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- Denny Miller was born in Bloomington, Indiana, where his father, Ben Miller, was a physical=education instructor at Indiana University. He and his brother Kent began playing basketball almost from the days they were born. The Miller family left Bloomington when Denny was in fourth grade. He and Kent played basketball in Silver Spring, Maryland and Baldwin, New York before the family moved to Los Angeles where, at University High School, Denny and Kent came to the attention of coach John Wooden. They were given full-ride scholarships to UCLA. The Miller brothers played together at UCLA for one year, and their father joined the faculty of UCLA. In his senior year, while working as a furniture mover to pay for school, Denny was discovered on Sunset Boulevard by a talent agent, who signed him with MGM. His first role was a bit part in Some Came Running (1958), which was filmed in Madison, Indiana. Denny said, "I was the only one who came running. I came running to tell Dean Martin that somebody was in town to shoot him!" He became the first blond Tarzan in Tarzan, the Ape Man (1959)), a low-budget quickie that lifted most of its footage from earlier Johnny Weissmuller movies. MGM had him under contract for 20 months; in that time he worked 8 weeks as "Tarzan". After that he did guest spots on a number of TV series, finally becoming a regular on Wagon Train (1957) as Duke Shannon (his name was then Scott Miller). In 1965-66 he starred (as Denny again) with Juliet Prowse in Mona McCluskey (1965).
- Actor
- Production Designer
- Soundtrack
Born in Japan, Makoto Iwamatsu was living there with his grandparents while his parents studied art in the United States, when Japan and the U.S. went to war in 1941. His parents remained in the U.S., working for the Office of War Information, and, at the cessation of the conflict, were granted U.S. residency by Congress. "Mako", as he became known, joined his parents in New York and studied architecture.
He entered the U.S. Army in the early 1950s and acted in shows for military personnel, discovering a talent and love for the theatre. He abandoned his plans to become an architect and instead enrolled at the famed Pasadena Community Playhouse. Following his studies there, he appeared in many stage productions and on television. In 1966, he won an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor for his first film role, as the coolie "Po-Han" in The Sand Pebbles (1966). He worked steadily in feature films since.
He appeared on Broadway in the leading role in Stephen Sondheim's "Pacific Overtures", and co-founded and served as artistic director for the highly-acclaimed East-West Players theatre company in Los Angeles.
Following a long battle with cancer, Mako passed away on July 21, 2006, at the age of 72. He was survived by his wife, Shizuko Hoshi (who co-starred in episodes of M*A*S*H (1972)) as well, and his children and grandchildren.- American character actor Marc Alaimo (born Michael Joseph Alaimo) began acting on the stage in the early 1960s. Even in his early days he had a propensity for playing shady characters or sinister villains, including the treacherous Iago of Shakespeare's Othello and the brutish Bill Sykes of Oliver!. Alaimo had come to acting thanks to a high school speech teacher who persuaded him to audition for school plays. He was subsequently mentored by a professor of drama at Marquette University where he not only acted in plays (1961-63) but also utilised his skills as a handyman in the construction of sets.
Alaimo moved to New York in 1964 to perform with various off-Broadway companies. He also went on tour (as Macduff) with the National Shakespeare Company in a production of Macbeth. Between 1964 and 1966, Alaimo completed studies in drama and ballet at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA). In 1965, he joined Equity, and, after discovering that there was already a Michael Alaimo on their books, changed his first name to Marc.The ensuing years saw him with the Chelsea Theater Center in New York and the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, New Jersey, for the latter in classical roles like Laertes (Hamlet) and Lucky (Waiting for Godot). In 1967, Alaimo returned to his home state to join the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. There, he was acclaimed for his performance as the chief antagonist in Othello. According to a reviewer for the university newspaper "His Iago is flawless. He uses quick gestures and movement, and every word is distinct. A turn of his head tells the audience what turn the subsequent action will take...Alaimo uses his agile movements to fit comfortably and perfectly into the role." Alaimo went on to other meaty roles on the stage during the remainder of the sixties, often in famous plays like A Streetcar Named Desire, The Importance of Being Earnest and Marat-Sade. After headlining as a cat burglar in a Philadelphia production of Sidney Kingsley's Detective Story, Alaimo relocated to California in late 1973.
In addition to continuing his theatrical career, Alaimo had by 1970 segued into television, cast in his first recurring role as Frank Barton in the daytime soap The Doctors (1963). In Hollywood, he soon found himself typecast, either as tough police officers or as baddies, though on balance more often the latter. In one of his many villainous roles, he played one of a duo of serial killers posing as an L.A. detective in an episode of Police Story (1973). He appeared in many top-rated 1970s and 80s crime shows, including The Rockford Files (1974), Barnaby Jones (1973), Starsky and Hutch (1975), Kojak (1973) and Hill Street Blues (1981), as well as in occasional feature films (one might recall his alien assassin in The Last Starfighter (1984) or his Mexican cartel boss in Tango & Cash (1989)). From 1987, Alaimo became a regularly fixture --as multiple characters (and one standout role in particular)--in the Star Trek franchise.
He became the first actor to portray a Romulan in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) (Commander Tebok, in "The Neutral Zone") and the first Cardassian (Gul Macet) ever featured in any Star Trek series (TNG's "The Wounded'). Earlier, he had made his series debut --again in heavy makeup -- as a lupine humanoid (Antican) delegate in the episode "Lonely Among Us".
Above all else, Alaimo's definitive screen incarnation has been the complex, endlessly scheming, power-obsessed, often deceptively amiable Cardassian military leader Gul Dukat, first seen on TNG, but more prominently featured in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993) and considered by many fans to be one of the greatest of all Star Trek villains. The actor himself (unlike the DS9 writing staff) does not regard the Dukat character as evil, explaining "I've tried to play him with some sort of sensitivity. I could have gone one-dimensionally aggressive and mean and ugly with this character if I'd chosen to. I have the feeling that's what they kind of wanted. I thought, 'I've done that a hundred and fifty times already.' So I wanted to give him some dimension, some depth, and I think it's worked very well".
Alaimo's long neck, pronounced neck muscles and broad shoulders prompted make-up artist Michael Westmore to accentuate these physical characteristics (in particular, by creating the pronounced Cardassian neck ridges), effectively creating a template for the menacing appearance of the species. At a 2015 Star Trek convention, Alaimo was interviewed, saying "I've had a pretty long career in a lot of different areas, but 'Deep Space Nine' has become this wonderful little feather in my cap, and I'm thankful for that. I'm proud of the series, and the whole experience has been a very positive one for me." - Brenda Benet, born Brenda Ann Nelson in Los Angeles, California, on August 14, 1945, was a classic example of the modern-day Hollywood tragedy. As a television actress with good dramatic scope, she managed to piece together a wide and impressive portfolio of guest shots in a career spanning just over 16 years before taking her life at the age of 36. She spent her childhood and early teenage years feeling awkward and self-conscious because her complexion was darker than those of her siblings. Because of this, she felt that she did not fit in with her family, and often fantasized about being adopted.
Brenda attended UCLA for a brief time, majoring in languages. In 1962 she entered show business; her breakthrough role came in 1964 when she was selected to play the part of Jill McComb in The Young Marrieds (1964). After that came stints on various comedy and drama series in the '60s and '70s, usually playing ethnic, exotic types. She was probably best known for her role as the kind-hearted prostitute in Walking Tall (1973). During this time she married and divorced actor Paul Petersen. She began a relationship with Bill Bixby and moved in with him in 1969, and they married in 1971. By the late '70s, however, they were divorced.
