Birthdays: December 25
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- Writer
- Actor
- Producer
A former boxer, paratrooper and general all-around angry young man, Rod Serling was one of the radical new voices that made the "Golden Age" of television. Long before The Twilight Zone (1959), he was known for writing such high-quality scripts as "Patterns" and "Requiem for a Heavyweight," both later turned into films (Patterns (1956) and Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962)). The Twilight Zone (1959) featured forays into controversial grounds like racism, Cold War paranoia and the horrors of war. His maverick attitude eventually drove him from regular network television.- Actress
- Composer
- Music Department
Alannah Myles was born on 25 December 1958 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is an actress and composer, known for Alannah Myles: Black Velvet (1990), Alannah Myles: Our World, Our Times and The Babysitter: Killer Queen (2020).- Producer
- Script and Continuity Department
- Writer
Anne Spielberg was born on 25 December 1949 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. She is a producer and writer, known for Big (1988), Amazing Stories (1985) and The Killings at Outpost Zeta (1980).- Music Artist
- Actress
- Composer
Annie Lennox was born on 25 December 1954 in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, UK. She is a music artist and actress, known for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003), Scrooged (1988) and Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992). She has been married to Mitch Besser since 15 September 2012. She was previously married to Uri Fruchtmann and Radha Raman.- Ariadna Gutiérrez-Arévalo was born on 25 December 1993 in Sincelejo, Colombia. She is an actress, known for xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017), The Midway Point and At Midnight (2023).
- Composer
- Actor
- Producer
Armin van Buuren was born on 25 December 1976 in Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands. He is a composer and actor, known for 6 Underground (2019), The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018) and Me Time (2022). He has been married to Erika van Thiel since 2009. They have two children.- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Barbara Mandrell was born on 25 December 1948 in Houston, Texas, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for The Rockford Files (1974), Touched by an Angel (1994) and Baywatch (1989). She has been married to Ken Dudney since 28 May 1967. They have three children.- Actor
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- Soundtrack
Barton MacLane graduated from Wesleyan University, where he displayed a notable aptitude for sports, in particular football and basketball. Not surprisingly, his physical prowess led to an early role in The Quarterback (1926) with Richard Dix. MacLane once commented that, as an actor, he needed to have the physical strength to tear the bad guys "from limb to limb", if necessary. Ironically, it was usually Barton himself who was destined to be at the end of a hiding (when not getting shot, instead), typically as snarling henchmen, outlaws and other assorted dubious or abrasive types throughout most of his 40-year acting career. In fact, Barton became so typecast, that his name was for a time used proverbially, to generally describe a shouting, hard-nosed ruffian.
After training at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, MacLane joined a stock company in Brooklyn. In 1927 he had his first part on Broadway, a brief moment as an assistant district attorney, in the melodrama "The Trial of Mary Dugan". He then played a small featured role as a police officer in "Subway Express" (1929-30), a drama enacted in the interior of a subway car. In mid-1932 MacLane tried his hand at writing his own starring vehicle for the stage, entitled "Rendezvous". While the play closed after just 21 performances, it led to a contract with Warner Brothers.
Barton had already appeared in bit roles for Paramount at their Astoria Studios, including The Marx Brothers' debut film The Cocoanuts (1929). He portrayed mobster Brad Collins in 'G' Men (1935) (with James Cagney), which set the tone for most of his future assignments. Brawny, with squinty eyes and a rasping voice, MacLane was the ideal surly tough guy, particularly suitable for westerns and the type of films noir Warner Brothers excelled at. He was often cast as cops, be they bent or honest. Some of his most representative performances include gangster Al Kruger in Bullets or Ballots (1936), which won him some of the best critical notices of his career; outlaw Jack Slade in Western Union (1941); crooked construction boss Pat McCormick, who gets beaten up by Humphrey Bogart and Tim Holt over past-due wages in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948); hard-nosed cops Detective Dundy in The Maltese Falcon (1941) and Lt. Reece in Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (1950). MacLane, on loan to Universal, also had a starring role in Prison Break (1938) as an innocent tuna fisherman who is framed for murder. He was prominent as a tough but sympathetic cop, foil to sleuthing girl reporter Glenda Farrell in the "Torchy Blaine" series of the mid- to late 1930s. In the 1960s Barton began to cultivate a good-guy image as Marshal Frank Caine in the NBC western series Outlaws (1960) as well as showing up in a small recurring role as Air Force Gen. Martin Peterson in I Dream of Jeannie (1965).
Barton was married to the actress Charlotte Wynters, who appeared with him in six of his films. When not on the set, the couple spent time on their 2000-acre cattle ranch in Madera County, California. For his work in television, Barton has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Bonaldo Giaiotti was born on 25 December 1932 in Ziracco, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. He was an actor, known for The Briefcase (2011), The Metropolitan Opera Presents (1977) and Mefistofele (1987). He was married to Alice Weinberger. He died on 11 June 2018 in Milan, Italy.- Brandon expressed an interest in acting at the age of 3 and by 5 was already a member of SAG. His first lead role in the feature film, Smitty (2012), which was released in April 2012. Brandon plays the lead role of Ben Barrett and worked alongside: Peter Fonda, Mira Sorvino, Louis Gossett Jr., Lolita Davidovich, Jason London, and Booboo Stewart. Since then, he has gone on to film several other features including: The Martial Arts Kid (alongside Kathryn Newton & Sydney Sweeney), Fishes N Loaves: Heaven Sent (alongside Patrick Muldoon & Dina Meyer), & Weiner Dog Nationals. Brandon has co-starred on: Supah Ninja's, Tosh.0, and Instant Mom. He also appeared in the 300th episode of Grey's Anatomy as Gregory Williams (AKA Baby George) and has had lead roles in two TV Christmas movies: Beverly Hills Christmas (alongside John Savage & Dean Cain) & This Is Our Christmas.
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- Actress
Bridgetta Tomarchio is an American Actress, CEO, Spokesperson, Model, and Producer. Comfortable in the spotlight, Bridgetta has been in front of a camera since she was very young. Finding her fame in television with credentials such as a starring role on DIRECTV'S "Project MY World", "Californication", "Wanted Ted or Alive," and film roles in "The Ideal Husband" (GMC/BET), "Walk A Mile in My Pradas" (won a spirit award), "6 Nonsmokers," and various other films. One of her acting coaches was Sally Kirkland, who also stars in this film.
She was dubbed the "Queen of Late Night TV" by GMA for her role as the Extenze Spokesperson; played Quarterback in the "Lingerie Bowl" (2004 & 2005), and even danced backup for Britney Spears. She was also the face of AXE Bodywash and has graced numerous magazine spreads and covers. For over 10yrs, Bridgetta has hosted a show on LA Talk Radio. She has produced, pitched, and sold network shows throughout her career.
The star-turned CEO has worked behind the camera for nearly as long with an extensive background in production, marketing, tour management (Val Kilmer's nationwide tour of "Cinema Twain"; "The Deplorables", and more), career & brand management, and public relations. In 2007, Bridgetta launched her own marketing, branding, business coaching, and management firm, "Wadjet PR, Consulting, & Management" where she works with various A-Listers, start-ups, products, and a variety of entertainment and entrepreneurial personalities. She primarily works with companies and influencers who share the same passion to make a change in the world through their work.- Actress
- Producer
The CCH stands for Carol Christine Hilaria, her birth name. Most of her characters are enriched with positive attributes -- strength, confidence, integrity, strong-mindedness -- and it is a testament to the abilities of this four-time Emmy nominated actress that she continues on such a high plane in a five-decade career.
Born on Christmas Day 1952 in Guyana, she was raised on a sugar cane plantation. Her parents, Betsy Enid Arnella (James) and Ronald Urlington Pounder, moved the family to the States while she was still a young girl, but she and her sister were subsequently sent to a convent boarding school in Britain where they were introduced to art and the classics. Following high school graduation, she arrived in New York and studied at Ithaca College, where her acting talents were strongly tapped into. Regional and classical repertory theater followed, earning roles in such productions as "The Mighty Gents" (1979) with Morgan Freeman at the New York Shakespeare Festival and "Open Admissions" (1984), her Broadway debut. Other stage work includes "Coriolanus," "Antony and Cleopatra," "The Frog," "The Lodger" and "Mumbo Jumbo."
