Advanced search
- TITLES
- NAMES
- COLLABORATIONS
Search filters
Enter full date
to
or just enter yyyy, or yyyy-mm below
to
Only includes names with the selected topics
to
or just enter yyyy, or yyyy-mm below
to
1-50 of 227
- Actor
- Director
- Writer
John Lacy is an American actor-director-writer living in Los Angeles. John was born in Iowa City where his father, the writer Robert Lacy, studied at the Iowa Writer's Workshop under the mentor-ship of Kurt Vonnegut and Richard Yates, alongside fellow students and notable writers, Andre Dubus, William Harrison, Theodore Weesner, and detective novelist James Crumley. The family settled in Minneapolis after Robert took a position working for the State Capitol as a speech writer for the late Senator Nick Coleman.
John's mother, Lyn Ellen Lacy is an accomplished educator and published author, specializing in children's' visual literacy. His older brother, Peter Lacy, works as an innovator in corporate culture integration in Seattle, WA; and his older sister, Ruth Grim, is a museum curator in Daytona, Florida.
John's acting career began in 1988, initially showing up in beer commercials and music videos. After extensive study, stage work, and commitment to the Meisner technique, his roles improved considerably, booking several guest starring roles on a handful of Miller/Boyett Production situation comedies. Then came John's first significant film role, cast as 'Fector' in Nancy Savoca's anti-war love story Dogfight. Since then, John's stock has risen steadily year after year, appearing in all of television's top rated programs while continuing a substantial and recognizable presence in television commercials, and supporting roles in several notable films, most recently, Just Mercy. His powerful performance as Howard Madson in the 2019 FX series American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace drew considerable critical acclaim.
John has also established a reputation as a career coach and motivational speaker for aspiring talent getting in to the entertainment business. His acting studio in Burbank, The Lacy Group Acting Studio, has been instrumental in developing and cultivating some of the most promising young actors in Hollywood.
John has been married to Karin Lacy since 1994. They have three sons.
John created the critically acclaimed Crime Noir web series The Reveal... using over 30 actors from his acting studio, The Lacy Group. He followed that up with another web series creation, The Adventures of Hollywood & Vine, a screwball comedy depicting a pair of struggling actor roommates' daily struggles. His feature film debut, Custody Road, won Best Editing at the Auckland International Film Festival and streamed on Amazon Prime, GooglePlay, iTunes. His second feature, Rosebud Lane, is scheduled for release in August, 2021.- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Michael Mosley has been bringing characters to life in film, television, and on stage for the past decade. Mosley can currently be seen starring on the USA series "Sirens," created by Denis Leary and Bob Fisher. The comedy based on the BBC show of the same name, follows three fast, ball-busting Chicago EMT's whose chief talents are saving lives and self-sabotage. On the film front, Mosley can next be seen in MGM's HOT PURSUIT opposite Reese Witherspoon and Sofia Vergara [to be released May 2015]. He can also be seen in OTHER PEOPLE'S CHILDREN, alongside Chad Michael Murray, Alexandra Breckenridge and directed by Liz Hinlein.
Born in Iowa City, Iowa, Mosley is an Alumnus of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, and was a 2001 company member. Upon graduating he performed in numerous theaters including the SoHo Playhouse, Cherry Lane, and Michael Imperioli's Studio Dante. He starred in Itamar Moses', Back Back Back at Manhattan Theatre Center, and in 2010 starred as the Gentlemen Caller in Roundabout's adaptation of The Glass Menagerie opposite Judith Ivey, Patch Darragh, and Keira Keeley. The production earned a Lucille Lortel Award for Best Revival. Film credits include Touchstone Pictures THE PROPOSAL, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment's THE ACCIDENTAL HUSBAND, and Fox 2000 Pictures' 27 DRESSES. Mosley has also appeared in a host of independent features including SWIMMERS directed by Doug Sadler, where he starred alongside Cherry Jones, Sean Hatosy, and Sarah Paulson. SWIMMERS went to the Sundance Film Festival, and won the New American Cinema Award at the Seattle International Film Festival.
In 2006 Mosley booked a recurring role on NBC's "Kidnapped" opposite Timothy Hutton, Dana Delany, Jeremy Sisto, Olivia Thirlby, and Delroy Lindo. Later that year he was cast in "Alpha Mom," another pilot for NBC directed by Bill Lawrence, who would later remember him and cast him as a series regular in the 9th season of the hit comedy series "Scrubs." From 2009-10, Mosley starred as "Drew Suffin" in the farewell season of the ABC series. His role as the cynical, anti-social, med school dropout garnered him critical acclaim. He then went on to co-star as "Ted Vanderway" on ABC's "Pan Am," opposite Christina Ricci, Margot Robbie, and Kelly Garner. Other television credits include: recurring roles on A&E's "Longmire," FX's "Justified," NBC's "30 Rock," ABC's "Last Resort" CBS' "The Education of Max Bickford," and ABC's "Castle" as "Jerry Tyson," the 3XK killer. He has also held numerous guest starring roles, including ABC's "Happy Endings," TNT's "The Closer," and HBO's "Generation Kill," and "The Wire."- Actress
- Soundtrack
Sharon Farrell was born on 24 December 1940 in Sioux City, Iowa, USA. She was an actress, known for Can't Buy Me Love (1987), Night of the Comet (1984) and Lone Wolf McQuade (1983). She was married to Dale Trevillion, Steve Salkin, John Boyer, Ron De Blasio and Andrew Prine. She died on 15 May 2023 in Orange County, California, USA.- Phillip Morris is an African-American actor from Ohio who is known for playing Jackie Chiles from Seinfeld. He is also known for playing Dr. Joshua Sweet from Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Merc from Ratchet: Deadlocked, Martian Manhunter from Smallville, Silas Stone from Doom Patrol, Vandal Savage from Justice League Doom and Doc Saturday from The Secret Saturdays. He is married to Carla Gittelson and has two children.
- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Hill Harper, an accomplished film, television and stage actor, stars in the hit CBS drama series, CSI: NY (2004). He portrays "Dr. Sheldon Hawkes", a reclusive coroner who walked away from a promising surgical career after the traumatic loss of two patients. This February, he will star in the HBO movie, Lackawanna Blues (2005), which is based on the critically-acclaimed stage play by Ruben Santiago-Hudson. Recently, "People" magazine selected Harper as one of their "Sexiest Men Alive" (2004).
Prior to CSI: NY (2004), Harper co-starred as an ambitious undercover FBI operative on the CBS series, The Handler (2003), alongside Emmy Award nominee Joe Pantoliano. The role earned him a 2004 Golden Satellite Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. He has also been recognized by the NAACP Image Awards with a nomination as Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the CBS series, City of Angels (2000).
Harper received critical acclaim for his performance in the independent film, The Visit (2000), directed by Jordan Walker-Pearlman, which tells the story of two brothers who are forced to come together when the younger sibling (played by Harper), who is HIV-positive, is sentenced to death row for a crime he seemingly did not commit. His performance, which Daily Variety called "riveting", earned him a Best Actor nomination by the Independent Spirit Awards. He re-teams with Walker-Pearlman in the upcoming independent feature, Constellation (2005), which chronicles the lives and loves of a family in the Deep South.
His recent film roles include the lead in the independent film, Love, Sex and Eating the Bones (2003), which was accepted into the Toronto International, Palm Springs, and Pan African film festivals. This intriguing film won "Best Canadian First Feature Film" in the 2003 Toronto International Film Festival and both "Best Feature" and "Audience Favorite" in the 2004 Pan African Film Festival. He has also completed work on the independent film, America Brown (2004), which was accepted into the 2004 Tribeca Film Festival. Harper's other screen credits include: Loving Jezebel (1999)_, The Nephew (1998) (with Pierce Brosnan), The Skulls (2000) (with Joshua Jackson), In Too Deep (1999) (with Omar Epps, LL Cool J and Nia Long), Beloved (1998), Hav Plenty (1998), He Got Game (1998) (with Denzel Washington), and Get on the Bus (1996). Other films include Zooman (1995) (with Louis Gossett Jr., Charles S. Dutton and CCH Pounder), "Full Court Press" (with Ellen Burstyn and Taye Diggs) and One Red Rose (1995), which he also co-wrote, for Showtime.
As a television actor, Harper has had numerous guest-starring roles. He recently appeared on recurring episodes of Showtime's Soul Food (2000) and guest-starred on HBO's The Sopranos (1999). He also starred in the CBS mini-series, Mama Flora's Family (1998) and the UPN Network comedy/drama, Live Shot (1995). Other guest appearances include: ER (1994), NYPD Blue (1993), Murder One (1995), The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990) and Married... with Children (1987).
Harper's stage credits include appearances in off-Broadway productions of "Your Handsome Captain", "Freeman", and David Mamet's "American Buffalo". He completed a starring run of Jessica Hagedorn's "Dogeaters" at New York's Joseph Papp Public Theatre.
Harper graduated magna cum laude from Brown University with a Bachelor of Arts degree and graduated with a J.D. (cum laude) from Harvard Law School, as well as with a Masters in Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government. He is a full-time member of Boston's Black Folk's Theater Company, one of the nation's oldest and most respected African-American traveling theater troupes. Harper's Bazaar wrote, "You might expect Hill Harper to be the next actor vying for the presidency... but he has other things on his agenda".- Actress
- Producer
Laura Leighton was born on 24 July 1968 in Iowa City, Iowa, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Melrose Place (1992), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999) and Skin (2003). She has been married to Doug Savant since 2 May 1998. They have two children.- Actor
- Director
- Soundtrack
Jerry Mathers was born on 2 June 1948 in Sioux City, Iowa, USA. He is an actor and director, known for The Trouble with Harry (1955), Leave It to Beaver (1957) and The Love Boat (1977). He has been married to Teresa Modnick since 30 January 2011. He was previously married to Diana Platt and Rhonda Gehring.- Jon was born in Iowa City but attended high school in Maui, Hawaii where he began his career as a writer and actor.
As a playwright, Jon is a co-creator of the ground breaking musical The Unfortunates which was originally produced at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and then enjoyed another sold out run at the prestigious A.C.T. in San Fransisco. As a song writer, Jon's music has appeared on numerous major television shows and commercial campaigns. And as a producer, Jon has developed web-series, short films and features including the upcoming neo-romance The Only One in which he also stars.