Brenda retired from the business in the mid-'70s to raise a family, and in late 1974 she gave birth to a boy, Christopher Sean Bixby. Tragically, Christopher died in 1981 during a winter ski vacation in California. It was believed that this and her divorce from Bixby were the events which caused Brenda's life to spin out of control. On April 7, 1982, Brenda went into the bathroom of her West Los Angeles home, lit and arranged some candles in a circle on the floor and lay down. She then placed a Colt .38-cal. revolver into her mouth and pulled the trigger. She died instantly. - Actress
- Soundtrack
Christine Belford was born on 14 January 1949 in Amityville, New York, USA. She is an actress, known for Christine (1983), Outlaws (1986) and The Greatest American Hero (1981). She has been married to Nicholas Pryor since July 1993.- Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Nicolas Coster, a veteran actor or "Actor's Actor', his training began back in his teens at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, RADA. Nicolas learned his craft doing theatre, studying with Strasberg and Milton Katselas(He was later picked by Milton to substitute for him). Nicolas Coster has performed in many Broadway plays. "Happy Birthday Wanda June", "Twigs", "SeeSaw", "Harold Pinter's "Otherwise Engaged" and "The Little Foxes" with Elizabeth Taylor (with runs in the US and in London at the Victoria Palace Theatre)}. Nicolas was the only actor picked to substitute for Sir Laurence Olivier in "Beckett". These are just a few of his theatre credits. In the 70's and all through the 1980's there wasn't a channel you could not find Nicolas Coster appearing as a guest star on a popular TV series. He chased Jaclyn Smith around a football field in the series "Charlie's Angels", Nicolas wrestled in a fight with Sammy Davis Jr. in Tom Selleck's "Magnum PI", he had a stint in the series "Wonder Woman", "Incredible Hulk", Nicolas had a recurring role playing Blair's dad on the popular show "Facts of Life", He enjoyed playing opposite Bonnie Franklin in "One Day at a Time'. Earlier in his career, He even was in the "Green Hornet" with the legendary Bruce Lee and so many more guest starring roles ... Nicolas had a role on the series "Sheriff Lobo" with Nell Carter. Nicolas has a fan club called "Nick's Chicks" they are loyal fans of his time spent doing Soap Operas. "Secret Storm" was one of his first, his role later as Robert Delaney on "Another World" was hugely popular. He had stints on "All My Children"playing along side Susan Lucci and the patriarch Lionel Lockridge of "Santa Barbara" the soap which later aired in Europe as a night time series. In Russia, "Santa Barbara" was the first soap to be aired in that country it was a huge success and played as a night time series as well. His body of film includes many famous father roles, "How I got into College", "Betsey's Wedding", "Risky Business", "Just You and Me Kid". Playing different roles in film, Nicolas has been privileged to work with Robert Redford in "All The President's Men", with Gregory Peck in "MacArthur", "Reds" with Warren Beaty. Most recently, He has been on acclaimed shows like "The Young Pope" with Jude Law and popular Showtime and HBO projects. Nicolas has won a few Daytime Emmys with the drama "The Bay". Nicolas showed his comedy talents playing the lead in a Super Bowl Coke commercial and later the reprisal of his lead role but a new spin they made him British, in "Zero Sugar Coke" commercial which played internationally and highlighted his ability for a British accent. Nicolas Coster is continually working and is a true artist.- Actor
- Composer
- Director
Rick Springfield was born Richard Lewis Springthorpe in Guildford, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, to Eileen Louise (Evennett) and Norman James Springthorpe, a Lt. Colonel in the Australian Army. His maternal grandparents were English, and his father was of English and some Scottish descent. Rick spent his childhood on various army bases in Australia and Britain. As a teenager, he fronted many music bands, such as the "Jordy Boys", "Wakedy Wak", and "Zoot". The latter was his most successful, paving his way for future success as a musician. He came to the U.S. early 1970s, and recorded an album, Beginnings. It had one "major" hit - Speak to The Sky. After that came "Comic Book Heroes", which was marginally successful.
He learned to speak English with an American accent to further his acting career, after he lost his record label. While he waited for his big break, he signed a contract with Universal television, playing bit parts in shows such as The Six Million Dollar Man (1974) and The Rockford Files (1974). He also had a recurring role on the soap The Young and the Restless (1973). In the early 1980s, his luck changed as he signed to RCA Records and was then cast as "Dr. Noah Drake" on the soap General Hospital (1963). While he had released six albums in the 1970s, his 1980 break-through album "Working Class Dog" gave him the #1 single "Jessie's Girl". From the music and TV exposure, he became a teen idol. He continued to star on "GH" while touring and releasing "Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet", with the hit "Don't Talk To Strangers". Upon releasing his 3rd album with RCA-"Living In Oz" he quit "GH" and went back to his rock roots. "Living In Oz" is considered by many his finest (and hardest rock) album. He starred in the movie Hard to Hold (1984) in 1984 and released the soundtrack to it with the hit "Love Somebody", followed by "Don't Walk Away" and "Bop Til Ya Drop". His next album, "Tao", started his slow descent from rock star status. It was followed up in 1988 by "Rock Of Life" which was his 'moodiest' and least recognized album (by the public).
In 2015, Rick received positive notices playing Meryl Streep's character's boyfriend in Ricki and the Flash (2015).- Dark-haired, Ivy League-looking Bradford Dillman, whose white-collar career spanned nearly five decades, possessed charm and confident good looks that were slightly tainted by a bent smile, darting glance and edgy countenance that often provoked suspicion. Sure enough, the camera picked up on it and he played shady, highly suspect characters throughout most of his career.
The actor was born in San Francisco on April 14, 1930, to Dean and Josephine Dillman. Yale-educated, he graduated with a B.A. in English Literature. Following this he served with the US Marines in Korea (1951-1953) before focusing on acting as a profession. Studying at the Actors Studio, he spent several seasons apprenticing with the Sharon (CT) Playhouse before making his professional acting debut in "The Scarecrow" in 1953.
Dillman took his initial Broadway bow in Eugene O'Neill's play "Long Day's Journey Into Night" in 1956, originating the author's alter ego character Edmund Tyrone and winning a Theatre World Award in the process. This success put him squarely on the map and 20th Century-Fox took immediate advantage by placing the darkly handsome up-and-comer under contract. Cast in the melodrama A Certain Smile (1958), he earned a Golden Globe for "Most Promising Newcomer" playing a Parisian student who loses his girl (Christine Carère) to the worldly Italian roué Rossano Brazzi. He followed this with a strong ensemble appearance in In Love and War (1958), which featured a cast of young rising stars including Hope Lange and Robert Wagner. More acting honors followed after completing the film Compulsion (1959), which told the true story of the infamous 1920s kidnapping/murder case of Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb. He went on to share a "Best Actor" award at the Cannes Film Festival with fellow co-stars Dean Stockwell, who played the other youthful murderer, and veteran Orson Welles.
Though he was a magnetic player poised for stardom, Dillman's subsequent films failed to serve him well and were generally unworthy of his talent. Though properly serious and stoic as the title character in Francis of Assisi (1961), the film itself was stilted and weakly scripted. Circle of Deception (1960) was a misguided tale of espionage and intrigue, but it did introduce him to his second wife, supermodel-cum-actress Suzy Parker. While A Rage to Live (1965) with Suzanne Pleshette was trashy soap material, The Plainsman (1966) was rather a silly, juvenile version of the Gary Cooper western classic. As a result of these missteps--and others--he began to top-line lesser quality projects or play supporting roles in "A" pictures. His nothing role as Robert Redford's college pal-turned Hollywood producer in The Way We Were (1973) and his major roles in the ludicrous The Swarm (1978) and Lords of the Deep (1989) became proof in the pudding. His last good film role was in O'Neill's The Iceman Cometh (1973), although he did play an interesting John Wilkes Booth in the speculative re-enactment drama The Lincoln Conspiracy (1977) and had a fun leading role in the Jaws (1975)-like spoof Piranha (1978).
Dillman bore up very well on TV over the years, subsisting on a plethora of mini-movies and guest spots on popular series, playing everything from turncoats to frauds and from adulterers to psychotics. He earned a Daytime Emmy for his appearance in Last Bride of Salem (1974) and starred in two series--Court Martial (1965), as a military lawyer, and King's Crossing (1982), as an alcoholic parent and teacher attempting to straighten out. He also spent a season on the established nighttime soap Falcon Crest (1981) in 1982.
A narrator, director and teacher of acting in later years. Bradford launched a late-in-the career sideline as an author. The football fan inside him compelled him to write "Inside the New York Giants" (1995), a book that rated players drafted by the team since 1967. Two years later he published his memoirs, the curiously-titled "Are You Somebody?: An Actor's Life." He retired from the screen after a few guest star shots on "Murder, She Wrote" in the mid-90s.
From 1956 to 1962, Dillman was married to Frieda Harding, and had two children, Jeffrey and Pamela. Following their divorce, he met well-known model-turned-actress Suzy Parker during the production of Circle of Deception (1960) and the couple married on April 20, 1963. They had three children, Dinah, Charles, and Christopher. Daughter Pamela Dillman has worked as an actress. Dillman was made a widower when Parker died on May 3, 2003. He lived for many years in Montecito, California, and helped raise money for medical research. He died in Santa Barbara, California on January 16, 2018, aged 87, from complications of pneumonia. - Actor
- Soundtrack
Handsome, leanly built African-American actor who notched up guest appearances in dozens of popular US TV shows, including Mannix (1967), McCloud (1970), Emergency! (1972) and Magnum, P.I. (1980). However, he's better known to cult films fans for his portrayal of character "Matthew Johnson" in the successful blaxploitation films Cleopatra Jones (1973) and the sequel Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold (1975).
Popwell additionally co-starred alongside screen icon Clint Eastwood in five films, starting off as "Wonderful Digby" in Coogan's Bluff (1968). The next four occasions were entries in the highly popular "Dirty Harry" films, firstly as the wounded bank robber at the receiving end of Eastwood's now legendary, "Do you feel lucky, punk?" speech in the opening minutes of Dirty Harry (1971). He was back as a sadistic pimp who murders a greedy call girl with a can of drain cleaner and is later executed by a vigilante motorcycle cop in Magnum Force (1973), and he was still on the wrong side of the law as a "Black Power" activist named "Big Ed" Mustapha in The Enforcer (1976). For his final appearance alongside Eastwood, Popwell was on the right side of Clint for once as a fellow detective in Sudden Impact (1983).
