Deaths: April 7
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Farnesio de Bernal was born on 20 November 1926 in Zamora, Michoacán, Mexico. He was an actor and director, known for Original Sin (2001), Romeo + Juliet (1996) and Cronos (1992). He died on 7 April 2023 in Mexico, Distrito Federal, Mexico.- Actor
- Additional Crew
Alberto Morin was born on 26 December 1902 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He was an actor, known for Two Mules for Sister Sara (1970), Tripoli (1950) and The Green Hornet (1966). He died on 7 April 1989 in Burbank, California, USA.- Alix Talton was born Alice Talton on June 7, 1920 in Atlanta, Georgia. Of part Cherokee Indian descent, Alix studied dancing and singing while growing up. After being crowned Miss Atlanta in a local beauty pageant in 1938, Talton went on to represent Georgia in the Miss America beauty pageant held on September 10, 1938 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Alix was also a model in New York and a member of the singing group The American Jubilee as well as learned her craft by doing summer stock in Brattleboro, Vermont. Talton was discovered by a Warner Brothers scout in a Community Playhouse stage production in Atlanta, Georgia and subsequently added to the contract list at Warner Brothers in March, 1941. Alix married ex-Hollywood agent and Air Force sergeant Lou Kerner in Beverly Hills, California on April 8, 1944; the couple were the parents of a son, Bruce M. Kerner. Talton divorced Kerner in 1949 and married her second husband George Cahan on March 18, 1950. Alix and Cahan had a daughter, Claudia Cahan. Talton remained married to Cahan right up to his death from a heart attack on June 12, 1991.
Alix's show business career was interrupted in the early 1950's when she was thrown off a horse at a resort near San Bernardino, California and broke two vertebrae. Moreover, Talton attracted public notice in 1954 when she successfully pleaded with members of a parole board in Atlanta, Georgia to release her brother Richard from prison where he was serving a nine-to-twenty year sentence for a robbery he committed in 1950. In addition, Alix acted in a handful of films and TV shows in a career that spanned several decades. Talton died from lung cancer on April 7, 1992 in Burbank, California. She was survived by her son Bruce M. Kerner, daughter Claudia Cahan, and two grandchildren. - Actor
- Writer
- Soundtrack
New Jersey-born Allen Garfield was trained at the Actors Studio in New York City. He had a prolific career on the stage before making his film debut in 1968. His stocky build and nervous, jumpy mannerisms fit well with the weaselly criminals, lecherous villains and corrupt businessmen and politicians he excels in playing - a perfect example of which is the Beverly Hills police chief in 1987's Beverly Hills Cop II (1987). Midway through his career he reverted to his real name of Allan Goorwitz, but not long afterwards decided to stay with his stage name, and went back to Allen Garfield. In the early 2000s, Garfield suffered from a series of strokes that prevented him from acting again.- Alma Vélez was born on 1 November 1927 in Teodelina, Santa Fe, Argentina. She was an actress, known for Lindor Covas, el cimarrón (1963), El despertar del sexo (1963) and Buenos Aires tango (1982). She was married to Juan Carlos Thorry and Francisco Gallo. She died on 7 April 2015 in San Antonio de Padua, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Sound Department
- Music Department
- Producer
Andy Johns was born on 20 May 1950 in Leatherhead, Surrey, England, UK. He was a producer, known for Caddyshack II (1988), Rod Stewart Live at the Los Angeles Forum (1981) and Steve Miller Band: Live from Chicago (2008). He was married to Paula Boyd and Annette. He died on 7 April 2013 in Van Nuys, California, USA.- Writer
- Producer
- Actress
Anne Beatts was born on 25 February 1947 in Buffalo, New York, USA. She was a writer and producer, known for Saturday Night Live (1975), Square Pegs (1982) and Funny Boys. She died on 7 April 2021 in West Hollywood, California, USA.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Auburn-haired Arleen Whelan was born in Salt Lake City, but spent her early childhood in Pueblo, Colorado, where she attended High School. Her father was an electrician, who, upon opening his own electrical store in Los Angeles, moved the family westward. Arleen was enrolled in a beauty college and learned hairdressing and manicure, soon finding work for $18 a week in a salon on Hollywood Boulevard. There, she was 'discovered' by director H. Bruce Humberstone, who dropped in for a shave and ended up suggesting her name, as a likely candidate for movie stardom to Darryl F. Zanuck. In May 1937, she was signed to a seven-year contract by 20th Century Fox, her salary now between $50 and $300 per week.
Within a year, she had her first co-starring assignment, opposite Warner Baxter in Kidnapped (1938) . Next, she landed the highly prized role of pioneer woman Hannah Clay in Young Mr. Lincoln (1939), and, by 1942, Arleen also made the jump to Broadway, appearing as one of "The Doughgirls" (the other two were Virginia Field and Doris Nolan). She was not cast in the 1944 film version, however - that part going to Jane Wyman. Still, Hollywood's publicity machine went into full gear, making the most out of Arleen's affairs with actors Richard Greene and Tyrone Power. In 1945, Arleen was voted 'the most perfect all-over beauty' by a panel of magazine illustrators, but her career was already on the wane. Out of contract, and dissatisfied with her roles thus far, Arleen left Hollywood to live with her New York-based second husband, a Paramount executive. Her stay was short-lived, as was her marriage.
There were still a couple of good screen roles to come for Arleen as a free-lance actress. She popped up as busybody Valerie Shepherd in the political satire The Senator Was Indiscreet (1947), a performance critic Bosley Crowther described as 'cute' (December 27, New York Times). There was also another good lead, opposite Charles Winninger in director John Ford's own favourite among his films, The Sun Shines Bright (1953). For the remainder, at least, Arleen lent some glamour to the B-western she made for Republic and for Albert C. Gannaway's independent production company. After 1957, one of Hollywood's best-looking redheads called it a day and left the screen to improve her already impressive golf handicap.- Actor
- Soundtrack
A genial, well-respected, all-around "nice guy", the breezily handsome Barry Nelson was born Haakon Robert Nielsen on April 16, 1917, in San Francisco, California, to Betsy (Christophersen) and Trygve "Ted" Nielsen, both Norwegian immigrants. He was raised in nearby Oakland and graduated from the University of California at Berkeley in 1941. A talent scout from MGM caught Barry in a college production of "Macbeth" and quickly sized up his potential. Cast in earnest secondary roles including Shadow of the Thin Man (1941) and Dr. Kildare's Victory (1942), he was assigned the lead in the war film A Yank on the Burma Road (1942). Serving in WWII, he appeared in the Moss Hart play "Winged Victory", in what would become his Broadway debut, in 1943 and a year later he appeared as "Corporal Barry Nelson" in the 1944 film version of the play. Barry lost major ground in films during the post-war years, but certainly made up for it on the live stage by appearing in a string of New York successes ranging from "The Rat Race" to "The Moon Is Blue."
