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1-19 of 19
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Nellie Hill was a popular nightclub singer, recording vocalist, and actress in the Black Cinema genre and one of the early black beauties in the legendary soundies, which were the first music video displaying the top black talent and beauties of the day. Nellie's beauty, charm, grace, and sex appeal got her discovered by Fritz Pollard who noticed her walking down the street and offered her a chance in soundies. Nellie appeared in soundies with The Mills Brothers, The Three Peppers, Una Mae Carlisle, and Apus and Estrelita, where her beauty, charm, and charisma gained her many close-ups. One of her most popular soundies was "Ain't She Pretty" where she was the pretty girl sung about, strutting and flaunting her beauty. From the exposures Nellie received in the soundies, Nellie went on to star in two films, "Murder with Music" and "Killer Diller" where Nellie played Lola, a seductive, manipulative, seductress, whom men can't resist and whom she lead to ruin with her womanly wiles. From there, Nellie became a star and started her illustrious career, she first traveled the world entertaining the troops, singing and showcasing her sexy image that helped the boys forget there was a war. Nellie recorded hit songs like "Don't Worry Me No More" and appeared in Broadway production "Inside U.S.A" with Jack Haley and Beatrice Lillie.
By the 1950's, Nellie became a full-fledged star, which earned her an appearance on the front cover of Jet magazine with article and in the Downbeat magazine. Nellie went on to perform in popular nightclubs all over the world, such as the legendary Baby Grand in New York with comic legend Nipsey Russell, performing in Washington, D.C. with The Three Stooges, singed with Willie Bryant Band at the Howard Theater and with The Larry Steel revue in Atlantic City. Nellie performed in Las Vegas, clubs such as Kelly Stables, The Ies Ambassadeurs in Paris, France, The El Sino, the legendary Flame Show Bar and The Twenty Grand in Detroit, and The Parker Stage Door. She also performed in popular Canada nightclubs like The Elmwood Casino, The Elbow Room, and The Top Hat. Nellie's dazzling beauty, sex appeal, glamour, delightful screen and stage presence, and scintillating singing voice made her a favorite and most see in her day. She was considered "a girl singer for men only, who sell sex in songs."
Nellie Hill is a pioneer who helped opened the doors for women of color in show business and she set the standard of a sexy songstress who could bring men to their feet. Nellie Hill is now in her 90's, still going strong, still beautiful, and still stealing hearts with her charm.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Special Effects
Michael Earl has been secretly entertaining millions of people for 30 years. A four-time Emmy Award-winner and Jim Henson Protege, Michael performed the original "Shrek" character in a motion-capture development test film for DreamWorks, and puppeteered lead characters in Paramount Pictures' "Team America" - the all-marionette feature written and directed by Trey Parker and Matt Stone of South Park. He is the co-creator, writer, lyricist and puppet star of PBS' "Ticktock Minutes" - winner of 12 Emmys, two Parents' Choice Awards and numerous other honors.
Earl began his professional career at age five acting in a Curad Bandaid TV commercial. Two years later he was tapped to be the original "Is It Soup Yet?" kid for Lipton. The spot ran for three years, the first in a series of wildly popular commercials that over the next decade became one of the most successful ad campaigns in history. Michael's other childhood interests included music and magic, but his passion for puppetry is what propelled him toward his emerging goals.
At 18, Michael moved from his hometown of Livermore, California to New York City where he quickly landed a job working for world-renowned puppetry pioneer Bil Baird, creator of the marionettes for the movie "The Sound of Music." At 19, Michael won the role of Mr. Snuffle-upagus on "Sesame Street" (replacing Jerry Nelson, the originator, 1978-81, Seasons 10, 11 & 12) also creating the roles of Forgetful Jones and many others. Oscar the Grouch's pet worm Slimey, Poco Loco, Polly Darton and the Honkers are among his dozens of Muppet characters still seen and enjoyed by millions of children daily. His other Muppet credits include "The Muppet Movie," "The Muppets Take Manhattan," "John Denver & The Muppets," "Little Muppet Monsters," "The Jim Henson Hour," "The 30th Anniversary Muppet Special," "Sesame Street's 20th Anniversary Special" and "Dinosaurs." He also appeared (as a puppet Alien) opposite Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones in "Men In Black II."
A New York-trained actor/singer/dancer, he has appeared in and/or sung on numerous television commercials (M&M's, Pepsi, Crest, Kit Kat, Planter's, Fandango, etc...), movies, stage and TV shows. He has acted with Whoopi Goldberg, danced with Gregory Hines and clowned with Victor Borge. For the Broadway stage, Michael created the role of Noel Petard in Sid & Marty Krofft's critically acclaimed "A Broadway Baby." His other stage work includes Audrey II in "Little Shop of Horrors" ("You'll marvel at Earl's skill!" - LA Times) and his 1998 biographical musical one-man show "Pure Imagination!," which he wrote and performed in Los Angeles and New York to much acclaim.
Michael is a seven-time Emmy nominee and in 1995, won his first Emmy Award for his performance as Dr. Ticktock in "Ticktock Minutes," produced by Mississippi Educational Television. In subsequent years he was awarded three more Southern Regional Emmys for his lyric writing (in collaboration with composer Randy Klein) on the PBS interstitials, which are currently distributed on CD and DVD by BMG Music.
