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- Actor
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Nick Offerman was born in Joliet, Illinois, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Parks and Recreation (2009), The Founder (2016), 21 Jump Street (2012), 22 Jump Street (2014), We Are The Millers (2013), and Fargo (2014). He has been married to Megan Mullally since September 20, 2003.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Anthony Rapp started his career at the young age of six, and received his first professional job at the age of nine. His breakout came when he originated the role of Mark Cohen in Jonathan Larson's production of the Broadway musical "Rent". He can also be heard on the original cast recording.- Actress
- Director
- Producer
Janina Zione Gavankar (born November 29, 1980) is an American actress and musician. Gavankar is also trained as a pianist, vocalist, and orchestral percussionist. She majored in Theatre Performance at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Gavankar's roles include Papi, a lesbian lothario in The L Word; Leigh Turner, a police officer on The Gates; Ms. Dewey, the personification of a Microsoft branded search engine who commented on the user's searches; Shiva, the namesake of the sought-after trophy on The League; shapeshifter Luna Garza on HBO's True Blood; McKenna Hall on The CW's Arrow; and Meredith Bose on NBC's The Mysteries of Laura. She also played Diana Thomas on FOX's supernatural drama Sleepy Hollow.
Gavankar was born in Joliet, Illinois, to Peter Ganesh Gavankar, an engineer from Mumbai, who first traveled to the U.S. to pursue a master's degree, and Mohra Gavankar, from Pune, Maharashtra, who also emigrated to the U.S. from India. Her mother is half-Indian and half-Dutch.
Gavankar has acted in theatre, film, television, and online. Her most notable roles include Iden Versio, canon Star Wars character, and protagonist of Star Wars: Battlefront II, shapeshifter Luna Garza in True Blood, lesbian lothario Papi in The L Word; Ms. Dewey, the personification of a Microsoft live search engine; and Shiva, the namesake of the sought after trophy on The League. She regularly appears in Funny or Die shorts.
In 2006 she joined the cast of The L Word as a series regular, and shot all of the clips used for Ms. Dewey. In 2007, she landed a lead in CW pilot Dash 4 Cash. In 2008, Gavankar appeared in TV series Stargate Atlantis, Grey's Anatomy and NCIS, My Boys, and Factory. In 2009, she appeared in the TV shows The Cleaner, Dollhouse, Three Rivers, and The League, as well as indie movies Men, Interrupted, Indian Gangster, and Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey. Gavankar played the voice of Nikki in Quantum Quest. She landed a lead role in The Gates, since cancelled, on ABC. She appears on CW's Arrow as a vice squad police officer and brief girlfriend to Oliver Queen.
Gavankar is an admitted gamer and has appeared on, as well as co-hosted, G4 TV's Attack of the Show!, Epileptic Gaming's Up All Night, where she helped review Rock Band, Burnout Paradise, and Army of Two.
In 2011 Gavankar became a series regular in HBO's True Blood as a public school teacher and shapeshifter, Luna Garza, who gets romantically involved with one of the main characters of the series.
Her indie movie, Satellite of Love, premiered at the Dallas International Film Festival in 2012, and her 2012 indie I'm Afraid of Virginia Wolf is in post-production. On December 20, 2012, Gavankar was the last person interviewed for the now cancelled Attack of the Show! which aired on G4 TV.
On August 3, 2013, Gavankar landed a role as a witch named Qetsiyah in the fifth season of The Vampire Diaries. She guest starred in the third season of Husbands.
In 2014, she starred as Amita in the video game, Far Cry 4. She also played Detective Meredith Bose on The Mysteries of Laura from 2014 to 2016.
She starred as Iden Versio, the main character in the campaign mode of the 2017 Electronic Arts video game Star Wars Battlefront II.
In 2018, she has two films releasing. Blindspotting is premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, and The Vanishing of Sidney Hall is being distributed by A24.
Gavankar returned to music with a cover of Kanye West's "Love Lockdown". Gavankar's former all female singing group, Endera, was signed to Cash Money Records Universal Records.
