The Bonfire of the Vanities 1990 premiere
Wednesday December 19th, Mann Bruin Theater 948 Broxton Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024
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Thomas Jeffrey Hanks was born in Concord, California, to Janet Marylyn (Frager), a hospital worker, and Amos Mefford Hanks, an itinerant cook. His mother's family, originally surnamed "Fraga", was entirely Portuguese, while his father was of mostly English ancestry. Tom grew up in what he has called a "fractured" family. He moved around a great deal after his parents' divorce, living with a succession of step-families. No problems, no alcoholism - just a confused childhood. He has no acting experience in college and credits the fact that he could not get cast in a college play with actually starting his career. He went downtown, and auditioned for a community theater play, was invited by the director of that play to go to Cleveland, and there his acting career started.
Ron Howard was working on Splash (1983), a fantasy-comedy about a mermaid who falls in love with a business executive. Howard considered Hanks for the role of the main character's wisecracking brother, which eventually went to John Candy. Instead, Hanks landed the lead role and the film went on to become a surprise box office success, grossing more than $69 million. After several flops and a moderate success with the comedy Dragnet (1987), Hanks' stature in the film industry rose. The broad success with the fantasy-comedy Big (1988) established him as a major Hollywood talent, both as a box office draw and within the film industry as an actor. For his performance in the film, Hanks earned his first Academy Award nomination as Best Actor.
Hanks climbed back to the top again with his portrayal of a washed-up baseball legend turned manager in A League of Their Own (1992). Hanks has stated that his acting in earlier roles was not great, but that he subsequently improved. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Hanks noted his "modern era of movie making ... because enough self-discovery has gone on ... My work has become less pretentiously fake and over the top". This "modern era" began for Hanks, first with Sleepless in Seattle (1993) and then with Philadelphia (1993). The former was a blockbuster success about a widower who finds true love over the radio airwaves. Richard Schickel of Time magazine called his performance "charming", and most critics agreed that Hanks' portrayal ensured him a place among the premier romantic-comedy stars of his generation.
In Philadelphia, he played a gay lawyer with AIDS who sues his firm for discrimination. Hanks lost 35 pounds and thinned his hair in order to appear sickly for the role. In a review for People, Leah Rozen stated, "Above all, credit for Philadelphia's success belongs to Hanks, who makes sure that he plays a character, not a saint. He is flat-out terrific, giving a deeply felt, carefully nuanced performance that deserves an Oscar." Hanks won the 1993 Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Philadelphia. During his acceptance speech, he revealed that his high school drama teacher Rawley Farnsworth and former classmate John Gilkerson, two people with whom he was close, were gay.
Hanks followed Philadelphia with the blockbuster Forrest Gump (1994) which grossed a worldwide total of over $600 million at the box office. Hanks remarked: "When I read the script for Gump, I saw it as one of those kind of grand, hopeful movies that the audience can go to and feel ... some hope for their lot and their position in life ... I got that from the movies a hundred million times when I was a kid. I still do." Hanks won his second Best Actor Academy Award for his role in Forrest Gump, becoming only the second actor to have accomplished the feat of winning consecutive Best Actor Oscars.
Hanks' next role - astronaut and commander Jim Lovell, in the docudrama Apollo 13 (1995) - reunited him with Ron Howard. Critics generally applauded the film and the performances of the entire cast, which included actors Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, Ed Harris, and Kathleen Quinlan. The movie also earned nine Academy Award nominations, winning two. Later that year, Hanks starred in Disney/Pixar's computer-animated film Toy Story (1995), as the voice of Sheriff Woody. A year later, he made his directing debut with the musical comedy That Thing You Do! (1996) about the rise and fall of a 1960s pop group, also playing the role of a music producer.
As of 2022, Hanks is 66-years-old. He has never retired from acting, and has remained active in the film industry for more than four decades.- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Rita Wilson (born Margarita Ibrahimoff) is an American actress, singer, and film producer from Los Angeles. Her ancestry is primarily Greek and Bulgarian. She was granted Greek citizenship in 2019, in honor of her efforts to assist Greece by appealing for international aid after a devastating wildfire in Mati, Attica. Also in 2019, Wilson received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. For several decades, Wilson has been an activist for additional funding to combat women's cancers. She has served as an honorary co-chair of the Women's Cancer Research Fund (WCRF).
In 1956, Wilson was born in Los Angeles. Her father, Hassan Halilov Ibrahimoff (1920-2009), was a bartender. He was born to a Pomak family in Oraio, Greece. The Pomaks being a Bulgarian Muslim minority population in northeastern Greece. Ibrahimoff migrated to the United States in 1949, and legally changed his name to Allan Wilson in 1960. Ibrahimoff was born to a Muslim family, but converted to Orthodox Christianity upon his marriage. Wilson's mother was Dorothea Tzigkou. She was an ethnic Greek woman from Sotirë in southern Albania. Dorothea was part of a Greek minority population in Gjirokastër County. Wilson was brought up as an Orthodox Christian by her parents, and has continued practicing her religion into adulthood.
