Birthdays: May 15
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- Composer
- Actor
- Director
Mike Oldfield was born on 15 May 1953 in Reading, Berkshire, England, UK. He is a composer and actor, known for The Killing Fields (1984), Weird Science (1985) and The Exorcist (1973).- Adrienne Larussa was born on 15 May 1948 in New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress, known for The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976), Centennial (1978) and The Conspiracy of Torture (1969). She has been married to Robert French since 31 December 1987. She was previously married to Steven Seagal.
- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Ahmet Zappa is a true multi-hyphenate. He is an entrepreneur, NY Times Best Selling Author, film & television screenwriter, director, producer, musician, toy & game inventor, and the radio talk show host of Rocktails on SiriusXM. Focusing on the intersection of entertainment and technology, Zappa is often sought after to create new business strategies, marketing plans, and branded content for a variety of businesses spanning emerging marketing technologies to immersive entertainment experiences.
As a music estate manger, Zappa specializes in transforming undervalued and distressed intellectual properties into successful profit centers. He runs all aspects of the extensive Frank Zappa library through a unique partnership with Universal Music Group. He has successfully expanded the legacy of Frank Zappa's catalog into becoming one of their top 50 globally best selling artists.
He is a partner at the Blk-Ops agency. Their team is comprised of Hollywood creative minds and visionaries who use their filmmaking talents to solve marketing challenges through brand strategy, storytelling and design. Working with Fortune 500 companies, they successfully merge the worlds of Hollywood and Madison Avenue.
Under his entertainment shingle, Monsterfoot Productions, he conceived, developed and produced the feature film "The Odd Life of Timothy Green" for Walt Disney Pictures. He also created and wrote the screenplays for "Monster Witness Relocation Program" and "Tiki." For Sony Pictures, he's producing the movies "Dodge & Twist" and "Savage Planet" and he's working on a new animated series which created for Nickelodeon.
Zappa's authored over 20 critically acclaimed and best selling books including the novel "The Monstrous Memoirs of a Mighty McFearless," "Because I'm Your Dad," the soon to be released "Because I'm Your Mom," "The Hot Rats Book," and the wildly successful franchise "Star Darlings" for Disney with is amazing wife, Shana.
As a musician and composer he's written and produced music for animation, recorded tracks for motion picture soundtracks, scored music for commercials, web series, reality programs, specials and other television projects. As a lead singer, he's toured the globe playing sold-out shows throughout the United States and Europe.- Actor
- Music Department
- Executive
Akihiro Miwa was born on 15 May 1935 in Nagasaki, Japan. He is an actor and executive, known for Princess Mononoke (1997), Howl's Moving Castle (2004) and Black Lizard (1968).- Alan Rollinson was born on 15 May 1943 in Walsall, West Midlands, England, United Kingdom. He died on 2 June 2019 in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England, United Kingdom.
- Alex Breckenridge was born on May 15 1982 in Darien, Connecticut before moving to California when she was 12. Breckenridge first got an interest in acting at 13 when she performed in local theater productions and soon moved to Los Angeles to pursue her acting career. Her first film was the independent comedy picture Locust Valley (1999). She followed up this performance with guest spots on several successful series, including Dawson's Creek (1998) and Freaks and Geeks (1999), and supporting roles in the films Big Fat Liar (2002), Orange County (2002) and the short film D.E.B.S. (2003), which won the award for Best Short at the 2003 New York Lesbian and Gay Film Festival. After appearing on the series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997), Alex was offered her own series, the UPN drama pilot Mystery Girl. Sadly, UPN chose to have only one female-led detective series in the 2004-2005 season and Mystery Girl was not picked up. In 2005, Alex appeared in the ABC Family movie Romy and Michele: In the Beginning (2005) and took on the role of Michele Weinberger, played by Lisa Kudrow in the original 1997 film. She also began work on the animated sitcom Family Guy (1999), voicing celebrities such as Cybill Shepherd and Christina Aguilera. In 2006, Alex is breaking into the mainstream with a lead role in the comedy movie She's the Man (2006). She currently lives in Hollywood.
- Althea McNish was born on 15 May 1924 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. She was married to John Weiss . She died on 16 April 2020 in London, England, UK.
- Writer
- Director
Ana Cacopardo is known for Un claro día de justicia (2006), Ojos que no ven (2009) and Secreto y confidencial, historias de persecución (2007).- Anasuya Bharadwaj is an Indian actress, television presenter, and host. She works primarily in the Telugu film and television industry. She is known for her roles in the movies, Kshanam (2016) and Rangasthalam 1985 (2018).
Bharadwaj received her master's in business administration from Badruka College in Hyderabad and worked as an HR executive in the corporate sector. She started her career in the entertainment industry when she was offered the position of a news presenter on SakshiTV.
Since then, she has appeared as a host and presenter on various platforms. She served as an anchor on Maa Music, followed by a hosting stint on a comedy show, Jabardasth (2013). This gained her popularity, leading to the signing of her first film, Soggade Chinni Nayana (2016) with Nagarjuna Akkineni.
In the same year, she portrayed a negative lead role in the movie, Kshanam (2016), which gained her critical acclaim. She also played supporting roles in many other movies like Rangasthalam 1985 (2018) and Pushpa: The Rise - Part 1 (2021). At the same time, she continued to be a sought-after host and helmed many television and award shows.
Bharadwaj has also gained recognition for her work in movies. She was nominated as Best Supporting Actress at the 6th South Indian International Movie Award (SIIMA)and the IIFA Utsavam Award for her performance in Kshanam (2016). She has also been awarded the Best Supporting Actress Award at the 66th Filmfare Awards (South), the 8th SIIMA Awards, and a Zee Cine Award for her role in Rangasthalam 1985 (2018). - Director
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Although he obtained a law degree from the Royal Hungarian University, Andre De Toth decided to become an actor, and spent several years on the stage. He then entered the Hungarian film industry, obtaining work as a writer, editor, second unit director and actor before finally becoming a director. He directed a few films just before the outbreak of WW II, when he fled to England. Alexander Korda gave him a job there, and when De Toth emigrated to the US in 1942, Korda got him a job as a second unit director on The Jungle Book (1942). De Toth made his debut as a director in American films in 1944. He was known for his tough, hard-edged pictures, whether westerns or urban crime dramas, and showed no compunction about depicting violence in as realistic a manner as possible, an unusual and somewhat controversial attitude for the time. Probably his best known film is House of Wax (1953), a Vincent Price horror film shot in 3-D. As De Toth only had one eye, that put him in the somewhat odd position of shooting a film in a process in which he would never be able to see the result. That didn't seem to matter, though; the film was a critical and financial success, and is generally considered to be the best 3-D film ever made.- Andrea Jürgens was born on 15 May 1967 in Wanne-Eickel, North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany. She was married to Ralf Stiller. She died on 20 July 2017 in Recklinghausen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
- Andy Murray is a British professional tennis player from Scotland.
Murray represents Great Britain in his sporting activities and is a three-time Grand Slam tournament winner, two-time Olympic champion, Davis Cup champion, winner of the 2016 ATP World Tour Finals, and former world No. 1.
Murray defeated Novak Djokovic in the 2012 US Open final, becoming the first British player since 1977, and the first British man since 1936, to win a Grand Slam singles tournament. Murray is also the first British man to win multiple Wimbledon singles titles since Fred Perry in 1936, winning the tournament in 2013 and 2016.
Murray is the men's singles 2012 and 2016 Olympic gold medalist, making him the only tennis player, male or female, to have won two Olympic singles titles. He featured in Great Britain's Davis Cup-winning team in 2015, going 11-0 in his matches (8 singles and 3 doubles) as they secured their first Davis Cup title since 1936. - Actress
- Producer
- Editorial Department
Anjelika Washington was born on 15 May 1998 in Bakerfield, California, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Tall Girl (2019), Stargirl (2020) and Young Sheldon (2017).- Actress
- Soundtrack
The dark, delicate and demure beauty of an Anna Maria Alberghetti is what one envisions a princess to look like and, indeed, she did have a chance to play a couple in her lifetime. Reminding one instantly of the equally enchanting Pier Angeli, Anna Maria's Cinderella story did not take on a tragic storybook ending as it did for Ms. Angeli. On the contrary, Anna Maria continues to delight audiences today on many levels, particularly on the concert and lecture stages.
She was born in a musical home in Pesaro, Italy, in 1936, the daughter of a concertmaster father and pianist mother. They greatly influenced her obvious talent and by age six she was performing with symphony orchestras with her father as her vocal instructor. World War II had forced the Alberghettis from their homeland and after performing in a European tour, Anna Maria's pure operatic tones reached American ears via her Carnegie Hall debut at age 14. The family decided to settle permanently in the States. The teenager went on to perform with numerous symphony orchestras during this time.
In 1950 Paramount saw a bright future in the making. Within a short time she was capturing hearts on film, making a magical debut in the eerie but hypnotic Gian Carlo Menotti's chamber opera The Medium (1951). Opposite the magnificent Marie Powers in the title role as the fraudulent Madame Flora, Anna Maria was directed by Menotti himself in the independently-produced film. While the movie was appreciated in art house form, Paramount wasted no time in placing the photogenic Anna into mainstream filming. Her budding talent was strangely used, however. She had an extended operatic solo in the breezy Capraesque Bing Crosby/Jane Wyman comedy Here Comes the Groom (1951), and played a Polish émigré befriended by a singer (played by Rosemary Clooney) who discovers the girl has musical talent of her own in the so-so The Stars Are Singing (1953). Anna's songs included the touching "My Kind of Day" and "My Heart Is Home". Thereafter, for some strange reason, her vocals were not utilized. She acted instead in such rugged adventures as The Last Command (1955) and Duel at Apache Wells (1957), and in the fluffy comedy Ten Thousand Bedrooms (1957) opposite Dean Martin. And, in the end, she was lovely but utterly wasted as the Prince Charming equivalent in the gender-bending Jerry Lewis farce Cinderfella (1960). Not only does she arrive late in the film, but Jerry gave her no songs to sing -- he sang them all!
