Advanced search
- TITLES
- NAMES
- COLLABORATIONS
Search filters
Enter full date
to
or just enter yyyy, or yyyy-mm below
to
Only includes names with the selected topics
to
or just enter yyyy, or yyyy-mm below
to
1-50 of 232
- Physical Education major Gordon Weschkul left the University of Oregon after one term. He became an infantry drill instructor (rifle, pistol and bayonet; judo and hand-to-hand combat; close order drill), then a military policeman. After his honorable discharge in 1947, he was a fireman, cowboy, and farm machinery salesman. In 1953, a Las Vegas lifeguard, he was spotted by a pair of Hollywood agents who introduced him and his 19-inch biceps to Sol Lesser, who had already conducted 200 tests in search of a new Tarzan. The producer gave him a seven-year contract and a new last name. His three MGM Tarzans were run-of-the mill, but his two for Sy Weintraub, through Paramount, marked a rebirth of the Tarzan character. The movies were well received. Weintraub was looking for a leaner, more thoughtful Tarzan so Scott moved on to a number of Italian strong-man spectaculars and spaghetti westerns, becoming a sensation in Europe.
- Writer
- Producer
- Actor
Tom Clancy became one of the best-selling writers of the late 20th and early 21st Centuries, starting with the publication of his 1984 thriller, The Hunt for Red October (1990). Born in Baltimore to a U.S. Post Office employee and his wife on April 12, 1947, Clancy graduated from Loyola Blakefield, a Catholic private high school, in 1965 and then attended Loyola College. After graduating with his bachelor's degree in English literature, Clancy went into the insurance business as poor eyesight kept him out of the military. Despite being unable to serve during the Vietnam War, military and Cold War politics remained close to his heart.
While running his own insurance agency in Maryland, he wrote "The Hunt for Red October", which was published by the Naval Institute Press in 1984. Clancy received the princely sum of $5,000 from this most unusual venue for a work of fiction, but the book struck a nerve in the depths of the latter stages of the Cold War. The hardcover from the Naval Institute sold 45,000 copies, an amazing amount for a first novel from a publishing house peddling its first book of fiction, but the paperback (boosted by a strong recommendation from President Ronald Reagan) sold two million copies.
The book was very detailed and extremely savvy when it came to the machinations of the military and Cold War politicians. In fact, Clancy's editor at the Naval Institute Press had him eliminate details, which trimmed the novel by 100 pages. In all, he wrote 28 books, mostly fiction but also, military themed non-fiction books. Clancy placed 17 books on the New York Times Best Seller List, many of which hit #1. His oeuvre accounted for sales of 100 million copies, making him one of the all-time most popular writers in history.
Clancy became a media industry onto himself. He was successful lending his name and ideas to video games, and his video game company Red Storm Entertainment was bought out for $45 million in 2000. Clancy-branded video games racked up sales of 76 million units. Movies adapted from Clancy's works racked up $786.5 million at the box office.
Tom Clancy died of heart failure on October 1, 2013. He was 66 years old.- Born March 17, 1931, in New York City, Patricia Breslin was the daughter of Edward and Marjorie Breslin. Her father was a special sessions judge in New York. She attending the College of New Rochelle, where she played leading roles in plays, and graduated with a B.A. in psychology. Then she began acting in summer stock productions before moving to Hollywood. She made her TV debut as "Juliet" in the NBC-TV production, Romeo and Juliet (1949), in 1952. During the next few years, she made frequent stage appearances and met her husband, David Orrick McDearmon, an actor and writer. They were married in October 1953. She co-starred with Jackie Cooper in the TV series, The People's Choice (1955) (1955-58).
- Writer
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
Edgar Allan Poe was born on January 19, 1809, in Boston, Massachusetts. His father, named David Poe Jr., and his mother, named Elizabeth Arnold Hopkins Poe, were touring actors. Both parents died in 1811, and Poe became an orphan before he was 3 years old. He was adopted by John Allan, a tobacco merchant in Richmond, Virginia, and was sent to a boarding school in London, England. He later attended the University of Virginia for one year, but dropped out and ran up massive gambling debts after spending all of his tuition money. John Allan broke off Poe's engagement to his fiancée Sarah Royster. Poe was heartbroken, traumatized, and broke. He had no way out and enlisted in the army in May of 1827. At the same time Poe published his first book, "Tamerlane and Other Poems" (1827). In 1829, he became a West Point cadet, but was dismissed after 6 months for disobedience. By that time he published "Al Aaraf" (1929) and "Poems by Edgar A. Poe" (1831), with the funds contributed by his fellow cadets. His early poetry, though written in the manner of Lord Byron, already shows the musical effects of his verses.