In 1972, Wilson made her television debut in an episode of the sitcom "The Brady Bunch" (1969-1974). She portrayed Pat Conway, one of the candidates for the position of head cheerleader. Her character was depicted as a one-shot rival for the regular character Marcia Brady (played by Maureen McCormick). Afterwards, she started regularly appearing in guest-star roles in television.
In 1977, Wilson had her film debut in the science fiction horror film "The Day It Came to Earth" (1977). It depicted an alien who arrived to planet Earth on a falling meteor, and re-animated the corpse of a recent murder victim. The film was shot in Arkansas, and used a primarily local cast of actors. It was one of several B-Movies distributed by the company Howco, primarily to drive-in theaters. The film found moderate success, and later became available in syndicated television through an early episode of the horror television series "Elvira's Movie Macabre" (1981-1986).
In 1981, Wilson had a guest role in the sitcom "Bosom Buddies" (1980-1982), which depicted two men who regularly cross-dressed as women. She was introduced to fellow actor Tom Hanks (1956-), who was one of the series' protagonists. The two met again when they co-starred in the comedy film "Volunteers" (1985). They portrayed Lawrence Bourne III and Beth Wexler, two volunteers of the Peace Corps who fall for each other during a dangerous mission in Thailand. Wilson and Hanks eventually started a real-life romantic relationship, and Hanks converted to Orthodox Christianity to be able to marry her. The couple were married in 1988, and eventually had two sons: Chester Marlon "Chet" Hanks (born in 1990) and Truman Theodore Hanks (born in 1995). Chet eventually followed in his parents' footsteps as an actor.
During the 1980s, Wilson had continued to regularly appear in guest-star roles in television. She portrayed Nurse Lacey in two episodes of the war drama "M*A*S*H" and portrayed two different characters in episodes of the sitcom "Happy Days". Her other appearances included then-popular series, such as "Three's Company", "Who's the Boss?", and "Moonlighting". She had relatively few film roles in this period. In the 1990s, she started appearing frequently in films. She portrayed the supporting character of Suzy Baldwin in the romantic comedy "Sleepless in Seattle" (1993), the sister of co-protagonist Sam Baldwin (played by Tom Hanks). In one of the film's subplots, Suzy is mistaken for Sam's new girlfriend.
Wilson portrayed Catherine O'Shaughnessy in the Christmas-themed black comedy "Mixed Nuts" (1994). Her character was the overly emotional and empathetic supervisor of a suicide-prevention hot-line, who was unaware that her boss was nearly bankrupt. After her boss Philip (played by Steve Martin) confessed his love for her, Catherine became his new fiancee. The film was a remake of the French comedy film "Santa Claus Is a Stinker" (1982), but added several new subplots to the basic story.
Wilson portrayed the adult version of co-protagonist Chrissy DeWitt in the coming-of-age comedy-drama film "Now and Then". The preteen version of the character was portrayed by Ashleigh Aston Moore. The film's followed the lives of four 12-year-old girls in 1970, and their reunion as adults in 1995. Chrissy was portrayed as the sexually repressed and overly naive member of the group, the product of an overprotective mother. During their reunion, Chrissy was a pregnant homemaker who had never left her hometown, and was still a naive "good girl". Her friends had become successful career women, and two of them had moved away.
Wilson had a supporting role in the comedy film "That Thing You Do!" (1996). She portrayed the waitress Marguerite, an employee at a jazz club. Marguerite tried to romance professional drummer Guy Patterson (played by Tom Everett Scott), but he ignored her when he had a chance to meet his idol, Del Paxton (played by Bill Cobbs). Guy's night out with his idol resulted in him suffering from a hangover in his performance. His music group fell apart soon after, and Guy started a romantic relationship with Faye Dolan (played by Liv Tyler), an assistant of the band members.
Wilson had a supporting role in the Christmas-themed comedy film "Jingle All the Way" (1996). She portrayed Liz Langston, the wife of workaholic salesman Howard Langston (played by Arnold Schwarzenegger). Howard loved his wife and son but neglected them. When he remembered that Liz instructed him to buy a Christmas gift for his son, it was already Christmas Eve and most shops had sold out their toys. Howard started obsessively searching for his son's favorite action figure, in the apparent belief that it will cheer up his heartbroken son. Meanwhile, Liz had to face the unwanted romantic advances of their neighbor, Ted Maltin (played by Phil Hartman). By the end of the film, Howard realized that he never bought a Christmas gift for Liz. The film was in part a satire of the commercialization of Christmas, and in part a quest for a parent to apologize for neglect through a single gift to his son. The film earned 129.8 million dollars at the worldwide box office. Wilson was nominated for the "Stinkers Bad Movie Award" for Worst Supporting Actress for this role, but lost to actress Jami Gertz (1965-).