Extremely disillusioned, Anna Maria departed from films in the early 60s and instead sought out work on the Broadway stage. It was here that she found that elusive star. Following a role in the operetta "Rose Marie" in 1960, Anna Maria won the part of a lifetime as the waif-like Lili in the musical "Carnival", based on Leslie Caron's charming title film role. Anna Maria was utterly delightful and quite moving in the role and for her efforts was awarded the Tony Award -- tying in her category with Diahann Carroll for "No Strings". Anna Maria's sister Carla replaced her when she left the show. Throughout the 60s she continued to impress in musical ingénue showcases -- the title role in "Fanny" (1963), Maria in "West Side Story" (1964), Marsinah in "Kismet" (1967) (which was televised), and Luisa in "The Fantasticks" (1968), to name but a few.
As she matured, she made a mark in other facets of entertainment. On TV Ed Sullivan first introduced Anna Maria to millions of households and the public was thoroughly taken by this singing angel. She appeared with Sullivan a near-record 53 times. She also graced a number of popular TV shows with non-singing, damsel-in-distress roles on such shows as "Wagon Train" and "Checkmate". Her recording career has included associations with Capitol, Columbia, Mercury and MGM Records.
In 1964, Anna married TV director/producer Claudio Guzmán who was almost a decade older. The ten-year marriage produced two daughters, Alexandra and Pilar. She began to downplay her career after this in favor of parenting, particularly after her divorce in 1974.
Returning to the theater on occasion, Anna Maria later reintroduced herself back into TV households as the housewife/pitchwoman for "Good Seasons" salad dressing. Her one-woman stage show led to her interest as a cabaret performer. More recent film appearances have included fun roles in the comedies Friends and Family (2001) and The Whole Shebang (2001).- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Anny Ondra was a Polish-Czech-Austrian-German-French singer and a film and stage actress. As a child she lived in Prague, where her father was a colonel in the Austro-Hungarian army. After graduating from convent school in Prague, she studied to be an actress with Professor Bor. She was already a star in the Czech theater when, at age 16, the teenage beauty was discovered by the film industry.
From 1920--mostly under the direction of Karel Lamac--she became a major comedic star in Czech cinema, and in 1928 she conquered German cinema. Historically, she was Alfred Hitchcock's first blonde, appearing in his film Blackmail (1929), which was England's--and Hitchcock's--first talking film (Hitchcock, knowing that not all theaters supported talkies, also shot a silent version of the film). In 1930 in Germany she created, with the help of Karel Lamac, the Ondra-Lamac Film Society, which lasted till 1936. She was in Die vom Rummelplatz (1930) ("Those of the Sideshow") but the film, was lost and remains so to this day.
She played in German-, Czech- and French-language versions of all her movies, always as the leading lady. She became an international cinema superstar and one of the most beloved of German film stars. She appeared in more than 88 films. She retired from the industry in 1957 and lived in Hollenstedt in der Lüneburger Heide, Germany (near Hamburg), with her husband, boxing champion Max Schmeling, whom she married in 1933.
She died in Hollenstedt and will never be forgotten by her fans.- Writer
- Additional Crew
Anthony Shaffer was born on 15 May 1926 in Liverpool, England, UK. He was a writer, known for Sleuth (1972), Frenzy (1972) and The Wicker Man (1973). He was married to Diane Cilento and Carolyn Soley. He died on 6 November 2001 in London, England, UK.- Antonio Caride was born on 15 May 1950 in Argentina. He was an actor, known for Son of the Bride (2001), Sin código (2004) and Micaela (1992). He was married to Patricia Palmer. He died on 23 October 2019 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- A native Floridian, Arian Ash has been a professional actor since 1992. Her career began at Nickelodoen Studios, at Universal Studios in Orlando. Since then, Arian has had the privilege to work alongside A-Listers like Colin Farrell, John Travolta, James Gandolfini and Denzel Washington. Arian is also an accomplished graphic designer, as well as a self-taught pianist and songwriter.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Before Arlette-Leonie Bathiat went to the movies she was a secretary and had posed several times as a model for different painters and photographers. In 1920 she debuted on stage at a theatre. She only began to work in movies after 1930. After World War II she was condemned to prison for having been the lover of a German official during the ocupation of France. In 1963 she had an accident which left her almost blind. Her most important movies were filmed and directed by Marcel Carné ("Hotel du Nord (1938)" or "Enfants du Paradis, Les (1945)").- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Ashlynn Yennie was born in the small town of Riverton, Wyoming. She studied acting at the New York Conservatory of Dramatic Arts. Her first feature film credit was when she was cast as Jenny in the cult horror film The Human Centipede. She has starred in numerous feature films and television shows.- Actress
- Stunts
Autumn Dial is an actress, known for American Reunion (2012), Reminiscence (2021) and Logan Lucky (2017).- Avori is a full-time Video Game Streamer and Content Creator with over 1.7M followers across Twitch, Facebook, TikTok and Instagram. Avori got her start in 2017 when a viral Twitch clip led to her dropping out of the Miss America Pageant to pursue a full-time career as a streamer.
In 2019, Avori was invited to join Team USA and compete in the PUBG Nation vs Nation tournament in Mexico City. Team USA went undefeated in the tournament vs Team Mexico. She spent the remainder of 2019-2021 creating gaming content and traveling the world competing in various gaming competitions, one of which was hosted on her own twitch channel. Avori created and promoted Girl Gamer Royale, an all-females PUBG Tournament which was live streamed in 3 parts. The tournament raised almost $10,000 for charity and gave women a safe space to compete in gaming tournaments at a higher caliber.
In 2021, Avori was cast in Season 1 of the Netflix revival of The Mole, which filmed that summer in Australia. The show is available now on Netflix.
Avori strives to create entertaining, family-friendly content across all of her social media. - Director
- Cinematographer
- Editor
A loud and constantly innovative voice in independent film, Barbara Hammer was born in 1939 in California. From a young age, she was encouraged to be pretty and feminine, her mother constantly forcing the images of child actors like Shirley Temple on her daughter. Her grandmother, a Ukrainian immigrant, worked as a cook for the famous actress Lillian Gish, and at one point, little Barbara and her mother were introduced to D. W. Griffith. Barbara, however, did not want to be a child star, and when she became of age, found a new way to express herself. Barbara made her first film, in 1974, and since then has made somewhere between 80 and 100 films and videos. Many of her works have been very controversial, dealing often with sex, gender, society and history. Her first feature film, Nitrate Kisses, appeared in 1992.- The daughter of William Lott, who managed Ealing Studios before the Second World War, Barbara Lott trained for acting at RADA. She made her stage debut in 1944 and her first television appearance in 1950. Barbara achieved fame late in life as Mrs Bennett in Rings on Their Fingers (1978) and as Ronnie Corbett's mother in Sorry! (1981). Barbara was married to television producer Stuart Latham (who died in 1993).
- Bernadette Yao was born on 15 May 1960 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. She is a writer and actress, known for Living Language Series English for New Americans: Health and Safety (1999), FETCH! with Ruff Ruffman (2006) and Zoom (1972).
- Actor
- Producer
Blair Davies was born on 15 May 1914 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. He was an actor and producer, known for The Brighter Day (1954), Man Against Crime (1949) and Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (1963). He died on 17 May 2003 in Yorktown Heights, New York, USA.- Actor
- Producer
Brad Rowe was born on 15 May 1970 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Shelter (2007), National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007) and God Bless America (2011). He has been married to Lisa Fiori since 18 September 1999. They have one child.- Born in Klamath Falls, Oregon, and raised in Portland, Brenda Bakke moved to Los Angeles to study acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She began to work in the mid-1980s on episodes of television series and playing minor characters in low budget comedies. She appeared in the Charlie Sheen film Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993).
During the 1990s, she appeared in such mainstream Hollywood films as Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (1995) and L.A. Confidential (1997). The latter received nine Academy Award nominations, winning two Oscars. She landed a role on American Gothic (1995). In the 2000s, she appeared in such films as The Quickie (2001) and Moving August (2002). She had guest roles on episodes of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000), NYPD Blue (1993), The Mentalist (2008), and Supernatural (2005). In 2015, she began appearing in the recurring role of Virginia on If Loving You Is Wrong (2014). In 2016-17, she appeared in guest star roles on Heartbeat (2016), Grey's Anatomy (2005), and Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders (2016). - Composer
- Music Department
- Actor
Regarded as one of the best producers and musicians in rock history, Eno started his career in 1971 with Roxy Music. The band released two albums, "Roxy Music" and "For Your Pleasure", with the two Brians in the lineup (the other one was, of course, lead singer Bryan Ferry); a conflict between the two Brians forced Eno to leave Roxy Music in 1973. Since then, he has released well-acclaimed ambient-music albums, both solo and with collaborators such as John Cale, Robert Fripp and Daniel Lanois. As a producer, Eno has worked with David Bowie, U2, Talking Heads, Devo and James Lumb.- Actor
- Stunts
- Additional Crew
Brian Tyler was born on 15 May 1953 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. He is an actor, known for The Warriors (1979), Vamp Bikers (2013) and Popcorn (1991).- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Brigitte Bako was born on 15 May 1967 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. She is an actress and writer, known for Strange Days (1995), G-Spot (2005) and A Man in Uniform (1993).- Actress
- Additional Crew
Bryn Erin was born on 15 May 1973 in Toronto, Canada. She is an actress, known for The Collector (2004), Dream On (1990) and The Last Supper (1995). She was previously married to Thom Ward.- Actress
- Producer
- Sound Department
Caroline Dhavernas commands the attention of filmgoers and television viewers with her beauty, talent and poise. Beginning her career at age 11, the Montreal native is already an acclaimed young actress who has also made her mark in Hollywood. She is the recipient of two Gemeaux Awards, one for "Best Interpretation in a Youth Series" for Zap (1993) and the second for "Best Supporting Role" in Tag.