She collaborated on a project for a song called "Tell Me What" in India with Pratichee Mohapatra of Viva, Deep, and Navraaz. She has had songs licensed to movies and television, and has sung and played marimba on film scores. Gavankar was featured in Russian artist Ella Leya's music video for "Wish I Could", in the music video by San Francisco-based band Recliner for their single "Float Away", as well as the music video for Manu Narayan's band Darunam.
In August 2012, she released the single for her upcoming EP, entitled Waiting for Godot, and in November, Billboard premiered the official music video. It went on to win numerous film festival awards.
While in high school, Gavankar auditioned for the front ensemble of the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps of Rockford, Illinois. Before hearing whether she had made the corps, she was accepted for the Yale School of Drama's summer camp, and went there. "I fell in love with drum corps when I was 13 years old", Gavankar has stated, and remains a strong fan of the activity. When she heard the Martin Garrix/Usher collaboration, "Don't Look Down", she had the idea of performing it as marching music. With assistance from Drum Corps International, she contacted the Jersey Surf Drum and Bugle Corps and arranger Colin Bell. She went into the studios in New York with fifty members of Jersey Surf and recorded the music video "Don't Look Down- #JustAddDrumCorps Edition" that was released in April 2015.
On May 20, 2015, Gavankar performed a percussion duet at Carnegie Hall with Questlove for the Best Buddies charity benefit.- Writer
- Actress
- Producer
Paula Pell was born on 15 April 1963 in Joliet, Illinois, USA. She is a writer and actress, known for Saturday Night Live (1975), Inside Out (2015) and 30 Rock (2006). She has been married to Janine Brito since 13 November 2020.- Actress
- Soundtrack
One is certainly hard-pressed to think of another true "bad girl" representative so closely identifiable with film noir than hard-looking blonde actress Audrey Totter. While she remained a "B"-tier actress for most her career, she was an "A" quality actress and one of filmdom's most intriguing ladies. She always managed to set herself apart even in the most standard of programming.
Born to an Austrian father and Swedish mother on December 20, 1917, in Joliet, Illinois, she treaded lightly on stage ("The Copperhead," "My Sister Eileen") and initially earned notice on the Chicago and New York radio airwaves in the late 1930s before "going Hollywood." MGM developed an interest in her and put her on its payroll in 1944. Still appearing on radio (including the sitcom "Meet Millie"), she made her film bow as, of course, a "bad girl" in Main Street After Dark (1945). That same year the studio usurped her vocal talents to torment poor Phyllis Thaxter in Bewitched (1945). Her voice was prominent again as an unseen phone operator in Ziegfeld Follies (1945). Audrey played one of her rare pure-heart roles in The Cockeyed Miracle (1946). At this point she began to establish herself in the exciting "film noir" market.
Among the certified classics she participated in were The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946) in which she had a small role as John Garfield's blonde floozie pick-up. Things brightened up considerably with Lady in the Lake (1946) co-starring Robert Montgomery as detective Philip Marlowe. The film was not well received and is now better remembered for its interesting subjective camera technique. Audrey's first hit as a femme fatale co-star came on loanout to Warner Bros. In The Unsuspected (1947), she cemented her dubious reputation in "B" noir as a trampy, gold-digging niece married to alcoholic Hurd Hatfield. She then went on a truly enviable roll with High Wall (1947), as a psychiatrist to patient Robert Taylor, The Saxon Charm (1948) with Montgomery (again) and Susan Hayward, Alias Nick Beal (1949) as a loosely-moraled "Girl Friday" to Ray Milland, the boxing film The Set-Up (1949) as the beleaguered wife of washed-up boxer Robert Ryan, Any Number Can Play (1949) with Clark Gable and as a two-timing spouse in Tension (1949) with Richard Basehart.
