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- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Known for his breakthrough starring role on Freaks and Geeks (1999), James Franco was born April 19, 1978 in Palo Alto, California, to Betsy Franco, a writer, artist, and actress, and Douglas Eugene "Doug" Franco, who ran a Silicon Valley business. His mother is Jewish and his father was of Portuguese and Swedish descent.
Growing up with his two younger brothers, Dave Franco, also an actor, and Tom Franco, James graduated from Palo Alto High School in 1996 and went on to attend UCLA, majoring in English. To overcome his shyness, he got into acting while studying there, which, much to his parents' dismay, he left after only one year. After fifteen months of intensive study at Robert Carnegie's Playhouse West, James began actively pursuing his dream of finding work as an actor in Hollywood. In that short time, he landed himself a starring role on Freaks and Geeks (1999). The show, however, was not a hit to its viewers at the time, and was canceled after its first year. Now, it has become a cult-hit. Prior to joining Freaks and Geeks (1999), Franco starred in the TV miniseries To Serve and Protect (1999). After that, he had a starring role in Whatever It Takes (2000).
Although he'd been working steadily, it wasn't until the TNT made-for-television movie, James Dean (2001) that James rose to fan-magazine fame and got to show off his talent. Since then, he has been working non-stop. After losing the lead role to Tobey Maguire, James settled for the part of "Harry Osborne", Spider-Man's best friend in the summer 2002 major hit Spider-Man (2002). He returned to the Osborne role for the next two films in the trilogy.
Next was Deuces Wild (2002) and City by the Sea (2002), in which Robert De Niro personally had him cast, after viewing his performance in James Dean (2001). He was seen in David Gordon Green's Pineapple Express (2008) opposite Seth Rogen, in George C. Wolfe's Nights in Rodanthe (2008), starring Richard Gere and Diane Lane and in Paul Haggis' In the Valley of Elah (2007), starring Tommy Lee Jones. Also starring opposite Sean Penn in Gus Van Sant's Milk (2008) in which his performance earned him an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actor. Definitely growing out of his shyness, James Franco is turning into a legend of his own.- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
David John Franco was born in Palo Alto, California, to Betsy Franco, an author, and Douglas Eugene "Doug" Franco, who ran a Silicon Valley business. He has two older brothers, actors James Franco and Tom Franco. His father was of Portuguese and Swedish descent, and his mother is Jewish. Dave made his first television appearance at age 21, in 2006, in an episode of 7th Heaven (1996). A string of high-profile TV work followed, interspersed with roles in some moderately successful movies, including Charlie St. Cloud (2010) and Fright Night (2011), and he came to bigger prominence when he played Eric Molson in the hit movie version of the cult TV series 21 Jump Street (2012). He subsequently co-starred in the zombie romance Warm Bodies (2013) and the thriller Now You See Me (2013), and provided a voice role for The Lego Movie (2014). Some of his other films include Neighbors (2014), 22 Jump Street (2014), and Unfinished Business (2015).- Actress
- Writer
- Director
Teri Hatcher is an American actress, writer, presenter, and former NFL cheerleader. She is known for her television roles, portraying Lois Lane on the ABC series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993-1997), and as Susan Mayer on the television series Desperate Housewives (2004-2012), for which she won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.
Teri Lynn Hatcher was born in Palo Alto, California, the only child of Esther (Beshur), a computer programmer, and Owen Walker Hatcher, Jr., a nuclear physicist and electrical engineer. She has Syrian (from her immigrant maternal grandfather), Frisian, English, and Irish ancestry. Teri grew up in Sunnyvale, California, and spent her childhood dancing, and fishing with her father. While at Fremont High School, she was captain of the Featherettes, a dance team that had the look of regular cheerleaders, with the exception of the large headdresses they wore. She was voted "Most Likely to Become a Solid Gold (1980) Dancer" by her graduating class in 1982. Hatcher studied acting at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco while taking a degree course in mathematics and engineering at De Anza College in Cupertino, California. She became a member of the 1984 Gold Rush, the name of the professional cheer leading squad of the American football San Francisco 49ers.
Hatcher went to Hollywood to lend moral support to a friend during a open casting call. She, however, auditioned and won the role of the singing and dancing mermaid for the television series The Love Boat (1977). She went on to play "Penny Parker," a ditsy but sweet-hearted struggling actress on MacGyver (1985). When that show ended, she auditioned for and won the role of smart and savvy "Lois Lane" on Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993), saying that she didn't want to be stuck with the pretty airhead image she had acquired as "Penny Parker."
She married actor Jon Tenney in May 1994. She gave birth to daughter Emerson Tenney on November 10, 1997. Later, she signed to play "Sally Bowles" in a road tour of Cabaret. The tour debuted in Los Angeles on March 2, 1999. Her final show was on September 4, 1999. She stayed out of the industry for a little bit before nabbing a role on the darkly comedic soap opera Desperate Housewives (2004), which could have been a huge mistake. The show turned out to be a mega-hit, which skyrocketed Hatcher to the A-list. Her portrayal of a divorced mother, "Susan Mayer," was consistently named as America's favorite "Desperate Housewife." Hatcher won both a Golden Globe for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and the SAG Award for Female Actor in a Comedy Series before the show's first season was even over.- Actress
- Additional Crew
As a child, Bree spent her time traveling the country with her family
and her pro-football player father. During her teens, Turner's parents
settled in Northern California where Bree first discovered a love for
dance. In high school, she honed her talents in everything from ballet
to jazz. When she moved to Los Angeles to study dance at UCLA, she was
discovered by a dance agent and immediately landed roles as a dancer in
countless high profile films such as
My Best Friend's Wedding (1997),
She's All That (1999) and
The Big Lebowski (1998), among
others. She danced her way into high profile nationally televised award
shows and commercials, as well as major music videos with everyone from
Brian Setzer to Sugar Ray. She appeared in spots for Hyundai, Gap, Dr.
Pepper and the 2003 Budweiser spot "Top 10 of All-Time", which aired
during the Super Bowl. Before she knew it, her passion had turned into
a full fledged dancing career.
This career exposed her to countless hours on television and movie
sets, where she truly felt right at home. She caught the acting bug and
decided to turn her focus to this newfound passion. Turner credits her
dancing for the focus she put forth towards acting. She immersed
herself in the new art, studying theater at King's College in London
and enrolling in a series of acting classes with some of the best
teachers in the business.