Poe moved in with his widowed aunt, Maria Clemm, and her teenage daughter, Virginia Eliza Clemm, whom he married before she was 14 years old. He earned respect as a critic and writer. In his essays "The Poetic Principle" and "The Philosophy of Composition," Poe formulated important literary theories. But his career suffered from his compulsive behavior and from alcoholism. He did produce, however, a constant flow of highly musical poems, of which "The Raven" (1845) and "The Bells" (1849) are the finest examples. Among his masterful short stories are "Ligeia" (1838), "The Fall of the House of Usher"(1839) and "The Masque of the Red Death". Following his own theory of creating "a certain unique or single effect", Poe invented the genre of the detective story. His works: "The Murder in the Rue Morgue" (1841) is probably the first detective story ever published.
Just when his life began to settle, Poe was devastated by the death of his wife Virginia in 1847. Two years later he returned to Richmond and resumed a relationship with his former fiancée, Sarah Royster, who, by that time, was a widow. But shortly after their happy reconciliation he was found unconscious on a street in Baltimore. Poe was taken to the Washington College Hospital where Doctor John Moran diagnosed "lesions on the brain" (the Doctor believed Poe was mugged). He died 4 days later, briefly coming in and out of consciousness, just to whisper his last words, "Lord, help my poor soul." The real cause of his death is still unknown and his death certificate has disappeared. Poe's critic and personal enemy, named Rufus Griswold, published an insulting obituary; later he visited Poe's home and took away all of the writer's manuscripts (which he never returned), and published his "Memoir" of Poe, in which he forged a madman image of the writer.
The name of the woman in Poe's poem "Annabel Lee" was used by Vladimir Nabokov in 'Lolita' as the name for Humbert's first love, Annabelle Leigh. Nabokov also used in 'Lolita' some phrases borrowed from the poem of Edgar Allan Poe. "The Fall of the House of Usher" was set to music by Claude Debussy as an opera. Sergei Rachmaninoff created a musical tribute to Poe by making his favorite poem "The Bells" into the eponymous Choral Symphony.- Robert F. Chew was born on 28 December 1960 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. He was an actor, known for The Wire (2002), Homicide: Life on the Street (1993) and Jamesy Boy (2014). He died on 17 January 2013 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
- Johnny Eck was born John Echkardt, twenty minutes after his twin brother Robert. The boys entered the sideshow circuit at the age of 12, where John was billed as "Johnny Eck, The Half-boy." Johnny went on to play a role in Tod Browning's Freaks (1932) before returning with his brother to Baltimore, where he became a screen painter. Johnny died January 5, 1991, at the age of 79, in the house where he was born.
- Norman 'Chubby' Chaney was born on 18 October 1914 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. He was an actor, known for Love Business (1930), Shivering Shakespeare (1929) and Pups Is Pups (1930). He died on 29 May 1936 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
- Actress
- Make-Up Department
Tamara Dobson was born on 14 May 1947 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. She was an actress, known for Cleopatra Jones (1973), Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold (1975) and Chained Heat (1983). She died on 2 October 2006 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.- Actor
- Composer
- Music Department
Biz Markie was an African-American rapper, disk jockey and actor. He was known for his hit 1989 song "Just a Friend". He played a beatboxing alien in Men in Black II (2002) alongside Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. He was originally going to voice The Grizz in Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time (2013) but left during pre-production of the game with Fred Tatasciore replacing him. He passed away in 2021 due to complications from diabetes.- Additional Crew
- Executive
Robert Altman was born on 23 February 1947 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA. He was an executive, known for Dishonored (2012), Prey (2017) and Wolfenstein: The New Order (2014). He was married to Lynda Carter. He died on 4 February 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.- Actor
- Additional Crew
Ben Slack was born on 23 July 1937 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. He was an actor, known for Bachelor Party (1984), Murder in the First (1995) and Society (1989). He died on 13 December 2004 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.- Maria Pechukas was born on 22 November 1966 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA. She was an actress, known for Spookies (1986), Carmilla (1998) and Valerie (1992). She was married to Jay Lind. She died on 1 February 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
- Melvin Williams was born on 14 December 1941 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. He was an actor, known for The Wire (2002), American Gangster (2006) and The Walter Hawkins Tribute Concert (2010). He was married to Mary Williams. He died on 3 December 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Valerie Stevenson was born on 19 October 1962 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. She was an actress, known for Project A-Ko (1986), Dreams (1984) and The A-Team (1983). She was married to Lance G. Joseph. She died on 10 January 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.- Nancy Asch was born on 22 January 1934 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. She was an actress, known for Hennesey (1959), Telephone Time (1956) and Trackdown (1957). She was married to Harry L Brown, William Steven Kibler and Robert Culp. She died on 25 May 1983 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