Although the studio groomed Audrey to become a top star, it was not to be. Perhaps because she was too good at being bad. The 1950s film scene softened considerably and MGM began focusing on family-styled comedy and drama. Audrey's tough-talking dames were no longer a commodity and MGM soon dropped her in 1951. She signed for a time with Columbia Pictures and 20th Century Fox as well but her era had come and gone. Film offers began to evaporate. At around this time she married Leo Fred, a doctor, and instead began focusing on marriage and family.
TV gave her career a slight boost in the 1960s and 1970s, including regular roles in Cimarron City (1958) and Our Man Higgins (1962) as a suburban mom opposite Stanley Holloway's British butler. After a period of semi-retirement, she came back to TV to replace Jayne Meadows in the popular television series Medical Center (1969) starring Chad Everett and James Daly. She played Nurse Wilcox, a recurring role, for four seasons (1972-1976). The 70-year-old Totter retired after a 1987 guest role on "Murder, She Wrote." Her husband died in 1996. On December 12, 2013, Audrey Totter died at age 95 in West Hills, California.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Multi-talented actress Lynne Thigpen was born Cherlynne Thigpen in Joliet, Illinois, on December 22, 1948. She performed in community theater and university theater productions while attending the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Following graduation, she taught high-school English for a short time, but her interest in acting eventually prevailed over teaching. Her desire to act professionally was further fueled by a strong set of vocal chops.
Moving to New York, Lynne subsequently won a singing role as part of the ragtag disciple ensemble in the hip, flower-powered musical "Godspell" in 1971. Two years later she transferred her role to film along with several other members of the original stage cast. Godspell (1973) opened a major door for the actress as a performer of boundless energy and vocal power, as exemplified by her rousing version of "O Bless the Lord My Soul."
Lynne continued on the 1970s musical stage with roles in "The Magic Show" and the blue-collar piece "Working," and in 1981 earned a Tony nomination for her powerhouse performance in "Tintypes." She eventually reasoned, however, that if she was to be taken seriously as a dramatic actress, she would need to refocus her energies. She then abandoned her tuneful ways and ventured assertively into films and TV.
During her 30-year career, Lynne went on to appear in nearly 40 movies and numerous television series, usually secondary in nature but alternately fiery and dignified in character. Lynne became a strong, set-jawed figure in social and urban drama as she managed to avoid the easy pitfalls of typecasting. Though most of her early film parts seemed small and insignificant, she continued to grow and gain a more assured footing while appearing in such popular features as Tootsie (1982), Sweet Liberty (1986), Hello Again (1987), and Running on Empty (1988).
Every now and then she was given a chance to shine, as with her volatile school parent in Lean on Me (1989). TV was a more palpable and productive medium for her with a stand-out recurring role as a judge on L.A. Law (1986) and a long-running part on the daytime soap All My Children (1970). She also committed herself to wholesome viewing for children, portraying the unnamed Chief on the PBS children's series Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? (1991) and Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego? (1996), earning four Emmy nominations in the process.
Throughout the years, Lynne remained a vital force on the stage. She won a Los Angeles Drama Critics award for her performance in August Wilson's "Fences," two off-Broadway Obies for Athol Fugard's "Boesman and Lena" (1992) and "Jar the Floor" (2000), and a Tony for "Best Supporting Actress" for her portrayal of a half-Black, half-Jewish feminist in "An American Daughter" (1997).
Other strong theater roles came with "A Month of Sundays" (1987) and as a spunky 101-year-old maiden woman in "Having Our Say." Lynne's dusky-voiced command was also utilized to narrate more than 20 socially relevant books on tape. Her last regular TV series role was as police clerk and computer expert Ella Farmer on The District (2000), a role she played until her sudden death.
Lynne was found unconscious at her home in Marina del Rey, California, by a friend. She died on March 12, 2003, age 54, of a cerebral hemorrhage. Her final film Anger Management (2003), which starred Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson, was released posthumously.- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Vince Vieluf recently wrapped Love Inc, a pilot for UPN, he quickly returned to Vancouver, British Columbia where he has been working alongside Paul Bettany and Harrison Ford in the feature film Firewall. Vince packed up all his belongings in 1996, rented a 13 foot U-haul and with his cat Groovy made the trek to Los Angeles. He quickly found a bartending job in a nightclub and in a vortex of timing, luck and preparation he met his first agent having a drink at his bar.