She immediately made her mark in Hollywood as
Rob Schneider's love interest,
"Allison the Fish Girl", in the ever popular movie
Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (1999),
and as the snobby bouffant haired Tri-Pi "Tiffany" in
Sorority Boys (2002). She opened
the mega-hit
The Wedding Planner (2001) as
a nervous bride, alongside
Jennifer Lopez and captivated
audiences as head cheerleader "Tina Hammersmith" in the hit film
Bring It on: Again (2004).
In addition, she starred in the critically acclaimed Carsey/Werner
Oxygen Network comedy
Good Girls Don't... (2004)
as "Marjorie".
Bree has also made her mark within the independent film world including
the Sundance award-winning piece
The Quest for Length (2002),
a critically acclaimed mockumentary in which Bree played the supportive
girlfriend of a man who was on a comical quest to enlarge his penis.
Not only do critics love her performance on the big screen, but they
praise her for the work she does on stage as well.
Recently, Bree wrapped the indie comedy
The Year of Getting to Know Us (2008),
starring Jimmy Fallon and
The TV Set (2006), starring
Sigourney Weaver. She can be seen in
Firehouse Dog (2007), a story that
follows "Rexxx", Hollywood's most in-demand canine star. Turner plays
"Liz Knowles", a Hollywood film producer who is the force behind the
famous celebrity dog. Also, you can catch her in
Just My Luck (2006), a comedy
starring Lindsay Lohan about the luckiest
girl in the world who somehow loses it. Bree plays Lohan's best friend
"Dana" who helps her troubled friend try and reclaim the luck she once
had through a whirlwind of events. Bree also starred opposite
Ethan Embry in an episode of Showtime's
Masters of Horror (2005),
an anthology series directed and co-written by famed filmmaker
Don Coscarelli.
When she is not working on a film or a television show, Bree spends her
time honing her craft as an actress, working with charities and
spending time with her family and friends.- Actress
- Producer
- Editorial Department
Markie Post grew up in Walnut Creek, California and started her career
on films and TV shows, such as
Card Sharks (1978) and "The New
Card Sharks" (1986) and went on to even produce such projects as
Double Dare (1976) and has made
appearances on such television projects as
1st to Die (2003),
E! True Hollywood Story (1996)
and
Electra Woman and Dyna Girl (2001).
Perhaps her biggest TV role was as "Christine Sullivan" on
Night Court (1984). She appeared
in 156 episodes of this comedy, from 1984 to 1992.- Actress
- Producer
Alessandra Torresani was born Alessandra Olivia Toreson in Palo Alto, California. Before becoming an actress, Alessandra studied dancing and singing from the age of two and achieved a Black Belt in Tae-Kwon-Do by the age of nine. Torresani's television debut was at age nine when she hosted the WB Kids' Club for San Francisco's KBWB.
Her television credits include guest appearances on The Big Bang Theory (2007), Batwoman (2019), Lucifer (2016), Two and a Half Men (2003), The Fosters (2013), Workaholics (2011), American Horror Story (2011), Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008), CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000), Warehouse 13 (2009), Arrested Development (2003), Malcolm in the Middle (2000), and ER (1994), among others. Torresani was cast as Zoe Graystone in Syfy's critically-acclaimed Caprica (2009), a prequel spin-off of Battlestar Galactica (2004), which debuted in January 2010.
Torresani was featured as a Top 100 Girl of Maxim.- Actress
- Producer
- Music Department
Naturally brunette/blue-eyed beauty Amy Davis Irving was born in Palo
Alto, California. She is the youngest of three children, and the
daughter of influential theatrical/television director and producer
Jules Irving, and actress
Priscilla Pointer. Her father was of
Russian Jewish descent, and her mother's ancestry includes English,
Scots-Irish, Welsh, Jewish, and German.
Amy was brought up in the world of theater. She was put on stage from
the time she was nine-months-old, her father was the director and her
mother was the actress, they didn't want baby sitters for their
children, so if she wasn't performing, she would stay in the wardrobe
department or her mother used to put her in the second row center where
she could watch her. And, before she was 10-years-old, she had already
worked in several plays. At a young age, Amy Irving was trained at the
American Conservatory Theater and Britain's London Academy of Music and
Dramatic Arts (L.A.M.A.D.A.). She made her off-Broadway debut at the
age of 17 and, from that moment to date, she received critical acclaim,
appearing in such plays as: "Heartbreak House" (1983), "The Road to
Mecca" (1988), "Broken Glass" (1994), "The Three Sisters" (1997), "The
Guys" (2002), "Ghosts" (2002) and "Celadine" (2004), among others.
In 1976, Amy made her film debut, playing "Sue Snell", one of her most
unforgettable characters in
Stephen King's
Carrie (1976), a classic in the horror
genre, taken to the big screen by director
Brian De Palma. For the next few years,
Irving continued working in important films,
The Fury (1978), also directed by De
Palma, Voices (1979) and
The Competition (1980). Later, in
1983, she gave a fine performance as "Hadass", in
Barbra Streisand's
Yentl (1983); earning an Oscar nomination. Two of her best
opportunities arrived in the late 80s, when she played "Anna Anderson"
in
Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna (1986)
and "Isabelle Grossman" in the romantic comedy,
Crossing Delancey (1988); she
received a Golden Globe nomination for each movie.
Amy was married to director
Steven Spielberg from 1985 to 1989 and
she has a son with him, Max Spielberg.
And, in 1990, after her divorce, she met Brazilian director
Bruno Barreto while they were working on
A Show of Force (1990). They wed
a few years later and they have a son (Gabriel). In 1997, Irving made a
guest appearance on Woody Allen's
Deconstructing Harry (1997)
and, in 1999, she came back in the sequel of
Carrie (1976),
The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999).
Unfortunately, her film opportunities narrowed in the
90s. However, in the year 2000, she surprised the whole world again
when she performed as "Mary Ann Simpson", a very funny and sensual, at
the same time, English teacher in the film,
Bossa Nova (2000). She managed to
capture this peculiar character very well. After this romantic comedy,
Amy had a great opportunity, playing "Barbara Wakefield",
Michael Douglas' wife in
Traffic (2000), the film was a huge
success and she won an Actor Award, shared with the rest of the cast.
Then, this beautiful and talented actress continued working in
remarkable films such as
13 Conversations About One Thing (2001),
with her Carrie (1976) co-star,
Sissy Spacek, in the Walt Disney
production,
Tuck Everlasting (2002) and in
the horror film,
Hide and Seek (2005), along with
Robert De Niro. Recently, she had an
important part as "Emily Sloane" in the very-known show,
Alias (2001).