Earl has mentored and/or coached many of today's most successful TV and film puppeteers. He has served as a puppetry consultant to such entertainment companies as MCA/Universal, Warner Bros. and Disney, working one-on-one with the Vice President of Disneyland Entertainment to conceive, develop and write puppet- and non-puppet live events. He has toured the U.S. giving concerts for children and their families, combining his talents as a singer, songwriter and puppeteer.
In 1997 he created, wrote, co-produced and performed five educational puppet videos for City of Hope National Medical Center which are currently being used by pediatric nurses to help prepare young cancer patients for treatment. Over the years, he has worked one-on-one with countless children and adults, teaching them puppet making and performance through such organizations as the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, Mark Taper Forum/Music Center, Kaiser, California Youth Theatre, L.A.'s Best, Puppeteers of America, L.A. Inner City Arts, Beverly Hills Parks & Recreation, The Sycamores, L.A. Unified School District, Art Share L.A., Hollywood Arts Council and the Los Angeles Human Relations Commission.
In 2002, Michael created the "Puppet Power!" program through California Youth Theatre, where he taught, built, directed and produced the first annual Ivar Puppet Festival, involving 150 L.A. Unified School District teens from two different high schools building dozens of giant 15-foot puppets they performed at the Ivar Theatre in Hollywood. The event was a sold-out success and covered by the L.A. Times and the L.A. Daily News.
Michael Earl lives in Los Angeles where he teaches an on-camera course in TV puppetry. He is also creating new TV, film and theatre entertainments designed to perpetuate the spread of wonder in the world...as well as encourage, instruct and strengthen children of all ages through the imaginative use of music and puppetry.- Actor
- Production Manager
Carlos Cano de la Fuente was born on 3 October 1955 in Lima, Peru. He was an actor and production manager, known for Ultra Warrior (1990), La fuga del chacal (1987) and Reportaje a la muerte (1993). He was married to Patricia Frayssinet. He died on 23 December 2015 in Lima, Peru.- Mary Ellen Morgan was born on 15 June 1990 in Fairfax, Virginia, USA. She died on 23 December 2015 in the USA.
- Howard Tsou was born on 29 October 1975 in Taipei, Taiwan. He was an actor, known for Chrysanthemum to the Beast (2012), Born to Be King (2000) and Truth or Dare (2012). He died on 23 December 2015 in Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Actor
- Stunts
- Additional Crew
Chun Han was born in 1963 in China. He was an actor, known for Around the World in 80 Days (2004), The Musketeer (2001) and Looking for Mister Perfect (2003). He died on 23 December 2015 in Hong Kong, China.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Zemya Hamilton was born on 8 December 1965 in Stockholm, Sweden. She was an actress, known for Blueprint (1992), 30:e november (1995) and That Special Summer (2007). She died on 23 December 2015 in Stockholm, Sweden.- Peggy Say was born on 15 February 1941 in Lorain, Ohio, USA. She was married to David Lee Say. She died on 23 December 2015 in Cookeville, Tennessee, USA.
- Joe Jamail was born on 19 October 1925 in Houston, Texas, USA. He was married to Lee Hage. He died on 23 December 2015 in Houston, Texas, USA.
- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Margarita Alexandre was born on 3 July 1923 in León, Castilla y León, Spain. She was an actress and producer, known for Cristo (1954), El Vaquero and the Girl (1956) and Terroristi a Madrid (1955). She died on 23 December 2015 in Madrid, Madrid, Spain.- Glitch R. Odent was an actor, known for Dimwits: Funny Money (2014) and Sneaky Santa (2014). He died on 23 December 2015 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Zora Kristúfková was born on 3 June 1948 in Zvolen, Czechoslovakia [now Slovakia]. Zora was a writer, known for Zimný semester (1982), O muzoch, zenach a detoch (1986) and Citové cvicenia (1990). Zora died on 23 December 2015 in Bratislava, Slovakia.
- Writer
- Producer
Jean-Marie Pelt was born on 24 October 1933 in Rodemack, Moselle, France. He was a writer and producer, known for L'Aventure des plantes (1982), Chroniques de France (1964) and Jean-Marie Pelt, le rêveur éveillé (2004). He died on 23 December 2015 in Metz, Moselle, France.- Hamilton de Oliveira was born on 20 May 1934 in Porto Seguro, Bahia, Brazil. He died on 23 December 2015 in Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
- Actor
- Writer
Philippe Derrez was born on 9 June 1927 in Nantes, Loire-Atlantique, France. He was an actor and writer, known for Vidocq (1967), Irina, impair et passe (1990) and Ne vous fâchez pas Imogène (1970). He died on 23 December 2015 in Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, France.- Additional Crew
Susanne Rudolph was born in 1930 in Germany. She is known for The Life and Death of a Dynasty (1991). She was married to Lloyd Irving Rudolph. She died on 23 December 2015 in Oakland, California, USA.- Director
- Writer
Slawomir Pstrong was born on 29 December 1975 in Skórcz, Pomorskie, Poland. Slawomir was a director and writer, known for Plan (2010), T-Rex (2003) and Szkola (2014). Slawomir died on 23 December 2015 in Poland.- Vonette Bright was born on 2 July 1926 in Coweta, Oklahoma, USA. She was married to Bill Bright. She died on 23 December 2015 in Orlando, Florida, USA.
- Hocine Ait Ahmed was born on 20 August 1926 in Aït Yahia, Tizi Ouzou, Algeria. He died on 23 December 2015 in Lausanne, Canton de Vaud, Switzerland.