After bit/featured roles in All That Jazz (1979), I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can (1982) and Prizzi's Honor (1985), CCH earned cult status in the art-house film Bagdad Cafe (1987) (aka "Bagdad Café" in the US) as the offbeat owner of a roadside café. She continued to impress with support roles in Postcards from the Edge (1990), The Importance of Being Earnest (1992), an all-black version: as Miss Prism), Benny & Joon (1993), RoboCop 3 (1993), Sliver (1993), Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight (1995),Face/Off (1997), Funny Valentines (1999), The Devil in Miss Jones 6 (1999), Baby of the Family (2002), Rain (2008), Orphan (2009), Avatar (2009) (as the voice of Mo'at, and its sequels), My Girlfriend's Back (2010). Home Again (2012) (as a Jamaican) and The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013).
Pounder's prominence came, however, with television. Often cast as succinct, professional types (doctors, policewoman, judges) or characters with a variety of accents, she is known for her understated intensity and earned an Emmy nomination for her stint on the hospital drama ER (1994). She has also performed in a number of highly acclaimed topical mini-movie dramas, including Go Tell It on the Mountain (1985), Common Ground (1990), Murder in Mississippi (1990), Little Girl Fly Away (1998), A Touch of Hope (1999), Boycott (2001), Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story (2004) (as Winnie Mandela) for which a number of kudos have come her way.
Millennium TV output includes regular/recurring roles on the series The Shield (2002) in which she earned an NAACP Award and Emmy nomination as Detective Claudette Wym; the social drama Ciencias del espacio (2008) as matriarch Mrs. Trainor, and NCIS: New Orleans (2014) as medical examiner Loretta Wade. She later found voice work in animated projects and video games.- Actor
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Bandleader, songwriter ("Minnie the Moocher", "Are You Hep to That Jive?"), composer, singer, actor and author, educated at Crane College. While studying law, he sang with the band The Alabamians, and took over the group in 1928. He led The Missourians orchestra, then organized and led his own orchestra, playing at hotels, theaters and nightclubs throughout the US, and making many records. He joined the cast of the touring company of "Porgy and Bess", which performed across the USA and Europe between 1952 and 1954. When that ended, he founded a quartet. Joining ASCAP in 1942, he collaborated musically with Jack Palmer, Buck Ram, Andy Gibson, Clarence Gaskill, Irving Mills and Paul Mills . His other popular song compositions include "Lady With the Fan", "Zaz Zuh Zaz", "Chinese Rhythm", "Are You In Love With Me Again?", "That Man's Here Again", "Peck-A-Doodle-Doo", "I Like Music", "Rustle of Swing", "Three Swings and Out", "The Jumpin' Jive", "Boog It", "Come on with the Come-on", "Silly Old Moon", "Sunset", "Rhapsody in Rhumba", "Are You All Reet?", "Hi-De-Ho Man", "Levee Lullaby", "Let's Go, Joe", "Geechy Joe", and "Hot Air".- Actor
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Candy Candido was born on 25 December 1913 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. He was an actor, known for The Great Mouse Detective (1986), Peter Pan (1953) and The French Dispatch (2021). He was married to Anita Bivona. He died on 19 May 1999 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Actress
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Cheryl Chase is an American voice actress from Menville, New Jersey who is well known for voicing Angelica Pickles from Rugrats. She returned to voice her role in spin-off shows, three movies, video games and commercials. She also voice acted in other works including The Ren and Stimpy Show, The Mr. Men Show, Addams Family Values, Ollie and Scoops and My Neighbor Totoro.- Composer
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Christian Henson is a multi nominated (including Ivor Novello and World Soundtrack Awards) and multi award-winning composer. With over 45 films to his name, he has proved to be a prodigious and versatile force within the UK film industry.
Christian most recently scored Jason Connery's feature 'Tommy's Honour' which opened the Edinburgh International Film Festival in 2017. He also scored the ITV four-part drama 'Tutankhamun' and the television movie 'The Go-Between' for the BBC, starring Vanessa Redgrave and Jim Broadbent, which was extremely well received.
Prior to this, he wrote the score for Jon Wright's sci-fi epic 'Robot Overlords'; a posthumous collaboration with Jerry Goldsmith on video game 'Alien Isolation' for Sega of America; the historic conclusion to the 'Poirot' franchise, for which Christian composed the final 9 feature-length episodes; cult TV series 'Inside No. 9' with Reece Sheersmith & Steve Pemberton; and the multi award-winning 'Fresh Meat' for Channel 4.
Christian has also worked extensively in Europe. From the heart-rending holocaust epic 'La Rafle', one of the most successful French films of recent times, Dexter Fletcher's BAFTA nominated debut 'Wild Bill' and Lee Tamahori's disturbing 'The Devil's Double', to a triptych of horror and comedy from director Chris Smith with 'Severance', 'Black Death' and 'Triangle'.
Christian's musical background lies in the first-wave Drum and Bass and breakbeat music of the 90's with acts such as LTJ Bukem and The Freestylers. This DNA is present in all his scores alongside his unique, self-taught approach to working with the orchestra. He has collaborated with an eclectic number of artists on his scores including Graham Coxon (Blur), Dot Allison (One Dove, Death In Vegas, Massive Attack), Leo Abrahams (Brian Eno), Skye (of Morcheeba), Natasha Khan (Bat For Lashes), Synergy Vocals (Steve Reich) and Ed Harcourt.
Christian set up the company Spitfire Audio which provides tools for composers all over the world. The company has since developed a global following and has become a generous supporter of the UK music industry. Christian works from his scoring complex in London.- Hotel magnate Conrad Nicholson Hilton was born on Christmas Day of 1887 in San Antonio, New Mexico. He was the son of Mary Genevive (Laufersweiler), who was of German descent, and August Halvorsen Hilton, a Norwegian immigrant, born in Hilton, Ullensaker, Akershus, Norway. His father ran a string of businesses, including renting rooms to transients, and during his younger years Conrad helped him out. Later he attended the New Mexico School of Mines, but soon afterwards decided to join his father's business interests, and he became a partner. He also became active in state politics, and was elected as a Republican to New Mexico's state legislature--its first--in 1912. His term expired in 1913 and he went to work for a local bank in his home town, and two years later became its president. His banking career was interrupted by service in the army during World War I, but after the war he returned to his chosen profession and attempted to expand his banking business. When negotiations to buy a small Texas bank fell through, he decided to invest in a Texas hotel. His investment was successful and led to his buying several other hotels across Texas. His budding hotel empire was crippled by the Depression of the early 1930s, but he had previously bought a string of oil leases that turned out to be quite profitable, and the money he got from them enabled him to stay in the hotel business, although he was forced to reduce his operations. In 1938 he expanded his business into hotel construction, but also kept his hand in hotel acquisition, buying such prestigious establishments as the Plaza and Roosevelt hotels in New York and the Palmer House in Chicago. In 1949 he bought what was generally considered the finest hotel in the US: the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City.
In 1946 he had organized his holdings into the Hilton Hotel Corp. He became renowned in the hotel business for his financial and management acumen, being able to turn every conceivable space in his hotels to profitable use. He bought and/or built luxurious resort hotels around the world, and in 1954 he acquired a majority interest in the rival Statler Hotel chain. In 1966 he decided to retire and turned over the running of his company--which owned more than 60 hotels in the US alone--to his son, Barron Hilton. - Soundtrack
Curly Seckler was born on 25 December 1919 in China Grove, North Carolina, USA. He died on 27 December 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA.- Actress
- Soundtrack
A pretty, green-eyed, husky-voiced champagne blonde, she was born Darlyne Danielle Swanson in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her family moved to California when she was five. Schooled there, she later attended the University of California in Berkeley. At sixteen, she married a Frenchman named Donalde Crayne, but this union ended in divorce some four years later. Dani had ambitions to break into show business and went on to take dance, voice and acting tuition, eventually becoming a mambo teacher herself at a Hollywood dance academy. While there, she was discovered by a Universal studios talent scout and signed to a one-year contract. Despite a flurry of publicity, Dani made just a handful of pictures and her career was, at best, desultory. When her contract was not renewed in 1956, she appeared in a couple of films at Warner Brothers, of which the first, the B-grade western Shoot-Out at Medicine Bend (1957), saw her to better advantage as a racketeer's girlfriend. She then played Helen of Troy in the expensively made box-office and critical dud that was The Story of Mankind (1957), described by reviewers as a 'disconnected, clichéd pageant'. Dani did not appear on screen again until the late 70s, when she made a brief comeback as a character actress (now billed as Dani Janssen).