As an actor, Jon's television credits range from Nickelodeon to NatGeo and Netflix. Most recently, Jon was a series regular on TNT's hit series Animal Kingdom. - Actor
- Writer
- Music Department
Fred is lovingly known as Gopher by his millions of fans around the world who watched him became for 9 years in the 1970s hit series The Love Boat (1977). But, before Fred became well known as an actor, he went to "Phillips Exeter Academy" with David Eisenhower. Later, he became David's best man when he married Julie Nixon. Then, Fred entered "Harvard University" at Cambridge, Massachusetts and graduated in 1970 with a Bachelor's Degree in English.
Fred is a well-educated man and can speak fluently in both French and Arabic. Before he joined the cast of The Love Boat (1977), Fred did guest shots on many shows, including Love, American Style (1969), The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970), Phyllis (1975) (with Cloris Leachman) & Welcome Back, Kotter (1975) (with John Travolta). Then, came other guest spots on TV shows and a couple of movies, while still on The Love Boat (1977).
Fred Grandy was destined to become more than just an actor. In 1986, he decided to run for Congressman as a Republican for the state of Iowa, and won. He received 3,000 votes. He served 4 consecutive terms (1986-1995). While in Congress, he was very much involved with Agriculture, Education, Workforce, Standards of Official Conduct, House Ways and Means. In 1994, he went ahead and entered the Governor's race but lost to his opponent, Terry Branstad. In 1995, he became both President and CEO for "Goodwill Industries", a position he held until 2000. Fred even became a political commentator on National Public Radio. He has also, as a guest, taught at the "University of Maryland" (School of Public Affairs) about non-profit organizations.
In 2003, in Washington, DC., Fred became the host of the talk radio show "The WMAL Morning News" (WMAL-AM Radio). On (Friday night) May 7, 2004, while at home in Bethesda and reading his newspaper, he began to feel very uncomfortable for 3 hours. At first, he felt indigestion so bad he thought he had food poisoning. Then, he began having massive chest pains. Now, he had to call 911 and he was rushed to "Suburban Hospital" where he had an emergency Angioplasty. Fred showed amazing courage and began feeling better almost immediately. He blames his heart problems on genetics, it seems to run in his family. And, what helped was his strict diet as a vegetarian. Fred is back on the radio co-hosting his show with Andy Parks.- Actress
- Soundtrack
A pouty-lipped glamour girl in "B" films during the 1940s, actress Frances Rafferty did a complete role reversal and turned wholesome housewife on TV into the next decade.
Born on June 16, 1922 in Sioux City, Iowa, Frances Anne Rafferty and her family, during the Depression era, moved to Los Angeles in search of work. Interested in the arts while growing up, she won a scholarship to the Edith Jane Dancing School the next year and attended UCLA following her high school graduation, but dropped out when she nabbed an understudy position for dancer Vera Zorina in the film I Was an Adventuress (1940), choreographed by the legendary George Balanchine.
A severe leg injury suffered after falling during a performance of "The Firebird" at the Hollywood Bowl changed her focus from dance to acting. Coached by the renowned teachers Maria Ouspenskaya, Frances was signed by MGM at the age of 19 and began with a dancing bit in Presenting Lily Mars (1943) starring Judy Garland. Other parts in The War Against Mrs. Hadley (1942), Barbary Coast Gent (1944) and Mrs. Parkington (1944) added to her film credits. Her almond-shaped eyes gave this beauty a slightly exotic look and she capitalized on it in her best movie performance Dragon Seed (1944) as the ill-fated Oriental girl who is raped and subsequently murdered. Her skills as a dancer also showed up in the film comedy Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Hollywood (1945), in which she dances in the elaborate "On the Midway" number.
Unable to secure major starring parts in "A" pictures, Frances remained an able "B"-level co-star with postwar roles in Bad Bascomb (1946), Lost Honeymoon (1947), Curley (1947) and An Old-Fashioned Girl (1949). None did anything to further her career.
A marriage to John Harlan in 1944 lasted only three years. In 1948 she married Thomas R. Baker, an Air Force colonel who later became general manager for the Los Alamitos Racetrack. They had two children, Bridget and Kevin. Following a role in The Shanghai Story (1954), Frances began setting her sights realistically on TV. A friendship with comedienne Lucille Ball helped Frances earn the co-starring role of "Ruth Henshaw", the daughter of Spring Byington, in the highly popular Desilu sitcom December Bride (1954), a role for which she is probably best known. When Harry Morgan, who played "Pete Porter" on the show, spun his character into the subsequent series Pete and Gladys (1960), Frances was brought on board to play Nancy, a next-door-neighbor. The show, which co-starred Cara Williams as Gladys, was short-lived, lasting only one season.
Frances quietly semi-retired after the show's demise with just a handful of TV performances coming her way, then disappeared altogether. She later raised quarter horses with her husband in California for a time. She died in 2004 of natural causes at age 81 in Paso Robles, where she helped form a local acting group called the "Pioneer Players".- Erica Hagen was born on 6 June 1946 in Sioux City, Iowa, USA. She was an actress, known for Soylent Green (1973), Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) and Wonder Woman (1975). She died on 15 September 2018 in West Hollywood, California, USA.