In addition to her talents as an actress, she is a great dancer and
also showed off her vocal talents, singing in films such as
Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988),
Honeysuckle Rose (1980),
Rumpelstiltskin (1987) and
An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (1991).
Nowadays, Amy Irving continues working on stage in Broadway productions
and spends most of her time with her friends and family, especially
with her two children.- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Jamie Michelle Luner was born on Wednesday, May 12, 1971 to Stuart and
Susan Luner in Palo Alto, California. She
grew up with her older brother, David Luner,
and her mom Susan in California. Before landing her roles on
Just the Ten of Us (1987)
as dizzy "Cindy Lubbock", Jamie began her career in front of the
cameras at the tender age of three doing TV commercials. At 15
she won the L.A. Shakespeare Festival in the category of
monologues. She was still working on
Just the Ten of Us (1987),
while attending Beverly Hills High School, from which she graduated
in 1989. She took a break from acting, attended culinary school, and
was a chef at French restaurant Drai's after
Just the Ten of Us (1987)
was canceled in 1991.
She returned to TV in
Moment of Truth: Why My Daughter? (1993)
in 1993 with a few small parts in shows such as
Married... with Children (1987),
Diagnosis Murder (1993).
Then, she got her first break as Southern seductress "Peyton Richards"
in Savannah (1996). After the prime-time soap
was canceled, Jamie and her then-boyfriend
Johnny Braz traveled around the US in an
Airstream motor home before she landed the role of "Lexi" in
Melrose Place (1992). After the
Fox soap ended in 1999, so did her four-year-romance. Then
after Ally Walker left, Jamie joined the cast of
Profiler (1996)
as "Rachel Burke".
Later she was in ABC's short-lived
10-8: Officers on Duty (2003).
Then, in 2005, she had lead roles in Lifetime's,
Blind Injustice (2005),
Stranger in My Bed (2005)
and, in 2006, The Suspect (2006),
The Perfect Marriage (2006)
and a guest spot on
The War at Home (2005).
Jamie has also done theater work in Santa Monica in "Black &
Bluestein", Other Space, Santa Monica and The Young Playwrites Festival
in Los Angeles.- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Lee Arenberg has the remarkable ability to morph himself into
frightening aliens, twisted psychotherapists, lascivious entertainment
executives and everything in between. Most frequently referred to as a
character actor, Arenberg maintains a flourishing acting career--almost
20 years spanning television, stage and film. Arenberg has appeared in
more than 30 movies, including Cradle Will Rock (1999), RoboCop 3 (1993), Waterworld (1995), Bob Roberts (1992),
The Apocalypse (1997), Cross My Heart (1987) and the fantasy adventure feature Dungeons & Dragons (2000). Bitten by
the acting bug at age eight when he portrayed David in his Hebrew
school play, "Killing Goliath", Arenberg notes that the parable "could
be the title of any actor's chances in this game." A native Angeleno,
Lee attended Santa Monica high school with "brat packers" Sean Penn,
Robert Downey Jr. and Emilio Estevez, and co-wrote a play with Estevez which was
directed by Penn. Lee's first professional job was in 1986 at the Mark
Taper Forum in "Ghetto", a play directed by Gordon Davidson. Within weeks he
was cast in three films, including the role of Norton in the feature
Tapeheads (1988)opposite Tim Robbins and John Cusack. Guest appearances on television
began in 1987 with the hit sitcom Perfect Strangers (1986), and have continued with
memorable roles such as the parking space-stealing New Yorker on
Seinfeld (1989) and as the murderous rock promoter opposite Katey Sagal and Sam Kinison
in Tales from the Crypt (1989), as well as roles on Arli$$ (1996), Friends (1994), Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993) and
Star Trek: Voyager (1995). Arenberg can also be seen in the role of the notoriously huge
studio head, Bobby G., on the controversial syndicated comedy Action (1999)
opposite series star Jay Mohr. Arenberg names his family and friends as
his inspirations, and states that having grown up on Los Angeles'
Westside, he was able to see actors as the parents of friends and
classmates, not as just as movie stars. "It also gave me an honest
assessment of the industry and what I was getting myself into," he
laughs. He credits "fear of failure" as his main motivation, and
admires the talents and creativity of such legendary actors Paul Muni,
Lon Chaney and Boris Karloff. Lee also credits much of his development as an
actor to his participation in the Actors' Gang, one of Los Angeles'
oldest theater companies. The Actors' Gang was founded by Lee in 1981
with Tim Robbins and other friends from UCLA. After 20 years as an actor in
the group, Lee recently made his writing and directing debut with
Foursome, a play about golf, sex and witchcraft. In his leisure time,
Arenberg enjoys golf, cooking, blues harmonica, video games and
pitching for his softball team Bubblin' Crude, which is made up of
other actors, many of whom are friends from high school. He is involved
with St. Jude's Children's Hospital and other children's health causes,
and animal rights organizations, participating regularly in fund
raising efforts on behalf of those charitable causes.- Ahna O'Reilly is an American actress who is best known for her role in Tate Taylor's "The Help." She was recently seen in the Snoy film adaption of "Where The Crawdads Sing." Additional film credits include "Bombshell", "The Friend", "Jobs", "Forgetting Sarah Marshall", and "Marshall." Her television credits include "The Morning Show", "Kingdom", "How I Met Your Mother", and "Reverie."
On the New York stage, Ahna starred opposite Steven Pasquale in The Roundabout Theater Company's production of "The Robber Bridegroom," directed by Alex Timbers The show received outstanding reviews and was nominated for a Lortel Award for Outstanding Revival. - Actor
- Camera and Electrical Department
Rick Rossovich, considered one of the nicest people to work with, is
also a devoted family man. He and his wife Eva have two kids, Roy and
Isabel. For three months each year, the family lives at their home in
Sweden, where Eva is from, so that the kids can have both sides of
their parents' upbringing. Rick lives in Ojai, California.- Actor
- Director
Clayton Rohner was born on 5 August 1957 in Palo Alto, California, USA. He is an actor and director, known for Mope (2019), Ozark (2017) and Bluff City Law (2019).- Haley Pullos was born in Palo Alto, California, U.S.. She made her acting debut as a child in the movie Carney Tales. Her next role came five years later in the films 'Til Death and Moonlight. In 2008, she made her television debut in an episode of Ghost Whisperer. She went on to have guest appearances on multiple TV shows.
