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Carmine Caridi was born on 23 January 1934 in New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for The Godfather Part II (1974), The Godfather Part III (1990) and The Money Pit (1986). He died on 28 May 2019 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- The youngest of the talented Brontë siblings, Anne was born January 17th, 1820 to Rev. Patrick Brontë and Maria Branwell Brontë. Her mother died of cancer when she was only a year old, and growing up Anne was especially close to her elder sister Emily Brontë. Along with their other sister, Charlotte Brontë and their only brother, Branwell Brontë, Anna and Emily invented the imaginary realms of Gondal and Angria, which absorbed most of their childhoods on the lonely Moors.
Despite her fragile health, Anne worked as a governess for some years before her brother, Branwell, entered the service of the same family she worked for. He was supposed to tutor the family's elder sons, but was dismissed in 1845 after having an affair with his employer's wife. Anne also resigned her position, and took up writing with her sisters, publishing "Poems" in 1846, a compilation of the Brontë girls' poetry. Encouraged by her literary success, Anne published two more novels, "Agnes Grey" and "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall".
After her brother Branwell and sister Emily died within three months of one another in 1848, Anne herself came down with consumption. She was taken to the seaside, which she adored, by her sole surviving sister Charlotte, in the hopes of finding a cure. Anne Brontë died at Scarborough in 1849, a victim of tuberculosis. - Actor
- Soundtrack
The English actor Arthur Brough, who achieved fame as senior clothing salesman Mr. Grainger on the BBC-TV comedy series Are You Being Served? (1972) in the 1970s, after almost half-a-century on the stage, was born Frederick Arthur Baker on February 26, 1905 in Petersfield, Hampshire, England. After indulging in amateur theatrics with future star Alistair Sim, Brough attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in the early 1920s. After graduating, he joined a Shakespearean theatrical troupe where he met his wife-to-be, actress Elizabeth Addeyman. After they married, they used their wedding dowry as collateral to rent the Leas Pavilion, a repertory theater in Folkestone.
Arthur both ran the company and acted in the shows, and once the new Folkestone rep was established, he began establishing new repertory companies in Bradford, Bristol, Blackpool, Keighley, Leeds, Lincoln, Oxford and Southampton, as well as other acting companies throughout the country. With the advent of World War II, he enlisted in the Royal Navy, where he served for the duration. Upon being demobilized, he resumed his acting career by reopening the Folkestone rep.
Arthur Brough dedicated his life to the theater, and "Are You Being Served?" co-star Mollie Sugden credits him with helping train a generation of actors. In the 1950s, he established repertory theaters at Southend and Eastbourne. However, with the rise of television, he predicted the eclipse of repertory theater as a viable entertainment venue. In the 50s, he began seeking roles in the mass media, appearing in small roles in movies and television. His daughter, Joanna Hutton, said about his forecast of the decline of repertory theater, "He was very astute and unsentimental about it. He realized the era was over and that he must diversify. One of the first jobs he did away from the stage was the film The Green Man (1956) with Alastair Sim."
According to his daughter, he found it hard adjusting from stage to screen at first. "He realized how hammy he was. He used to take the mickey out of himself; he'd always acted in a Shakespearean manner and suddenly realized he had to tone down his performance for film."
Brough appeared in a wide variety of small and bit parts, including a small role opposite Jayne Mansfield in It Takes a Thief (1960), and made guest appearances in TV shows such as Upstairs, Downstairs (1971), Dad's Army (1968), and Z Cars (1962). He also continued to appear in theatrical productions, including Half a Sixpence (1967), playing a shopkeeper. The Folkestone Rep continued until 1969 before closing.
Throughout his time on the hit show, Brough's personal life was beset with sadness, as his beloved wife was seriously ill.
A crisis hit "Are You Being Served?" after it completed its fifth season (1977). All was going well: Producer David Croft had hired Bob Spiers, a BBC director who'd recently directed Fawlty Towers (1975) and who later helmed the Emmy-winning Absolutely Fabulous (1992), to direct the sixth season. However, on Easter Sunday 1978, Arthur Brough's wife of 50 years, Elizabeth, passed away, and the emotionally devastated Brough announced he was quitting acting.
According to his daughter, he stayed with her for a few weeks, during which time David Croft] and Jeremy Lloyd made contact to say they were writing him into the next series. But unfortunately he died before filming commenced.
Brough died six weeks after his wife, on May 28, 1978, in Folkestone. Croft decided not to have another actor take over the part of Mr. Grainger, so his character in "Are You Being Served"? was replaced by Mr. Tebbs, played by James Hayter.
His co-workers have fond memories of working with Arthur, who - as his daughter noted - "was a highly respected actor who'd spent forty years in the profession." At the time of Arthur's death, David Croft said: "Arthur created a living character who was the inspiration for much of the humour His personality made him a pivot round which a whole lot of laughter and affection revolved."- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Audie Murphy became a national hero during World War II as the most decorated combat soldier of the war. Among his 33 awards was the Medal of Honor, the highest award for bravery that a soldier can receive. In addition, he was also decorated for bravery by the governments of France and Belgium, and was credited with killing over 240 German soldiers and wounding and capturing many more.
Audie Leon Murphy was born in Kingston, Hunt County, Texas, to Josie Bell (Killian) and Emmett Berry Murphy, poor sharecroppers of Irish descent. After the death of his mother and the outbreak of WWII, Murphy enlisted in the army on his 17th birthday in June 1942 after being turned down by the Navy and the Marines. His eldest sister had provided a false affidavit that he was a year older (18) than his actual age.