- Phyllis Somerville was born on 12 December 1943 in Iowa City, Iowa, USA. She was an actress, known for Little Children (2006), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) and Stoker (2013). She died on 16 July 2020 in New York City, New York, USA.
- Actress
- Stunts
- Casting Director
Vanessa Giselle was born in Iowa City, Iowa. She is best known for her role on FX's Mayans M.C. (2019-2023), in which she portrays a sensitive and hurting heroin abuser named Hope. She is also known for her recurring role on the popular Starz series VIDA (2020), and has made appearances on shows such as FX's Sons of Anarchy and Showtime's Shameless.- Actress
- Writer
Margaret Welsh was born in Iowa City, Iowa, USA. She is known for Grey's Anatomy (2005), American Heart (1992) and Topa Topa Bluffs (2002). She has been married to John Michael Higgins since 1 February 2003. They have two children.- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Ashley Tesoro is a Christian and country music singer. In 2007 she released her self-titled country music debut through Tesoro Records. In 2010 she released a Country-Gospel album titled "Oh You Angel." In 2012 she released a Gospel Hymns album titled "Simply Worship." All of her EP's were produced by Grammy nominated and multi-platinum record producer Ron Aniello, and were met with rave reviews.
In addition to being a talented and accomplished singer, Ashley is also a former Hollywood actress. During her acting career, which spanned over fourteen years, she became known throughout the world due to her starring roles on NBC's "Saved By the Bell: The New Class", and CBS's "The Bold and the Beautiful." During a six year period she portrayed the characters of Liz Miller on Saved by the Bell: The New Class (1993) and Kimberly Fairchild on The Bold and the Beautiful (1987). These characters brought both national and international attention to her acting talent and ability, as well as her beauty and grace. She also starred in eight films during her career.
While on "The Bold and the Beautiful" CBS and Bell-Phillip Productions noticed that in addition to being a talented actress, Ashley was a talented singer as well. This lead to her singing several original Pop songs for the show, as well as performing in full length music videos that aired on the show and around the world. One of these original songs was premiered on KISS FM while Ashley was being interviewed on air about her music.
After exiting Hollywood, Ashley returned to her singing roots which include country and Christian/Gospel music. She was born in Iowa and raised in a rural part of California called Escondido. She grew up riding horses and listening to country artists such as Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, Reba McEntire, and Martina McBride. She also grew up singing in the Church and believes that her new Country-Gospel music sound is the perfect blend of everything that she is and represents. It blends the country music sound with inspirational and Gospel lyrics.- Actor
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Location Management
Tim Chiou was born in Iowa City, Iowa, USA. Tim is an actor, known for The Company You Keep (2023), SEAL Team (2017) and iZombie (2015).- Actor
- Writer
Jerry Lacy was born on 27 March 1936 in Sioux City, Iowa, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Play It Again, Sam (1972), The Last Case of August T. Harrison (2015) and Spidora (2014). He has been married to Julia Duffy since 21 June 1984. They have two children.- Actor
- Soundtrack
American film and television actor MacDonald Carey became famous for his role as Dr. Tom Horton on NBC's soap opera Days of Our Lives (1965). For three decades he was the centered cast member of the show.
His film career was from the 1940s-'60s, and he appeared mostly in second-features (aka "B" pictures). He became known in Hollywood as "The King of the B's" (much like Lucille Ball, who was known as the "Queen of Bs"). He occasionally played second leads or supporting parts in "A" pictures, such as his role as a detective investigating suspected serial killer Joseph Cotten in Alfred Hitchcock's thriller Shadow of a Doubt (1943). He also had a successful career on Broadway and on radio.
He was on "Days of Our Lives" from its inception in 1965 until his death in 1994.- Writer
- Director
- Animation Department
Ron Clements is an American animated film director who collaborates with John Musker. They directed various Disney animated films including The Great Mouse Detective, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Hercules, Treasure Planet, The Princess and the Frog and Moana. The Little Mermaid and Aladdin are seminal films he co-directed because they brought back life to Disney animation in the late 1980s and early 1990s.- Actress
- Producer
Caitlin Dulany was born in Iowa City, Iowa where her father was a graduate student at the prestigious Iowa Writer's Workshop. Her family then moved to Kennybunk, Maine and eventually to Brooklyn, New York. She attended St. Ann's School in Brooklyn Heights, where her mother, Barry Dulany, was a teacher. Her father, Harris Dulany, a novelist and poet, also made films with documentary photographer and filmmaker, Danny Lyon, a close family friend. Growing up, the family brownstone in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn was always filled with artists of all kinds, which was a source of inspiration for Caitlin and, as it turns out, a way of life.
Caitlin started her career at the age of 14, when she was cast in a play at Ensemble Studio Theatre in Manhattan. After graduating from Northwestern University with a BA in Theatre, she went on to pursue her acting career in both New York and Los Angeles. She has appeared on numerous television shows, guest starring on such hits as Law and Order, CSI: Miami, Castle and Criminal Minds. She has also played recurring roles as a love interest to Anthony Edwards on ER and as Holly Hunter's sister on Saving Grace. Her film work includes the Todd Phillip's produced Project X, director Spike Lee's Oldboy and Akiva Goldsman's directorial debut, Winter's Tale.- Randy Powell was born on 14 April 1950 in Iowa City, Iowa, USA. He is an actor, known for Battletruck (1982), Logan's Run (1977) and Days of Our Lives (1965). He has been married to Jacqueline Epps since September 1981. They have two children.