That relationship led him to his first role in a feature film, "Brad" in An American Werewolf in Paris. He has been working steadily since, landing roles alongside Vince Vaughn and Joaquin Pheonix in Clay Pigeons, Seth Green in Rat Race and Pinked with Rose McGowan. We have more recently seen Vince starring alongside The OC star Adam Brody in the skateboarder cult favorite Grind. Comfortable both on stage and in front of the camera, he starred in the plays Cool Cops and The World of Wrestling at the Actor's Gang Theatre in Los Angeles. Vince has also appeared in some of the most popular shows on television, guest starring on ER and Jesse, as well as appearing on Friends and CSI. In the fall of 2005 Love, Inc. will air Thursdays at 9:30pm.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Tim Baltz was born on 28 February 1981 in Joliet, Illinois, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for The Righteous Gemstones (2019), Shrink (2017) and John Bronco (2020). He has been married to Lily Sullivan since 5 February 2022.- Producer
- Actress
After gaining stardom by winning America's Next Top Model at the age of 20, Curry went on to appear on numerous magazine covers, runway shows and advertisements.
She was a regular fixture on reality television shows as a participant, host and producer. She was named one of Maxim's Hot 100, Playboy's 25 Sexiest Celebrities and was even anointed "Queen of the Nerds" by none other than Stan Lee himself.
Despite finding immense success in her career, she grew jaded with the business over time. Adrianne wanted to do something more fulfilling and completely different than the path she had been on in entertainment for over a decade. Now, she's ready to start a new adventure out of the spotlight.
Living in that world was the hardest thing I've ever done. I am proud I chose love and life over the temporary void filler that is fame. Realizing that she doesn't need to live in Hollywood to accomplish this, she-along with husband Matthew Rhode-decided to eschew the big city for the great outdoors and are loving every minute of it.
Shortly after, during some post-surgery downtime, Adrianne watched Edward Scissorhands and signed up to sell Avon while a little loopy on pain killers. When her Avon kit arrived, she began trying out products on Facebook live-streams to pass her recovery time. She instantly fell in love with what she was doing. She realized that she's much happier helping people find frugal fashion and makeup that looks amazing than she was in the entertainment industry. Since then, she has turned down every Hollywood offer that has come her way, focusing on growing her business and living a less stressful life.
Life After Hollywood- Adrianne's official website - follows Adrianne Curry as she leaves the fast-paced world of Hollywood for the serenity of Montana.- Actress
- Soundtrack
American actress Kathryn Hays became best known for her 38-year long stint as the fiery matriarch Kim Sullivan Hughes, one of the most prominent characters on the daytime soap As the World Turns (1956). She was born Kay Piper in Princeton and grew up Joliet, Illinois. After junior college, she attended the prestigious Northwestern University in Evanston. Though her career began as a model, Hays quickly segued into acting on the stage and on screen. From the early 60s, she landed regular guest assignments on prime time TV shows, including Route 66 (1960), Bonanza (1959), The Virginian (1962), The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964) and Mannix (1967). She also appeared several times as a supporting player on Broadway. In 1966, Hays co-starred as a pioneer's wife opposite Barry Sullivan in The Road West (1966), an NBC western series which ran for just one season and 29 episodes. She then proved her acting mettle as the tempestuous, aptly named 'Tornado' Frances in an episode of The High Chaparral (1967). Next up was what many consider to be her most iconic guest-starring role: the Minaran empath Gem on Star Trek (1966). Gem was capable of absorbing the pain of others and healing their injuries while also learning about compassion and sacrifice. Though her character was mute, Hays expressed more with her eyes and gestures than could have been conveyed by dialogue.
