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- Actress
- Soundtrack
Actor, director and writer China Zorrilla was born in Uruguay in 1922. She grew up in Paris and studied theater in London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and New York.
The preeminent actor of the celebrated Uruguayan Comedy during the 1950s-1960s she was directed by the legendary Margarita Xirgu; and starred of more than 50 plays, appearing also in Madrid and Paris.
At 50 she made her first film in Argentina (Un guapo del 900 (1971)) and moved there to make an impressive film, theater, and television career. She owned her popularity to soap-opera author Alberto Migré; who cast and wrote for her character roles in several TV plays.
She made more than 30 films and won the Moscow Film Festival as best actress in 2004.
Winner of several national and international awards, in 2008 the French Government awarded her with the Legion of Honor. She is also a recipient of the Orden de Mayo and Orden Gabriela Mistral from the Argentinian and Chilean governments.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Though born in Georgia and having a Russian-sounding name, Akim Tamiroff is actually of Armenian descent. At 19 he decided to pursue acting as a career and was chosen from among 500 applicants to the Moscow Art Theater School. There he studied under the great Konstantin Stanislavski, and launched a stage career. This included road company productions, in one such tour in 1920 Tamiroff came to New York City, which he liked so much he decided to stay there. Broadway suited him, and he worked steadily with the Theatre Guild from the mid-1920s to the early 1930s. He was a short, stout man with a guttural baritone voice and a thick but rather generic Russian accent that, with his skill in characterizations, seemed to mesh with any role calling for a foreign type--whether European, West Asian or even East Asian. His voice became his principal asset. He came west to Hollywood in 1932 to break into the movie business, and first appeared on screen in a bit part in Okay America! (1932). Until 1934 his appearances were usually uncredited, but he managed to stand out in several films, one of his best roles of the time being the servant Pedro of John Gilbert Queen Christina (1933). By early 1934 he was much in demand, appearing in 12 films during that year. The next year was even busier for him, with roles in 15 films altogether, and not just bit parts--he was getting more feature supporting roles, such as Gopal the emir in The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935) and the comic puppet master Rudolpho in the adapted operetta Naughty Marietta (1935). He signed with Paramount in 1936 but was often loaned out to other studios. He went to Warner Bros. for one of his earliest big supporting characters: the sly Cuban mercantile agent Carlo Cibo in Anthony Adverse (1936). For Paramount, his General Yang in The General Died at Dawn (1936) brought him his first of two Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actor. Along with substantial supporting roles in top movies, Tamiroff was getting starring roles in "B" pictures, allowing him to show his range by playing everything from amiable rogues to thoroughly evil villains. Two of his roles from that time exemplify what a versatile actor he was. As French trapper and scout Dan Duroc of North West Mounted Police (1940), he was something of a rascal but with a sense of humor and dignity. However, as the vile Colonna in The Corsican Brothers (1941), he is irredeemably wicked, and deservedly dies in the longest sword duel on film. For his role as the self-serving guerrilla Pablo in For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943), Tamiroff received his second Oscar nomination. He continued through the decade with more fine work, and in 1949 he joined the cast of Black Magic (1949) and met Orson Welles, who played late 18th-century charlatan Cagliostro. The two became friends and associates in Welles' later film projects. Through the 1950s Tamiroff's time was fairly divided between T.V. productions and films earlier in the decade and a surprising number of episodic TV and more films later. His three films with Welles, as director and sometime actor, were: Confidential Report (1955) with its Wellesian maze of flash-backs; the over-the-top Touch of Evil (1958) with its gritty surrealism and incredible cast; and The Trial (1962) (The Trial), Welles' stylistic spin on the Franz Kafka story. Certainly it was in "Touch of Evil" that Tamiroff's Tijuana boss Uncle Joe Grandi--outlandishly bug-eyed alternately with fear or mercurial anger intensified by Welles' wild camera angles--stood out as a most intriguing character. He took a last fling at Broadway in 1959. For the 1960s Tamiroff continued to sample American T.V. but was still very active in American, French and Italian movies. His voice and talent were still a draw in films like Topkapi (1964) and Alphaville (1965). In addition, he remained on call for Welles' meandering/unfinished Don Quixote (1992) as Sancho Panza for nearly twenty years. One of the great character actors of film history, Akim Tamiroff appeared in over 150 screen projects.- Alejandro Casona was born on 23 March 1903 in Besulio, Asturias, Spain. He was a writer, known for La tercera palabra (1956), Las tres perfectas casadas (1953) and If I Should Die Before I Wake (1952). He was married to Rosalia Martin Bravo. He died on 17 September 1965 in Madrid, Spain.
- Actress
- Writer
Annette Michelson was born on 7 November 1922 in Manhattan, New York, USA. She was an actress and writer, known for Journeys from Berlin/1971 (1980), 'Rameau's Nephew' by Diderot (Thanx to Dennis Young) by Wilma Schoen (1974) (1974) and Him and Me (1982). She died on 17 September 2018 in Manhattan, New York, USA.- Barbara Drew was born on 11 February 1916 in Canal Zone, Panama. She was an actress, known for Some Like It Hot (1959), The Rebel Set (1959) and Matinee Theatre (1955). She was married to Louis Lubin and Worthington Hipple. She died on 17 September 2001 in Irvine, California, USA.
- Bobby Heenan was born on 1 November 1944 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He was an actor, known for WrestleMania X-Seven (2001), WCW Bash at the Beach (1996) and WrestleMania V (1989). He was married to Cynthia Jean Perrett. He died on 17 September 2017 in Largo, Florida, USA.
- Additional Crew
Bonnie Angelo was born on 29 January 1924 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA. She is known for Question Time (1979), Decision 79 (1979) and Friday Night, Saturday Morning (1979). She was married to Harold Levy. She died on 17 September 2017 in Bethesda, Maryland, USA.- Actor Brian Hall was best known for his role as Terry the cook in the BBC comedy series Fawlty Towers (1975). He began acting while still in his teens in amateur shows where his burly frame made him ideal casting for villains and heavies.
After leaving school he worked as a taxi driver before he was spotted by theatrical agent Richard Ireson who persuaded him that his talent lay in theatre.
He went on to appear in stage plays at The Royal Court Theatre in London, notably in Peter Gill's production of Crete and Sergeant Pepper and at the Royal Shakespeare Company he starred in Afore Night Comes, directed by Ron Daniels.
With John Chapman he co-wrote Made It Mad (based on the famous James Cagney line in the film White Heat) which was staged at the Royal Court as well as Bit of Business, co-written and directed with John Burgess at the National Theatre.
He had a highly successful TV career, notably in series such as Softly Softly (1966) (as the corrupt police officer Sergeant Ted Drake).
He played a bodyguard to Bob Hoskins in the cult gangster classic film The Long Good Friday (1980), the same year he was cast as a villain in McVicar (1980).
He struck up a close friendship with the actor John Cleese when they appeared in the BBC comedy series Fawlty Towers. Some years after the series had finished Cleese sent Hall a personally signed autographed picture as a joke. Hall wrote back and demanded a signed Rolls-Royce car instead. Three day later, one arrived in the post - it was a children's toy.