- Actress
- Writer
- Director
Iowa City, Iowa-born playwright and actor June Carryl grew up in Denver, Colorado. Starting out in Political Science at Brown University, intending to be a lawyer, she bailed on the last round of LSAT's and pursued a Ph.D. in English Literature instead. She wrote a play for her midterm in a Drama survey course taught by playwright Paula Vogel (How I Learned To Drive, The Baltimore Waltz) who invited to join her playwriting class where she studied with two of the best writers to come out of that or any program, Pulitzer Prize Winner Nilo Cruz (Night Train to Bolina, Anna in the Tropics) and the late John C. Russell (Stupid Kids), as well as guest artists Aisha Rahman and Anna Deavere Smith.
June's first play was a disaster, only one of two NOT to receive a production as part of the annual New Plays Festival. She went on to receive her MA in 1992, played Cassius in a well-received production of Julius Caesar with the Fish on Fire Theater Company, and wrote a second play, a full length about a traveling circus. Perfect Freaks was presented at the George Houston Bass Memorial Play-Rites Festival at Rites & Reason Theater in 1993. That same year, she co-wrote Don't Answer these Screams with Silence, with Kelly Smith and Kathleen Jenkins, to benefit the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence for the 1993 International Women's Playwriting Festival at Perishable Theater.
Carryl moved to the Bay Area in 1993 to study acting and worked professionally for seven years and taught playwriting and acting workshops for high school students. She joined Z-Space (later the Z Collective) and later the Marin Playwrights Lab and produced an adaptation of Wole Soyinka's Things Fall Apart and a one-act, The Art of Yes. During her time in the Bay Area, she appeared in shows at the Magic (Pieces of the Quilt), San Francisco Shakespeare Festival (As You Like It, A Midsummer Night's Dream), Berkeley Repertory Theater (Macbeth, Civil Sex), and A.C.T. (Insurrection: Holding History). In 1999, she received the Dean Goodman Choice Award for Best actress in Thick Description's production of Suzan-Lori Parks's drama, Venus.
She moved to Los Angeles around 2000 and adopted her mother's maiden name (Lomena) professionally. She was hired to write her first screenplay, The Will, a gothic horror film for Deak Ferrand (Hatch Pictures) and Ken Rosen. Her first film acting roles were in A Smile Like Yours (1997), What Dreams May Come (1998), Sweet November (2001), and Woman on Top (2000). In 2003, she was commissioned to write The Rings of Saturn for Visible Theater in New York, which was later performed for The Blank Theatre's Living Room Series (2004). This was followed by a staged reading of God's Wife at the Zephyr Theater. In 2005, she appeared in a production of The Threepenny Opera at the Odyssey Theater. In 2007, she wrote her second feature, The Pursuit of Happy, and began developing a new feature about the genocide in Zimbabwe in the 1980s. She is a member of the Actors Studio.- Actor
- Additional Crew
Robert McCord was born on 24 February 1915 in Sac City, Iowa, USA. He was an actor, known for The Twilight Zone (1959), Yancy Derringer (1958) and The Wild Wild West (1965). He was married to Wanda Penniman. He died on 1 October 1980 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Tanna Frederick was born on 11 August 1977 in Mason City, Iowa, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Two Ways Home (2019), Hollywood Dreams (2006) and Irene in Time (2009). She was previously married to Henry Jaglom.- Jan Munroe was born on 24 June 1952 in Iowa City, Iowa, USA. He is an actor, known for The Grifters (1990), Catch Me If You Can (2002) and Poseidon (2006). He has been married to Frances Conroy since April 1992.
- Actor
- Editor
- Director
Originally from Iowa City, Iowa, Robert Watzke has built a career as an editor, writer, director, actor and teacher, and is also the founder of Turbine Arts Collective, a Los Angeles nonprofit dedicated to the exploration of creativity, where he teaches weekly workshops in improvisation. After graduating from the University of Iowa with degrees in Communications/Theatre Arts and Journalism, he moved to Los Angeles, became involved in the local theatre community, and quickly dedicated himself to the performance and study of improvisation. Gary Austin (creator of The Groundlings) called him, "One of the best improvisers I've ever worked with". He co-created "The Bubalaires", an improvisational physical-comedy theatre troupe with roots in Commedia dell' Arte, and he is also well-known as an editor of commercials and music videos, collaborating with such varied directors as Spike Lee, Ridley Scott, Terry Gilliam and Joe Pytka. He has won the Clio and many other awards for editing. His film Heavenzapoppin'! (1996) won the highest award given by the National Educational Media Association, and Leonard Maltin called it, "A delightful and ingenious film".- Producer
- Writer
- Editor
Jessica Sharzer is writer, producer, and director best known for her work on Speak (2004), Nerve (2016), American Horror Story (2011-2015), and the new mystery thriller A Simple Favor (2018). Sharzer has been nominated for 3 Primetime Emmy's for her work on American Horror Story. Sharzer is working on The Young Elites based on Marie Lu's novel.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Blonde singer/actress Constance Moore was a stylish, glamorous lead in many "B" war-era musicals. Born in Sioux City, Iowa, on January 18, 1920, she was raised in Dallas, Texas, and nurtured ambitions to be a singer. The one-time brunette with the rich contralto started out as a band vocalist prior to entering films. Universal took notice and signed her up initially, but she is probably better known for the vocal work she did as leading lady in Republic Pictures tunefests, her best showcases being Show Business (1944) and Atlantic City (1944). In the former, she joined co-stars Eddie Cantor, George Murphy and Joan Davis in the vintage songs "I Want a Girl, Just Like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad" and "Dinah". In the latter, she was top-billed and soloed on "After You've Gone" and "On a Sunday Afternoon".