Her two notable appearances for the big screen were in the psychological cold war thriller Ladybug Ladybug (1963) (as a school secretary) and in the World War II epic Counterpoint (1967) (as cellist Annabel Rice, an ex-lover of the main protagonist, played by Charlton Heston). From 1972 until her retirement, the New York-based actress remained gainfully (and happily) employed in As the World Turns.
Kathryn Hays was married three times. Her second husband (1966-69) was the actor Glenn Ford.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Mercedes McCambridge was a highly talented radio performer who won a best supporting Actress Oscar for her film debut.
Mercedes McCambridge was born in Joliet, Illinois, to Marie (Mahaffry) and John Patrick McCambridge, a farmer. She was of mostly Irish (with a small amount of English and German) ancestry. Despite a career full of supporting roles, she later became something of a cult figure. Her memorable voice-over for the demon child in The Exorcist (1973) has secured her place in movie history. Ironically, she took Warner Bros. to court over her being uncredited for the role, which was probably the most important in the film.
Mercedes enjoyed a quiet retirement starting from the early 1980s. She was a special guest star at the 70th Annual Anniversary Academy Awards in 1998 along with many other Oscar winners. Mercedes also made special television appearances to discuss her role in The Exorcist (1973) at the 30th Anniversary of the film's release.
She died in La Jolla in California on 2nd March 2004 from natural causes.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Laura Soltis was born in Joliet, Illinois, USA. She is an actress, known for Hiccups (2010), Step Up All In (2014) and Black Sash (2003). She was previously married to Gary Sandy.- Tyler Christopher was born on 11 November 1972 in Joliet, Illinois, USA. He was an actor, known for General Hospital (1963), Shouting Secrets (2011) and Into the West (2005). He was married to Brienne Pedigo and Eva Longoria. He died on 31 October 2023 in San Diego, California, USA.
- Paul Dillon is an actor born in Joliet who began his career in show business in Chicago. His movie career began in 1994 with the movie Blink (1993) in which he played the role of Neal Booker. He played Patty O'Brien in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997), the most successful film in which he has a credited role. Dillon also has appeared on many hit TV series including NYPD Blue (1993), CSI: Miami (2002), The Guardian (2001), and his recurring role as Angelo in The Pretender (1996). Most recently, he had a guest appearance as Ezekiel in the new ABC drama Night Stalker (2005). Currently, he plays Gary in the play Rantoul and Die. He is also the founder and artistic director of the Bang Bang Spontaneous Theatre group.
- Actor
- Stunts
Roger Hewlett was born on 2 May 1958 in Joliet, Illinois, USA. He is an actor, known for Road House (1989), Leprechaun 3 (1995) and Changeling (2008).- Producer
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Adam Rapp was born on 15 June 1968 in Joliet, Illinois, USA. He is a producer and writer, known for Blackbird (2007), The Looming Tower (2018) and Flesh and Bone (2015).- Actress
- Sound Department
- Additional Crew
Jodi Carlisle was born on 28 August 1960 in Joliet, Illinois, USA. She is an actress, known for Café Society (2016), Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling (1985) and Desperate Housewives (2004).- Visual Effects
- Actress
Amanda Bentley was born on 18 May 1978 in Joliet, Illinois, USA. She is an actress, known for The Scorpion King (2002), Sex and the City (1998) and Teresa Talks (2021).- Margaret Teele (born Margaret J. Poby, 5 November 1942 in Joliet, Illinois) and raised in Green Bay, Wisconsin. In one of the local high school productions, "The King and I", Teele played Tony Shalhoub's mother.
Margaret retired from acting after getting married and starting a family. She now resides in Houston, TX. - Actor
- Director
- Editor
Glen Meadows was born in 1974 in Joliet, Illinois, USA. He is an actor and director, known for Black Tie Nights (2004), The Atonement of Janis Drake (2013) and Embrace the Darkness 3 (2002). He has been married to Beverly Lynne since 22 April 2006.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Well known real estate investor/financier who turned actor, film producer and writer later in life. Following his heart "to pursue what you love to do in life" he re-invented himself and entered the entertainment business". He also has a radio feature called "Minute of Wisdom" and a highly spirited Night Club Act and Variety Show.- Sandy Bentley was born on 18 May 1978 in Joliet, Illinois, USA. She is an actress, known for Sex and the City (1998), The Daily Show (1996) and Playboy: Hef's Halloween Spooktacular (2005).
