Monsters, Inc 2001 premiere
Sunday October 28th, El Capitan Theatre 6838 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
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- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Billy Crystal was born on March 14, 1948 in Manhattan, New York, and was raised on Long Island. He is the youngest of three sons born to Helen (Gabler) and Jack Crystal. His father was a well-known concert promoter who co-founded Commodore Records and his mother was a homemaker. His family were Jewish emigrants from Russia, Austria, and Lithuania. With his father in the music business, Billy was no stranger to some of the top performers of the time. Legends such as Billie Holiday, Pee Wee Russell, and Eddie Condon regularly stopped by the Crystal household. At age 15, Billy faced a personal tragedy when his father died of a heart attack at the relatively young age of 54. This gave Billy a real appreciation of what his dad was able to accomplish while alive and what his mother did to keep the family together. Despite this tragedy, Billy was very upbeat and likable as a kid. He had a unique talent for making people laugh.
With television becoming a new medium, Billy got his influence from shows like The Honeymooners (1955), and "The Ed Sullivan Show" and performers like Alan King, Ernie Kovacs and Jonathan Winters. He started doing stand-up comedy at the age of 16. However, his real dream was to be a professional baseball player. His idol growing up was Yankees outfielder Mickey Mantle. He spent long hours in the summers playing softball in the middle of Park Avenue with his brothers and his father, a former pitcher at St. John's University . At Long Beach High, Billy played second base and was varsity captain in his senior year. This earned him a baseball scholarship from Marshall University in West Virginia which he accepted. However, he would never end up playing a game as the baseball program was suspended during his freshman year. This would lead him to leave the university and move back to New York. He then enrolled at nearby Nassau Community College, majoring in theater. It was there that he met and fell in love with a dancer named Janice Goldfinger. They would get married in 1970 and have two daughters. Shortly after, Billy got accepted in New York University, where he majored in Film and TV Direction. While at NYU, he studied under legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese. He also worked as house manager and usher on a production of "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown."
After receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts from NYU in 1970, Billy temporarily worked as a substitute teacher until he was able to get gigs as a stand-up comic. He formed his own improv group, 3's Company, and opened for musicians like Barry Manilow. His impression of Howard Cosell interviewing Muhammad Ali became a huge hit with the audience. He left Long Beach for Hollywood in August of 1976 in the hopes of trying to land a role on a television series. It only took a year before he got his big break when he was chosen for the role of gay character Jodie Dallas on the controversial ABC sitcom Soap (1977). This would be the first time that an American TV show would feature an openly gay character as a regular. The show ran successfully for four seasons and helped to jump-start Billy's previously stagnant career. After Soap (1977) ended in 1981, Billy continued to do his stand-up routine, which was now attracting a larger audience with his growing celebrity status. During this time, he made many TV guest appearances and even hosted his own short-lived variety show, The Billy Crystal Comedy Hour (1982).
He became a regular on Saturday Night Live (1975) in 1984 where his Fernando Lamas impression with the catchphrase "You Look Mahvellous" was a huge hit with viewers. This would lead to appearances in feature-length films such as Running Scared (1986) and Throw Momma from the Train (1987). In 1986, along with Whoopi Goldberg and Robin Williams, he started Comic Relief, an annual stand-up comedy show which helped to raise money for housing and medical care for the homeless. The show has since grown substantially with the continued support of all three comics. Billy's career would peak in the late 1980s and early 1990s. His roles in the blockbuster movies When Harry Met Sally... (1989) and City Slickers (1991) helped to establish himself as one of Hollwood's top movie stars. This star status was further validated when he was chosen to host the annual Oscars in 1990, an honor in which he would repeat seven more times. He made his big screen directorial debut in the 1992 film Mr. Saturday Night (1992), which was about a washed-up stand-up comic who refuses to retire. He also wrote, produced and starred in the film. Although the film was not a huge hit, it proved that Billy was much more than an actor and comedian. In the following years, Billy continued to act in, produce, and direct several films.
He had his share of hits (Analyze This (1999), America's Sweethearts (2001)) and some flops (Fathers' Day (1997), My Giant (1998)). His role in as a therapist to mobster Robert De Niro in Analyze This (1999) earned him critical praise. In 2001, Billy parlayed his childhood love of baseball and Mickey Mantle into a feature film. The movie, 61* (2001), which premiered on HBO, centered on the relationship between Mantle and Roger Maris and their 1961 pursuit of Babe Ruth's home run record. The film for which Billy served as director and executive producer, garnered 12 Emmy nominations in all.
Offscreen, Billy remains married to Janice Crystal and they have homes in California and New York. Both of his daughters are involved in the film business. Jennifer Crystal Foley is an aspiring actress, appearing in 61* (2001), while Lindsay Crystal is an aspiring filmmaker, creating and directing the documentary My Uncle Berns (2003).- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
John Stephen Goodman's an American film, TV & stage actor. He was born in Affton, Missouri to Virginia Roos (Loosmore), a waitress and saleswoman & Leslie Francis Goodman, a postal worker who died when he was a small child. He's of English, Welsh & German ancestry. He's best known for his role as Dan Conner on the TV show Roseanne (1988), which ran until 1997 & for which he earned him a Best Actor Golden Globe in 1993. He's also noted for appearances in films of the Coen brothers, w/ prominent roles in Raising Arizona (1987) as an escaped convict, in Barton Fink (1991) as a congenial murderer, in The Big Lebowski (1998) as a volatile bowler & in O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) as a cultured thief. Additionally, he has done voice work in numerous Disney & Pixar films, including the Sulley in Monsters, Inc. (2001). Having contributed to more than 50 films, he has also won 2 American Comedy Awards & hosted Saturday Night Live (1975) 14 times.- Actress
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
Mary Gibbs was born on 5 October 1996 in Pasadena, California, USA. She is an actress, known for Monsters, Inc. (2001), Inside Out (2015) and Tracy (2009).- Producer
- Writer
- Actress
Bonnie Lynn Hunt is an American actress and comedienne who is known for her work in Rain Man, Beethoven, Jumanji, Jerry Maguire, The Green Mile and Cheaper by the Dozen. She voiced in the Disney films A Bug's Life, Zootopia, Monsters, Inc, Toy Story 3 and Cars. She was married to John Murphy but got separated in 2006.- Actor
- Director
- Producer
John started the improvisational duo group, "Sal's Meat Market", in Bridgeport, Connecticut with fellow actor and friend Ray Hassett. He was later affiliated with the ensemble group, "The Downtown Cabaret". Coincidentally, he was a friend of Susan Ryan, the mother of Meg Ryan. A mutual friend, also associated with "The Downtown Cabaret", was the daughter-in-law of actress Mabel Albertson, the sister of actor Jack Albertson.- Producer
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Although born in Hollywood, John and his twin sister Johanna were raised in Whittier near Los Angeles. His parents were Jewell Mae (Risley), an art teacher, and Paul Eual Lasseter, a parts manager at a Chevrolet dealership. His mother's profession contributed to his interest in animation and particularly the Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck cartoons which he would watch on television. It was when he was in High School that he realized that he could have a career in animation and he wrote to the Walt Disney Studios but nothing happened then In 1975 the Disney company started an animation course at Calarts - The California Institute of the Arts- and John, with encouragement from his mother, was one of the first to sign up. He and his class mates, who included the future animators and directors Brad Bird, and Tim Burton were taught by some of Disney's veteran animators such as Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas. During his time there John produced two animated shorts - Lady and the Lamp (1979) and Nitemare (1980) - which both won the Student Academy Award for Animation. On graduating in 1979 John was taken on as an animator at the Disney Studios. In 1983, while working on Mickey's Christmas Carol some friends invited him to see some footage of Tron that they were working on using CGI and he immediately saw the potential of it to enhance animated films. John and a colleague made a short test film and satisfied with the result and full of enthusiasm started work on a feature without consulting their superiors who when they found out about it canceled it and sacked John. Having made contacts in the computer industry he was quickly taken on by Lucasfilm which was bought by Steve Jobs for $5 million with a further $5 million invested as working capital and the company renamed Pixar. John soon convinced Steve that the future lay in computer animation by bringing his desk lamp to life in the short 'Luxor Jr' which was shown at a computer graphics conference and got a standing ovation. The first computer animated feature soon followed in the form of 'Toy Story' winning John an Oscar for Special Achievement to go with one he got for Animated Short Film - Tin Toy. He's also had Oscar nominations for Animated Feature - Monster Inc and Cars, Original Screenplay -Toy Story, Animated Short Story - Luxor Jr while the short Knick Knack was selected by Terry Gilliam as one of the best 10 animated films of all time. In 2008, he was honored with the Winsor McCay Award, - the lifetime achievement award for animators. He oversees 3 animation studios - Pixar, Disney Animation and DisneyToon He spent 9 year (2005 - 2014) on the board of governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, only relinquishing his seat due to term limits. He was presented with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood in November 2011.- Writer
- Producer
- Actor
Andrew Stanton has been a major creative force at Pixar Animation Studios since 1990, when he became the second animator and ninth employee to join the company's elite group of computer animation pioneers. As Vice President, Creative he currently oversees all shorts and feature projects at the studio. Stanton wrote and directed the Academy Award®-winning Disney and Pixar feature film "WALL.E," for which he also received a Best Original Screenplay Oscar®-nomination. In 2016 Stanton directed Disney and Pixar's "Finding Dory," which, upon release, became the highest-grossing domestic animated feature of all time and in 2019 Stanton served as screenwriter and executive producer of "Toy Story 4."
Stanton made his directorial debut with the record-shattering "Finding Nemo," an original story of his that he also co-wrote. The film garnered Stanton two Academy Award® nominations (Best Original Screenplay and Best Animated Film), and "Finding Nemo" was awarded an Oscar® for Best Animated Feature Film of 2003, the first such honor Pixar Animation Studios received for a full-length feature film.
One of the four screenwriters to receive an Oscar® nomination in 1996 for his contribution to "Toy Story," Stanton went on to receive credit as a screenwriter on every subsequent Pixar film - "A Bug's Life," "Toy Story 2," "Monsters, Inc." and "Finding Nemo." Additionally, he served as co-director on "A Bug's Life," and was the executive producer of "Monsters, Inc.," and "Monsters University," and Academy Award®-winning films "Ratatouille" and "Brave."
In addition to his multi-award winning animation work, Stanton made his live-action writing and directorial debut with Disney's "John Carter," released in March 2012.
A native of Rockport, Massachusetts, Stanton earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Character Animation from California Institute of the Arts (Cal Arts), where he completed two student films. In the 1980s, he launched his professional career in Los Angeles animating for Bill Kroyer's Kroyer Films studio, and writing for Ralph Bakshi's production of "Mighty Mouse, The New Adventures" (1987).- Producer
- Visual Effects
- Additional Crew
Darla K. Anderson is an American film producer who is known for producing several Pixar films including A Bug's Life, Cars, Mater and the Ghostlight, Monsters, Inc. Toy Story 3 and Coco. She won awards for the films she produced, particularly Toy Story 3 and Coco. She is married to Kori Rae, a fellow Pixar employee.- Producer
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Pete Docter is the Oscar®-winning director of "Monsters, Inc.," "Up," and "Inside Out," and Chief Creative Officer at Pixar Animation Studios. He is currently directing Pixar's feature film "Soul" with producer Dana Murray, which is set to release June 19, 2020.
Starting at Pixar in 1990 as the studio's third animator, Docter collaborated and help develop the story and characters for "Toy Story," Pixar's first full-length animated feature film, for which he also was supervising animator. He served as a storyboard artist on "A Bug's Life," and wrote initial story treatments for both "Toy Story 2" and "WALL.E." Aside from directing his three films, Docter also executive produced "Monsters University" and the Academy Award®-winning "Brave."
Docter's interest in animation began at the age of eight when he created his first flipbook. He studied character animation at California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) in Valencia, California, where he produced a variety of short films, one of which won a Student Academy Award®. Those films have since been shown in animation festivals worldwide and are featured on the "Pixar Short Films Collection Volume 2." Upon joining Pixar, he animated and directed several commercials, and has been nominated for eight Academy Awards® including Best Animated Feature-winners "Up" and "Inside Out" and nominee "Monsters, Inc.," and Best Original Screenplay for "Up," "Inside Out" and "WALL.E." In 2007, "Up" also was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.- Additional Crew
- Editorial Department
- Editor
Lee Unkrich is an Academy Award-winning director at Pixar Animation Studios. He most recently directed Disney.Pixar's critically-acclaimed "Coco", which received the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and Best Song.
As the director of Disney.Pixar's "Toy Story 3," Lee was also awarded an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
Lee joined Pixar in 1994, and has played a variety of key creative roles on nearly every animated feature film made at the studio. Before co-directing the Oscar-winning "Finding Nemo," he was co-director of "Monsters, Inc." and the Golden Globe-winning "Toy Story 2."
He began his Pixar career as a film editor on "Toy Story" and was supervising film editor on "A Bug's Life." Lee also contributed his editing skills to numerous Pixar films, including his role as supervising film editor on "Finding Nemo".
In 2009 Lee and his fellow directors at Pixar were honored at the 66th Venice International Film Festival with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.
Prior to joining Pixar, Lee worked in television as an editor and director. He graduated from the University of Southern California's School of Cinema/Television in 1991.
He grew up in Chagrin Falls, Ohio.- Producer
- Animation Department
- Director
David Silverman was born on 15 March 1957 in New York City, New York, USA. He is a producer and director, known for The Simpsons (1989), The Simpsons Movie (2007) and Monsters, Inc. (2001).- Music Artist
- Music Department
- Composer
Randy Newman is an American film composer and singer who is well-known for composing The Princess and the Frog, Meet the Parents and various Pixar films including the Toy Story, Monsters, Inc and Cars franchises as well as A Bug's Life. He wrote iconic songs such as "Short People", "You've Got A Friend in Me" and "We Belong Together". He won Best Original Song for Toy Story 3.- Writer
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Daniel Gerson, best known for co-writing Disney's "Big Hero 6" and Pixar's two "Monsters" films died February 6th, 2016 at his home in Los Angeles after battling brain cancer. He was 49 years old. A New York State native, Gerson grew up immersed in the arts and starring in musical theater performances at his high school. Gerson graduated with an English degree from Cornell University before receiving an MFA from New York University film school. After beginning his career as a staff writer on the NBC television sitcom "Something So Right," which ran 1996-1998, Gerson soon transitioned to feature film, co-writing 2001's "Monsters, Inc." with Andrew Stanton, as well as 2013's "Monsters University" with Dan Scanlon and Robert L. Baird. Baird and Gerson worked as writing partners for fifteen years, collaborating on "Big Hero 6," which won the Academy Award for animated feature in 2015. The pair were also at work on the upcoming Pixar sequel "Cars 3." Gerson was also a talented voice actor, voicing the characters of Needleman and Smitty in "Monsters, Inc." as well as Desk Sergeant Gerson in "Big Hero 6." Gerson is survived by his wife, Beau Stacom; his two children, Claire and Asher; his parents, Mary-Joan and Charles; and his sister, Jessica.- Actor
- Composer
- Writer
This distinctive silver-haired singer established his performing credentials as a founding member of highly successful urban R&B quartet Dru Hill, who enjoyed transatlantic hits in the late 90s with singles such as 'How Deep Is Your Love' and 'These Are The Times'. The four members of Dru Hill set up their own Dru World Order production company in 1999 in order to facilitate the recording of their own solo projects. Sisqo was the first member to branch out, releasing Unleash The Dragon the same November. The risque lead-off single, 'Thong Song', was only one of many provocative tracks on an album which dealt candidly with sex and the male psyche. The production expertise of Babyface helped forge an impressive whole out of a diverse range of styles, including up tempo dance tracks ('Got To Get It'), mid-tempo R&B ('Your Love Is Incredible') and romantic ballads (the Elton John / Tim Rice composition 'Enchantment Passing Through').- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Danny DeVito has amassed a formidable and versatile body of work as an actor, producer and director that spans the stage, television and film.
Daniel Michael DeVito Jr. was born on November 17, 1944, in Neptune, New Jersey, to Italian-American parents. His mother, Julia (Moccello), was a homemaker. His father, Daniel, Sr., was a small business owner whose ventures included a dry cleaning shop, a dairy outlet, a diner, and a pool hall.
While growing up in Asbury Park, his parents sent him to private schools. He attended Our Lady of Mount Carmel grammar school and Oratory Prep School. Following graduation in 1962, he took a job as a cosmetician at his sister's beauty salon. A year later, he enrolled at New York's American Academy of Dramatic Arts so he could learn more about cosmetology. While at the academy, he fell in love with acting and decided to further pursue an acting career. During this time, he met another aspiring actor Michael Douglas at the National Playwrights Conference in Waterford, Connecticut. The two would later go on to collaborate on numerous projects. Soon after he also met an actress named Rhea Perlman. The two fell in love and moved in together. They were married in 1982 and had three children together.
In 1968, Danny landed his first part in a movie when he appeared as a thug in the obscure Dreams of Glass (1970). Despite this minor triumph, Danny became discouraged with the film industry and decided to focus on stage productions. He made his Off-Broadway debut in 1969 in "The Man With the Flower in His Mouth." He followed this up with stage roles in "The Shrinking Bride," and "Lady Liberty." In 1975, he was approached by director Milos Forman and Michael Douglas about appearing in the film version of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975), which would star Jack Nicholson in the leading role. With box office success almost guaranteed and a chance for national exposure, Danny agreed to the role. The movie became a huge hit, both critically and financially, and still ranks today as one the greatest movies of all time. Unfortunately, the movie did very little to help Danny's career. In the years following, he was relegated to small movie roles and guest appearances on television shows. His big break came in 1978 when he auditioned for a role on an ABC sitcom pilot called Taxi (1978), which centered around taxi cab drivers at a New York City garage. Danny auditioned for the role of dispatcher Louie DePalma. At the audition, the producers told Danny that he needed to show more attitude in order to get the part. He then slammed down the script and yelled, "Who wrote this sh**?" The producers, realizing he was perfect for the part, brought him on board. The show was a huge success, running from 1978 to 1983.