On TV, in addition to becoming a trivia statistic in the Hollywood annals as being the first to give video life to Ian Fleming's "007" agent James ("Jimmy") Bond in a one-hour production of "Casino Royale" in Climax! (1954), Barry lit up the small screen in such dramatic programs as Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) and, in particular, a memorable episode of The Twilight Zone (1959). He also starred in the series The Hunter (1952), a Cold War adventure, and My Favorite Husband (1953), in which he played the level-headed mate and "straight man" to daffy blonde Joan Caulfield. In the 1960s he continued to demonstrate his acting muscle on stage and TV, although he did manage to preserve on film his starring role in Mary, Mary (1963), a huge Broadway hit with Debbie Reynolds co-starring in place of stage partner Barbara Bel Geddes. The lightweight play "Cactus Flower" with Lauren Bacall was another bright vehicle, but star Walter Matthau's clout cost Barry the part when it went to film. Through it all Barry remained a thoroughly solid professional, particularly in the realm of TV-movies. Such standouts include his neighbor/undercover agent to criminals-on-the-run Don Murray and Inger Stevens in The Borgia Stick (1967) and his blind plane crash survivor in Seven in Darkness (1969).
The 1970s proved a very good decade indeed for Barry theater-wise with "Seascape," "The Norman Conquests" and Liza Minnelli's "The Act" among his pleasures, the last-mentioned earning him a Tony nomination. Despite co-starring roles in the blockbuster hit Airport (1970) and comedy Pete 'n' Tillie (1972), the silver screen would not become his strong suit in later years. By the early 1990s he had fully retired.
A popular, clean-cut, down-to-earth "Average Joe" with a charmingly sly side, you just couldn't help but like Barry Nelson. Although he certainly could play the deceptive villain when called upon, he was usually the kind of guy you'd root for having as a neighbor, pal or business partner. Divorced from actress Teresa Celli for quite some time and completely retired now, he and second wife Nansilee (they married in 1992) traveled extensively and enjoyed antique shopping in particular. In 2007, during one of their many excursions, Barry passed away quietly at age 89 at a hotel in Bucks County, Pennesylvania.- In her long career, Beatrice Straight did quite a bit of work in the movies, despite plying her trade mostly onstage. When she did grace the silver screen, she did it with great skill. Her first love was theater, having debuted on Broadway in the 1935 "Bitter Oleander". Her work garnered her much acclaim, including laurels in her Tony-winning performance for which she won the award for best supporting actress as Elizabeth Proctor in the 1953 production of Arthur Miller's "The Crucible". In addition to theater and movies, she gave us notable work on television. In 1978, she won an Emmy nomination for her part as the matriarch Alice Dain Leggett in the miniseries The Dain Curse (1978). No less stately, she played the part of Lynda Carter's Queen Mother in the 1970s Wonder Woman (1975) series. Her life was touched by that same kind of elegance and stateliness that she often portrayed onstage and on-screen. She was born Beatrice Whitney Straight in Old Westbury on Long Island. Her father, banker and diplomat Willard Dickerman Straight, associated with the likes of J.P. Morgan. Her mother, Dorothy Payne Whitney Straight, was an heiress of the Whitneys, a dynastic (in the sense of TV's own "Dynasty"), moneyed family on the eastern seaboard. Beatrice went to the best schools and caught the acting bug while a student in Devonshire, England, rendering a critically acclaimed performance in a school production of Ibsen's "A Doll's House." Her studies subsequently turned to acting, and she studied under the tutelage of Michael Chekhov, nephew of Russian playwright Anton Chekhov and a member of the Moscow Art Theatre. Their relationship was somewhat symbiotic in that she persuaded him to start an acting school, later teaching there herself. It was through her work in the theater that she met her husband Peter Cookson, appearing opposite him as leading lady in "The Heiress" in 1948. She is perhaps best known for her achievement in the 1976 movie Network (1976); after only three days of work in that movie in just a few scenes that actually made it into the final cut, Beatrice Straight contributed such a stellar performance that she earned the Academy Award for the best performance by a supporting actress.
- Actor
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- Music Department
Ben Speer was born on 23 June 1930 in Double Springs, Alabama, USA. He was an actor and director, known for Journey to the Sky (2004), Gaither's Pond (1997) and A Christmas Homecoming (1993). He was married to Rebekah. He died on 7 April 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA.- Additional Crew
Benjamin Ferencz was born on 11 March 1920 in Soncuta-Mare, Romania. He is known for Fahrenheit 11/9 (2018), Radical Evil (2013) and We Shall Not Die Now (2019). He was married to Gertrude Fried. He died on 7 April 2023 in Boynton Beach, Florida, USA.- Betty Bennett was born on 23 October 1921 in Lincoln, Nebraska, USA. She was married to Mundell Lowe and André Previn. She died on 7 April 2020.
- Actress
Brunette, buxom matinee idol Betty Blythe capitalised on the 'roaring 20's' infatuation with exotic screen sirens to achieve a brief period of stardom. She was, notoriously, one of the first actresses to ever appear nude (or in various stages of undress) on screen. It wasn't that Betty couldn't act, as well; in fact, she had studied art in Paris and at USC and had appeared on stage in a number of traditional plays like "So Long Letty" in both London and New York. In 1918, she joined a roommate on a visit to the Vitagraph Studio in Brooklyn and found immediate employment when one of the directors needed a leading lady. Two years later, she wound up in Hollywood, was signed by Fox Studios as a replacement for Theda Bara and became the protégée of J. Gordon Edwards (grandfather of Blake Edwards of 'Pink Panther' fame. She was eventually cast as the star of one of the most lavishly produced films of the decade, The Queen of Sheba (1921), directed, of course, by Edwards. Betty later recalled that she was given 28 costumes to wear, all of which would have fit comfortably into a shoe box. Alas, only a few stills of the movie survive, a fate shared by most of her other silent films.
Betty's career was put on hold when Edwards quarreled with Fox and left the studio. For a while, she freelanced, playing leads in films for lesser studios. She did have a couple of hits in England with Chu-Chin-Chow (1923) and She (1925), in addition to doing theatrical work, which helped her to smoothly make the transition from silent to talking pictures. By that time, however, public tastes had changed and Betty had aged sufficiently to be classified as a character actress. To her credit, she persisted and appeared in support in many an A-grade production, her swan song being a small role in the ballroom scene of My Fair Lady (1964).- Actor
- Soundtrack
Bobby Buntrock was born on 4 August 1952 in Denver, Colorado, USA. He was an actor, known for Hazel (1961), Burke's Law (1963) and Bus Stop (1961). He died on 7 April 1974 in Keystone, South Dakota, USA.- 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. - Actor
- Soundtrack
Christopher Cazenove was born on 17 December 1943 in Winchester, Hampshire, England, UK. He was an actor, known for A Knight's Tale (2001), Three Men and a Little Lady (1990) and Dynasty (1981). He was married to Angharad Rees. He died on 7 April 2010 in Lambeth, London, England, UK.- Director
- Producer
- Actor
Christopher Morahan was born on 9 July 1929 in London, England, UK. He was a director and producer, known for The Jewel in the Crown (1984), Screen One (1985) and W. Somerset Maugham (1969). He was married to Anna Carteret and Joan Lucie E. Murray. He died on 7 April 2017 in Guildford, Surrey, England, UK.- Claire Deluca is known for Alertez les bébés (1978), Le pull-over rouge (1979) and Votre enfant m'intéresse (1981).