In the psychological horror film "Psycho" (1998), Wilson portrayed Caroline, the office co-worker of Marion Crane (played by Anne Heche). The film was a remake of "Psycho" (1960), where the role of Caroline had been played by Pat Hitchcock. Caroline is remembered primarily for offering to share her tranquilizers with Marion. Caroline apparently considered them superior to aspirins in dealing with common headaches. Caroline also made references to her nagging mother, making her one of several characters in the film who had a problematic relationship with their mother.
Wilson portrayed Ellie Graham in the romantic comedy "Runaway Bride" (1999). Her character was both the ex-wife and the editor of news reporter Homer Eisenhower "Ike" Graham (played by Richard Gere). In the film, Ike had undermined his own career by publishing an inaccurate biographical article on a woman, using as his only source the ramblings of a casual acquaintance. In an effort to restore his reputation, Ike decided to write an in-depth biographical article. He systematically interviewed the woman's friends, family, and several of her ex-fiances. In the process, Ike became romantically interested in the woman. The film earned 309.5 million dollars at the worldwide box office.
Wilson produced the hit comedy film "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" (2002), in her debut as a producer. She had helped the lead actress and playwright Nia Vardalos to secure a film contract for her script. Wilson won the "Visionary Award" at the "Producers Guild of America Award". She subsequently served as an executive producer for the spin-off television series "My Big Fat Greek Life". Wilson subsequently served as one of the producers in several films. Her films include "Connie and Carla" (2004), "Mamma Mia!" (2008), "My Life in Ruins" (2009), "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2" (2016), "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again" (2018), and "A Simple Wedding" (2018).
In 2012, Wilson released her debut solo album as a singer, "AM/FM". The album included several classic songs from the 1960s and the 1970s, such as ""Angel of the Morning" and ""Faithless Love"". In 2014, Wilson performed for President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama at the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in Washington, DC . In 2016, Wilson released the eponymous album "Rita Wilson". It included mostly new material, including song written by Wilson herself. She joined the music band Chicago on tour in order to promote the album. Her subsequent albums included "Bigger Picture" (2018), "Halfway to Home" (2019), and "Now & Forever: Duets" (2022).
In 2015, Wilson had a month-long hiatus in her performing career. She had been diagnosed with breast cancer, and the hiatus was intended to help her deal with her health problems. She subsequently had a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. In 2020, Wilson and her husband contracted COVID-19 during their stay in Australia. They were experiencing only minor symptoms, but they were admitted to the Gold Coast University Hospital. After their recovery, the couple decided to donate their blood antibodies for virus research.
By 2022, Wilson was 66-years-old. The veteran actress has no apparent plans to retire yet, and her singing career has been adding to her fame. Despite a number of health scares, she remains remarkably active and energetic. Though she is better known for supporting roles rather than lead roles, Wilson is familiar to several generations of viewers through her performances in films with enduring popularity.- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Kim Victoria Cattrall was born on August 21, 1956 in Mossley Hill, Liverpool, England to Gladys Shane (Baugh), a secretary, and Dennis Cattrall, a construction engineer. At the age of three months, her family immigrated to Canada, where a large number of her films have been made. At age 11, she returned to her native country and studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (LAMDA). She returned to Vancouver and, at age 16, graduated from high school and won a scholarship to study at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA) in New York City. During her final year at the Academy, she won a role in Otto Preminger's action thriller Rosebud (1975). Following her film debut, Kim returned to the theatre, first in Vancouver and then in repertory in Toronto before winning a contract at Universal Pictures in Los Angeles, California.