Her first feature film, Thick as Thieves (1999), was followed by L'île de sable (1999).
She co-starred in English director Peter Greenaway's The Tulse Luper Suitcases, Part 1: The Moab Story (2003), which was presented at the Cannes Film Festival in 2003.
Dhavernas made her American television debut in 2002 in Law & Order (1990). But it's her role as "Jaye Tyler" in the critically acclaimed FOX comedy Wonderfalls (2004) that will make a mark in the minds of viewers.
In 2005, she landed a part in the drama Niagara Motel (2005) and received a Genie Award nomination for "Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role".
In 2006, she starred in the Focus Features film Hollywoodland (2006) opposite Adrien Brody, with whom she reunited in 2010 in Wrecked (2010). She also acted alongside Chris Cooper and Ryan Phillippe in Breach (2007).
Dhavernas appeared in the widely acclaimed Canadian feature Passchendaele (2008), which won the 2009 Genie Award for "Best Motion Picture".
She was in the supernatural thriller Devil (2010) produced by M. Night Shyamalan and The Switch (2010) with Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman.
She also starred as "Vera Keller" in The Pacific (2010), a mini-series about World War II that debuted on HBO in March 2010.
In 2011, she could be seen in the ABC medical drama Off the Map (2011).
In 2013, she reunited with Wonderfalls (2004) creator Bryan Fuller in NBC's psychological horror thriller hit Hannibal (2013). Her performance as "Dr. Alana Bloom" earned her 4 nominations: a Saturn Award nod for "Best Supporting Actress on Television", an ACTRA Montreal Award nod for "Outstanding Female Performance", a Golden Maple Award nod for "Best Actress in a TV Series Broadcasted in the US" and a Chainsaw Award nod for "Best TV Actress".
2017 will see Dhavernas take on another strong TV leading role in Lifetime's thought-provoking euthanasia drama Mary Kills People (2017).- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Bronx-born and raised Chazz Palminteri was a natural choice to continue the Italianate torch in film. In the tradition set forth in the 1970s by such icons as director Martin Scorsese and actors Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, John Cazale and Joe Pesci, Palminteri has brought grit, muscle and an evocative realism to the sidewalks of his New York neighborhood, violent as they are and were.
Chazz was born Calogero Lorenzo Palminteri in 1952 in the Bronx, New York, the son of Rose, a homemaker, and Lorenzo Palminteri, a bus driver. He grew up in a tough area of the Bronx, giving him the life lessons that would later prove very useful to his career. He graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School and started out pursuing his craft in 1973 studying at the Actor's Studio. He appeared off-Broadway in the early 1980s while paying his dues as a bouncer and doorman in nightclubs, among other jobs.
In 1986 he headed west and found that his ethnic qualifications was well-suited for getting tough-talker parts. Slick attorneys, unflinching hoods and hard-nosed cops were all part of his ethnic streetwise persona in such TV shows as Wiseguy (1987), Matlock (1986) and Hill Street Blues (1981). In films he started off playing a 1930s-style gangster in Sylvester Stallone's Oscar (1991). Although his roles were sharp, well-acted and with a distinct edge to them, there was nothing in them to show that he was capable of stronger leading parts.
In 1988 he wrote for himself a play entitled "A Bronx Tale," a powerful one-man stage commentary in which he depicted his bruising childhood in great detail, which included witnessing gangland slayings. Palminteri brought each and every character to life (18 in all) in this autobiographical piece -- his friends, enemies, even his own family. He showcased for years in both Los Angeles and New York, finally sparking the interest of his film idol, Robert De Niro. DeNiro, wanting to direct for the first time, saw the potential of this project and brought both it and the actor/writer to the screen. Palminteri played one of the flashier roles, Sonny, a gangster, in the movie version. An unknown film commodity at the time, Chazz had stubbornly refused to sell his stage property (the offers went into the seven figures) unless he was part of the package as both actor and screenwriter. DeNiro, who became his mentor, backed him up all the way, and the rest is history. A Bronx Tale (1993), which featured his actress/producer/wife Gianna Palminteri, earned strong reviews.
At age 41 Palminteri had become an "overnight" star. Other important projects quickly fell his way. He received a well-deserved Oscar nomination the following year for his portrayal of a Runyonesque hit man in Woody Allen's hilarious jazz-era comedy Bullets Over Broadway (1994). He was on the right side of the law in both The Perez Family (1995), his first romantic lead, and then the classic crimer The Usual Suspects (1995). He played the ill-fated brute in Diabolique (1996) and wrote a second screenplay, Faithful (1996), in which he again plays a hit man, terrorizing both Cher and Ryan O'Neal.
Though Palminteri was invariably drawn into a rather tight-fitting, often violent typecast, it has been a secure and flashy one that continues to run strong into the millennium. Surprisingly, the one obvious show he missed out on was HBO's The Sopranos (1999). True to form his trademark flesh-lipped snarl was spotted in gritty urban settings playing a "Hell's Kitchen" cop in One Eyed King (2001) starring actor/producer Armand Assante; a pool hustler and mentor in Poolhall Junkies (2002); a mob boss in In the Fix (2005); a dirty cop in Running Scared (2006); the titular scam artist as Yonkers Joe (2008); a karaoke-loving Italian psychiatrist in Once More with Feeling (2009); and an abusive husband and father in Mighty Fine (2012).
Other millennium filming includes starring presences in Body Armour (2007), The Dukes (2007), the title conman as Yonkers Joe (2008), Once More with Feeling (2009) and Mighty Fine (2012), as well as prime supports in Running Scared (2006), A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (2006), Push (2006), Jolene (2008), Once Upon a Time in Queens (2013), Legend (2015), Vault (2019), Clover (2020). TV crime continues to occupy his time as well, clocking in such series' credits as Kojak (2005), Rizzoli & Isles (2010) and Godfather of Harlem (2019). Occasionally he will lighten up -- as in his recurring role as Shorty on the popular sitcom Modern Family (2009).- Producer
- Additional Crew
- Writer
Chris Meledandri is an American animated film producer and executive who worked at Blue Sky Studios and founded Illumination. The various films he produced included Ice Age, Robots, Horton Hears a Who, Despicable Me, Minions, The Lorax, The Grinch, Sing, The Secret Life of Pets and The Super Mario Bros. Movie.- Claudia Cárpena is known for Subí que te llevo (1980), Esos que dicen amarse (1993) and Yo tengo fe (1974).
- Actor
- Music Department
- Composer
Cleavant Derricks was born on 15 May 1953 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Sliders (1995), Moscow on the Hudson (1984) and Dreamgirls (2006). He has been married to Portia Derricks since 24 June 1986. They have four children.- Actress
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Coming from a musical family - her mother was a concert soprano - Constance Cummings made her show business debut in 1926 in regional stock theater, and by 1928 had appeared in her first Broadway play. Her success in the theater resulted in an invitation to Hollywood, where she went 1931. Although she played in more than 20 films, she was never really comfortble in Hollywood nor satisfied with the parts she was getting, and in 1934 she left for England, UK. She continued her stage and film career there. but few of those films ever made it back to the U.S.- Actor
- Writer
Cyrille Thouvenin was born on 15 May 1976 in Mont-Saint-Martin, Meurthe-et-Moselle, France. He is an actor and writer, known for The Happening (2008), Juste une question d'amour (2000) and La confusion des genres (2000).- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Dan Patrick was born on 15 May 1956 in Zanesville, Ohio, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Just Go with It (2011), The Ridiculous 6 (2015) and The Benchwarmers (2006).- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Daniel Giménez-Cacho was born on May 15, 1961, in Madrid, Spain. He is a Mexican actor and director, Ariel award winner, who has starred in several Mexican films such as 'Solo con tu pareja' (1991), 'Cronos' (1993), 'Midaq Alley' (1995) and 'Arráncame la Vida' (2008), among others. He is also known for 'Y tu mamá también' (2001), 'La mala educación' (2004) and 'Blancanieves' (2012).- Actor
- Soundtrack
David Charvet, who rose to international fame on the hit shows Baywatch (1989) and Melrose Place (1992), is now moving into the feature front, having completed production on starring roles in two films.
In the sports feature Green Flash (2008), Charvet plays "Cameron Day", a star basketball player with a future in the NBA until he chokes in a key game, with the after-effects causing him to settle into an aimless life. A chance encounter takes him into the professional beach volleyball scene in Southern California, but his old demons begin creeping in again, threatening his chances at success. The film marks the directorial debut of Paul Nihipali Jr. Jr., who was a member of the U.S. National Volleyball team from 1995-1997 as well as a three-time All-American and captain for the UCLA men's championship-winning volleyball team. The film, shot on location in Southern California, is produced by Cameron Dieterich and Joseph John Barmettler, with Bob Smiland executive producing. The theatrical release date was intended to coincide with the Summer 2008 Olympic Games.