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Conny Vandenbos was born on 16 January 1937 in The Hague, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands. She was an actress, known for Theo & Thea in de gloria (1988), Knokken voor twee (1982) and Veertig jaar liedjes (1965). She was married to Ger Faber. She died on 7 April 2002 in Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands.- David Graf was a Lancaster, Ohio native. He was a graduate of Lancaster High School in 1968. He went on to attend college at Otterbein University where he graduated in 1972 as a theater major. He attended Ohio State University grad school until 1975 when he dropped out to pursue an acting career in New York City. He broke into the movies with Four Friends (1981). David never forgot his roots. He always returned to Lancaster each year in October for the Fairfield County Fair. It was his way of keeping in touch. In a tragic coincidence, David passed away at the same age and condition that his father did. David is survived by his wife of 17 years, Kathryn Graf, two sons, Daniel and Sean; mother and brother who reside in Zanesville, Ohio.
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- Actor
David Greene had a varied early career, beginning with his first job as junior reporter for the Walthamstow Guardian. Life as a journalist was not to be his forte, however. During the years spanning the mid- to late 1930's, he tried his luck variously in the furniture removal business, as a deck hand and as a hospital porter, before signing on with the Merchant Navy at the onset of World War II. He lasted a year before being invalided out in 1941. Becoming affiliated with the Everyman Theatre in London as its publicity manager, he finally found his vocation in the acting profession and subsequently enrolled at RADA. From 1948, he performed in repertory which included a season or two at the Old Vic. Movies followed, with supporting roles in films like The Wooden Horse (1950).
While travelling through Canada with the touring Broadway Company of 'Anthony and Cleopatra' in 1952, Greene decided to accept an offer from the Canadian Broadcasting Company to join their television department. He emigrated officially in 1953, and moved to New York three years later. By the end of the decade, he had become one of the most sought-after TV directors in the business. Working on both sides of the Atlantic, he helmed episodes of popular action and adventure series like Sir Francis Drake (1961) and The Defenders (1961). He also directed the occasional feature. Three of these stand out.
His first, The Shuttered Room (1967), was a macabre story, loosely based on H.P. Lovecraft. Greene's eye for off-beat location, combined with his clever use of subjective camera technique, gave the film a striking visual sense and considerably heightened its suspense value. Sebastian (1968), with its stark Orwellian visions of London, was a stylish espionage thriller about code breaking that did not take itself all that seriously. It boasted an excellent cast, headed by Dirk Bogarde, Susannah York and Lilli Palmer, and was directed with style, fairly obscuring the numerous incongruities within the plot. Third of the trio, The Strange Affair (1968), was a gritty, somewhat unpleasant, tale of police corruption and obsession set in swinging 60's London. More overtly violent than its predecessors in the genre, it imported Greene's American experience into British film and is worth viewing chiefly for the director's taut handling.
Once again back in the U.S. from the mid-1970's, Greene directed several instalments of the popular miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man (1976) and then specialised in made-for-TV films, also occasionally working as producer or executive producer. Arguably, his most successful spell in the medium was between 1976 and 1979, winning three of his four Emmy Awards for Outstanding Directing of a Drama Series or Special. The oft-married Greene retired in 1999 and died in April 2003, aged 82.- Writer
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- Producer
DeWitt Sage was born on 6 August 1942 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. He was a writer and director, known for Distant Harmony (1987), Princeton: A Search for Answers (1974) and Art Is... (1972). He was married to Marcia. He died on 7 April 2023 in Northeast Harbor, Massachusetts, USA.- Actor
- Music Department
- Additional Crew
Eddy Davis was born on 26 September 1940 in Lafayette, Indiana, USA. He was an actor, known for Midnight in Paris (2011), Celebrity (1998) and Sweet and Lowdown (1999). He died on 7 April 2020 in New York City, New York, USA.- Elsa O'Connor was born on 30 November 1906 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She was an actress, known for El deseo (1944), La que no perdonó (1938) and El misterioso tío Sylas (1947). She died on 7 April 1947 in Montevideo, Uruguay.
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- Additional Crew
- Casting Director
Ernest Serrahima was an actor and casting director, known for Barcelona Connection (1988), Homenots (1999) and Havanera 1820 (1993). He died on 7 April 2018 in Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Faith Dane spent the summer of 1966 in St. Croix of the Virgin Islands. She was married to Russell B. Johnson, an attorney on St. Croix. Faith starred in a local production of "Gypsy" and rode through town in her gypsy costume, the horse all decorated and her in strip-tease costume, with the native residents looking on. She moved back to California to pursue her movie career and divorced her husband.
She played Mazeppa in Broadway company of "Gypsy" (1959) and repeated her role in the 1962 film version. According to her biography in one of the original "Gypsy" programs, she had performed in nightclubs (including a stint as an exotic dancer) and on television prior to playing the role, and was also a portrait painter, swimming champion, classical pianist, and player of the bugle, trumpet, flute and drums. She then married a Washington, D.C. political figure and ran for mayor of the district.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Gavin Gordon was born on 7 April 1901 in Chicora, Mississippi [now Buckatunna, Wayne County, Mississippi], USA. He was an actor, known for Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933) and The Scarlet Empress (1934). He died on 7 April 1983 in Canoga Park, Los Angeles County, California, USA.- Actor
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Talented and highly capable character actor Geoffrey Lewis, with rustic (sometimes sour-faced) looks, grew up in Rhode Island but was moved out to California at the age of ten. Lewis was very keen on the dramatic arts at high school, but often preferred to put on his own one-man shows rather than participate in larger school productions. His drama teacher took note of his growing talent and referred him to the Plymouth Theater in Massachusetts, where he appeared in summer stock. Afterwards he appeared in several off-Broadway productions in New York City. After spending considerable time traveling, in both the United States and abroad, Lewis turned his attention back to his love of the dramatic arts, and scored his first minor movie role in The Culpepper Cattle Co. (1972) as a somewhat jovial but deadly cowhand. He then cropped up as gangster Harry Pierpont in Dillinger (1973) before beginning a long association with Clint Eastwood, starting off with High Plains Drifter (1973), then as kind-hearted thief Eddie Goody in Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974), as Clint's buddy Orville Boggs in Every Which Way But Loose (1978) and Any Which Way You Can (1980), then as a henpecked husband in Bronco Billy (1980), as Ricky Z in Pink Cadillac (1989), and in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997) also as patient Michael Kahn in Disturbed (1990).