After undergoing basic military training, he was sent first to North Africa. However, the Allies drove the German army from Tunisia, their last foothold in North Africa, before Murphy's unit could be sent into battle. His first engagement with Axis forces came when his unit was sent to Europe. First landing on the island of Sicily, next mainland Italy, and finally France, he fought in seven major campaigns over three years and rose from the rank of private to a battlefield commission as a second lieutenant.
Part of Murphy's appeal to many people was that he did't fit the "image" most had of a war hero. He was a slight, almost fragile-looking, shy and soft-spoken young man, whose boyish appearance often shocked people when they learned, for example, that during one battle he leaped on top of a burning tank--which was loaded with fuel and ammunition and could have exploded at any second--and used its machine gun to hold off waves of attacking German troops, killing dozens of them and saving his own unit from certain destruction and the entire line from being overrun.
In September 1945, Murphy was released from active duty, promoted to 1st Lieutenant, and assigned to inactive status. His story caught the interest of superstar James Cagney, who invited Murphy to Hollywood.
Cagney Productions paid for acting and dancing lessons but was reluctantly forced to admit that Murphy -- at least at that point in his career -- didn't have what it took to become a movie star. For the next several years he struggled to make it as an actor, but jobs were few --specifically just two bit parts in Beyond Glory (1948) and Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven (1948). He finally got a lead role in Bad Boy (1949), and starred in the trouble-plagued production of MGM's The Red Badge of Courage (1951), directed by John Huston. While this film is now considered a minor classic, the politics behind the production sparked an irreparable fissure within the ranks of the studio's upper management.
Murphy proved adequate as an actor, but the film, with virtually no female presence (or appeal), bombed badly at the box office. Murphy, however, had already signed with Universal-International Pictures, which was putting him in a string of modestly budgeted Westerns, a genre that suited his easygoing image and Texas drawl. He starred in the film version of his autobiography, To Hell and Back (1955), which was a huge hit, setting a box-office record for Universal that wasn't broken for 20 years until it was finally surpassed by Jaws (1975)). One of his better pictures was Night Passage (1957), a Western in which he played the kid brother of James Stewart. He worked with Huston again on The Unforgiven (1960).
Meanwhile, the studio system that Murphy grew into as an actor crumbled. Universal's new owners, MCA, dumped its "International" tag in 1962 and turned the studio's focus toward the more lucrative television industry. For theatrical productions, it dropped its roster of contract players and hired actors on a per-picture basis only. That cheap Westerns on the big screen were becoming a thing of the past bode no good for Murphy, either. The Texican (1966), his lone attempt at a new, European form of inexpensive horse opera, to become known as "the Spaghetti Western", was unsuccessful. His star was falling fast.
In addition to his acting career -- he made a total of 44 films -- Murphy was a rancher and businessman. He bred and raised thoroughbred horses and owned several ranches in Texas, Arizona and California. He was also a songwriter, and penned hits for such singers as Dean Martin, Eddy Arnold, Charley Pride, and many others.
During his postwar life, he suffered from what is now called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) but was then called "combat fatigue", and was known to have a hair-trigger temper. He woke up screaming at night and slept with a loaded M1911 .45 semi-automatic pistol nearby. He was acquitted of attempted murder charges brought about by injuries he inflicted on a man in a bar fight. Director Don Siegel said in an interview that Murphy often carried a pistol on the set of The Gun Runners (1958) and many of the cast and crew were afraid of him.
He had a short-lived and turbulent marriage to Wanda Hendrix, and in the 1960s his increasing bouts of insomnia and depression resulted in his becoming addicted to a particularly powerful sleeping pill called Placidyl, an addiction he eventually broke. He ran into a streak of bad financial luck and was forced to declare bankruptcy in 1968. Admirably, he campaigned vigorously for the government to spend more time and money on taking care of returning Vietnam War veterans, as he knew, more than most, what kinds of problems they were going to have.
On May 18, 1971, Murphy was aboard a private plane on his way to a business meeting when it ran into thick fog over Craig County, Virginia, near Roanoke, and crashed into the side of a mountain, killing all six aboard. He was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery. According to cemetery records, the only gravesite visited by more people than that of Murphy is that of assassinated President John F. Kennedy.- Actress
Brynn Hartman was born on 11 April 1958 in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, USA. She was an actress, known for North (1994), 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996) and E! True Hollywood Story (1996). She was married to Phil Hartman and Douglas Iver Torfin. She died on 28 May 1998 in Encino, California, USA.- Buck was the name of the original family dog in the hit sitcom "Married... with Children" (1987-1997). It was played by the dog actor Michael, trained by Steven Ritt. Several episodes included voice-overs which revealed Buck's thoughts. The dog was a Briard, a French breed of large shepherd dogs. The breed was first introduced in dog shows during 1863, and is thought to originate from the historic region of Brie.
Michael remained in the series from 1987 to 1995, but developed age-related health problems by the show's final years. In 1995, it was decided that Michael should retire and that the character Buck should die. The character died in the 10th season episode "Requiem for a Dead Briard" (broadcast on October 1, 1995). The show then introduced the new family dog Lucky, as Buck's reincarnation.