In 1994 he was diagnosed as having cancer. - Actor
- Director
- Writer
Captain Raju was an actor and director, known for Etha Oru Snehagatha (1997), Mr. Pavanayi 99.99 (2019) and Machalti Jawani (1989). He died on 17 September 2018 in Kochi, Kerala, India.- Carlos Íñigo was born on 13 December 1960 in Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico. He died on 17 September 2017 in Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Charmian Carr was born Charmian Farnon on December 28, 1942. She got her name because, supposedly, her father liked the name after reading William Shakespeare's "Antony and Cleopatra". Charmian was the name of one of Cleopatra's maids. She was the second of three daughters. Her mother, Rita Oehmen, had been a vaudeville actress with her brother Eddy, and her father, Brian Farnon, was a musician. She remembers her childhood as very nice, because her older sister Shannon Farnon was always there to watch out for her and their younger sister, Darleen Carr. She moved from Chicago to California when she was 13 and her father left her mother a few years after that. The girls hardly saw their father after that.
She wanted to travel and to visit Europe, little knowing that a movie she would make would be partially shot in Europe. She worked as a doctor's assistant for awhile until a friend of her mother's asked her to audition for the part of "Liesl Von Trapp" in the movie, The Sound of Music (1965). Her fictional family became part of her real family and she considers Nicholas Hammond (who played her brother "Freidrich Von Trapp") her real brother. After she made the movie, she spent much of the next several years promoting the movie around the world.
During a lull in the touring, she met and married Jay Brent and became the mother of two girls. She continued acting for a while, but decided that she wanted to stay home and raise her children. After her children were grown, she began a decorating company and met Michael Jackson, who became one of her clients. Other clients included members of her "Sound of Music" family, including Heather Menzies-Urich and her husband Robert Urich and Ernest Lehman.
She got divorced from Jay in 1991. In the late 1990s, she wrote a book about her life and her experiences being Liesl, called "Forever Liesl".- Cokie Roberts was born on 27 December 1943 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. She was married to Steve Roberts. She died on 17 September 2019 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
- Actor
- Stunts
Big, brawny, and imposing actor and stuntman Dick Durock was born on January 18, 1937 in South Bend, Indiana. The fourth of five children; he grew up in South Bend, Indiana and New Jersey. After serving a stint in the Marine Corps and briefly working as a computer programmer, Durock went to Hollywood to eke out a career in show business. He eventually amassed hundreds of credits in both movies and TV series alike (Durock sometimes worked on two different shows in the same day). Durock began his career in 1967 as the stunt double for Guy Williams on the final season of Lost in Space (1965). He also doubled for both Buddy Ebsen and Max Baer Jr. on The Beverly Hillbillies (1962). With his rough face, large, strong, muscular build and towering 6' 5" height Durock was usually cast as mean thugs who get beat up by the hero. Durock achieved his greatest enduring cult popularity with his excellent portrayal of the titular kind-hearted mutant superhero in Wes Craven's delightful Swamp Thing (1982). He reprised the part in the amusingly campy sequel The Return of Swamp Thing (1989) and the spin-off cable TV series, Swamp Thing (1990). Durock's other memorable roles include one of the terrorists in The Enforcer (1976), the bare knuckle brawler who fights Clint Eastwood at the start of Any Which Way You Can (1980), pie-eating contest champion "Bill Travis" in the charming Stand by Me (1986), and a hostile redneck hunter in the notorious turkey Howard the Duck (1986). Among the films Durock has performed stunts in are Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995), License to Drive (1988), The Monster Squad (1987), Heat (1986), Runaway Train (1985), The Sword and the Sorcerer (1982), Bronco Billy (1980), 1941 (1979), Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze (1975), The Poseidon Adventure (1972), Hammer (1972) and Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972). Durock had guest spots on such TV shows as Star Trek (1966), Baretta (1975), Quincy M.E. (1976), The Rockford Files (1974), Little House on the Prairie (1974), The Incredible Hulk (1978), The A-Team (1983), Magnum, P.I. (1980), Falcon Crest (1981), The Fall Guy (1981), Knight Rider (1982), Married... with Children (1987) and Dynasty (1981). He played the "Imperious Leader" on the science fiction series, Battlestar Galactica (1978). He was a proud and active member of the Stuntman's Association of Motion Pictures for over 20 years. Durock lived in Southern California with his wife Jane and made frequent guest appearances at movie conventions held all over the country. He died after a long battle with Pancreatic Cancer at age 72 on September 17, 2009 in Oak Park, California.- Faruk was born on 4 February 1926 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was a writer, known for Mesa de noticias (1983), Brigada cola (1992) and Tango y Goles (1981). He died on 17 September 2006 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Feodor Fedorovich Chaliapin Jr. was born October 6, 1905, in Moscow, Russia. He was the youngest of six children. His father was the world-famous Russian Opera basso Feodor Chaliapin Sr.. His mother, Iola Tornagi, was a prima-ballerina who quit the stage after her marriage and became a caring mother of six children. Young Feodor grew up in a trilingual family environment. He received an excellent private education in Moscow, where he enjoyed the company of his father's friends, such as Sergei Rachmaninoff and Konstantin Korovin. After the Russian revolution of 1917, he and his father fled from Russia to Paris, France.
Chaliapin Jr. got out from under his father's shadow after moving from Paris to Hollywood. There he began his film career, playing cameo roles in silent films. He created a niche for himself as an impressive character actor with excellent skills. His role as Kashkin, dying in the arms of Gary Cooper in For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943), was one of the finest moments in his early career. He played a variety of Russian characters in films made during and after the Second World War. Among the most memorable of his early works was his role as Fomich in Prisoner of the Volga (1959), directed by Viktor Tourjansky, also a Russian emigrant.
After World War 2 Chaliapin moved to Rome, Italy. There he continued his film career as a character actor, from the 1950s-1970s. He played a broad array of very different characters, ranging from a comic gem as Sen. Torsello in the political satire The Eroticist (1972), to a sinister Prof. Arnold in the horror film Inferno (1980). He returned to Hollywood and made a comeback in his later years. He really made his mark by playing the blind, murderous monk "Jorge of Burgos" in The Name of the Rose (1986). He is probably best known for his role as the loony dog-walking grandfather in Moonstruck (1987), living in a world of his own and greeting the Moon with his funny cries "La Luna! La Luna!" He also enjoyed a fine part as Leonides Cox, 'Robert De Niro''s father in Stanley & Iris (1990). His last notable role was as Prof. Bartnev in The Inner Circle (1991), based on a true story about people suffering in the Soviet Russia under the dictatorship of Joseph Stalin.
In 1960, during "The Thaw" initiated by Nikita Khrushchev, Chaliapin Jr. saved his mother from the communist captivity and reunited with her in Rome, Italy. At that time, Iola Tornagi was 87 and had been granted permission to leave the Soviet Union. She left behind a magnificent art collection and a museum-quality home, built in Moscow by her famous husband. She could only bring her son an album of pictures of his childhood and youth in pre-communist Russia.