In the early 60s, Dani Crayne married singer Buddy Greco after seeing him perform on stage at a Chicago club. Divorcing Greco in 1974, she then wed TV star David Janssen (of The Fugitive (1963) fame) who gifted her a racing green 1979 Rolls-Royce Corniche. With Janssen's death in 1980, she became a widow, albeit briefly. Dani's fourth husband (1981-87)) was actor-director-stuntman Hal Needham.
A celebrated Beverly Hills hostess of lavish Oscar night parties, Dani made shrewd investments and went on to enjoy an opulent life style (a writer likened her to a 'typical Jackie Collins character') without ever needing to work again.- Dave Parks was born on 25 December 1941 in Muenster, Texas, USA. He was an actor, known for Number One (1969), NFL Monday Night Football (1970) and The NFL on CBS (1956). He died on 8 August 2019 in Austin, Texas, USA.
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Dean Cameron was born on 25 December 1962 in Morrison, Illinois, USA. He is an actor and director, known for Summer School (1987), Straight Outta Compton (2015) and Sleep with Me (1994). He has been married to Jessie S. Marion since 9 April 2004. They have one child.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Desireless was born on 25 December 1952 in Paris, France. She is an actress, known for Desireless: Voyage, voyage (1986), Stars 80 (2012) and Compartment Number 6 (2021).- Actor
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Born in the Bronx, New York to Russian Jewish immigrant parents (Isidor "Ira" and Rita Blucher Miller), Richard Miller served in the U.S. Navy for a few years and earned a prize title as a middleweight boxer. He settled in Los Angeles in the mid-1950s, where he was noticed by producer/director Roger Corman, who cast him in most of his low-budget films, often as dislikeable sorts, such as a vacuum-cleaner salesman in Not of This Earth (1957). His most memorable role would have to be that of the mentally unstable, busboy/beatnik artist Walter Paisley, whose clay sculptures are suspiciously lifelike in A Bucket of Blood (1959) (a rare starring role for him), and he is also fondly remembered for his supporting role as the flower-eating Vurson Fouch in Corman's legendary The Little Shop of Horrors (1960).
Miller spent the next 20 years working in Corman productions, and starting in the late 1970s was often cast in films by director Joe Dante, appearing in credited and uncredited walk-on bits as quirky chatterboxes, and stole every scene he appeared in. He has played many variations on his famous Walter Paisley role, such as a diner owner (Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)) or a janitor (Chopping Mall (1986)). One of his best bits is the funny occult-bookshop owner in The Howling (1981). Being short (so he never played a romantic lead or a threatening villain) with wavy hair, long sideburns, a pointed nose and a face as trustworthy as a used-car dealer's, he was, and is to this day, an immediately recognizable character actor whose one-scene appearances in countless movies and TV shows guarantee audience applause.- Actress
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Dido was born on 25 December 1971 in Kensington, London, England, UK. She is an actress and composer, known for 127 Hours (2010), Crossroads (2002) and Love Actually (2003). She has been married to Rohan Gavin since 2010. They have one child.- Actor
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Dylan Vox was born in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Dylan is an actor and producer, known for Hercules Reborn (2014), Jersey Shore Shark Attack (2012) and Dead 7 (2016).- Actor
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Edward Burnham was born on 25 December 1916 in Lincolnshire, England, UK. He was an actor and director, known for To Sir, with Love (1967), Quatermass and the Pit (1958) and Little Dorrit (1987). He was married to Lucille. He died on 30 June 2015 in the UK.- Actress
- Additional Crew
Elena Lyadova was born on 25th on December 1980 in Morshansk, Tambov region, USSR. She is a Russian actress of screen and stage. Elena made her film debut in 2002. She is known for working with top Russian directors, such as Aleksey Uchitel "Dreaming of space" (2005) and Andrey Zvyagintsev "Elena" (2011), "Leviathan" (2014). Elena won National Awards: Golden Eagle (2012 - for supporting role, 2014 - Best Actress), Nika (2012 - for supporting role, 2014 - Best Actress) Other works: Elena is also known for dubbing Maria Bonnevie in "The Banishment" (2007). She also performed in "New York, I love you" (2008), in a part by Andrey Zvyagintsev ("Apocrypha")- Elena Sedova is known for Siempre te amaré (1971), Los hijos de López (1979) and El deseo de vivir (1973).
- Eliza Orlins was born on 25 December 1982 in New York City, New York, USA.
- Born in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture Takei Emi was born on December 25th 1993 and went on to become a model, singer and actress. While at junior high school she determined to become a fashion model and informed her parents. She entered the annual 11th Japan Bishojo Contest in 2006 and won it. She appeared in the November, 2006 edition of Seventeen magazine, signed an exclusive contract with them in 2007 and appeared on a cover in February. She appeared in a TV serial in 2008 and expanded from there. She also took the familiar route of both becoming a singer and promoting corporate products in Japan. She married fellow singer and actor Takahiro (of Exile) in 2017. They were reported to be dating since 2015, which both actors' managements had officially denied. The two had co-starred in Senryokugai Sosakan. She was pregnant at time of marriage. Takei Emi is represented by Oscar Promotion, which charged her for "damages" for not acting and making money upon pregnancy and marriage.
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In the hallowed annals of thespian mastery, Emmanuel Kabongo stands as a paragon of the dramatic arts, weaving a tapestry of distinction that transcends the realms of stage and screen. Born amidst the tumultuous echoes of the Democratic Republic of Congo, fate's capricious hand led him to the sanctuary of South Africa, seeking refuge from the cacophony of civil strife. At the tender age of eleven, the Kabongo family, with Emmanuel as its venerable patriarch, sought solace and opportunity in the vast expanse of Canada's promising shores.
The eldest scion of a brood of six, Emmanuel's ascent to eminence did not unfold upon the proscenium of a conventional narrative. A familial constellation radiating excellence in athletics saw three siblings ascend to the zenith of Division One basketball, gracing arenas with the prowess of their physical prowess, including the venerable stages of the Canadian national team and the NBA. Yet, in a plot twist defying conventional expectations, Emmanuel, a scion of sagacity, forsook the siren call of sports stardom.
Within the hallowed halls of a Toronto college, he immersed himself in the contemplative realms of arts and theater, adroitly juggling his academic pursuits with a stint on the varsity basketball team. Though an athletic odyssey beckoned, the siren's call of the dramatic arts prevailed, prompting the eschewal of a lucrative basketball scholarship in favor of a thespian destiny.
Emmanuel, akin to a comet igniting the celestial stage, commenced his trajectory through the cinematic firmament. From the crucible of short films and student productions, he emerged, resplendent, with a lead guest star role in the television opus, "Breakout." Since that inaugural moment, his ascent has been meteoric, marked by recurring roles and guest appearances in an illustrious array of television series that include the likes of Outer Banks, Star Trek: Discovery, and NCIS: Hawai'i.
Yet, his luminosity extends beyond the small screen, gracing the celluloid canvas with supporting roles in cinematic gems like Wedding Disaster, Simulant, and the lauded Run This Town. As a producer, Emmanuel orchestrated and starred in the thriller Sway, curated the acclaimed web series Teenagers, and crafted compelling narratives in short films that garnered accolades on the global stage.
A maestro of the vocal arts, Kabongo lent his mellifluous cadence to narrate audiobooks, his voice resonating through literary realms in works like A Choice of Enemies, A Gazelle Ate My Homework, and Roughing it in The Bush.
Emmanuel Kabongo, a name etched in the firmament of thespian brilliance, has not been a stranger to the acclaim he so richly deserves. Nominated thrice for a Canadian Screen Award, his mantle proudly bears witness to an array of Best Actor laurels from prestigious festivals such as the Hollywood Gold Awards and the New York Movie Awards.
In 2017, he ascended to the pantheon of thespian luminaries, bestowed with the Rising Star Award at the Excellence Awards. The African Entertainment Awards in 2013 hailed him as the Best Actor, and 2015 saw the prestigious BravoFact grant bestowed upon him for his indomitable work in A Man's Story.