Louie DePalma, played flawlessly by Danny, became one of the most memorable (and reviled) characters in television history. While he was universally hated by TV viewers, he was well-praised by critics, winning an Emmy award and being nominated three other times. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Danny maintained his status as a great character actor with memorable roles in movies like Romancing the Stone (1984), Ruthless People (1986), Throw Momma from the Train (1987) and Twins (1988). He also had a great deal of success behind the camera, directing movies like The War of the Roses (1989) and Hoffa (1992). In 1992, Danny was introduced to a new generation of moviegoers when he was given the role of The Penguin/Oswald Cobblepot in Tim Burton's highly successful Batman Returns (1992). This earned him a nomination for Best Villain at the MTV Movie Awards. That same year, along with his wife Rhea Perlman, Danny co-founded Jersey Films, which has produced many popular films and TV shows, including Pulp Fiction (1994), Get Shorty (1995), Man on the Moon (1999) and Erin Brockovich (2000). DeVito has many directing credits to his name as well, including Throw Momma from the Train (1987), The War of the Roses (1989), Hoffa (1992), Death to Smoochy (2002) and the upcoming St. Sebastian.
In 2006, he returned to series television in the FX comedy series It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005). With a prominent role in a hit series, Devito's comic talents were now on display for a new generation of television viewers. In 2012, he provided the title voice role in Dr. Seuss' The Lorax (2012).
These days, he continues to work with many of today's top talents as an actor, director and producer.- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Rhea Perlman was born on 31 March 1948 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Cheers (1982), Barbie (2023) and Matilda (1996). She has been married to Danny DeVito since 28 January 1982. They have three children.- Actress
- Additional Crew
- Producer
Marilu Henner was born on 6 April 1952 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for L.A. Story (1991), Taxi (1978) and Noises Off... (1992). She has been married to Michael Brown since 21 December 2006. She was previously married to Robert Lieberman and Frederic Forrest.- Music Department
- Actor
- Writer
Alan Thicke was born on 1 March 1947 in Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada. He was an actor and writer, known for Growing Pains (1985), Raising Helen (2004) and That's My Boy (2012). He was married to Tanya Callau, Gina Marie Tolleson and Gloria Loring. He died on 13 December 2016 in Burbank, California, USA.- Actress
- Producer
Ali Landry broke onto the scene and gained instant fame as "the Doritos Girl", when she was featured in a commercial for Frito Lay during the 1998 Super Bowl telecast. The next day, the NY Post hailed in a cover story "A star was born during Superbowl XXXII". Later that year, she was named one of People Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful".
Following the success of the commercial campaign, Ali, who was crowned Miss USA 1996, made the transition from modeling to acting with a variety of film and television roles. Most recently, she co-starred in the feature film Bella (2006), which won the Toronto Film Festival Award in 2006, in addition to three seasons on the hit UPN Network series Eve (2003).
Other television appearances included recurring roles on Felicity (1998), Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place (1998), Sunset Beach (1997) and Popular (1999). Her hosting credits have included the weekly music-talk show Farmclub.com (2001), Cooking with Mom (2003) and Full Frontal Fashion (2002) on WE: Women's Entertainment, and NBC's Spy TV (2001). Plus, Ali was an MTV staple in the summer of 1999, appearing in the popular video for 98 Degrees' single, "I Do". In feature films, she co-starred in Beautiful (2000), directed by Sally Field, in 2000.
A trained dancer in jazz, tap and ballet for 15 years, Landry hails from Beaux Bridge, Louisiana. She also enjoys kickboxing and gymnastics. Ali currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband, director Alejandro Monteverde, and their daughter, Estela.- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
David Hasselhoff has become one of the most recognizable faces on television and throughout the world. Aside from starring in Knight Rider (1982) and Baywatch (1989), he is also an accomplished singer and popular recording artist.
David Michael Hasselhoff was born on July 17, 1952 in Baltimore, Maryland, to Dolores Therese (Mullinex) and Joe Hasselhoff (Joseph Vincent Hasselhoff), a business executive. He is of German (from his paternal grandfather), English, and Irish descent. The acting bug first hit when David was seven and so he took acting, singing and dancing lessons. He was very shy off stage in front of girls because he was tall and thin, but when he was on stage he was in his element. Due to his father's work, his family (he has four sisters) moved around frequently. He initially thought his career was going to go in the direction of musicals and Broadway.
American audiences first came to know Hasselhoff when he portrayed the popular "Dr. Snapper Foster" for six seasons on CBS's soap opera, The Young and the Restless (1973). Lured by NBC's Brandon Tartikoff to move from daytime to prime time, Hasselhoff went on to star as "Michael Knight" in NBC's hit series Knight Rider (1982). The role garnered him a "People's Choice Award" for most popular actor and the show became a huge success overseas. The success of Knight Rider (1982) resulted in Hasselhoff's first major international following. When the show ended, Hasselhoff launched a successful recording career in Europe. In 1989, "Looking for Freedom" remained in the number one spot on the German charts for eight consecutive weeks. He has continued to perform regularly in concert and has released nine albums to date.
Hasselhoff returned to episodic television as Mitch Buchannon on Baywatch (1989) when the show debuted on NBC in 1989. Though it enjoyed good ratings, the network canceled the series after only one season. Undeterred, Hasselhoff and his partners acquired the rights to the show and, based on Hasselhoff's popularity overseas, they were able to secure financing and revive "Baywatch" in 1991. Now a piece of American pop culture and an international television phenomenon, Baywatch (1989) was at its peak seen in 140 countries by over one billion viewers each week. During his lengthy career, Hasselhoff has flexed his acting muscles in numerous other projects. He starred in the epic miniseries Shaka Zulu (1986), shot on-location in Morocco.
Hasselhoff is an outdoor sports enthusiast whose interests include scuba diving, hiking, white water rafting, tennis, and jogging. In addition, he has parachuted with the US Army Parachute Demonstration Team, The Golden Knights, and flown with the US Navy's Blue Angels. He is an avid sports fan, and has attended the World Cup Soccer Finals, the NBA Finals, the Olympics, the Indy 500, and the Kentucky Derby. Hasselhoff has traveled throughout Australia, Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Caribbean. He spends many hours visiting children's hospitals throughout the world. His charity, "Race For Life", works with the terminally ill and handicapped children in America.
He was married to the beautiful actress Pamela Bach-Hasselhoff, with whom he has two daughters, Taylor-Ann and Hayley Amber.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Gil Bellows was born on 28 June 1967 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He is an actor and producer, known for Patriot (2015), The Shawshank Redemption (1994) and Love and a .45 (1994). He has been married to Rya Kihlstedt since 3 October 1994. They have two children.- Actress
- Director
- Soundtrack
Christine Lahti was born April 4, 1950 in Birmingham, Michigan, to Elizabeth Margaret (Tabar), a painter and nurse, and Paul Theodore Lahti, a surgeon. She is of half Finnish and half Austro-Hungarian descent. She studied fine arts at Florida State University and received a bachelors degree in drama from the University of Michigan. In New York, Christine worked as a waitress and did commercials before she found her breakthrough role in And Justice for All (1979) with Al Pacino. She received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Swing Shift (1984) and won an Academy Award for Best Short Film, Live Action for Lieberman in Love (1995) in which she starred and directed. Throughout her acting career, Christine primarily focused on television, with performances in Chicago Hope (1994), and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999).- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Stacy Keach has played to grand success a constellation of the classic and contemporary stage's greatest roles, and he is considered a pre-eminent American interpreter of Shakespeare. His SRO run as "King Lear" at the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C. received the best reviews any national leader has earned in that town for decades. Peter Marks of the Washington Post called Mr. Keach's Lear "magnificent". He recently accepted his third prestigious Helen Hayes Award for Leading Actor in 2010 for his stellar performance. His next stage appearance premiering January 13, 2011 at the Lincoln Center in New York is "Other Desert Cities" by Jon Robin Baitz and teaming him with Stockard Channing, Linda Lavin and Elizabeth Marvel.
His latest television series, Lights Out (2011), on the FX network is a major new mid-season dramatic show, taking him back to the world of boxing which has been a rich setting for him before, notably in Huston's Fat City (1972) which ignited Keach's career as a film star.
Versatility embodies the essence of Stacy Keach's career in film and television as well as on stage. The range of his roles is remarkable. His recent performance in Oliver Stone's "W" prompted fellow actor Alec Baldwin to blog an impromptu review matching Huston's amazement at Keach's power. Perhaps best known around the world for his portrayal of the hard-boiled detective, Mike Hammer, Stacy Keach is also well-known among younger generations for his portrayal of the irascible, hilarious Dad, Ken Titus, in the Fox sitcom, Titus, and more recently as Warden Henry Pope in the hit series, Prison Break. Following his triumphant recent title role performance in King Lear for the prestigious Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Keach joined the starring cast of John Sayles' recent film, Honeydripper. In the most recent of his non-stop activities, he has completed filming Deathmatch for the Spike Channel, and The Boxer for Zeitsprung Productions in Berlin, Germany.
German audiences will also see him as one of the co-stars in the multi-million dollar production of Hindenburg: The Last Flight (2011), scheduled to air in January, 2011 with worldwide release thereafter. Mr. Keach co-stars in the new FX series entitled Lights Out (2011) about a boxing family, where he plays the Dad-trainer of two boxing sons played by Holt McCallany and Pablo Schreiber. The series is also scheduled to air in January, 2011. Keach returns to the New York stage at the start of the 2011 in Jon Robin Baitz's new play, "Other Desert Cities," at the Lincoln Center.
Capping his heralded accomplishment on the live stage of putting his own stamp on some of the theatre world's most revered and challenging roles over the past year when he headed the national touring company cast of "Frost/Nixon," portraying Richard M. Nixon, bringing still another riveting characterization to the great legit stages of Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, the nation's capitol and other major cities. He won his second Best Actor Helen Hayes Award for his outstanding performance. His second triumphant portrayal of King Lear in the past three years, this time for the Shakespeare Theatre Company in the nation's capital earned reviews heard around the world, with resulting offers for him to repeat that giant accomplishment in New York, Los Angeles and even Beijing.
An accomplished pianist and composer, Mr. Keach composed the music for the film, Imbued (2009), directed by Rob Nilssen, a celebrated film festival favorite, in which Keach also starred. He has also completed composing the music for the Mike Hammer audio radio series, "Encore For Murder", written by Max Collins, directed by Carl Amari, and produced by Blackstone Audio.
Mr. Keach began his film career in the late 1960's with _The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter_, followed by _The New Centurions_ with George C. Scott; Doc Holiday with Faye Dunaway in the film 'Doc' (1971); an over-the-hill boxer,Billy Tully in Fat City (1972); directed by John Huston, and The Long Riders (1980), which he co-produced and co-wrote with his brother, James Keach, directed by Walter Hill. On the lighter side, his characterization of Sgt. Stedenko in Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke (1978), and the sequel, Nice Dreams (1981), gave a whole new generation a taste of Mr. Keach's comedic flair, which he also demonstrated in Robert Altman's Brewster McCloud (1970), playing the oldest living lecherous Wright Brother; and The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972) where he played a crazed albino out to kill Paul Newman.
Historical roles have always attracted him. In movies he has played roles ranging from Martin Luther to Frank James. On television he has been Napoleon, Wilbur Wright, J. Robert Oppenheimer, Barabbas, Sam Houston, and Ernest Hemingway, for which he won a Golden Globe as Best Actor in a mini-series and was nominated for an Emmy in the same category. He played an eccentric painter, Mistral, in the Judith Krantz classic, Mistral's Daughter (1984), a northern spy in the civil war special, The Blue and the Gray (1982), more recently as the pirate Benjamin Hornigold in the Hallmark epic Blackbeard (2006).
As a director, his production of Arthur Miller's Incident at Vichy (1973) for PBS was, according to Mr. Miller in his autobiography, Timebends, "the most expressive production of that play he had seen." He won a Cine Golden Eagle Award for his work on the dramatic documentary, The Repeater, in which he starred and also wrote and directed.
But it is perhaps the live theatre where Mr. Keach shines brightest. He began his professional career with the New York Shakespeare Festival in 1964, doubling as Marcellus and the Player King in a production of Hamlet directed by Joseph Papp and which featured Julie Harris as Ophelia. He rose to prominence in 1967 in the Off-Broadway political satire, MacBird, where the title role was a cross between Lyndon Johnson and Macbeth and for which he received the first of his three Obie awards. He played the title roles in Henry 5, Hamlet (which he played 3 times), Richard 3, Macbeth, and most recently as King Lear in Robert Falls' modern adaptation at Chicago's Goodman Theatre, which Charles Isherwood of the NY Times called "terrific" and "a blistering modern-dress production that brings alive the morally disordered universe of the play with a ferocity unmatched by any other production I've seen." Mr. Keach's stage portrayals of Peer Gynt, Falstaff and Cyrano de Bergerac, and Hamlet caused the New York Times to dub him "the finest American classical actor since John Barrymore."
Mr. Keach's Broadway credits include his Broadway debut, Indians, where he played Buffalo Bill and was nominated for a Tony award as Best Actor. He starred in Ira Levin's Deathtrap, the Pulitzer Prize winning Kentucky Cycle (for which he won his first Helen Hayes award as Best Actor), the Rupert Holmes one-man thriller, Solitary Confinement, where Mr. Keach played no less than six roles, all unbeknownst to the audience until the end of the play. In the musical theatre, he starred in the national tour of Barnum, played the King in Camelot for Pittsburgh's Civic Light Opera, and the King in The King and I, which he also toured in Japan. He starred in the Jon Robin Baitz play, Ten Unknowns, at the Mark Taper Forum in 2003. The LA Times said: "And then there's Keach. What a performance! How many actors can manage such thunder and such sweet pain. He's been away from the LA stage too long. Welcome back."
In 2004, he starred as Scrooge in Boston's Trinity Rep musical production of A Christmas Carol; earlier in 2004, he starred as Phil Ochsner in Arthur Miller's last play Finishing The Picture, directed by Robert Falls at the Goodman Theatre.
As a narrator his voice has been heard in countless documentaries; as the host for the Twilight Zone radio series; numerous books on tape, including the Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway. In the year 2000, he recorded a CD of all of Shakespeare's Sonnets. He recently recorded the voice of St. Paul for a new audio version of The New Testament:, The Word of Promise and Job for the Old Testament edition. He is the narrator on CNBC's new hit show, American Greed (2007), and recently narrated the award-winning documentary, The Pixar Story (2007). He has also reprised his role as Mike Hammer in the Blackstone audio series, the most recent being "Encore for Murder". A charter-member of LA Theatre Works, Mr. Keach recently played the title role in Bertolt Brecht's Galileo, recorded both for radio and CD. He was seen on CBS's hit show Two and a Half Men (2003) as the gay Dad of Charlie's fiance.
Stacy Keach also believes strongly in 'giving back' and has been the Honorary Chair for the Cleft Palate Foundation for the past twenty-five years. He is also the national spokesman for the World Craniofacial organization. He has served on the Artist's Committee for the Kennedy Center Honors for two decades, is on the board of directors for Genesis at the Crossroads, a Chicago-based organization dedicated to bringing peoples of combatant cultures together through the shared artistic expressions of the visual and culinary arts, music, dance, and theater. He also serves on the artistic board for Washington DC's Shakespeare Theatre National Council, where he was also honored in 2000 with their prestigious Millennium Award for his contribution to classical theatre. Some years ago Hollywood honored him with a Celebrity Outreach Award for his work with charitable organizations.
He has been the recipient of Lifetime Achievement Awards from Pacific Pioneer's Broadcasters, the San Diego Film Festival, the Pacific Palisades Film Festival, and The 2007 Oldenburg Film Festival in Germany. Later this year, he will be awarded the 2010 Lifetime Award from the St. Louis Film Festival. In 2008, he received the Mary Pickford Award for versatility in acting.
Mr. Keach was a Fulbright scholar to the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, attended the University of California at Berkeley and the Yale Drama School. He has always been a star of the American stage, especially in Shakespearen roles such as Hamlet, Henry 5, Coriolanus, Falstaff, Macbeth, Richard 3, and most recently, King Lear.
Of his many accomplishments, Mr. Keach claims that his greatest accomplishment is his family. He has been married to his beautiful wife Malgosia for twenty-five years, and they have two wonderful children, Shannon Keach (1988), and daughter Karolina Keach (1990).- Actor
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Donald Frank Cheadle was born in Kansas City, Missouri, on November 29, 1964. His childhood found him moving from city to city with his family: mother Bettye (née North), a teacher; father Donald Frank Cheadle Sr., a clinical psychologist; sister Cindy; and brother Colin. After graduating from high school in Denver, Colorado, Cheadle attended and graduated from the California Institute of the Arts with a bachelor¹s degree in fine arts. Encouraged by his college friends, he attended a variety of auditions and landed a recurring role on the hit series Fame (1982), which led to feature film roles in Dennis Hopper's Colors (1988) and John Irvin's Hamburger Hill (1987).