Kim continued to work steadily through the late 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, including roles in 1980s cult classics such as Police Academy (1984), Big Trouble in Little China (1986) and Mannequin (1987), and as Mr. Spock's protegee Lieutenant Valeris in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991). However, it was her portrayal of sexually liberated public relations executive Samantha Jones on the HBO sitcom Sex and the City (1998) and its two feature film follow-ups that brought her worldwide attention, and gained her five Emmy Award nominations and four Golden Globe Award nominations including winning the 2002 Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress.- Actress
- Producer
From working for the exacting Alfred Hitchcock to a film written by Edward D. Wood Jr., Tippi Hedren, the Minnesota blonde, has had a distinctive career. She was born Nathalie Kay Hedren in New Ulm, MN, to Dorothea (née Eckhardt) and Bernard Hedren, who ran a general store, and is of Swedish, Norwegian, and German descent. Tippi was working as a New York fashion model when she married her first husband, former actor and later advertising executive Peter Griffith, in 1952 (married until 1961). She gave birth to her only child, future star Melanie Griffith, on August 9, 1957. Alfred Hitchcock discovered Tippi, the pretty cover girl, while viewing a commercial on NBC's Today (1952) show. He put her under personal contract and cast her in The Birds (1963). In a cover article about the movie in Look magazine (Dec. 4, 1962), Hitchcock praised her; he also told the Associated Press: "Tippi Hedren is really remarkable. She's already reaching the lows and highs of terror". Her performance in the film earned her both the Golden Globe award and the Photoplay award as Most Promising Newcomer. Her next film was playing the title role in Hitchcock's Marnie (1964), where she played a challenging and difficult role of a frigid, habitual thief. The film wasn't as big a hit as "The Birds," and it would take years before she won well-deserved admiration for her work. The professional relationship with Hitchcock ended with mutual bitterness and disappointment during the filming of "Marnie." That year, she married her agent, Noel Marshall (married until 1982). Charles Chaplin cast her in a supporting role in his final film A Countess from Hong Kong (1967), which flopped. Thereafter, Tippi and her husband Marshall collected big cats and other wildlife for the film Roar (1981), which they starred in and produced. The film took 11 years and $17 million to make, but it only made $2 million worldwide. Nevertheless, the film was a turning point in her life; she became actively involved in animal rights, as well as a wide variety of humanitarian and environmental causes. She married her third husband, businessman Luis Barrenecha, in 1985 but divorced him seven years later. In 2002, she became engaged to veterinarian Martin Dinnes, but after six years and no wedding, the couple called it quits. Tippi has devoted much time and effort to charitable causes: she is a volunteer International Relief Coordinator for "Food for the Hungry". She has traveled worldwide to set up relief programs following earthquakes, hurricanes, famine and war, and has received numerous awards for her efforts, including the Humanitarian Award presented to her by the Baha'i Faith. As for animal causes, she is founder and president of The Roar Foundation. Onscreen, she continues to work frequently in films, theater and TV. She appeared in I Woke Up Early the Day I Died (1998), finally bringing to the big screen the last screenplay written by the late Edward D. Wood Jr. in 1974 (and featuring Wood regulars Maila Nurmi and Conrad Brooks, just about the only surviving members of Wood's stock company). She also enjoyed playing comedic roles, such as an abortion rights activist in Alexander Payne's satire Citizen Ruth (1996) and slapping Jude Law in I Heart Huckabees (2004). Tippi's contributions to world cinema have been honored with Life Achievement awards in France at The Beauvais Film Festival Cinemalia 1994; in Spain, by The Fundacion Municipal De Cine in 1995; and at the Riverside International Film Festival in 2007. In 1999, Tippi was honored as "Woman of Vision" by Women in Film and Video in Washington, D.C., and received the Presidential Medal for her work in film from Hofstra University. She enjoys spending time with her daughter and grandchildren: Alexander Bauer, Dakota Johnson and Stella Banderas.- Actress
- Producer
- Executive
Cathy Lee Crosby, Founder & CEO of CLC Entertainment Studios, is an internationally recognized star, multi-talented actress, entertainer, writer and producer. Her diverse career includes: representing the U.S. in international tennis competition (she attained a career high ranking of #7 in singles and #4 in doubles), serving as Special Ambassador to Children for the United Nations, working as a member of the Board of Directors of the Congressional Awards (she was nominated and confirmed by both the House and the Senate of the United States), founding and serving as Chairperson of the Get High on Yourself Foundation; and she entertained the troops with Bob Hope on his last Christmas Tour of the Middle East. She has starred in over 75 feature films, mini-series and television productions, including the first movie of the iconic comic book "Wonder Woman," which to date is the highest rated show starring a female ever on television with a 49% share! Cathy Lee also became a household name and fan-favorite when she starred in the top-ten hit TV series, "That's Incredible!" on ABC. Cathy Lee made her Off Broadway debut starring in the play Almost Perfect, directed by Geraldine Fitzgerald. She also wrote, directed and starred in two plays, Zoot Suit: The Real Story and the first theatrical adaptation of the book, They Shoot Horses, Don't They? For the latter production, Cathy Lee received the "Outstanding Contribution to the Arts Award" from the City of Los Angeles. She formed her own production company whose first project was the highly acclaimed movie based on the book, One Child. She produced the film and starred in the title role. Cathy Lee's first book," Let the Magic Begin"© (Simon & Schuster) made its debut on Oprah. The book received glowing reviews and endorsements from such noted authors, athletes and entertainers as Larry King, Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Reba McEntire, Deepak Chopra, Jack Canfield, Wayne Dyer and Dan Millman. She is writing her next book titled "Life is a Work of Art, So Why Not Make it a Masterpiece!"