Popwell passed away on April 9, 1999, from complications arising after major surgery.- This durable, granite-faced actor with the matching steel-edged voice was one of the most interesting and recognisable leads in 1950s and 1960s television. He was born Marvin Jack Richman in South Philadelphia to paper and roofing contractor Benjamin Richman and his wife Yetta Dora (née Peck), the youngest of five siblings. His childhood was -- by his own account -- 'horrendous'. The family was not well off and money was hard to come by. For two years he played football until sidelined by a knee injury. Richman also studied at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science, from which he graduated in 1951 as a fully qualified pharmacist. He briefly worked in that field, though his interest had always been in the performing arts, spurred on by regular childhood visits to the nearby Alhambra Theater and performances in high school dramatics. Between 1952 and 1954, Richman trained at the Actor's Studio in New York under Lee Strasberg, having already made his stage debut in 1947. Until 1996, he acted on and off-Broadway and on the West Coast, as well as touring nationally in seminal plays like Mister Roberts, The Rainmaker and A Hatful of Rain. For most of his early career he was billed as 'Mark Richman' but in 1971 changed his moniker to Peter Mark Richman because of his abiding belief in Subud, an Eastern spiritualist philosophy.
An amazingly prolific screen actor, Richman was first brought to Hollywood by famed director William Wyler to appear in Friendly Persuasion (1956). There were a few subsequent big screen outings, but the lean, edgy and coldly handsome actor reserved his best for the small screen. By the early 60s, he starred in his own series at NBC, Cain's Hundred (1961). His character was a former syndicate lawyer, Nick Cain, who, after wanting to 'go straight' is targeted for a hit. When his fiancée gets killed in the crosshairs instead, Cain swears revenge and joins an FBI task force to bring down the top 100 mobsters by various legal means. While the series only ran to 30 episodes, it firmly established Richman in the medium. He was henceforth to alternate between nasty villains, stern authority figures and stoic heroes and become one of the most often killed guys on TV. His numerous roles have included appearances in The Twilight Zone (1959), The Fugitive (1963), The Virginian (1962), Mission: Impossible (1966), Longstreet (1971) (as James Franciscus' cynical boss, Duke Paige), The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964) (as a rather camp THRUSH operative) and -- having lost none of his edge -- in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987). Standouts have included The Probe (1965) in which Richman plays a scientist determined to explore another dimension at any cost, and the first of two guest spots on The Invaders (1967) as an ally of the chief protagonist David Vincent. Richman was almost clipped by a helicopter blade during this episode and lucky to survive the experience. He continued to perform on screen well until his late eighties.
In addition to his work on front of the camera, Richman was something of a Renaissance man: a noted humanitarian (for which he was awarded a Silver Medallion from The Motion Picture and Television Fund) and an accomplished painter from an early age, trained at the Philadelphia Sketch Club. Describing himself as a 'figurative expressionist', Richman has had at least seventeen successful one-man exhibitions on the West Coast and in New York (primarily portraits of oil on canvas). He has also written two novels and several stage plays, of which his solo show 4 Faces and the one act play A Medal for Murray were the most acclaimed. His wife of 67 years was the actress Helen Richman (née Landess). - John Reilly was born on 11 November 1934 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He was an actor, known for General Hospital (1963), Iron Man (1994) and Tales of the Gold Monkey (1982). He was married to Lily Beth (Liz) Janred and Donna Reilly . He died on 9 January 2021 in the USA.
- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
In the late 1960s, Henry Darrow was THE ultimate Latin heartthrob on television. With a smooth, ingratiating style and a killer smile that brightened up the small screen, he also hit a cultural acting landmark as the first Hispanic actor to portray Zorro on television.
He was born Enrique Tomás Delgado in New York City, on September 15, 1933, the first son of Puerto Rican parents Enrique St. and Gloria Delgado. He made his debut at age 8 in a school play, which piqued his interest. The father moved his family (which included younger brother Dennis) back to his homeland out of prospective business concerns. While there Henry was elected president of his class at high school and attended the University of Rio Piedras as a political science and theater major. His fluency in two languages helped earn him supplementary income as an interpreter.
Henry returned to the United States on scholarships received from the Little Theater of Puerto Rico and the University of Puerto Rico, and eventually received his Bachelor of Arts degree. He initially trained at the Pasadena Playhouse (1954), in the Los Angeles area, where he met and later married first wife, Lucy, an aspiring actress. They went on to have two children, Denise (Dee-Dee) and Tom. He began seeking employment in movies and television, making his big screen debut unbilled in the light comedy Holiday for Lovers (1959).
However, Henry found steadier work on television and appeared in a number rugged series, primarily westerns, including Wagon Train (1957), Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1964), Bonanza (1959), Gunsmoke (1955) and Daniel Boone (1964). On stage, he continued to hone his craft in such plays as "The Alchemist" (1963) and "Dark of the Moon" (1966). While appearing in the 1965 stage production of "The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit" at the Coronet Theatre in Los Angeles, the by-now television veteran was spotted by producer David Dortort. Dortort later remembered Henry (who was then going by the name Henry Delgado) and thought him perfect for his upcoming western series The High Chaparral (1967).
Billed now as Henry Darrow, the actor stole women's hearts and much of the proceedings as the roguish ladies' man Manolito Montoya, who would rather make love than war. He reached his television peak in the western program, which also starred Leif Erickson, Cameron Mitchell and Linda Cristal, who played his sister. The series ran for four seasons.
Following this peak, Henry went on to earn a daytime Emmy for his role on Santa Barbara (1984) after joining the cast in 1989. Although he never found a strong footing in movies, his better supporting work has been seen in Badge 373 (1973) and Walk Proud (1979). television movies have included Night Games (1974), Aloha Means Goodbye (1974), Centennial (1978) and Attica (1980). As for his enduring relationship with the famous Zorro character, Darrow was not only the first Latino Zorro on television, but also provided the title voice for two 1980s animated series. In the early 1990s, Henry replaced Efrem Zimbalist Jr. as Zorro's father in yet another cable reincarnation of the series. This series was shot in Spain.
Henry continued to perform on the stage with opportunities ranging from the role Iago in "Othello" to a (still-running) one-man show entitled "That Certain Cervantes", which made its premiere in 2001. A founder of "Nosotros", an organization that gears Hispanic actors toward non-stereotyped roles, Darrow was the inaugural winner of the Ricardo Montalban/Nosotros Award for his contributions to improving the image of Latinos.
Millennium credits included elderly roles in the movies Runaway Jury (2003), Angels with Angles (2005), Primo (2008) and Soda Springs (2012). On television, Henry enjoyed a recurring role on The Bold and the Beautiful (1987) in 2001, while also guest starring on such series as Family Law (1999), The Lot (1999), Diagnosis Murder (1993), The Brothers Garcia (2000), Just Shoot Me! (1997) and One Tree Hill (2003).
In 1972, Darrow co-founded the Screen Actors Guild Ethnic Minority Committee with actors Ricardo Montalban, Carmen Zapata and Edith Diaz. Until his death on March 14, 2021, he resided in Wilmington, North Carolina with his second wife of many years, Lauren Levinson (aka Lauren Levian). She is an actress/screenwriter/producer who guest starred on her husband's "Zorro" series.- Actor
- Director
- Soundtrack
Robert Alda's career began in vaudeville, as a singer-dancer. Graduating to performing on radio and in burlesque, he made a splashy film debut as George Gershwin in Rhapsody in Blue (1945). His film career faltered somewhat after that, but he had much greater success on the Broadway stage in such productions as "Guys and Dolls" and "What Makes Sammy Run." Settling in Rome in the early 1960s, he appeared in many Italian and European films over the next 15 years. While many of them were quite successful in Europe, few made it to the United States. Alda is the father of actor Alan Alda and Antony Alda.- Actor
- Stunts
- Music Department
Lance LeGault was born as William Lance Legault on May 2, 1935 in Chicago, Illinois. LeGault grew up in Chillicothe, Illinois and graduated from Chillicothe Township High School in 1955. Lance began his acting career as a stunt double for Elvis Presley; he appears in the 1960s Presley vehicles Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962), Kissin' Cousins (1964), Viva Las Vegas (1964) and Roustabout (1964). With his tall, lean, compact build, strong, intense and commanding screen presence, and highly distinctive deep, gravelly voice, LeGault has been frequently cast as various stern and severe military types in both movies and television series, alike.
