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Eddie Montanaro was born on 21 May 1929 in New Haven, Connecticut, USA. He was an actor, known for A Bronx Tale (1993). He died on 5 August 2018 in Hamden, Connecticut, USA.

Thornton Niven Wilder was the second of five children in the family of a newspaper editor and a U.S. diplomat, Amos Parker Wilder, and Isabella Niven Wilder. He spent part of his childhood with his father, who was a Consul General in Hong Kong and Shanghai between 1906 and 1914. Wilder finished high school in California, received his undergraduate degree at Yale, and went to study archeology at the American Academy in Rome. He earned his M.A. in French from Princeton in 1926.

Wilder published his first play "The Trumpet Shall Sound" (1920) in Yale Literary Magasine. His first novel, "The Cabala" (1926), reflects his experiences in Europe, alluding to American expatriates around Gertrude Stein. His second novel "The Bridge of San Luis Rey" brought him his first Pulitzer Prize in 1928. He also won the Pulitzer Prize for drama for his play "Our Town" (1938), and again for "The Skin Of Our Teeth" (1943).

During WWII he served in the Army Air Force, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. At that time Wilder wrote the screenplay for 'Shadow of a Doubt', a film by Alfred Hitchcock. His farcical play "The Matchmaker" (1954) was adapted in 1964 into a Broadway musical comedy Hello, Dolly! It was made into a film in 1969, starring Barbra Streisand as Dolly Levi. Wilder received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1963, and won the 1967 National Book Award for his novel "The Eighth Day". His numerous friends included Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, and Montgomery Clift.

Fatman Scoop was born on 6 August 1968 in Manhattan, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Take the Lead (2006), Girls Trip (2017) and Save the Last Dance (2001). He was married to Shanda Freeman. He died on 30 August 2024 in Hamden, Connecticut, USA.

Rosella Townsend is the second of three daughters of Frank and Viola Townsend, and lived in her birth town of Youngstown, Ohio until the late 1920s, when her family moved to Los Angeles. By the time she reached her teens she had blossomed into a beautiful young women and was asked by a friend to join in a dress show for a department store in her hometown (a dress show that would happen to have Mr. and Mrs. Jack Warner in its audience). Brought to Hollywood at age 19 she made her film debut in 1937 in a string of uncredited film roles but gained speaking parts in 1938. She starred alongside such names as Bette Davis, Ronald Reagan, George Brent, Lee Bowman, and Margaret Lindsay. With the coming of World War II she found herself getting less work in films and left films after marrying screenwriter Harry Kronman in 1942 in Los Angeles. They had two sons, Anthony and Michael.

Natalie Babbitt was born on 28 July 1932 in Dayton, Ohio, USA. She was a writer, known for The Eyes of the Amaryllis (1982), The Eyes Of The Amaryllis and Tuck Everlasting (2002). She was married to Samuel Fisher Babbitt. She died on 31 October 2016 in Hamden, Connecticut, USA.

Robert Fitzgerald was born on 12 October 1910 in Geneva, New York, USA. He was married to Penelope Laurans, Sally Fitzgerald and Eleanor Green. He died on 16 January 1985 in Hamden, Connecticut, USA.

Norm Bacchiocchi was born on 18 June 1942 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA. He was an actor. He died on 24 May 1978 in Hamden, Connecticut, USA.

Fenno Heath was born on 30 December 1926 in Hampton, Virginia, USA. Fenno was married to Carol Quimby Heath. Fenno died on 5 December 2008 in Hamden, Connecticut, USA.

Jimmy Shute, was born in Glouchester, Massachusetts in 1900. His early education was in the Glouchester Public School System. He attended college at the Museum of Fine Arts School in Boston in pursuit of a career in Stage Design. The technical theater department of MFAS was contacted by George Pierce Baker to build sets for the the productions of Harvard's famous "47 Workshop". While there, Jimmy met and became involved with Eugene O'Neill and Robert Edmond Jones of the Provincetown Playhouse. He became their assistant for four years.

Following his time at the Provincetown Playhouse, Jimmy worked as the assistant to Jed Harris, the renown Broadway producer. He then turned to film and spent a year as assistant to Charles MacArthur and Ben Hecht while they were filming "Crimes Without Passion" at the Old Paramount studios; Astoria, NY. Upon conclusion of the film, Jimmy was hired by Roy Larson and Louis DeRochemont where he worked as Chief Script Writer, Head of the Editorial Board, and as an Associate Producer for The March of Time series. In 1949 he won his first of 2 Academy Awards for "A Chance to Live" Best Short Documentary, which he wrote, produced and in part directed for the March of Time.

In his years at MOT he developed a style and philosophy regarding screen writing that won him an Academy Award in 1949 for Best Short Documentary, and worked well with the ECA concept. These prior experiences made Jimmy well prepared to respond to Lothar Wolff's offer to join the Marshall Plan film unit based in Paris, as head of the script department. He believed that the words should never tell what was on the screen; that they, with the picture, should communicate the message. Jimmy, a modest and gregarious man, had no problem supporting and guiding the local writers contracted by the ECA or writing script and commentary himself as needed. Jimmy worked independently during those years and several more making documentaries in Europe, several of which were honored at places such as Cannes, Edinburgh and Venice Film Festivals.

In 1955 he won his second Academy Award for "Helen Keller in Her Story", Best Documentary Feature, for which he wrote the script and commentary and acted throughout as editorial and production adviser to Nancy Hamilton, the film's producer.

In his later years he worked independently on various projects completing a series of short film publicizing the creation of the construction of the Lincoln Centor for the Performing Arts. He also completed "A Legend is Born" featuring Rise Stevens of the Metropolitan Opera,and "Design for Music" featuring Leonard Bernstein. As an independent he also worked in Television writing, producing and directing documentaries and condensed Operas.

Jimmy retired to the Whitney Center in New Haven, Conn. where he spent his remaining years enjoying good company and the Arts he loved so much. He passed away in 1981.

Judith Schiff was born on 26 November 1937 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA. She died on 11 July 2022 in Hamden, Connecticut, USA.

Sherwin Nuland was born on 8 December 1930 in Bronx, New York, USA. He is known for Mysteries Within (2002), How to Live Forever (2009) and Leonardo (2003). He was married to Sarah Peterson. He died on 3 March 2014 in Hamden, Connecticut, USA.

C. Dickerman Williams was born on 1 October 1900 in Milton, Pennsylvania, USA. He died on 12 August 1998 in Hamden, Connecticut, USA.

Jaroslav Pelikan was born on 17 December 1923 in Akron, Ohio, USA. Jaroslav was a writer, known for Martin Luther (1953). Jaroslav was married to Sylvia Pauline Burica. Jaroslav died on 13 May 2006 in Hamden, Connecticut, USA.

Herta Lynd was born on 5 September 1915 in Vienna, Austria. She was an actress, known for Love Is Dangerous (1933). She was married to Allen Max Forte and Reginald Sharland. She died on 9 May 2000 in Hamden, Connecticut, USA.

Lucian Addario was born on 29 April 1945 in New Haven, Connecticut. He was an actor. He died on 11 December 2018 in Hamden, Connecticut, USA.

Mary Hunter was born on 4 December 1910 in Bakerfield, California, USA. She was an actress, known for Quizzing the News (1948). She was married to Herman Wolf. She died on 3 November 2000 in Hamden, Connecticut, USA.