©. Cathy Lee has also been actively involved in many charitable foundations including the Special Olympics, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, Children's Hospital, City of Hope, the USO and Babies with Aids. In recognition of her longstanding service to children and the less fortunate, Cathy Lee was recently bestowed the most prestigious honor of being knighted "Lady Cathy Lee Crosby" in the Royal Order of Saint John, the oldest humanitarian organization in the world. After a 7 year hiatus from the entertainment business to care for two beloved family members at the end of their lives (keeping a promise she had made to them some 20 years earlier), Cathy Lee is back in Hollywood with a groundbreaking new company called CLC Entertainment Studios. It is the vehicle she is using to create, produce and distribute quality, one-of-a-kind, life-affirming and highly profitable entertainment projects that will enrich peoples' lives all over the world.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Mary Crosby was born in Los Angeles, the daughter of Bing Crosby and Kathryn Grant. She received her Actor's Equity card, at the age of four, and made her first professional appearances, in the company of her siblings, in her father's popular Christmas-season TV specials of the 60s and 70s. After graduating from high school at age 15, she entered the University of Texas at Austin, where she became a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority. Ms. Crosby may be best-known for her role as "Kristin Shepard" on the now legendary television drama series, Dallas (1978). Ms. Crosby feature film credits include Henry Jaglom's Eating (1990), The Ice Pirates (1984), Tapeheads (1988), The Legend of Zorro (2005) and more recently, Jaglom's Queen of the Lot (2010), in which she played Peter Bogdanovich's wife. She followed that with Just 45 Minutes from Broadway (2012) and, most recently, The M Word (2014). Ms. Crosby has many stage credits to her name, including "The Seagull" ( Nina), "As You Like It", "Two Gentleman of Verona" and "Romeo and Juliet". Ms. Crosby's many television credits include the ABC miniseries, Hollywood Wives (1985), North & South: Book 2, Love & War (1986) and Stagecoach (1986), with Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash. Ms. Crosby resides on a ranch, outside of Los Angeles, with her family, husband Mark Brodka and their two sons.- Actor
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Daniel Stern was born in Bethesda, Maryland, to a social worker father and a day care manager mother. He has been acting professionally since the age of seventeen. Following his high school graduation, he auditioned for the Washington Shakespeare Festival seeking a job as a lighting engineer but ended up as "a strolling player with a lute" in their production of "As You Like It." Shortly thereafter, he made his way to New York where he "took a couple of acting lessons" and began to assemble an impressive portfolio of such off-Broadway credits as "Split," "Frankie and Annie," "The Mandrake," and "The Old Glory." In addition, director Peter Yates cast him as one of the four Indiana teenagers in the highly acclaimed film Breaking Away (1979). Variety in acting roles appeals to Stern. Following "Breaking Away," he appeared in Woody Allen's Stardust Memories (1980), Claudia Weill's It's My Turn (1980) and John Schlesinger's Honky Tonk Freeway (1981) before returning to New York to appear off-Broadway in the two character play "How I Got That Story," which led to critical acclaim and a starring role in Barry Levinson's Diner (1982). Other film credits include I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can (1982), Blue Thunder (1983), Hannah and Her Sisters (1986), The Boss' Wife (1986), The Milagro Beanfield War (1988), Born in East L.A. (1987) and D.O.A. (1988) In addition to his voice-over work on the series, Stern directed several episodes of the popular and critically acclaimed television comedy, The Wonder Years (1988).- Actor
- Composer
- Music Department
Edward Van Halen was a musician who along with his brother Alex Van Halen, and Michael Anthony and David Lee Roth, formed the band Van Halen in the early '70s, with Eddie on guitar, Alex on drums, Michael on bass and David on vocals. The band had different members over the years, but the core (brothers Edward and Alex) stuck together.- Actor
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- Writer
The story goes that huggable, highly affable stand-up comedian Howie Mandel began his show biz career by chance while catching amateur night at the Comedy Store on the L.A. Sunset Strip during a vacation. Goaded on by friends to try out, a producer spotted him, hired him for an appearance on a comedy game show and the rest is history. Talk about luck! Howie would move from this to TV celebrity, screenwriter, actor, producer, director, entrepreneur, and popular game show panelist/host.
Curly-haired Jewish-Canadian Howard Michael Mandel II was born in Toronto, Ontario on November 29 1955, and raised there. Of Romanian and Polish descent, and a distant cousin of Israeli violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman, he proved to be a highly controversial class clown in high school and was expelled for some costly antics. He soon found work as a carpet salesman while hitting the stage at night as a cut-up at Toronto's Yuk Yuk's comedy club. His routine, which included extremely bizarre sight gags, which were favorably received. And then in 1978, he traveled to the States, visited the L.A. Comedy Store, and stayed.
While a regular performer at the popular Sunset Strip club, a producer for the syndicated comedy game show Make Me Laugh (1979) caught his act and booked Howie for a series of appearances during its short-lived 1979-1980 series. This led to a big step as an opening act for David Letterman, a CBS comedy special in 1980, several late-night appearances on "The Alan Thicke Show," and a lead role in the wacky but poorly-received Canadian film comedy Gas (1981) also starring Susan Anspach. He also showed up as one of the original "VeeJays" on Nickelodeon's music video series.