His most memorable film roles include Iago in the Shakespearean rock opera Catch My Soul (1974), evil pimp Burt in the offbeat French Quarter (1978), vicious hired-killer Vince in Coma (1978), formidable card sharp Doc Palmer in the made-for-TV Western The Gambler (1974), the austere Colonel Glass in the hilarious comedy Stripes (1981), steely prison guard security chief Lieutenant Barnes in the terrific Fast-Walking (1982) and the strict Reverend Bates in Nightmare Beach (1989).
LeGault had recurring roles on several television series in the 1980s: outstanding as the cunning and antagonistic Colonel Roderick Decker on The A-Team (1983), ramrod Colonel Buck Greene on Magnum, P.I. (1980) and rugged cowboy bounty hunter Alamo Joe Rogan on Werewolf (1987). Among the many television series Lance has had guest spots on are Land of the Giants (1968), Gunsmoke (1955), Wonder Woman (1975), Barbary Coast (1975), The Rockford Files (1974), The Incredible Hulk (1978), Battlestar Galactica (1978), The Dukes of Hazzard (1979), Dallas (1978), Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979), Voyagers! (1982), Dynasty (1981), Knight Rider (1982), Airwolf (1984), Murder, She Wrote (1984), MacGyver (1985), Major Dad (1989), Quantum Leap (1989) and Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987).
Outside of his acting gigs in both films and television series, LeGault also worked as a lounge and nightclub singer (he even recorded a self-titled album in 1970). In addition, Lance did voice work for cartoons and video games as well as the narrator of the tour audiotape for Elvis Presley's Graceland Mansion and Museum in Memphis, Tennessee. Lance LeGault died at age 77 of heart failure on September 10, 2012 at his home in Los Angeles, California.- One of four children, lovely Detroit-born actress Doris Dowling (born May 15, 1923) would follow older sister Constance Dowling (who died relatively young in 1969) into show business. Raised in New York City, she briefly spent some time with a San Francisco Folies Bergère company before returning to New York and studying at Hunter College.
Following several years as a singing/dancing Broadway chorine in such musicals as Panama Hattie (debut at age 17), Banjo Eyes, Beat the Band and New Faces of 1943, Doris decided to pattern sister Constance's career formula by relocating to Hollywood and pursue films. After a couple of bit parts, she scored with the second femme role of a barfly, prostitute and enabler to fellow alcoholic Ray Milland in the sobering classic film The Lost Weekend (1945). That movie, which won "Best Picture" and "Best Actor" for Milland, was the first to deal with the harrowing effects of alcoholism. This success led to an equally choice victimy part in the Raymond Chandler film noir The Blue Dahlia (1946) starring Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake as Ladd's ill-fated wife. From there she was relegated to "B"-level post-war films. She co-starred with Kent Taylor in the crime mystery The Crimson Key (1947), but then found herself uncredited a year later in the Bing Crosby musical romancer The Emperor Waltz (1948).
Seeing the writing on the wall, Doris (like sister Constance) decided to move and continue her movie career abroad. With her dark, earthy, exotic-eyed beauty, she complemented several dramas, including a starring role in the Italian classic Bitter Rice (1949) that also starred Vittorio Gassman and made an international sex star out of Silvana Mangano. Filmed entirely in Cuba, she then starred in the minor musical drama Sarumba (1950) playing a singer and love interest to handsome sailor Michael Whalen, followed by a second femme role in the Italian drama Alina (1950) starring rising goddess Gina Lollobrigida. Doris' last starring film was in the romantic adventure Cuori sul mare (1950) (Hearts at Sea) with handsome Jacques Sernas. Before departing Italy, she also played Bianca in Orson Welles' troubled European production of Othello (1951), which was filmed in Italy and Morocco.
Returning to the US by 1952, theater and TV would comprised much of Doris' later work. She appeared on several anthology programs, including "Armstrong Circle Theatre," "Goodyear Playhouse" and "Schlitz Playhouse," and guested on the popular dramatic shows of the day such as "Medic," "Cheyenne," "Richard Diamond, Private Detective," Mike Hammer," "Have Gun--Will Travel," "Checkmate," Shirley Temple's Storybook," "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," "Perry Mason," "The Andy Griffith Show" and "Bonanza," "Barnaby Jones," "The Dukes of Hazzard," and the mini-series "Scruples." She also enjoyed a regular role on the Julie Newmar-hyped female robot sitcom My Living Doll (1964).
In 1973, Doris returned to the stage and shared an Outer Critics Circle award for her performance in the all-star stage production of "The Women" on Broadway. Her final film roles were in The Car (1977) and Separate Ways (1981)
Married three times, she was wife #7 to band leader Artie Shaw, her first husband, with whom she had a son, Jonathan Shaw. Doris died June 18, 2004 at age 81, and was interred at Holy Cross Cemetery in Los Angeles. - Actor
- Director
- Producer
Born in Manhattan, New York to Charles E. Martin, prolific cover artist and cartoonist for the New Yorker magazine, and Florence Taylor, an artist and homemaker; Jared began acting at the age of thirteen when his parents gave him the choice of learning to play the piano or acting in the local children theater group. At 14 he attended Putney school where he continued his interest in theater and discovered sports. At Columbia University he initially expected to take part in the athletic programs, but later opted to focus on acting, as doing both took up too much time. His roommate at Columbia was Brian De Palma. While acting in plays and experimental films at Columbia and Sarah Lawrence College he spent a summer apprenticing with Joseph Papp's Shakespeare in the Park. After graduating college Jared tried the newspaper business, taking a job at the New York Times as copy boy and thumbnail book reviewer for the Sunday edition. Missing theater's excitement he left the Times and joined a summer stock company in Cape May, New Jersey; then spent a season with the Boston classical repertory, and eventually rejoined Papp at his new Public Theater in Manhattan, where he played Laertes in the modern rock-disco Hamlet with Martin Sheen and then Cleavon Little in the title role. He continued acting off-Broadway and made an unreleased film that caught the eye of a casting director at Columbia Pictures, who encouraged him to seek a career in Hollywood. He waited for his break for several years working as bartender, truck driver, and landscaper until becoming visible in various roles during the mid 1970s; notably the cult classic 'Westworld', the martial arts thriller 'Men of the Dragon', and the short lived science-fiction series, The Fantastic Journey co-starring Roddy McDowell and Carl Franklin. He is best known for his role as Steven "Dusty" Farlow, son of Clayton Farlow and boyfriend of Sue Ellen Ewing in the mega-hit Dallas. During and after Dallas he alternated between living in Rome starring in European films; and New York where he studied under Lee Strasberg, performed in Broadway's 'Torch Song Trilogy', and did soap opera (One Life to Live). In 1988 he relocated to Toronto to star in the TV version of War of the Worlds as Dr. Harrison Blackwood. After W.O.W. was canceled in 1991 Jared spent the next 2 1/2 years traveling in Africa and China and working on two novels. In 1994 entrepreneur Jeffrey Seder asked him to direct a film for Mayor Ed Rendell's 'Heroes of the Streets' campaign in Philadelphia. During location shooting he and Seder conceived the idea of a film-production themed educational non-profit to serve Philadelphia's inner city and migrant youth populations. Jared moved to Philadelphia and became BPA's Creative Director for the next 15 years; supervising over 2000 students and producing over 250 student films. He personally directed 30 films, garnering awards from Cine Eagle, Intercom, and the Chicago International Film Festival. After retiring BPA in 2010 Jared has begun another career as a fine arts photographer, studying under the painter Michael David. While in Beijing in 1998 he met Chinese classical dancer Yu Wei. They corresponded for two years and married in 2000. Jared has directed a dozen short films for Wei, who tours extensively. They live in Philadelphia's East Falls area and support a large collection of animals including a tribe of freeloading raccoons. Jared's son Christian is an executive at AETN. His two grandchildren, Charles and Emilia Grace, are busy tearing up the block on Baltic Street in Brooklyn. Martin died from pancreatic cancer on May 24, 2017 at his home in Philadelphia aged 75.- Actor
- Art Department
Thin, intense, antsy, and often unnerving character actor Frank Doubleday usually portrayed creepy villains in both movies and TV shows alike from the mid-1970's up until the early 1990's. Frank was born on January 28, 1945 in Norwich, Connecticut and came with his family to Los Angeles, California at age six. Doubleday made his film debut as an aggressive switchblade-wielding punk thug in the hilariously raunchy comedy The First Nudie Musical (1976). Doubleday's lean, hollow-eyed, sunken-cheeked face, closely cropped light blonde hair, skinny limbs, and slim build gave him a striking and potent screen presence that was put to especially effective use in two pictures for director John Carpenter: He's genuinely scary as the vicious street gang leader who kills little girl Kim Richards in cold blood in the terrific urban action classic Assault on Precinct 13 (1976) and was likewise memorably freaky as Isaac Hayes' ghoulish flunky "Romero" in the excellent futuristic science fiction cult favorite Escape from New York (1981). Doubleday's other noteworthy parts are a mob kingpin's conceited jerk son in Avenging Angel (1985), a fidgety prison inmate in the nifty science fiction item Space Rage (1985), a ferocious member of a roving murderous band of supernatural Eskimo spirits in the spooky Nomads (1986), a mercenary in Broadcast News (1987), and a sweaty, twitchy hoodlum who holds a bunch of fat ladies hostage in a laundromat in the funky urban science fiction hoot Dollman (1991). Among the TV shows Doubleday did guest appearances on are Amazing Stories (1985), Sledge Hammer! (1986), Stingray (1986), T.J. Hooker (1982), Hill Street Blues (1981), CHiPs (1977), The Incredible Hulk (1978), Charlie's Angels (1976), Wonder Woman (1975) and Starsky and Hutch (1975). Outside of acting, Frank also directed stage plays and taught acting at the Hollywood Court Theater. Doubleday died at age 73 from esophageal cancer on March 3, 2018 in Los Angeles, California.- Actor