- Director
- Choreographer
- Producer
Kenny Ortega was born on 18 April 1950 in Palo Alto, California, USA. He is a director and producer, known for High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008), Michael Jackson's 'This Is It': Auditions - Searching for the World's Best Dancers (2010) and Descendants 3 (2019).- Producer
- Writer
- Director
Jon is an alumni of the USC School of Cinema-Television. There, he won
the Princess Grace Award, the Dore Schary Award presented by the
Anti-Defamation league, the Jack Nicholson directing award, and
recognized as an honoree for the IFP/West program Project: Involve.
After making his student short, "When the Kids Are Away", Jon was
scooped up by the William Morris Agency and attached to several high
profile projects.- Michelle Pierce was born on 22 July 1981 in Palo Alto, California, USA. She is an actress, known for Transformers (2007), NCIS (2003) and Casting Couch (2013). She has been married to Christian Kasparian since 9 November 2019. They have one child.
- Actor
- Producer
Tom Franco was born on 14 April 1980 in Palo Alto, California, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for The Disaster Artist (2017), Miracle Valley (2021) and Reminisce. He is married to Iris Torres. He was previously married to Julia Lazar Franco.- Actor
- Stunts
Born in Palo Alto, California, Tim was a physically imposing and well-known character actor from the 80's. Tim and Tom Selleck were college roommates while both attended the University of Southern California. First drafted into the NFL in 1968, his career there included playing professional football for the Philadelphia Eagles, then San Diego Chargers, and the Houston Oilers. After his football career ended in the mid 70's, Tim began acting and remained active through 1998. Tim lived another 20 years after his final appearance, passing away in his native California in December 2018.- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Born in the San Francisco Bay area to Vincent and Marjorie Damante,
Susan Damante attended Woodside High School and Canada College.
Following high school and college, she entered the Miss America Pageant
and was first runner-up to Miss California. She used the scholarship
money to study classical theater, under William Ball, at "The American
Conservatory Theater" in San Francisco. Accepted, but unable to raise
the money to attend Carnegie-Mellon University, she made her debut with
a featured role in the film,
The Candidate (1972), with
Robert Redford. She then moved to
Hollywood.
She studied with Milton Katselas at the
Beverly Hills Playhouse. Her first parts were roles in TV series, such
as Bender (1979), a pilot produced by
Carroll O'Connor,
Amy Prentiss (1974), at
Universal Studios, Steven Bochco's early
series:
Richie Brockelman, Private Eye (1978)
and
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors (1969),
directed by John Badham, guest-starring with
Don Johnson.
Her biggest break came with her starring role in
The Adventures of the Wilderness Family (1975)
and its two sequels:
The Further Adventures of the Wilderness Family (1978)
and
Adventures of the Wilderness Family 3 (1979).
After a victory over an "incurable" illness, she revitalized her career
on the New York stage. She studied in July 2002 at
David Mamet /
William H. Macy's "Atlantic Theater" and
starred in "Her Sonoma Story" at the famed "Neighborhood Playhouse",
June 2003. She is developing her solo play, based on her own
experiences of life and near death.- Producer
- Director
- Writer
Rob Minkoff was born on 11 August 1962 in Palo Alto, California, USA. He is a producer and director, known for The Lion King (1994), Stuart Little 2 (2002) and The Forbidden Kingdom (2008). He has been married to Crystal Kung Minkoff since 29 September 2007. They have two children.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Zach Appelman was born in Palo Alto, California, USA. He is an actor, known for Sleepy Hollow (2013), The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017) and Kill Your Darlings (2013).- Actress Deena Freeman was born in Palo Alto, California, the daughter
of an industrial engineer father, and a funny housewife mother. Deena
began acting in high school and performed in a professional acting
company called, "The Theatreworks". She was best known for her
characterization of a duck, called Ducky Daddles, in "Story Theatre",
as well as her impersonation of Crab the dog, in "Two Gentelemen of
Verona". She starred in many productions, including "Ah Wilderness'
with Zelko Ivanek, "Vanities", and many others. She graduated from SFSU
and continued graduate work at UC Irvine.
She moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting professionally. Within a
short period of time she landed a leading role in a pilot for ABC,
called "In Trouble", with Nancy Cartwright and Lisa Freeman. Following
the pilot, Deena was cast as a regular on "Too Close For Comfort",
playing Ted Knights rebel niece, April. She went on to guest star on
numerous popular shows including, "Newhart", "The White Shadow", "Crazy
like a Fox" to name a few. In a special episode of "Golden Girls", she
had the honor of playing Bea Arthur's daughter, Kate.
She continued to work in TV commercials from everything from being a
spokesperson for both McDonald's to the vintage soft drink Tab. Deena
was honored on the Screen Actors Guild awards ceremony for her body of
work in commercials. You could not turn on the TV, without seeing Deena
playing the quintessential commercial mom. As a voice-over actress,
your kids would know her from "Monster's Inc", "Buzz Light Year", and
"The Incredibles", to name a few. Most recently, she was nominated for
Best Supporting actress at The Houston International Film Festival for
her role as once again the overbearing Jewish mama, in "Banana Bread",
and also appeared on the hit sitcom, "Melissa and Joey" on ABC.
Deena married David Brandes, producer/writer, has two daughters who are
actresses, Aviva Brandes and Noa Brandes. - Director
- Actor
- Writer
Perry Lang was born on 24 December 1959 in Palo Alto, California, USA. He is a director and actor, known for An Interview with God (2018), Men of War (1994) and Little Vegas (1990). He has been married to Sage Parker since 15 June 1996. They have two children.- Actor
- Producer
- Stunts
In 1994, Eric Woods began his acting career by landing the coveted role of Evan Frame on Another World. His acting coach at the time, Howard Fine, had a lot to do with it. Upon his return from the NY soap, Eric landed a recurring role on Charmed, playing the show's very first evil Warlock, Jeremy Burns. After appearing in numerous television guest spots, Eric gravitated to the stage playing a mentally challenged father in the original play Minding Goodman, receiving rave reviews from the Hollywood Reporter and Variety. Eric then took to the big screen, appearing in films including Jonah Hex starring Josh Brolin and Immortal Island, in which Eric played Captain Jack, a role that would earn him the best actor award at The Florida Film Festival. Since then, Eric has appeared in dozens of feature films including The Philly Kid with Neal McDonough, Dark Metropolis with Baily Chase, Wong Swipe with Anna Hutchinson, Presumed with April Boulby, Hidden Truth Directed by Steven Monroe, and many more.- James Reid Boyce was born, in Palo Alto, California, the third child of Mary Anderson Tomlinson & Richard Dudley Boyce. He attended grade school in Huntington Beach, California, & graduated from the Webb School in Claremont, California, in June, 1975. While a senior at Webb School he taught art & was very active in their theatre programs. Jim graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York, where he majored in dramatics & technical theatre; he has enjoyed a number of leading roles in major productions & in musicals such as Sutherland's Law, The Omega Factor, A Sense of Freedom, Slumber Party Massacre, M*A*S*H, Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment, Knots Landing, Taggart, The Bogie Man, Sisters, Ed Wood, Crimson Tide, The Slab Boys, Crime & Punishment in Suburbia, and The Seller. He retired from acting to become a teacher.