Early in his career, Cheadle was named Best Supporting Actor by the Los Angeles Film Critics for his breakout performance opposite Denzel Washington in Devil in a Blue Dress (1995). His subsequent film credits include Traitor (2008), an international thriller that he produced, starring opposite Guy Pearce; Kasi Lemmons's Talk to Me (2007), with Chiwetel Ejiofor; the 2006 Oscar-winning Best Picture, Crash (2004), which Cheadle also produced; Hotel Rwanda (2004), for which his performance garnered Oscar, Golden Globe, Broadcast Film Critics and Screen Actors Guild award nominations for Best Actor; Steven Soderbergh's Ocean's Eleven (2001), Ocean's Twelve (2004) and Ocean's Thirteen (2007), starring Brad Pitt and George Clooney; Mike Binder's Reign Over Me (2007) with Adam Sandler; the Academy Award-winning Traffic (2000) and Out of Sight (1998), with George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez, both films also directed by Soderbergh; Paul Thomas Anderson's acclaimed Boogie Nights (1997) with Julianne Moore and Mark Wahlberg; Bulworth (1998), directed by and starring Warren Beatty; Swordfish (2001), with John Travolta and Halle Berry; Mission to Mars (2000) with Tim Robbins and Gary Sinise; John Singleton's Rosewood (1997), for which Cheadle earned an NAACP Image Award nomination; Brett Ratner's The Family Man (2000), starring Nicolas Cage; and the independent features Manic (2001) and Things Behind the Sun (2001).
Cheadle was honored by the CineVegas Film Festival and the Los Angeles Film Festival and received ShoWest's Male Star of the Year award. He is also well-recognized for his television work, including his portrayal of Sammy Davis Jr. in HBO's The Rat Pack (1998), for which he received a Golden Globe Award and a Best Supporting Actor Emmy nomination. That same year, he also received an Emmy nomination for his starring role in HBO's adaptation of the best-selling novel A Lesson Before Dying (1999), opposite Cicely Tyson and Mekhi Phifer.
He also starred for HBO in Eriq La Salle's Rebound: The Legend of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault (1996). Cheadle's TV series credits include his two-year stint in David E. Kelley's acclaimed series Picket Fences (1992), a guest-starring role on ER (1994) (earning yet another Emmy nomination) and a regular role on The Golden Palace (1992) He also starred in the live television broadcast of Fail Safe (2000) opposite George Clooney, James Cromwell, Brian Dennehy, Richard Dreyfuss, and Harvey Keitel. He also co-executive produced the TV version of Crash (2008).
His most recent big-screen appearances have been in Antoine Fuqua's ensemble crime thriller Brooklyn's Finest (2009) and Jon Favreau's Iron Man 2 (2010), another mainstream breakthrough where he played Lt. Col. James 'Rhodey' Rhodes, replacing Terrence Howard from the first film. The Guard (2011), an art-house hit directed by John Michael McDonagh and co-starring Brendan Gleeson, followed.
Cheadle stars in House of Lies (2012) on Showtime. Late in 2012, he was seen in Flight (2012), Robert Zemeckis's return to live-action filmmaking. In 2013, he reprised his role as Rhodey in Iron Man 3 (2013). Among his projects in development is a movie based on the life of jazz legend Miles Davis.
A talented musician who plays saxophone, writes music and sings, he is also an accomplished stage actor and director and was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2004 for Best Spoken Word Album for his narration/dramatization of the Walter Mosley novel 'Fear Itself.'
Other notable off-stage achievements include the 2007 BET Humanitarian Award for the cause of the people of Darfur and Rwanda, and sharing the Summit Peace Award by the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates in Rome with George Clooney for their work in Darfur.- Actor
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David Ogden Stiers was born in Peoria, Illinois, to Margaret Elizabeth (Ogden) and Kenneth Truman Stiers. He moved with his family to Eugene, Oregon, where he graduated from North Eugene High School in 1960. At the age of twenty, he was offered $200 to join the company of the Santa Clara Shakespeare Festival for three months. He ended up staying for seven years, in due course playing both King Lear and Richard III. In 1969, he moved to New York to study drama at Juilliard where he also trained his voice as a dramatic baritone. He joined the Houseman City Center Acting Company at its outset, working on such productions as The Beggar's Opera, Measure for Measure, The Hostage and the hit Broadway musical The Magic Show for which he created the character 'Feldman the Magnificent'. He lent his voice to animated films, with Lilo & Stitch (2002) being his 25th theatrically-released Disney animated film. He was also an avid fan of classical music and conducted a number of orchestras, including the Yaquina Chamber Orchestra in Newport, Oregon, where was the principal guest conductor.
His other theatrical work included performances with the Committee Revue and Theatre, the San Francisco Actor's Workshop, The Old Globe Theatre Festival in San Diego and at the Pasadena Playhouse in Love Letters with Meredith Baxter. As a drama instructor, he worked at Santa Clara University and also taught improvisation at Harvard. In addition to his long-running role in M*A*S*H (1972), Stiers' work on television also included the excellent mini-series North & South: Book 1, North & South (1985), North & South: Book 2, Love & War (1986), The First Olympics: Athens 1896 (1984) and roles in such productions as Anatomy of an Illness (1984), The Bad Seed (1985), J. Edgar Hoover (1987), The Final Days (1989), Father Damien: The Leper Priest (1980) and Mrs. Delafield Wants to Marry (1986). Among his screen credits were The Accidental Tourist (1988), The Man with One Red Shoe (1985), Creator (1985), Harry's War (1981), Magic (1978) and Oh, God! (1977).
Above all, the prodigious talent that was David Ogden Stiers will be most fondly remembered as the pompous, ever-so articulate Major Charles Emerson Winchester III in M*A*S*H. He had found that taking on the role was -- from the beginning -- an easy choice. Stiers saw and loved the movie version. Moreover, he had a fond regard of fellow actor Harry Morgan (who played the character of Colonel Potter) as a kind of fatherly role model. In retrospect, Stiers viewed his experiences with the show as a career highlight, saying "No matter how much you read about the M*A*S*H company, the evolution of it, the quite beautiful human stance it takes, you will not know how much it means ". In his spare time on the set he often annoyed the security guards by skateboarding at 25 miles an hour and "cheerfully thumbing his nose at them".
David died of bladder cancer on March 3, 2018, in Newport, Oregon. He was 75.- Actor
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Although known as the uncle/patriarch and judge "Philip Banks" on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990), James Avery was a classically trained actor and scholar. A native of Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA, he joined the US Navy after graduating high school and served in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969. Upon leaving the military, he moved to San Diego, California and began writing TV scripts and poetry for PBS. He won an Emmy for production during his tenure there and deservedly won a scholarship to the University of California at San Diego, from which he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Drama and Literature. (Sidenote: His wife Barbara is the Dean of Student Life at California's Loyola Marymount University.) In addition to his sitcom popularity, he lent his voice to over a dozen animated television series and features. He was also the primary host of the popular PBS travel and adventure series Going Places (1997). Armed with a diverse resume of credits, James Avery remained a unique creative force as convincing a comedian as he was a Shakespearean character.- Actress
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Marlee Beth Matlin was born on August 24, 1965 in Morton Grove, Illinois, to Libby (Hammer) and Donald Matlin, an automobile dealer. She has two older brothers. Her family is of Russian Jewish and Polish Jewish descent.
Marlee lost much of her hearing at the age of eighteen months. That did not stop her from acting in a children's theater company at age seven; she was Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz". Her deafness never held her back. As an adult, she said it so eloquently: "I have always resisted putting limitations on myself, both professionally and personally." Marlee studied criminal justice at Harper College in Palatine, Illinois, and maintained her passion for acting after graduating. While performing on stage through Chicago and the Midwest, Marlee attracted notice for her performance in a production of the Tony Award-winning play "Children of a Lesser God" and was cast in the movie version Children of a Lesser God (1986). Although this was her movie debut, she won the Academy Award for Best Actress. While shooting her next movie Walker (1987), in Nicaragua, large-hearted Marlee took time to visit both hearing and hearing-impaired children. She continued this tradition of visiting local children through her travels to Germany, England, Italy, Australia, Mexico, Canada, etc.
Her interest in the criminal justice field played a role in her on screen career; she portrayed an assistant D.A. on the television series Reasonable Doubts (1991), while off screen she married police officer Kevin Grandalski on August 29, 1993. The couple has four children: Sarah (born 1996), Brandon (born 2000), Tyler (born 2002), and Isabelle (born 2003). In 1994, Marlee was nominated for an Emmy Award for her performance as Laurie Bey on the television series Picket Fences (1992). Marlee is also a spokeswoman for the National Captioning Institute. In 1995, she testified at a congressional hearing and helped get a law passed that requires all television sets 13 inches or larger to be manufactured with built-in chips to provide closed captioning on their screens; this was a godsend for deaf viewers.
Marlee serves as the national spokeswoman for the largest provider of television closed captioning, and has spoken on behalf of CC in countries such as Australia, England, France and Italy. She also serves on the boards of a number of charitable organizations, including Very Special Arts, the Starlight Foundation, and other charities that primarily benefit children. As someone who loves children so much, it is only fitting that she has four of her own. Professionally, Marlee has even tried producing, being the executive producer for Where the Truth Lies (1999).- Actor
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Robby Benson is an American writer, director, composer, lyricist, actor, professor of film, filmmaker and novelist. He began his career in the theater, (Oliver, The King and I); on Broadway (co-starring in Zelda, The Rothschilds and Joseph Papp's The Pirates of Penzance, where he met and fell in love with the great, Karla DeVito!); Benson wrote the libretto and composed the music for the musical that opened in NYC at The Historic Cherry Lane Theatre (Open Heart), and wrote the best-selling novel, "Who Stole The Funny?" (HarperCollins), along with the medical memoir, "I'm Not Dead... Yet". Benson was nominated for a Golden Globe (one of several) for his second film, "Jeremy" which also won an award at the Cannes Film Festival. He sold his first screenplay to Warner Brothers at 18 years-old entitled, "One on One". He has starred in such films as One on One, Ode To Billie Joe, Ice Castles, Jeremy (Golden Globe nominee) Tribute, Harry and Son, Running Brave, The Chosen, Die Laughing (wrote screenplay & music), Walk Proud (scored the film as well), The End, Lucky Lady, Death Be Not Proud (Golden Globe nominee), The Last of Mrs. Lincoln, and Our Town among a few. He also wrote and directed the feature film, 'Modern Love' and composed the score for Straight Outta Tompkins and co-wrote the hit song in The Breakfast Club ("We are Not Alone" - the iconic John Hughes film - the scene where the kids dance in the library) with his wife and loving partner of 40 years, the great Karla DeVito! Benson and DeVito have received RIAA Gold Records, including Nobody Makes Me Crazy, which was covered by Diana Ross; Benson has also written scores for feature films. Benson also voiced 'Beast" in Disney's Academy Award nominated 'Beauty and the Beast." In television, Benson has exec. produced and directed over one hundred episodes of Network shows: from one-hour single camera to 30-minute sitcoms including many top ten shows such as Ellen, Friends, Dharma & Greg, Jesse, The Naked Truth, Two Guys, A Girl and a Pizza Place, Sabrina The Teenage Witch (also directed the pilot), Dream On (nominated Best Director/Single Camera), Muddling Through, Good Advice, Monty, Evening Shade and many more. Robby Benson has been a professor of film production at several universities for 20 years. At NYU's famed Tisch School of the Arts in the Maurice Kanbar Institute of Film and Television, Benson received the honor of being nominated for both NYU's Distinguished Teaching Award in 2006, and the David Payne-Carter Award for Teaching Excellence in 2010. Robby is currently developing his second theatrical musical, "I Hear A Song!"- Producer
- Actor
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Wayne Brady was born in Columbus, Georgia and lived in Orlando, Florida. At 16, Brady had already decided on a career in the military. Little did he know that a chance performance in a high school play would garner him not only rave reviews but also permanently alter his long-range plans. Soon, he was heavily involved in the central Florida theater community, performing in numerous stage productions including "A Chorus Line", "Fences", "A Raisin in the Sun", "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "I'm Not Rappaport". Brady moved to Las Vegas and then to Los Angeles in 1996, where he began working in theater and television. He performed at the prestigious Mark Taper Forum in its production of "Blade to the Heat". He also garnered guest starring roles in such television series as NBC's I'll Fly Away (1991) and The Home Court (1995) and In the Heat of the Night (1988) for CBS. Currently, Brady is busy hosting the VH-1 series, Vinyl Justice (1998), which premieres in August. Brady has also been honored with several nominations for his work in theater, including Best Actor in a Musical for "Cotton Patch Gospel" at the distinguished Edyth Bush Theatre. He was named Sak Theatre's 1992 Rookie of the Year for TheatreSports/Improv.- Actress
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Phylicia Rashad was born in Houston, Texas to African-American parents Vivian Elizabeth (Ayers), a poet and art director, and Andrew Arthur Allen, an orthodontist. As a child, Phylicia, her older brother Andrew (called Tex), and younger sister, dancer and actress Debbie Allen, lived in Mexico. She has another brother, Hugh Allen (a real-estate banker in North Carolina). Their mother decided to live in Mexico to give the Allen children a brief experience of not having to endure the chronic racism and segregation that was typical of Texas during the 1950s. Phylicia and Debbie are fluent in Spanish. Phylicia graduated from Howard University and later taught drama there.
With younger sister Debbie Allen, she has a production company, D.A.D., which stood for Doctor Allen's Daughters. Her Pulitzer-nominated mother is the artistic and free spirit that has influenced and encouraged the remarkable creativity that so marks Rashad as a performer.- Actor
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One of the most famous and most versatile NASA astronauts. He is not only a medical doctor, but also a chemist, mathematician, biophysicist, physiologist and computer scientist. Selected in 1967, he took part in as many as six Space Shuttle missions.He left NASA in 1997.- Actress
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Alfre Woodard was born on November 8, 1952 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the youngest of three children of Constance, a homemaker, and Marion H. Woodard, an interior designer. She was named by her godmother, who claimed she saw a vision of Alfre's name written out in gold letters. A former high school cheerleader and track star, she got the acting bug after being persuaded to audition for a school play by a nun at her school. She went on to study acting at Boston University and enjoyed a brief stint on Broadway before moving to Los Angeles, California. She got her first break in Remember My Name (1978) which also starred Jeff Goldblum. She lives in Santa Monica, California with her husband, writer Roderick M. Spencer, and their two adopted children: Mavis and Duncan. She was named one of the Most Beautiful People in America by People Magazine.- Actor
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A true multi-hyphenate, Blair Underwood is enjoying success in film, television and theatre, as an actor, director and producer. Underwood recently returned to Broadway starring opposite David Alan Grier in the Pulitzer Prize winning drama "A Solider's Play" for director Kenny Leon and the Roundabout Theatre Company. He also co-stars in Justin Simien's "Bad Hair" which will premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. Also this year, Underwood stars opposite Octavia Spencer & Tiffany Haddish in Netflix's highly anticipated limited series "Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam CJ Walker" (March 20).
Underwood recently appeared in the Netflix Emmy-Award winning limited series "When They See Us." He also had a recurring role on the Netflix comedy series, "Dear White People" and can be seen in Clark Johnson's "Juanita," opposite Alfre Woodard, also for Netflix. He spent two years as a series regular on the ABC drama series "Quantico," while also recurring on another hit ABC drama "MARVEL AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. " He also had a co-starring role in "The After Party," from writer/director Ian Edelman, which Netflix released late in 2018.
Past television credits include series regular roles on "Dirty Sexy Money," "The New Adventures of Old Christine," "In Treatment," "The Event" and "L.A. Law". Film credits include "Deep Impact," "Set It Off," "Rules of Engagement," "Just Cause," "Madea's Family Reunion" and Steven Soderbergh's "Full Frontal." Underwood co-starred opposite Cicely Tyson in the Lifetime telefilm & theatre production of "A Trip to Bountiful," based on the Tony Award-winning play.
In 2012 he made his acclaimed Broadway debut in the iconic role of Stanley in Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire," for which he earned a 2012 Drama League Distinguished Performance Award nomination. He also starred in "Paradise Blue" at the Williamstown Theatre Festival and "Othello" at the Old Globe Theatre.
Underwood also has several projects in the development pipeline as a director, including "Viral," a feature based on a Joe McClean script. In 2010 he made his feature film directing debut with "The Bridge to Nowhere," which starred Ving Rhames, Danny Masterson, Bijou Phillips and Alex Breckenridge.
Underwood is an Emmy Award-winner (as producer of the philanthropy-centered NBC Saturday morning series "Give"), a two-time Golden Globe Award nominee, and has been nominated for 17 NAACP Image Awards (seven wins). He won a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word as co-narrator of Al Gore's audiobook, An Inconvenient Truth. A newly minted member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, he is also active in several philanthropic endeavors.- Actor
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Gary Alan Sinise was born in Blue Island, Illinois, to Mylles S. (Alsip) and Robert L. Sinise, A.C.E., a film editor. He is of Italian (from his paternal grandfather), English, Scottish, Irish, French, German, and Swedish ancestry. His family moved to Highland Park, where he attended high school. He was something of a rebel, playing in bands but paying little attention to school.