Earlier this year, Charvet starred in the action/adventure feature film Prisoners of the Sun (2013), directed by Academy Award-winner Roger Christian (Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977), Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999), The Dollar Bottom (1981)). He plays "Doug Adler", an archaeologist hired by an eccentric professor to lead his team on a national expedition to excavate a long lost city beneath an Egyptian pyramid. The expedition takes a turn for the worse when the gods of ancient Egypt are awakened from their five thousand year slumber and seek vengeance against the team. John Rhys-Davies, Joss Ackland and Carmen Chaplin co-star in the film, which was budgeted at $10 million.
Charvet launched his acting career on the world's most watched show of its time, Baywatch (1989), in which he developed a strong international following playing lifeguard "Matt Brody" for three seasons. He continued to expand his fan base with his role of "Craig Field" for two seasons on Melrose Place (1992). He also starred in NBC's highly-rated telefilm Seduced and Betrayed (1995) and the ABC movies-of-the week Derby (1995) and Angel Flight Down (1996). He also starred in the independent feature, Meet Prince Charming (1999), with Drea de Matteo.
As a Universal Music recording artist, Charvet spent five years in Europe, where he released three successful pop rock albums, as part of his five album deal with Universal Music Group France. He has sold over 2.5 million albums to date, with three of his singles ("Leap of Faith", "Should I Leave" and "The Tears in My Eyes") charting in the Top 10.
Charvet has traveled extensively throughout Europe and Asia, performing for packed arenas, writing music and experiencing new cultures. He has collaborated with top songwriters such as Ty Lacy (who wrote LeAnn Rimes' single "I Need You"), and he has also worked with Robbie Williams' producer Steve Power. Charvet has recorded a duet with Bryan Adams, and he also worked on a duet with Seal.
Although his music career has taken center stage in recent years, Charvet has always sought new creative challenges. He has now returned to the United States where he is happy to be back to his first love of acting and bringing his new palette of colors to that domain. "Music has helped me to evolve tremendously as an artist and has enriched me personally in so many ways", he offers. "I left America a boy and have come back a man".
Charvet has trained with such renowned acting teachers as Roy London and Larry Moss. He currently resides in Malibu, CA with his fiancée Brooke Burke and their infant daughter, Heaven Rain.- A rotund, jovial New Yorker, David Healy obligingly played every manner of stereotypical American in British films and on television for more than thirty years. The son of an Australian father and an American mother, he spent much of his youth in Texas. Studying at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, he majored in drama and befriended another young acting hopeful, named Larry Hagman. David first arrived in England as a member of the U.S. Air Force and soon wound up, along with Hagman, in the cast of a touring show written by John Briley. This later grew into The Airbase (1965), a 25-minute BBC sitcom (with David as Staff Sergeant Tillman Miller), which took a humorous look at British-American cultural differences at an RAF base.
Considering his job prospects to be rather more lucrative in Britain -- in keeping with the 'bigger fish, smaller pond' theory - David soon found himself in almost continuous demand for any part which required an affable or imperious American. His long gallery of characters included diplomats, businessmen, bureaucrats, spooks, military brass, and so on. There were rare occasions, when he acted against type and played 'Britishers' -- a notable point in case being a likeable Dr. Watson, opposite charismatic Ian Richardson as Sherlock Holmes, in The Sign of Four (1983). His comedic side was showcased in guest appearances with Dick Emery and Kenny Everett and a with couple of turns in Jeeves and Wooster (1990).
Though married and settled in Surrey, David took job offers on both sides of the Atlantic. He was glimpsed as a cleric in Patton (1970) and in Robert Aldrich's doomsday thriller Twilight's Last Gleaming (1977); well-cast as Teddy Roosevelt in Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years (1977); and he had recurring roles in TV's favourite soapie of the day, Dallas (1978). British TV audiences saw him guesting in just about every major crime series, from The Saint (1962) and Department S (1969), to The Persuaders! (1971). Simultaneously, from 1967, David pursued a successful career as a stage actor in classical plays with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre. In 1975, he re-visited his roots, playing Falstaff at a Shakespeare festival in Dallas. Ever versatile, David found another calling in musicals, appearing in "Kismet", "Call Me Madam" and "The Music Man". He received much praise for his interpretation of Runyonesque gambler Nicely-Nicely Johnson (played definitively on screen by Stubby Kaye) in "Guys and Dolls", performing show-stopping encores of "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat". - Actor
- Producer
- Writer
David Krumholtz is an American actor and comedian. He played Mr. Universe in Serenity, Charlie Eppes in the CBS drama series Numb3rs, and starred in the Harold & Kumar and The Santa Clause film franchises. Krumholtz was born in Queens, New York City. He is the son of Michael, a postal worker, and Judy Krumholtz, a dental assistant. He grew up in a "very working-class, almost poor", Jewish family. His paternal grandparents had immigrated from Poland, and his mother moved from Hungary to the U.S. in 1956.- One of four children, lovely Detroit-born actress Doris Dowling (born May 15, 1923) would follow older sister Constance Dowling (who died relatively young in 1969) into show business. Raised in New York City, she briefly spent some time with a San Francisco Folies Bergère company before returning to New York and studying at Hunter College.
Following several years as a singing/dancing Broadway chorine in such musicals as Panama Hattie (debut at age 17), Banjo Eyes, Beat the Band and New Faces of 1943, Doris decided to pattern sister Constance's career formula by relocating to Hollywood and pursue films. After a couple of bit parts, she scored with the second femme role of a barfly, prostitute and enabler to fellow alcoholic Ray Milland in the sobering classic film The Lost Weekend (1945). That movie, which won "Best Picture" and "Best Actor" for Milland, was the first to deal with the harrowing effects of alcoholism. This success led to an equally choice victimy part in the Raymond Chandler film noir The Blue Dahlia (1946) starring Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake as Ladd's ill-fated wife. From there she was relegated to "B"-level post-war films. She co-starred with Kent Taylor in the crime mystery The Crimson Key (1947), but then found herself uncredited a year later in the Bing Crosby musical romancer The Emperor Waltz (1948).
Seeing the writing on the wall, Doris (like sister Constance) decided to move and continue her movie career abroad. With her dark, earthy, exotic-eyed beauty, she complemented several dramas, including a starring role in the Italian classic Bitter Rice (1949) that also starred Vittorio Gassman and made an international sex star out of Silvana Mangano. Filmed entirely in Cuba, she then starred in the minor musical drama Sarumba (1950) playing a singer and love interest to handsome sailor Michael Whalen, followed by a second femme role in the Italian drama Alina (1950) starring rising goddess Gina Lollobrigida. Doris' last starring film was in the romantic adventure Cuori sul mare (1950) (Hearts at Sea) with handsome Jacques Sernas. Before departing Italy, she also played Bianca in Orson Welles' troubled European production of Othello (1951), which was filmed in Italy and Morocco.
Returning to the US by 1952, theater and TV would comprised much of Doris' later work. She appeared on several anthology programs, including "Armstrong Circle Theatre," "Goodyear Playhouse" and "Schlitz Playhouse," and guested on the popular dramatic shows of the day such as "Medic," "Cheyenne," "Richard Diamond, Private Detective," Mike Hammer," "Have Gun--Will Travel," "Checkmate," Shirley Temple's Storybook," "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," "Perry Mason," "The Andy Griffith Show" and "Bonanza," "Barnaby Jones," "The Dukes of Hazzard," and the mini-series "Scruples." She also enjoyed a regular role on the Julie Newmar-hyped female robot sitcom My Living Doll (1964).
In 1973, Doris returned to the stage and shared an Outer Critics Circle award for her performance in the all-star stage production of "The Women" on Broadway. Her final film roles were in The Car (1977) and Separate Ways (1981)
Married three times, she was wife #7 to band leader Artie Shaw, her first husband, with whom she had a son, Jonathan Shaw. Doris died June 18, 2004 at age 81, and was interred at Holy Cross Cemetery in Los Angeles. - Actor
- Soundtrack
Eddy Arnold was born on 15 May 1918 in Henderson, Tennessee, USA. He was an actor, known for Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008), Groundhog Day (1993) and The Brave One (2007). He was married to Sally Gayhart. He died on 8 May 2008 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA.- Evelyn Rasmussen Osazuwa was born on 15 May 1986 in Oslo, Norway. She is an actress, known for Rahti (2021), Blasted (2022) and Wisting (2019).
- Fergie Frederiksen was born on 25 May 1951 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA. He was an actor, known for LeRoux: Carrie's Gone (1983), LeRoux: Lifeline (1983) and World Classic Rockers: Live at the Ventura Theater (2001). He died on 18 January 2014 in Mound, Minnesota, USA.
- Stunts
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Gary Littlejohn was born in 1946 in Vermont, USA. He was an actor, known for Badlands (1973), Howard the Duck (1986) and Near Dark (1987). He died on 15 May 2021 in Vermont, USA.- George Selk was born on 15 May 1893 in Lincoln, Nebraska, USA. He was an actor, known for Adventures of Superman (1952), Gunsmoke (1955) and Lawman (1958). He died on 22 January 1967 in Montrose, California, USA.
- Gianna Distenca was born on 15 May 1989 in Providence, Rhode Island, USA. She is an actress, known for Fountains of Wayne: Stacy's Mom (2003), Señor Crab (2007) and Making the Video (1999).
- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Giselle Fernandez was born on May 15th 1961, in Mexico but was raised in Southern California.