Michael lived in retirement until his death in May 1996. He was 13-years-old at the time of his death, while the average life span for a Briard is about 10 years. "Married... with Children" has retained a cult following since its production ended, and Buck has remained a fan-favorite character. Ensuring enduring fame for Michael. - Cornelia Frances was born on 7 April 1941 in Liverpool, England, UK. She was an actress, known for Home and Away (1988), Sons and Daughters (1982) and Ned (2003). She was married to Michael Eastland. She died on 28 May 2018 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
- Dick Tuck was born on 25 January 1924 in Hayden, Arizona, USA. He was married to Joyce Daly and Faith Eversfield. He died on 28 May 2018 in Tucson, Arizona, USA.
- Actor
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- Producer
D'Urville Martin was a key important, prolific and hugely engaging supporting actor who appeared with pleasing regularity in a handful of delightfully down'n'dirty 70s blaxploitation features. Martin was born on February 11, 1939 in New York City. D'Urville first began acting in the 1960s including the elevator attendant in "Rosemary's Baby". He soon became a principal recurring figure in the 70s blaxploitation cinema cycle. Martin acted in several movies with legendary blaxploitation icon Fred "The Hammer" Williamson; he was especially memorable as Williamson's reluctant partner Toby in the "Black Charley" pictures and old childhood chum Reverand Rufus in both the terrific "Black Caesar" and its solid sequel "Hell Up in Harlem." D'Urville popped up in two flicks for director William Girdler: he's the villainous Pilot in the Pam Grier vehicle "Sheba, Baby" and a flamboyant pimp in the enjoyably tacky "The Zebra Killer." Martin directed the hilarious Rudy Ray Moore comedy hoot "Dolemite" -- he also plays Willie Green in this film -- and "Disco 9000." Among the TV shows he did guest spots on are "Dr. Kildare," "Daniel Boone," "The Monkees," "The Man from U.N.C.L.E.," "The Invaders," "All in the Family," "Love, American Style," and "Ironside." Alas, D'Urville Martin had a hard partying lifestyle which directly lead to his unfortunate untimely death from a heart attack at age 45 on May 28, 1984.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Eddie Barth was born on 29 September 1931 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He was an actor, known for Fame (1980), Babe: Pig in the City (1998) and Bananas (1971). He was married to Sally Hada. He died on 28 May 2010 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Actor
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Eric Morecambe was born on 14 May 1926 in Buxton Street, Morecambe, Lancashire, England, UK. He was an actor and writer, known for The Morecambe & Wise Show (1968), Night Train to Murder (1984) and The Intelligence Men (1965). He was married to Joan Morecambe. He died on 28 May 1984 in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, UK.- Frank Deford was born on 16 December 1938 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. He was a writer and actor, known for Everybody's All-American (1988), Trading Hearts (1988) and Alex: The Life of a Child (1986). He was married to Carol Ruth Penner. He died on 28 May 2017 in Key West, Florida, USA.
- Actor
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Without a doubt Gary Coleman was THE child TV star of the late 1970s and early 1980s. A refreshingly confident little tyke with sparkling dark, saucer-like eyes and an ingratiating, take-on-anyone burst of personality, the boy charmed the pants right off of TV viewers the minute he was glimpsed in national commercials. Amazed by how mature he came across, Gary was in truth older than he looked, which was brought upon by a congenital kidney condition. Sadly, the pint-sized phenomena outgrew his chubby-cheeked welcome and found the course of his grown-up Hollywood career brutally rough and patchy. The fragile condition of his health coupled with this lack of adult career acceptance, sparked an aggressively defensive behavior mechanism in his adult years and led to great personal unhappiness, chronic legal/financial hassles and early death.
He was born Gary Wayne Coleman on February 8, 1968, to a homeless woman, and was adopted by a fork-lift operator and his nurse practitioner wife from a Chicago hospital when he was just a few days old. Raised in Zion, Illinois, it was discovered that little Gary had severe health issues before the age of 2. Born with one atrophied kidney and an endangering weak second one, he had two kidney transplants by the time he reached age 16 and the effects of his dialysis medication permanently stunted his growth (to 4'8").
A highly precocious comedy cut-up on-camera, Gary proved a natural in local Chicago commercials. As his commercials spread nationwide, audiences began wondering just who this diminutive dynamo was. Norman Lear's talent scout spotted him in a Chicago bank commercial (he was 9 at the time) and decided to reveal to the world who the little guy was. Brought in to brighten up such Lear sitcoms as "The Jeffersons" and "Good Times" (the latter as a friend of little Janet Jackson's character), NBC quickly recognized the boy's comedy prowess and handed the 10-year-old his own prime-time sitcom playground to mug in.
While Diff'rent Strokes (1978)'s underlying approach was to preach racial and social tolerance (it revolved around two lower-class African-American brothers from Harlem who are taken in and adopted by a wealthy, debonair Park Avenue white man after their housekeeper mother dies), the show's powers-that-be smartly deduced that it was the wisecracking gifts of young Coleman, who played the youngest brother, Arnold Jackson, that gave the show its spark. Deemed "NBC's Littlest Big Man," Gary's sly, pouting-lipped delivery of, "What'chu talkin' about, Willis?" soon became a popular American catchphrase.
Legendary comics such as Bob Hope and Lucille Ball absolutely gushed about the little boy's comedy genius and Gary soon became a hit on the talk show circuit, trading clever banter with the likes of Johnny Carson among others. The boy was also outfitted with a series of lightweight TV-movie showcases which included The Kid from Left Field (1979), Scout's Honor (1980), The Kid with the Broken Halo (1982), The Kid with the 200 I.Q. (1983), The Fantastic World of D.C. Collins (1984) and Playing with Fire (1985). All of them wisely centered around Gary's adorable persona. Modest film comedies also came his way with On the Right Track (1981) and Jimmy the Kid (1982). Topping it all off, the Hanna-Barbera-produced series The Gary Coleman Show (1982) produced an animated version of the child star. Little Gary would make close to $18 million during his nearly decade-long TV reign.