Emmanuel's journey has been a pilgrimage of knowledge, guided by the venerable hands of acting luminaries such as Earl Nanhu, Lindy Davies, and Tom Todoroff. Fluent in both French and English, he has not only enriched the world of entertainment but also exhibited his benevolence through a Christmas charity for the homeless, a testament to the Christian ethos that pervades his being.
As the curtain falls on this glimpse into the tapestry of Emmanuel Kabongo's life, one cannot help but marvel at the symphony of accomplishment and humility that defines this luminary. In the mosaic of his existence, Kabongo is not merely an actor; he is a virtuoso, an auteur, and a humanitarian, whose legacy reverberates through the corridors of artistic brilliance and philanthropic grace.- Music Department
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Enrique Morente was born on 25 December 1942 in Granada, Granada, Andalucía, Spain. He was a composer and actor, known for Volver (2006), Adiós (2019) and Cariño, sabes que soy de otro planeta (2022). He was married to Aurora Carbonell. He died on 13 December 2010 in Madrid, Spain.- Actor
- Casting Department
Eric Dean is an American film, television, and stage actor based in Los Angeles, CA. Dean has appeared in more than 30 films, several television & web series, and numerous commercials.
Eric was born Eric Dean Turic on December 25, 1971 in Holland, Michigan and was raised by his mother Emma Sue Rogers in the small town of, Muldrow, OK. He has three brothers and one sister. Though Eric spent most of his childhood in Muldrow, his family also lived in Illinois, Michigan, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Arizona as well as Juarez, Mexico- all while Eric was small child.
From his earliest memory, Eric recalls his mother singing and attributes his gravitating toward music and singing to her rousing renditions of songs including "Bill Bailey "and "Has Anybody Seen My Gal". Eric sang in both church and school choirs, and his interest in music expanded when he joined the band and played the saxophone in the 5th grade. He attended all the choir competitions and received consistent high marks for individual performance. Always drawn to the arts, throughout middle and high school Eric was involved in plays, choir, and the band. He was also a very good student and member of several clubs including 4-H, drama, science and the National Beta Club. He performed in several school plays, as well as community theatre. His first stage performance as a young adult was at The Ft. Smith Arkansas Little Theatre in "Annie Get Your Gun!" as Little Jake.
Eric received a partial theatre scholarship enabling him to attend the University of Tulsa, where he went on to graduate with a major in psychology and a minor in anthropology. After college, Eric moved to New Mexico and worked in the corporate world as a marketing manager for five years, but consistently felt he was not fulfilled creatively. In 1999 at age 28, Eric made the crucial decision to relocate to Los Angeles where he would have the advantage of being able to audition full-time for films, television, and commercials. Shortly after his arrival, Eric signed with a commercial agent and began continuously booking commercials. In 2003, Eric had a banner commercial year, and decided to start a custom furniture business.
He then began focusing on acting for film, and booked several student films, experimental shorts, and shot his first independent feature, "Nine Lives" in 2004. Eric found himself becoming more successful in films as well as television, and in 2008 landed the role of Mark in the action/adventure film "Target Practice," which won numerous awards at film festivals nationally. Several features have followed, including the horror comedy "George's Intervention" (2009), the action-adventure film "Jaguar" (2011) and the romantic comedy "The Men Next Door" (2012).- Actress
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Eugenia Kuzmina is a Russian-American actress, comedian, and model. Her father was a renowned nuclear physicist who was one of the first responds to the Chornobyl disaster. Her mother is a former scientist and a housewife. Eugenia grew up on food lines in Post Soviet time. She was training to be a professional ice skater when at 13 years old, she was pulled out from a group of kids in her school to appear in a Russian version of SNL "Eralash." She was then cast to appear in Chuck Norris's film but couldn't leave the country due to visa issues. After appearing in commercials for Coca-Cola, L'Oréal, and Wrigleys in Moscow, for which she was paid more than her scientist's dad, she was noticed by a scout at Nathalie Models Europe. She signed a contract and moved to Paris at 15 to work with such brands as Yves Saint Laurent, Cartier, Dior, Armani, Hermes, Loreal, and Vogue, among many others...
After Ford Models, then IMG signed her contract and moved her to the US, she was noticed by Rodrigo Prieto (cinematographer of " Wolf Of Wall Street," "Babel") to appear in his directorial debut opposite Elle Fanning "Likeness." The movie was screened at Tribeca Film Festival and received excellent reviews. John Turturro cast Eugenia to play opposite him in a film with Woody Allen, "Fading Gigolo." Recently Eugenia worked opposite Bill Murray in "Rock The Kasbah," Milla Kunis and Christina Applegate in "Bad Moms, "Guy Ritchie's " The Gentlemen, "Operation Fortune, "etc. Eugenia's Tv credits include " Spy City, "True Blood," "New Girl," "Castle," "The Comeback," "Lady Dynamite," Tour De Pharmacy, "etc.
Eugenia is very passionate about comedy and writes and performs Stand Up regularly at The Comedy Store and The Laugh Factory. She has created a show, " Models of Comedy, "that is touring around the world. Her other hobbies include motorcycles, doing her own stunts, languages (French, Portuguese), and supporting environmental causes worldwide.
Kuzmina resides in Los Angeles with her husband, Bill Block ( Miramax CEO ), and two children.- Ms. Nesbit, artists' model and chorus girl, was at the heart of what was known at the time as the Crime of the Century. Her abusive husband, Pittsburgh millionaire Harry Thaw, murdered 52-year old architect and socialite Stanford White (of the firm McKim, Mead, and White), who had taken advantage of 16-year old Evelyn and subsequently become her lover a couple of years before she married Thaw. Harry Thaw's mother mother quickly financed propaganda, even a film, to portray her son as a protector of women's virtue; at the same time, the media reported the very-married White's many other transgressions involving young women. After his first trial ended in a hung jury, Thaw was retried in 1908 and found insane. He was sent away to a mental institution for the criminally insane in upstate New York, from which he which he escaped once; in 1915 he was released with reputation untarnished--a homicidal hero.
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Ewen MacIntosh was born on 25 December 1973 in Merioneth, Wales, UK. He was an actor and writer, known for The Lobster (2015), Big Fat Gypsy Gangster (2011) and Little Britain (2003). He died on 19 February 2024 in East Preston, West Sussex, England, UK.- Facundo Moyano has been married to Eva Bargiela since 15 October 2021.
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American character actor Frank Ferguson appeared in scores of films and television shows, often as self-important types. Prior to his film debut, he was a prominent performer and director with the acclaimed Pasadena Community Playhouse, where he coached numerous up-and-coming young actors such as Dana Andrews, George Reeves, Robert Preston and Victor Mature. He broke into films, himself, in the early 1940s, usually playing minor supporting roles, though he was seen to advantage in larger roles, notably in two of the best-known (and oddest) westerns of the '50s, Rancho Notorious (1952) and Johnny Guitar (1954). He played hundreds of ranchers, bankers and police detectives in films and television throughout the '50s and '60s. He became most familiar as "Gus" on the children's program My Friend Flicka (1955) and later as "Eli Carson" on the two TV series based on the novel Peyton Place (1964). He semi-retired in 1972 and died of cancer six years later.- Actress
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Gaite Jansen is considered one of the most promising Dutch young acting talents of her generation. She can be seen on the HBO/ Cinemax show Jett (2019), opposite Carla Gugino, directed by Sebastian Gutierrez. Prior to this, she played recurring roles on BBC's Peaky Blinders (2013) Season 3 and Line of Duty (2012) Season 4.
Her performance as a deaf teenager in the groundbreaking 2011 drama 170 Hz (2011) earned her nominations for Best Actress at the Seattle Film Festival and the Netherlands Film Festival. Supernova (2014), in which she plays the lead role, screened in the Generations competition at Berlinale film festival 2014. She also played the lead role in The Price of Sugar (2013), the opening film of the Netherlands Film Festival in 2013.
Apart from her TV and film work, Gaite worked on stage with internationally renowned theatre directors such as Tony-winner Ivo van Hove and Simon Stone.- Actor
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Fair, light-haired 1970s and 1980s TV actor Gary Sandy was born in 1945 and raised in Ohio. He attended Ohio's Wilmington College and later improved on his chances of an acting career by moving to New York City, studying at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. While there he made his professional debut in 1970 with a soap opera part written especially for him. Following his short stint on "As The World Turns," he visited a number of soap sets during a seven-year period as assorted, often menacing -- "Another World," "Somerset" and "The Secret Storm."