24 years later, Chaliapin Jr. took part in the returning of his famous father's remains from Paris to Moscow in 1984, which was also a result of reforms known as perestroika initiated by Mikhail Gorbachev. Chaliapin was allowed to visit Moscow in 1984 for the burial ceremony of his father, Chialiapin Sr., at the Novodevichy Monastery Cemetery. There he briefly rejoiced with his three sisters and other relatives around his father's tomb.
Through his entire life Feodor Feodorovich Chaliapin Jr. was devoted to his mother, Iola Tornagi. She died in 1964, and was laid to rest in the cemetery of Rome. He died of natural causes on September 17, 1992, at his home in Rome, Italy, and was laid to rest next to his mother in the cemetery of Rome. - Francis Compton was born on 4 May 1885 in Malvern, Worcestershire, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Witness for the Prosecution (1957), The DuPont Show of the Month (1957) and Robert Montgomery Presents (1950). He was married to Mary Wetmore Wells. He died on 17 September 1964 in St. Joseph's Hospital, Stamford, Connecticut, USA.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
George Hamilton IV was born on 19 July 1937 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA. He was an actor, known for A Perfect World (1993), The Neon Palace (1971) and Praise Band: The Movie (2008). He was married to Adelaide (Tinky) Watson Peyton. He died on 17 September 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Grady Sutton was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He arrived in California in 1924. He got his first break in Hollywood from director William A. Seiter who used him as an extra in The Mad Whirl (1925) starring May McAvoy. Grady remained a Hollywood staple for the next 55 years.
He specialized in playing naive, slightly befuddled young men and country bumpkins, adding comedic bits to many films. His most famous association came from appearing in four movies with W.C. Fields: The Pharmacist (1933), Man on the Flying Trapeze (1935), You Can't Cheat an Honest Man (1939) and The Bank Dick (1940). He can also be seen in such classics as My Man Godfrey (1936), Stage Door (1937), Alexander's Ragtime Band (1938), Angels Wash Their Faces (1939), Anchors Aweigh (1945), White Christmas (1954) and A Star Is Born (1954). He was also a regular on The Egg and I (1951) and The Phyllis Diller Show (1966) television series.
In total, he appeared in over 200 feature films and short subjects spanning 1924 to 1979. His final film appearance was in Rock 'n' Roll High School (1979). In 1994 he moved to the Motion Picture and Television Home and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California where he died September 17, 1995, of natural causes.- Harold Mabern, a pianist of percussive fire and boundless soul, with a language that pulled from hard bop, post-bop, Memphis soul and the blues. For more than 60 years, Mabern was a Rock-of-Gibraltar presence in modern jazz, rising to the first rank of sidemen, with Coleman, guitarist Wes Montgomery, trumpeter Lee Morgan and myriad others - and building a substantial if often undervalued body of work himself.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Sugar, Pepper, Pearl, Bunny, Dottie, Ruby, Ginger, Sunny, Goldie, Bubbles, all those are nicknames borne by petite actress Iris Adrian in several of the 160 movies and television productions she appeared in. With such names, don't expect to see her playing Joan of Arc or Electra but it remains that all these pet names reflect her winning femininity, its sweetness, its spiciness, its radiance. What's more their funny overtones are telltale signs of Iris Adrian's own quick witty sense of humor. Sexy yes, but with a sharp tongue. This aspect of her personality helped her to evolve and last, changing from the roles of blonde chorus girls or waitresses or, on the wilder side, of streetwalkers and other gangsters' molls to colorful bit parts in comedies with Abbott and Costello, Jerry Lewis and Elvis Presley. She ended up playing almost exclusively for Walt Disney productions before retiring at the respectable age of 82. Though she never achieved star status she could easily have if the circumstances had been favorable. For she steals scenes in a lot of movies provided of course her role is fleshed out sufficiently. She was excellent, for instance, in more than one poverty row crime movies. Don't miss her in Gold Diggers of 1937 (1936), Go West (1940) (with the Marx Brothers), Lady of Burlesque (1943), The Paleface (1948), Once a Thief (1950), and The Errand Boy (1961) (with Jerry Lewis).- Actor
- Writer
- Composer
Ideal for playing swarthy villains, James Griffith's tall, dark and gaunt features and shady countenance invaded hundreds of film and TV dramas (and a few comedies) throughout his career on-camera. Highlighted by his arched brows, hooded eyes and prominent proboscis, heavy character work would be his largest source of income for nearly four decades.
He was born James J. Griffith, of Welsh ancestry, on February 13, 1916, in Los Angeles. He and sister Dorothy were raised in the Santa Monica area. An early interest in music led to his learning to play several instruments, including the clarinet and saxophone. He got his first taste of entertaining audiences by performing in local bands while arranging music for them as well. An interest in acting came about participating in school plays and continued when he found parts to play in small theatre houses in such productions as "They Can't Get You Down" in 1939.
Unable to consistently pay the bills, however, Griffith found steadier work at Douglas Aircraft in Santa Monica. Enlisting in the Marine Corps. in 1941, he served his country until 1947. Eventually married with a newborn, a chance meeting with bandleader Spike Jones while working as a gas station attendant led to a six month traveling gig with Jones' City Slicker Band playing tenor saxophone.
Griffith finally broke into "B" films with a smarmy but showy role as an insurance agent in the murder drama Blonde Ice (1948). He continued to sniff out work in both drama and occasional comedy usually as unsympathetic or shady characters, sometimes billed and sometimes not. Some of his bigger, noteworthy parts in the early years came with the pictures Alaska Patrol (1949), Indian Territory (1950) and Double Deal (1950). He also took on some famous and infamous figures of history as in Fighting Man of the Plains (1949) (as William Quantrill), Day of Triumph (1954) (as Judas Iscariot), Jesse James vs. the Daltons (1954) (as outlaw Bob Dalton), The Law vs. Billy the Kid (1954) (as Pat Garrett), and Masterson of Kansas (1954) as Doc Holliday. He provided the voice of Abraham Lincoln in the Rod Cameron western Stage to Tucson (1950).
TV took much of the mustachioed actor's time from the 1950s on, notably in westerns such as "The Lone Ranger," "Annie Oakley," "Gunsmoke," "The Big Valley," "Bonanza," "Death Valley Days," "The Gene Autry Show," "Wagon Train," "Rawhide," "Maverick," "Little House on the Prairie," "B.J. and the Bear" and "Dallas." Elsewhere on the small screen he played cold-hearted villains twice on "Batman" in support of the nefarious Ma Parker and Catwoman. Not to be pegged in just oaters, he also appeared in less dusty TV fare such as "The Streets of San Francisco," "Fantasy Island" and Emergency!" Griffith made his final acting appearance on a 1984 "Trapper John" episode.