Equally busy on the small screen, he has guest-starred in dozens of episodes of high profile TV series. Additionally, he received a Golden Globe nomination for his performance in the series Flo (1980). Apart from his extensive film and TV exposure, Lewis is also a member of the rather unique musical/storytelling "Celestial Navigations," along with award-winning composer songwriter Geoff Levin. Their performances have received terrific reviews from some of Hollywood's top actors and noted musicians, including Chick Corea. As Geoffrey Lewis approaches his seventh decade, nothing seems likely to slow down this multi-talented actor, storyteller and engaging entertainer!- Writer
- Producer
- Actor
Gerald Ayres was born on 3 February 1936 in San Diego, California, USA. He was a writer and producer, known for Rich and Famous (1981), The Last Detail (1973) and Foxes (1980). He died on 7 April 2018 in Watertown, New York, USA.- Music Department
- Producer
- Composer
Renowned for his eclectic approach, Hal Willner is a Music Producer based in New York, associated with the performance venue The Knitting Factory. He has a wide ranging interest in Film and Theatre Music, Jazz, Rock and Comtemporary Classical.- Tall (6'1"), tough, and burly actor, extra, and baseball player Hank Robinson was born Henry Ford Robinson on March 27, 1923 in Covington, Tennessee. Robinson grew up on a sharecropper farm in rural Tennessee and served in the U.S. Army during World War II. Hank spent thirteen seasons playing in the minor leagues in such places as Hollywood, Denver, Gladewater, Yakima, Little Rock, Saginaw, Lake Charles, Galveston, and Laredo. Robinson worked as a security guard at MGM before embarking on a career as an extra in the mid-1960's. Hank frequently popped up as cowboys on various Western TV shows and made often uncredited cameo appearances in a handful of movies. Not surprisingly, Robinson in the latter part of his acting career landed occasional credited roles both in film and on television alike in which he was cast to type as a baseball umpire. Moreover, Hank also scouted and coached young baseball players in both California and Nevada as well as was an avid golfer. Robinson died at age 89 on April 7, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was survived at the time of his death by his wife Mildred, daughters Carin and Debra, son Robbie, and three grandchildren.
- Young and full of promise, Paramount contract player Helen Burgess possessed a lovely, sweet-faced quality, but made only four films during her lifetime. Born April 26, 1916, the rather demure Portland, Oregon beauty was given an auspicious debut in Cecil B. DeMille's epic bio-western The Plainsman (1936). Discovered by DeMille himself with only brief stage experience behind her, the film starred Gary Cooper as Wild Bill Hickok and Jean Arthur as Calamity Jane. Helen was fifth billed as Louisa Frederici Cody, the young bride of Wild West showman Buffalo Bill Cody, played by James Ellison.
Helen went on to co-star in lesser "B" pictures, one opposite George Bancroft in the drama A Doctor's Diary (1937), and a second femme lead in King of Gamblers (1937) supporting Claire Trevor. She was busy filming her fourth movie Night of Mystery (1937) when she caught a chill that resulted in a serious cold. This, in turn, developed into lobar pneumonia. Helen died in Beverly Hills on April 7, 1937, weeks before reaching her 21st birthday, and only months after the release of her first and best known film "The Plainsman." One can only wonder what was in store for this future star. She was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. - Actor
- Additional Crew
Henry Graff was born on 11 August 1921 in New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Si Fresnes m'était conté (2015), McLean and Company (1970) and The Last Days of World War II (2005). He was married to Edith Krantz. He died on 7 April 2020 in Scarsdale, New York, USA.- Additional Crew
Herb Stempel was born on 19 December 1926 in Bronx, New York City, New York, USA. He is known for Quiz Show (1994), Twenty-One (1956) and The Interviews: An Oral History of Television (1997). He was married to Tobie Mantell and Ethel Feinblum. He died on 7 April 2020 in New York City, New York, USA.- Additional Crew
- Actor
- Legal
Howard Weitzman was born on 21 September 1939 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He was an actor and legal representative, known for Thank You for Smoking (2005), Murder One (1995) and Murder in the First (2014). He was married to Margaret Weitzman and Stacey Winkler. He died on 7 April 2021 in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, California, USA.- Ina Marija Bartaité was born on 2 May 1996. She was an actress, known for Peace to Us in Our Dreams (2015), Walden (2020) and Visions of Europe (2004). She died on 7 April 2021 in Vilnius, Lithuania.
- Irene Hirano was born on 7 October 1948 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She was married to Daniel Inouye. She died on 7 April 2020 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
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Jacques Frémontier was born on 8 May 1930 in Paris, France. He was a writer and producer, known for Vivre aujourd'hui (1970), Caméra une première (1979) and Contes modernes (1979). He died on 7 April 2020 in Paris, Île-de-France, France.- Actor
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- Writer
Raised in Dallas, Texas, James Hampton attended John H. Reagan Elementary, N.R. Crozier Technical High School and the University of North Texas (Theatre Arts Major). He studied acting with Michael Howard in New York and Leonard Nimoy in Los Angeles. He worked with Baruch Lumet at Knox Street Theatre in Dallas and did summer stock at Casa Manana in Fort Worth (1961). He performed off-Broadway in "Easy Does It" with Tom Poston and Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum, and toured with Burt Reynolds in "Rainmaker". He starred in "Tender Trap" with Reynolds at Arlington Park Theatre in Chicago and played the title role in "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter" at the same theatre with Mamie Van Doren and Rick Jason. Onscreen, he has played in films as diverse as The Longest Yard (1974) and Teen Wolf (1985), and is probably best remembered as the eager but inept bugler Private Hannibal Dobbs in the classic sitcom F Troop (1965). James Hampton died at age 84 of Parkinson's disease at his home in Fort Worth, Texas.- Actor
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- Art Director
Jean-Laurent Cochet was born on 28 January 1935 in Romainville, Seine-Saint-Denis, France. He was an actor and art director, known for Au théâtre ce soir (1966), Les grandes conjurations (1978) and Mille milliards de dollars (1982). He died on 7 April 2020 in Paris, France.- Actor
- Music Department
John Agar was born in Chicago, the eldest of four children. In World War II, Sgt. John Agar was a United States Army Air Force physical instructor. His 1945 marriage at the Wilshire Memorial Church to "America's Sweetheart" Shirley Temple put him in the public eye for the first time, and a movie contract with independent producer David O. Selznick quickly ensued.
Agar debuted opposite John Wayne, Henry Fonda and Temple in John Ford's Fort Apache (1948), initial film in the famed director's "Cavalry Trilogy".
His marriage to Shirley Temple ended in 1949, while his movie career continued.