- Director
American stage actor who appeared frequently on television and occasionally but impressively in films. A Marine Corps veteran of the Second World War, he worked on Broadway and on tour in stage productions after the war. In the late 1950s, he became an increasingly familiar face on American television, following a strong performance in the film Sweet Smell of Success (1957), in which he played the smarmy fellow who gets a dalliance with the unwilling Barbara Nichols in exchange for a favor to Tony Curtis's Sidney Falco. Cads and pompous politicians became White's strong suit, but he achieved his greatest fame as the unctuous Larry Tate on the hit TV series Bewitched (1964). He continued to work in the theatre, particularly as a member of acclaimed Theatre West company in Los Angeles and at the Mark Taper Forum there. In December, 1988, White's 33-year-old son, Jonathan, was killed in the terrorist bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, UK. White, who had been widowed soon after Jonathan's birth, was embittered and enraged by this new tragedy. He became reclusive for a time, but was returning to some social activity and theatre work when he died of a massive heart attack in 1990, just a few days prior to the second anniversary of his son's death. He was survived by his daughter.- Versatile, diligent character actor Frank Marth was a familiar presence in just about every major American prime-time TV show of the 60's and 70's. The native New Yorker got his big break as a member of Jackie Gleason's stock company, perennially cast as uncredited background characters in Cavalcade of Stars (1949) and The Honeymooners (1955). According to series co-star Audrey Meadows he was "worth his weight in gold". Thereafter, granite-faced, sober-looking Marth became omnipresent on the small screen for more than two decades as tough cops, FBI agents and stern military brass. Amazingly, he was overlooked for the part of a KAOS operative in Get Smart (1965) (which would have been perfect casting !) but made up for it with Luger-wielding Count von Waffenschmidt and assorted SS officers in Hogan's Heroes (1965). He was also a favorite in anything sci-fi, whether as a sinister alien in The Invaders (1967) or as THRUSH agent Carl Voegler in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964). He appeared suitably taciturn as Colonel Brody, stymying dinosaur-hunting Darren McGavin in Kolchak: The Night Stalker (1974). Perfectly cast yet again, he gave the medics a hard time as a hard-nosed tank commander in the M*A*S*H episode "Hey, Doc". He had other recurring uniformed roles in The Dirty Dozen (1988) and War and Remembrance (1988).
Marth was married to stage and screen actress Hope Holiday. - Actor
- Soundtrack
Bob Hastings got his show business start in radio after WWII as the voice of "Archie Andrews" in the show of the same name (a spin-off of the Archie Comics series) on the Mutual Broadcasting System. The good-looking Hastings made the transition to television smoothly in 1949 in early galactic-action series like Captain Video and His Video Rangers (1949) and Atom Squad (1953). His first semi-recurring role was as either a sergeant or a lieutenant on The Phil Silvers Show (1955) (aka "Sgt. Bilko"). Overall, he appeared in eight episodes but interestingly always with a different character name though basically the same demeanor.
Most of his career has been spent in television, and he's notable for roles such as Captain Binghamton's yes-man "Lieutenant Elroy Carpenter" on McHale's Navy (1962), one of the two Tommy Kelsey's on All in the Family (1971), and "Captain Ramsey" on General Hospital (1963). Hastings has also done much voice work, including that of "The Raven" on The Munsters (1964), "Superboy" on the The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure (1967) cartoons in the 1960s and, in recent years, the voice of "Commissioner Gordon" on the animated Batman: The Animated Series (1992) cartoons.- A veteran character actress with a prolific career, Pamela Susan Shoop began acting while in her teens and established herself as a television regular in the early seventies. Since that time, she has appeared in several guest spots on a variety of television programs while occasionally working in theatrical films. As recurring player for Glen A. Larson, Pamela has made many appearances in at least nine different shows associated with the famed TV writer, director, and producer. While she has worked primarily in supporting and guest roles, Pamela did hold the regular part of Allison MacKenzie in the television soap opera Return to Peyton Place (1972) from 1972 to 1973.
- Art Metrano was born on 22 September 1936 in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Police Academy 3: Back in Training (1986), Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment (1985) and History of the World: Part I (1981). He was married to Rebecca Elizabeth Chute and Jamie Susan Golder. He died on 8 September 2021 in Aventura, Florida, USA.
- Utilitarian actor Lonny Chapman remains one of those highly familiar character faces to which you can't quite place the name. While he appeared in over 30 films and well over 300 TV programs over a five-decade career, the theater remained his first and foremost passion and for which he is best remembered. From 1973 until his death 34 years later, he was artistic director of the Group Repertory Theatre (GRT), a North Hollywood non-profit acting organization for which he also served as producer, writer, director and actor. It was a place to which scores and scores of L.A.-based actors would, and did, call "home". The facility, which is still running today, was renamed the Lonny Chapman Group Repertory Theatre (LCGRT) in 1999 in loving tribute.
He was born Lon Leonard Chapman on October 1, 1920, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but grew up in the city of Joplin, Missouri. His interest in acting started while fairly young. Following his graduations from Joplin High School (1938) and Joplin Junior College (1940), the athletically-inclined Lonny attended the University of Oklahoma on a track scholarship. The bombing of Pearl Harbor, however, interrupted his college studies, joining the Marines the very next day. He saw major action in the South Pacific, including Guadalcanal. During his 5-year tour of duty, he contracted malaria; frequent recurrences would plague him the rest of his life. The track star returned to his Oklahoma college following war duty and graduated with a BFA in Drama in 1947.
While at college Lonny became best friends with actor Dennis Weaver, who was also a talented track-and-field athlete and fellow drama student. The two young hopefuls hitchhiked together to New York City where they began their respective careers. Within a year (1948) Lonny was appearing as "Wiley" in the Chicago company of "Mister Roberts", directed by Joshua Logan. The year after that, he made his Broadway debut in "The Closing Door", directed by Lee Strasberg. During this time, he also established strong ties with the prestigious Group Theatre and Actors Studio. It was at the Actors Studio that he forged lifelong friendships with director Mark Rydell, and character actors Martin Landau, R.G. Armstrong, Pat Hingle and Logan Ramsey, among others.
Arguably, the peak of Lonny's early stage career occurred in 1950, when he co-starred in the award-winning drama "Come Back, Little Sheba", William Inge's first play to be produced on Broadway. Art imitated life in this case as Lonny portrayed the second lead role of "Turk", a college student and star athlete. Coincidentally, friend Dennis Weaver became his understudy and eventually took over the role. Starring Tony winners Shirley Booth and Sidney Blackmer, only Ms. Booth went on to recreate her role in the film version for which she won the Oscar. Lonny, who had yet to make a movie, was replaced by the already-established Richard Jaeckel as "Turk" in the film version.
Lonny continued to solidify his reputation on Broadway with "The Chase" (1952), produced and directed by José Ferrer and starring Actors Studio exponents Kim Stanley and Kim Hunter; "Whistler's Grandmother" (1952), co-starring Josephine Hull; "The Ladies of the Corridor" (1953), directed by renowned "Group Theatre" member Harold Clurman; and the Horton Foote-penned "The Traveling Lady" (1954), again starring Ms. Stanley. Elsewhere, he earned excellent notices as "Tom" opposite Franchot Tone's "Joe" in a revival of William Saroyan's "The Time of Your Life" and as the "Gentleman Caller" in the first national tour of "The Glass Menagerie" starring Helen Hayes. By this time, Lonny had begun appearing on early TV, making his debut in an episode of Captain Video and His Cartoon Rangers (1956). His first film was a featured role in the tuneful Doris Day/Frank Sinatra drama Young at Heart (1954) in which he shared secondary scenes with Elisabeth Fraser. Actor Studio preeminent Elia Kazan took a strong liking to Lonny as an actor and looked for no one else to play the role of "Roy", the auto mechanic, in the classic John Steinbeck film East of Eden (1955), which catapulted James Dean to cult status. Kazan then gave Lonny a plum role in his film Baby Doll (1956).