Fernandez majored in Journalism at Sacramento State University and graduated in 1982. In 1983, Giselle landed her first TV gig in Pueblo Colorado. She worked there until 1985, when she moved back to Los Angeles. She worked at KTLA from 1985-1987 before taking a job in Chicago. In 1989, Giselle left for Miami.
Giselle got her first national news job when she moved to New York. While there, she worked for CBS News and NBC News. When she was at CBS, she anchored "The CBS Evening News", "CBS News this Morning" and the "CBS Weekend News". She also did network news for NBC (such as Today (1952) and NBC Nightly News).
In 1997, Giselle returned to Los Angeles to do an entertainment news magazine show known as Access Hollywood (1996). She left the show in 1999 and returned to KTLA in 2002.- Producer
- Actor
- Director
Grant Heslov was born on 15 May 1963 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is a producer and actor, known for Argo (2012), Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) and The Ides of March (2011). He is married to Lysa Heslov. They have two children.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
He was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and is the son of distinguished architect Professor Douglass Wise. It was assumed that he would be an architect, so he studied architecture in Edinburgh. He dropped out, though, after a while, and went to Glasgow to study drama.
He did his first professional job on stage, starring in "Good Rockin' Tonight", a musical based on the life of TV producer Jack Good. The first films he made were Sense and Sensibility (1995) and Feast of July (1995).- Gunilla Hutton was born on 15 May 1944 in Gothenburg, Västra Götalands län, Sweden. She is an actress, known for Fantasy Island (1977), Petticoat Junction (1963) and Burke's Law (1963).
- Hendrik Jan Korterink was a producer, known for Moordvrouwen (2011) and EénVandaag (1993). He died on 6 April 2020 in Zwolle, Overijssel, Netherlands.
- Actor
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Horacio Guarany was born on 15 May 1925 in Las Garzas, Santa Fe Province, Argentina. He was an actor and writer, known for El grito en la sangre (2014), Si se calla el cantor (1973) and La vuelta de Martín Fierro (1974). He died on 13 January 2017 in Luján, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina.- Howard Morton was born on 15 May 1925 in New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for The Munsters Today (1987), Tarzan (1966) and Gimme a Break! (1981). He died on 11 May 1997 in Burbank, California, USA.
- Actress
- Writer
- Director
Inanna Sarkis is a Canadiana actress of Bulgarian and Assyrian descent. Her family immigrated to Canada and struggled to make ends meet. Speaking only Bulgarian and Assyrian at home, Inanna didn't learn English until she started school.
She first found her love for acting in her high school drama class where she performed The Beverly Hillbillies on stage. However, she pursued a Psychology and Criminal Justice degree at Ryerson University to fulfill her parent's expectations. In the meantime, she worked at bars and saved up enough money to move to California and pursue her acting dreams. In California, Inanna lived on top of a gym, while studying at various Acting studios and working as a bartender.
Inanna soon became one of the digital space's preeminent content creators, using her channels to showcase comedy skits and short films in which she writes, directs and stars. She's found success on a variety of platforms, including the TV and film industry. She recently wrapped Nick Cassavette's MARKED MEN feature film and can be seen playing the leading role in the horror film SÉANCE, opposite Suki Waterhouse. She is also known for playing "Molly" film series franchise AFTER, starring opposite Josephine Langford and Hero Fiennes. In television, she recurred in the Netflix comedy BREWS BROTHERS and booked a lead role in Jill Soloway and Channing Tatum's pilot for Amazon COLLEGE. Inanna has also lent her voice to QCode for the podcast series THE LEFT RIGHT GAME starring alongside Tessa Thompson. In 2022, she created and starred in her own podcast ZAYA with the intention of showing a Middle Eastern woman as a powerful lead, and it hit #1 on Apple's Fiction Podcast list.
Last but not least, Inanna is the newest global ambassador of the International Medical Corps and has donated financially and helped raise awareness on the Syrian Refugee Crisis over the past several years.- Born in 1940, Ira Einhorn was a political activist in the 1960s and 1970s, mainly in the ecological and anti-Vietnam war areas. He was a friend and associate of famous 1960s activists Jerry Rubin and Abbie Hoffman . Einhorn was instrumental in creating ecological awareness in the public during the 1970s, and was one of the driving forces behind the formation of what has come to be known as Earth Day. During his studies at the University of Pennsylvnia, Einhorn began a relationship with a fellow student, Holly Maddux. It lasted five years, until 1977, when she broke up with him and moved to New York City. When he found out where she was, he called and persuaded her to move back to Philadelphia with him. She did, on September 9, but shortly thereafter disappeared. Einhorn said she left to make a phone call and never returned, but police didn't believe him and began an investigation to determine his involvement in her disappearance. Eighteen months later, neighbors in Einhorn's building called police to complain about a foul stench coming from his apartment. After a short search, they found Holly Maddux's decomposing body stuffed in a trunk and hidden in a closet. Einhorn was arrested and charged with her murder. In 1981, only a few days before his trial was to start, he jumped bail and fled to Europe, where he stayed for the next 16 years. Meanwhile, the state of Pennsylvania convicted him in absentia of Holly Maddux's murder and sentenced him to life in prison with no parole. He was eventually found in the town of Champagne-Mouton, France, where he had married and was living under the name of Eugene Mallon. In 2001 he was extradited to the U.S. and is serving his sentence in Houtzdale State Penitentiary in Pennsylvania.
- Ivonne Govea was born in Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico. She was an actress, known for Santo and Blue Demon vs. Dr. Frankenstein (1974), Perros de presa (1992) and Con ganas de morir (1992). She died on 15 May 2021 in Mexico, D.F., Mexico.
- Director
- Writer
- Editor
Jack Henry Robbins was born on 15 May 1989. He is a director and writer, known for VHYes (2019), Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) and Alex (2019).- Soundtrack
Jackie Shane was born on 15 May 1940 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. She died on 21 February 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA.- At the age of 5, Jacqueline fell in love with acting and being on set after working on her first student film. Up to date, she has worked on over 40 film/TV/video projects. In addition since the age of 3, she has done a lot of modeling for companies such as American Girl, One Step Ahead and Kohl's. She fills up any spare time with gymnastics, dancing, and hanging out with her friends.
- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Jacqui Holland was born in the suburbs of Cincinnati, Ohio. After many a wretched snowy winter, she headed to Hollywood to put her acting and writing skills to work. Once arriving, Jacqui landed roles in several sitcoms, including How I Met Your Mother, Desperate Housewives and Suburgatory. She also appeared in numerous films, including Hollywood Sex Wars and My Best Friend's Girl opposite Kate Hudson. In 2012, Jacqui added feature film Producer and Writer to her resume with Silent But Deadly. She also won Best Actress at The International Hoboken Film Festival for her role in the film. Most recently, she starred and produced the stylish horror/dark comedy Two Faced. Jacqui continues to expand her horizons, writing, producing and acting. When she's not working, Jacqui enjoys hiking, Kundalini yoga and medicinal cookies. She is also the proud mother of two Pomeranians; Bunny and Boots.- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
James Mason was born in Huddersfield and had a film career spanning over 50 years during which he appeared in over 100 films in England and America but never won an Oscar. Whatever role he played, from the wounded Belfast gunman in Odd Man Out to Rommel in The Desert Fox, his creamy velvet voice gave him away. Like Charlie Chaplin James left the screen to spend his later life living in Switzerland. His first marriage had been to Pamela Kellino, a Yorkshire mill owner's daughter and his second to Australian actress Clarissa Kaye.- Jamie Harris was born on 15 May 1963 in England, UK. He is an actor, known for The Prestige (2006), The New World (2005) and Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011).
- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Jamie-Lynn Sigler has been acting and singing since the age of 7. She got her start in New York regional theater, and has since starred in over two dozen theatrical productions including "Annie," "The Wizard of Oz," "The Sound of Music," "The Wiz," and "Gypsy." In the summer of 2001, she starred in the touring production of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's "Cinderella," playing the lead opposite Eartha Kitt. Jamie made her Broadway debut starring as Belle in Disney's Broadway production of "Beauty and the Beast" from October of 2002 through February 2003.
Beyond her theatrical appearances, she starred as Meadow Soprano in the critically acclaimed HBO original series The Sopranos (1999). For her work on the show, she received the 1999 and 2000 Hollywood Reporter Young Star Awards for Best Young Actress in a Dramatic Television Series and both 2001 and 2002 ALMA nominations. She also has a SAG Award for The Sopranos (1999) Best Ensemble Cast.
Jamie has also starred as former Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss in the USA Network's two-hour original movie Call Me: The Rise and Fall of Heidi Fleiss (2004). She recently completed her first feature film, Extreme Dating (2005), and starred in the music video for Mariah Carey's single, "Through the Rain."
Jamie, who battled an eating disorder in the late 1990s while starring on The Sopranos (1999), is now a spokesperson for the National Eating Disorders Association (www.nationaleatingdisorders.org). In 2002, she published her revealing autobiography, "Wise Girl" (Pocket Books) to rave reviews. A few years ago, she was paralyzed from the waist down for several days with Lyme Disease. Her recovery has given her a fresh outlook on her work and her life.