Popular with fans of Westerns and sci-fi flicks, Agar was a staple at film conventions and autograph shows.- Music Artist
- Music Department
- Actor
Exceptionally talented singer/songwriter John Prine enjoyed a 40 plus year career that encompassed such diverse music genres as folk, rock, country, and rockabilly. With his wry sense of humor, sharp, incisive songwriting, and endearingly offbeat perspective, John distinguished himself as a true original with a well-deserved loyal cult following.
Prine was born on October 10, 1946 in Maywood, Illinois, the son of Verna Valentine (Hamm) and William Mason Prine, a tool-and-die maker. He was taught by his brother how to play guitar at age fourteen. John worked as a postman for five years and did a two-year stint in the Army prior to beginning his musical career as part of the folk music scene in Chicago. Prine garnered a lot of accolades from critics for his outstanding self-titled 1971 debut album. The follow-up albums, "Diamonds in the Rough" and "Sweet Revenge", were likewise well-received by critics but, alas, none of these albums were big commercial successes.
In the mid '70s, John began to vary his basic melodic folk/country sound: The 1975 album, "Common Sense", leaned more towards tough rock and the 1979 album, "Pink Cadillac", was a straight-up raucous rockabilly outing. He continued to record albums throughout the 80s. His terrific 1991 album, "The Missing Years", won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album. His songs have been covered by such artists as The Everly Brothers ("Paradise"), Bette Midler ("Hello in There"), Joan Baez ("Hello in There") and Laura Cantrell ("Sam Stone"). John has sizable co-starring roles in the movies, Falling from Grace (1992) and Daddy and Them (2001). Among the films that feature Prine's songs on the soundtrack are Into the Wild (2007), Grass (1999), Fire Down Below (1997), UFOria (1984) and The Pride of Jesse Hallam (1981). In 1998, John was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the neck, underwent surgery and radiation treatment and, subsequently, made a full recovery in 1999. Prine was the recipient of the Artist of the Year Award at the Americana Music Awards on September 9, 2005. Subsequently, he released critically acclaimed album "Standard Songs for Average People."
In 2005 Fair & Square was his 15th studio album, released on Oh Boy Records. It was released on a standard CD, an Extended Play (EP) CD with four bonus tracks, and a vinyl version with the same four bonus tracks.At the 48th Grammy Awards, Fair & Square won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album. In late 2014 Prine was again diagnosed with a cancer, received surgery and treatment and was back out touring on the road in 2015. He died in 2020, of COVID-19.- Leonard 'Nipper' Read was born on 31 March 1925 in Nottingham, England, UK. He was a writer, known for The Man Who Nicked the Krays, The London Programme (1975) and Danny Baker's Londoners (1987). He was married to Pat Allen and Marion Millar. He died on 7 April 2020 in the UK.
- Cinematographer
- Director
- Editor
Born in 1935 in Tampa, Florida, Les Blank attended Tulane University in New Orleans, where he received a B.A. in English literature and an M.F.A. in theatre. In 1967, after two years in the Ph.D. film program at the University of Southern California, and five years of freelancing in Los Angeles, he began his first independent films, on Texas blues singer Lightnin Hopkins (The Blues Accordin' to Lightnin' Hopkins (1970)) and the newly forming sub-culture, known as flower children, (God Respects Us When We Work, But Loves Us When We Dance (1968)). To finance these and other of his own films, he continued to make industrial and promotional films for such organizations as Holly Farms Poultry, Archway Cookies and the National Wildlife Federation until 1972.
Blank's first independent films began a series of intimate glimpses into the lives and music of passionate people who live at the periphery of American society - a series that grew to include rural Louisiana French musicians and cooks.
Major retrospectives of Les Blank's films have been mounted in Los Angeles at FILMEX in 1977; the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis in 1978 and 1984; New York's Museum of Modern Art in 1979; the National Film Theatre, London in 1982; Cineteca Nacional, Mexico City in 1984; the Cinematheque Francais, Paris in 1986; the Independent Film Week, Augsburg, Germany in 1990 and the Leipzig Film Festival in 1995 and the Sofia Music Film Festival, Bulgaria in 1998. Feature articles on Blank have appeared in American Film, Film Quarterly, Take One, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Image Magazine, Mother Jones, The Village Voice, Rolling Stone, Premiere, Downbeat and Video Review. In 1984, Blank co-edited the "Burden of Dreams" book, which included journals written during the making of Burden of Dreams by him, sound recordist-editor Maureen Gosling and Werner Herzog, plus an article by legendary journalist Michael Goodwin. In 1986, National Public Radio aired a half-hour special on Les Blank's work and, in 1991, CNN aired a special on him, worldwide.
Among Blank's numerous awards are the British Academy Award for Best Feature Documentary, 1982, (Burden of Dreams (1982)); the Golden Gate Award "Best of Festival", San Francisco Film Festival, 1982 ("Burden of Dreams"); Grand Prize, Melbourne Film Festival, 1985 (In Heaven There Is No Beer? (1984)); Special Jury Award U.S. (Sundance) Film Festival, 1985 ("In Heaven There Is No Beer?"); Grand Award, Houston Film Festival, 1983 ("Burden of Dreams"); Golden Hugo, Chicago Film Festival, 1969 (The Blues Accordin' to Lightnin' Hopkins (1970)). Blank also received a 10,000 Euro prize for "Yum, Yum, Yum" for best film in the International Ethnographic Film Festival, Nuoro, Sardinia, Italy, 2002
In 1990, Les Blank received the American Film Institute's Maya Deren Award for outstanding lifetime achievement as an independent filmmaker. In 1989-1990, Blank was the distinguished filmmaker-in-residence at San Diego State University and, in 1991, adjunct assistant professor in film at the University of California, Berkeley. He was also the Louis B. Mayer filmmaker-in-residence at Dartmouth College and a directing fellow at the Sundance Institute in Utah (both in 1984). His work has been supported by The National Endowment For the Arts, The American Film Institute, The National Endowment For the Humanities, The Ford Foundation, The Guggenheim Foundation, PBS and the BBC. Between 1973 and 1994, Blank toured extensively with the sponsorship of the United States Information Agency, screening his films and discussing them with audiences throughout Latin America, China, England, Spain, Germany, Italy, the former Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and Egypt. Les Blank is a member of: the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences.
Blank currently has four documentaries in production: about David Lee Hoffman, importer of rare and fine teas rom China; Alabama folk artist Butch Anthony; seminal documentary filmmaker Richard Leacock; and a project on the diRosa preserve in Napa, a major collection of Northern California art.- Lodune Sincaid was born on 7 May 1973 in Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA. He died on 7 April 2019 in the USA.
- Former Tennis Champion before she became an actress! During her days on the Silver screen, she was regarded as a classy lady. She had gone to the same finishing school as Jackie Kennedy Onassis, and frequented Martha's Vineyard.