In between his soap trysts Gary made his Broadway bow in "Saturday, Sunday, Monday" (1974), which was directed by Franco Zeffirelli of "Romeo and Juliet" film fame. A couple of small movie parts eventually led to noticeable turns on TV, especially with Norman Lear's short-lived All That Glitters (1977). This, in turn, segued into his best known character on TV, that of hunky radio program director Andy Travis in the four-season sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati (1978). While Gary was a firm anchor and enjoyed top billing as the good-looking, All-American 'nice guy' lead, he was frequently overshadowed by his flashy supporting cast, which included 'hip' DJ Howard Hesseman and blonde bombshell Loni Anderson. The show would return in syndication in 1991 but without Gary and most of the others.
Gary is the perfect example of a committed and talented actor willing to persevere through good times and bad, despite a lack of offers after his big TV series success, Gary maintained for a time as a TV guest star on such shows as "L.A. Law," "Murder, She Wrote," "Diagnosis: Murder," "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" and had a brief regular role in 2001 on the daytime soap The Young and the Restless (1973). He then reverted back to his first love -- the theatre.
Musical roles have since ranged from the slick and preening (The Pirate King in Broadway's "The Pirates of Penzance" and Billy Flynn in "Chicago") to playing the down-home charmer (Harold Hill in "The Music Man" and Will Rogers in "Will Rogers Follies"). During this time Gary also appeared in a few musical misfires based on critically successful plays. "Sheba", the musical adaptation of Come Back, Little Sheba, and "Windy City" based on "The Front Page," went nowhere. In 2004, he even opened in a Texas-styled musical version of Shakespeare's "The Merry Wives of Windsor. One of his finest hours on stage was in the challenging one-man 1985 production "Billy Bishop Goes to War" in which he enacted 17 roles.
Seen here and there on camera, including the horror film Mommy's Day (1997) with grown-up demonic "Bad Seed" Patty McCormack, the crime drama Against the Law (1997), and the intense thriller The Insider (1999), Gary last appeared in the TV movies Lightning: Fire from the Sky (2001) starring John Schneider and A Place Called Home (2004), a family drama starring Ann-Margret.- Actress
- Producer
Georgia Tennant was born on 25 December 1984 in London, England, UK. She is an actress and producer, known for Staged (2020), Bonkers (2007) and Doctor Who (2005). She has been married to David Tennant since 30 December 2011. They have five children.- Gloria Raines was born in 1930 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She was an actress, known for Estación terminal (1980), Miss Shumway Goes West (1963) and Toto Paniagua, el rey de la chatarra (1980). She was married to Tito Alonso. She died on 8 August 2004 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Goar Mestre is known for El show de Pepe Biondi (1956), El zapato roto (1971) and El Trece: 50 años (2010).
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- Soundtrack
Gwei Lun-mei was born in Taipei, Taiwan. She began her acting career in the film Blue Gate Crossing (2002). She had her breakthrough in 2007 when she played the female lead in the film Secret (2007) directed by Jay Chou. She was awarded Best Leading Actress for Girlfriend Boyfriend (2012) at the 49th Golden Horse Film Awards in 2012.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Hailie Jade Mathers was born on 25 December 1995. She is an actress, known for Limp Bizkit: Break Stuff (2000) and Luc Turgeon's Channel (2015).- Actor
- Producer
Hal Scardino was born on 25 December 1984 in Savannah, Georgia, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for The Indian in the Cupboard (1995), Marvin's Room (1996) and Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993).- Actress
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Lead icon of the influential New German Cinema of the 70's & 80's, Schygulla's natural blonde beauty and amazing versatility keep her among the world's top actresses. She won best actress at Cannes in 1983 for The Story of Piera (1983) (aka "The Story of Piera"), an Italian/German co-production. The Turkish/German co-production, The Edge of Heaven (2007) (aka "The Edge of Heaven"), won the 2007 Cannes award for best screenplay. The now silver-haired actress appears to have shunned plastic surgery.
One of many protégés of Rainer Werner Fassbinder, who gave Schygulla especially tender treatment and nurturing, while he terrorized, manipulated, and slept with many of the other actors and filmmakers Fassbinder developed in his incestuous family-like theatrical and film troupes.
Over 12 years, Hanna Schygulla appeared in 23 Fassbinder movies (including his first feature film), the most-acclaimed being The Marriage of Maria Braun (1979) (aka "The Marriage of Maria Braun") (for which she won the Silver Bear), Lili Marleen (1981) and Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980). After a disagreement with Fassbinder, she did not appear in his final 4 movies. Their mentor/muse relationship is often favorably compared with that of Josef von Sternberg and Marlene Dietrich. Schygulla met Fassbinder while she was studying romance languages and taking acting lessons in Munich, then became a member of his collective theatre troupe, "Munich Action Theatre", which eventually evolved into his film group.
After Fassbinder's 1982 death, she appeared in a few commercial films, and when she does act now, concentrates on complex roles in films with unique, international social messages. Her better known non-Fassbinder movies include Kenneth Branagh's Dead Again (1991), Casanova (1987) (with Faye Dunaway), Andrzej Wajda's A Love in Germany (1983) (aka "A Love in Germany") and Margarethe von Trotta's Sheer Madness (1983) (aka "Sheer Madness"). She's renowned for portraying strong, sensual women, and her language ability enables her to appear in films produced by many countries. Her singing was featured in Lili Marleen (1981) and Sheer Madness (1983) (aka "Sheer Madness"). Since 1997, she has turned away from movie acting, primarily to chanson singing, recording CDs, appearing in the movie, Hanna Schygulla Sings (1999) and, in 2007, a one-woman autobiographical musical (including songs of Janis Joplin, Édith Piaf, Billie Holiday, Brecht). She was the lead and sang in a live Vanessa Beecroft conceptual art piece in a German castle, with Fassbinder's long-time associate, Irm Hermann, plus 23 other women. Schygulla has worked on producing films about Berlin's Holocaust memorial, and about her work with Fassbinder.
Many of Fassbinder's film plots reflect his bizarre working relations with cast and crew, and he often reserved the most glamorous costumes and dramatic roles for Hanna Schygulla, intentionally pressuring his other talented actresses, such as his feisty ex-wife Ingrid Caven, and the abused Irm Hermann. The extremely tense relationships in the all-female The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (1972) (aka "Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant") somewhat reflect real-life interactions of Hermann, Schygulla (both are in the movie), Fassbinder, and his mother.