A gifted raconteur, his later years were spent writing theatre plays and movie scripts, and attending film festivals. Two of his earlier movie scripts that found releases were Russ Meyer's Lorna (1964) (in which he also appeared), Shalako (1968) and Catlow (1971). Griffith died of cancer on September 17, 1993, at age 77.- Gorgeous, buxom, and shapely 5'7" brunette knockout Jessica Jaymes was born Jessica Redding on March 8, 1979 in Anchorage, Alaska. Her mother was Czech and French while her Seminole father was a patrolman and undercover DEA agent. Jaymes moved with her family to Arizona at age ten. Jessica attended the New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, New Mexico. Following graduation from Rio Salado Community College, Jaymes went on to work as a school teacher teaching fourth through sixth grade for three years. Jessica began her career in X-rated adult movies in the summer of 2002. Her porn pseudonym was a combination of her real first name and the name of her then boyfriend James. In 2004 Jaymes became the first contract model for Hustler magazine; she was subsequently named Hustler Honey of the Year. Jessica was the Pet of the Month in the August, 2008 issue of Penthouse. She was nominated for an AVN Award for Best Group Sex Scene - Film in 2006 and Best Threeway Sex Scene in 2010. Jessica was inducted into the AVN Hall of Fame in 2018. Jaymes was found by a friend unconscious in her home in North Hills, California on September 17, 2019. Jessica was pronounced dead at the scene by EMS workers who responded to a call for cardiac arrest for a female. Jaymes was only 40 years old.
- Additional Crew
- Producer
Kate Guinzburg was born on 6 July 1957 in New York City, New York, USA. She was a producer, known for Ghostbusters (1984), Original Sin (2001) and One Fine Day (1996). She died on 17 September 2017 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Mary Fairfax was born on 15 August 1922 in Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland. She was married to Warwick Oswald Fairfax and Cedric Rheuben Symonds. She died on 17 September 2017 in Point Piper, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
- While never one of the big names on screen, Michael Strong was one of those excellent method actors who were often compelling to watch. Unsurprisingly, many of Michael's screen characters were typical New Yorkers, whether they be cops or thugs, and he imbued them with an edgy 'in-your-face' intensity that was all his own. He was already an established stage actor, both on and off-Broadway, with an extensive resume to his name long before transferring his talents to the screen. A graduate of the Actor's Studio, he was also part of the original crew of the Lincoln Center Repertory Company, performing in key plays by Arthur Miller, S.N. Behrman and Eugene O'Neill. Usually assigned to playing military types or proletarian firebrands, Michael eventually came to note as a young burglar in "Detective Story", written and staged on Broadway by Sidney Kingsley in 1949. Director William Wyler subsequently brought him to Hollywood to recreate his role for the 1951 motion picture.
A couple of other good roles Michael later enacted for the big screen were his smarmy used-car salesman Stegman in the thriller Point Blank (1967) and Brigadier General Hobart Carver in the Oscar-winning war drama Patton (1970). For the most part, however, television became Michael's most prolific medium. His furtive looks and nervous demeanor often suggested that his characters had something to hide - and most of them did, particularly those Eastern bloc spy types with names like Malkov and Petrovich. He was at home in just about every major police series of the period, equally adept at NYPD sergeants and contract assassins. Fans of Star Trek (1966) will also remember Michael as the unhinged Dr. Roger Korby who had his consciousness transferred into an android body in the episode "What Are Little Girls Made Of?". As tough as some of his characters, Michael continued to act right up until the end. - Patricia Kennedy was born on 6 May 1924 in Brookline, Massachusetts, USA. She was married to Peter Lawford. She died on 17 September 2006 in New York City, New York, USA.
- Paula Yates was born on 24 April 1959 in Colwyn Bay, Wales, UK. She was a writer, known for Have I Got News for You (1990), The Tube (1982) and Sex with Paula (1995). She was married to Bob Geldof. She died on 17 September 2000 in Notting Hill, London, England, UK.
- Production Designer
- Director
- Set Decorator
Ralph Pappier was born on 16 January 1914 in Shanghai, China. He was a production designer and director, known for Pobre mi madre querida (1948), Escuela de campeones (1950) and Delito (1962). He died on 17 September 1998 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.- Writer
- Actor
- Producer
The son of a former circus clown turned grocer and a cleaning woman, Red Skelton was introduced to show business at the age of seven by Ed Wynn, at a vaudeville show in Vincennes. At age 10, he left home to travel with a medicine show through the Midwest, and joined the vaudeville circuit at age 15. At age 18, he married Edna Marie Stilwell, an usher who became his vaudeville partner and later his chief writer and manager. He debuted on Broadway and radio in 1937 and on film in 1938. His ex-wife/manager negotiated a seven-year Hollywood contract for him in 1951, the same year The Red Skelton Hour (1951) premiered on NBC. For two decades, until 1971, his show consistently stayed in the top twenty, both on NBC and CBS. His numerous characters, including Clem Kaddiddlehopper, George Appleby, and the seagulls Gertrude and Heathcliffe delighted audiences for decades. First and foremost, he considered himself a clown, although not the greatest, and his paintings of clowns brought in a fortune after he left television. His home life was not completely happy--two divorces and a son Richard who died of leukemia at age nine--and he did not hang around with other comedians. He continued performing live until illness, and he was a longtime supporter of children's charities. Red Skelton died at age 84 of pneumonia in Rancho Mirage, California on September 17, 1997.- René Drucker Colín was born on 15 May 1937 in Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico. He died on 17 September 2017 in Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico.
- Actor
- Director
- Additional Crew
Despite many a powerful performance, this actor's actor never quite achieved the stardom he deserved. Ultimately, Richard Basehart became best-known to television audiences as Admiral Harriman Nelson, commander of the glass-nosed nuclear submarine 'S.S.R.N Seaview' in Irwin Allen's Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1964), shown on ABC from 1964 to 1968. Basehart's distinctively deep, resonant voice also provided narrations in feature films, TV mini-series and for documentaries.
Born in Zanesville, Ohio, on August 14 1914, Basehart was one of four siblings born to a struggling and soon-to-be widowed editor of a local newspaper. Upon leaving college, he worked briefly as a radio announcer and then attempted to follow in his father's journalistic footsteps as a reporter. Controversy over one of his stories led to his departure from the paper and cleared the path to pursue acting as a career. In 1932, Basehart made his theatrical bow with the Wright Players Stock Company in his home town and subsequently spent five years playing varied and interesting roles at the Hedgerow Theatre in Philadelphia. From 1938, he began to work in New York on and off-Broadway. Seven years later he received the New York Drama Critics Circle Best Newcomer Award for "The Hasty Heart", a drama by John Patrick, in which Basehart played a dying Scottish soldier. In 1945, he received his first film offers. When he heard director Bretaigne Windust was seeking an authentic Scot for the lead role in The Hasty Heart, Basehart not only effected an authentic enough burr to win the part, but won also the 1945 New York Critic's Award as the most promising actor of the year. His accent was so good that a visiting leader of a Scottish clan told the actor he knew his clan.
Basehart made his debut on the big screen with Repeat Performance (1947) at Eagle-Lion, a minor film noir with Joan Leslie, followed at Warner Brothers with the Gothic Barbara Stanwyck thriller Cry Wolf (1947). His third picture finally got him critical plaudits for playing a sociopathic killer, relentlessly hunted through drainage tunnels in He Walked by Night (1948), a procedural police drama shot in a semi-documentary style. Variety gave a positive review, commenting "With this role, Basehart establishes himself as one of Hollywood's most talented finds in recent years. He heavily overshadows the rest of the cast..."