In the late 1950s, Chapman began to show promise as a mover and shaker in the theater. In 1959, and for eight seasons following, he and co-founder Curt Conway devoted their summer seasons to the Cecilwood Theatre in Fishkill, New York, where he directed over 80 productions and performed in nearly thirty. Those up-and-comers who received their Equity union card under his guidance included Barbra Streisand, Dustin Hoffman and Robert Duvall. As a playwright, Lonny saw two of his own works produced off-Broadway -- "The Buffalo Skinner" and "Cry of the Raindrop".
Lonny migrated to Los Angeles in the 1960s in order to pursue film and TV roles and, along with Martin Landau, helped form the West branch of the Actors Studio out there. His gritty look, trademark dusky voice, earnest demeanor and solid Midwest upbringing was his meal ticket for getting Hollywood work. Tailor-made for earthy, blue-collar roles, he was most at home playing unpretentious folk. One would be hard-pressed to see him donning tie and tails in highly elegant settings when he obviously appeared more at home in a plaid shirt with rolled up sleeves or, at the most, a tweed sport coat with loose tie. He provided stark authenticity to a number of westerns, crimers and small-town dramas. In Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds (1963), he portrayed the concerned diner operator who tends to Tippi Hedren's head wound after her first gull attack. He subsequently played a secondary but pivotal role in director/friend Mark Rydell's picture The Reivers (1969) set in Mississippi with Steve McQueen, and also one of Sally Field's chauvinistic bosses in the down-home drama Norma Rae (1979). He showed remarkable versatility with a top, change-of-pace supporting part in the early Woody Allen comedy classic Take the Money and Run (1969).
In 1973, he formed the Group Repertory Theatre and served as its first and only artistic director (until his death). Under his strong leadership, the non-profit organization staged over 350 productions, 45 of which were world premieres of original works. Sean Penn and Jennifer Tilly are former members of the company.
Quite visible on TV, he appeared to good advantage in prime-time programming. Headlining one TV series that never got firmly off the ground, The Investigator (1958), in which he played a private detective, he also co-starred with William Shatner and Jessica Walter in the "Law and Order" precursor For the People (1965). During the 60s, 70s and 80s, the gruff, bushy-browed actor could always be spotted somewhere on a topnotch crime show (Perry Mason (1957), The Defenders (1961) (recurring role), Judd for the Defense (1967), Mission: Impossible (1966), Mannix (1967), Ironside (1967), Quincy M.E. (1976), Matlock (1986)). He was given just as much footage sitting tall in the saddle in various western series (Laredo (1965), The Rifleman (1958), The Virginian (1962), Bonanza (1959)). He also appeared more than a few times on Gunsmoke (1955) and McCloud (1970), which starred his good friend Dennis Weaver. One particular highlight was his patriarchal role in an above-par TV-movie adaptation of The Rainmaker (1982) co-starring Tommy Lee Jones and Tuesday Weld.
A modest, down-to-earth kind of guy with a generous heart and spirit who preferred not to call attention to himself, Chapman was a sturdy film and TV presence over the years playing a hefty number of heroes, villains, boss types and confidantes. Although he worked consistently throughout the years, he never found the one role that might have moved him up the pecking order and propel him to the very top of the character echelon. In the twilight of his film career, he showed eerie countenance in his elderly watchman role in Nightwatch (1997), and last graced the screen as an octogenarian in Reindeer Games (2000), directed by John Frankenheimer and The Hunted (2003), directed by William Friedkin.
The last few years of his life were marred by failing health and the increasingly frail actor had to eventually be placed in a Sherman Oaks (California) care facility. He died there of complications from pneumonia and heart disease a little more than a week after his 87th birthday, on October 12, 2007. He was survived by his steadfast wife (of nearly 65 years), the former Erma Dean Gibbons, and their son Wyley Dean. - Actor
- Soundtrack
Dick O'Neill was born on 29 August 1928 in New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for The Jerk (1979), The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) and The Front Page (1974). He was married to Susan Jacqueline (Jackie) Shaw and Dina Harris. He died on 17 November 1998 in Santa Monica, California, USA.- Actress
- Additional Crew
Ms. Darling was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and started dancing at the age of the three at the Gene Kelly Dance Studio. By the age of 6, she was performing in shows at the dance studio. At the age of 14, she appeared twice on the Ted Mack & the Original Amateur Hour (1948), after having started singing at the age of 13. As a teenager, Darling attended the Pittsburgh Playhouse School of Acting, then went on to Carnegie Mellon University where she graduated from the drama department. Upon graduation, she was a member of the original company of the American Conservatory Theatre (A.C.T.). She worked for several years with the Pittsburgh Playhouse, before moving on to the Washington Arena Stage in Washington D.C. From there, to the Longwharf Repertory Company in Connecticut, before starring in "Macbird" at the Village Gate in New York City.
Darling made her first Broadway appearance in "How Now Dow Jones", then going on to "Maggie Flynn", followed by the drama "Fire". During her time on Broadway, she appeared on The David Frost Show (1969), as well as branching out to comic improvisations touring the East Coast summer tents. Upon returning to New York, Darling performed in Shakespeare in Central Park for Joseph Papp, while also appearing in the soap opera The Secret Storm (1954) - playing the first hooker on daytime television. The character was such a hit among the show's viewers that Troy Donahue was brought in to play her boyfriend. In 1973, she moved to Hollywood and, after only six weeks, landed her first starring role on the television series The New Temperatures Rising Show (1972). After joining the cast of The Six Million Dollar Man (1974), which spawned into The Bionic Woman (1976), Darling then went on to star in Eight Is Enough (1977), making her the only actress to star in three Top 10 television series at the same time. During this time, she also appeared at the Improvisation, performing Harry Chapin's music. She also performed with Harry Chapin on The Merv Griffin Show (1962), as well as making some concert appearances. During the 1990s, Darling guest-starred on some of the highest rated television series, including L.A. Law (1986), Bodies of Evidence (1992) and Cheers (1982). She received an Emmy nomination as Best Supporting Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her role on Hooperman (1987). Most Darling has been seen in recurring roles on Dharma & Greg (1997) and Mad About You (1992). 2001 found Ms. Darling juggling many acts. Member of an original musical, "You Haven't Changed A Bit, And Other Lies", which did open mid-June for an unlimited run in Los Angeles, she was also awaiting the release of her third independent film, Ronnie (2002). This, all addition to her being one of the busiest voice-over actresses in Hollywood. Today, she is one of the busiest actresses in the world of animation, lending her voice to characters in more than twenty of the most popular animation series, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987), Tenchi Muyo! (1992) and Astro Boy (2003). Ms. Darling can also be heard via the Internet - in one of the first few successful animation cartoon series - Julius And Friends. Her voice is also recognizable in full length animation features such as Tarzan, Aladdin (1994), Beauty and the Beast (1991), The Little Mermaid (1989), A Bug's Life (1998), Finding Nemo (2003) and many more. In 2005, Ms. Darling finished the independent films Winding Roads (1999), Ronnie (2002) and On Edge (2001). She resides in Los Angeles.- Actor
- Production Manager
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Britt Lomond is best remembered as the sinister yet dashing Captain Monastario, the arch nemesis of Guy Williams' Zorro in the first thirteen shows of the 50s television show. The Commandante of the Pueblo de Los Angeles, Captain Monastario was always confounded by Zorro, and his machinations were constantly foiled. A champion and expert fencer once ranked 26th in the nation amongst amateurs, Lomond, a graduate of New York University, served as a paratrooper in both World War II and the Korean Conflict. After his film career, Lomond went behind the camera, working as a director, producer, and production manager on a number of films, including Somewhere in Time (1980).- Actor
- Director
- Soundtrack
Danny Dayton was born on 20 November 1923 in Jersey City, New Jersey, USA. He was an actor and director, known for Guys and Dolls (1955), Ed Wood (1994) and Wonder Woman (1975). He was married to Arlene Allinson and Dagmar. He died on 6 February 1999 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Actor
- Writer
Character actor and comedian Charlie Sanford Brill was born in Brooklyn, New York. His older brother was the piano prodigy and nightclub entertainer Marty Brill. Charlie made his screen debut in 1958. He met his future wife, the actress Mitzi McCall, the following year at a Paramount comedy workshop. They married in 1960. Together, they went touring the U.S. in a comic act. On television, they had a regular segment as a feuding couple on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1967) and appeared as celebrity contestants on the game show Tattletales (1974). In addition to many TV guest spots and voice-over work in animation (including several Hanna-Barbera productions), Charlie also enjoyed a lengthy stint as Captain Harry Lipschitz in the CBS crime drama Silk Stalkings (1991), his wife Frannie being played by his real life spouse. However, Charlie will most likely be best remembered for playing the devious Arne Darvin (he got the audition for the part courtesy of Leonard Nimoy), a Klingon saboteur masquerading as a human in the classic Star Trek (1966) episode The Trouble with Tribbles. He reprised the Darvin character three decades later for the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993) homage episode Trials and Tribble-ations.