Gary and some friends tried out for "West Side Story" as a lark, but Gary was hooked on acting for life by closing night. Gary credits his love for theatre to his drama teacher, Barbara Patterson. In 1974, Gary, Terry Kinney, and Jeff Perry founded the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago. Initially performing in a church basement, the company grew and gained stature in the Chicago area. In addition to acting in many plays, Gary also directed some of Steppenwolf's most notable productions, including Sam Shepard's "True West". The company made its off-Broadway debut with that production, starring Gary and John Malkovich, and its Broadway debut with "The Grapes of Wrath" at the Cort Theatre in 1990. Gary's Hollywood career also started in the director's chair with two episodes of the stylish TV series Crime Story (1986), followed in 1988 by the feature Miles from Home (1988) starring Richard Gere. Gary's first feature film as an actor was the World War II fable A Midnight Clear (1992) in 1992. That year also found Gary combining his acting and directing talents with the critically acclaimed Of Mice and Men (1992). His first real notice by the public came in 1994, however. He starred in the blockbuster miniseries The Stand (1994), rapidly followed by his bravura performance as "Lt. Dan" in Forrest Gump (1994). His portrayal of the disabled, emotionally tortured veteran earned Gary numerous awards and an Oscar nomination. Busy 1994 was followed by busy 1995, first reuniting with Tom Hanks in Apollo 13 (1995) and then starring in the HBO film Truman (1995) which earned him the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards and an Emmy nomination.
Gary is married to Moira Sinise, an actress and original member of the Steppenwolf company. They have three children, Sophie Sinise, McCanna Anthony Sinise and Ella Sinise.- Actor
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LeVar Burton was born on 16 February 1957 in Landstuhl, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. He is an actor and director, known for Star Trek: Generations (1994), Star Trek: First Contact (1996) and Star Trek: Insurrection (1998). He has been married to Stephanie Cozart Burton since 3 October 1992. They have one child.- Producer
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For four decades, Michael Eisner has been a leader in the American entertainment industry. He began his career at ABC, overseeing shows including Happy Days, Barney Miller, and Roots. He became president of Paramount Pictures in 1976, turning out hit films including Raiders of the Lost Ark, Saturday Night Fever, and Grease. IN 1984 Michael assumed the position of Chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company and, in the ensuing 21 years, transformed it from a film and theme park company worth $1.8 billion into a global media empire now valued at over $170 billion. In 2005, Michael founded The Tornante Company, a privately held media & entertainment holding company. Today Tornante owns Topps, Inc., Portsmouth Football Club in England, and has a large and growing television division, including ownership of BoJack Horseman and Tucca and Bertie for Netflix, as well as Undone for Amazon. He and his wife, Jane, founded The Eisner Foundation in 1996 and recently focused the foundation on inter-generational solutions. He was born on March 7, 1942 in New York and later attended Lawrenceville School and Denison University. He and Jane have three sons, Breck, Eric and Anders and three daughters-in-law, plus nine grandchildren.- Producer
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Roy Edward Disney began working for the Walt Disney Company as an assistant film editor on the True-Life Adventure film in 1954. In 1967, he was elected to the Board of Directors of the company. In 1984, he returned to the company as vice chairman of the board, and head of the animation department. On October 16, 1998, in a surprise presentation made at the newly unveiled Disney Legends Plaza at the company's headquarters, Disney Chairman and CEO Michael Eisner presented him with the prestigious Disney Legends Award.- Actor
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Art Linkletter was born on 17 July 1912 in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada. He was an actor and producer, known for Champagne for Caesar (1950), Philippine Adventure (1964) and The Jack Benny Program (1950). He was married to Lois Marguerite Foerster. He died on 26 May 2010 in Bel-Air, California, USA.- Actor
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Buddy Ebsen began his career as a dancer in the late 1920s in a Broadway chorus. He later formed a vaudeville act with his sister Vilma Ebsen, which also appeared on Broadway. In 1935 he and his sister went to Hollywood, where they were signed for the first of MGM's Eleanor Powell movies, Broadway Melody of 1936 (1935). While Vilma retired from stage and screen shortly after this, Buddy starred in two further MGM movies with Powell. Two of his dancing partners were Frances Langford in Born to Dance (1936) and Judy Garland in Broadway Melody of 1938 (1937). They were a little bit taller than Shirley Temple, with whom he danced in Captain January (1936). MGM studio chief Louis B. Mayer offered him an exclusive contract in 1938, but Ebsen turned it down. In spite of Mayer's warning that he would never get a job in Hollywood again, he was offered the role of the scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz (1939). Ebsen agreed to change roles with Ray Bolger, who was cast as the Tin Man. Ebsen subsequently became ill from the aluminum make-up, however, and was replaced by Jack Haley. He returned to the stage, making only a few pictures before he got a role in the Disney production of Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier (1955). After this, he became a straight actor, and later won more fame in his own hit series, The Beverly Hillbillies (1962) and Barnaby Jones (1973).- Actress
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Sharon Baird, best known as Mousketeer "Sharon" on The Mickey Mouse Club (1955), was born in Seattle, Washington, on August 16, 1943 (her brother, Jimmy Baird, also had an acting career, although it was shorter than Sharon's). She took ballet lessons as a child, and showed an aptitude for dancing, later taking up tap, jazz and other forms of dance.
In 1950 she won a "Little Miss Washington" beauty contest. The prize was a trip to Los Angeles to compete in the national pageant; she took second place. Her parents found that they preferred the warm, dry climate of L.A. to the cold, rainy one of Seattle and moved there. It was in L.A. that Sharon got a new dance teacher, renowned tap dancer Louis Da Pron. His new pupil showed such promise that he recommended she audition for an upcoming part in a skit involving children on The Colgate Comedy Hour (1950). She didn't get the part, but the show's host, Eddie Cantor, put her under personal contract, and whenever he hosted the show, he put her in it. She eventually tried out for, and got, a part in the film Bloodhounds of Broadway (1952). Cantor had a heart attack in 1952, and without him Sharon's career slowed considerably. She managed to get parts in a few TV series episodes but not much more than that.
The 11-year-old Sharon was at a Capitol Records recording session when she was spotted by Jimmie Dodd, who was to be one of the co-hosts of the upcoming Disney show "The Mickey Mouse Club". He urged her to audition for it. She did, and got the part. She had more singing and dancing experience than most of her fellow cast members, and eventually wound up being featured in almost every show in the first year. In addition to her work on the show, Sharon also performed in live shows at Disneyland, and went on the road with some of her fellow cast members.
By the show's third year, however, things began to change. Sharon found herself being used less and less, and often just in the background instead of being a featured singer or dancer. When the show ended in 1958, Sharon continued to perform at Disneyland and at other functions with some of her former cast members, such as an Australian tour in 1959. She later performed with song-and-dance man Donald O'Connor in a Las Vegas engagement. The variety show genre was on its last legs, however, and Sharon made ends meet by teaching dancing and enrolling in math and secretarial courses at Los Angeles Valley College, which she attended from 1960-1962. In 1963 she married singer Dalton Lee Thomas, but they separated in 1966, finally divorcing in 1972.
Sharon was working as a secretary in 1969 when she got a call from producer Sid Krofft, who offered her a part in his new show, H.R. Pufnstuf (1969). She took it, and was later hired by Krofft and his brother Marty Krofft for all of their subsequent series. In 1975 Sharon appeared at the 20th Anniversary Celebration for "The Mickey Mouse Club" at Disneyland. She appeared as "Frodo" in the animated/live action The Lord of the Rings (1978) by Ralph Bakshi and on "The Mickey Mouse Club's" 20th Anniversary Show in 1980. In 1986, however, she appeared in a film unlike anything she had appeared in before: she played--under the pseudonym "S.L. Baird"--a teenage boy whose physical deformity and behavior led him to be called "Ratboy" in the film of the same name, Ratboy (1986). Unfortunately the film was a commercial and critical failure and Sharon returned to performing in children's shows, and appeared in a direct-to-video production called The Mother Goose Video Treasury (1987).
She has since appeared in several Mousketeer reunions and at Disneyland's 50th Anniversary Event in 2005. She has remained close friends with former Mousketeer Annette Funicello.- Actor
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Bobby Burgess was born on 19 May 1941 in Long Beach, California, USA. He is an actor, known for The Lawrence Welk Show (1955), The Magical World of Disney (1954) and The Donna Reed Show (1958). He has been married to Kristie Ann Floren since 14 February 1971. They have four children.- Marty Sklar was born on 6 February 1934 in New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA. He was a writer, known for EPCOT (1967), The Magical World of Disney (1954) and After the Fair: The Legacy of the 1964-65 New York World's Fair (2014). He was married to Leah. He died on 27 July 2017 in Hollywood Hills, California, USA.
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Tim Disney is known for A Question of Faith (2000), American Violet (2008) and Oliver & Company (1988). He has been married to Neda Pourang since 22 May 2010. He was previously married to Martha Hackett.- Producer
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Abigail E. Disney is an Emmy-winning director and producer, philanthropist and the CEO and president of Fork Films. An active supporter of peacebuilding, she is passionate about advancing women's roles in the public sphere. Abigail's films and series focus on social issues and spotlight extraordinary people who speak truth to power.
Having grown up in a family of filmmakers, Abigail turned to documentaries when inspired to tell the story of a brave group of women who used nonviolent protests and sex strikes to bring an end to Liberia's long civil war. She and renowned filmmaker Gini Reticker made the widely acclaimed Pray the Devil Back to Hell, which is broadly credited with highlighting the achievements of Leymah Gbowee, who received a Nobel Peace Prize in 2011. Abigail and Gini went on to found Fork Films, which is known for making and funding high profile, critically acclaimed documentaries that are seen on PBS, Netflix, HBO and other major outlets.
In addition to producing original films, Fork Films awards grants to non-fiction films that promote peacebuilding, human rights and social justice with a particular emphasis on projects with women behind or in front of the camera. As of June 2017, Fork Films has awarded over $4 million to 90 documentaries including Cameraperson, Trapped, 1971, The Mask You Live In, Citizen Koch, Hot Girls Wanted, The Invisible War, and Sun Come Up. Fork Films grantees have premiered at top tier film festivals, won major awards and moved the needle on important social issues.
In 2009, Abigail founded Peace is Loud, a nonprofit that inspires action through media and live events that spotlight women leaders on the frontline of peacebuilding worldwide.
Abigail's directorial debut, Emmy-winning The Armor of Light, co-directed by Kathleen Hughes, premiered at the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival. The film follows Reverend Rob Schenck, an Evangelical minister, and Lucy McBath, the mother of a teenage shooting victim, who ask, is it possible to be both pro-gun and pro-life? Peace is Loud led the outreach and engagement campaign for The Armor of Light to restore a moral, ethical, and theological framework to the conversation about gun violence in America. The campaign has initiated and supported dialogue with faith leaders and communities around the country, reaching out beyond the documentary film community to target dozens of conservative evangelical influencers.
In 2012, along with Pamela Hogan and Gini Reticker, Abigail created and executive produced the first-of-its-kind series for PBS- Women, War, & Peace. The five-part series looked at women in modern war as active agents for peace and positive change makers in their communities. It garnered the Overseas Press Club's Edward R. Murrow Award, a Gracie Award, and a Television Academy Honor. Season II of the series is currently in production.
Abigail also recently executive produced the Fork Films original production The Trials of Spring, a major multiplatform project that tells the stories of nine women on the front lines of change in the MENA region.
Abigail is the recipient of numerous awards including an honor by the International Women's Media Foundation for advancing women's issues and peace initiatives; IDA's Amicus Award, The International Advocate for Peace Award, presented by Cardozo Law School; and the Epic Award presented by The White House Project.
Disney received her Bachelor's degree from Yale University, her Master's degree from Stanford University and her Doctorate from Columbia University. She is a mother of four.- Actor
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Tall (6' 4"), agile, energetic, and ever-so-confident as both actor and singer, especially on the award-winning Broadway stage, Barry Bostwick possesses that certain narcissistic poise, charm and élan that reminds one instantly (and humorously) of a Kevin Kline -- both were quite brilliant in their respective interpretations of The Pirate King in "The Pirates of Penzance". Yet, for all his diverse talents (he is a Golden Globe winner and was nominated for the Tony Award three times, winning once), Barry is indelibly caught in a time warp. Even today, 35 years after the fact, he is indelibly associated with the role of nerdy hero Brad Majors in the midnight movie phenomena The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975). While it is extremely flattering to be a part of such a cult institution, Barry's acting legacy deserves much more than this.
He was born Barry Knapp Bostwick on February 24, 1945, in San Mateo, California, one of two sons of Elizabeth "Betty" (Defendorf) and Bud Bostwick (Henry Bostwick), a city planner and actor. A student at San Mateo High School, he and his elder brother Peter use to put on musicals and puppet shows for the neighborhood kids. Barry attended San Diego's United States International University's School for the Performing Arts in 1967, and switched from music to drama during the course of his studies. He also worked occasionally as a circus performer, which would come in handy on the musical stage down the line. He subsequently moved to New York and attended the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at New York University.
Making his stage debut at age 22 in a production of "Take Her, She's Mine," Barry performed in a number of non-musical roles in such productions of "War and Peace" (1968) and "The Misanthrope (1968). Making his 1969 Broadway debut in "Cock-a-Doodle Dandy", which ran in tandem with "Hamlet" in which he was featured as Osric, it was his portrayal of the swaggering, leather jacket-wearing 50s "bad boy" Danny Zuko in the 1972 Broadway high-school musical smash "Grease" that put Barry's name prominently and permanently on the marquee signs. Originating the role, he was nominated for a Tony but lost out that year to the older generation (Phil Silvers for "A Funny Thing Happened...").
In the midst of all this star-making hoopla, Barry was also breaking into films with a minor role in Jennifer on My Mind (1971) and leading parts in the comedy spoofs Road Movie (1973) and The Wrong Damn Film (1975). It all paled after winning the role as Susan Sarandon's simp of a boyfriend in the The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), which featured a delicious Tim Curry camping it up as a transvestite monster-maker. The movie, based on the macabre 1973 British stage musical "The Rocky Horror Show," packed the midnight movie houses with costumed fans replicating every move and, word and offering puns and props aplenty in recapturing the insanity of the show.
While the "Rocky" association hit like a tornado, Barry ventured on and tried to distance himself. He created sparks again on Broadway, garnering a second Tony nomination for the comedy revival "They Knew What They Wanted" in 1976. He finally took home the trophy the following year for the musical "The Robber Bridegroom" (1977), which relied again on his patented bluff and bravado as a Robin Hood-like hero. Following top roles in the musicals "She Loves Me" and "The Pirates of Penzance", Barry turned rewardingly to film and TV.
The two-part feature Movie Movie (1978), which played like an old-style double feature, was a great success, performing alongside esteemed actor George C. Scott. Barry excelled in both features, but especially the musical parody. He fared just as well on the smaller screen in TV movies, playing everything from historical icons (George Washington) to preening matinée idols (John Gilbert), and winning a Golden Globe for his role as a military officer in the epic miniseries War and Remembrance (1988). A variety of interesting roles followed in glossy, soap-styled fare, farcical comedies and period drama.
A welcomed return to Broadway musicals in the form of "Nick & Nora" (he as sleuth Nick "The Thin Man" Charles) was marred when the glitzy production folded after only nine perfs. Instead, the prematurely grey-haired actor found steadier success in sitcoms as a smug comedy foil to Michael J. Fox playing Mayor Randall Winston for six seasons in Spin City (1996). He later enjoyed a recurring role as a dauntless attorney on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999). Then again, Barry could be spotted pitching items in commercials or hamming it up in family-oriented Disneyesque entertainment in the "Parent Trap" and "101 Dalmatian" mold.
In 1997, Bostwick was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and 10 days later had his prostate removed. The operation was successful and in 2004, he won the Gilda Radner Courage Award from the Roswell Park Cancer Institute. Just a year earlier he appeared on an episode of "Scrubs" as a patient also having prostate cancer. Barry married somewhat late in life. For a brief time he was wed to actress Stacey Nelkin (1987-1991), but has since become a father of two, Brian and Chelsea, with second wife Sherri Jensen Bostwick, an actress who appeared with Barry in the TV movie Praying Mantis (1993).- Actor
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Peter Brown got into acting when he was in the army by organizing a theater group on base to occupy his spare time while stationed in Alaska. After his discharge he enrolled in the acting program at UCLA, and starting in the mid-1950s found employment in many of the western films and series being turned out at the time (he is especially remembered for his work as eager young deputy Johnny McKay in the classic western series Lawman (1958) and as one of a trio of Texas Rangers in the western action/comedy series Laredo (1965)). Following the end of a contract with Universal Pictures (1965-1972), he switched to soap operas and made-for-TV films, and has been steadily employed ever since.- Actor
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Corey Burton is an American voice actor with Asperger's. He is known for voicing Mole in Atlantis: The Lost Empire and Atlantis: Milo's Return, Captain Hook in Return to Neverland and Kingdom Hearts, Count Dooku in various Star Wars media whenever Christopher Lee is unavailable, Hugo Strange in Batman: Arkham City, Judge Claude Frollo in Kingdom Hearts 3D, Nicolai in Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi, Doctor Nefarious Tropy and N.Gin in Crash Bandicoot, Volteer in The Legend of Spyro and Zeus in the God of War video game series. He is one of the most prolific autistic voice actors alongside Billy West.- Actor
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Kiko Ellsworth is an American film and television actor. He was born and raised in Los Angeles, California to Lorna and Andrew Ellsworth. He is of African, American Indian (mother), Israeli, French and Creole (father) descent. He is married to Massachusetts State native, Christine Carlo, whom he met auditioning for the film of All or Nothing which they later filmed together, and with whom he has one child, Zen Satya Ellsworth. Kiko's hobbies include, yoga, hiking, teaching youth acting and leadership classes and studying martial arts. He's has two older siblings, Shanda and Andre (deceased), with two nephews and two nieces. His niece Andrea Ellsworth is an American Film and Television actress.- Actress
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Nancy Lee Grahn was born on 28 April 1956 in Evanston, Illinois, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for General Hospital (1963), Santa Barbara (1984) and Babylon 5 (1993).- Hershey's previous television credits include ABC's (2005) sitcom pilot, Marsha Potter Gets a Life (2005), NBC's (2004) sitcom pilot, D.O.T.S. (2004), co-host finalist for ABC's The View (1997), ABC's Port Charles (1997), The Paranormal Borderline (1996) and Pandora's Clock (1996). She was also seen in the independent feature film, Slaves to the Underground (1997), a Seattle-based grunge rock film, and was the female lead in the American Bollywood film, Americanizing Shelley (2007).