- Music Artist
- Actor
- Composer
Lindsey Buckingham was born on 3 October 1949 in Palo Alto, California, USA. He is a music artist and actor, known for Back to the Future (1985), Twister (1996) and Vacation (1983). He has been married to Kristen Leigh Messner since 15 February 2000. They have three children.- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Alexandra Smothers was born at Stanford Hospital in Palo Alto. Her
father was a third generation Cardinal at Stanford. She jokes that she
must have been a "smart baby" to be born at such a prestigious school.
Her Dad became a well-respected attorney and her mom was a waitress at
their family restaurant for 50 years known as the "Rainbow Hut" on the
Central Coast. She moved a lot as a child, between her biker mom and
protective sister, her intellectual giant of a Dad, and ultimately the
two who had a great impact on her life, her grandparents. She is
grateful to them for raising her, with the help of her great aunt and
uncle from Palo Alto for taking her from foster care and providing her
with a boarding school education. Alexandra experienced living at every
economic level and had a myriad of life experiences that give her a
rich well to draw from as an actress.
Academy Award Nominated Actress Carrie Snodgress befriended Smothers in
line for a ride at Magic Mountain and mentored her in her journey to
becoming a working actress and a mom. She stressed the value of
volunteering one's time to worthy causes. Smothers studied with Mr.
Cochran, former Yale professor who taught Meryl Streep and Danny
Glover. Smothers credits Oliver Stone for inspiring her to come to Los
Angeles to work as an actress in films after meeting him at the Fiesta
Five Movie Theater in Santa Barbara, where Alexandra gave him a tiny
little slide that a photographer nearby just happened to have on him.
She had just finished her first film, "The Legend of Shokar" that
premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in 1992. He
encouraged her to come to LA. She moved from Santa Barbara where she
was attending school and living on a boat to Los Angeles.
Her Dad came into her life again after a ten-year absence. He was a
resident at the Betty Ford Center. His roommate was unit publicist,
Thomas Gray, who took Alexandra under his wing and taught her what he
new about the business of show. By 1996, she was getting hundreds of
auditions and a few small roles that ended up mostly on the cutting
room floor. Her film and TV credits include Will Smith's breakthrough
series "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" which she was fired from for
trying a different accent each take, "I was green!" she laughs,
red-faced.
Her first agent was Joel Tappis. They met while she sat alone waiting
for a man for whom she had decided to buy some teeth so that he could
look for a job. (He didn't have any in the front)
Smothers agreed to travel to see about a picture and was brought in on
Tim Burton's "Mars Attacks!" (in which the film pioneer cast her as a
Cleopatra cocktail waitress) by Marilee Lear. She had her own trailer
and was on set for a week with Tim Burton, Danny DeVito and Annette
Bening. Smothers couldn't help but be inspired by them, and the
cinematographer Peter Suschitzky taught her about creating meaningful
moments on film.
She flew from the set in Vegas to see her Dad marry his wife Heidi at
the Little Chapel in Yosemite Valley. Two months later, Alexandra's
son, Isaac, was conceived to her free-spirited globetrotting new
boyfriend. She moved back to the Central Coast to raise her newborn
son, Isaac, and to help her sister, Tasha who was sick. She changed her
name from Brandy to Alexandra. In contemplating the naming of her son,
she realized the importance of a name and its meaning. " 'Brandy' means
'conqueror.' 'Alexandra' means 'helper of mankind'. Smothers wanted to devote her time to her son. Two years
later, while on a good-will ambassador trip to aid an orphanage in
Mexico, a producer took notice of her. Three months later, Smothers,
living in a small country town of 282 people, received a phone call.
She was hired to fly to Belize as an on-screen narrator to make the
case for the conservation of the rainforests, providing clean drinking
water to the world and building safe homes for "Target Earth" and "Eden
Conservancy". When she got back, she met the disciplined and compelling
director Patti Kane, who created a theatre in Paso Robles that debuted
with Smothers' performance as Cherie in 'Bus Stop' in the year 2000,
Classic American Theatre was born. For the next five years Smothers
worked closely with artist-in-residence Jeffrey Schultz and Director
Patti Kane bringing powerful leading ladies to life to packed houses
and standing ovations. She played Maggie in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"
which was produced by Rob Stevens who was known to the Los Angeles
theatre community for producing the awards show "The Robbies."
Alexandra missed out on knowing her father as a child. She and her son
spent every Christmas with him and his wife Heidi in Ahwahnee, just
outside of Yosemite. While Smothers and her dad didn't enjoy the
close-knit relationship she longed for, her dad told her that he was
her biggest fan after seeing Smothers in "Bus Stop" as Cherie, a role
brought to the screen by the late Marilyn Monroe.
The desire to share her work with a larger audience led her back to Los
Angeles. Her first appearance on stage in Los Angeles was as Blanche
DuBois in "Streetcar Named Desire," and at the Improv Comedy Lab as
Mrs. Brown in "National Velvet. " Again, with the audience limited to
those who could make it to the theatre, Smothers set out in search of a
wider audience.
In 2007, Alexandra represented Lucky Jeans and Liz Claiborne as a model
in Sri Lanka, and had a very emotional journey down the coast hosted by
Hidiramani Corporation, the clothing manufacturer. They took her to the
village built for the survivors who had lost family members in the
tsunami following the magnitude 9.1 earthquake in 2004. When she got
there, they held a town hall meeting to tell her of their desire for
peacekeeping, language education, and technology. Smothers would still
like to establish aide to the region.