Happily retired since 2015, he declared in a recent interview "I smoke cigars, I drink coffee and I hang out with a bunch of guys who drink coffee and smoke cigars."- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Michael McGreevey began his professional career at the age of seven, appearing in The Girl Most Likely (1957) with Jane Powell, the first of 18 films he would act in over the next 20 years. A successful child actor, Michael also appeared in over 100 television shows, including stints as a series regular on Riverboat (1959) (Burt Reynolds' first show) and guest-star appearances on such acclaimed series as Naked City (1958), Route 66 (1960) and three two-part specials for The Magical World of Disney (1954). At 18 years of age he enrolled in classes at UCLA while continuing his professional acting career, starring opposite Kirk Douglas, Robert Mitchum and Sally Field in The Way West (1967) (Field's first film), with David Niven in The Impossible Years (1968) and alongside Richard Widmark and Lena Horne in Death of a Gunfighter (1969), as well as guest-starring in numerous television shows (Mod Squad (1968), Love, American Style (1969)) and made-for-TV movies (including If Tomorrow Comes (1971) with Patty Duke).
Graduating from UCLA Film School with honors, he continued to work as an actor, but set his sights on one day moving behind the camera and trying his hand at writing, directing, and producing. While co-starring opposite Kurt Russell in a series of very successful movies for Disney (The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969), Now You See Him, Now You Don't (1972), Snowball Express (1972) and The Strongest Man in the World (1975)) and making guest-star appearances on acclaimed television series like The Waltons (1972), Michael began writing. He was lucky enough to get his first professional writing assignment collaborating with his father, John McGreevey (Emmy Award; WGA Laurel Award) developing a three-hour movie for television about the Kennedy assassination entitled Ruby and Oswald (1978). A truly monumental television event, "Ruby and Oswald" was a ratings winner as well as a critical success. Michael continued writing on his own, branching out into series television, working on such shows as "The Waltons" with creator Earl Hamner Jr., Palmerstown, U.S.A. (1980) with Alex Haley and Norman Lear, Quincy M.E. (1976) and many others. Michael was nominated for an Emmy award for his teleplay of the ABC Afterschool Special, The Celebrity and the Arcade Kid (1983). What started out as a freelance assignment writing one episode of Fame (1982), the NBC series based on the popular film, turned into three seasons (72 episodes) as writer, story editor and eventually producer. Having written more episodes than anyone else, Michael was the obvious choice to write the last "Fame" show, effectively closing the door on the School of the Arts and bringing the award-winning series to an end. After "Fame", Michael decided he needed a break from the grind of series television, and returned to writing long-form television, developing movies and mini-series for all the networks, including NBC's highest rated movie of the '194 season, Bonanza: The Return (1993). Michael returned to series television as the Supervising Producer of High Tide (1994) for the '95-'96 season and then assumed the same duties on the syndicated series, Tarzan: The Epic Adventures (1996), completing 22 episodes for the '96-'97 season. He realized another life-long dream by directing one of the "Tarzan" episodes. Having been bitten by the directing bug, Michael immediately took on another assignment, helming three episodes of the Fox Network's children series, Mowgli: The New Adventures of the Jungle Book (1998). The producers (Alliance, Kushner-Locke) were so pleased with his work on this demanding action/adventure series that they asked him to direct an independent feature based on the Kipling books, The Jungle Book: Search for the Lost Treasure (1998), starring Gary Collins and Michael Beck. Immediately after completing the film, McGreevey returned to television, executive-producing (as well as writing and directing) 26 one-hour episodes of the syndicated series Born Free (1998) (a continuation of the very popular movie based on Joy Adamson's extraordinary work with the lioness, Elsa, in Africa). Since finishing the series, Michael has co-written an action\thriller television movie and series pilot, "Endangered," and co-wrote the script for a big-budget adaptation of the L. Frank Baum classic, "The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus." He is presently developing an original screenplay, "13 Weeks," a romantic comedy about working in series television, and shooting three documentaries entitled "Aging Without Symptoms," "Welcome to Eden," and "The Face of America."- Gorgeously buxom and curvaceous blonde bombshell Taaffe O'Connell was born into an upper class family on May 14, 1951 in Providence, Rhode Island. She primarily grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee and was a straight-A student in her grade school years. O'Connell received a masters degree in drama from the University of Mississippi.
Taaffe moved to Hollywood, California to pursue an acting career. She started out doing guest spots on such TV shows as Starsky and Hutch (1975), Baretta (1975), Police Woman (1974), Vega$ (1978) and CHiPs (1977). O'Connell made her film debut with an uncredited bit part in Rocky II (1979). Taaffe had a regular role as showgirl "Hillary S. Prentiss" on the short-lived sitcom Blansky's Beauties (1977). She played ill-fated nurse "Jane" in the seasonal slasher opus New Year's Evil (1980).
Taaffe achieved her greatest enduring cult cinema popularity as "Dameia", a spaceship crew technical chief who gets gruesomely raped and killed by a giant slimy maggot in the marvelously warped sci-fi/horror winner Galaxy of Terror (1981). She went on to play wisecracking USO showgirl "Honey" in the trashy women-in-prison exploitation outing Caged Fury (1983) and insatiable German nymphomaniac "Brigitte Fritz" in the amusing lowbrow comedy romp Hot Chili (1985).
Moreover, O'Connell made guest appearances on a handful of TV shows that included Happy Days (1974), The Incredible Hulk (1978), Laverne & Shirley (1976), Archie Bunker's Place (1979), Three's Company (1976), Knight Rider (1982), Dallas (1978) and Dangerous Women (1991).
More recently, Taaffe popped up in minor parts in the low-budget fright features The Stoneman (2002) and Dismembered (2003). Outside of acting, Taaffe O'Connell has developed a special directory to help out her fellow thespians, writes articles for magazines specializing in casting, and makes occasional guest appearances at film conventions. - Richard Narita was born on 15 November 1951 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is an actor, known for Murder by Death (1976), The Golden Seal (1983) and Girls of the White Orchid (1983).
- John Fujioka was born on 29 June 1925 in Olaa, Hawaii, USA. He was an actor, known for Mortal Kombat (1995), American Ninja (1985) and Pearl Harbor (2001). He died on 13 December 2018 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Actor
- Editorial Department
Al White was born on 17 May 1942 in Houston, Texas, USA. He is an actor, known for Airplane! (1980), Airplane II: The Sequel (1982) and Back to the Future Part II (1989). He is married to Ronice V Morgan. They have one child.- Herman Poppe was born on 15 June 1944 in the USA. He is an actor, known for The Rocketeer (1991), Pale Rider (1985) and Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993).
- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Stunts
Bob Harks came from a rather large family where his father was a salesman for oil rig companies and where his mother was a stay at home mother. Throughout his life he was very devoted to his family but like most people, he yearned to get out and see the world.
Harks eventually drifted to California where he eventually became a clothing model. Through his connections he established as a model, he was able to get into the Screen Extras Guild where he was actually taken onto location for the movie Bullet. This began what was going to be a very long career in the Screen Extras Guild.
Harks came in at the tail end of the television western era, it was only natural for him to find work on the unpaved streets of several television westerns like Bonanza and Gunsmoke. With the downturn of popularity in westerns, Harks made the transition from a cowboy to a detective. Over the next 15 years, he would frequently be seen on shows like Kojak where he'd appear around the squad room and also on shows like Lou Grant where he'd make crosses.
In the early 1970s, Harks gained work as a utility stand-in on the Bill Bixby show The Magician and it would be his big break. Both he and fellow Magician stand-in Edna Ryan would later find themselves working on another show Bixby starred in called "The Incredible Hulk." Bixby was very fond of Bob and would frequently have him appear in roles that require Hark to be upgraded to a pay rate than you usual extra role. Harks would usually drive the car that would either pick up Bixby at the end of the episode or he would use his car to pass Bixby's character up as he was hitchhiking to his next destination.
After the closing of The Incredible Hulk, Harks got regular work as Bixby's stand-in on the short lived show Goodnight Beantown. As Bixby's career started to wind down, Harks found work as a stand-in on the show Alien Nation and he worked on it for the rest of his career not only appearing in the series but also most of the subsequent television movies. It was during this time that Harks decided to retire and move Wisconsin to be closer to his sister Sue and the rest of his family bringing a 30+ year career to a close.- Actor
- Composer
- Music Department
Murray MacLeod was born on 9 September 1940 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Borderline (1980), The Strawberry Statement (1970) and Stingray (1978). He has been married to Stephanie Edwards since 14 June 1975.- Additional Crew
- Actor
- Stunts
Stan Rodarte is a man with entertainment in his blood. For over forty years, he has worked alongside some of the most recognizable faces in film and television, building an impressive body of work showcasing a range of talent both in front and behind the camera. As early as the 1970's, Stan began a journey that would take him from a young talented dancer and actor to a seasoned and well-connected producer who never stops seeking to entertain.