Hann Schygulla's childhood family situation somewhat parallels her role, typifying Germany's moral dilemmas at the end of World War II, in The Marriage of Maria Braun (1979) (aka "The Marriage of Maria Braun"). Schygulla was born on Christmas Day 1943, in Kattowice, Upper Silesia (then a section of Poland annexed by the Third Reich). Her German father was an infantryman in Italy, who was in a POW camp until she was 5. After the war, the German population was expelled from the Kattowice area.- Actress
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Helen Twelvetrees was born Helen Marie Jurgens in Brooklyn, New York on December 25, 1908. Her interest in the theatricals was apparent at an early age. After graduating from high school. Helen embarked on a stage career. She participated in a number of plays in New York City, but gravitated toward film when she headed to the West Coast in late 1928. In 1929, Helen appeared in her first motion picture called THE GHOST TALKS. That was quickly followed by WORDS AND MUSIC and BLUE SKIES that same year. Through the early thirties, Helen appeared in a number of movies. Audiences appreciated the pixish, little blonde and the roles she played. Perhaps one of her finest roles was a June Perry in STATE'S ATTORNEY (1932) opposite John Barrymore. Helen's character was romantically involved with the district attorney and plays the part with absolute conviction. Helen continued a hectic filming pace until 1936. She filmed five movies in 1935, but played in only THOROUGHBRED in '36. In 1938, Helen went through a drought and made her last film the following year in UNMARRIED. Helen's film career had ended. Through the balance of her life there seemed to be a void. On February 13, 1958, died after she took an overdose of sedatives. She was 49.- Actress
- Additional Crew
As a child Helena Christensen was more interested in becoming a musician, but as fate would have it began modeling at the age of 9. After leaving school, she moved to Paris, France to model for the french magazine 'Elle', and in 1986 she competed in the Miss Universe contest as Miss Denmark, but unfortunately did not receive a placing. Her big break came in June of 1989 when she was discovered by photographer Friedemann Hauss, who instinctively knew that Helena was a 'natural' in terms of modeling ability. Since then her career has taken off, and she is now one of the top international catwalk queens. Helena has since taken on the movie industry, starring in a British TV movie Inferno (1980) and following it up with a cameo role in Robert Altman's Ready to Wear (1994).- Hugo Caprera was born on 25 December 1925 in Santa Fe, Argentina. He was an actor, known for El pulpo negro (1985), Los de la mesa 10 (1960) and Me enamoré sin darme cuenta (1972). He died on 5 September 2002 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Humphrey DeForest Bogart was born in New York City, New York, to Maud Humphrey, a famed magazine illustrator and suffragette, and Belmont DeForest Bogart, a moderately wealthy surgeon (who was secretly addicted to opium). Bogart was educated at Trinity School, NYC, and was sent to Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, in preparation for medical studies at Yale. He was expelled from Phillips and joined the U.S. Naval Reserve. From 1920 to 1922, he managed a stage company owned by family friend William A. Brady (the father of actress Alice Brady), performing a variety of tasks at Brady's film studio in New York. He then began regular stage performances. Alexander Woollcott described his acting in a 1922 play as inadequate. In 1930, he gained a contract with Fox, his feature film debut in a ten-minute short, Broadway's Like That (1930), co-starring Ruth Etting and Joan Blondell. Fox released him after two years. After five years of stage and minor film roles, he had his breakthrough role in The Petrified Forest (1936) from Warner Bros. He won the part over Edward G. Robinson only after the star, Leslie Howard, threatened Warner Bros. that he would quit unless Bogart was given the key role of Duke Mantee, which he had played in the Broadway production with Howard. The film was a major success and led to a long-term contract with Warner Bros. From 1936 to 1940, Bogart appeared in 28 films, usually as a gangster, twice in Westerns and even a horror film. His landmark year was 1941 (often capitalizing on parts George Raft had stupidly rejected) with roles in classics such as High Sierra (1940) and as Sam Spade in one of his most fondly remembered films, The Maltese Falcon (1941). These were followed by Casablanca (1942), The Big Sleep (1946), and Key Largo (1948). Bogart, despite his erratic education, was incredibly well-read and he favored writers and intellectuals within his small circle of friends. In 1947, he joined wife Lauren Bacall and other actors protesting the House Un-American Activities Committee witch hunts. He also formed his own production company, and the next year made The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948). Bogie won the best actor Academy Award for The African Queen (1951) and was nominated for Casablanca (1942) and as Captain Queeg in The Caine Mutiny (1954), a film made when he was already seriously ill. He died in his sleep at his Hollywood home following surgeries and a battle with throat cancer.- Ingrid Betancourt was born on 25 December 1961 in Bogota, Colombia. She was previously married to Juan-Carlos Lecompte and Fabrice Delloye.
- Irish McCalla was born on 25 December 1928 in Pawnee City, Nebraska, USA. She was an actress, known for She Demons (1958), Sheena: Queen of the Jungle (1955) and The Beat Generation (1959). She was married to Patrick Horgan and Patrick H. McIntyre. She died on 1 February 2002 in Tucson, Arizona, USA.
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Ismail Merchant was born on 25 December 1936 in Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India [now Mumbai, Maharashtra, India]. He was a producer and director, known for Howards End (1992), A Room with a View (1985) and The Remains of the Day (1993). He died on 25 May 2005 in London, England, UK.- J. Edward Bromberg was a founding member of the legendary Group Theatre. His appearance being rather short and stocky, Bromberg from the start was known as a character actor who was very respected by his peers. He was primarily a stage actor but in the mid-thirties made his way into film where he further enhanced his reputation as a diverse character actor.
In 1950 he was accused of being a communist and ordered to appear before the House Committee of Un-American Activities. He plead the 5th amendment refusing to answer questions as was his right. He was also named as a communist by film director Edward Dmytryk. Bromberg was then blacklisted and could no longer appear in films. The trauma of all that he went through took a terrible toll on his health. While working on a play in England, J. Edward Bromberg died of a heart attack just before his 48th birthday.
At a memorial service for Bromberg, actress Lee Grant was asked to give one of the eulogies. Ms. Grant, a close friend of Bromberg's was fresh on the heels of her great successes in the stage and film productions of "Detective Story" (garnered her a Critic's Circle Award, the Cannes Film Festival award for Best Actress and an Best Supporting Actress Academy Award Nomination as the "Shoplifter".) Ms. Grant knowing the awful pressures exerted upon J. Edward and the possible fallout that was wreaking havoc in the film community gave a moving eulogy. This eulogy was printed in "Red Channels" and effectively squelched Ms. Grant's film career for many years. It was her small but wonderfully played role as Mrs. Colbert in Norman Jewison's "In the Heat of the Night" that revived her film career. Such was only two of the numerous tragedies done to American Artists of the time. - Jasmin Gerat was born in 1978 in Berlin as daughter of an industrial consultant father and an assurance employee. In 1994 she won the "Girl and BoyContest" of the German Magazine "Bravo". As a result she was offered to work for the German TV station "TM3" as presenter of the show "Heart Attack". About a year later she started to present "Bravo TV" on the German TV station "RTL 2" as successor to Heike Makatsch - a job she quit in 1997. From May 1998 on she is working for MTV Germany as a VJ and doing some acting in the movies and on TV.
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Jeff Upton was born on 25 December 1948 in Nottingham, England, UK. He is known for Agent Cody Banks (2003), Chaos (2005) and Blade: Trinity (2004). He died on 15 July 2005 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.- Actor
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Film work includes Molly's Game, Detroit, The Big Short, The Judge, Selma, Parkland, Lincoln, Zero Dark Thirty.
Theater work includes A Man For All Seasons on Broadway and extensive work Off Broadway.
Jeremy was recipient of the Lincoln Center Theater Annenberg Fellowship. He studied at Yale, The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and with Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company.
He lives in New York with his wife Emma.- Actress
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Jessica Origliasso was born on 25 December 1984 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. She is an actress and writer, known for The Veronicas: On Your Side (2016), Cybergirl (2001) and The Veronicas: Cruel (2015).- Jillie Mack was born on 25 December 1957 in Devizes, Wiltshire, England, UK. She is an actress, known for Magnum, P.I. (1980), Frasier (1993) and Silverfox (1991). She has been married to Tom Selleck since 7 August 1987. They have one child.
- Music Artist
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Jimmy Buffett was born in Pascagoula, Mississippi and grew up living beside the the Gulf of Mexico. After graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi he worked his way to success in the music industry. His hits in the 1970s including "Margaritaville" and "Come Monday". He struck a chord and helped to build a huge fan-base of all ages over the decades. Now married with three kids, Buffett loves fishing, flying and world travel. Buffett is also the author of numerous books including the bestselling "A Pirate Looks At Fifty" and has added movies to his repertoire as co-producer and co-star of an adaptation of Carl Hiaasen's novel Hoot (2006).- Joe Urla was born on 25 December 1958 in Pontiac, Michigan, USA. He is an actor, known for Sleepers (1996), Deep Impact (1998) and The Bodyguard (1992).
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Oklahoma-bred John Ashley got his start in the movie business while on a vacation in California. A friend from Oklahoma State University got him onto the set of the John Wayne movie The Conqueror (1956), and Wayne in turn steered him toward a job in television in the William Castle series Men of Annapolis (1957). One day, Ashley was at the offices of American International Pictures to pick up his girlfriend, who was auditioning for a part in the company's Dragstrip Girl (1957). AIP house writer Lou Rusoff saw Ashley waiting in the hall and decided the young man was the type AIP was looking for to play the Dragstrip Girl (1957) male lead. Ashley acted in a long line of "kids-in-trouble" melodramas, monster movies and in the Beach Party series before carving a lucrative niche for himself as producer-star of a series of Filipino exploitation pictures. He was also producer of several TV series, including The A-Team (1983) and Werewolf (1987).- Began working in films from 1916, becoming a a star within five years of his debut. His frequent co-star was was Marguerite de la Motte, whom he later married. The advent of sound effectively ended his career. Shortly after attending a party, the distraught 50-year-old Bowers committed suicide by rowing into the Pacific Ocean and drowning himself. It is commonly believed that his demise was the inspiration for the similar death of fictional film star Norman Maine in both the 1937 and 1954 versions of "A Star is Born."