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John Ingle was born on 7 May 1928 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. He was an actor, known for Heathers (1988), General Hospital (1963) and Death Becomes Her (1992). He was married to Grace-Lynne Martin. He died on 16 September 2012 in Altadena, California, USA.- Actor
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Richard Kind, a Drama Desk Award winner and Tony nominee for the Broadway hit The Big Knife, is an accomplished stage, screen and television actor who continues to redefine the term character actor. Kind is starring as Sam Meyers in the Amazon Original Series Red Oaks (2014). He appeared in the 2013 Best Picture Academy Award-winning Argo (2012). Additional film credits include The Visitor (2007) and The Station Agent (2003), among many others, as well as voicing characters in A Bug's Life (1998) and Cars (2006). In television, besides his infamous roles on Spin City (1996) and Mad About You (1992), Kind starred in the acclaimed HBO series Luck (2011), has guest starred on many shows, and has had recurring roles on Luck (2011) and Gotham (2014). On stage, Kind has starred in the smash hit Broadway musical The Producers, The Tale of the Allergist's Wife, Candide, and Bounce, among others. Kind started his career in Chicago with the Practical Theatre Company, founded by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Brad Hill and Gary Kroeger.- Actor
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George Meyers was born in Phillipsburg, New Jersey and grew up in the neighboring town of Stewartsville, NJ. He attended Stewartsville Elementary School, Phillipsburg High School and Lebanon Valley College. After graduating college George moved into New York City to begin his acting career. While in New York he worked on the Soap Opera "Search For Tomorrow", "As The World Turns", "Guiding Light" as well as the TV Pilot "The Adventures Of Red Rooster". After living and working in New York, George soon moved to Orlando, Florida to continue acting on such shows as "Fortune Hunter", "The Adventures Of Superboy", "The Newz" and "Swamp Thing". After several years in Orlando George moved to Los Angeles, California, where he worked on "Air Force One", "End Of Days" and "Monkeybone" and various other films and TV shows. He also played Officer Criswell on "General Hospital" for 10 years. In 2007 he created his own Production Company, Pullover Films, with the intent of shooting Documentary, Short and Feature Films. He also began teaching acting classes and workshops in both the Philadelphia area and the Philippines. After shooting 1 Documentary Film and 4 Short Films in the Philippines George relocated to Texas, where he currently resides. He now spends his time teaching and also shooting more Short Films, Feature Films and Documentary Films as well as attending various Film Festivals.- Actor
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Colin Andrew Mochrie was on born November 30, 1957, in Kilmarnock, Scotland. His father, an airline maintenance executive, moved the family to Montreal, Canada, in 1964, and finally to Vancouver in 1969. When asked about his childhood, Mochrie said he tended to be a bit of a loner because of moving around so much, but other than that he was a pretty typical kid: "I fought with my younger brother, was protective of my younger sister and didn't get my parents." After he dropped out of school in B.C., he did theater sports and there met Ryan Stiles, with whom he has remained friends for more than 20 years. In 1989, Mochrie married comedian Debra McGrath; they have one daughter, Kinley Mochrie. He worked at Second City in Toronto before joining the British comedy improv show Whose Line Is It Anyway? (1988) (and he also stars in the American version, Whose Line Is It Anyway? (1998)). Mochrie and his family once resided in Los Angeles but moved back to Canada. He had a recurring role on The Drew Carey Show (1995) as Eugene Anderson. He won the Canadian Comedy award as Male Improvisational Comic. In addition to his TV work, Mochrie has been busy on the stage, which is where he began his career, the early part of which he spent touring with the National Touring Company, and has starred in such popular stage productions as "She Stoops to Conquer" and "The Brady Bunch." He also writes as well as stars in the Canadian comedy series Supertown Challenge (1998), as well as the sitcom Blackfly (2001). He has also appeared in such films as John Woo's Once a Thief (1991), Love and Other Disasters (2006), The Campbells (1986), The Real Blonde (1997), and The January Man (1989).- Actor
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Bradley Sherwood was born on the 24th November, 1964 in Chicago, Illinois, and later, grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He began acting at the age of eight. He graduated from Wright State University with a BFA in Acting and, soon thereafter, took his talents to Hollywood. His first real role was on the sketch-comedy series The Newz (1994), though he also made several guest appearances on L.A. Law (1986) as a lovestruck nanny. Sherwood continued to make appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992). He was also a regular on VH1 as a commentator. In 1992, Sherwood became a recurring performer on the improvisational comedy show Whose Line Is It Anyway? (1998). He then turned his attention to stand-up, and made an appearance on 2002's Jane White Is Sick & Twisted (2002) alongside with fellow "Whose Line" co-star Colin Mochrie. He also hosted The Dating Game (1997) from 1997-98, and The Big Moment (1999) in 1999. In April 2006, he teamed up again with Colin Mochrie to tour the United States and Canada, performing classic improv games from "Whose Line". Brad Sherwood also became engaged in 2006 and married long-time partner Shauna in February 2007.- Actor
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Patrick Warburton is known to many for the role of "Puddy" in the hit NBC comedy "Seinfeld," the laconic, enigmatic, quirky Saab salesman and Elaine's boyfriend. Warburton starred for 7 seasons on the hit CBS comedy "Rules of Engagement" with David Spade, Oliver Hudson, and Megyn Price about two couples and their single friend, all at different stages in their relationships dealing with the complications of dating, commitment, and marriage. He is now set to star in NBC's newest sitcom series entitled "Crowded," premiering Sunday, March 20th, about an empty nest couple (Warburton & Carrie Preston) who find out their adult daughters want to move back home with them. Patrick also played "Guy" in the international blockbuster comedy Ted and recently completed shooting the highly anticipated sequel Ted 2 where he reprises his role. Warburton starred on the ABC hit comedy "Less than Perfect," as "Jeb Denton," an opinionated network anchorman; and on the hit show "NewsRadio" as "Johnny Johnson" the unscrupulous business rival who takes over the station. Warburton starred in Disney's major motion picture, live action comedy Underdog, as the archenemy "Cad," based on the 1964 cartoon television series. He is also perhaps the busiest voiceover artist in Hollywood for his many characters including the role of the paraplegic and over-zealous cop, "Joe Swanson," on the hit comedy "Family Guy."
Warburton was the lead in the independent film The Civilization of Maxwell Bright, in which he stared as a vicious and self-destructive anti-hero who desperately needs to save his soul. The film won numerous festival awards in which Warburton captured Best Actor at the Beverly Hills Film Festival, New York VisionFest, and the Boulder International Film Festival. The film's other honors include Viewer's Choice at the Beverly Hills Film Festival, the Special Jury Award at WorldFest Houston and at the Florida Film Festival, Grand Jury Prize at the Florida Film Festival, and the Vision Award for David Beaird at WorldFest Houston. This festival favorite is essentially a modern re-telling of "Beauty and the Beast" that explores what happens when a modern Neanderthal is locked in close proximity with a kind and loving woman. Written and directed by David Beaird, The Civilization of Maxwell Bright co-stars Jennifer Tilly, Marie Matiko, Simon Callow and Eric Roberts. In addition, Warburton starred in the independent feature film I'll Believe You alongside Fred Willard, Thomas Gibson, and Chris Elliott, a comedy for young adults/teens about a hunt for an alleged alien living in a small town after a mysterious phone call is received on a radio broadcast. The film was released in April of 2007 to 1,500 theaters nationwide, quite the accomplishment for a small independent film.
To complement his animated films, Warburton voiced the hit cartoon series "Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated" and the animated feature Bee Movie with Jerry Seinfeld, Renée Zellweger, Uma Thurman and Oprah Winfrey. He played the character "Rip Smashenburn" in the UPN animated series "Game Over," the voice of "Brock Samson" in the animated adult series "The Venture Brothers," and the voice of "Mr. Barkin" on the Disney Channel's "Disney's Kim Possible." He plays the character of Ian, "the ultimate alpha-male," in the Sony animated film Open Season opposite Ashton Kutcher and Martin Lawrence. Playing in both regular theaters and Imax 3-D, it was a box office smash on its opening week as #1 and held top spots following its debut. Warburton's voice can also be heard alongside that of Sarah Michelle Geller, Sigourney Weaver, George Carlin, Andy Dick, and Freddie Prinze Jr. in the animated feature film Happily N'ever After, from the producers of Shrek, where he plays the voice of "Prince Humperdink." As the voice of the "Savior of the Universe" in Disney's animated Saturday morning TV series "Buzz Lightyear," Warburton's voice graced the big screen in the Disney animated film The Emperor's New Groove, Kronks New Groove and "The Emperor's New School."
Warburton started his television career appearing regularly on the CBS sitcom "Dave's World," with Harry Anderson and Mesach Taylor and originally guest-starred on "Seinfeld" as the painted-faced New Jersey Devils' fan and Jerry's mechanic, only to become one of the show's funniest fixtures. He also did commercial spots for American Express (as the voice of "Superman" alongside Seinfeld), Cadillac, and M&Ms. Warburton starred in The Woman Chaser, which received critical acclaim at the prestigious New York Film Festival and The Sundance Film Festival, as well as opposite Sam Neill in The Dish, an Australian production about the first man on the moon. Barry Sonnenfeld directed Warburton in the Columbia Tri Star half-hour comedy "The Tick," which continues to have a huge cult following since its release on DVD. The show gained its popularity with audiences due to its relaxed, adult-friendly comedy. "The Tick", in addition to the DVD, has released action figures, t-shirts, and Quaker Oat Life cereal boxes with "The Tick" character adorning the cover. He also paired up with Tim Allen in Sonnenfeld's feature films Big Trouble and Joe Somebody, and also appeared in Scream 3 and Men in Black 2.
A native Californian, Patrick grew up in Huntington Beach and resides in Ventura County with his wife Cathy and four children Talon, Alexandra (Lexie), Shane, and Gabriel. When talking about his children, Patrick's face lights up as he describes them as the ultimate joy and love of his life. With what little spare time he has, Patrick gets in a game of golf or tennis, does activities with his children, and spends time in his cabin on the Rogue River in Oregon with his family. Warburton also hosts the annual charity golf tournament The Warburton a Celebrity Tournament to benefit St. Jude Children's Hospital each year in Palm Springs, CA.- Stunts
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James Winburn was born on 18 October 1937. He was an actor and director, known for Escape from New York (1981), Tron (1982) and Colors (1988). He died on 19 November 2022 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Jackie began training for the classic ballet at age 5. She was accepted into the New Jersey Dance Company at age 15, and accepted a scholarship from New York University at age 15 to pursue a major in dance. The dark-haired beauty decided to try acting, and has become a staple of daytime drama (aka soap operas).
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David Carradine was born in Hollywood, California, the eldest son of legendary character actor John Carradine, and his wife, Ardanelle Abigail (McCool). He was a member of an acting family that included brothers Keith Carradine and Robert Carradine as well as his daughters Calista Carradine and Kansas Carradine, and nieces Ever Carradine and Martha Plimpton.
He was born in Hollywood and educated at San Francisco State College, where he studied music theory and composition. It was while writing music for the Drama Department's annual revues that he discovered his own passion for the stage, joining a Shakespearean repertory company and learning his craft on his feet. After a two-year stint in the army, he found work in New York as a commercial artist and later found fame on Broadway in "The Deputy" and "The Royal Hunt of the Sun" opposite Christopher Plummer. With that experience he returned to Hollywood, landing the lead in the short-lived TV series Shane (1966) before being tapped to star opposite Barbara Hershey in Martin Scorsese's first Hollywood film, Boxcar Bertha (1972). The iconic Kung Fu (1972) followed, catapulting Carradine to super-stardom for the next three years, until he left the series to pursue his film career.
That career included more than 100 feature films, a couple of dozen television movies, a whole range of theater on and off Broadway and another hit series, Kung Fu: A Legend Reborn (1992).
Carradine received the Best Actor Award from the National Board of Film Review as well as a Golden Globe nomination for his portrayal of Woody Guthrie in Hal Ashby's Bound for Glory (1976), and he won critical acclaim for his work as Cole Younger in The Long Riders (1980). "Kung Fu" also received seven Emmy nominations in its first season, including one for Carradine as Best Actor. In addition, he won the People's Prize at the Cannes Film Festival's "Director's Fortnight" for his work on Americana (1981), and a second Golden Globe nomination for his supporting role in North & South: Book 1, North & South (1985). Among his other notable film credits were Gray Lady Down (1978), Mean Streets (1973), Bird on a Wire (1990), The Long Goodbye (1973), The Serpent's Egg (1977) and Circle of Iron (1978). He returned to the screen in what could be his greatest performance, playing the title role in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) and Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004), for which he received his fourth Golden Globe nomination. He also continued his devotion to music, and recorded some 60 tracks in various musical genres and sang in several movies. He made his home in Los Angeles with his fifth wife Annie, her four children and their two dogs.
Found dead in Bangkok, Thailand, on June 3, 2009, aged 72.- Actor
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It seems the second generation of acting Carradines -- David, Keith and Robert -- are proudly continuing the family tradition and begetting a third generation of talent. The dynasty began with veteran Hollywood patriarch John Carradine, the son of a surgeon and a correspondent for the Associated Press. Keith was a child, born of John's second marriage to actress Sonia Sorel.
Lanky, laid-back and highly likable, Keith Ian Carradine was born in San Mateo, California, on August 8, 1949. His parents divorced when Keith was six. Following in the footsteps of older half-brother and mentor David Carradine, Keith studied theater arts at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado, but dropped out after only one semester to pursue his career. Soon after, he auditioned for "Hair" in Los Angeles and made his Broadway debut in the 1969 rock musical, playing the role of Claude for an extended period of time. Keith next appeared with his father in a stage production of "Tobacco Road" (1970) in Florida.
The following year Keith broke into films with a part in the Kirk Douglas/Johnny Cash western A Gunfight (1971). Legendary director Robert Altman was quite taken by Keith's work in the film and gave him a part in his own movie McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971), which sparked the first of many endeavors together. Keith also made a strong showing on TV, making his mini-movie debut with Man on a String (1972), and appearing with brother David in the TV movie pilot and various episodes of the cult series Kung Fu (1972) as the teenage version (seen in flashbacks) of David's character Kwai Chang Caine.
Keith continued to impress in Altman's films. He played one of three convicts in the critically-acclaimed movie Thieves Like Us (1974), but scored Oscar gold with his next Altman film, Nashville (1975) -- not with his acting but with his songwriting. His composition "I'm Easy" won both the Oscar and Golden Globe for "Best Song". Keith also earned a Grammy nomination in 1976 for his contribution to "Nashville" in the "Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special" category.
Keith first association with Altman's protégé, Alan Rudolph, occurred filming Welcome to L.A. (1976), to which he again contributed his music talent. Keith's rangy handsomeness and low-keyed acting style were on full display as he increased his popularity with appearances in such films as Ridley Scott's The Duellists (1977); Louis Malle's first American film, the visually-striking Pretty Baby (1978), that made a controversial star out of young Brooke Shields; and the comedy/romance An Almost Perfect Affair (1979). One acting trick that worked was pairing all three Carradine brothers in The Long Riders (1980), which recalled the infamous lives of brothers Cole, Jim and Bob Younger, and boasted three other sets of acting brothers (Keach, Quaid and Guest) as various other outlaw siblings.
Keith's acting reviews throughout much of his career would be decidedly mixed -- some would find his unassuming, introspective acting too listless while others found it beautifully realized and understated. Many of his best notices came from the Altman and Rudolph films, appearing in two of Rudolph acclaimed 80s works -- Choose Me (1984) and The Moderns (1988). He also persevered on TV with award-worthy work. His role in the mini-series Chiefs (1983) netted an Emmy nomination, while his recurring role as Wild Bill Hickok in Deadwood (2004) earned a Golden Satellite nomination and his work in the made-for-TV-film Half a Lifetime (1986) scored a CableACE nomination. Regular series work came late in his career, starring in Fast Track (1997), Outreach (1999) and Complete Savages (2004), all of which were short-lived.
Keith's career was revitalized on the 80s and 90s stage. In addition to strong roles in "Another Part of the Forest" (1982) and "Detective Story" (1984), he won the Outer Critics Circle Award for his excellent work in 1982's "Foxfire" opposite Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn_ and then roped a Tony and Drama Desk nomination as humorist Will Rogers in the Broadway musical "The Will Rogers Follies" (1991). Most recently (2005) he starred in the American premiere of David Hare's satire "Stuff Happens" as none other than George W. Bush while expounding on the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Keith continues to write and compose. Hosting The History Channel's Wild West Tech (2003) and appeared on a season of the hit cable series Dexter (2006) and had a recurring role on the hit sitcom Charity, Dr. Finlay (1965). More recently he played the role of President Conrad Dalton in Madam Secretary (2014) starring Téa Leoni's Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord.
Millennium films include Wooly Boys (2001), a top-billed role in Falcons (2002), The Adventures of Ociee Nash (2002), Our Very Own (2005), Bobby Z (2007), Cowboys & Aliens (2011), The Family Tree (2011), After the Fall (2014), Dakota's Summer (2014), Bereave (2015), A Quiet Passion (2016) and The Old Man & the Gun (2018).