Stan began his career appearing regularly on Dick Clark's New American Bandstand 1965 (1973 - 1978), where his talents as a dancer quickly gained attention of the inimitable group, The Lockers. This iconic dance group hired Stan as a featured dancer and toured the globe with legendary performers, among them: Bob hope, Liza Minnelli, Ben Vereen, Wayne Newton and the Harlem Globe Trotters. Spawning a new dance craze - Locking - Stan and the Lockers showcased their talents, appearing at multiple Golden Globe Awards, more than one Senator's Gala, and had the honorable distinction of representing the United States twice in Berlin, Germany and Los Angeles, CA.
Not content to rest on his laurels on the dance floor, Stan brought his talents to the small screen, where he lent his skill as choreographer to shows like Starsky and Hutch and James at 16, while playing supporting roles in iconic television shows such as Hill Street Blues, Dallas, Charlie's Angels, Fantasy Island, and The Love Boat - to name only a few! Stan's prolific television career would span several decades.
Around the same time he was becoming a television regular , the lure of the silver screen soon beckoned, and both Stan's name - and face - would appear in iconic films alongside equally iconic actors. Among them, Sylvester Stallone, James Caan, William Holden, Gene Kelly, John Travolta, Ralph Maccio, Bette Midler, and Debbi Reynolds in movies such as: Rocky III & V, The Karate Kid II & III and For the Boys. Stan continues a professional relationship with many experienced and talented names in the industry, while building friendships with new and equally talented personalities.
A self-taught renaissance man of entertainment, Stan Rodarte has continued to hone his skills and experience, transforming himself seamlessly into the role of producer for several up-and- coming film and television projects, currently in preproduction. His keen eye for untapped talent, unbridled enthusiasm for new and exciting projects, and his willingness to take a chance where others play it safe make Stan Rodarte not only a talented entertainer, but an invaluable asset to any and every production.
Stan's unwavering philosophy has always been to discover the maximum potential - in both entertainment and life. Stan Rodarte brings an infectious joy and high-octane energy to every set and production, while continuing to inspire hope, build professionalism and create both unlimited possibility and boundless innovation in the next generation of creative talent.- Del Monroe is probably best known as Seaman Kowalski in Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961) and the subsequent TV series based on the film, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1964), He was thrilled to play a seaman in the big-budget film, but one day on the set he noticed what he believed to be a silly-looking mistake. He pointed it out to producer Irwin Allen, not knowing if Allen would take offense and end Del's career right there. It turned out that Allen didn't take offense at all, and in fact hired Monroe to play the same role in the series, which lasted for four seasons (1964-68).
Monroe has stated that he enjoyed doing the "Voyage" series, no matter what the plot of the episodes he was in--Cold War spies, deadly amphibians, monsters from outer space--he loved them all. He didn't even mind the change in the show's premise from an adult sci-fi series in the first year to a more children-oriented viewpoint in subsequent seasons.
In the third season he had a meaty part in the episode "Deadly Waters", in which his character had to deal with the problems of his troubled brother. The next year saw Del's character as the focal point of another episode, "The Deadly Amphibian", in which he was taken over by a deadly undersea creature. However, in the final season he was given another chance to strut his stuff in "The Return of Blackbeard", in which he was required to behave like a rollicking, devil-may-care pirate, but the episode did not go over well with series viewers.
Irwin Allen also tapped Del for appearances in his other TV series, and Del showed up in an episode of The Time Tunnel (1966), but turned down a chance for a recurring role in Allen's Land of the Giants (1968).
After "Voyage", Del did guest roles such TV series as Wonder Woman (1975). He found time to return to the big screen when he secured a part in Speedway Junky (1999), showing up in the beginning of the film as a grizzled old-timer. In 2004 a few "Voyage" cast members got together (not including Richard Basehart, who had died) for a convention and Del was speechless that so many fans turned out to celebrate a 40-year-old TV series. - Regis Cordic was born on 15 May 1926 in Hazelwood, Pennsylvania, USA. He was an actor, known for The Transformers: The Movie (1986), The Transformers (1984) and Kung Fu (1972). He was married to Dianne C Dundon and Catherine Ann Shea. He died on 16 April 1999 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Buck Young was born on 6 August 1921 in Winchester, Virginia, USA. He was an actor, known for MacGyver (1985), McMillan & Wife (1971) and Dallas (1978). He was married to Peggy Stewart. He died on 4 February 2000 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Michael Baseleon was a busy American actor who debuted in the theater before becoming a regular on television. He was featured or guest-starred in some 90 television series and TV movies (including The Bold Ones: The New Doctors (1969), Ironside (1967), Police Woman (1974), Barnaby Jones (1973), Police Story (1973), Flamingo Road (1980), CHiPs (1977), The Greatest American Hero (1981), and The A-Team (1983)). He did not appear in many feature films, but two of these (Uptight (1968) and The Grissom Gang (1971)) stood out whilst another (A Man Called Horse (1970)) became a cult classic. Baseleon died at age 61 in 1986 after suffering a heart attack.
- Stack Pierce was born on 15 June 1933 in the USA. He was an actor, known for WarGames (1983), Vice Squad (1982) and Good Guys Wear Black (1978). He was married to Marion Jean Johnson. He died on 1 March 2016 in the USA.
- Stunts
- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Stunts
- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Born in Beverly Hills, California, Ernie F. Orsatti started in the film industry at the age of sixteen. His mother, Inez Gorman, was a noted opera singer. His father, Ernie Orsatti, was a famous baseball player who played for The St. Louis Cardinals, known as "the gas house gang". He was the nephew of Victor M. Orsatti and Frank Orsatti and the brother of Frank Orsatti. The surname Orsatti name has been associated with Hollywood for decades, starting with the Orsatti agency, during the "Golden Age" of Hollywood.- Actor
- Soundtrack
- Raven Grey Eagle was born on 25 May 1927 in St. Marys, Pennsylvania, USA. He was an actor, known for Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955). He died on 9 April 1998 in Glendale, California, USA.
- Norman Stevans began in the Screen Extras Guild in 1943. This period turned out to be the perfect time for Screen Extras Guild members because the studios were spending a lot of money on big-budget productions and constantly needed extras. It didn't matter whether you were a soldier type, a dignitary, or a cowboy.
Like many extras, Stevans found his niche first as a soldier during the era in which World War 2 films were made to increase the morale of the general public. As he aged, Stevans purchased a wide variety of clothes so he could get cast more often as a dress extra.
By the 1950s, Stevans started to develop a reputation as one of the most dependable dress extras. His appearance led him to appear as a socialite or a businessman in many of the dramas but, he would also play bartenders and government officials in television westerns. Stevans effortlessly transitioned over to television and appeared in most of the major television shows of the period.
The coming of television seemed to be a good thing on the surface but for Stevans and extras like him, it caused the big-budget productions to be filmed elsewhere. What may have been steady work on a production for a month now turned into just a day or two. This made it much harder to make a living as a film extra.
Throughout the 1970s, the lack of steady work came to a head. Stevans became president of the Screen Extras Guild. By 1971, there was a depression in the motion picture industry and Stevans tried to lead the Screen Extras Guild and all of its members through the depression. By the middle of June that year, Stevans had only worked 27 days of that year.
Norman Stevans continued working until he passed away because of lung cancer. He leaves behind a few credited roles in television but more importantly, he leaves behind a legacy of being one of the leaders who led the Screen Extras Guild members through their roughest period. - Richard O'Brien was born on 14 July 1917 in Fargo, North Dakota, USA. He was an actor, known for Heaven Can Wait (1978), The Andromeda Strain (1971) and The Pack (1977). He died on 29 March 1983 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Sound Department
- In addition to her work as an actor, Christine Avila has worked as an educator and was awarded the UCLA Teacher of the Year award (Ucla Extension) for her work with "at risk" youth (Fred C Nelles School for Boys). Christine has also taught at UCSB (Department of Chicano Studies), UCLA and LMU and USC (Theatre Arts). She has been cited several times by the city of Los Angeles for her volunteer work in community (Inner City Cultural Center - 50th Anniversary). Christine also performed at Carnegie Recital Hall. She has led various bilingual choirs (St Clement Church, SM,, St Joan of Arc Church, WLA) for over 25 years. She still loves UCLA Basketball (attending games since 1961) and continues to study Classical Ballet and Tango. Christine has been a member of the L.A., Classical Theatre Lab, and was an Associate Artist at LA Actors Theatre (Bill Bushnell). She has been a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for over 35 years. Christine has been a member of SAG since 1970 and Actors Equity Association since 1968.