Like many others in his shoes, however, the aging Coleman felt trapped and pigeonholed by his stifling juvenile image and begged to get out from under it. The 18-year-old was truly thankful when the series ended in 1986. Coleman found, however, that a very fickle public was not as receptive to seeing him grow up. Like fellow TV star Emmanuel Lewis, Coleman began aging in appearance but remained trapped in the body of a young boy and the contrast proved too strange for audiences. As a result, Hollywood had little resources as to what to do with Gary Coleman the man. It wasn't long before Coleman was reduced to making weird guest appearances and small parts in even smaller films.
This crash course in reality triggered an increasingly erratic and aggressive behavior in Gary Coleman as he became increasingly angry and bitter about his lack of work when he was so used to be on top of everything. The subsequent tragedies suffered by all three young stars from the "Diff'rent Strokes" show, in fact, was sold out as a jinx package known as the "Diff'rent Strokes curse". While distaff co-star Dana Plato fell heavily into drug addiction, petty crime and pornography before taking her own life in 1999, Todd Bridges, who played Coleman's older brother, battled major cocaine abuse and was later charged (but acquitted of) attempted murder in the late 1980s.
In addition to his life-long health issues, Gary's adult problems came in the form of scattered financial and legal entanglements, as well as scrapes with the law. He was once arrested in 1999 for punching a persistent female autograph fan, in which he was fined and ordered to take anger-management classes. This became tabloid fodder for late night comics who joked that he must have landed "several good uppercuts." He also had many disorderly conduct and reckless driving charges brought up against him at various times. He would admit that the tally of his life problems led to more than a few feigned suicide attempts. In 1989, Coleman successfully sued his adopted parents and business manager after they allegedly pilfered his youthful fortune for their own self interest totaling $3.8 million in losses, and he won $1,280,000. Despite the large settlement, all of the money was soon spent on taxes, legal fees, as well as his increasingly high medical bills for his continuing dialysis treatments. As a result by 1999 (with no steady acting work) Coleman had to declare bankruptcy, finding work outside the Hollywood industry as a security guard. For self-preservation, he went the reality-show route and became the object of self-mocking cameos to help bring in some cash. As a gag, he ran for California's 2003 governorship during its recall election.
In 2007, he married the much younger actress Shannon Price, whom he met on the set of the low budget film Church Ball (2006), but the quickly marriage dissolved quickly into domestic squabbles that put him in front of the court system yet again on domestic abuse charges. He later moved and settled in Utah.
In early 2009, Coleman managed to star in his very last film, the crude independent comedy Midgets vs. Mascots (2009) filmed in Dallas, Texas before the end came. Following heart surgery complicated by pneumonia in the fall of 2009, he suffered a heart seizure in February 2010 while performing on a Hollywood set. The 42-year-old actor died of a brain hemorrhage on May 28, 2010, after suffering an epidural haematoma from a fall at home. A sad end to a very bright and talented, but very troubled and bitter, child star who, at his peak, brought such joy to TV audiences.- Actor
- Director
Gerald Anthony was born on 31 July 1951 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. He was an actor and director, known for One Life to Live (1968), General Hospital (1963) and All My Children (1970). He was married to Brynn Thayer. He died on 28 May 2004 in Butler, New Jersey, USA.- Actress
- Soundtrack
The youngest of five children born to a real estate broker, glamorous actress/singer Irene Manning began this world in Cincinatti, Ohio, as Inez Harvuot in 1912. Classically trained at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, she showed great potential for the grand opera scene but an even stronger flair for acting that led her to combine both of her talents and attempt musical theater and film.
Appearing on stage billed as Hope Manning in such late 30s productions as "The Great Waltz," "H.M.S. Pinafore," and "The Gypsy Baron," sagebrush icon Gene Autry offered her a kiss in her very first screen role a year later in The Old Corral (1936) over at Republic Studios. Warner Bros. saw potential in the petite blonde beauty and decided to pick up her option. Amid such standard WWII fare as Spy Ship (1942), she more than made the grade as the colorful soprano opposite Dennis Morgan in Sigmund Romberg's The Desert Song (1943) (which she had done on stage a few years earlier), and is probably best remembered today in the secondary role of diva Fay Templeton in Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) opposite the Oscar-winning James Cagney. The early 1940s were fruitful years for Irene appearing romantically opposite Humphrey Bogart in the drama The Big Shot (1942) and Dennis Morgan (again) in Shine on Harvest Moon (1944), in addition to offering added glamour in The Doughgirls (1944) with Ann Sheridan and Alexis Smith and Escape in the Desert (1945) featuring Philip Dorn.
The musical stage took priority in the second half of the decade. Making her Broadway debut with the short-lived musical "Susannah, Don't You Cry" in 1939, she also appeared in the operetta "The Chocolate Soldier" and again on Broadway in Lerner and Loewe's "The Day Before Spring." Irene graced the stage in "DuBarry" and "Serenade" while in London and settled in England for a long spell. She also filmed two movies while there, A Yank in London (1945) [A Yank in London] and Bonnie Prince Charlie (1948), retiring completely from the screen by decade's end. She appeared on her own BBC TV show "An American in England," before returning to the States in 1951 for TV and nightclub work. She subsequently retired altogether and concentrated on teaching acting and voice. She was also an excellent abstract painter.