As for her non-singing endeavors, Constance was seen to good advantage as both the femme colleague Wilma Deering to Buster Crabbe's planetary hero in the popular Buck Rogers (1939) serial, and as the lovely young daughter of W.C. Fields' character in the classic comedy You Can't Cheat an Honest Man (1939), in which she also played second fiddle to love interest Edgar Bergen and his puppet Charlie McCarthy. That same year Constance would yet again receive lower billing to the puppet in the mystery Charlie McCarthy, Detective (1939). She and "husband" Macdonald Carey complemented Rosalind Russell and Fred MacMurray in the comedy romp Take a Letter, Darling (1942) as a secondary couple, and she later provided lovely distraction from the rugged goings-on in the WWII picture I Wanted Wings (1941) and westerns Mexicana (1945) and In Old Sacramento (1946). Constance retired from films in 1947 after co-starring with Eddie Albert in Hit Parade of 1947 (1947). She reappeared on TV only a few times in later years. Outside of some guest shots on such shows as Laramie (1959) and My Three Sons (1960), she co-starred with Robert Young in the short-lived, post-Father Knows Best (1954) series Window on Main Street (1961) and then replaced Irene Hervey in the dramatic series The Young Marrieds (1964) while in its second season. She also occasionally worked up elegant nightclub acts. Married in 1939 to agent John Maschio and the mother of two, her husband later became a successful real estate agent. After her retirement, Constance indulged herself in still life painting. Her husband passed away in 1998 and she followed in 2005 of heart failure following a long illness. The couple had two children.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Attractive blond leading lady of second features in the 1930's and 40's, who had enough charm and charisma to have merited a better career. Her exploits as a western heroine paled in comparison to her real life battles, which began when she lost both her parents while in her early teens. Forced to support her three siblings, she worked (after school) as a cashier at Loew's Theatre in Los Angeles in the afternoons and evenings for $16.50 per week. By chance, she was noticed by an associate of Samuel Goldwyn who finagled a screen test for her. After a successful audition, she became a Goldwyn Girl for $125 per week. In 1935, she joined Fox as a contract player, though her roles remained little more than bit parts and walk-ons. One who did eventually recognise her potential was Columbia boss Harry Cohn, who signed Iris under contract a year later. At Columbia, she was immediately promoted to leading lady, albeit in stereotypical sagebrush sagas and mystery potboilers. Her most frequent co-star (they were in twenty films together) was the prolific Charles Starrett. Iris also popped up in the Columbia serial The Green Archer (1940), an inane attempt at an adaptation of a story by Edgar Wallace, with Victor Jory as the unlikely hero. This pretty much brought down the curtain on her career, since Iris spent the next couple of years in even lesser quality films for PRC (Producer's Releasing Corporation, one of the 'Poverty Row' studios). Possibly seeing the writing on the wall, she retired after marrying Columbia director Abby Berlin.
During the last fifteen years of her life, Iris became afflicted by oral cancer. She underwent fourteen operations which severely disfigured her face, bravely battling on until the disease eventually claimed her life at the age of 64.- Actress
- Soundtrack
A lovely and gracious presence amid a couple of scene-stealing puppets, Fran Allison was a shining star of radio and early TV, and enjoyed immense popularity with children for decades as the sole human element of the Kukla, Fran and Ollie (1947) show.
The open-faced blonde singer, actress and comedienne was born on November 20, 1907, in La Porte City, Iowa and graduated in the late 1920s from Coe College in Cedar Rapids with a teaching degree. After spending a couple of years as a rural school instructor, she left her position after her brother, who was a musician, put together an orchestra and hired her on as a singer. By 1934 she had moved into radio singing work in Cedar Rapids and later in 1937 became a staff singer for NBC in Chicago. Her talents as a comedienne were also discovered and utilized. Most notably, she originated a gossipy radio character called "Aunt Fanny" that was a hit with audiences.
Fran met puppeteer Burr Tillstrom during WWII when they toured together in hospitals and orphanages on the same bill. Tillstrom thought Fran would be ideal as a genteel, prettified and sensible foil for his Kuklapolitan puppets, and on October 13, 1947, she made her series debut with Kukla, Fran and Ollie (1947). The shows were, for the most part, done live and Fran was a charming and glamorous delight opposite Kukla, the bald, arch-browed, bulb-nosed leader of the troupe and Ollie, the droll, single-toothed dragon. Nominated for an Emmy in 1949 as "Most Outstanding Personality", the show received frequent Emmy nominations during its 1950s run. In 1953 it won as the "Best Children's Program". The syndicated version of the puppet show went off the air in 1976. The threesome also served as hosts for The CBS Children's Film Festival, which introduced international children's films, from 1967-1977. In addition, Fran also was the official pitchwoman for Whirlpool appliances in the years to come.