- Marie-Claire Olivia was born on 20 November 1931 in Geneva, Switzerland. She was an actress, known for La maison dans la dune (1952), Olivia (1951) and The Red Inn (1951). She died on 7 April 2023 in Issy-les-Moulineaux, Hauts-de-Seine, France.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
One of the great American jazz vocalists, born Marietta Williams in Homestead, Pennsylvania. Maxine's precocious talent led to early jobs on radio broadcasts in Pittsburgh and gigs with a local group led by her Uncle Harry, the Red Hot Peppers. After being introduced to the proprietor, she was hired as the featured singer at a speakeasy for $14 a week, a place known euphemistically as the Benjamin Harrison Literary Club. Pianiste Gladys Mosier (who played with the all-girl band of movie star Betty's sister Ina Ray Hutton) heard her perform and arranged a recording date at the Onyx Club on 52nd Street with band leader Claude Thornhill (who prompted her change of name, simply, because there were too many musicians named Williams on the scene already). By 1937, Maxine had developed her own intimate, swinging style, which blended with perfect diction and intonation for several famous recordings with Thornhill's orchestra, including "Gone With the Wind" and the best-selling up-tempo folk songs "Loch Lomond" and "Annie Laurie".
By the end of the decade, the "Pint-Sized Songstress" was at the peak of her popularity. Her face had hit the cover of Life magazine and she commuted regularly for sessions between the West Coast and New York. Her rendition of "Summertime" at a 1938 memorial concert for George Gershwin was a showstopper. In the Paramount musical St. Louis Blues (1939), Maxine can be heard singing the title track. Between 1940 and 1941, she cut several more hit records with bassist John Kirby (to whom she was married at the time) and his 'biggest little band in the land'. She also joined Kirby for two seasons on the CBS show "Flow Gently, Sweet Rhythm", in the process setting a landmark for African-American women being showcased on radio for any length of time. In the summer of 1941, she went on tour with Benny Carter's orchestra, then left showbiz for several years. Back in New York in the mid- 40's, Maxine went on pursuing a successful career as a soloist, enjoying long residencies at famous venues like Le Ruban Bleu, Village Vanguard and Penthouse. In addition to singing, she had also added the valve trombone, pocket trumpet and the flügelhorn to her repertoire. After touring Europe in 1948 and 1954, she retired from performing a second time to take up nursing, physical therapy and and health counselling at schools in the Bronx.
Her final comeback began in 1958. In the course of the succeeding two decades, Maxine worked with second husband Cliff Jackson (an ex-Chick Webb alumnus), the brilliant clarinettist Bob Wilber, as well as performing with the World's Greatest Jazz Band, at the Half Note in New York and at a number of international jazz festivals. In the 80's, she added three Grammy Award nominations to her Tony nomination for a 1979 Broadway role in the musical "My Old Friends".- Miguel Ángel Estrella was born on 4 July 1940 in San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina. He died on 7 April 2022 in Paris, France.
- Producer
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Mike Wallace was born on 9 May 1918 in Brookline, Massachusetts, USA. He was a producer and actor, known for 60 Minutes (1968), The Sword and the Dragon (1956) and The Big Surprise (1955). He was married to Mary Yates, Lorraine Perigord, Buff Cobb and Norma Kaphan. He died on 7 April 2012 in New Canaan, Connecticut, USA.- Mya-Lecia Naylor was born on 6 November 2002 in Warwickshire, England, UK. She was an actress, known for Cloud Atlas (2012), Code Red (2013) and Cartoonito Tales (2011). She died on 7 April 2019 in London, England, UK.
- Nano Herrera was born on 21 February 1940 in La Rioja, La Rioja, Argentina. He died on 7 April 2009 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Director
- Writer
- Additional Crew
A successful child actor (on stage from 1907) and rather less successful romantic lead, baby-faced Norman Taurog found being behind the camera a more rewarding experience. Before becoming a director, he paid his dues as a prop man and editor. By 1919, he was put in charge of two-reel comedies, starring the comic Larry Semon. These films were made on the East Coast and it was not until 1926, that Taurog moved to Hollywood. His directing career really took off with the coming of sound, and he soon acquired a reputation as a specialist in light comedy. He also developed a singular penchant for working with children, often giving them chocolate rewards for good acting. They, in turn, called him 'Uncle Norman'. Taurog became the youngest-ever director to win an Oscar. This was for the film Skippy (1931), which featured child actor Jackie Cooper, his real-life nephew.
Taurog was under contract at Paramount from 1930 to 1936. The pick-of-the-bunch among his films - and a solid box office hit - was Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch (1934), starring the noted stage actress Pauline Lord, comedienne Zasu Pitts and the irrepressible, idiosyncratic W.C. Fields. On loan to David O. Selznick, he also did justice to Mark Twain by creating just the right atmosphere for The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938), eliciting a strong performance from Jackie Moran in the role of Huck Finn. Initial footage had been in black & white, but Taurog discarded this and re-shot the film in Technicolor, which worked particularly well with art director Lyle R. Wheeler.
After a stint with Fox (1936-37), Taurog then had his best (and longest) spell with MGM (1938-51). His A-grade assignments for the studio included the iconic Boys Town (1938), the exuberant Broadway Melody of 1940 (1940) and the thoroughly entertaining Judy Garland musical Presenting Lily Mars (1943), based on a best-selling novel by Booth Tarkington. In 1952, he returned to Paramount, where he was utilised on the strength of his proven ability to make films economically and on time. Taurog made the most out of the feather-light scripts he was handed for a string of comedies with Dean Martin and/or Jerry Lewis. He was also a favorite of Elvis Presley, directing in total nine of his films.
As the law of diminishing returns applied, Taurog retired in 1968. He later taught at the University of California School of Cinema and remained a board member of the Director's Guild. He became blind towards the end of his life, but for his last years served as director of the Braille Institute in Los Angeles.- Peaches Geldof was born on 13 March 1989 in Westminster, London, England, UK. She was a writer, known for The King Is Dead (2010), 8 Out of 10 Cats (2005) and Celebrity Juice (2008). She was married to Thomas Cohen and Maxwell Drummey. She died on 7 April 2014 in Wrotham, Kent, England, UK.
- Production Manager
- Producer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Phillip M. Goldfarb was born on 24 February 1940 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He was a production manager and producer, known for L.A. Law (1986), Taxi Driver (1976) and Flyboys (2006). He died on 8 April 2022 in the USA.- Rubén Green was born on 31 July 1946. He was an actor, known for Verdad consecuencia (1996), Son of the Bride (2001) and Delito de corrupción (1991). He died on 7 April 2003 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Sandy Ratcliff was born on 2 October 1948 in Islington, London, England, UK. She was an actress, known for EastEnders (1985), The Final Programme (1973) and Danger UXB (1979). She was married to Peter Wright. She died on 7 April 2019 in London, England, UK.