A pleasing, agreeable comedian who quickly graduated to TV talk shows and Vegas gigs, Howie earned household attention when cast in the critically-acclaimed medical TV drama St. Elsewhere (1982). Providing comic relief as bushy-headed Dr. Wayne Fiscus, he continuing to work as a comedian and take a shot at 80's comedy film stardom. He played a young comic in the film The Funny Farm (1983); provided the voice of Gizmo in the box-office hit Gremlins (1984) and its sequel Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990); co-starred with Ted Danson in Blake Edwards' comedy caper A Fine Mess (1986); co-starred with Christopher Lloyd as a wolf boy returning to civilization in Walk Like a Man (1987); and co-starred with young Fred Savage as a blue humanoid who introduces him to the world of weird creatures in Little Monsters (1989). These co-starring vehicles, however, failed to generate major box-office or stardom.
On TV, Howie provided the voice of Skeeter in the animated cartoon series Muppet Babies (1984). Having a strong affinity for children, he ventured into his own kid series with the Emmy-nominated Bobby's World (1990) serving as creator, executive producer and title star vocals as Bobby Generic. In the 1990's, Howie starred in a short-lived "dark comedy" series Good Grief (1990) in which he fell into the funeral business. This was followed by his own failed talk show The Howie Mandel Show (1998) during the 1998-1999 season. Throughout the decade, which included guest appearances on "Lois & Clark," "Carol & Company," "Homicide: Life on the Street," "Bless This House," "The Nanny," "The Outer Limits" and "Sunset Beach," managed a near-full time schedule of concerts, tours, cartoon voiceovers and TV comedy specials, the last-mentioned keeping him current with viewers The First Howie Mandel Special (1983) and Howie Mandel: Live from Carnegie Mall (1985).
In 2006, Howie his pay dirt as the (now) bald-domed host of the game show Deal or No Deal (2005). The show ran for four seasons, but returned for a season a decade later. Over time Howie appeared in scores of TV commercials for Boston Pizza as their hired spokesperson. In April 2004, he was selected as #82 on Comedy Central's list of the "100 Greatest Stand Up Comedians of All Time." On September 4, 2008, Mandel received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and Comedy Central listed him as #82 on their list of the 100 greatest stand-up comedians of all time. That same year he revealed that he has attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and was involved in raising adult ADHD awareness.
In 2009, Howie served as star and executive producer of his own "Candid Camera"-like practical joke reality show Howie Do It (2008). It lasted one season. Two years later, he premiered a flash-mob reality show called Mobbed (2011), which did even less well. For the past decade, he has enjoyed stability as a judge on the reality show America's Got Talent (2006).
Married to Terry (Soil) Mandel since 1980 with three children, Howie received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto in 2009. Mandel has written and published an in-depth OCD, ADHD-themed autobiography Here's the Deal: Don't Touch Me.- Actress
- Producer
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Valerie Bertinelli was born in Wilmington, Delaware, to Nancy (Carvin) and Andrew Francis Bertinelli, Jr., a General Motors executive, and raised with her one older and two younger brothers. In her early teens, her father was transferred to a GM assembly plant in the Detroit, Michigan area and her family resided in Clarkston, Michigan, where she attended Clarkston Middle School. A short time later, her father again was transferred to another GM automotive plant in Van Nuys, California. At this time, Bertinelli became neighborhood friends of the daughter of a TV producer and soon enrolled in the Tami Lynn School of Artists to study acting. Tami Lynn launched Valerie's career in the CBS hit TV series, One Day at a Time (1975). Tami Lynn was Valerie's Personal Manager from 1971 through 1979.
In December 1975, the situation comedy One Day at a Time (1975), produced by Norman Lear, premiered on CBS with Bertinelli as "Barbara Cooper", one of two daughters of a recently divorced woman. The show was a long-time hit and ended production in 1984, without being canceled.
Bertinelli has starred in three feature films: C.H.O.M.P.S. (1979), Ordinary Heroes (1986), and Number One with a Bullet (1987). She was also the protagonist of the miniseries, I'll Take Manhattan (1987), based on a novel by Judith Krantz. She has appeared in made-for-TV movies almost annually since 1979. She was also the star of two other situation comedies, Sydney (1990) and Cafe Americain (1993), both of which were canceled after short runs. In 1981, she married rock guitarist Edward Van Halen. They had homes in the Hollywood Hills and Malibu and have a son, Wolfgang Van Halen. They separated in 2001, when Van Halen had tongue cancer. In 2005, Bertinelli filed for divorce for irreconcilable differences and, it was finalized two years later. Ms. Bertinelli is still chiefly remembered by her television fans for her work on One Day at a Time (1975).