Jamie is originally from Jericho (Long Island, New York) and currently resides in New York City. She married her manager, A.J. Discala, in July of 2003. However, that marriage has since ended.- Camera and Electrical Department
- Actor
- Costume and Wardrobe Department
From 1947 to 1948, Jasper Johns was a student at the University of South Carolina. He then studied at a private art school in New York from 1949 to 1952. After graduating, he did his military service for two years. Among other things, he also came to Japan. From there he took inspiration for his later motifs. In 1952, like his friend, the painter Robert Rauschenberg, he was in New York and made contact with John Cage's circle. Johns initially painted in the style of Abstract Expressionism, which he turned away from in the mid-1950s. During this time he depicted banal everyday things such as cans or targets and thus turned them into art subjects. For example, he created works entitled "Flag on an Orange Background" (1959). They were often executed in oil or encaustic. The acquaintance of the gallery owner Leo Castelli brought the artist fame in the New York art scene.
During this time, his flag paintings were presented for the first time in a solo exhibition. He also made shooting targets, series of numbers and maps into art objects. The separation from Abstract Expressionism was thus complete. His flag paintings were unique in the art of painting. They brought the subject of the picture into line with the picture itself. This raised the question of the identity of picture and object in art theory, for the first time after Duchamp's work "Fountain", which was later taken up again by the conceptual artists. In 1958, three-dimensional works were created as assemblages that were put together from a combination of different objects. Here too the artist used oil paint or encaustic. In 1960, Johns also made light bulbs or tin cans into "Sculpmetals", which he cast in bronze and painted. The following year he was awarded the Carnegie Prize at the Pittsburgh Biennale.
In 1960 he began his first experiments with the technique of lithography. Jasper Johns traveled to Hawaii and Japan in 1964. This year he was also honored with the first prize at the Venice Biennale. More awards followed. His later work is based on Jackson Pollock's color webs and his "all-over paintings". The images are filled with color bundles of lines. The name comes from because this technique and design does not give the images a focal point. His importance as a painter is his pioneering role in Pop Art and Minimal Art. He used everyday things that he incorporated into his paintings and sculptures.
With his flag and target paintings, he not only stimulated art-theoretical discussions of identity, but also created truly cult images.
Jasper Johns has lived in New York and Saint-Martin since 1988.- Jay Silverheels Jr. was born on 15 May 1961 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is an actor, known for Kid Power (1972).
- Producer
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Jenni Konner was born on 15 May 1971. She is a producer and writer, known for Girls (2012), Camping (2018) and Help Me Help You (2006).- Actress
- Soundtrack
Family
In the October 14, 2004 episode of TV drama series Magpakailanman of GMA Network, which featured her life story, viewers learned more about her childhood.
In May 4, 1991, when she was nearly four years old, she made headlines as a battered child. Her assailant was her stepfather, who burned her skin with cigarette butts and whacked her back with a flat iron. Her mother, who was then in Dubai working as a domestic helper, immediately came home. She came not to take care of her daughter, however, but to bail out her partner, who was in detention.
Her mother migrated to London and had her own family. Jennylyn's aunt, Lydia Mercado, legally adopted her.
In June 2004, Jennylyn's biological father, Noli Pineda, now 50, came home for a holiday. His arrival did not go unnoticed by the press. Reports came out saying that he was asking for money from his now self-sufficient daughter (an accusation she has strongly denied, insisting that her father wanted her to use his surname Pineda). She and her biological father, who is based in Korea, keep in touch.
Jennylyn is now the official spokesperson of the Bata Foundation (Christian Mission Services), a non-governmental organization. It operates with basic funding support from its partner organization, Christlicher Missionsdienst (CMD) headquartered in Germany, supplementary assistance from two Japanese organizations and a few local groups, with the help of Feed Hungry Inc. and the GMA Artist Center.
School
Jennylyn was a senior at the Augustinian Abbey in Las Piñas, where she actively took part in school programs, from Prep to 4th year High School.
Because of her hectic work schedule after winning Starstruck, she had to take a leave from school. If given the time and opportunity to pursue her studies further, the young actress has said that she'd like to take up Mass Communications as a major. In a more recent interview though, she mentioned Interior Design as her preference.
Starstruck
StarStruck is the first reality-based talent search on Philippine television in recent history. Its pilot episode aired on October 27, 2003. Out of thousands who auditioned for a stab at stardom, only 100 were chosen for the first cut. From 100, it was trimmed down to 60, from 60 to 30 and from 30 to the 14 finalists. Needless to say, Jennylyn made the cut.
The final fourteen underwent various workshops and training in order to develop their personalities, talents, etc. But, the twist was that every week, one of the Final 14 will have to say goodbye until only four remain.
The winner was announced on a two-hour TV special dubbed StarStruck Final Judgement held on February 1, 2004. Araneta Coliseum, the venue of the event was jampacked by thousands of StarStruck fans and supporters. Mark Herras and Jennylyn Mercado were proclaimed Ultimate Survivors and each of them received one million pesos plus exclusive contracts from GMA Network. The Final Judgment rated 42.8%, impressively high for a late Sunday night telecast.
Because of the StarStruck fever, GMA Network created a new show, Stage 1: The StarStruck Playhouse. The StarStruck test continues on this show where the Final 14 have to prove their staying power in the business. Every week from Mondays to Thursdays, the show presents a miniseries starring the starstruck 1 final 14, this time their acting prowess is put into test. The show already went off the air with high ratings.
Fridays would serve as critical day because the audience will judge their performance for the week through text messaging. An acting award is also given to the survivor who excelled in that week. Stage 1: LIVE! is also somewhat a variety show for the Survivors. If Mondays to Thursdays, they showed their acting skills, during Fridays, they are able to show their dancing, singing and hosting prowess. The show was hosted by Chynna Ortaleza and Cogie Domingo with Raymond Gutierrez. The show already went off the air with high ratings.- Jeri Weil was born on 15 May 1948 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She is an actress, known for Leave It to Beaver (1957), Lux Video Theatre (1950) and I Led 3 Lives (1953).
- Composer
- Music Department
- Actor
Jerry Riopelle was born on 15 May 1941 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. He was a composer and actor, known for Banzai Runner (1987), King of the Mountain (1981) and Perfect (1985). He was married to Naomi. He died on 24 December 2018 in Tampa, Florida, USA.- Jessica Falkholt was born on 15 May 1988 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. She was an actress, known for Mystery Road (2018), Harmony (2018) and Underbelly (2008). She died on 17 January 2018 in St. George Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
The baby girl of the family, Jessica Sutta started dancing at age 3 and hasn't stopped since. Her audition for the Dolls last year came with a graceful save; when her hairpiece fell out, she kept going with a smile and of course, she got the job. Her love for Robin's choreography makes the job her perfect match.
Jessica has appeared in music videos for Will Smith, Craig David and Gloria Estefan, and movies including Bully, From Justin to Kelly and Bad Boys II as well as the Swedish soap opera, Ocean Ave.- Joan Blackham was born on 15 May 1946 in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England, UK. She was an actress, known for Bridget Jones's Diary (2001), Battle for Sevastopol (2015) and Hard Cases (1988). She died on 6 September 2020.
- Actor
- Producer
- Director
John Blyth Barrymore was born on 15 May 1954 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Full Moon High (1981), Before I Sleep (2013) and The Barrymore Fortune.- Editor
- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
He started on the Shepperton Studios cutting rooms in 1948 working on such as 'The Wooden Horse' and 'The Third Man' before moving to Nettlefold Studios where his stay was interrupted by two years National Service after which he joined Group 3 at Beaconsfield . His next move was becoming sound editor at Shepperton then film editor on television documentaries and filmed such series as 'Danger Man' on which he directed some action sequences. After some years he became supervising editor and director on various television series. Ditrector Peter Hunt invited him to be editor and second unit director on the film 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' repeating the duties on ''The Wild Geese' and 'The Sea Wolves' after which Albert Broccoli invited him to direct 'For Your Eyes Only'- Jorge Gesdel was born on 15 May 1944 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was an actor, known for Sucedió en el internado (1985), Alta comedia (1965) and Goodbye, Grandfather (1996). He died on 5 October 2016 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Actor
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Joseph Cheshire Cotten, Jr. was born in Petersburg, Virginia, into a well-to-do Southern family. He was the eldest of three sons born to Sally Whitworth (Willson) and Joseph Cheshire Cotten, Sr., an assistant postmaster.
Jo (as he was known) and his brothers Whit and Sam spent their summers at their aunt and uncle's home at Virginia Beach. And there and at an early age he discovered a passion for story-telling, reciting, and performing acts for his family. Cotten studied acting at the Hickman School of Expression in Washington, D.C. and worked as an advertising agent afterward. But by 1924 tried to enter acting in New York. His money opportunities were limited to shipping clerk, and after a year of attempting stage work, he left with friends, heading for Miami. There he found a variety of jobs: lifeguard, salesman, a stint as entrepreneur -- making and selling 'Tip Top Potato Salad' - but more significantly, drama critic for the Miami Herald. That evidently led to appearance in plays at the Miami Civic Theater. Through a connection at the Miami Herald he managed to land an assistant stage manager job in New York. In 1929 he was engaged for a season at the Copley Theatre in Boston, and there he was able to expand his acting experience, appearing in 30 plays in a wide variety of parts. By 1930 he made his Broadway debut. In 1931 Cotten married Lenore LaMont (usually known as Kipp), a pianist, divorced with a four-year-old daughter.