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- Producer
Italian-American character actor John Capodice was born on December 25, 1941 in Chicago, Illinois. Capodice began acting on stage in mostly Off-Broadway plays in New York City in the late 1970s. John acted on his first TV show in 1978 and appeared in his first movie in 1982. Often cast as menacing mobsters, gruff cops, or scruffy working-class types, Capodice continues to act with pleasing regularity both in films and on television.- Jorgie Porter was born on 25 December 1987 in Manchester, Lancashire, England, UK. She is an actress, known for Hollyoaks (1995), Hollyoaks Later (2008) and Fame: The Musical (2020).
- Justin Trudeau is a Canadian politician. He was born on December 25, 1971, the son of the then-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and Margaret Trudeau (née Sinclair). Educated at McGill University and the University of British Columbia, he worked as a teacher before going into politics. He was elected to the Canadian Parliament as a Liberal Party candidate in the 2008 federal election, representing the Papineau riding (located in Montreal), and was re-elected in 2011. In 2013, he was elected the leader of the Liberal Party.
In the run up to the 2015 Canadian federal election, Justin Trudeau was subject to a long running negative campaign by the Conservative Party that painted him as a intellectual lightweight pretty boy who had no business in politics. However, that campaign backfired by lowering the public expectations of him until he was able to easily impress the public with his passionate and articulate intelligence and charisma with his first televised election debate. With an appealing left wing campaign platform that stole a march from the rival New Democratic Party, Trudeau was able to win a majority government for his party, a very rare Canadian feat for a third place party to leap to first place to form a government. - Actress
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Katie Wright was born on 25 December 1971 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Idle Hands (1999), It's Pat: The Movie (1994) and A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001). She has been married to Hank Azaria since 2007. They have one child.- Writer
- Actor
- Music Department
Kenny Everett was born on 25 December 1944 in Seaforth, Liverpool, England, UK. He was a writer and actor, known for Bloodbath at the House of Death (1984), Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) and Dateline Diamonds (1965). He was married to Lee Middleton. He died on 4 April 1995 in London, England, UK.- Kim Betts was born on 25 December 1971 in England, UK. She has been married to Francis Betts since 1997. They have two children.
- Klea Scott was born on 25 December 1968 in Canal Zone, Panama. She is an actress, known for Minority Report (2002), Collateral (2004) and Millennium (1996). She was previously married to John Langs.
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- Soundtrack
Leighton Noble was born on 25 December 1912 in Pasadena, California, USA. He was an actor, known for It Ain't Hay (1943), Gift of Gab (1934) and Crazy House (1943). He was married to Billie Grafton. He died on 6 March 1994 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.- Director
- Production Manager
- Producer
Born in England on Christmas Day, 1905, Lewis Allen first came on the show-biz scene when he was appointed executive in charge of West End and Broadway stage productions for famed impresario Gilbert Miller. Allen also co-directed some of the productions (including the celebrated "Victoria Regina" with Helen Hayes and Vincent Price) before he was lured to Hollywood by Paramount studio head Buddy G. DeSylva. The Uninvited (1944), based on Dorothy Macardle's best-selling novel, made for an auspicious directing debut; its success prompted an immediate follow-up, the suspense thriller The Unseen (1945) (with a script by Raymond Chandler). Otherwise, his filmography leans heavily toward "tough guy" movies of the Alan Ladd-George Raft-Edward G. Robinson school. Allen also directed much TV (Perry Mason (1957), The Big Valley (1965), Mission: Impossible (1966), Little House on the Prairie (1974), many more).- Actress
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Lisa Origliasso was born on 25 December 1984 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. She is an actress and writer, known for The Veronicas: On Your Side (2016), Cybergirl (2001) and The Veronicas: Cruel (2015).- Louis Chevrolet was born on 25 December 1878 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Neuchatel, Switzerland. He was married to Suzanne Treyvoux. He died on 6 June 1941 in Detroit, Michigan, United States.
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Louis-Do de Lencquesaing was born on 25 December 1963 in Paris, France. He is an actor and director, known for In a Rush (2012), Caché (2005) and The Holy Family (2019).- Actor
- Composer
- Music Department
Lukas Nelson was born on 25 December 1988 in the USA. He is an actor and composer, known for A Star Is Born (2018), Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard (2021) and Palmer (2021).- Actress
- Soundtrack
Mabel King is best-known for the role of Mama on the 1970's sitcom What's Happening!, but she also appeared in the films The Jerk with Steve Martin and The Wiz with Michael Jackson. Before What's Happening!, she portrayed the Wicked Witch of the West in the Broadway version of The Wiz.- Actor
- Music Department
- Writer
Mac Powell was born on 25 December 1972 in Alabama, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Miracles from Heaven (2016), Facing the Giants (2006) and Fireproof (2008). He has been married to Aimee Ellis Powell since 27 July 1996. They have five children.- Actress
- Soundtrack
An Alabama native she made a name for herself playing good girl roles in the 1940s. The middle of six children she was born in Birmingham, Alabama on Christmas Day 1919 to William and Gladys Early, both of whom had originally come from Montgomery. She was raised on the family chicken farm rooted in home-sprung tradition and religious faith. Her early acting endeavors usually involved her work in Christmas and Easter pageants at her local Baptist church but in the mid-1930s she found herself starring in leading roles while touring in stock companies, which found her performing in various stage productions in New York City, Philadelphia, and Chicago.
In 1936 while starring in "Idiot's Delight" on Broadway she was spotted by a talent scout who brought her to California for an RKO screen test. She made her screen debut in Stage Door (1937) followed by turns in Jezebel (1938), Judge Hardy and Son (1939), Strike Up the Band (1940), Andy Hardy's Private Secretary (1941), and Stage Door Canteen (1943). With 13 film titles to her resume she left movies in 1946 following her appearance in Cinderella Jones (1946) and moved to Laguna Beach where she spent the remainder of her life working as a receptionist for a local doctors office and she continued to be active in the Baptist church and Republican politics. She died in 2000 from complications of congestive heart failure at age 80.- Actress
- Music Department
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Merry Clayton was born on 25 December 1948 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. She is an actress, known for Lionheart (1990), 9½ Weeks (1986) and Dirty Dancing (1987). She was previously married to Curtis Amy.- Michael D. Roberts was born on December 25, 1947 in Brooklyn, New York. A wealthy Manhattan furniture designer gave the generous gift of cribs, blankets, toys and a year supply of milk to the first ten babies of post war veterans born on Christmas Day; and Michael was one of them.
At twelve years old Michael had his first major stage appearance in a theatre production at his local church. It was then that his passion for acting was born. In high school Michael enrolled in the drama program, and after graduating attended Los Angeles City College where he continued his study in the dramatic arts. Later, Michael attended USIU School of Performing Arts in San Diego and in his final year of study attended the prestigious California Institute of the Arts.
One of Michael's first television appearances was on The Flip Wilson Show (1971). Through the 1970s he appeared on such popular television shows as, Good Times (1974) and The Incredible Hulk (1979).
One of Michael's most memorable roles was the jive-talking street-hustler, "Rooster", on the hit TV series Baretta, (1975). A role that garnered high accolades for Michael in Hollywood and the adoration of many fans. Into the1980s Michael's career showed no signs of slowing; with guest starring roles on B.J. and the Bear (1980), Bosom Buddies (1981), The Fall Guy (1982) and the season premiere of Knight Rider (1982).
It was in 1984 that Michael starred in the science fiction adventure The Ice Pirates along side actors Ron Perlman (Sons of Anarchy), Anjelica Huston (The Adams Family) and Robert Urich (Vega$). In 1988 Michael landed the roll of Vern in the Oscar winning film Rain Man directed by Barry Levinson and starring Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman.
Through the 1990s and into the 2000s Michael's prolific acting career continued with guest star appearances on Seinfeld (1996) and Friends (2000). In 2005 Michael co-starred in the high-octane drama, Hostage, starring Bruce Willis.
In 2012, Michael was cast as "Bernard" in the television show, The First Family, from producer Byron Allen; also starring, Jackee Harry (Sister Sister, 227), Gladys Knight and John Witherspoon (Friday, The Wayans Bros).