It was the first of many charismatic performances in which Basehart would excel at tormented or introverted characters, portraying angst, foreboding or mental anguish. His gallery of characters came to include the notorious Robespierre, chief architect of the Reign of Terror (1949), set during the French Revolution. He was one of the feuding Hatfields in Roseanna McCoy (1949) and in Fourteen Hours (1951) (based on a real 1938 Manhattan suicide) had a tour de force turn as a man perched on the high ledge of an office building threatening to jump. For much of the film's duration, the camera was firmly focused on the actor's face. Basehart later recalled "It was an actor's dream, in which I hogged the camera lens, and the role called on me to act mostly with my eyes, lips and face muscles". The New York Times reviewer Bosley Crowther called his performance 'startling and poignant'.
Eschewing conventional movie stardom, Basehart meticulously selected and varied his roles, avoiding, as he put it, "stereotyping at the expense of not amassing an impressive bank account.'' In the wake of the sudden death of his first wife, Basehart left the U.S. for Italy. In March 1951, he got married a second time (to the actress Valentina Cortese) and appeared in a succession of European movies, playing the ill-fated clown Il Matto in Federico Fellini's classic The Road (1954); against type, essayed a swashbuckling nobleman reclaiming his titles and estate in Cartouche (1955), and (again for Fellini), played a member of a gang of grifters in The Swindle (1955). He was also ideally cast as the mild-mannered Ishmael in John Huston's excellent version of Moby Dick (1956) and as Ivan, one of The Brothers Karamazov (1958).
By 1960, Basehart's second marriage had ended in divorce and the actor returned to America where he found movie opportunities few and far between. The small screen to some extent reinvigorated his career with numerous series guest appearances and his lengthy stint in the popular Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. He also received critical praise for his role as Henry Wirtz, commandant of the Confederacy's most infamous prison camp, in the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning television drama The Andersonville Trial (1970).
Not only an active human rights campaigner, Basehart was also strongly opposed to the experimental use of animals. With his third wife Diana Lotery he set up the animal welfare charity, Actors and Others for Animals, in 1971. He died after suffering a series of strokes in Los Angeles on September 17 1984 at the age of 70.- Actor
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Sathaar was born on 25 May 1952 in Kadungalloor, Aluva, Kerala, India. He was an actor, known for Parinda (1989), Devasuram (1993) and Sarapanjaram (1979). He was married to Naseem Beena and Jayabharathi. He died on 17 September 2019 in Aluva, Kerala, India.- Spiro Agnew was a Greek-American politician from Baltimore, Maryland. He served as the Governor of Maryland from 1967 to 1969. He became a national celebrity for his "law and order" rhetoric in response to nationwide civil unrest. He was chosen by Richard Nixon as his running mate for the presidential election of 1968. Agnew served as the 39th Vice President of the United States from 1969 to 1973, easily winning re-election in 1972. He was forced to resign after a criminal investigation in Maryland uncovered evidence of Agnew's involvement in criminal conspiracy, bribery, extortion and tax fraud. Agnew eventually pleaded no contest to a single felony charge of tax evasion, and the other charges were dropped. He spend the rest of his life in retirement. A number of historians have cited Agnew as one of the founders of the "New Right" movement, which went on to dominate the Republican Party in the 1980s.
In 1918, Agnew was born in Baltimore. His father was restaurant owner Theodore Agnew (born Theophrastos Anagnostopoulos ). Theodore was from the small town of Gargalianoi in Messenia, Greece, located about 18 km (11 mi) north of the historic town of Pylos. His family were olive growers , but were impoverished during a financial crisis in the 1890s. Theodore emigrated to the United States in 1897., and had managed to open his own restaurant by 1908. Agnew's mother was Margaret Marian Akers, a retired government worker from Virginia. She was the widow of a close friend of Theodore who had died in 1917. She had a young child from her previous marriage.
During the 1920s, the Agnew family was relatively affluent, and Theodore acquired a larger restaurant. The restaurant closed shortly following the Wall Street Crash of 1929, due to financial problems. In 1931, the Agnew family's savings were wiped out in a bank failure. The family was forced to sell their private house and moved to a small apartment. Theodore sold fruit and vegetables from a roadside stall. Spiro helped financially support his family by taking part-time jobs, such as delivering groceries and distributing leaflets.
In 1937, Agnew started his college education at Johns Hopkins University. He pursued studies in chemistry, but found academic life to be stressful. He dropped out of his chemistry studies in 1939, then decided to pursue legal studies instead. He enrolled at the University of Baltimore School of Law, taking night classes. To financially support himself during his college years, he started working as an insurance clerk for the Maryland Casualty Company. Agnew pursued a romantic relationship with Elinor Isabel "Judy" Judefind, his co-worker at the insurance company. They were married in May 1942. By coincidence, her father was a chemist.
Agnew was drafted into the United States Army in December 1941. He completed his basic training at Camp Croft in South Carolina, which he credited with breaking him out of his previously sheltered life. He was sent for further training to the Officer Candidate School at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in May, 1942, a few days before his wedding.
From May 1942 to March 1944, Agnew served in various administrative positions at both Fort Knox and Fort Campbell. In March 1944, Agnew was transferred to England. His transfer was part of the build-up of forces for the upcoming Normandy landings (June, 1944). Agnew spend several months on standby in Birmingham, West Midlands, before being assigned to a combat role. He was assigned as a replacement officer for the 54th Armored Infantry Battalion in France. His unit saw action at the Battle of the Bulge (December, 1944-January 1945). Agnew took part in the Siege of Bastogne (December, 1944), defending the Belgian city against a German attempt to recapture it.
In the early months of 1945, Agnew and his unit fought their way into Germany. By the end of the war in Europe, the unit had managed to capture the ski town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria. The town had previously hosted the 1936 Winter Olympic Games. Agnew was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Bronze Star for his combat service. He was discharged from the Army in November 1945.
By the winter of 1945, Agnew resumed his legal studies. He was also hired as a law clerk by the Baltimore-based law firm of Smith and Barrett. His boss Lester Barrett noted Agnew's political ambitions, and advised him to join the Republican Party. Barrett had noted that the Democratic Party in Baltimore had numerous young and ambitious political hopefuls, while the Republican Party was suffering from a scarcity of competent recruits. According to Barrett, it would be easier for Agnew to stand out in the Party that offered less competition for elected positions. Agnew took the advise, and became a registered Republican in 1947.
In 1947, Agnew graduated with a Bachelor of Laws. After passing the bar examination in Maryland, he opened his own legal office in Baltimore. His business soon failed, but Agnew found work as an insurance investigator. In 1948, he was hired as a store detective for the supermarket chain Schreiber's. In 1951, Agnew was briefly recalled for Army service due to the outbreak of the Korean War. He then resumed working for Schreiber's. He resigned in 1952, opening another legal office. He specialized in labor law.
By 1955, Agnew was prosperous enough to move with his family to the suburb of Loch Raven, Baltimore. He became the president of the local school district's Parent-Teacher Association. He also joined the service club Kiwanis, whose members volunteered for community service. His biographers have noted that Agnew had become "an almost compulsive conformist", and already professed a love for "law and order".