Married to music publisher Archie Levington, the couple had no children and eventually settled in Los Angeles. In her own mind, Fran felt like she was the mother to the millions of children who tuned in religiously to the show. Her husband died in 1978. In later life, Allison lived in Van Nuys, California, and died in 1989 from myelodysplasia, a bone marrow disease, at the age of 81 in Sherman Oaks. She was buried back in her home state of Iowa, at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Cedar Rapids.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Kian Robert Lawley is an actor born in Sioux City, Iowa, that moved to San Clemente, California when he was five years old. Kian started a YouTube channel with his best friend Sam Pottorff in 2010, two years later he joined a collab channel called Our2ndLife (O2L), which ended 2014. In 2015 he created a new YouTube channel with his best friend and roommate Jc Caylen where they upload skits and challenges weekly. Also in 2015 Lawley won a Teen Choice Award for "Choice YouTuber", and got nominated as "Best Actor" on a Streamy Award for his role in The Chosen movie. Kian has now filmed five movies, with over three million subscribers on his main channel plus two million subscribers on KianAndJc, and still upload videos weekly.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Jake Johannsen was born on 28 July 1960 in Iowa City, Iowa, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Loaded Weapon 1 (1993), Jake Johannsen: This'll Take About an Hour (1992) and Suckers (1999). He is married to Belinda Waymouth. They have one child.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Linda Hayes was born on 11 October 1918 in Sac City, Iowa, USA. She was an actress, known for The Girl from Mexico (1939), I'm Still Alive (1940) and Mexican Spitfire (1939). She was married to Frank Ward Walker, Lou Crosby and Dominic Joseph Germano. She died on 19 December 1995 in Palm Desert, California, USA.- Emily Cline was born on 3 October 1969 in Iowa City, Iowa, USA. She is an actress, known for In the Company of Men (1997), Dead Dog (2001) and The Horrible Flowers (2006). She has been married to Francis Scott Shea since 16 February 2003.
- Additional Crew
- Director
- Production Manager
Ralph Senensky was born on 1 May 1923 in Mason City, Iowa, USA. He is a director and production manager, known for Star Trek (1966), The Twilight Zone (1959) and Mission: Impossible (1966).- Music Artist
- Actor
- Composer
Nate Ruess is an American singer and songwriter. He is the lead vocalist of indie pop band Fun.
Fun released their first studio album, entitled Aim and Ignite. The album received generally positive reviews and peaked at 71 on the Billboard 200.
Their second album, Some Nights, was released on February 21, 2012, and featured production by Jeff Bhasker. The album's first single, "We Are Young", which features guest singer Janelle Monáe, was released September 20, 2011. The song was covered on Glee in December 2011 and featured in a Chevy Sonic commercial during the Super Bowl in February 2012, and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on March 8, 2012. The album has become a success throughout the world, selling nearly three million copies.
Since 2015, Ruess also performs as a solo musician.- Writer
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Gabe Fonseca was born in Iowa City, Iowa, USA. Gabe is a writer and producer, known for House of the Dragon (2022), Wu-Tang: An American Saga (2019) and Jessica Jones (2015).- Marisa Chen Moller was born on 9 August 1973 in Iowa City, Iowa, USA. She is an actress, known for Book Club (2018), The Thundermans (2013) and American Gigolo (2022).
- William Vincent St.Cyr, or Vince was born on the Winnebago Indian Reservation on the Eastern banks of the Missouri River in Nebraska. In 1950, he entered the United States Marine Corps where he served in Korea during the Korean conflict. During his service, he was awarded the Bronze Star, the Korean Service Medal and the United Nations Ribbon as well as other medals and citations. His group was also awarded a presidential unit citation for being the first to employ rotary wing aircraft for assault operations. Once completing his tour of duty in Korea, he was honorably discharged in 1952 as a sergeant. After returning to Winnebago he helped to create the Nebraska Platoon with other Nebraska Veterans.
Upon his return from the Far East, he married his sweet heart Ida Mae Saunsoci of Macy, Nebraska. The couple then moved to Inglewood, California where "Vince" obtained a position with the Northrop Aircraft Corporation in the design division. In the mid-fifties, he began his acting career where he appeared in many television shows and commercials. He also performed in many motion picture and stage productions. He returned to Winnebago in 1978, where he served his community as an emergency medical technician and community health representative from 1980 to 1982. He kept active with his acting career, often performing in children's educational programs in Omaha, Nebraska.