- Sasi Kalinga was born in 1961 in India. He was an actor, known for Son of Alibaba Nalpathonnaman (2022), Oppam (2016) and Anwar (2010). He was married to Prabhavathi. He died on 7 April 2020 in Kozhikode, Kerala, India.
- Actor
- Cinematographer
- Additional Crew
Seymour Cassel, the veteran character actor who was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role as the hippie swinger Chet in John Cassavetes' Faces (1968), studied acting at the American Theatre Wing and at the Actors Studio. He made his movie debut in Cassavetes' first film, Shadows (1958), on which he also served as associate producer.
Seymour Joseph Cassel was born on January 22, 1935 in Detroit, Michigan, to Pancretia Ann (Kearney), a performer, and Seymour Joseph Cassel, who owned a night club. His father was of Russian Jewish and German Jewish descent, and his mother was of Irish heritage. Cassel's early career was tied to Cassavetes, who himself had a flourishing career as an actor on television and in major Hollywood productions in addition to becoming, arguably, the first great independent movie director after the collapse of the studio system in the late 1950s/early 1960s. As for Cassel, after his uncredited role in "Shadows," he co-starred with Cassavetes in The Webster Boy (1962) and Too Late Blues (1961) before winding up in support of his friend in Don Siegel's drama The Killers (1964), a movie shot for TV that had to be released theatrically due to its heightened violence (it was also Ronald Reagan's last movie). Cassel primarily made his living on TV in the 1960s, frequently typecast as beatniks and hippies. He had a supporting role in the Cassavetes-directed episode "A Pair of Boots" (1962) for The Lloyd Bridges Show (1962) as well as appearing on such popular programs as 12 O'Clock High (1964), Combat! (1962) and The F.B.I. (1965) before scoring with his aging hippie in "Faces" at the end of that tumultuous decade.
Along with "Shadows," "Faces" remained his favorite Cassavettes film. In addition to acting, Cassel was also a crew member on the film, as the technical staff numbered all of seven. He helped shoot the film as a second cameraman, as well as adjusting the lighting. As the film was financed by Cassavettes himself, there were no union regulations to deal with, nor a studio schedule to keep.
Several of Cassavettes' films were shot in continuity, so the actors could develop a character in sequence--similar to stage acting--rather than the traditional method of film making, which is shot out of sequence. Cassel had stated that this technique enhanced the success of his works by eliminating the "fourth wall" between the audience and the actors. He believed that acting tells the film's story, not the images and that what is important is how the audience relates to the characters on screen.
As their careers matured, Cassel also co-starred with Cassavetes in two TV movies, Nightside (1973) and Nightside (1973) and appeared in supporting roles in three more Cassavetes-directed films: The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976), Opening Night (1977) and Love Streams (1984).
In addition to appearing in studio films, Cassel remained prominent in the American independent film community since the death of his friend and collaborator. He contributed a cameo appearance in the directorial debut of Steve Buscemi (with whom he appeared as a co-star in the black comedy In the Soup (1992)), Trees Lounge (1996), and has appeared in three films by Wes Anderson: Rushmore (1998), The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004).
Cassel was prized by independent directors for two things: his positive nature, and his (perhaps) facetious declaration that he'd be in any independent film for the price of a plane ticket if he liked the script.
He died on April 7, 2019 in Los Angeles, California.- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Stan Freberg grew up in Los Angeles, California. From an early age he was a big fan of radio and sound. He was blessed with the double abilities of being an amazing mimic and possessing a razor-sharp satirical mind. In the early 1940s he began to do voice work for both the Warner Brothers' cartoons (some of his characters included Junyer Bear and one half of the Goofy Gophers) and radio (he worked on both "The Jack Benny Show" and "Suspense"). When Robert Clampett left Warners, he worked with Freberg to co-create the puppet show Time for Beany (1949). In the early 1950s Freberg began making a series of satirical records, mostly aimed at the still-new genre of rock and roll. He became one of the first comedians to produce an album.
As non-music radio began dying off in popularity at the end of the 1950s, Freberg found a new niche in the world of advertising. He wrote, performed and produced a series of radio spots that are still talked about today; several of his commercials have been enshrined in both the Museum of Radio & Television and the Smithsonian.
Freberg continued being an active force in radio and satire, and was a living inspiration to many modern comics ('Weird Al' Yankovic credits Freberg as the main reason he got into comedy). For example, Freberg was the voice of the syndicated radio program "When Radio Was" from 1995 until October 6, 2006 when Chuck Schaden took over as host.- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Steve Farmer was born on 31 December 1948 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. He is known for Superbad (2007), Six Feet Under (2001) and CrissCross (1992). He died on 7 April 2020 in Redford, Michigan, USA.- Actress
- Writer
Theda Bara was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, as Theodosia Goodman, on July 29, 1885. She was the daughter of a local tailor and his wife. As a teenager Theda was interested in the theatrical arts and once she finished high school, she dyed her blond hair black and went in pursuit of her dream. By 1908 she was in New York in search of roles. That year she appeared in "The Devil", a stage play. In 1911 she joined a touring company. After returning to New York in 1914, she began making the rounds of various casting offices in search of work, and was eventually hired to appear in The Stain (1914) as an extra, but she was placed so far in the background that she was not noticed on the screen. However, it was her ability to take direction which helped her gain the lead role as the "vampire" in A Fool There Was (1915) later that year, and "The Vamp" was born. It was a well-deserved break, because Theda was almost 30 years old, at a time when younger women were always considered for lead roles. She became the screen's first fabricated star. Publicists sent out press releases that Theda was the daughter of an artist and an Arabian princess, and that "Theda Bara" was an anagram for "Arab Death"--a far cry from her humble Jewish upbringing in Cincinnati. The public became fascinated with her--how could one resist an actress who allowed herself to be photographed with snakes and skulls? Theda's second film, later that year for the newly formed Fox Studios, was as Celia Friedlander in Kreutzer Sonata (1915). Theda was hot property now and was to make six more films in 1915, finishing up with Carmen (1915). The next year would prove to be another busy one, with theater patrons being treated to eight Theda Bara films, all of which would make a great deal of money for Fox Films, and in 1917 Fox headed west to Califoria and took Theda with them. That year she starred in a mega-hit, Cleopatra (1917). This was quickly followed by The Rose of Blood (1917). In 1918 Theda wrote the story and starred as the Priestess in The Soul of Buddha (1918). After seven films in 1919, ending with Lure of Ambition (1919), her contract was terminated by Fox, and her career never recovered. In 1921 she married director Charles Brabin and retired. In 1926 she made her last film, Madame Mystery (1926), and promptly went back into retirement, permanently, at the age of 41. She tried the stage briefly in the 1930s but nothing really set the fires burning. A movie based on her life was planned in the 1950s, but nothing ever came of it. On April 7, 1955, Theda Bara died of abdominal cancer at the age of 69 in Los Angeles, California. There has been no one like her since.- Actor
- Additional Crew
A familiar patrician-looking face both here and abroad, blue-eyed, fair-haired classical stage and TV actor Tim Pigott-Smith, the son of a journalist, was born on in Rugby, Warwickshire, on May 13, 1946. The Britisher attended King Edward VI School in Stratford-upon-Avon, graduated from Bristol University in 1967, and then receiving his acting training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. In later years, he would return to Bristol University as a lecturer.