In 1956, Agnew unsuccessfully sought nomination as a Republican candidate for the Baltimore County Council. He campaigned vigorously for other Republican candidates, and the Party gained a majority on the council seats at the election. To reward his loyalty to the Party, party officials appointed Agnew for a one-year term to the county Zoning Board of Appeals. The job came with a respectable salary and some political prestige. In 1958, Agnew was reappointed to the Board for a full three-year term. He soon became the Board's chairman.
In 1960, Agnew unsuccessfully sought election to the county circuit court. He finished last among the five candidates of the election, but his campaign made him a target for the Democratic Party which regained control of the county council in the election. The new council quickly removed Agnew from his position at the Zoning Appeals Board, in what was seen as an unfair act of retaliation.
In 1962, Agnew was an unsuccessful candidate for nomination to a Congress seat. Party officials noted that Agnew had loyal followers, and encouraged him to seek election as the county's chief executive officer. All holders of this position were members of the Democratic Party since 1895. But in the 1962 elections, there was a feud between rival factions of the local Democratic Party. The Democratic candidate chosen was the elderly Michael Birmingham, who was seen as out of touch with the public's wishes. Agnew chose to run as a reformist candidate, campaigning for an anti-discrimination bill which would require public amenities such as parks, bars and restaurants be open to all races. Agnew easily won the election, surpassing his supposedly racist rival by over 18, 000 votes. Agnew became the highest-ranking Republican in Maryland.
Agnew spend 4 years as a county executive. He succeeded in having his anti-discrimination bill pass as official legislation in the county. His administration build new schools, increases the teachers' salaries, reorganized the police department, and improved the water and sewer system. While he was seen as a moderately progressive administrator, Agnew's "law and order" rhetoric led him to denounce all demonstrations in the area, regardless of their cause. More controversial was Agnew's newfound reputation for cronyism. He bypassed the normal bidding procedures to appoint political allies in lucrative positions as the county's insurance brokers of record.
In the 1964 presidential elections, Agnew was a vocal critic of the Republican front-runner Barry Goldwater. In his view, Goldwater's extremist views would deprive the Republicans of any chance of victory. He was proven correct, as Goldwater lost the election and only won about 38.5% of the popular vote.
In the elections of 1966, Agnew decided to seek nomination for the position of the Governor of Maryland. He easily won the Republican primary, as he was the highest-profile candidate for the nomination. The Democratic candidate for this year was the segregationist George P. Mahoney. Liberal Democrats refused to vote for Mahoney, and flocked to support Agnew. Agnew easily won the election, gaining 49.5 percent of the popular vote. He had campaigned as the anti-Ku Klux Klan candidate.
Shortly after the election of 1966, allegations of corruption surfaced against Agnew. He had reportedly been offered three different bribes by the slot-machine industry in order to prevent him from vetoing legislation favorable to the industry. He had kept silent about the matter, though he had apparently declined to take the bribes. Agnew was also found to have partial ownership in a business venture, and his partners were businessmen who had ongoing business deals with Agnew's county administration. In both cases, Agnew publicly denied that he had broken the law.
Agnew's agenda as a governor included tax reforms, clean water regulations, and the repeal of laws against interracial marriage. He expanded community health programs, and passed legislation offering higher educational and employment opportunities for low-income voters. He took steps to desegregate Maryland's schools. He introduced fair housing legislation, but only for new building projects and only for those projects above a certain size. Agnew's reputation for cronyism expanded, as he had close ties with an ever-increasing number of businessmen.
Despite his own support for civil rights legislation, Agnew vocally opposed the militant tactics used by African-American leaders. He denounced protest leaders as professional agitators, and criticized the administration of Lyndon Johnson for its "misguided compassion" for radicals. In 1968, there were student protest at Bowie State College, a historically black institution. Agnew responded by closing the college and ordering more than 200 arrests.
On April 6, 1968, riots broke out in Baltimore in response to the then-recent assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. As the city burned, Agnew decided to declare a state of emergency and requested an intervention by the National Guard. By the time the riots ended, 6 people were dead and 4,000 people were under arrest. Agnew summoned moderate African-American leaders to the state capitol, where he castigated them for their perceived failure to control radical protesters. Agnew's criticisms for the African-American leadership gained him additional support from white suburbanites. Republican conservative leaders throughout the country increasingly lauded Agnew, while Agnew's African-American supporters felt betrayed by him.
As the 1968 presidential elections were approaching, Agnew declared his support for Nelson Rockefeller. When Rockefeller decided to discontinue his political campaign, Agnew was disappointed. Soon afterwards, Agnew started being courted as a political ally by Richard Nixon. Nixon had been impressed with his "law and order" rhetoric. At the Republican National Convention (August, 1968) in Miami Beach, Agnew declared his support for Nixon. On August 8, 1968, Nixon chose Agnew as his running mate for the election. Agnew himself felt surprised, as he was not among the highest-profile candidates for the position. He had only known Nixon for a few months.
During the election campaign of 1968, Agnew's "law and order" rhetoric impressed voters in the Southern United States. Liberal Republicans in the Northern United States were , however, alarmed by his increasingly belligerent views and statements. Agnew criticized the Democratic candidate Hubert Humphrey as overly soft on communism, and compared his political views to those of Neville Chamberlain. Agnew's vocal support for "orderliness, personal responsibility, the sanctity of hard work, the nuclear family, and law and order" impressed suburban voters across the country. The Republican Party easily won the Presidential elections, gaining 43, 2% of the popular vote and carrying 32 states. Maryland voted for the Democratic Party, but Agnew was largely credited for the Republican victories in South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky. He was more popular in these states than Nixon himself.
As Vice President, Agnew was initially granted his own office in the West Wing of the White House. In December 1969, Agnew moved to another office in the Executive Office Building. As the Vice President had no official residence at the time, Agnew and his wife moved secured a suite at the Sheraton Hotel in Washington, D. C. The same suite had been used by Lyndon Johnson when he was Vice President. Nixon appointed Agnew as the new head of the "White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs", in charge of overseeing coordination between state, local, and tribal governments and the federal government. Agnew was not part of Nixon's inner circle of advisers, and Nixon often ignored Agnew's opinions on foreign policy matters.
Agnew took his duties in the Senate seriously, personally opening every session for the first two months of his term. In the first year of his term in office, he spend more time presiding in the Senate than any vice president since Alben Barkley's term in office (term 1949-1953). Agnew lunched with small groups of senators, in an attempt to build good relations with them. Nixon appointed him as the chair of various government commissions, but many of these positions were sinecures. Agnew hoped for a more active role in politics.
Agnew's speeches in 1969 warned that there was "a vast faceless majority of the American public in quiet fury" over the continued unrest in the country. In October 1969, Agnew gave a press conference where he denounced the apparent political ties between American protesters and the government of North Vietnam. Nixon was rather impressed with Agnew's approach, and tasked Agnew with attacking the Democrats in general. Nixon could thus appear to avoid mudslinging, while Agnew would become the president's "attack dog". Agnew found his new role to be enjoyable.