It was her longtime agent who persuaded Irene to come out of retirement and reappear on the musical stage. Such showcases included "Pal Joey," "Mame," and "The King and I," to mention a few. Ms. Manning died in 2004 of congestive heart failure and was survived by her five stepchildren from her fourth (and final) marriage to space engineer and Lockheed executive Maxwell Hunter II, who died in 2001.- John Noakes was born on 6 March 1934 in Shelf, Halifax, Yorkshire, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Redcap (1964), Camera Three (1955) and The Rise and Fall of César Birotteau (1965). He was married to Victoria Fenez. He died on 28 May 2017 in Palma, Majorca, Spain.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Lana Morris always appeared to be more confident and mature than the other post war British starlets. However, the big roles always escaped her and she appeared as a supporting actress in many British films of the 1950s. She later re-started her career, appearing as a professional panellist on many of the TV shows of the 1960s.- Quite a familiar lady and notorious busybody on 1950s and '60s TV and film, petite, red-headed character actress Lurene Tuttle was born in Pleasant Lake, Indiana and raised on a ranch close to the Arizona border. Her father, O.V. Tuttle, started out as a performer in minstrels, but found a job as a railroad-station agent when times got hard. Her grandfather was a drama teacher who once managed an opera house in Angola, Indiana. As a child, she studied acting in Phoenix and was known for her scene-stealing comedy antics even at that early age.
At age 15, the family relocated to Monrovia, California, and it was there that Tuttle began her career. She received dramatic training at the Pasadena Playhouse and appeared in many of their productions, including "The Playboy of the Western World." She subsequently became a troupe member of Murphy's Comedians, a vaudeville company, and then eventually extended her range as a dramatic ingénue in stock shows. Although making it to Broadway somehow slipped through her fingers, Tuttle worked on stage consistently throughout the 1920s and 1930s. Known for her speaking voice and mastery of a wide range of dialects, she found a new avenue in radio during the Depression and became one of that medium's most-recognized voices playing both sweet and sour characters. Dubbed the "First Lady of Radio," her best-remembered role came as Effie, the altruistic "Girl Friday" on "The Adventures of Sam Spade" opposite Howard Duff's cynical-edged gumshoe. Red Skelton also admired her versatility and used her frequently in a variety of parts on his radio show.
Film and TV presented itself to her strongly in the 1950s, by this time fitting in comfortably whether a warm and wise wife and mother or brittle matron. Following her film debut in Heaven Only Knows (1947), Tuttle lent able support alongside film's top stars including Cary Grant in Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948) and Room for One More (1952); Marilyn Monroe in Don't Bother to Knock (1952) and Niagara (1953); Joan Crawford in Goodbye, My Fancy (1951); Leslie Caron in The Glass Slipper (1955); and even Liberace when he tried to go legit in Sincerely Yours (1955). It was a rare occasion, however, when she was given a chance to truly shine in a prime supporting role. She could always be counted on to steal a bit of focus with just a sly grin or cynical look as she did playing the brief part of the sheriff's wife in Alfred Hitchcock's horror classic Psycho (1960). One of those rare exceptions when Tuttle actually top-lined a film came with her crazed portrayal of the title character in Ma Barker's Killer Brood (1960). Here Tuttle pulled out all the stops in this admittedly fictional "B" crimer, going totally ballistic as the Ozark matriarch who, along with her boys, sets people on fire, runs over cops, and tommyguns her way into infamy. On the small screen, Tuttle was an amusing regular in a plethora of sitcoms, playing starchy relatives or gossipy townsfolk. Most audiences remember her quite fondly as the matriarch in Life with Father (1953) opposite Leon Ames, and as the crusty senior nurse on the Diahann Carroll series Julia (1968). She and Ames took the play "Life With Father" on the road several times after the series' demise.
Off-stage, Tuttle was married to fellow actor and announcer Mel Ruick; their paths initially crossed while both were performing in radio. Their daughter was musical comedy actress Barbara Ruick, best known for playing Carrie Pipperidge in the classic film musical Carousel (1956). The couple eventually divorced, and Tuttle wed again, but the marriage was short-lived. Tragically, her only child, who was married to epic film composer John Williams of "Star Wars" fame, died unexpectedly in 1974.
Tuttle was a well-respected drama and diction coach for several decades. She began teaching radio technique in the 1940s and re-trained some prominent actors who were returning from extensive WWII duty. After a lengthy departure in the 1950s due to TV commitments, she returned to to teaching acting almost to the end. Some of her more famous students included Red Skelton, Orson Welles, Milton Berle, Steve Allen, and Jayne Meadows. She lived out the rest of her life in Southern California and succumbed to cancer at age 78. In addition to her famous son-in-law, she was survived by her three grandchildren: Jennifer Gruska, a story editor; Mark Towner Williams, a drummer; and Joseph Williams, a composer and singer. - Marc Zuber was born on 5 May 1944 in Lucknow, India. He was an actor, known for Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991), State of Emergency (1975) and Accident (1978). He died on 28 May 2003 in London, England, UK.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
María Dolores Pradera was born on 29 August 1924 in Madrid, Spain. She was an actress, known for Zalacaín el aventurero (1955), Es peligroso asomarse al exterior (1946) and María Antonia 'La Caramba' (1951). She was married to Fernando Fernán Gómez. She died on 28 May 2018 in Madrid, Spain.- Actress
- Producer
Martha Ellen Scott was born in Jamesport, Missouri, to Letha (McKinley) and Walter Alva Scott, an engineer and garage owner. She entered films in the early 1940s, following an initial appearance in stock. Her first film appearance was Our Town (1940), playing the same character as she played on the stage. She won an Academy Award nomination for her superb performance in the film. Martha Scott is remembered as a highly talented actress, however her work is often forgotten today as she was never seen as a truly bankable star by the major studios.