Michael lives in Los Angeles, with his wife, actress Pamela Roberts and their 2 children. - Actor
- Additional Crew
With an intimidating face like craggy granite and a towering 6'5" solid frame, Mike Mazurki (born Mikhail Mazuruski or Mikhail Mazurkiewicz) was one of cinema's first serial thugs and specialized in playing strongarm men, gangsters and bullies for over 50 years on screen. Nearly always portrayed as a lowbrow muscle, in real life Mazurski was highly intelligent, very well read and a witty conversationalist. He was also an accomplished sportsman, having been a football player and a professional wrestler. He first appeared onscreen in uncredited roles in films such as Gentleman Jim (1942) and About Face (1942); however, his daunting bruiser looks were soon noticed and he became phenomenally busy in the 1940s, appearing in nearly 50 movies during the decade, including his well remembered performance as ex-con "Moose Malloy" in the film noir thriller Murder, My Sweet (1944) and as the gruesome "Splitface" in Dick Tracy (1945).
He continued his menacing onscreen presence throughout the 1950s and 1960s, often showing he could be quite adept at deadpan comedy in films including Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Hollywood (1945), It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963), Donovan's Reef (1963) and The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin (1967). Demand for his talents slowed down in the late 1970s and most of the 1980s, as younger villains came to the fore; however, he still turned up in support roles and was still acting at the age of 83 when he passed away in December, 1990.- Miroslav Barnyashev (born December 25, 1984) is a Bulgarian professional wrestler and former powerlifter and rower. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs under the ring name Rusev on the SmackDown brand. He is the only Bulgarian to have wrestled for WWE. Rusev has generally played the character of the villainous foreigner to America since his WWE debut. However, after a storyline began in late 2017 in which he declared every day as "Rusev Day" and started his own chant, he became one of WWE's most popular wrestlers through crowd interaction. He is a three-time WWE United States Champion and phenomenally talented actor.
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Moneca got her feature film break in MGM's "Agent Cody Banks" where she seductively flirted with Frankie Muniz, giving him a holographic lesson on how to act with girls. This turned out to be a springboard, launching her into various roles on projects such as "Battlestar Galactica", "Supernatural", as well as a recurring role on "Smallville". In 2006, Moneca was cast in "Kill Kill Faster Faster", an indie based on the acclaimed novel by Joel Rose. She stars opposite fellow Canadians Gil Bellows and Lisa Ray. When filming wrapped on location in Rotterdam, Holland, she returned to her hometown of Vancouver, B.C. to join the cast of "4: Rise of the Silver Surfer", the sequel to 20th Century Fox's "Fantastic Four". By the end of the year, Moneca began production on the Warner Bros./Legendary Pictures/Bryan Singer produced horror anthology "Trick 'r Treat". The film takes place on Halloween night, intertwining four story-lines with an ensemble cast that includes Anna Paquin, Brian Cox, Dylan Baker & Leslie Bibb. Early 2011 found Moneca working opposite Cory Monteith & Dustin Milligan in the improvised Carl Bessai comedy, "Sisters & Brothers", the follow-up to "Mothers & Daughters" and "Fathers & Sons". She completed filming the thriller, "Three Days in Havana" on location in Havana, Cuba & has re-teamed with Gil Bellows for this picture. The cast also includes Kathleen Robertson, Tygh Runyan, Greg Wise & Don McKellar.- Writer
- Actress
Nadiya Jamir Hussain is a British chef, columnist and author, who won the sixth series of BBC's The Great British Bake Off. Hussain is a columnist for The Times Magazine, and has signed publishing deals with Penguin Random House and Hodder Children's Books.
She's a first-generation Bangladeshi born in London, was raised in Luton, and was one of six children, with three sisters and two brothers.- Actor
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- Director
Nicholas Hope is a British-Australian actor who is known for playing Bubby from Bad Boy Bubby and Old Man Smithers in the 2002 Raja Gosnell/James Gunn film Scooby-Doo. He also acted in Ash vs Evil Dead, a deleted scene of Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid, The Daughter and Picnic at Hanging Rock.- Actress
- Producer
Noelle Parker was born on 25 December 1971 in Woodstock, New York, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Ernest Saves Christmas (1988), Clerks. (1995) and Amy Fisher: My Story (1992).- Nuri Montsé was born on 25 December 1917 in Cataluna, Spain. She was an actress, known for Historia de crímenes (1942), El hombre que se llevaron (1946) and Mi novia es un fantasma (1944). She was married to Ángel Magaña. She died on 26 December 1971 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Music Department
- Producer
- Soundtrack
O'Kelly Isley was born on 25 December 1937 in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. He was a producer, known for Okja (2017), Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) and Thunder Force (2021). He died on 31 March 1986 in Alpine, New Jersey, USA.- Oscar Polk was born on 25 December 1899 in Marianna, Arkansas, USA. He was an actor, known for Gone with the Wind (1939), The Green Pastures (1936) and Reap the Wild Wind (1942). He was married to Ivy V. Polk. He died on 4 January 1949 in New York City, New York, USA.
- Patrick Baladi was born to an English mother and a Syrian father, a doctor who was once the gynaecologist to the wife of Colonel Gadaffi. He was educated in Libya and at a Jesuit boarding school in Lancashire where his first taste of treading the boards was when he played Nancy in a (boys only) version of 'Oliver!' After drama school he joined the National Theatre where he acted alongside Martin Freeman, who would later be a co-star in the television comedy series 'The Office'. Following his success in 'The Office' he joined the usual suspects in cop dramas like 'A Touch of Frost' and the inevitable 'Midsomer Murders', where he got electrocuted in his car. More romantic roles came in 'Mistresses' and 'Consuming Passions', appearing nude in the latter as Olivia Colman seduced him in the shower. He is also a member of a rock band called Grow Up with actor Keith Allen. Married to actress/dancer Gemma Walker (b. 1982) he has a daughter Ava, born in March 2007. When Ava was born he impressed the midwife by assisting at the birth, thanks to his recollection of delivering a dummy baby in the drama series 'Bodies'.
- Patrick is the oldest son of Emmy winner/Academy Award nominee Eileen Brennan. After playing college basketball on a full scholarship, Patrick realized his true love of acting. He then went on to study with some of the best, including Larry Moss, Uta Hagen and Wynn Handman. Patrick made his way into theatre, being named one of the "Best Theatre Actors in Los Angeles" by LA Magazine in 2004.
He has since moved into film and television. Patrick lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Jessica Moresco. - Actor
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Paul Willson was born on 25 December 1945 in Fairmont, Minnesota, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Office Space (1999), Barstow 2008 (2001) and The Goodbye Girl (1977).- Actress
- Director
- Soundtrack
Perdita Rose Weeks is a British actress who plays Juliet Higgins in the CBS-turned-NBC reboot series Magnum P.I. Weeks was born in South Glamorgan, to Robin and Susan (née Wade) Weeks, was educated at Roedean School in East Sussex, and studied art history at the Courtauld Institute in London. She is the younger sister of Honeysuckle Weeks and the older sister of Rollo Weeks, both actors.- Pierina Dealessi was born on 25 December 1894 in Turin, Italy. She was an actress, known for Adiós Argentina (1930), Mosquita muerta (1946) and El morocho del Abasto: La vida de Carlos Gardel (1950). She died on 21 January 1983 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Actor
- Writer
Quentin Crisp was born Denis Pratt on Christmas Day, 1908, in the London suburb of Sutton. He was the youngest of four children; his father a lawyer; his mother a former nursery governess. In his autobiographical work, "The Naked Civil Servant", he describes a difficult childhood in a rigorously homophobic society. In his early twenties he decided to devote his life to "making the existence of homosexuality abundantly clear to the world's aborigines". He cross-dressed and acted intensely effeminate in public, often at great risk to himself. In London he worked as a prostitute, book illustrator and finally - the source of the title of his autobiography - as a paid nude model at government-supported art schools. A dramatization of The Naked Civil Servant (1975), starring John Hurt, was shown on American television to critical praise in 1976. Crisp moved to New York the following year, a move he described as his proudest achievement. He first presented "An Evening with Quentin Crisp" in 1978; it received very favorable reviews (Richard Eder, NY Times) and a special Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience. He defined a style with his flashy scarves, purple eye shadow, and white hair swept up under a black fedora. He died in Manchester, England, aged 90, on the eve of opening another run of "Evening"s. When, in preparation for his move to America, he was asked at the US Embassy if he were a practicing homosexual, he replied, "I didn't practice. I was already perfect".