By late October 1969, Agnew started blaming "liberal elites" for condoning violence by demonstrators. Agnew's anti-intellectual speeches and newfound support for the South, further attracted Southern whites to the Republican Party. Agnew played a large role in Nixon's Southern Strategy, an attempt to turn the Southern United States into a Republican stronghold. Agnew kept attacking the Democrats as supposedly soft on crime, unpatriotic, and favoring flag burning over flag waving. His speeches attracted enthusiastic crowds, but liberal Republicans complained to the Republican National Committee that Agnew's attacks had a detrimental effect to the party's support.
After Nixon's own Silent Majority speech (November 1969) met with a hostile reception by the American press, Agnew was encouraged to verbally attack the press itself as overly liberal and biased. Agnew drew praise from the conservative factions of both major parties, but alienated the press. Media executives started perceiving Agnew as a threat to the freedom of the press. Agnew singled out "The New York Times" and "The Washington Post" for criticism, as they were among the most vocal critics of Nixon's administration. By the end of November, Agnew enjoyed an approval rating of 64%. He had never been more popular in his political career.
In early 1970, Agnew became a popular speaker at Republican fund-raising events. He traveled over 25,000 miles (40,000 km) on behalf of the Republican National Committee. Agnew replaced Ronald Reagan as the party's leading fundraiser. He kept praising "the everyday law-abiding American", in an attempt to attract votes. In April 1970, Agnew finally managed to have one of his ideas about foreign policy heard by Nixon. Agnew's preferred solution for the Viet Cong strongholds in Cambodia was to launch an American attack on Cambodia. Nixon found the idea sound, approving it over the "dovish" advice from Secretary of State William P. Rogers and Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird.
In early May, 1970, Nixon cautioned Agnew to cease the verbal attacks on the student protest movement. Agnew had delivered an anti-student speech in reaction to the Kent State shootings. Nixon feared that the speech would backfire, and would cost a loss of support for Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections. In September of the same year, Agnew became the main speaker of the party's election campaign. Nixon also entrusted Agnew to verbally attack dissenting voices within the Republican Party, such as the novice senator Charles Goodell. The results of this election was disappointing for the Republicans. They gained two more seats in the Senate, but lost 11 governorships. Agnew was frustrated that Maryland had become a Democratic stronghold.
During 1971, the relationship between Agnew and Richard Nixon deteriorated considerably. Agnew was too independent and outspoken for Nixon's tastes, and he was popular with factions of the party which were hostile to Nixon. Agnew typically disapproved on Nixon's foreign policy decisions, and he felt that Nixon was insufficiently committed to winning the Vietnam War. Nixon seriously considered replacing Agnew as his running mate in the 1972 presidential elections, but eventually decided against it.
On July 21, 1972, Nixon officially asked Agnew to become his running mate again. Agnew was mildly surprised, but he took the offer. Agnew was given a hero's welcome at the 1972 Republican National Convention in Miami Beach, by delegates who viewed him as the party's future leader. His acceptance speech focused on praising the administration's accomplishments. Despite Nixon's instructions to the contrary, Agnew launched verbal attacks on George McGovern (the Democratic candidate of the election). During the election campaign, Nixon repeatedly instructed Agnew to tone down his verbal attacks on Democratic candidates. Meanwhile, Agnew was informed that administration officials were responsible for the Watergate break-in. He had no personal involvement in the matter, but felt that the break-in was a foolish decision.
Nixon and Agnew easily achieved re-election in the 1972 presidential elections. They won 60.7% of the popular vote, and carried 49 states. Massachusetts and the District of Columbia were the only areas who voted for the Democratic ticket. To Agnew's disappointment, Democrats dominated both houses of Congress after the election.
Back in Maryland, there was an ongoing criminal investigation on long-term corruption in Baltimore County. Among those investigated by the authorities were public officials, architects, engineering firms, and paving contractors. While investigating the engineering firm of Lester Matz, the authorities learned that Matz had won many of his contracts through the direct influence of Agnew. And Agnew was paid 5% of the value of each contract, in a bribery scheme that had lasted for most of his political career. Agnew learned of this investigation in February 1973, but district attorney George Beall assured him that he would do his best to protect Agnew's name.
By June 1973, evidence surfaced that Agnew had continued to receive bribes during his term as a vice president. Unlike previous charges against him, he was not protected by the statute of limitations. Further witnesses came forward to report criminal transactions with Agnew. Nixon himself was informed of the case in July 1973. By August 1973, the first press reports on Agnew's criminal activities surfaced. In October 1973, Agnew entered into negotiations for a plea bargain on the condition that he would not serve jail time. Agnew pleaded no contest to a tax evasion charge on October 10, 1973. As part of the plea bargain, the other charges against him were dropped. Agnew was fined 10,000 dollars, and was placed on three years' unsupervised probation. He officially resigned from the vice presidency on October 10. Nixon replaced him as vice president with Gerald Ford. Unlike Agnew, Ford had a reputation for personal honesty.
Following his resignation, Agnew moved to his summer home at Ocean City. He was initially unable to pay for his legal bills. He received a loan of 200,000 dollars from singer Frank Sinatra (1915-1998), who he had befriended during his political career. Agnew hoped that he would be able to resume his career as a lawyer. The Maryland Court of Appeals disbarred him in 1974, due to surfacing evidence about his crimes.
Agnew eventually secured enough funds to establish his own business consultancy, Pathlite Inc. He attracted an international clientele. Among his early successes was preparing a contract that would provide new uniforms for the Iraqi Army. Agnew lost money when he invested in a beer distributionship in Texas. In 1976, he published his debut novel "The Canfield Decision". Based on his own political career, it depicted an American vice president who has a troubled relationship with his president. The book was a best seller, and earned Agnew 100,000 dollars for serialization rights alone. But it attracted considerable controversy for its supposed anti-Semitism. Agnew had used the novel to publicize his views that the American news media were controlled by (in his words) "Zionist lobbies". He made further statements to the press against Israel and its influence on the United States.
In 1977, Agnew was wealthy enough to purchase a new home in Rancho Mirage, California. He also fully repaid Frank Sinatra's loan. In the same year's "Nixon interviews", Richard Nixon publicly defended Agnew's reputation. Nixon stated that Agnew must have been unaware that he was breaking the law by receiving bribes.
In 1980, Agnew claimed to be facing new financial problems. He secured an interest-free loan from Fahd bin Abdulaziz, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. He claimed that they had a common enemy in Israel, and voiced support for Saudi Arabia's anti-Israel policies. Also in 1980, Agnew published his memoir: "Go Quietly ... or Else". The book claimed that Agnew had never taken a bribe, and that the charges against him were unjust. The book was discredited when George White (Agnew's former lawyer) testified that Agnew had confessed to him about his many years of receiving bribes. The book also claimed that Agnew had unwillingly resigned in 1973, because Nixon administration officials had threatened him with assassination. The officials named in the book later denied that they had ever threatened Agnew.