- Editor
- Editorial Department
- Camera and Electrical Department
Neil Fernandez, born in Joliet and raised in Downers Grove, now lives in Los Angeles, California. He is a very successful young adult who lives a life of a Hollywood Editor. He works for the company called "Go Go Luckey Entertainment" which they have done such shows like Laguna Beach and Paranormal State. Currently (January 2009) he edits on the upcoming show for Animal Planet with Go Go called "Jockeys".
Before Neil moved to Los Angeles he was working at a farm in Plainfield, Illinois, owned by an amazing family from Downers Grove. Neil literally got on his hand and knees, picked vegetables, hoed the land, and drove tractors around. That's where some of his roots originated from, the farm, to make him a successful honest human being.
His parents who are originally from the Philippines, moved to America in their 20s to seek opportunity for themselves. Not only did they work hard but they met each other. They are happy couple who raised two great children with one of them being Neil and the other his older sister Krystle.- Actress
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Myrtle Vail was born on 7 January 1888 in Joliet, Illinois, USA. She was an actress and writer, known for Myrt and Marge (1933), The Little Shop of Horrors (1960) and A Bucket of Blood (1959). She was married to George Damerel. She died on 18 September 1978 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA.- Actress
- Composer
- Producer
A consummated actress, entertainer, songwriter and vocalist are a few of the creative attributes that describe and are possessed by Ann Nesby.
With a thespian career spanning over two decades she has worked alongside a who's who list of incomparable talents in the world of theater, film, and music.
Synonymous with creative artistic consistency, Nesby launched her professional career in the early 1980s working with the likes of Rev. James Cleveland and the Gospel Music Workshop of America (GMWA) to her first major off Broadway production, Sing Hallelujah under the direction of the incomparable Grammy award winning artist/producer Donald Lawrence.
At the close of the 1980s Nesby joined the Minneapolis based inspirational soul ensemble the Sounds of Blackness. Eventually becoming the lead vocalist to the emerging group under the auspices of music industry icons Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Nesby's vocal dexterity and songwriting aptitude garnered the group a bevy of hit singles and an international prominence; the group with Nesby on lead vocals garnered two Grammy award wins in 1991 and 1993. Establishing herself as beyond quintessential Nesby worked alongside international superstar STING on the 1993 title track "Demolition Man" for the blockbuster film of the same title featuring Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes. By the mid-90s the Sounds of Blackness had amassed awards, international recognition, and critical acclaim, climbing the ranks from a onetime local music group to launching their first major tour with R&B crooner Luther Vandross to performing to an international audience by 1994 for the FIFA World Cup.
Nesby's star power and creativity continued to rise and under the direction of Jam & Lewis she and music director for the 'Mo'Niique Show' James "Big Jim" Wright penned hit songs for R&B/Soul divas Gladys Knight ("Home Alone" from Knight's chart topping 1994 'Just For You' album) and the "The Right Kinda Lover" and "Someone Like You" from Patti Labelle's respective top selling 1994 'Gems' and the 1997 'Flame' albums prior to her departure from the Sounds of Blackness and the release of her 1996 solo album 'I'm Here For You.' Nesby's debut album blended her love of storytelling through song and wove a beautiful musical tapestry of R&B, Gospel, and Dance music, the album spent an impressive 60 weeks atop the R&B best selling album lists.
Returning to her other love of theater, Nesby began a production with then emerging playwright Tyler Perry in his first stage play 'I Know I've Been Changed.' Initially meant to be short run Nesby headlined the stage play alongside the likes of Perry and Gospel singing sensations Lashun Pace and Latrice Pace from 1998 through 2000.