Tim made his professional debut in 1969 with the Bristol Old Vic under the stage name of "Tim Smith" and was predominantly a stage player in both regional and repertory companies. He focused quite strongly on Shakespeare and Greek plays and went on to play Balthazar in "Much Ado About Nothing" for the Prospect touring company as well as Posthumus in a 1974 production of "Cymbeline" for the Royal Shakespeare Company. He made his Broadway debut that same year in "Sherlock Holmes" as Dr. Watson opposite John Wood. Over the years, he would act alongside most of England's grande dame royalty including Judi Dench, Helen Mirren, Geraldine James, Margaret Tyzack, Peggy Ashcroft, Maggie Smith and Penelope Wilton.
A charming, distinguished presence on stage, Tim was invited by an ailing Anthony Quayle to take over the running of the Compass theatre company founded by him in 1984 and served as its artistic director from 1989-1992. A theatre director as well ("Hamlet," and "A Royal Hunt of the Sun"), he would take several Shakespearean classics later to BBC-TV. He, in fact, started his small screen career in secondary Shakespeare roles as Laertes in Hamlet (1970) opposite Ian McKellen in the title role and Proculeius in Antony and Cleopatra (1974) starring Richard Johnson and Janet Suzman. He transitioned into more prominent BBC roles with his Angelo in Measure for Measure (1979) and Hotspur in Henry IV Part I (1979).
Aside from Tim's theatre work, quality TV remained an extremely successful venue for decades with impressive performances in such prestigious min-series as North & South (1975), The Glittering Prizes (1976), The Lost Boys (1978), Danger UXB (1979), Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years (1981), Fame Is the Spur (1982), I Remember Nelson (1982), The Jewel in the Crown (1984) (BAFTA-TV as sadistic villain Ronald Merrick) and The Challenge (1986). He enjoyed recurring roles on the TV series Doctor Who (1963), Hannah (1980) and regular roles in the short-lived comedy Struggle (1983), the drama The Chief (1990) and with The Vice (1999). His mellifluous voice was also popular on many BBC radio productions, in audio books, as well as serving as a narrator on such documentary series as Crimes That Shook the World (2006) and Doomsday: World War I (2013)
Film work began in the 1970's but remained far and few and less distinguished with his minor participation in Aces High (1976), Joseph Andrews (1977), Sweet William (1980), Clash of the Titans (1981), Richard's Things (1980), Victory (1981) and The Remains of the Day (1993). He did enjoy a prime role in the nuclear drama A State of Emergency (1985) starring opposite Martin Sheen and Peter Firth.
Pigott-Smith remained a strong, vibrant present on the stage throughout his career. In later years, he played in such contemporary plays as "Benefactors" (1984), "Coming in to Land" (1987) opposite Ms. Smith and "Amadeus" as composer Salieri. He also portrayed Leontes in "The Winter's Tale" (1988) and scored critical acclaim in the 1999 version of "The Iceman Cometh" (both London and Broadway) and with Ms. Mirren in an over four-hour production of "Mourning Becomes Electra." Into the millennium, he was seen in "Julius Caesar" (as Cassius, 2001), "A Christmas Carol" (as Scrooge, 2002), "Women Beware Women" (2006), "Enron" (2009), "Educating Rita" (2010), "A Delicate Balance" (2011), "King Lear" (title role, 2011), "The Tempest" (as Prospero, 2012), the Chorus in "Henry V" in 2013, and earned both Olivier and Tony nominations here and abroad for his powerful portrayal of King Charles III (2015). Tim became an RSC Associate Artist in 2012, and served on both the RSC board (from 2005 until 2011) and as a governor from 2005 until his retirement in 2016.
On film in later years, he often appeared in official high-ranking parts. His list of movies include Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York (2002), The Four Feathers (2002), the historical Greek biopic Alexander (2004) starring Colin Farrell, V for Vendetta (2005), Flyboys (2006), Quantum of Solace (2008), Alice in Wonderland (2010), RED 2 (2013), Jupiter Ascending (2015) and Whisky Galore (2016). He also graced such TV shows as "Downtown Abbey" and recreated his stage triumph in the title role of King Charles III (2017) which earned him a second BAFTA-TV nomination.
Tim was in rehearsals for an upcoming stage performance of "Death of a Salesman" as Willy Loman in London when he died suddenly of natural causes on April 7, 2017, at age 70. He was survived by his actress wife Pamela Miles and their son Tom Pigott Smith, a concert/studio violinist.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
Víctor Jiménez was born in Manhattan on November 5, 1934, to Maria L. Jimenez Rosario and Victor Jimenez, both originally from Quebradillas, Puerto Rico. Raised in the South Bronx, Victor's Latin upbringing and proximity to Jewish and Irish cultures gave him the multicultural preparation for a 50 year career as a character actor on stage, on television and in films.
Since his early twenties, he was a favorite of stage productions and on and off-Broadway plays. While appearing in plays in Greenwich Village in the 1960s, Victor made the acquaintance of Yoko Ono, with whom he participated in so-called "happenings" and fledgling actor Harvey Keitel, who remained his close friend for nearly forty years.
Bouncing back and forth between Los Angeles and New York City, Victor racked up an impressive roster of film credits. He made his major film debut in the early 70s in a small part in The Unholy Rollers (1972) and a year later made his television debut in the made for TV film Smile Jenny, You're Dead (1974) an ABC pilot for the series _Harry-O_. Argo became a durable movie tough guy and favorite of such directors including Martin Scorsese and Woody Allen and usually played rugged supporting roles, particularly cops, gangsters and criminals. His film credits include Taxi Driver (1976), The Rose_, New York Stories (1989), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), Shadows and Fog (1991), True Romance (1993) and Coyote Ugly (2000). Argo also had recurring roles on such TV series ranging from Miami Vice (1984) to Law & Order (1990). In 2001, he played Jennifer Lopez's father in the film Angel Eyes (2001).
Between stage and film assignments, Victor volunteered his presence and name for a number of DIY and independent filmmakers. He died of complications from lung cancer in New York City at the age of 69. Shortly before his death , Victor realized a lifelong dream of acting on Broadway when he was cast in the Pulitzer Prize winning drama 'Anna in the Tropics'. He will be missed forever.- Actor
- Soundtrack
For many years Walter Huston had two passions: his career as an engineer and his vocation for the stage. In 1909 he dedicated himself to the theatre, and made his debut on Broadway in 1924. In 1929 he journeyed to Hollywood, where his talent and ability made him one of the most respected actors in the industry. He won a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948).