In 1980, Agnew gave his first television interview in several years. He advised young people never to seek a political career, because high public office came at the price of overwhelming expectations. In 1981, legal students of the "George Washington University Law School" launched a lawsuit against Agnew. Agnew had been found to have received 268,482 dollars in bribes, and they argued that he should fully repay that sum to the state. In 1981, a court sentenced Agnew to pay the state 147,500 dollars for the kickbacks, and 101,235 dollars in interest. He fully repaid the debt in 1983. He then launched a legal case in an attempt to declare the payments as tax-deductible. He lost his case in 1989.
In 1987, Agnew was the plaintiff in a court case in Brooklyn. He was forced to disclose information about the business activities of his company, Pathlite, Inc.. He was found to have various business activities in Argentina, France, Greece, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Taiwan, and West Germany. The court found no evidence of illegal activities. Agnew claimed at the time that his business success was based on his ability "to penetrate to the top people".
In 1994, Agnew was invited to Richard Nixon's funeral at Yorba Linda, California. He decided to attend it, though he had intentionally avoided all contact with Nixon and his family for two decades. He received a warm welcome by former colleagues from the Nixon administration. In 1995, Agnew was invited to the Capitol in Washington D.C. for the dedication ceremony of a bust of him. He gave his first speech in many years, in order to address his poor reputation.
On September 16, 1996, Agnew suddenly collapsed at his summer home in Ocean City, Maryland. He was transferred to a hospital, and he died there on September 17. He was 77-years-old. An autopsy revealed that he was suffering from untreated acute leukemia. His death came as a surprise to his family and friends. Agnew had remained fit and active into his seventies, and regularly played golf and tennis. He had no visible signs of poor health.
Agnew was buried at Timonium, Maryland, in a ceremony primarily attended by members of his family. Among his former political allies, only Pat Buchanan bothered to attend the funeral. Buchanan had written some of Agnew's speeches. There was also an honor guard of the combined military services at the funeral. Agnew was survived by his wife Judy Agnew, who died in 2012. They had 4 children. Agnew is considered among the most controversial American politicians of the 20th century, but he is also counted among the influential founders of the New Right movement. Some of Agnew's political tactics have been imitated by other Republican politicians, particularly his attacks on the press. - Writer
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Stephen Jeffreys was born on 22 April 1950 in Wood Green, London, England, UK. He was a writer, known for Diana (2013), The Libertine (2004) and Capturing 'The Libertine' (2006). He was married to Annabel Arden. He died on 17 September 2018 in Hampstead, London, England, UK.- Suzan Farmer was born on 16 June 1942 in Kent, England, UK. She was an actress, known for Die, Monster, Die! (1965), Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966) and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1968). She was married to Ian McShane. She died on 17 September 2017 in England, UK.
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Suzanne Whang was a versatile actor, national television host, award-winning stand-up comedian, published author, professional keynote speaker, radio host, spoken word artist, teacher, creativity coach, metaphysical minister, and political activist. Valedictorian of her graduating class at Herndon High School, she gave the invocation at the graduation ceremony. She graduated from the acting program at the William Esper Studio in New York City, and also studied with Milton Katselas, Richard Lawson, Gary Imhoff and Jeffrey Tambor at the Beverly Hills Playhouse.
As an actor, Suzanne has appeared in numerous television series, including a hilarious recurring role as Polly, the oversexed spa manager on Las Vegas (2003), a memorable guest starring role as the young Mrs. Lee on Cold Case (2003), and co-starring roles on Two and a Half Men (2003), Boston Legal (2004), Still Standing (2002), Criminal Minds (2005), Nip/Tuck (2003), The Practice (1997), Strong Medicine (2000), Robbery Homicide Division (2002), Norm (1999), and NYPD Blue (1993). She appeared in the Keanu Reeves feature film Constantine (2005) as a screaming mother whose daughter is possessed by soldier demons. She made another feature film, Traci Townsend (2007), which debuted at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles, and had a cameo appearance in the Hilary Duff feature, Material Girls (2006).
She starred in the short film Seoul Mates (2002), which won Best Acting Award and Audience Award at the Los Angeles 48 Hour Film Festival. In HouseSitter (1992), with Steve Martin, she played Mr. Moseby's secretary. She wrote and starred in a sold-out one-woman show, I Make You Laughing, and got standing ovations every night.
She hosted House Hunters (1999), the #1 rated show on HGTV (Home & Garden Television Network), for almost 10 years. She was also the host of its spin-off show, House Hunters International (2006). She also hosted Blitz Build 2000 (2000), The Making of the Rose Parade 2005 (2004) and The Making of the Rose Parade 2006 (2005), among other shows on the same network. She and Dick Clark's co-hosted TV Censored Bloopers 98 (1998) for NBC, while simultaneously co-hosting New Attitudes (1999) on Lifetime Television. Prior to that, she was a field host/fill-in co-host for Fox After Breakfast (1996), and a field host for Breakfast Time (1994), Personal FX: The Collectibles Show (1994), and The Pet Department (1996) on the FX cable network.
She garnered a NAMIC Award nomination for her work on Breakfast Time. Also an accomplished emcee, she was a red carpet host for An Evening at the Academy Awards on ABC, and she hosted the 20th Anniversary Gala Concert of the Korean Concert Society at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. She was featured as one of "Ten Women to Watch" in "A" Magazine.
She was a celebrity presenter at the 2003 Vision Awards, which celebrates diversity in cable television. She co-hosted the America's Promise children's charity awards ceremony in Beverly Hills, and she also co-hosted the Miss Chinatown pageant in Seattle. She emceed many charity events, including a Lupus Gala Charity Benefit and a Breast Cancer Awareness Charity Benefit as well as public speaking gigs across the country, at high schools, universities, conventions, etc.
As a stand-up comedian, she won the First Annual Andy Kaufman Award at the New York Comedy Festival! She was recognized for her Courage, Creativity, Originality and Humor by the festival judges. This award guaranteed her appearance on Comedy Central's Premium Blend. She also won Best Up & Coming Comedian at the Las Vegas Comedy Festival, playing her controversial, shocking, and politically incorrect alter-ego, Sung Hee Park. The act is a satire of racism in America, reminiscent of Archie Bunker's character in the phenomenal sitcom, All in the Family (1971). She performed one-week stints at the Las Vegas Improv, the Lake Tahoe Improv, and The Vixen in Provincetown, Massachusetts. She performed in Los Angeles at the Comedy Store, the Laugh Factory, the Improv, the Ice House, the Friars Club, the HaHa Cafe, the House of Blues Foundation Room, and the Comedy Union. She also performed at clubs in New York City, Seattle, and San Francisco.
Suzanne Whang is a graduate of Yale University with a B.A. in Psychology, and holds a Master's Degree in Cognitive Psychology from Brown University. She was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer and given only 6 months to live in 2011. She prove the doctors wrong, living and working eight years longer, finally passing away in 2019 after a brave battle with the disease.- Tedi Thurman was born on 10 September 1913 in Idaho, USA. She was an actress, known for Jail Bait (1954), The Mail Story (1954) and When Ocean Meets Sky (2003). She died on 17 September 2012 in Palm Springs, California, USA.