After hearing Producer Ralph Winter speak about the importance of
making movies and not just dreaming about it, Smothers engaged the help
of a very talented cinematographer Paolo Cascio to create a short film
about her sister's recent death at 37 in a head- on collision. The
story was originally titled "Illa Ensis" but at the last second was
changed to "Broken" It was a very personal journey that premiered at
the Alex Theatre on April 4, 2009. WGA writer Jeff Wilber wrote the
non-linear script.
In 2010, on their third collaboration with Smothers, Directors Roberto
Fernando Canuto and Xiaoxi Xu wrote a feature script with Alexandra in
mind to play one of the leads in an ensemble piece, and asked Alexandra
to join them.
The first day of filming for her first feature film, Smothers learned
her father was dying of Pancreatic cancer. "Desire Street" with
Alejandra Walker, Ellen Clifford, Javier Lopez and Alexandra Smothers,
first screened a rough cut on November 13, 2009 In Theatre 3 on the
Universal Studios lot. Her father passed away on May 4, 2010 and she
doesn't know if he ever saw that film. She hastily married someone she
hadn't dated five days later in her grief.
In the summer of 2010 Alexandra Smothers played Margie the waitress in
"Silent Crossroads" set in the 60's in rural Echo, Utah and directed by
her husband. She won the "Best Performance in an Acting Role" award
from 'Action on Film' Film Festival WithOutaBox Award in 2012, and was
nominated for Best Actress from the Movieville Film Festival in
Sarasota Florida. They created another short film shortly thereafter
where she plays a spy. Their relationship ended upon its completion and
separation was a rocky one. Smothers delved into volunteering to keep
her life in perspective.
She worked worked briefly on the mob comedy feature "Pizza With
Bullets" starring Talia Shire, Vincent Pastore, Ronnie Marmo, Tony
Amendola, Tony Devon and directed by Robert Rothbard.- Actress
- Producer
- Stunts
Amy Stewart got her start as a child in regional theaters in the San
Francisco Bay Area, and did several national television commercials
throughout her teen years. When a Los Angeles based talent agent took
notice of her, she started flying to LA for auditions and work, and
soon began independent study before graduating High School.
Later, Amy graduated magna cum laude from UCSD with a Psychology degree
and a minor in Political Science. While in college she also studied at
the prestigious La Jolla Playhouse Summer Conservatory under Tony
Award-winning director Anna Shapiro. This experience propelled her
decision to pursue acting as a career, even though she had already been
accepted to several law schools.
She is often termed a "chameleon" for her ability to morph from
character to character and traverse multiple genres. This unique skill
set first got Amy noticed for her tear jerking performance as a rape
victim in a critically acclaimed episode of David E. Kelley's The
Practice. Since then, Amy has continued to appear on some of the most
popular dramas on television.
Ironically, Stewart is a natural "funny girl," with training in both
improv and stand-up comedy. Her breakout comedic film performance came
in the screwball romantic comedy Monkey Love, described by IndieWire as
"a late night secret pleasure for single gals with bad track records."
She starred in the film opposite Jeremy Renner, and proved that she is
as diverse as she is talented. Hollywood has definitely taken notice of
this lighter side of Amy, resulting in her comedic turns on shows like
Desperate Housewives, Las Vegas and The Starter Wife.- Producer
- Writer
- Director
W. Kamau Bell was born on 26 January 1973 in Palo Alto, California, USA. He is a producer and writer, known for We Need to Talk About Cosby (2022), United Shades of America (2016) and Sorry to Bother You (2018). He has been married to Dr. Melissa Hudson Bell, Ph.D. since 2009. They have two children.- Actress
- Writer
Brandis Kemp was born on 1 February 1944 in Palo Alto, California, USA. She was an actress and writer, known for Clifford (1994), AfterMASH (1983) and Remington Steele (1982). She was married to Mark Blankfield. She died on 4 July 2020 in Los Feliz, California, USA.- Producer
- Writer
- Actress
Francesca Fiorentini is a correspondent, producer, and stand up comic known for her work on Newsbroke on AJ+ (2013-2018) . She is been behind viral hits like "The Real Deal with the U.S. Mexico Border", monologues like "How the Rich Want to Keep You Dumb." and sketches like "White Fragility in the Workplace."
She is a also a correspondent with Explorer on the National Geographic Channel and a contributor to The Young Turks.- Camera and Electrical Department
- Cinematographer
- Director
Tom Stern was born on 16 December 1946 in Palo Alto, California, USA. He is a cinematographer and director, known for Changeling (2008), Flags of Our Fathers (2006) and Mystic River (2003). He was previously married to Françoise Combadière.- Born in Palo Alto, California, Shiloh Sweet Adele was speaking in full sentences before she was even a year old. Named after two of her great grandmothers, Shiloh began taking dance lessons at the age of two and was known to take a turn singing at her older brother's piano and voice recitals.
Shiloh moved with her family to Los Angeles in the summer of 2015, and within only a few weeks of living in the world's entertainment capitol, Shiloh knew she wanted to act in movies and television. Her parents insisted she take acting classes first and signed her up at the Young Actors Studio where she was interviewed and invited to attend even though she was younger than the class requirement.
In 2018, Shiloh met Emmy® award winning actress Melissa Hayden and began studying at Beverly Hills Playhouse. Soon after, she was discovered by veteran management team Joy & Charlie Stevenson, then signed by Clear Talent Group in their youth division.
Her first role was an ad for Wal-Mart. She loved the set life so much, she knew she was on the right path.
Shiloh is an unstoppable artist, and when she is not singing, dancing, or learning lines, she is drawing, painting, writing scripts, stories, and making homemade slime.
In early 2020 Shiloh was cast as 'Gretchen' in the ABC Sitcom starring Topher Grace, Home Economics. Jimmy Tatro played her father, Connor.
In early 2023, Shiloh signed with manager Tim Emery at Industry Entertainment. Later in 2023 Shiloh signed with Warren Bacci at Top Talent Agency in the UK.
On January 22, 2024, Shiloh's latest role was announced in Variety for a guest star role as Miriam in the Untitled Erin Foster Project on Netflix. - Actor
- Producer
Amin El Gamal (he/they) was born during an earthquake in Palo Alto, CA. His parents are both Egyptian immigrants-his mother came to the US with her family as a child to escape political persecution and his father immigrated for graduate school. He attended Palo Alto High School and then studied English and Drama at Stanford University before progressing to the USC School of Dramatic Arts, where he graduated with an MFA in acting.