A recent memorable performance for Martha was as Sister Beatrice in the camp disaster movie Airport 1975 (1974). She played a dominant experienced nun with Helen Reddy, in a cast of major stars facing disaster on the stricken Boeing 747 jetliner.
She continued to work consistently throughout the 1970s and 1980s, often appearing in television movies and on the stage. She died at the age of 90 in May 2003 and is buried with her husband Mel Powell.- Actress
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Maya Angelou was an American poet, singer, memoirist, and civil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and is credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning over 50 years. She received dozens of awards and more than 50 honorary degrees. Maya Angelou is best known for her series of seven autobiographies, which focus on her childhood and early experiences. The first, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969), tells of her life up to the age of 17 and brought her international recognition and acclaim.
With the publication of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Angelou publicly discussed aspects of her personal life. She was respected as a spokesperson for black people and women, and her works have been considered a defense of black culture. Her works are widely used in schools and universities worldwide, although attempts have been made to ban her books from some libraries. Angelou's most celebrated works have been labeled as autobiographical fiction, but many critics consider them to be autobiographies. She made a deliberate attempt to challenge the common structure of the autobiography by critiquing, changing and expanding the genre.- Norman Bartold was born on 6 August 1928 in Berkeley, California, USA. He was an actor, known for Westworld (1973), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) and The California Kid (1974). He was married to Sheila Bartold and Mary Virginia Bartold. He died on 28 May 1994 in Rancho Mirage, California, USA.
- Costume Designer
- Costume and Wardrobe Department
Paulette Coquatrix was born on 28 April 1916 in Paris, France. She was a costume designer, known for The Night Affair (1958), Frou-Frou (1955) and Femmes de Paris (1953). She was married to Bruno Coquatrix. She died on 28 May 2018 in Les Clérimois, Yonne, France.- Peter MacLean was born on 2 January 1936 in Dorchester, Massachusetts, USA. He was an actor, known for Squirm (1976), Days of Our Lives (1965) and Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo (1984). He was married to Dorothy Constantine. He died on 28 May 2003 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
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Phil Hartman was born Philip Edward Hartmann on September 24, 1948, in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. His surname was originally "Hartmann", but he later dropped the second "n". He was one of eight children of Doris Marguerite (Wardell) and Rupert Loebig Hartmann, a salesman. He was of German, Irish, and English descent. The family moved to the United States when Phil was around ten, and he spent the majority of his childhood in Connecticut and Southern California. He later obtained his American citizenship in the early 1990s. He often would visit his homeland of Canada throughout his career, and the City of Brantford even erected a plaque on the Walk of Fame in the town in honor of Phil's career and memory. The Humber College Comedy: Writing & Performance program in Toronto, Ontario, also has an award in Phil's memory that is given out to their Post-Graduate comedy students.
Phil originally studied Graphic Design at California State University. He began to work part time as a graphic artist, designing album covers for such bands as Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young (see Crosby Stills Nash & Young) and Poco. In 1975, alongside doing album work, Phil joined the California comedy troupe, The Groundlings. While in The Groundlings, Phil worked with Paul Reubens and Jon Lovitz, who became good friends of his until his death. Phil and Paul created the character Pee Wee Herman together, and Phil even had a role on Pee-wee's Playhouse (1986) as pirate Captin' Carl.
In 1986, Phil joined the cast of Saturday Night Live (1975) and was on the show for a record of 8 seasons (which was later broken by Tim Meadows). Phil played a wide range of characters including: Frank Sinatra, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, Ed McMahon, Barbara Bush, and many others. He was known to help out other writers who wanted to get their sketches read and onto the show. He held Saturday Night Live (1975) together during his 8-year reign, thus the nickname he garnered while on the show, "The Glue." Phil was also known for his voice work on commercials and cartoons. He was probably most well known for the voices of Troy McClure and Lionel Hutz on the animated comedy The Simpsons (1989). He also provided other minor voices for The Simpsons (1989). Phil left Saturday Night Live (1975) in 1994, and in 1995, was cast in the critically acclaimed NBC show NewsRadio (1995) as arrogant radio show host Bill McNeal.
After Phil's death, Phil's good friend Jon Lovitz attempted to fill the void as Max Lewis on NewsRadio (1995), but the struggling show's ratings dropped, and the show later fizzled out and ended in 1999. Phil had an interesting career in movies, mostly playing supporting characters. He was the lead in Houseguest (1995) and was also in Greedy (1994), Jingle All the Way (1996), Sgt. Bilko (1996), and his last live action film, Small Soldiers (1998). His last role was the English language dub of Kiki's Delivery Service (1989), as the quick-witted cat Jiji, which featured Small Soldiers co-star Kirsten Dunst in the lead voice role.
On May 28th, 1998, Phil was shot to death while sleeping in his Encino, California home by his wife, Brynn Hartman. Brynn left the house and later came back with a friend to show him Phil's body. When her friend went to call 911, Brynn locked herself in the bedroom with Phil's lifeless body and shot herself. It was later discovered by the coroner that Brynn had alcohol, cocaine, and the antidepressant, Zoloft, in her system. They left behind two children, Sean Edward (b. 1988) and Birgen (b. 1992). Phil and Brynn's bodies were cremated and spread upon Catalina Island, just off the coast of California, on June 4, 1998. Phil had specifically stated in his will that he wanted the ashes spread on Catalina Island because it was his favorite holiday getaway as he was an avid boater, surfer and general lover of the sea.
