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Hedy Lamarr, the woman many critics and fans alike regard as the most beautiful ever to appear in films, was born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler in Vienna, Austria. She was the daughter of Gertrud (Lichtwitz), from Budapest, and Emil Kiesler, a banker from Lemberg (now known as Lviv). Her parents were both from Jewish families. Hedwig had a calm childhood, but it was cinema that fascinated her. By the time she was a teenager, she decided to drop out of school and seek fame as an actress, and was a student of theater director Max Reinhardt in Berlin. Her first role was a bit part in the German film Geld auf der Straße (1930) (aka "Money on the Street") in 1930. She was attractive and talented enough to be in three more German productions in 1931, but it would be her fifth film that catapulted her to worldwide fame. In 1932 she appeared in a Czech film called Ekstase (US title: "Ecstasy") and had made the gutsy move to appear nude. It's the story of a young girl who is married to a gentleman much older than she, but she winds up falling in love with a young soldier. The film's nude scenes created a sensation all over the world. The scenes, very tame by today's standards, caused the film to be banned by the U.S. government at the time.

Hedy soon married Fritz Mandl, a munitions manufacturer and a prominent Austrofascist. He attempted to buy up all the prints of "Ecstasy" he could lay his hands on (Italy's dictator, Benito Mussolini, had a copy but refused to sell it to Mandl), but to no avail (there are prints floating around the world today). The notoriety of the film brought Hollywood to her door. She was brought to the attention of MGM mogul Louis B. Mayer, who signed her to a contract (a notorious prude when it came to his studio's films, Mayer signed her against his better judgment, but the money he knew her notoriety would bring in to the studio overrode any moral concerns he may have had). However, he insisted she change her name and make good, wholesome films.

Hedy starred in a series of exotic adventure epics. She made her American film debut as Gaby in Algiers (1938). This was followed a year later by Lady of the Tropics (1939). In 1942, she played the plum role of Tondelayo in the classic White Cargo (1942). After World War II, her career began to decline, and MGM decided it would be in the interest of all concerned if her contract were not renewed. Unfortunately for Hedy, she turned down the leads in both Gaslight (1940) and Casablanca (1942), both of which would have cemented her standing in the minds of the American public. In 1949, she starred as Delilah opposite Victor Mature's Samson in Cecil B. DeMille's epic Samson and Delilah (1949). This proved to be Paramount Pictures' then most profitable movie to date, bringing in $12 million in rental from theaters. The film's success led to more parts, but it was not enough to ease her financial crunch. She made only six more films between 1949 and 1957, the last being The Female Animal (1958).

Hedy retired to Florida. She died there, in the city of Casselberry, on January 19, 2000.

Richard Cowl was born on 27 September 1922 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. He was an actor, known for The Choppers (1961), Last Dance (1996) and Jennie: Wife/Child (1968). He died on 9 May 2011 in Casselberry, Florida, USA.

Troy DeVolld was born in Zanesville, Ohio on November 17, 1970 to Robert and Gail DeVolld. He is a 1988 graduate of Brandon Senior High School in Brandon, Florida.

After briefly attending Flagler College as a Fine Art major, DeVolld was presented with the opportunity to write some television commercials for the Jefferson Mint. From there, he went on to write for shows like Prime Network's "Fight Night Showcase" and WB32 Tampa's "Billy's Bogus B Movies" before eventually enrolling at Full Sail University, a media school in Winter Park, Florida. A 1996 graduate of the film and video program at the school, he was later honored as the ninth graduate of the school to be inducted into its Hall of Fame in 2010.

DeVolld's career in national television began in late 2000, with a stint as a logger / transcriptionist on the Mtv show "Fear," where he rose to the level of producer quickly owing to the explosion of reality television spurred by the success of "Survivor" the same year. DeVolld then lucked into working on the celebrity reality smash "The Osbournes," and has continued to work steadily ever since -- earning a shared nomination for his work on Style Network's "Split Ends" in 2009.

In 2010, Troy began work on what would soon become the definitive text on reality television production, "Reality TV," which was released the following year by Michael Wiese Productions. The bestseller made its debut at number one on Amazon's Television Reference list. The second edition of the book repeated that success in 2016, even as Troy's second book, "And Another Thing: A Beginner's Guide to the Television Notes Process" made its debut. Both books have enjoyed success both within and beyond academic use.

DeVolld, in addition to his producing life, also lectures on reality and nonfiction production at universities and seminar series all over the world, notably with the TV Writers Summit in London and Tel Aviv and various University Film and Video Association events.

He is an avid collector of vintage television remotes and the current President of Alternative TV at The Big Picture Collective..

Harry Holt was born on 11 April 1911. He is known for Godzilla (1978), Super Friends (1973) and The Herculoids (1967). He died on 14 April 2004 in Casselberry, Florida, USA.

Larry Anzalone was born on 10 September 1917 in Lodi, New Jersey, USA. He was an actor, known for The Red Skelton Hour (1951). He died on 9 October 1993 in Casselberry, Florida, USA.

Pady Blackwood was born on 5 August 1939 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. He was an actor. He died on 14 October 2009 in Casselberry, Florida, USA.