- Susan Walsh was born on 30 March 1948 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. She was an actress, known for Female Trouble (1974), Pink Flamingos (1972) and Go-Go Motel (2003). She died on 6 February 2009 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
- Danny Mills was an actor, known for Pink Flamingos (1972), Edith's Shopping Bag (1976) and Divine Trash (1998). He died on 21 January 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
Joseph Warfield was a 50-year veteran of stage, film and television working as an actor, director and teacher. He was also a former full-time Professor and Head of Acting Study in the NYU Grad Film Department teaching Directing Actors. Joe taught at Loyola University, New Orleans as well as at the Maine Media Workshops in Rockport, Maine. Other teaching credits include New York University School for Film and Television, University of New Orleans, and American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Joe was an associate artist at Southern Repertory Theatre in New Orleans and traveled to Moscow with the company's productions of Tennessee Williams' plays and to Paris to direct the world premiere of Solitaire at the American Center. He was also the Artistic Director of the Gorham's Bluff Theatre in Gorham's Bluff, Alabama for six years. Joe received the New Orleans Stage Journal Award for Best Director and his productions have won numerous Big Easy Awards. Additionally, Joe was awarded a Drama-Logue for his performance in The American Nightmare. Among his film appearances, he was most often remembered in the role of Ismal Zenan in John Woo's Hard Target.- Art Modell was born on 23 June 1925 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. He was a producer, known for Market Melodies (1949), The Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame... (2005) and The Mike Douglas Show (1961). He was married to Patricia Breslin. He died on 6 September 2012 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Thin and tart-tongued, Baltimore-born theater actress Hilda Vaughn, had a decade of intense activity at the beginning of the sound period, mainly at MGM. Although she always played a pleb (a maid, a charwoman, a governess, a saleswoman, a slavey, ...) and never a patrician, the characters she embodied did not lack ... character! Which is best exemplified by her best part, Tina, Jean Harlow's blackmailing domestic in George Cukor's "Dinner at Eight" (1933). After 1940, Hilda Vaughn returned to the theatre. She was blacklisted by McCarthy during the Witch Hunt.- Jean Hill was born on 15 November 1946 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. She was an actress, known for Desperate Living (1977), Polyester (1981) and A Dirty Shame (2004). She was married to Ronnie Walker. She died on 21 August 2013 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
- Nixon's Chief of Staff, 1973-74. Finally urged Nixon to resign. NATO Commander from 1975 to 1979. Secretary of State for Ronald Reagan. Got himself in hot water after the assassination attempt against the President in March 1981 when he appeared in the Press Room in the White House and announced "As of now, I'm in charge here." Vice-President George Bush was on an airplane en-route from Texas at this time. Constitutionally, the next in line in the order of succession is the Vice-President, then the Speaker of the House, then the Senate Pro Tempore, THEN the Secretary of State. His tenure as Secretary of State ended in June 1982, after his unsuccessful attempts to broker a peace settlement between Britain and Argentina in the Falklands War.
- Composer
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Songwriter ("This Is My Country", "I Need You Now", "If I Give My Heart to You"), composer, conductor, pianist, author and singer. He was a piano salesman after college and taught piano, then became the general manager of the Sherman Clay & Company and the business manager at the Miller Music Company. Later he became a professional manager at the Crawford Music, Melrose Music, and Stasny Music companies, then was assistant music director at Al Pearce radio, and manager at the Wurlitzer Music School in San Francisco. He joined KGO radio as staff pianist, and was a singer and pianist for KJBS radio. Joining ASCAP in 1936, his chief musical collaborators included Jimmie Crane and Joseph Meyer, and his other popular-song compositions included "Hurt", "Ev'ry Day of My Life", "Just One More Time", "Please Believe Me", "'Taint No Good", "But I Did", "All I Want Is a Chance", "Anybody's Love Song", "The Last Polka", "I'm Just an Ordinary Human Being", "When the Roses Bloom Again", "Honolulu", "There'll Never Be Another You", "Make a Wish", "Scalawag", "I'm Glad I Waited for You", "Will o' the Wisp", "Fortune for a Penny", "My Believing Heart", "I'm a Lucky Devil", "Time Stands Still", "I've Got a Heart Filled With Love", "Twilight Interlude", "No More Rivers to Cross", "Kon Tiki", "Crime and Punishment", "Rosie the Redskin", "Surprise", and "My Sailor Boy".- Producer
- Additional Crew
Michael Myerberg was born on 5 August 1906 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. He was a producer, known for Patterns (1956), Hansel and Gretel (1954) and We, the People (1948). He was married to Adrienne Fontana Matzenauer (actress). He died on 6 January 1974 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.- Actor
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Donald Symington was born on 30 August 1924 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for Annie Hall (1977), Spring Break (1983) and Mighty Aphrodite (1995). He was married to Leslie Paul. He died on 24 July 2013 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.