To augment his income as an actor in the mid-30s, Cotten took on radio shows in addition to his theatre work. At one audition he met an ambitious, budding actor/writer/director/producer with a mission to make his name-Orson Welles. Cotten was 10 years his senior, but the two found a kindred spirit in one another. For Cotten, Welles association would completely redirect his serious acting life. Their early co-acting attempts boded ill for employment in formal acting vehicles. At a rehearsal for CBS radio the two destroyed a scene taking place on a rubber tree plantation. One or the other was supposed to say the line: "Barrels and barrels of pith...." They could not overcome uncontrolled laughter at each attempt. The director berated them as acting like 'school-children' and 'unprofessional', and thereafter both were considered unreliable. Welles's ambition put that quickly behind them when he formed The Mercury Theatre Players. Coming on board were later Hollywood stalwarts: Everett Sloane, Agnes Moorehead, Ruth Warrick, and Ray Collins. In 1937, Cotten starred in Welles's Mercury productions of "Julius Caesar" and "Shoemaker's Holiday". And he made his film debut in the Welles-directed short Too Much Johnson (1938), a comedy based on William Gillette's 1890 play. The short was occasionally screened before or after Mercury productions, but never received an official release. Cotten returned to Broadway in 1939, starring as C.K. Dexter Haven in the original production of Philip Barry's "The Philadelphia Story". The uproar over Welles's "War of the Worlds" radio broadcast, was rewarded with an impressive contract from RKO Pictures. The two-picture deal promised full creative control for the young director, and Welles brought his Mercury players on-board in feature roles in what he chose to bring to the screen. But after a year, nothing had germinated until Welles met with writer Herman J. Mankiewicz, resulting in the Citizen Kane (1941) idea - early 1940. The story of a slightly veiled William Randolph Hearst with Welles as Kane and Cotten, in his Hollywood debut, as his college friend turned confidant and theater critic, Jed Leland, would become film history, but at the time it caused little more than a ripple. Hearst owned the majority of the country's press outlets and so forbade advertisements for the film. The film was nominated for nine Academy Awards in 1942 but was largely ignored by the Academy, only winning for Best Screenplay for Welles and Mankiewicz.
The following year Cotten and Welles collaborated again in The Magnificent Ambersons (1942), acclaimed but again ignored at Oscar time, and the next year's Nazi thriller Journey Into Fear (1943). Cotten, along with some Welles ideas, wrote the screenplay. Welles with his notorious overrunning of budgeting was duly dropped by RKO thereafter. Later in 1943 Cotten's exposure and acquaintance with young producer David O. Selznick resulted in a movie contract and the launching of his mainstream and very successful movie career as a romantic leading man. Thereafter he appeared with some of the most leading of Hollywood leading ladies - a favorite being Jennifer Jones, Selznick's wife with the two of them being his most intimate friends. Cotten got the opportunity to play a good range of roles through the 1940s - the darkest being the blue beard-like killer in Alfred Hitchcock thriller Shadow of a Doubt (1943) with Teresa Wright. Perhaps the most fun was The Farmer's Daughter (1947) with a vivacious Loretta Young. Cotten starred with Jennifer Jones in four films: the wartime domestic drama Since You Went Away (1944), the romantic drama Love Letters (1945), the western Duel in the Sun (1946), and later in the critically acclaimed Portrait of Jennie (1948), from the haunting Robert Nathan book. Cotten is thoroughly convincing as a second-rate, unmotivated artist who finds inspiration from a chance acquaintance budding into love with an incarnation of a girl who died years before. Welles and Cotten did not work again until The Third Man (1949), directed by Carol Reed. For Cotten, the role as the hapless boyhood friend and second-rate novel writer Holly Martins would be a defining moment in a part both comedic and bittersweet, its range making it one of his best performances. Unfortunately, he was again overlooked for an Oscar.
Cotten was kept in relative demand into his mature acting years. Into the 1950s, he reunited with "Shadow Of A Doubt" co star Thereas Wright, to do the memorable bank caper "The Steel Trap"(1952).He co stared with Jean Peters in "Blueprint For A Murder"(1953). For the most part, the movie roles were becoming more B than A. He had a brief role as a member of the Roman Senate, reuniting with lifelong friend Welles in his Othello (1951). There were a few film-noir outings along with the usual fare of the older actor with fewer roles. However, he was much more successful in returning to theater roles in the new television playhouse format. He also did some episodic TV and some series ventures, as with On Trial, which was later called The Joseph Cotten Show. He had a memorable role in an Alfred Hitchcock Presents, "Breakdown", where he was a man in a lone and isolated car accident, trapped and unable to speak. He voices over and shows his great acting skill simply through facial expressions. His one last stint with Welles was uncredited and sort of Jed Leland-revisited as the hokey coroner early in Welles's over-the-top Touch of Evil (1958). Of his association with Welles, Cotten said: "Exasperating, yes. Sometimes eruptive, unreasonable, ferocious, yes. Eloquent, penetrating, exciting, and always - never failingly even at the sacrifice of accuracy and at times his own vanity - witty. Never, never, never dull."
With the passing of his first wife in 1960 Cotten met and married British actress Patricia Medina. The 1960s found him equally busy in TV and film. He made the circuit of the most popular detective and cowboy series of the period. By 1964 he returned to film with the money making old-Hollywood-dame- horror-movie genre hit Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964) with other vintage Hollywood legends Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, and Agnes Moorehead. His other films of that decade were of the quick entertainment variety along with some foreign productions, and TV movies. There were also more TV series and guests appearances, especially The Ed Sullivan Show, a popular stop during its long run. In the 1970s Cotten was still in demand-for even more of the curiosity-appeal of the populace for an older star. Along with the new assortment of TV series, he anchored himself at Universal with small parts in forgettable movies, the sluggish Universal epic dud Tora! Tora! Tora! for instance, and the steady diet of TV series being cranked out there. Though older actors have laughed in public about their descent into cheap horror movies, one can only wonder at the impetus to do them -- by such greats, as Claude Rains -- besides a can't-pass-up alluring salary.
Cotten did the campy The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) with Vincent Price and about that time two second rate Italian horror outings where he was Baron Blood and Baron Frankenstein. Then again there was better exposure in the Universal minor sci-fi classic Soylent Green (1973). And in yet another Universal sequel, where the profit-logic was to gather a cast of veterans from the Hollywood spectrum in any situation spelling disaster and watch the ticket sales skyrocket, Cotten joined the all-star cast of Airport '77 (1977). He rounded out the decade with the ever faddish Fantasy Island and more Universal TV rounds. This contributor met and worked with Joseph Cotten during this latter evolution of one of Hollywood's greats. He wore his own double-breasted blue blazer and tan slacks in several roles - no need for wardrobe. His pride and joy was a blue 1939 Jaguar SS, something of a fixture on the Universal lot.
Cotten was not ready to turn his back on Hollywood until the beginning of the 1980s when he managed to appear in the epic flop Heaven's Gate (1980). After a Love Boat episode (1981), Cotten joined his wife and his love of gardening and entertaining friends in retirement. He also had the time to write an engaging autobiography Vanity Will Get You Somewhere (1987). Cotten's somewhat matter-of-fact and seemingly gruff acting voice served him well. Certainly his command of varied roles deserved more than the snub of never being nominated for an Academy Award. He was not the only actor to suffer being underrated, but that is largely forgotten in those memorable roles that speak for him. And for what it is worth, the Europeans had the very good sense to award him the Venice Film Festival Award for Best Actor for Portrait of Jennie, one of his favorite roles.- Actor
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Joseph Wiseman was born on May 15, 1918 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He came to Broadway in the 1930s, where he was critically hailed for performances in Shakespeare's "King Lear", Clifford Odets' "Golden Boy" and Anton Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya". Motion pictures in which Wiseman has been seen include Detective Story (1951), starring Kirk Douglas, Viva Zapata! (1952) with Marlon Brando, The Garment Jungle (1957), The Night They Raided Minsky's (1968), The Valachi Papers (1972) and The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (1974) which brought him back to his native Canada for a co-starring role with Richard Dreyfuss.- Writer
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Juan Carlos Mesa was born on 15 May 1930 in Cordoba, Argentina. He was a writer and actor, known for Brigada en acción (1977), Mesa de noticias (1983) and Dr. Amor (2003). He was married to Edith. He died on 2 August 2016 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.- Director
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Julian Jarrold was born on 15 May 1960 in Norwich, Norfolk, England, UK. He is a director and producer, known for Kinky Boots (2005), Becoming Jane (2007) and Brideshead Revisited (2008).- Actor
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A tragic end belies a life led with purpose. The son of a successful filmmaker, Juzo Itami made his name acting in television and films before making a late career shift into screenwriting and directing at age 50. Known to choose the subjects of his films through everyday observations, he often followed up significant events in his life with films depicting idiosyncrasies that he felt were unique to the evolving Japanese culture. He was the definition of an iconoclast who took the great Molière's words to heart, "castigat ridendo mores" (criticise customs through humour).
Attributed as a key figure in the re-emergence of the latest wave of Japanese films that marked their presence outside of Japan, Itami proved to be a force of energy and originality that revived the country's stake in international cinema during the 1980s. Critics and audiences alike were simpatico when it came to his clever and keenly entrenched satires of his country's societal misgivings and he quickly became the most famous modern director of his generation. Throughout his directorial oeuvre of 10 films (list at the end), which stretched from 1984 to his final film in 1997, they were popular both domestically and maintained a staunch international following.
Every so often, Itami was compared to his then recently deceased French counterpart, Jacques Tati, who utilised similar styles of critiquing their society's cultural transition while crafting films with trenchant distinctions in humour and sadness. They also had almost similar, brief numbers of films that they directed and wrote before their death and they also used similar elements in the majority of their films. Itami cast his wife, Nobuko Miyamoto in every one of his 10 films. She was synonymous with Itami's fans across the world. Her versatility with melodrama and her impeccable comic timing proved invaluable to her husband's unique blend of the two genres as she portrayed characters that have been labeled as an "Everywoman" role. These roles laid the groundwork for a much more diverse representation of genders in Japan's films as Itami's women were usually strong, smart and gifted with moral fortitude when faces with tremendous adversity.