Keith has been married twice. Of his two children born from his first union to actress Sandra Ann Will Carradine, who played opposite him in the film Choose Me (1984), son Cade Carradine recently portrayed Lord Oxford in the film Richard III (2007) and daughter Sorel Carradine has been seen on TV. Keith and Sandra eventually divorced and he married actress Hayley DuMond in 2006; they met while appearing in the film The Hunter's Moon (1999). Keith's daughter Martha Plimpton, a highly gifted actress on her own, was a child from his relationship to actress Shelley Plimpton, whom he met when both were cast members in "Hair" back in 1969.- Actress
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An accomplished actor, singer and songwriter, Adrienne Frantz made a name for herself on television playing the character of Amber Moore on two CBS daytime dramas throughout the 1990s and 2000s. An outgoing only child, by age three Adrienne Danielle Frantz was holding private dance recitals in her hometown of Mount Clemens, Michigan. In spite of a busy schedule of dance, voice and theater classes, and a move to New Jersey . Frantz managed to graduate from Shawnee high school in Medford, N.J., at age eighteen and promptly packed her bags and headed off to New York City in search of her dreams - and never looked back. While enrolled in her freshman year at Marymount College in New York City, Frantz won the role of Tiffany Thorne on Aaron Spelling's new NBC soap-opera Sunset Beach (1997) and moved to Los Angeles. Within a few months she jumped ship from a struggling to join one of the most-watched shows around the globe: producer/writer Bradley Bell hired her for the plum part of the scheming, yet vulnerable, Amber Moore on The Bold and the Beautiful (1987). Debuting as a supporting character alongside villainess Sheila Carter (Kimberlin Brown) in July 1997 Amber was soon linked to the mighty Forrester fashion dynasty and kicked off the next generation teen set in 1998. Eventually, family members of Amber were introduced and the love story of Amber and Rick Forrester (played by Jacob Young and later Justin Torkildsen) was a tent pole of the show in the late 1990s and early 2000s. In 2003, for a short while Frantz was pulling double duty when the part of Amber's twin sister April was created. Frantz was awarded with an Emmy as 'Outstanding Younger Actress' in 2001 (with additional nominations in 2000 and 2003). In 2005 she opted on leaving the show, but the character of Amber didn't disappear for too long. In late 2006 Amber Moore returned - but this time around on The Young and the Restless (1973) where head-writer Lynn Marie Latham was a self-proclaimed fan of the actress. Akin to her debut on The Bold And The Beautiful ten years earlier, Amber was again quickly linked to the important players in Genoa City. She stayed with the show until May 2010 before returning to B&B some weeks later. Frantz second run in fictional Los Angeles started off strong but then fizzled. So in 2012, Frantz opted on leaving The Bold And The Beautiful to start a new chapter in her life: attending classes to become a stand-up-comedian. Since the age of 16, Frantz has been belting out her own self-written tunes. A music executive noticed her talents at a charity event and quickly enlisted her demo tape to A&R executives at several major record labels. Her efforts resulted in "Best Female Vocalist" honors for 1997 at the Los Angeles International Music Awards. Several B&B episodes have showcased Frantz's original songs, and she was tapped to co-write and perform the title song on the film Jimmy Zip (1996). In addition to her soap roles, Frantz also did voice-work on The Wild Thornberrys (1998) and starred in Speedway Junky (1999) - Gus Van Sant's dark tale of runaway kids living on the streets of Las Vegas - with Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Tiffani Thiessen. For many years, Frantz has been staunch supporter of various animal and health welfare organizations. In her free time, Frantz enjoys writing poetry, composing music, attending concerts, skiing, playing softball, and relaxing at home with her pets. Dating Goo Goo Dolls frontman Johnny Rzeznik in the early 2000s, breaking it off in 2005, Frantz has been married to actor Scott Bailey since 2011 and the couple welcomed their first child in December 2015.- Actor
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John Joseph Theodore Rzeznik was born in Buffalo, New York, to Edith (Pomeroy) and Joseph Rzeznik, a bar proprietor and postal clerk. He is the youngest of five children, and has Polish (father) and English and German (mother) ancestry. From early on in his life, John found that his parents were constantly arguing due to his father's drinking problem. His father died at the age of 55 as a result of alcohol complications. As the family were trying to come to terms with the death of Joe, John's life was completely shattered just over a year later when his mother died of a sudden heart attack. At the age of 16 John had lost both of his parents and was to be raised by his four older sisters. During this time and while attending high school John's friend introduced him to a hobby which he would stick to for the rest of his life, playing the guitar. After graduating from high school John attended Buffalo State College, only to drop out after his freshman year. It was at this time that he met fellow musician Robby Tacak. Together with drummer George Tutuska the Goo Goo Dolls were born. The Goo Goo Dolls signed to Celluloid by 1985 but didn't gain any success for nine years. During this time the trio released five records and constantly toured. Also John began dating Laurie Farinacci and they married in 1993. The band's 1995 album, "A Boy Named Goo", went double platinum and after hearing their song "Name" the band were asked by music producers to write a song for the upcoming film City of Angels. This song turned out to be "Iris" their most successful hit. The song was featured on their next album "Dizzy up the Girl". The Goo Goo Dolls most recent album is "Gutterflower" released in 2003. John Rzeznik has also written and performed a song for Disney movie "Tresure Planet".- Actress
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Mackenzie Phillips was known for her role in the 1973 hit movie American Graffiti (1973). Two years later, she got the role that changed her life in the 1975 sitcom One Day at a Time (1975). The show was an instant success, and everything was going well until the third season was launched, when she was arrested for cocaine possession and lied about the incident on her uncredited appearance on Dinah and Her New Best Friends (1976). During the run of the 1979-1980 season, Mackenzie started to fall off the deep end. The producers didn't know what was wrong; she started getting tired and showing up late for rehearsals. On the set she was incoherent and the producers gave her a six-week leave of absence. In 1980, she was fired from the series, went to rehab, then returned in the fall of 1981. Sadly, in 1983, she fell asleep during a rehearsal. Producer Patricia Fass Palmer told her that she had to take another drug test, but she refused and left. She has since recovered and returned to acting.- Actor
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Shane Fontayne is known for Me and Will (1999), Amy's Orgasm (2001) and The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts (2008).- Actress
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Cheri Oteri was born on September 19, 1962 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She grew up in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, graduating from Archbishop Prendergast High School, then moved to Los Angeles when she was 25, where she worked in Promotions for A&M records for 4 years and joined up with the Groundlings, an improv-sketch based comedy group. One night, a Saturday Night Live (1975) rep was in the audience and liked her, so she flew down to New York to audition, made it, and debuted on Sept. 9, 1995. Since then, she has appeared in many films and television shows as well as been featured in numerous magazines.- Actress
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Jennifer Blanc, also known as Jennifer Blanc-Biehn, was born and raised in New York City, by her mom, Jenise Blanc. At the tender age of 10, Jennifer was on Broadway in Neil Simon's "Brighton Beach Memoirs", working alongside Jonathan Silverman, Fisher Stevens and Robert Sean Leonard. Jennifer's career blossomed bringing her to sunny Los Angeles to be in Kenny Ortega's series, Hull High (1990), for Disney and NBC. Since then, she has been grateful to be continually working in the business that she loves. She also starred in the TV series, The Mommies (1993), for NBC and Paramount. Her projects include: Friends 'Til the End (1997), opposite Shannen Doherty, Party of Five (1994), opposite Scott Wolf and Matthew Fox, Cool and the Crazy (1994) with Jared Leto, and James Cameron's Dark Angel (2000), with Jessica Alba. Jennifer has also guest-starred on television shows, such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000), Grace Under Fire (1993) and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005) with Danny DeVito. In addition, she has been involved in many projects with her partner and fellow actor, Michael Biehn. The two joined forces on a movie Michael directed in China called, The Blood Bond (2011). Their other projects include Puncture (2011), alongside Chris Evans, and The Ride (1997). Most recently, Jennifer made an appearance in The Divide (2011), with partner Michael Biehn, and is producing a film called The Victim (2011). It is her first leap into the producing world and she is loving it. Her performance in The Victim (2011) comes on the heels of other movies she has just recently completed, including The Jack of Spades (2010), with Jennifer Coolidge, Prank (2008) with friend and colleague Danielle Harris (her co-star in The Victim (2011)), which Jennifer produces and starred in with her writer-director partner, Michael Biehn. Michael and Jennifer have many more productions, now under their "Blanc Biehn Prod" shingle. Collaborations with Xavier gens to come as well as Treachery (2013) and, in pre-production, Hidden in the Woods (2014). As an actress, Jennifer will appear in 2013 in Wrong Cops (2013) and Black Butterflies and there many more productions and film and TV projects in the works.- Producer
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Allan McKeown was born on 21 May 1946 in Ealing, Middlesex, London, England, UK. He was a producer and writer, known for Tracey Takes On... (1996), Get Carter (1971) and Lovejoy (1986). He was married to Tracey Ullman. He died on 24 December 2013 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Actress
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Tracey Ullman (born Trace Ullman) is a multiple award-winning television, stage and film actress who performs as a comedian, singer, dancer, as well as works as a screenwriter, producer, director, author, and businesswoman. She holds dual British and American citizenship.
Ullman's early appearances were on British television sketch comedy shows A Kick Up the Eighties (with Rik Mayall and Miriam Margolyes) and Three of a Kind (with Lenny Henry and David Copperfield). After a brief singing career, she appeared as Candice Valentine in Girls on Top with Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders.
She emigrated from the United Kingdom to the United States where she starred in her own network television comedy series, The Tracey Ullman Show, from 1987 until 1990. She later produced programmes for HBO, including Tracey Takes On... (1996-99), for which she garnered numerous awards. Ullman's sketch comedy series, Tracey Ullman's State of the Union, ran from 2008 to 2010 on Showtime. She has also appeared in several feature films. Ullman was the first British woman to be offered her own television sketch show in both the United Kingdom and the United States and in 2016 stars in her own BBC sketch comedy show Tracey Ullman's Show, her first project for the broadcaster in over thirty years.- Actor
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Johnny McKeown was born on 6 August 1991 in Santa Monica, California, USA. He is an actor, known for Final Fantasy XII (2006), The Good Place (2016) and Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age (2017).- David Yeager Jr. was born on 15 June 1976. He is an actor, known for Youngstown: I'll Be Your Everything (1999), Youngstown: I'll Be Your Everything - Version 2 (1999) and DreamChaser Tour (2002).
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James Lee Dallas was born on 7 February 1975. He is a producer and actor, known for Twinkle Time: Fun in the Sun (2013), Twinkle Time Web Series (2012) and Twinkle Time & Friends.- Samuel Lopez Jr. was born on 8 September 1977. He is an actor, known for Youngstown: I'll Be Your Everything (1999), Youngstown: I'll Be Your Everything - Version 2 (1999) and DreamChaser Tour (2002).
- Actress
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Alitzah is an actress and producer, known for Just Dance by Twinkle Time (2017), Boy Meets World (1993) and Sanchez of Bel Air (1986).- Amy Sue Hardy is known for Boy Meets World (1993) and The Power of One: The Pokemon 2000 Movie Special (2000).
- Stacey Harper was born in 1977 in Herndon, Virginia, USA. She is known for 13 Going on 30 (2004), Starsky & Hutch (2004) and Gigli (2003).
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Jennie Kwan was born on 9 September 1973 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She is an actress, known for .hack//G.U. Last Recode (2017), The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf (2021) and Suzume (2022). She is married to Matthew Todd Garrett. She was previously married to Andrew Verona.- Actor
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Dick Van Dyke was born Richard Wayne Van Dyke in West Plains, Missouri, to Hazel Victoria (McCord), a stenographer, and Loren Wayne Van Dyke, a salesman. His younger brother was entertainer Jerry Van Dyke. His ancestry includes English, Dutch, Scottish, German and Swiss-German. Although he had small roles beforehand, Van Dyke was launched to stardom in the musical "Bye-Bye Birdie" (1960), for which he won a Tony Award, and, then, later in the movie based on that play, Bye Bye Birdie (1963). He has starred in a number of films through the years including Mary Poppins (1964), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) and Fitzwilly (1967), as well as a number of successful television series which won him no less than four Emmy Awards and three made-for-CBS movies. After separating from his wife, Margie Willett, in the 1970s, Dick later became involved with Michelle Triola. Margie and Dick had four children born during the first ten years of their marriage: Barry Van Dyke, Carrie Beth Van Dyke, Christian Van Dyke and Stacy Van Dyke, all of whom are now in their sixties and seventies, and married themselves. He has seven grandchildren, including Shane Van Dyke, Carey Van Dyke, Wes Van Dyke and Taryn Van Dyke (Barry's children) and family members often appear with him on Diagnosis Murder (1993).- Actor
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Mickey Rooney was born Joe Yule Jr. on September 23, 1920 in Brooklyn, New York. He first took the stage as a toddler in his parents vaudeville act at 17 months old. He made his first film appearance in 1926. The following year, he played the lead character in the first Mickey McGuire short film. It was in this popular film series that he took the stage name Mickey Rooney. Rooney reached new heights in 1937 with A Family Affair, the film that introduced the country to Andy Hardy, the popular all-American teenager. This beloved character appeared in nearly 20 films and helped make Rooney the top star at the box office in 1939, 1940 and 1941. Rooney also proved himself an excellent dramatic actor as a delinquent in Boys Town (1938) starring Spencer Tracy. In 1938, he was awarded a Juvenile Academy Award.
Teaming up with Judy Garland, Rooney also appeared in a string of musicals, including Babes in Arms (1939) the first teenager to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor in a leading role, Strike Up the Band (1940), Babes on Broadway (1941), and Girl Crazy (1943). He and Garland immediately became best of friends. "We weren't just a team, we were magic," Rooney once said. During that time he also appeared with Elizabeth Taylor in the now classic National Velvet (1944). Rooney joined the service that same year, where he helped to entertain the troops and worked on the American Armed Forces Network. He returned to Hollywood after 21 months in Love Laughs at Andy Hardy (1946), did a remake of a Robert Taylor film, The Crowd Roars (1932) called Killer McCoy (1947) and portrayed composer Lorenz Hart in Words and Music (1948). He also appeared in Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), starring Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard. Rooney played Hepburn's Japanese neighbor, Mr. Yunioshi. A sign of the times, Rooney played the part for comic relief which he later regretted feeling the role was offensive. He once again showed his incredible range in the dramatic role of a boxing trainer with Anthony Quinn and Jackie Gleason in Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962). In the late 1960s and 1970s Rooney showed audiences and critics alike why he was one of Hollywood's most enduring stars. He gave an impressive performance in Francis Ford Coppola's 1979 film The Black Stallion (1979), which brought him an Academy Award nomination as Best Actor in a Supporting Role. He also turned to the stage in 1979 in Sugar Babies with Ann Miller, and was nominated for a Tony Award. During that time he also portrayed the Wizard in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz with Eartha Kitt at New York's Madison Square Garden, which also had a successful run nationally.
Rooney appeared in four television series': The Mickey Rooney Show (1954) (1954-1955), a comedy sit-com in 1964 with Sammee Tong called Mickey, One of the Boys in 1982 with Dana Carvey and Nathan Lane, and The New Adventures of the Black Stallion (1990) from 1990-1993. In 1981, Rooney won an Emmy Award for his portrayal of a mentally challenged man in Bill (1981). The critical acclaim continued to flow for the veteran performer, with Rooney receiving an honorary Academy Award "in recognition of his 60 years of versatility in a variety of memorable film performances". More recently he has appeared in such films as Night at the Museum (2006) with Ben Stiller and The Muppets (2011) with Amy Adams and Jason Segel.
Rooney's personal life, including his frequent trips to the altar, has proved to be just as epic as his on-screen performances. His first wife was one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood, actress Ava Gardner. Mickey permanently separated from his eighth wife Jan in June of 2012. In 2011 Rooney filed elder abuse and fraud charges against stepson Christopher Aber and Aber's wife. At Rooney's request, the Superior Court issued a restraining order against the Aber's demanding they stay 100 yards from Rooney, as well as Mickey's other son Mark Rooney and Mark's wife Charlene. Just prior, Rooney mustered the strength to break his silence and appeared before the Senate in Washington D.C. telling of his own heartbreaking story of abuse in an effort to live a peaceful, full life and help others who may be similarly suffering in silence.
Rooney requested through the Superior Court to permanently reside with his son Mark Rooney, who is a musician and Marks wife Charlene, an artist, in the Hollywood Hills. He legally separated from his eighth wife in June of 2012. Ironically, after eight failed marriages he never looked or felt better and finally found happiness and peace in the single life. Mickey, Mark and Charlene focused on health, happiness and creative endeavors and it showed. Mickey Rooney had once again landed on his feet reminding us that he was a survivor. Rooney died on April 6th 2014. He was taking his afternoon nap and never woke. One week before his death Mark and Charlene surprised him by reunited him with a long lost love, the racetrack. He was ecstatic to be back after decades and ran into his old friends Mel Brooks and Dick Van Patten.- Actor
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Haley Joel Osment is an American actor who has proven himself as one of the best young actors of his generation. He is the first millennial male to have received an Academy Award nomination for acting.