Phil was a very caring and sensitive person and was described as "very sweet and kind of quiet."- Composer
- Actor
- Music Department
Pippo Caruso was born on 22 December 1935 in Belpasso, Sicily, Italy. He was a composer and actor, known for Escape from Women's Prison (1978), Il maestro di violino (1976) and I due toreri (1964). He died on 28 May 2018 in Passo Corese, Rieti, Lazio, Italy.- Actor
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Reynaldo Rey was born on 27 January 1940 in Sequoyah County, Oklahoma, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for Friday (1995), White Men Can't Jump (1992) and First Sunday (2008). He was married to Evelyn. He died on 28 May 2015 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Actor
- Additional Crew
Moviegoers can be forgiven if they thought that stocky, jaunty Rhys Williams was a jovial Irishman, as he often played that type of character, but his role as a Welsh miner in John Ford's classic How Green Was My Valley (1941) (his film debut) was much closer to home for him, as he was born and raised in Wales. In fact, he served as a technical advisor and Welsh language consultant on the film. He began his career on the British stage, and traveled the country as a member of various Shakespearean stock companies, even joining the famed Globe Theater company for a spell. Once he began his career in Hollywood, though, he became one of the busiest supporting actors in the business. He appeared in everything from action pictures to mysteries to westerns to musicals. One of his few villainous roles was as a weaselly American reporter in Tokyo on the payroll of the Japanese government just prior to World War II in Blood on the Sun (1945). In addition to his prolific film work, he did much television over the years, appearing in everything from Maverick (1957) to Mission: Impossible (1966). He died in Santa Monica, California, in 1969, shortly before his last film, Skullduggery (1970), was released.- Actor
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For more than 20 years, Rick has been "The Voice of the Malvern Leopards", serving as the public address announcer for both the Malvern Leopard Football Stadium and the Basketball Field House. In addition to his acting credits, Rick has been the lead singer for rock bands since he was 13 years old. Influences include The Beatles, David Clayton-Thomas of Blood, Sweat, and Tears, and David Phelps. Whenever possible he sings with his two daughters, Heather and Beth, at functions in Arkansas. He also has been featured in dozens of local television advertising campaigns for the furniture industry in Arkansas.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Veteran character player Roy Roberts proudly claimed over 900 performances in a 40-year career. He might not have been known necessarily by name, but the face was distinct and obviously familiar. The prototype of the steely executive, the no-nonsense mayor, the assured banker, the stentorian leader, Roberts looked out of place without his patented dark suit and power tie. His silvery hair, perfectly trimmed mustache, nonplussed reactions and take-charge demeanor reminded one of the "Mr. Monopoly" character from the classic board game.
Roberts was born Roy Barnes Jones on March 19, 1906, in Tampa, Florida, the youngest of six children. The year 1900 is given as his birth date in several reference books, which seems compatible with his noticeably aged appearance in the last decade or so of his life, but his final resting stone bears the year 1906. His early career was on the Broadway stage, gracing such plays as "Old Man Murphy" (1931), "Twentieth Century" (1932), "The Body Beautiful" (1935) and "My Sister Eileen" (1942). In 1943 he made a successful switch to films, debuting as a Marine officer in Guadalcanal Diary (1943). Usually billed around tenth in the credits, he played a reliable succession of stalwart roles (captains, generals, politicians, sheriffs, judges, et al.). He was also a semi-standard presence in film noir, appearing in such classics as Force of Evil (1948), He Walked by Night (1948) and The Enforcer (1951) as both good cop and occasional heavy.
When Roberts made the move to TV he began to include more work in comedies. The 1950s and 1960s would prove him to be a most capable foil to a number of prime sitcom stars, including Gale Storm and Lucille Ball. His patented gruff and exasperated executives often displayed their prestige by the mere use of initials, such as "W.W." and "E.J." While he never landed the one role on film or TV that could have led to top character stardom, he nevertheless remained a solid and enjoyable presence, a character player who added stature no matter how far down the credits list.
A stocky man for most his life, Roberts gained considerable girth in the late 1960s, which made his characters even more imposing. He died of a heart attack on May 28, 1975, in Los Angeles and was buried in Fort Worth, Texas. He was survived by his wife, actress Lillian Moore.- Serge Dassault was born on 4 April 1925 in Paris, France. He was married to Nicole Raffel. He died on 28 May 2018 in Paris, France.