A common misconception outside of Japan would be that Tampopo (1985) was Itami's career-making debut. And although Tampopo (1985) is his most successful and critically acclaimed to date, his first feature was actually a humourous look at the Japanese attitudes towards death in The Funeral (1984), which touched on the generational gap opposing the stringently revered traditional values of the elders and the often-callous modernism of their children. Tampopo (1985) followed it to immense and unexpected success outside of its native land. The gastronomic "noodle western" as Itami himself had coined it, was an episodic venture (which formed the structure of his other films) of a restaurateur determined to create the best possible noodle for the best possible noodle eatery. Consumed with quirky characters and their own respective obsessions, it was a surreal fusion of wink-wink ribald imagery that was obstinately Japanese and a cheeky lampoon on the Leone "spaghetti westerns" that showed early signs of his development to an auteur. The public was now aware of Itami's established comedic style and free-wielding use of the narrative and they wanted more.
After a string of successful hits such as A Taxing Woman (1987) (A Taxing Woman) and its sequel came one of Itami's most intriguing films to date in Minbo also commonly held as Minbo (1992) (The Anti-Extortion Woman). It was scathing attack on the pride of the Japanese Yakuza through the film's story of a spirited female protagonist skewering and training feeble men to fight back against the criminal elements through courage and determination instead of resorting to violence. The film's realistic content apparently hit a sore spot with real gang members who waited outside of Itami's home and slashed him across his face that left him in the hospital. During his recuperation at the hospital, he found material for his next feature in The Last Dance (1993) about a dying film director accepting with his illness amidst an uncaringly cold healthcare system with an ironic look at infidelity and suicide that was a precursor to the rest of Itami's life. Still haunted and suitably outraged by the attack following Minbo, Itami's final film in 1997 was the black comedy Woman in Witness Protection (1997). It was his ode to freedom of expression that revolved around an actress witnessing a cult murder and becomes a target, both in the media and for hired guns.
On December 20, 1997, the 64-year-old Itami was found seriously injured on the street below his office and later died in the hospital. A suicide note was left behind by Itami that expressed innocence to a tabloid's accusation of his infidelity with a younger woman. Itami's energy and aversion to jadedness in his long career in films would have no doubt been still at use to this day if he was alive.- Director
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K.S. Sethumadhavan was born in 1931 in Palakkad, Kerala, India. He was a director and writer, known for The Other Side (1990), Chattakkari (1974) and Nammavar (1994). He was married to Valsala. He died on 24 December 2021 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.- Actress
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K.T. Oslin was born on 15 May 1942 in Crossett, Arkansas, USA. She was an actress and composer, known for The Thing Called Love (1993), K.T. Oslin: 80's Ladies (1987) and K.T. Oslin: Come Next Monday (1990). She died on 21 December 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA.- Katie Rich was born on 15 May 1964 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She is an actress, known for Red Dragon (2002), Volcano (1997) and A League of Their Own (1993).
- Katrin Cartlidge began her career as a doing backstage & front of house work at London's Royal Court Theatre, having appeared with their Young People's Theatre group. She progressed to appearing in play readings and workshops before winning a regular role in Brookside (1982).
She went on to forge an award-winning career in theatre and film.
In the wake of her death, the Katrin Cartlidge Foundation was established to recognize a "new creative voice in cinema" at the Sarjevo Film Festival. - Ken Venturi was born on 15 May 1931 in San Francisco, California, USA. He was an actor, known for Tin Cup (1996), PGA Tour Golf on CBS (1970) and The Big Money (1966). He was married to Kathleen, Beau Wheat and Conni Joanne MacLeann. He died on 17 May 2013 in Rancho Mirage, California, USA.
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Kimie Tsukakoshi was born in Sydney, Australia to a Singapore-Chinese mother and Japanese father. She is an actress, singer and dancer known for The Bureau of Magical Things (2018), The Family Law (2016) and Secret City (2016). She trained in ballet, jazz and contemporary from a young age, eventually turning to musical theatre and then screen acting. She also briefly practiced as a corporate lawyer.- Writer
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Kirk was born in New York City and and raised in Wyckoff, New Jersey. He attended the University of Southern California where he graduated in 1991 with a degree in economics and political science. He then spent three years in Italy as a journalist for an Italian film-business magazine before moving back to the United States to work for the William Morris Agency in New York City and Los Angeles. He sold his first spec script called "Day in November" to Arnold Kopelson in 1995. Since then, Kirk has been fortunate enough to adapt the work of many of his writing heroes such as: Roald Dahl, Jack Kirby and Elmore Leonard, and had the great opportunity to co-write two scripts with comedy legend John Cleese. He wrote and co-directed DreamWorks Animation's "The Croods," which was nominated for the 2013 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.- Actor
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Kito Junqueira was born on 15 May 1948 in São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. He was an actor, known for Planet of the Pantanal (1990), Cavalo Amarelo (1980) and The Law and the Crime (2009). He was married to Maria Santos Pizano, Márcia Bini and Lúcia Alvarez. He died on 23 August 2019 in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.- Actor
- Script and Continuity Department
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Kokoy De Santos was born on 15 May 1998 in the Philippines. He is an actor, known for Gameboys: The Movie (2021), Fuccbois (2019) and Gameboys (2020).- Kylie Rae Harris was born on 15 May 1989 in Wylie, Texas, USA. She died on 4 September 2019 in New Mexico, USA.
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L. Frank Baum became a success with his 1883 production of "The Maid of Arran" in 1882. He was a dreamer, had a printing press and an amateur newspaper, "The Rose Lawn Home Journal" and published a coin and stamp collecting guide. He failed at almost everything through poor business sense. He had been an actor, though only successfully in "The Maid of Arran," a newspaper editor ("The Aberdeen Saturday Pioneer"), a store owner (Baum's Bazaar, from which he filed for bankruptcy on New Year's Day of 1899), and motion picture producer and director. He met everything with enthusiasm and talent, but things did not work just right and only became successful again as a writer. Diverse in audience and subject matter, he is best remembered for his fourteen Oz books and their subsidiary fantasies. He is said to have singlehandedly created the fantasy genre out of the Andersen-style literary fairy tale. He used a variety of pseudonyms for juvenile series made at the publishers request, the best known and most successful being as Edith Van Dyne, who was once played by an actress at a luncheon with another publisher who wanted to meet her. The name was later used by Emma Speed Sampson, who continued some of his series.
Baum was a kind and gentle family man, who never swore or told dirty jokes, nor was he able to punish his four sons, whom Maud had to handle for him. He was born with a bad heart and suffered several minor attacks, including one induced by The Peekskill Military Academy at age 14. He loved to make fun of the military after that incident, as one can see in his Oz books. He created and headed The Oz Film Manufacturing Company in 1914 and directed one film the year later, after which his son Frank Joslyn Baum took it over, changing the name to Dramatic Feature Films, after the Oz name had been cursed as box-office poison, despite excellent critical reception of J. Farrell MacDonald's The Patchwork Girl of Oz (1914).
He continued writing, sitting up in bed long after his health had failed him, and his final Oz book was published posthumously in 1920. It was only his second attempt at science fiction. Baum's writing attracted legions of fans of all ages, both during and after his lifetime. His work has influenced such writers as Gore Vidal, Ray Bradbury, and Terry Brooks. The Oz series has been continued both officially and unofficially after his death. Frank Joslyn Baum sold the film rights of the first Oz book to MGM in 1934, and Walt Disney soon picked up the rest, unable to secure the original from them, for he, too, had desired to make a film version, as had been done before by Baum himself, Otis Turner, Ray C. Smallwood, Larry Semon, Ethel Meglin, Ted Eshbaugh, and many subsequent to 1939. Ironically, Baum moved to Hollywood at Ozcot to have a quiet place to write, which, of course, resulted in the OFMC. One other notable work by Baum is Tamawaca Folks, a spoof of his vacation town of Macatawa Michigan, taking the name of Michigan author John Esten Cooke and changing it to John Estes Cooke. Baum himself has a supporting role (under a different name) in the novel, which was based on all the vacationers. Baum's health problems limited his life to 63 years, but his literary output was remarkable, though mostly forgotten. An episode of the television series Death Valley Days (1952) features him and Maud as characters.- Actress
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Actress and singer Lainie Kazan first made her mark with her Broadway debut in 1961 with the musical The Happiest Girl in the World. The following year, she appeared in another musical, Bravo Giovanni. She eventually served as Barbra Streisand's understudy for the lead role of Fanny Brice in Funny Girl (1968), and when Streisand was unable to perform, due to a throat condition, Kazan took her place in both a matinee and evening performance for one day of the show's run. Always the tireless entertainer, Kazan has contributed her talents to an endless list of film and television projects roles; perhaps her most talked-about role is of the hilarious mom Maria Portokalos in My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002), and its sequel, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016).- Lara Bernasconi was born on 15 May 1978 in San Miguel de Tucuman, Argentina. She is an actress, known for Andrés Calamaro: Flaca (1997), Un aplauso para el asador (2002) and Fugitivos (2000).
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Larry Holden was born on 15 May 1961 in Framingham, Massachusetts, USA. He was an actor and director, known for Memento (2000), Batman Begins (2005) and My Father's House (2002). He was married to Hanne Kristiansen and Leigh Ann Pope. He died on 13 February 2011 in Orange, Massachusetts, USA.