two made such international hits as Ace High (1968) and They Call Me Trinity (1970) ("They Call Me Trinity"). Their dual outings made both stars famous, particularly in Europe. In all, Spencer made 18 movies with Hill.
He became a jet airplane and helicopter pilot after appearing in All the Way Boys (1972) and owned an air transportation company, Mistral Air, which he founded in 1984. However, he terminated his business interest in Mistral and entered the children's clothing industry. After 1983 Spencer's movie career slowed down, though he did have a big success in the early 1990s with the TV action-drama series "Extralarge". A man of many talents, Spencer wrote screenplays and texts for some of his movies. He also has registered several patents.
Spencer married Maria Amato in 1960 and they have three children, Giuseppe (born 1961), Christine (1962) and Diamante (1972).
In 2005 Spencer entered politics, standing as regional councillor in Lazio for the center-right Forza Italia party. He became a politician specifically at the bequest of then-Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. According to Spencer, "In my life, I've done everything. There are only three things I haven't been - a ballet dancer, a jockey and a politician. Given that the first two jobs are out of the question, I'll throw myself into politics."
Berlusconi, who was a media tycoon in the vein of Rupert Murdoch before he entered politics, recruited Spencer as he was "still a major draw for the viewer, alias the voter." Critics of Berlusconi--who tried to retain power by launching a campaign to portray his allies as the embodiment of "good" and the leftists of the opposition as "evil"--was derided as an example of "politica spettacolo" ("showbiz politics").
Spencer announced his new career at a "Felliniesque" press conference at a Rome hotel, at which he hardly moved and had little to say except homilies about upholding family values. Spencer sat between two Forza Italia handlers, and according to one major Italian newspaper, "From one moment to the next, you expected this mountain of a man to grab the heads of the two presenters and smack them together in his usual style, as he has been seen doing countless times on the big screen and television." The audition proved to be a flop: Spencer lost the seat, and Berlusconi's party was swept from power in 2006.Date of Birth 31 October 1929, Naples, Campania, Italy
Date of Death 27 June 2016, Rome, Italy
Birth Name Carlo Pedersoli
Nickname Bud Spencer
Height 6' 2¾" (1.9 m)
Maria Pedersoli (25 February 1960 - 27 June 2016) (his death) (3 children)
Trade Marks: Uses to end a fist fight by striking a hammer-like blow on the top of the opponent's head and a Thick black beard.
He changed his screen name to "Bud Spencer" in 1967, as an homage to Spencer Tracy and to the American beer Budweiser. Spencer allegedly thought it was funny to call himself "Bud" in light of his huge frame.- Actor
- Stunts
- Director
Alex Stevens was born on 6 January 1936 in Hartford, Connecticut, USA. He was an actor and director, known for Superman (1978), Black Rain (1989) and Goodfellas (1990). He was married to Pota Poulos. He died on 14 April 2015 in New York City, New York, USA.Date of Birth 6 January 1936, Hartford, Connecticut, USA
Date of Death 14 April 2015
Birth Name Alex Poulos- Tom Towles was a character player, often cast as scumbags or obnoxious men, who worked for more than a decade in Chicago theatre, before establishing himself in films and TV beginning in the late 80s - often in lower-budget fare. Towles drifted into acting after serving in the Marine Corps. Although he made an isolated appearance in a bit role in Dog Day Afternoon (1975) with Al Pacino, he returned to Chicago and became a member of the Organic Theatre Company appearing in numerous productions and often collaborating on the writing as well. Towles also acted with the prestigious Goodman Theatre there. It was 1985 before Towles was again in front of the cameras, this time as a lounge lizard in Pink Nights (1985). The next year, he was the despicable, loathsome Otis in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986). In 1990, Towles played Harry Cooper, the guy everyone else trapped in the farmhouse would most like to sacrifice to the zombies in the remake of Night of the Living Dead (1990). Towles' TV work has been ongoing since he appeared as J.J., the hunted killer in Pilot (1987), the two-hour pilot for a Robert Conrad series. He was Norman Stoneface, true to his name, in the 1994 Showtime movie Girls in Prison (1994), and also appeared in numerous TV episodes.