Osment was born in Los Angeles, California, to Theresa (Seifert), a teacher, and actor Eugene Osment. His sister is actress Emily Osment. His ancestry includes Irish, along with German and English/Scottish. Haley began acting at the age of four, when he tried out for a Pizza Hut commercial in a shopping mall. The commercial launched his career, and he landed his first television role later that year. As a young child, his first film role was as Forrest Gump (1994)'s son, also named Forrest Gump, in the 1994 film of the same name as well as making a small appearance in Mixed Nuts (1994). He had roles in numerous TV series, including Thunder Alley (1994), The Jeff Foxworthy Show (1995), and, most notably, the final season of Murphy Brown (1988), in which he replaced Dyllan Christopher as Murphy's son Avery. Osment also made numerous guest appearances in various TV series, including The Larry Sanders Show (1992), Walker, Texas Ranger (1993) (as a child dying from AIDS), Touched by an Angel (1994), Chicago Hope (1994), The Pretender (1996), and as a child dying from leukemia in the emotional episode 'Angels and Blimps' (1999) of the series Ally McBeal (1997). Osment starred in Bogus (1996) with Whoopi Goldberg and Gérard Depardieu, and appeared in the 1998 made-for-TV movie The Lake (1998) with Yasmine Bleeth, as well as I'll Remember April (1999) with future The Sixth Sense (1999) co-star Trevor Morgan.
He first achieved stardom in 1999 when he appeared in the blockbuster The Sixth Sense (1999), co-starring Bruce Willis. For this role, Osment won the Saturn Award for best young actor. He was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, but lost to Michael Caine, with whom he would later star in Secondhand Lions (2003). Osment (voice) also made three minor guest appearances on Family Guy (1999) in 2000. One of Osment's lines in The Sixth Sense (1999), "I see dead people," is often repeated or parodied on television programs and in other media. The 2000 Academy Awards ceremony honored another of Osment's future co-stars, BestActor Kevin Spacey, who, along with Helen Hunt, appeared in Osment's next film, Pay It Forward (2000). The following year, Osment appeared in Steven Spielberg's A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001), cementing his stature as one of the leading young actors in Hollywood. This role earned him his second Saturn Award. Also in 2001, Osment starred in a Polish film, Edges of the Lord (2001), as Romek. The movie was never released theatrically in the United States. Osment has since provided voices for The Country Bears (2002) and The Jungle Book 2 (2003). More recently, Osment was the voice of Sora, the main protagonist of the Walt Disney Company and Square-Enix's Kingdom Hearts (2002) video-game series, which was extremely financially successful as well and generally well-received critically. He was also the voice of Takeshi Jinno in the "Time to Shine" episode of the IGPX: Immortal Grand Prix (2005) anime TV series.
Osment also worked in Home of the Giants (2007), playing a high school journalist opposite Ryan Merriman and Danielle Panabaker. He also played Helmuth Hübener in the film Truth & Treason (????). On July 20, 2006, Osment was injured in a one-car accident. His blood-alcohol content was measured at 0.16%, twice the legal limit in California. On August 18, he was charged with four misdemeanors, including driving under the influence of alcohol and possession of marijuana while driving. He pleaded no contest on October 19 and was sentenced to three years' probation, 60 hours in an alcohol-rehabilitation and education program, a fine of $1,500, and a minimum requirement of 26 Alcoholics Anonymous meetings over a six-month period.
In 2006, Osment took a hiatus from Hollywood and studied acting at the Experimental Theatre Wing at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, graduating with Honors and a Bachelor's Degree of Fine Arts in 2011. He also appeared on Broadway in a 2008 production of David Mamet's American Buffalo, and in John Logan's Red at the Philadelphia Theater Company in 2011.
Osment returned to the screen in 2012 with I'll Follow You Down (2013), co-starring with Gillian Anderson, Rufus Sewell, and Victor Garber, Sassy Pants (2012) with Anna Gunn and Diedrich Bader, then appeared in two seasons of Amazon Studios' comedy series Alpha House (2013), written by Pulitzer Prize winner Garry Trudeau and starring John Goodman. His many additional credits include Comedy Bang! Bang!, Kevin Smith's horror comedies Tusk (2014) and Yoga Hosers (2016), Entourage (2015) (Warner Bros.' silver screen extension of the award-winning HBO dramedy), the award-winning independent comedy Sex Ed (2014), the hit FX series What We Do in the Shadows (2019), the Hulu science fiction comedy Future Man (2017), and the true crime thriller and 2019 Sundance Film Festival Selection Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019) starring Zac Efron as Ted Bundy, and featuring Lily Collins, Kaya Scodelario, Jim Parsons, and John Malkovich.- Actress
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Tiffani Amber Thiessen was born on January 23, 1974 in Long Beach, California to Robyn Ernest, a homemaker & Frank Thiessen, a park designer. She grew up in Long Beach with her parents and her brothers, professional cyclist Todd (born August 1, 1968) and Schyler (born May 10, 1977). When Tiffani was 8, her uncle, Roger Ernest, suggested that she try acting and modeling. Soon afterward, she appeared in her first TV commercial, for Peaches and Cream Barbie. From there she started competing in several beauty pageants and, in 1987, she won the Miss Junior America pageant.
She got her big break when she was cast as the popular cheerleader Kelly Kapowski on the NBC series Saved by the Bell (1989), which lasted for five years. But this was not at all the end of her career. Coinciding with the cancellation of the short-lived Saved by the Bell: The College Years (1993), she was cast as the bitchy, conniving vixen Valerie Malone on Aaron Spelling's long-running hit series Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990). Here, she played the constant enemy of Kelly Taylor, played by Jennie Garth, although in real life, the two are actually best friends. Tiffani also lived with co-star Brian Austin Green for several years. She stayed with the show until 1998 and then left to pursue her movie career. The result was two independent movies, followed by two comedies and then Hollywood Ending (2002), in which she starred alongside Woody Allen.
She met actor Richard Ruccolo while guest starring as Marti in the hit sitcom Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place (1998) where in 2001, the couple became engaged. During the fall of 2002, she co-starred with best friend Jennie's husband, Peter Facinelli, and Bill Bellamy on Fox's action/drama series, Fastlane (2002), where she starred as Billie Chambers, but the show was canceled after one season. In 2003, Tiffani broke off her engagement to Richard Ruccolo and in 2005, she married actor Brady Smith. The couple have two children, a daughter, Harper Smith (Harper Renn Smith) and a son, Holt Fisher Smith.- Actor
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David Cassidy was born on April 12, 1950 in Manhattan, to Jack Cassidy, a very skilled actor and singer, and Evelyn Ward, an actress. By the time he was five, his parents were divorced and Jack had married actress Shirley Jones, an actress who in 1955 had just made Oklahoma! (1955). When David was about 10, his mother moved to California from New Jersey. A few years later, she married a director and, like Jack Cassidy and Shirley Jones, the marriage ended in divorce. David was thrown out of schools and hardly made it through one year of college. When he was eighteen, he went east to New York to perform in a play called "The Fig Leafs are Falling." He did some other spots on TV, but in 1970 he got the opportunity to play Keith Partridge on the TV show The Partridge Family (1970). (He did not know until he got the part that his real life stepmother Shirley Jones was to play his mother Shirley.) The show ended in 1974, but not the close relationship he had with his "sister" Susan Dey, who played Laurie Partridge. In 1976, David's father Jack died when his apartment caught on fire. That year, David married Kay Lenz, but they later divorced. He married again to a horse trainer in 1984, but it did not last either. In 1990, he married Sue Shifrin. He had two children, a son named Beau, with Sue, and actress Katie Cassidy. In 1994, he wrote a book about his years being Keith Partridge, and performed updated songs from the Partridge Family years.
David died on November 21, 2017, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He was sixty seven.- Actor
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Oscar-winning character actor Martin Landau was born on June 20, 1928, in Brooklyn, New York. At age 17, he was hired by the New York Daily News to work in the promotions department before he became a staff cartoonist and illustrator. In his five years on the paper, he served as the illustrator for Billy Rose's "Pitching Horseshoes" column. He also worked for cartoonist Gus Edson on "The Gumps" comic strip. Landau's major ambition was to act and, in 1951, he made his stage debut in "Detective Story" at the Peaks Island Playhouse in Peaks Island, Maine. He made his off-Broadway debut that year in "First Love".
Landau was one of 2,000 applicants who auditioned for Lee Strasberg's Actors Studio in 1955; only he and Steve McQueen were accepted. Landau was a friend of James Dean and McQueen, in a conversation with Landau, mentioned that he knew Dean and had met Landau. When Landau asked where they had met, McQueen informed him he had seen Landau riding on the back of Dean's motorcycle into the New York City garage where he worked as a mechanic.
Landau acted during the mid-1950s in the television anthologies Playhouse 90 (1956), Studio One (1948), The Philco Television Playhouse (1948), Kraft Theatre (1947), Goodyear Playhouse (1951), and Omnibus (1952). He began making a name for himself after replacing star Franchot Tone in the 1956 off-Broadway revival of Anton Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya," a famous production that helped put off-Broadway on the New York theatrical map.
In 1957, he made a well-received Broadway debut in the play "Middle of the Night." As part of the touring company with star Edward G. Robinson, he made it to the West Coast. He made his movie debut in Pork Chop Hill (1959), but scored on film as the heavy in Alfred Hitchcock's classic thriller North by Northwest (1959), in which he was shot on top of Mount Rushmore while sadistically stepping on the fingers of Cary Grant, who was holding on for dear life to the cliff face. He also appeared in the blockbuster Cleopatra (1963), the most expensive film ever made up to that time, which nearly scuttled 20th Century-Fox and engendered one of the great public scandals, the Elizabeth Taylor-Richard Burton love affair that overshadowed the film itself. Despite the difficulties with the film, Landau's memorable portrayal in the key role of Rufio was highly favored by the audience and instantly catapulted his popularity.
In 1963, Landau played memorable roles in two episodes of the science-fiction anthology series The Outer Limits (1963), The Bellero Shield (1964), and The Man Who Was Never Born (1963). He was Gene Roddenberry's first choice to play Mr. Spock on Star Trek (1966), but the role went to Leonard Nimoy, who later replaced Landau on Mission: Impossible (1966), the show that really made Landau famous. Landau originally was not meant to be a regular on the series, which co-starred his wife Barbara Bain, whom he had married in 1957. His character, Rollin Hand, was supposed to make occasional, recurring appearances, on Mission: Impossible (1966), but when the producers had problems with star Steven Hill, Landau was used to take up the slack. Landau's characterization was so well-received and so popular with the audience, he was made a regular. Landau received Emmy nominations as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for each of the three seasons he appeared. In 1968, he won the Golden Globe award as Best Male TV Star.
Eventually, he quit the series in 1969 after a salary dispute when the new star, Peter Graves, was given a contract that paid him more than Landau, whose own contract stated he would have parity with any other actor on the show who made more than he did. The producers refused to budge and he and Bain, who had become the first actress in the history of television to be awarded three consecutive Emmy Awards (1967-69) while on the show, left the series, ostensibly to pursue careers in the movies. The move actually held back their careers, and Mission: Impossible (1966) went on for another four years with other actors.
Landau appeared in support of Sidney Poitier in They Call Me Mister Tibbs! (1970), the less-successful sequel to the Oscar-winning In the Heat of the Night (1967), but it did not generate more work of a similar caliber. He starred in the television movie Welcome Home, Johnny Bristol (1972) on CBS, playing a prisoner of war returning to the United States from Vietnam. The following year, he shot a pilot for NBC for a proposed show, "Savage." Though it was directed by emerging wunderkind Steven Spielberg, NBC did not pick up the show. Needing work, Landau and Bain moved to England to play the leading roles in the syndicated science-fiction series Space: 1999 (1975).
Landau's and Bain's careers stalled after Space: 1999 (1975) went out of production, and they were reduced to taking parts in the television movie The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island (1981). It was the nadir of both their careers, and Bain's acting days and their marriage were soon over. Landau, one of the most talented character actors in Hollywood, and one not without recognition, had bottomed out career-wise. In 1983, he was stuck in low-budget sci-fi and horror movies such as The Being (1981), a role far beneath his talent.
His career renaissance got off to a slow start with a recurring role in the NBC sitcom Buffalo Bill (1983), starring Dabney Coleman. On Broadway, he took over the title role in the revival of "Dracula" and went on the road with the national touring company. Finally, his career renaissance began to gather momentum when Francis Ford Coppola cast him in a critical supporting role in his Tucker: The Man and His Dream (1988), for which Landau was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Supporting Actor. He won his second Golden Globe for the role. The next year, he received his second consecutive Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for his superb turn as the adulterous husband in Woody Allen's Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989). He followed this up by playing famed Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal in the TNT movie Max and Helen (1990). However, the summit of his post-Mission: Impossible (1966) career was about to be scaled. He portrayed Bela Lugosi in Tim Burton's biopic Ed Wood (1994) and won glowing reviews. For his performance, he won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Martin Landau, the superb character actor, finally had been recognized with his profession's ultimate award. His performance, which also won him his third Golden Globe, garnered numerous awards in addition to the Oscar and Golden Globe, including top honors from the New York Film Critics Circle and the National Society of Film Critics. Landau continued to play a wide variety of roles in motion pictures and on television, turning in a superb performance in a supporting role in The Majestic (2001). He received his fourth Emmy nomination in 2004 as Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for Without a Trace (2002).
Martin Landau was honored with his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard.
Martin Landau died in Los Angeles, California on July 15, 2017.- Actor
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Tom Arnold was born in Ottumwa, Iowa, to Linda (Graham) and Jack Arnold. After his parents divorced, he was raised by his father. In 1983, he got his first taste of stand-up comedy when he performed at open microphone nights at the University of Iowa. Tom's comedy career had its ups and downs over the next several years until 1988, when he entered the Minneapolis Comedy Competition and won first place. With this victory in hand, he decided to move to Los Angeles to pursue a stand-up comedy career. Once he hit Los Angeles, things happened fast. That same year, he was hired as a staff writer for Roseanne Barr's TV sitcom Roseanne (1988) and began to appear regularly on the show as "Arnie Thomas". He and Roseanne Barr were married in 1990, with Arnold converting to Judaism prior to the marriage. They formed Rapello County Productions to develop projects for themselves.
The couple's marriage, together with their sometimes outrageous behavior, attracted media attention - and especially that of the tabloids - like a magnet. In 1994 conditions between the two deteriorated and they went through a very public, and acrimonious, divorce. Tom has been married twice since then and is the co-host of Fox Sports Net's talk show The Best Damn Sports Show Period (2001). He also does voiceover work, and provides the voice for the "Oven Mitt" character in the TV commercials for the Arby's restaurant chain.- Actor
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Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Before pursuing a television career Dennis has worked as a music manager, agent and concert promoter. Among his customers were Tom Jones and Gregg Allman. He wrote a guide for actors called "Rating the Agents". On screen he had guest roles in series like The Twilight Zone (1985) or Magnum, P.I. (1980) and many more. His longest lasting employment is as principal "Mr. Belding" for the teen show Good Morning, Miss Bliss (1987), and its derivations.- Writer
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Dennis Miller was born on 3 November 1953 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. He is a writer and producer, known for The Net (1995), Joe Dirt (2001) and Murder at 1600 (1997). He has been married to Ali Espley since 10 April 1988. They have two children.- Producer
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Holden Miller was born in 1990. He is a producer and writer, known for Night Sky (2022), RSVP (2024) and Eavesdropping (2019).- Actress
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Whoopi Goldberg was born Caryn Elaine Johnson in the Chelsea section of Manhattan on November 13, 1955. Her mother, Emma (Harris), was a teacher and a nurse, and her father, Robert James Johnson, Jr., was a clergyman. Whoopi's recent ancestors were from Georgia, Florida, and Virginia. She worked in a funeral parlor and as a bricklayer while taking small parts on Broadway. She moved to California and worked with improv groups, including Spontaneous Combustion, and developed her skills as a stand-up comedienne. Goldberg came to prominence doing an HBO special and a one-woman show as Moms Mabley. She has been known in her prosperous career as a unique and socially conscious talent with articulately liberal views. Among her boyfriends were Ted Danson and Frank Langella. Goldberg was married three times and was once addicted to drugs.
Goldberg had her first big film starring role in The Color Purple (1985). She received much critical acclaim, and an Oscar nomination for her role and became a major star as a result. Subsequent efforts in the late 1980s were, at best, marginal hits. These movies mostly were off-beat to formulaic comedies like Burglar (1987), The Telephone (1988) and Jumpin' Jack Flash (1986). She made her mark as a household name and a mainstay in Hollywood for her Oscar-winning role in the box office smash Ghost (1990). Whoopi Goldberg was at her most famous in the early 1990s, making regular appearances on Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987). She admitted to being a huge fan of the original Star Trek (1966) series and jumped at the opportunity to star in "Star Trek: The Next Generation".
Goldberg received another smash hit role in Sister Act (1992). Her fish-out-of-water with some flash seemed to resonate with audiences and it was a box office smash. Whoopi starred in some highly publicized and moderately successful comedies of this time, including Made in America (1993) and Soapdish (1991). Goldberg followed up to her success with Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993), which was well-received but did not seem to match up to the first.
As the late 1990s approached, Goldberg seemed to alternate between lead roles in straight comedies such as Eddie (1996) and The Associate (1996), and took supporting parts in more independent minded movies, such as The Deep End of the Ocean (1999) and How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998). Goldberg never forgot where she came from, hosting many tributes to other legendary entertainment figures. Her most recent movies include Rat Race (2001) and the quietly received Kingdom Come (2001). Goldberg contributes her voice to many cartoons, including The Pagemaster (1994) and Captain Planet and the Planeteers (1990), as Gaia, the voice of the earth. Alternating between big-budget movies, independent movies, tributes, documentaries, and even television movies (including Theodore Rex (1995)).
Whoopi is accredited as a truly unique and visible talent in Hollywood. Perhaps she will always be remembered as well for Comic Relief, playing an integral part in almost every benefit concert they had. Whoopi is also the center square in Hollywood Squares (1998), sometimes hosts the Academy Awards, and is an author, with the book "Book."- Actor
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Timothy Allen Dick was born on June 13, 1953, in Denver, Colorado, to Martha Katherine (Fox) and Gerald M. Dick. His father, a real estate salesman, was killed in a collision with a drunk driver while driving his family home from a University of Colorado football game, when Tim was eleven years old. His mother, a community service worker, remarried her high school sweetheart, an Episcopalian deacon, two years after Tim's father's death. He was raised with his many siblings and step-siblings. When Tim was young, his family moved to Birmingham, Michigan.