Shortly thereafter, Amin landed roles on The Newsroom (2012), Shameless (2011), and The Librarians (2014). In 2017, he played sinister fan favorite Cyclops on the Prison Break (2005) revival, which established him as the first openly queer Muslim actor to play a leading role on a TV show. With a recurring role on Good Trouble (2019) and notable appearances in the films Namour (2016), Message from the King (2016) (opposite Chadwick Boseman and Alfred Molina), and the upcoming indies First Love (2019), Spring Bloom, and Breaking Fast (2020), Amin is well on his way to establishing himself as one of Hollywood's most striking and versatile performers.- Jordan Lage was born in Palo Alto, California, USA and now lives in New York City. He is an actor, known for his work on the television programs The Looming Tower, Better Call Saul, The Blacklist, Elementary, Nurse Jackie, Damages, The Big C, Law & Order: SVU, as well as his recurring roles on Madam Secretary (2015-2017), The Path (2016-2017), Boardwalk Empire (2015), Law & Order (1996-2009), All My Children (2007-2011), and Oz (1998-1999). His films include Touched (2018), The Girl in the Book, Salt, Michael Clayton, World Trade Center, The Believer, The Spanish Prisoner, Homicide, and Things Change. He has performed in over two dozen of David Mamet's plays and films including Glengarry Glen Ross, American Buffalo, Speed-the-Plow, and Race. Founding member, Atlantic Theater Company, NYC. For complete credits & full biography see jordanlage.com
- Actress
- Producer
Benita Krista Nall is an actress and producer, best known for her role as Liz on "Hart of Dixie" (2015) created Leila Gerstein, "Minority Report" (2002) directed by Steven Spielberg starring Tom Cruise, "Catch Me If You Can" (2002) directed by Steven Spielberg starring Leonardo DiCaprio, "13 Going on 30" (2004) starring Jennifer Garner, as well as two episodes of "Criminal Minds" (2006) and (2012).- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Actor
- Writer
Newt Arnold was born on 22 February 1922 in Palo Alto, California, USA. He was an assistant director and actor, known for The Godfather Part II (1974), Blade Runner (1982) and WarGames (1983). He was married to Judy Arnold and Peg Yorkin. He died on 12 February 2000 in Encino, California, USA.- Robb Derringer was born in Palo Alto, California. He studied at the Foothill Theatre Conservatory in Los Altos California before receiving his Bachelor's degree from UCLA's School of Theater, Film and Television acting program. Upon graduation from UCLA, Robb was invited to become a member of the award-winning dance troupe, Diavolo Dance Theatre. His work with Diavolo included acclaimed runs at the Edinburgh International Festival and Fringe, (Winner Critics Choice Award) and Los Angeles Dance Kaleidoscope. Robb began his career as a professional actor in 1995 and has been a familiar face on television and in feature films for over 25 years. Robb has also continued to work creatively in the professional Theater. He has performed with companies such as Pacific Resident Theatre, The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, The Whitefire Theatre and The New American Theatre, with leading performances in plays such as The Time Of Your Life, Of Mice And Men, Othello, The Trip Back Down, Prelude To A Kiss and The Blue Dahlia. Robb is also a prolific poet and writer, and has been published in various national magazines, blogs and trade publications. In 2012 Robb was the adapter and primary creative force behind a stage adaptation of John Steinbeck's timeless novel Sweet Thursday. He resides in Los Angeles and is an avid bibliophile, pilot, motorcyclist, surfer and outdoors-man.
- Timothy Landfield was born on 22 August 1950 in Palo Alto, California, USA. He is an actor, known for The Cooler (2003), The Last Ship (2014) and The Young and the Restless (1973). He has been married to Breon Gorman since 1990. They have two children.
- Sound Department
- Actor
Robert L. Manahan was born on 23 August 1956 in Palo Alto, California, USA. He was an actor, known for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (1995), Beakman's World (1992) and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (1993). He was married to Karen M. Chicoine. He died on 30 June 2000 in Alameda County, California, USA.- Actress
- Director
- Producer
Nicole Wolf was born in Palo Alto, California, USA. She is known for La La Land (2016), Runaways (2017) and Shameless (2011).- Actress
- Costume and Wardrobe Department
- Additional Crew
Natalia Dominguez was born in Palo Alto, California, USA. Natalia is an actor, known for Freaky Tales (2024), The After (2024) and Gabriel (2022).- Actor
- Music Department
- Additional Crew
Sean Smith was born on 5 October 1967 in Palo Alto, California, USA. He is an actor, known for The Bourne Supremacy (2004), Not Another Teen Movie (2001) and Cellular (2004).- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Radhaa Nilia was born on 11 March 1980 in Palo Alto, California, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Hope Cafe (2013), A Day in the Life (2009) and Big Ball'n (2007).- Actor
- Producer
David Kelsey was born in Palo Alto, California, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Monster (2022), The Mentalist (2008) and Magnum Opus (2015).- Producer
- Director
- Actor
Cameron Fife was born on 8 January 1983 in Palo Alto, California, USA. He is a producer and director, known for Killing Diaz (2018), Definition Please (2020) and Shane Gillis: Beautiful Dogs (2023).- Actor
- Additional Crew
Dwight Weist was born on 16 January 1910 in Palo Alto, California, USA. He was an actor, known for The Name of the Rose (1986), 9½ Weeks (1986) and Radio Days (1987). He was married to Virginia Fleming and Elizabeth B. Maxwell. He died on 16 July 1991 in Block Island, Rhode Island, USA.- Animation Department
- Actor
- Art Department
Oliver Martin "Ollie" Johnston was an American animator from Palo Alto, California. He was one of Disney's Nine Old Men, a group of senior animators which supervised production at the Walt Disney Animation Studios from c. 1945 to 1977. By the time of his death in 2008, Johnston was the last surviving member of the group. Johnston co-wrote the reference book "Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life" (1981), where he explained the twelve basic principles of animation. He helped to both preserve and popularize the knowledge of the techniques that were developed at the Disney studio over several decades.
In 1912, Johnston was born in Palo Alto, California. His father was Oliver Johnston, a professor at Stanford University. The younger Johnston attended Palo Alto High School. He received his college education at Stanford University, where he worked on the campus humor magazine "Stanford Chaparral". He befriended a co-worker at the magazine, the aspiring animator Frank Thomas (1912-2004). The two remained close friends until Thomas' death in the early 2000s.