An adored actress, Bertinelli's long and celebrated career has expanded to include equally beloved TV personality, spokesperson and best-selling author. She stars as "Melanie Moretti" on the Emmy® Award-winning series, Hot in Cleveland (2010), which in 2011 was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award® for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series. The comedy revolves around three fabulous LA women of a certain age, and best friends (Bertinelli, Jane Leeves and Wendie Malick) whose lives are changed forever when their plane, bound for Paris, unexpectedly lands in Cleveland. Once safely on the ground, they soon rediscover themselves in this new "promised land" -- meeting their new landlord, played by Betty White, along the way.- Actor
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Best known for his starring role as Det. Sonny Crockett on the hugely successful TV series Miami Vice (1984), Don Johnson is one of the stars who really defined the 1980s. As James "Sonny" Crockett he went toe-to-toe with drug dealers, pimps, prostitutes, assassins, illegal arms-dealers and crooked cops on a weekly basis from 1984 to 1989, appearing in a grand total of 110 episodes. The show, which was executive-produced by four time Oscar-nominated director, producer and writer Michael Mann, paired Johnson with the equally cool Philip Michael Thomas as Det. Ricardo Tubbs and the calm and stoic presence of Edward James Olmos as Lt. Martin Castillo. It revolutionized television with its modern fashion, pop music, unique style and use of real locations. Johnson typically wore $1000 Armani, Versace and Hugo Boss suits over pastel cotton T-shirts, drove a Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona (later a Ferrari Testarossa) and lived on an Endeavour 42-foot sailboat named "St. Vitus' Dance" with his pet alligator Elvis. He also had full use of an offshore powerboat. Still, "Miami Vice" had not only style but substance, and his portrayal of the Vietnam veteran turned vice detective turned Sonny Crockett into the world's favorite cop. For his work on "Miami Vice" Johnson won a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a TV Series in 1986, and was nominated in the same category a year later. He also picked up an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 1985.
Johnson was born in Flat Creek, Missouri, the son Eva Lea "Nell" (Wilson), a beautician, and Wayne Fred Johnson, a farmer. As a kid, he wanted to become a professional bowler. Later, after a few brushes with the law at a young age, he discovered acting. After working on the stage for a while he ventured into films and television, but was not able to break into stardom despite, among other things, starring in the sci-fi cult classic A Boy and His Dog (1975).
Johnson starred in four failed TV pilots before landing his career-high role on "Miami Vice", which propelled him to superstardom. He directed four highly praised episodes of the show. He balanced his work on the series by appearing in a praised TV-movie adaption of the William Faulkner novel The Long Hot Summer (1985) and the feature Sweet Hearts Dance (1988) with Susan Sarandon. After the series ended he focused solely on his film career. Although movies like Dead Bang (1989), The Hot Spot (1990) and Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man (1991) did not fare well with the critics, quite a few of them have obtained a considerable cult following, with fans praising them as all being quality contributions to their genre. His film work has given Johnson the opportunity to work with legendary filmmakers like John Frankenheimer, Sidney Lumet and Dennis Hopper.
After working steadily, Johnson returned to TV in 1996 with the cop show Nash Bridges (1996). The show, which Johnson created and produced, did very well. It co-starred Cheech Marin and Jodi Lyn O'Keefe. Johnson played the title role, a captain in the San Francisco PD's Special Investigations Unit. He was again paired with a flashy vehicle, this time an electric-yellow 1971 Plymouth Barracuda convertible. After "Nash Bridges" went off the air Johnson kept a low profile, but continued to appear in films and on television. He starred in the failed WB courtroom drama Just Legal (2005), which was produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, and traveled to Europe to make the Norwegian screwball comedy Lange flate ballær II (2008) and the Italian films Bastardi (2008) and Torno a vivere da solo (2008). As a supporting actor, he's been seen in mainstream films such as Machete (2010), Django Unchained (2012) and Knives Out (2019).
Johnson had two pre-fame marriages that were annulled within a matter of days. In the early 1970s, he lived with rock groupie Pamela Des Barres. In 1972, Tippi Hedren, his co-star in The Harrad Experiment (1973), allowed him to date her daughter Melanie Griffith despite the fact she was only 14 and he was 22; the relationship culminated in a six-month marriage during 1976. From 1981 to 1985, he lived with actress Patti D'Arbanville and they had one son together. After short-lived liaisons with Cybill Shepherd, Barbra Streisand and a barely legal Uma Thurman, he remarried Griffith in 1989. The couple divorced again in 1996, after she left him for Antonio Banderas. Johnson was engaged to "Nash Bridges" co-star O'Keefe, but broke it off before they made it to the altar. Since 1999 he's been married to former debutante Kelley Phleger, with whom he has three children.- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Victoria Tennant trained for eight years at the Elmhurst Ballet School and for two years at the Central School for Speech and Drama in London. In her first film, she starred in the title role of The Ragman's Daughter (1972), written by Alan Sillitoe and directed by Harold Becker. Extensive television work began with Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for the fifteen hour miniseries, The Winds of War (1983). For the thirty-hour miniseries War and Remembrance (1988), she received her second Emmy nomination.