In high school, his favorite subject was shop, of course, and after high school, he attended Western Michigan University and graduated with a degree in Television Production in 1975. In 1978, he was arrested on drug charges and spent two years in jail. Upon his release, he had a new outlook on life and on a dare from a friend, started his comedy career at the Comedy Castle in Detroit. Later, he went on to do several cable specials, including, Comedy's Dirtiest Dozen (1988) and Tim Allen: Men Are Pigs (1990). In 1991, he became the star of his own hit television series on ABC called Home Improvement (1991). While continuing to film his television series throughout most of the 1990s, he starred in a string of blockbuster movies, including The Santa Clause (1994), Toy Story (1995), Toy Story 2 (1999) and Galaxy Quest (1999). In August 1996, he developed and unveiled his own signature line of power tools, manufactured by Ryobi. On top of all that, he has his own racing team, Tim Allen/Saleen RRRRacing. In May 1999, he ended his series Home Improvement (1991) after eight seasons and in 2001, he filmed such movies as Big Trouble (2002) and Joe Somebody (2001).- Ali Espley has been married to Dennis Miller since 10 April 1988. They have two children.
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Sidney Poitier was a native of Cat Island, Bahamas, although born, two months prematurely, in Miami during a visit by his parents, Evelyn (Outten) and Reginald James Poitier. He grew up in poverty as the son of farmers, with his father also driving a cab in Nassau. Sidney had little formal education and at the age of 15 was sent to Miami to live with his brother, in order to forestall a growing tendency toward delinquency. In the U.S., he experienced the racial chasm that divides the country, a great shock to a boy coming from a society with a majority of African descent.
At 18, he went to New York, did menial jobs and slept in a bus terminal toilet. A brief stint in the Army as a worker at a veterans' hospital was followed by more menial jobs in Harlem. An impulsive audition at the American Negro Theatre was rejected so forcefully that Poitier dedicated the next six months to overcoming his accent and improving his performing skills. On his second try, he was accepted. Spotted in rehearsal by a casting agent, he won a bit part in the Broadway production of "Lysistrata", for which he earned good reviews. By the end of 1949, he was having to choose between leading roles on stage and an offer to work for Darryl F. Zanuck in the film No Way Out (1950). His performance as a doctor treating a white bigot got him plenty of notice and led to more roles. Nevertheless, the roles were still less interesting and prominent than those white actors routinely obtained. But seven years later, after turning down several projects he considered demeaning, Poitier got a number of roles that catapulted him into a category rarely if ever achieved by an African-American man of that time, that of leading man. One of these films, The Defiant Ones (1958), earned Poitier his first Academy Award nomination as Best Actor. Five years later, he won the Oscar for Lilies of the Field (1963), the first African American to win for a leading role.
He remained active on stage and screen as well as in the burgeoning Civil Rights movement. His roles in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967) and To Sir, with Love (1967) were landmarks in helping to break down some social barriers between blacks and whites. Poitier's talent, conscience, integrity, and inherent likability placed him on equal footing with the white stars of the day. He took on directing and producing chores in the 1970s, achieving success in both arenas.- Writer
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Francine Joy "Fran" Drescher was born on September 30, 1957 in Queens, New York City, New York to Sylvia Drescher, a bridal consultant & Mort Drescher, a naval systems analyst. Fran attended Hillcrest High School in New York with another now-famous name, Ray Romano. She was a studious girl and was quite popular. In fact, at age fifteen, she'd met the man she thought she'd spend the rest of her life with. That man was Peter Marc Jacobson. Her first break was in the unforgettable movie, Saturday Night Fever (1977) with John Travolta. She continued to play small roles in movies, until she came up with the idea for The Nanny (1993). She was visiting a friend in England and came up with the plot line. The Nanny (1993) became an instant success, and so did Fran. Since then, she has been in films such as The Beautician and the Beast (1997) (which she also produced) and Picking Up the Pieces (2000) co-starring Woody Allen. Fran has since divorced her husband Jacobson. She is a cancer survivor and an inspiration to women everywhere.- Actress
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The third of four children born to Anthony Alt and Muriel Alt, Carol Alt was raised in East Williston, NY. She began her modeling career after she was spotted waiting tables during her freshman year at Hofstra University, which she attended on an ROTC scholarship. She dropped out of school to move to Manhattan, where she became one of the top models of the 1980s. When her modeling career ended after eight years, she turned to acting, and has appeared in more than 45 European films. She starred as "Karen Oldham" on the TV series, Amazon (1999).- Producer
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Tyra Banks was born on 4 December 1973 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She is a producer and writer, known for Coyote Ugly (2000), Tropic Thunder (2008) and America's Next Top Model (2003).- Producer
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Drew Carey was born on 23 May 1958 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. He is a producer and actor, known for The Drew Carey Show (1995), Robots (2005) and Jack and Jill (2011).- Actress
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Marina Anderson is a noted actress, voice-over artist, writer, producer, makeup artist, acting coach, personal manager and career consultant. Marina has ventured in practically every facet of the entertainment industry in front of and behind the camera.
She was singly responsible via her efforts as personal manager and publicist, for resurrecting the career of actor David Carradine (her now, ex-husband), which culminated with his being cast in Quentin Tarantino's film Kill Bill. It was Marina who befriended and introduced Tarantino to Carradine, which ultimately led to his being cast in the film. During their six years together, her life and career with Carradine has been highly publicized worldwide. It was publicly acknowledged that Marina was the sole motivating factor of his sobriety after many years of alcohol abuse (E! True Hollywood Stories and E! Hollywood Wives Tales). Marina combined her skills to rebuild his career as well as pursuing her own. All is recounted in her memoir, David Carradine, The Eye Of My Tornado, which is being developed as a film. Originally published 2010, the book takes readers through Anderson's very private journey and beyond her publicized marriage and divorce to Carradine. Endorsed by Dr. Drew Pinsky, a new, updated version is selling worldwide.
During this time and throughout her career, Marina has been cast in unique and diverse starring, recurring, and supporting roles in many independent feature films. Her talents as a skilled, versatile character actress were showcased in many comedic and dramatic films and television shows where she displayed chameleon like qualities in roles from murderers to moms, attorneys to bimbos. She has achieved notoriety and recognition in her own right within the indie movie circuit as well as prime-time mainstream distribution. Her talents have lent themselves to hosting, reporting and other journalistic ventures as well.
Marina was voted YouTube's #1 TV Executive from the four-million viewership web series Pure Pwnage, and co-lead in Sophie Chase, (which was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award -- the first in the history of the TV Academy) Outstanding Achievement In Video Content For Non-Traditional Delivery Platforms (New Media - iPod, Broadband), Canada's four Genie Award (Canada's Oscars) winning film (including Best Picture and director) 32 Short Films About Glenn Gould, directed by Francois Girard and co-lead in The Motion Picture Academy Award and The Carl E. David Award winning film short Legacy.
She has also been cast as the co-lead in an episode of Unsolved for NBC Universal as well as appearances on: Bones (opposite Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz), The Mentalist (opposite Robin Tunney), Dexter (opposite Jennifer Carpenter), Law & Order LA, Desperate Housewives, supporting and guest star roles: Sex & Mrs. X (for Hearst/Lifetime opposite Linda Hamilton), Forever Knight, Dracula: The Series, and recurring guest on Kung Fu: The Legend Continues (opposite David Carradine), Largo Winch, and CBC's highly rated series Scales of Justice.
Many other television appearances include: Seinfeld, Big Time Rush, Jane By Design, Parenthood, Ghost Whisperer, Side Order of Life (Becca's mom), 12 Miles of Bad Road, and Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip and many national on camera and voice-over commercials including Federal Express, Pillsbury crescent rolls, Jell-O pudding, Home Depot, Safeway markets, Thicker Fuller Hair, Pacific Horizon furniture and Alburtus Magnus College.
Film credits include starring and supporting roles: Natural Selection (stars Breaking Bad's Uncle Jack - Michael Bowen), co lead role in Dangerous Curves (opposite David and Robert Carradine), Macon County Jail (opposite Ally Sheedy), Licensed To Wed, Wild Hogs, Rendition, Kiss Of A Stranger (opposite Mariel Hemmingway), My Little Hollywood (Sylvester and Frank Stallone, Dennis Hopper), Naked Movie (Christian Slater, Tori Spelling), Shepherd (opposite Roddy Piper), co-lead in The Donor/La Donneuse, American Reel, three films for famed director Walter Hill, AOF award winning film, The Red Maple Leaf (stars Michael Pare, Kris Kristofferson, Mia Sorvino, James Caan and a long list of other luminaries).
To add to her schedule, Marina has her own jewelry line -- The Flying Goddess(TM) which has been covered in the media and is in the possession of celebrities such as: Shirley MacLaine, Fran Drescher, Dr. Maya Angelou, Jillie Mack (Mrs. Tom Selleck) and Jan (Mrs. Mickey) Rooney. She is also a columnist for Headlines & Global News (HNGN) and freelance writer for other publications.
2012, Marina opened her own publicity company, The Media Hound PR specializing in the entertainment industry, publishing, book launch campaigns and various events (for celebs such as Dick Van Dyke and Gary U.S. Bonds) and branding (Morgan Brown Designs). Clients have included actor-environmentalists Ed Begley Jr, and Rachelle Carson-Begley, actor-author Robby Benson, music icons Alan Parsons, Scott Harris (Building Construction Group), Blanche Garcia (expert Interior designer/consultant Travel Channel), Cari Cucksey (star of Cash & Cari HGTV), Mark Breslin (owner/founder Yuk Yuks Canada), Malibu Playhouse, just to name a few.
Marina is also developing film, TV, reality projects, paints, sculpts, enjoys playing guitar, singing, dancing, horseback riding, jet skiing, golf and bowling! Previous owner of Lulu The Collie (who was Lassie IX's sister and a Ralph Lauren Model) and three cats, Marina actively supports animal and children's rights groups (American Oceans, World Wildlife Foundation, PETA. MADD, ASPCA, Children Uniting Nations, LA Family Housing, to name a few). She is also writing a series of inspirational children's books.
Marina began her acting and modeling career in the San Fernando Valley at age 13, appearing in various commercials and television shows. An Art major at Ulysses S. Grant High School, she later attended Los Angeles Valley College where she became their first female DJ (KLAV). After attaining her Associate Arts degree in Theatre/Cinema, Coco received the ASO scholarship, which allowed her to pursue Journalism and Broadcasting at California State University Northridge and UCLA. Originally trained in theatre, Marina has performed leads in over twenty productions and touring companies including Taming Of The Shrew, Twelfth Night, Butterflies Are Free, My Fair Lady and Company. Marina has also hosted her own roving reporter on-the-town interview show for WCCO radio Minneapolis.
As an artist, she sold her Grandma Moses style primitive paintings (as Nina Penn) to various galleries in Southern California and also ran her own basket decorating company (The Basket Lady), which sold worldwide high-end, one-of-a-kind creations she crafted herself, to famous Hollywood clientele.
Entertainment runs in Marina's family. Her mother (Mariana Dottore, the Sicilian side) was a contract singer for Warner Bros. in the 40's, also Pasadena Civic Light Opera as well as appearing in various noted nightclubs. She is related to famed Cardinal d'Este (Villa d'Este in Italy) and Lucrezia Borgia. Coco's father (Joseph Benjamin, Lithuanian descent) was a professional musician, inventor, aerospace engineer and Imagineer for EPCOT/Disney. Her father's uncle was film and TV producer, Harry Joe Brown (Randolph Scott westerns, classic films such as Cpt. Blood starring Errol Flynn). Via Brown, Marina is related to acclaimed actor Peter O'Toole and Academy Award winning lyricist, Ray Evans (Mona Lisa, Que Sera Sera, Silver Bells, Mr. Ed and Bonanza themes). Marina has one older brother, Daniel who is also a professional musician as well as a computer programmer and analyst. He is happily married to Maggie Lew (Benjamin), a real estate investor born in Hong Kong).
In 1990, Marina returned to acting and moved to Toronto, Canada, wrote and developed comedy projects as well as guest starred in many Canadian-American TV and film projects (as Marina Anderson). It was there in Toronto, where Marina had recurring guest star roles on the show Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, where she met Carradine (1992). They did not start their relationship until 1995.
On February 20, 1998, Marina and David were married in a highly publicized ceremony on Laramie Street of the Warner Bros. Studio's Western street back lot where they first met in the 70s. David was filming the original series Kung Fu and Marina was taking acting classes located on the lot. Marina divorced David December 12, 2001 and changed her name to Coco d'Este for a time.
Marina enjoys working on the other side of the camera "at practically every studio in town in just about every capacity from production assistant to Executive Assistant of company's CEO's to producing". Marina co-owned American Biograph Productions, where she held the position VP of Publicity and was the youngest producer at that time to join the Academy of TV Arts and Sciences. The company produced commercials and live-action promotions for record companies such as Motown and Warner Bros.
Freelancing in other areas over the years, Marina has held the positions of: Script Analyst for ShowTime/Viacom, makeup artist (specializing in glamour makeovers, personal makeup artist to Yoko Ono), Director of Publicity for various companies, and freelance journalist and screenwriter. She has worked as Director of Publicity for various companies and publications and as a modeling, makeup and acting teacher (John Casablancas/Elite, John Robert Powers, Sutherland Models (Canada), Film Actors Lab, and others).
Appearances (as herself) include: Marilu Henner, Larry King (subbing host Joy Behar) Inside Edition, Insider, Access Hollywood, Entertainment Tonight, AM LA Hard Copy, Celebrity Justice, CNN, Radaronline.com, various news networks and Internet worldwide, Date My House, No Love In LA (Documentary), Your SCV TV, Global Village Television.com, Home Shopping Petwork (HSP), LA San Fernando Valley International Film Festival Gala Awards Presenter, Paris Hilton Documentary Warner Bros., Howard Stern, E! Hollywood Wives Tales, E! True Hollywood Story, E! Fashion Emergency, Q Television Brunch, Music +, 2001 Oscars pre show, Celebrity Justice, Crossing Over With John Edward, Home and Family Show (2), DogCatRadio.com, First Miss Dog Beauty Pageant, Telegado Awards, Woof! Woof! Mathew Margolis' Guide to Dog Training, American Oceans Celebrity Sports Invitational (jet ski competition), Dream Foundation Celebrity Sports Invitational (jet ski competition), Night of 101 Stars Academy Awards, Hollywood Santa Clause Lane Parade Starring (6 productions) KLAV Los Angeles DJ/radio talk show, WCCO radio (Twin Cities/MN) Roving Reporter/LA Laison, SUN TV - Host/roving reporter, Balance Bracelets infomercial, SCVTV The Beauty Spot (her own show).- Composer
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Sue Shifrin was born on 16 April 1949 in Miami, Florida, USA. She is a composer and actress, known for Superman (1978), Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989) and The Pirate Movie (1982).- Actor
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Dennis Franz was born Dennis Franz Schlacta in Maywood, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, and is the son of Eleanor (Mueller) and Franz Ferdinand Schlachta, who were postal workers. He has two sisters, Marlene (born 1938) and Heidi (born 1935). He graduated from Southern Illinois University and was immediately drafted into the military. He served eleven months in Vietnam in a reconnaissance unit, and after his service he suffered depression for some time afterwards. In 1972 he joined the Organic Theatre Company. Robert Altman discovered him at an auditions and urged him to go to Los Angeles, where he became part of Altman's resident company. He met Joanie Zeck on April Fool's Day 1982 and aided her in raising her two daughters, Krista (born 1976) and Tricia (born 1974). They married thirteen years later in Carmel, California.- Actor
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Elliott Gould is an American actor known for his roles in M*A*S*H (1970), his Oscar-nominated performance in Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969), and more recently, his portrayal of old-time con artist Reuben Tishkoff in Ocean's Eleven (2001), Ocean's Twelve (2004) and Ocean's Thirteen (2007). Gould was born Elliott Goldstein on August 29, 1938 in Brooklyn, NY, to Lucille (Raver), who sold artificial flowers, and Bernard Goldstein, a textiles buyer in the garment industry. His family were Jewish immigrants (from Romania, Belarus, and Russia).
Gould's portrayal of Trapper John in Robert Altman's M*A*S*H (1970) marked the beginning of perhaps the most prolific period of his career, highlighted by such roles as Philip Marlowe in Altman's The Long Goodbye (1973) and Robert Caulfield in Capricorn One (1977).
On television Gould has the distinction of having hosted Saturday Night Live (1975) six times and helmed E/R (1984), a situation comedy set in Chicago about a divorced physician working in an emergency room, which aired for one season. He also co-starred in the series Nothing Is Easy (1986) about a couple raising an adopted Chinese boy.
Gould appeared regularly on television and in film throughout the 1980s and the 1990s, including cameos in The Muppet Movie (1979) and The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984). His most prominent recent television role was a recurring part on Friends (1994), on which he played Monica and Ross Geller's father Jack. More recently he voiced the character of Mr. Stoppable on the Disney Channel animated series Kim Possible (2002). In film Gould received critical acclaim for his portrayal of an older mobster in Warren Beatty's Bugsy (1991), and make a noteworthy appearance in American History X (1998). His next major TV role will be in Showtime's drama Ray Donovan (2013) starring Liev Schreiber.
Gould has been married three times, twice to Jennifer Bogart, and once to Barbra Streisand. He has three children.