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1-7 of 7
- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Bushy-browed, triple-chinned and plummy-voiced English actor and raconteur of wide girth and larger-than-life personality. The son of a career army officer, Morley was expected to join the diplomatic corps. As a 'compromise', he tried his hand as a beer salesman. However, bitten by the acting bug since first performing in a kindergarten play, he prevailed over the wishes of his parents and enrolled at RADA. He made his theatrical debut at London's Strand Theatre, in a 1929 production of "Treasure Island", playing the part of a pirate for $5 a week. During the next few years, Morley honed his craft by touring regional theatres, writing or co-writing the occasional play, and, when money was hard to come by, selling vacuum cleaners. For a while, he managed his own repertory company in tandem with fellow actor Peter Bull in the Cornish seaside resort of Perranporth. Morley eventually returned to the London stage in a much acclaimed performance as "Oscar Wilde", a role he took to Broadway in October 1938.
On the strength of this, he was invited to Hollywood and garnered an Oscar nomination for his first screen role as the effete, simple-minded monarch Louis XVI, in MGM's lavish production of Marie Antoinette (1938). Back in Britain, he then played the armaments millionaire Andrew Undershaft in George Bernard Shaw's Major Barbara (1941), a performance praised by Bosley Crowther as "deliciously satanic, profoundly suave and tender" (NY Times, May 15 1941). Happily managing to avoid military participation in the Second World War, Morley spent the remainder of the decade acting in such prestigious theatrical showpieces as "The Man Who Came to Dinner", and as star and co-author of "Edward, My Son". His defining performance in the play led the critic Brooks Atkinson to comment on his "studied authority ... which might sound like an affectation in an actor of inferior style"(NY Times, June 4 1992).
Morley acted on screen in a variety of very British, sometimes eccentric, sometimes giddy, often pompous, but rarely dislikeable characters. At his best, he was the expatriate Elmer Almayer, at once pitiable and overbearing, in Outcast of the Islands (1951); the Sydney Greenstreet parody Peterson in John Huston's Beat the Devil (1953); as another languid monarch, George III in the colourful period drama Beau Brummell (1954); as Oscar Wilde (1960), recreating his original stage triumph; and as a food critic in the hugely enjoyable Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? (1978). He also performed occasionally in TV movies and miniseries. His wit was much appreciated on chat shows, both in Britain and the U.S., where was a frequent and popular guest. He was also the voice of British Airways in commercials of the 70's and early 80's, promising "we'll take good care of you" -- something he did with his acting for over half a century. Robert Morley was awarded a CBE in 1957. He died as the result of a stroke in Reading, Berkshire, at the age of 84.- Writer
- Additional Crew
Willim Gaines became one of the most important figures in comic book and humor history by accident. Gaines' father, M.C. (Max) Gaines, was the publisher of Educational Comics (EC). When the elder Gaines died in 1947 as a result of freak boating accident, the younger Gaines found himself publisher. At the time, EC put out a wide variety of titles. Gaines noticed that the most popular sellers were the horror and SF titles. He canceled all the educational comics, changed the E in EC to Entertaining, and focused his efforts on developing the remaining lines. By the early 1950s, EC was a top performer, featuring such titles as "Vault of Horror", "Tales from the Crypt", "Crime Does Not Pay", and "Weird Science".
By 1955, however, a backlash against these types of comics developed, spearheaded by Dr. Frderic Wertham who, in his book "Seduction of the Innocent", argued that comic book violence led to juvenile delinquency. This was followed by a Senate investigation, and the founding of the Comic Code Authority, which made publication of the old style EC comics all but impossible.
Luckily for Gaines, EC had one other comic that was untouched by the CCA; a little humor comic called "MAD". Gaines changed the format of MAD from full-color comic to B&W magazine in order to be completely free from the suppression of the CCA. Along with editor Al Feldstein and "the usual gang of idiots", publisher Gaines made MAD a touchstone of satire and humor for young people throughout the 60s, 70s and 80s. Gaines was still publishing MAD Magazine when he died in his sleep on June 3rd, 1992.- Producer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Actor
Franco Rossellini was born on 7 November 1935 in Rome, Lazio, Italy. He was a producer and assistant director, known for Caligula (1979), Django (1966) and The Possessed (1965). He died on 3 June 1992 in New York City, New York, USA.- Producer
- Actor
Patrick Peyton was born on 9 January 1909 in Carracastle, County Mayo, Ireland. He was a producer and actor, known for Family Theatre (1949), The Savior (1959) and The Soldier (1962). He died on 3 June 1992 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Jorge Alberto Riancho was born on 28 November 1943 in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. He was an actor, known for The Mischievous Dreamer (1991), Bianca Vidal (1982) and La carabina de Ambrosio (1978). He died on 3 June 1992 in Mexico City, Mexico.
- Ettore Campogalliani was born on 30 September 1903 in Monselice, Italy. He was a composer, known for Forbidden Music (1942). He died on 3 June 1992 in Mantua, Italy.
- Wilfried Dietrich was born on 14 October 1933 in Schifferstadt, West Germany [now Germany]. He died on 3 June 1992 in Durbanville, South Africa.