In his senior year at college, Johnston transferred to the Chouinard Art Institute (1921-1970), a professional art school located in Los Angeles. Johnston was hired by the Walt Disney Animation Studios c. 1934. He served as an uncredited inbetweener in several Mickey Mouse short films, and as an assistant animator in the animated feature film "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" (1937).
After being promoted to a regular animator, Johnston's first major assignment was to animate the sentient puppet Pinocchio in the feature film "Pinocchio" (1940). Johnston animated the Centaurettes (female centaurs) and the Cupids in the "Pastoral Symphony" segment of "Fantasia" (1940).Johnston animated the key scene of the death of Bambi's mother in "Bambi" (1942). He animated "The Flying Gauchito" segment of "The Three Caballeros" (1944). He animated both the "Peter and the Wolf" and the "Casey at the Bat" segments of "Make Mine Music" (1946). Johnston animated Br'er Rabbit, Br'er Fox, and Br'er Bear in "Song of the South" (1946). He animated Jiminy Cricket in "Fun and Fancy Free" (1947). He animated both Johnny Appleseed and his guardian angel in "Melody Time" (1948).
Johnston served as a directing animator in "The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad" (1949). He also animated most of the film's major characters, including J.Thaddeus Toad, Ichabod Crane, Katrina Von Tassel, and Brom Bones. Johnston again served as a directing animator in "Cinderella" (1950). He was also the supervising animator for Cinderella's bratty stepsisters, Drizella Tremaine and Anastasia Tremaine. Johnston was tasked with animating Alice and the King of Hearts in "Alice in Wonderland" (1951). He animated the inept pirate Mr. Smee in "Peter Pan" (1953), with the character depicted as Captain Hook's first mate and personal assistant. Johnston animated the sentient dogs Lady, Jock and Trusty in "Lady and the Tramp". Johnston animated the heroic fairies Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather in "Sleeping Beauty" (1959).
Jonston served as the directing animator for the sentient dog Perdita "One Hundred and One Dalmatians" (1961). He animated the wizard Merlin, his student Wart/Arthur, and the wizard's familiar Archimedes in "The Sword in the Stone" (1963). Johnston animated the penguins in "Mary Poppins" (1964). He served as the directing animator for Mowgli, Bagheera, Baloo, and Mowgli's unnamed love interest in "The Jungle Book" (1967).
Johnston served as the directing animator for most of the major characters in "The Aristocats" (1970), including Duchess, Thomas O' Malley, and the kittens Marie, Berlioz, and Toulouse. He also served as a directing animating for most of the major characters in "Robin Hood" (1973), including Prince John, Sir Hiss, Maid Marian, and Lady Cluck. Johnston animated Winnie the Pooh and Piglet in "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh" (1977). Johnston served as the directing animator for the co-protagonists Bernard and Bianca, and for the orphan girl Penny in "The Rescuers" (1977).
Johnston served as the supervising animator for the younger versions of the co-protagonists Tod and Copper in "The Fox and the Hound" (1981). This was his last involvement in the production of a Disney feature film. Following his retirement from Disney, Johnston started writing non-fiction about animation and its techniques. He served on the advisory board of the National Student Film Institute during the 1980s and the 1990s. In November 2005, Johnston received the prestigious National Medal of Arts by the then President of the United States George Walker Bush (1946-, term 2001-2009).
In April 2008, Johnston died of natural causes. He was 95-years-old at the time of his death, and he had survived many of his colleagues at Disney. Theodore Thomas featured biographical information on Johnston in the documentary films "Frank and Ollie"(1995) and "Growing up with Nine Old Men" (2012). Johnston is still fondly recalled by fans of traditional animation.- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Maureen Kedes is the daughter of a renowned Stanford genetic scientist and was raised on campus and in Europe. She performed in theatre growing up then received a degree in English Literature from Columbia University where she minored in Psychology and studied playwriting and story structure. During her university years, she studied at American Conservatory Theatre in the summers and performed Off Off Broadway. Maureen also worked at Oxford University Press reviewing manuscripts and as a script reader for A-list celebrities. She studied at Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in New York and Beverly Hills Playhouse. Once she was Los Angeles-based, she worked in film, television, theatre, and improv comedy and as a cabaret singer. In the late 1990s, went on a 22-year hiatus to raise her two boys, run a successful PR firm (with a blog and a radio show) and invest in real estate. Missing her creative side too much, in 2019, she decided to relaunch her acting career. Since then, she has played mostly leading roles in 54 independent projects for film and television. She has written four screenplays which are now in development. Current updates are on maureenkedes.com- Actress
- Soundtrack
Ursula Buschhorn was born in Palo Alto, CA in 1969. Her father is a scientist and so the family got to travel frequently. Before the family moved back to Europe Ursula Buschhorn attended 4th and 5th grade at a Palo Alto elementary school. Her proficiency in spoken English is a result of that time. She graduated from German High School in Munich and went on to go to state drama school in Stuttgart from 1989 to 1993. Her graduation performance was Leonora d'Este in Goethe's Torquato Tasso. After drama school she played in several productions at Stuttgart's Wilhelma Theater. After the premieres of Festung in Frankfurt and Beyond the Horizon in Wuppertal (both under the direction of Rainald Götz), Ursula Buschhorn started her film career in 1994 playing a series regular for two consecutive years as Anna Sanwaldt, one of the main character's daughters, on the highly successful TV series Alle meine Töchter. This was followed by more TV and film roles, among them leading characters in Blutige Spur (Director Carlo Rola), Mit verbundenen Augen (Director Marjan Vajda), Stadt Land Mord (a crime series directed by Dennis Satin), Vaterherz (Director Gabi Kubach), Der Verehrer (Director Dagmar Damek), Auf den Spuren der Vergangenheit (Sharon von Wietersheim) and only recently in the much-loved TV series Familie Dr. Kleist (Directors Donald Kremer / Esther Wenger). In 2008 she appeared in the big screen drama Hotel Maina which was directed by legendary Italian Helmer Carlo Lizzani and premiered at the Filmfestival in Venice. Starting in 2011, Ursula Buschhorn has been returning to the stage. After having played in Eine Familie (Director Monika Steil) onstage in Bozen, Italy, she is currently busy doing a stage tour with the production of The Great Gatsby (Director Silvia Armbruster) in which she plays the role of Daisy up until April 2014.