Vince died Sunday, March 16, 1997, at a Sioux City hospital following a lengthy illness. He was laid to rest at the Native American Church Cemetery in Winnebago, Nebraska with full military honors. Vince left behind a wife and three children at the time of his death with one child preceding him in death. - Music Department
- Composer
- Writer
Meredith Willson--musician, playwright, and composer--was best known for the book, words, and music for The Music Man (1962). He wrote two other musical plays, including The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964). Many of his songs are standards, including "You and I", "May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You", "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas", "Seventy-Six Trombones", and "Till There Was You", which was a surprising song choice for a hit record by The Beatles. Willson left his hometown of Mason City in 1919 to attend Damrosch Institute (now Juilliard) in New York. He played flute and piccolo in John Philip Sousa's band from 1921 to 1923 and then joined the New York Philharmonic Orchestra from 1924 to 1929. In 1930 he got a job in radio in California. Radio was his primary source of income over the following 25 years. He also composed several orchestral works during the '30s and '40s, including symphonies for The Great Dictator (1940) and The Little Foxes (1941). In 1951, stage producers Martin and Feuer proposed that Willson write a musical comedy about his Iowa boyhood. With his common touch, they said, it was sure to be a hit. After seven years, he finally got what turned out to be his masterpiece onto the stage. "The Music Man", which Willson said was "an Iowan's attempt to pay tribute to his home state", premiered on Broadway in 1957. Robert Preston recreated his most famous role and Willson's most famous character, that of Professor Harold Hill, in the film production of The Music Man (1962).- Manager
- Producer
- Director
Manager, writer, award winning producer & director, Chris Roe entered the entertainment business in 1996, after starting his own talent management agency, Chris Roe Management. Since then, his company has become well very respected in the entertainment industry, managing such clients as directors George A. Romero (until his passing) and Clive Barker, and actors like Bruce Davison, Meg Foster, Monte Markham, Mariette Hartley, Courtney Gains, Judy Geeson, and the legendary Malcolm McDowell, to name a few.
In 2007, he co-wrote, co-produced and co-directed the award winning documentary feature, "One for the Fire," released in May of 2008 by The Weinstein Company. He also produced and co-directed a pilot for television called, "Soul of the City," and has acted as producer or executive producer on such films as, "Suing the Devil," "The Employer," and "Bereave."
Roe continues to manage, direct and produce. In 2018 he launched his production company Tea Time Productions, Inc.. Cemetery Tales: A Tale of Two Sisters was the company's first production. A Tale of Two Sisters won over 50 awards worldwide, and had over 40 additional nominations at festivals around the globe.
Roe is a proud member of the Television Academy of Arts and Sciences (ATAS), The Producers Guild of America (PGA), The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA'S) and a board member of the George A. Romero Foundation (better known as GARF). He resides in Los Angeles, CA.- Producer
- Actor
- Writer
Del Tenney was born in Mason City, Iowa, and moved to California with his parents when he was 12. Attending Los Angeles City and State college, he developed an interest in the theater, became an actor and made a living at it for most of his young adult life. He acted on stage, did extra work in films (Stalag 17 (1953), The Wild One (1953)) and then came to New York looking for work. He found it--working in restaurants and as a detective--but he also managed to land roles in summer stock. Deciding to move behind the camera, Tenney started off as assistant director on some risqué low-budget pictures, then co-wrote and co-directed (without credit) his production of Violent Midnight (1963), a Connecticut-made suspenser with Shepperd Strudwick, Jean Hale, 'Sylvia Miles' and Margot Hartman (Mrs. Tenney). Tenney next made schlock horror history, bringing to the screen the cheapo classics The Horror of Party Beach (1964) and (his favorite) The Curse of the Living Corpse (1964).- Producer
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Joe Heath was born on 16 December 1982 in Iowa City, Iowa, USA. He is a producer and actor, known for Ick, To Survive (2014) and Helen's Dead (2023).- Harry Reasoner was born on 17 April 1923 in Dakota City, Iowa, USA. He was a writer, known for The Reasoner Report (1973), ABC World News Tonight with David Muir (1953) and Calendar (1961). He was married to Lois Harriett Weber and Kathleen Ann Carroll. He died on 6 August 1991 in Norwalk, Connecticut, USA.
- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Sound Department
Growing up, he moved every 2 years or so (including 5 years in Australia 1967-1972). A year after graduating high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. A back injury ended his career after only 6 years.
After a hiatus of nearly 21 years, he answered his nation's call again and enlisted in the National Guard - taking training as a combat medic. He served a tour in Iraq in 2009-2010.
He caught the acting "bug" while attending W.R. Farrington High School in Honolulu.
He lives in Iowa City, Iowa.- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Aighleann McKiernan was born in Iowa City, Iowa, USA. Aighleann is an actor and producer, known for The Comeback Trail (2020).- Actress
- Soundtrack
Cora Bennett was born on 7 July 1952 in Sioux City, Iowa, USA. She was an actress, known for Time, Gentlemen, Please! (1952), Return of the Secaucus Seven (1980) and Reggie Little at Large (1953). She was married to Adam LeFevre. She died on 26 January 2008 in New Paltz, New York, USA.- Guy Usher was born on 9 May 1883 in Mason City, Iowa, USA. He was an actor, known for The Case of the Black Cat (1936), Buck Rogers (1939) and The Spanish Cape Mystery (1935). He was married to Evelyn. He died on 16 June 1944 in San Diego, California, USA.
- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Velinda Godfrey was born on 28 February 1985 in Iowa City, Iowa, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Heartland (2016), The Hive (2014) and Termite: The Walls Have Eyes (2011).- Camera and Electrical Department
- Additional Crew
Jeff Niggemeyer was born on 13 March 1979 in Webster City, Iowa, USA. He is known for I Am Legend (2007), The Other Guys (2010) and Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008). He has been married to Kathleen Truitt since 1 November 2008. They have one child.