Other films includes Mad Dog and Glory (1993), Fortress (1992), Blood In, Blood Out (1993), The Rock (1996), Doctor Dolittle (1998) and Rob Zombie's House of 1000 Corpses (2003).Date of Birth 20 March 1950, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Date of Death 2 April 2015, Pinellas, Florida, USA (complications following a stroke)
Birth Name Thomas Towles
Height 6' 3" (1.91 m) - Actor
- Writer
- Director
When he was 11, he wanted to be a comedian like Sid Caesar. Then, when he was 15 and saw Lee J. Cobb in 'Death of a Salesman,' he decided he would be a comedy actor and found that Mel Brooks was a great influence on his screen writing. He combined both talents with directing in The World's Greatest Lover (1977), followed by The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (1975).Date of Birth 11 June 1933, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Date of Death 29 August 2016, Stamford, Connecticut, USA (complications from Alzheimer's disease)
Birth Name Jerome Silberman
Height 5' 10½" (1.79 m)
Spouses: Karen Boyer (8 September 1991 - 29 August 2016) (his death)
Gilda Radner (18 September 1984 - 20 May 1989) (her death)
Mary Joan Schutz (27 October 1967 - 24 November 1980) (divorced) (1 child)
Mary Mercier (22 July 1960 - 1965) (divorced)
Trade Marks: Soft mellow voice Curly brown hair and blue eyes Frequently played highly eccentric yet likeable characters Often worked with Richard Pryor Often worked with Mel Brooks- Actor
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Soundtrack
Anton Yelchin was an American actor, known for playing Bobby in Hearts in Atlantis (2001), Chekov in the Star Trek (2009) reboot, Charlie Brewster in the Fright Night (2011) remake, and Jacob in Like Crazy (2011).
He was born in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), Russia, USSR, to a Jewish family. His parents, Irina Korina and Viktor Yelchin, were a successful pair of professional figure skaters in Leningrad, and his grandfather was also a professional sportsman, a soccer player. Anton was a six-month-old baby when he immigrated to the United States, where his parents settled in California and eventually developed coaching careers. He demonstrated his strong personality from the early age of four, and declined his parents' tutelage in figure skating because he was fond of acting and knew exactly what he wanted to do in his life.
Yelchin attended acting classes in Los Angeles, and eventually was noticed by casting agents. In 2000, at the age of 10, he made his debut on television, appearing as Robbie Edelstein in the medical drama ER (1994). At the age of 11, he shot to fame as Bobby Garfield, co-starring opposite Anthony Hopkins in Hearts in Atlantis (2001), and earning himself the 2002 Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film as Leading Young Actor. Over the course of his acting career, Yelchin has already played roles in more than 20 feature films and television productions, including Pavel Chekov in the hugely successful reboot Star Trek (2009), and its sequel, Star Trek Into Darkness (2013).
Outside of his acting profession, Anton loved reading, and was also fond of playing chess. He wrote music and performed with a band, where he also played piano and guitar.
Anton lived in Los Angeles, California, until his death on the evening of June 19, 2016, outside his LA home, when his parked Jeep Grand Cherokee rolled backward on his steep driveway, pinning him against a brick pillar and security fence. This was due to badly designed shifter that indicated park when it was in neutral. This death, along with reports of other near-misses, resulted in a recall of that model.Date of Birth 11 March 1989, Leningrad, Russian SFSR, USSR [now St. Petersburg, Russia]
Date of Death 19 June 2016, Los Angeles, California, USA (car accident)
Birth Name Anton Viktorovich Yelchin
Height 5' 9" (1.75 m)- Actor
- Producer
Bill Cardille is a native of Sharon Pennsylvania. "Chilly Billy" as he is affectionately known, started his broadcast career in 1952 in Erie, PA at WICV Channel 12. He later made Pittsburgh his home in 1957 signing on WIIC Channel 11 (now known as WPXI) and starred as the host for several historical programs such as...Studio Wrestling...Dance Party...and the ever popular Chiller Theater. Bill is still one of the original host for the annual Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon, which has raised 15.8 million dollars locally for this great cause.
Over the years Bill Cardille has collected several awards and honors for his volunteer work and elaborate career. He was awarded the Heart Award in 1976. Named AFTRA's TV Personality of the Year and inducted in the AFTRA's Hall of Fame in 1979. Viewing of Chiller Theater is displayed in New York's Museum of Broadcast, and Bill was inducted into the Pennsylvania Broadcaster Hall of Fame in 1997. Bill currently spends most of his time on the radio. You can hear Chilly Billy every weekday on 1320 WJAS from 10am - 3pm. He and his wife, Louise, currently live in the North Hills and are proud parents of Lori, Marea and Bill. They have four grandchildren.Date of Birth 10 December 1928, Farrell, Pennsylvania, USA
Date of Death 21 July 2016, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA (cancer)
Birth Name William Robert Cardille
Spouse: Louise Maras (3 October 1953 - 21 July 2016) (his death) (3 children)
Inducted into the Horror Host Hall of Fame in 2012, as his character Chilly Billy.
His daughter, Lori, was the star of George Romero's Day of the Dead (1985).