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To say that Terence Alexander, the distinguished British thespian, was hyperactive is a statement that borders on the understatement! Judge for yourself : born in 1923, following a short period when he considered becoming a priest, Alexander exercised the acting profession for six full decades and he might have beaten Queen Victoria's record, had not Parkinson's disease (an illness he finally died of at 86) taken its toll. In 1939, at age 16, he was already in the theater, as the first assistant manager of The White Rose Players Company at the Harrogate Opera House. It did not take more than a few months before he made his acting debut on the aforementioned scene, with the first role in J.B. Priestley's "The Good Companions". And not only would he appear in dozens of plays (signed Jean Anouilh, Ray Cooney, T.S. Eliot, Alan Bennett, Margaret Kennedy, and many others) but he would appear in no fewer than... 340 films, TV movies and series episodes! And that is without counting his career as a voice talent on the radio, as a film and a trailer narrator. Of course, appearing in so many plays and filmed works means that, except on the boards, he was not always the lead. He even hardly ever was. But whether in a supporting role or even a bit part, Terence Alexander managed to establish himself as a well-mannered upper class type with suave manners, although quite often on the wrong side of the law (he was excellent as one of the seven retired army officers turned bank robbers in Basil Dearden's quite enjoyable The League of Gentlemen (1960)). But he could also be an effective foil to comics like Norman Wisdom, Benny Hill and Eric Morecambe & Ernie Wise. On TV, Terence Alexander was everywhere, in many quality TV films like "Autumn Crocus" (1952), "The White Carnation" (1956), "A Room in Town" (1970), "Frankenstein" (1984) and in more than one TV show. But he was first and foremost in an impressive number of series : these included Maigret (1959) (2 episodes, 1962-63), cult classics such as The Avengers (1961) (3 episodes, 1965-69), The New Avengers (1976) (1 episode, 1977), Man in a Suitcase (1967) (1 episode, 1968), The Champions (1968) (1 episode, 1969), The Persuaders! (1971) (1 episode, 1971) and Doctor Who (1963) (2 episodes, 1985), prestigious classic serials such as Nicholas Nickleby (1968) (5 episodes, 1968), The Forsyte Saga (1967) (9 episodes, 1967) and The Pallisers (1974) (3 episodes, 1974), and this is only a sample of all the series the prolific actor appeared in. With such a hectic activity, Terence Alexander of course gained recognition both from his peers and from the public but fame did not come to him before 1981 when he accepted (rather reluctantly by his own admission) the role of Charlie Hungerford in the detective series "Bergerac". As the power broker and (disapproving) former father-in-law of detective Jim Bergerac, played by John Nettles, he appeared in 85 of its 86 episodes. Shown in 35 countries, the series allowed Alexander to be known (and cherished) not only by an international audience but by the younger generation too. More than a swan song for this exquisite actor. When he retired in 1999 he must have have felt satisfied with his professional life.- Actor
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The name may have been forgotten, especially today (seven decades later), but the portly, apoplectic, exasperated figure on the 1930s screen wasn't. While his film career, save a couple of silents, lasted a paltry seven years (1932-1939), character actor Walter Connolly certainly ran the distance. While some film historians complain that a number of his performances were annoying or overbaked, he was for the most part applauded for his zesty contributions to a number of comedy classics. Frank Capra's Lady for a Day (1933), Broadway Bill (1934) and It Happened One Night (1934), not to mention the Carole Lombard/Fredric March screwball farce Nothing Sacred (1937) as news reporter March's hot-headed editor boss are sure-fire examples.
The Cincinnati, Ohio native was born on April 8, 1887 and schooled there. The son of the head of the Western Union relay office, he attended St. Xavier College and the University of Dublin in Ireland before making his New York debut in 1910 in an outdoor presentation of "As You Like It". For the next year or so he was a member of E.H. Sothern's touring company and played supporting roles in a number of Shakespearean shows on the road. After a few silent pictures left him unimpressed with film-making, he turned to the Broadway stage in the 1920s and scored quite well. Somewhat short and tubby, it was not difficult for the jowly, mustachioed actor to seize laughs and he found his share in such outings as "The Talking Parrot" (1923), "Applesauce" (1925), "The Springboard" (1927), "The Happy Husband" (1928), "Stepping Out" (1929), "Your Uncle Dudley" (1930), "Anatol" (1931), "Six Characters in Search of an Author" (1931), "The Good Fairy" (1932) and "The Late Christopher Bean" (1932).
With his talents as a stage farceur firmly established, it was time to make a second attempt at a film career and Hollywood (specifically, Columbia) wisely opened their doors to him. Interestingly, his debut in a full-length talking picture came at age 45 in the form of a drama, Washington Merry-Go-Round (1932), where he was third-billed as a rather benign senator. For the next seven years Connolly, often playing older than he really was, could be found everywhere giving good fluster to the greatest and glossiest of stars -- Janet Gaynor, Carole Lombard, Clark Gable, Jean Harlow, Myrna Loy, Paul Muni, Spencer Tracy, and Ginger Rogers, among hordes of others.
Every now and then he was asked to hold up a film, as with his leading roles in the drama Whom the Gods Destroy (1934), the Hecht/MacArthur comedy/drama Soak the Rich (1936), and the whodunnits Father Brown, Detective (1934) (as the title priest/gumshoe) and The League of Frightened Men (1937) (as supersleuth Nero Wolfe). Connolly's archetypal fuming was on full display in the comedies She Couldn't Take It (1935) with George Raft and Joan Bennett and Fifth Avenue Girl (1939) with Ginger Rogers. His last role was as the great composer himself in the highly fictional The Great Victor Herbert (1939), although it wasn't the leading role.
Connolly married actress Nedda Harrigan in 1920. The two appeared together in the Broadway comedies "Treat 'Em Rough" (1926) and "Merry Andrew" (1929). They had one daughter, actress Ann Connolly (1924-2006), who also appeared on stage and played the grownup Wendy in the 'Mary Martin' /Cyril Ritchard Broadway production of "Peter Pan" in 1954. Ironically, Connolly, whose obesity was probably a contributing factor to his fatal stroke suffered on May 28, 1940, received his final divorce decree on the day he died. He was only 53.- Walter Wolfgang was born on 23 June 1923 in Frankfurt, Germany. He died on 28 May 2019 in the UK.