She also wrote and co-produced the film Edie & Pen (1996) for HBO and produced Sister Mary Explains It All (2001) for Showtime with her producing partner and husband, Kirk Stambler.
Ms. Tennant's work in the theatre includes the Santa Barbara Theatre Company's production of "Doubt" by John Patrick Shanley, for which she won the Santa Barbara Independent's Indie award, The Vagina Monologues at the Canon Theatre and the Napa Valley Opera House, The Misalliance at LA Theatreworks, Love Letters at Steppenwolf in Chicago, Getting Married at Circle-in-the-Square on Broadway, and The Taming of the Shrew at the Westport Playhouse.- Writer
- Actor
- Producer
Steve Martin was born on August 14, 1945 in Waco, Texas, USA as Stephen Glenn Martin to Mary Lee (née Stewart; 1913-2002) and Glenn Vernon Martin (1914-1997), a real estate salesman and aspiring actor. He was raised in Inglewood and Garden Grove in California. In 1960, he got a job at the Magic shop of Disney's Fantasyland, and while there he learned magic, juggling, and creating balloon animals. At Santa Ana College, he took classes in drama and English poetry. He also took part in comedies and other productions at the Bird Cage Theatre, and joined a comedy troupe at Knott's Berry Farm. He attended California State University as a philosophy major, but in 1967 transferred to UCLA as a theatre major.
His writing career began on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1967), winning him an Emmy Award. Between 1967 and 1973, he also wrote for many other shows, including The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour (1969) and The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour (1971). He also appeared on talk shows and comedy shows in the late 1960s and early 1970s. In 1972, he first appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962), doing stand-up several times each year, and even guest hosting a few years later. In 1976, he served for the first time as guest-host on Saturday Night Live (1975). By 2016, he has guest-hosted 15 times, which is one less than Alec Baldwin's record, and also appeared 12 other times on SNL.
In 1977, he released his first comedy album, a platinum selling "Let's Get Small". He followed it with "A Wild and Crazy Guy" (1978), which sold more than a million copies. Both albums went on to win Grammys for Best Comedy Recording. This is when he performed in arenas in front of tens of thousands of people, and begun his movie career, which was always his goal. His first major role was in the short film, The Absent-Minded Waiter (1977), which he also wrote. His star value was established in The Jerk (1979), which was co-written by Martin, and directed by Carl Reiner. The film earned more than $100 million on a $4 million budget. He also starred in Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982), The Man with Two Brains (1983), and All of Me (1984), all directed by Reiner. To avoid being typecast as a comedian, he wanted do more dramatic roles, starring in Pennies from Heaven (1981), a film remake of Dennis Potter's 1978 series. Unfortunately, it was a financial failure.
He also starred in John Landis's Three Amigos! (1986), co-written by himself, opposite Martin Short and Chevy Chase. That year, he also appeared in the musical horror comedy, Little Shop of Horrors (1986) opposite Rick Moranis. Next year, he starred in Roxanne (1987), co-written by himself, and in John Hughes' Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987), opposite John Candy. His other films include Parenthood (1989) and My Blue Heaven (1990), both opposite Moranis. In 1991, he wrote and starred in L.A. Story (1991), about a weatherman who searches meaning in his life and love in Los Angeles. It also starred his then-wife, Victoria Tennant. Same year, Father of the Bride (1991) was so successful that a 1995 sequel followed.
During the 1990s, he continued to play more dramatic roles, in Grand Canyon (1991), playing a traumatized movie producer, in Leap of Faith (1992), playing a fake faith healer, in A Simple Twist of Fate (1994), playing a betrayed man adopting a baby, and in David Mamet's thriller The Spanish Prisoner (1997). Other, more comedic roles include in HouseSitter (1992) and The Out-of-Towners (1999), opposite Goldie Hawn, in Nora Ephron's Mixed Nuts (1994), and in Bowfinger (1999), written by himself and co-starring Eddie Murphy. After Bowfinger, he starred in Bringing Down the House (2003) and Cheaper by the Dozen (2003), both earning more than $130 million. He wrote and starred in Shopgirl (2005), and appeared in the sequel of Cheaper by the Dozen. After them, he appeared in The Pink Panther (2006) and The Pink Panther 2 (2009), which he both co-wrote, as Inspector Clouseau.
He continues to do movies, more recently appearing in The Big Year (2011), Home (2015), and Love the Coopers (2015). Besides aforementioned, he has been an avid art collector since 1968, written plays, written for The New Yorker, written a well-received memoir (Born Standing Up), written a novel (An Object of Beauty; 2010), hosted the Academy Awards three times, released a Grammy award winning music album (The Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo; 2009), and another album (Love Has Come For You; 2013) with Edie Brickell. Since 2007, he has been married to Anne Stringfield, with whom he has a daughter.