Nesby's most recent stage play production has featured her starring in award winning playwright, filmmaker and author David E. Talbert's 2011 stage production "What My Husband Doesn't Know," starring Morris Chestnut, Brian White and Destiny's Child's Michelle Williams, and Clifton Davis touring nationally.
Entering the 21st century Nesby continued to build upon the foundation of her artistic creativity as the music industry shifted at the beginning of the decade. With the release of her first Dance anthology, 'The Dance Essentials' on her independent record label It's Time Child Records in 2001. The album showcased a few of Nesby's top charting single remixes - "Love is What We Need," "Lovin' Is Really My Game," "Can I Get a Witness," to "Hold On" with production by some of the world's most noted DJ's and producers from around the globe - Mousse T, DJ Mijangos, Steve "Silk" Hurley, and Thunderpuss to name a few.
With the release of her sophomore album, 'Put It On Paper' Nesby returned to the top of the R&B charts with the album's lead single "Put It On Paper" featuring the Rev. Al Green produced by "Big Herb Middleton" yielded Nesby her first solo Grammy Nomination for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance in 2003, solidifying her as a force to be reckoned with.
Making her motion picture debut, Nesby scored the supporting role of Aunt Sally Walker in the 2003 musical comedy The Fighting Temptations opposite Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Beyonce Knowles. That same year she returned musically with the release of her third album, the inspirational treasure chest of urban grooves entitled 'Make Me Better.' Despite modest promotion or radio support the album garnered Nesby yet another Grammy Nomination for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Performance in 2004. A year later she was nominated once more for a Grammy, Best Gospel Performance for her work on 'The Fighting Temptations Soundtrack' for the duet "The Stone" with Gospel legend Shirley Caesar. Ann has also made several guest starring appearances on the TV One produced "The Rickey Smiley Show".
Suffering a health scare in 2005, congestive heart failure, due to the rigors of extensive touring, poor diet, and weigh issues, Nesby shed over 100 lbs, regaining control of her health and new image. By 2006 Nesby continued to diversify her range as a recording artist with the release of her first traditional Gospel release 'In The Spirit,' which showcased the raw power and depth of her soul, as well as her range as an elite vocalist. As a treat to fans in the early 2007 she released the 'Ann Nesby the Best of Live' CD/DVD, the musical/video collage showcased Nesby's diverse repertoire of music encompassing the previous 20 years of her career--from Sounds Of Blackness through her solo recordings. The accompanying DVD video provided fans a first glimpse of the new slim and trim Ann Nesby.
Appeasing her R&B fans Nesby released the critically acclaimed 2007 album, 'This Is Love,' spawned Nesby yet another Grammy nominated single, "I Apologize." Returning to the musical forefront two years later with the release of 'The Lula Lee Project,' a hybrid blend of funky up-tempo contemporary and soulful Gospel and inspirational songs aimed at showcasing the edgier side of her artistry, Nesby once again proved a vocal and songwriting force to be reckoned with. Collaborating with creatively eccentric Gospel artist Tonex, Nesby's lead single "I Found a Place" positioned the album to peak at #13 on Billboard's Top Gospel Album Chart and # 57 on the Top R&B/ Hip-Hop Album Chart.
Rounding out an impressive musical repertoire and catalog, she released her first ever holiday album in 2009, 'Soulful Christmas,' where she revisited classic holiday tunes "Silent Night," "Oh Come All Ye Faithful," to Nesby's signature holiday hit single "Soul Holiday," featuring Big Jim Wright and was featured as the musical backdrop of one of the poignant scenes in the critically acclaimed Lee Daniel's film 'Precious' in 2009.
With a career total of two Grammy wins with the Sounds of Blackness, Nesby has amassed an impressive six Grammy nominations as a solo artist since her 1996 solo debut album; the latest for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group with Vocal for her duet with R&B crooner Calvin Richardson for the classic cover of Bobby Womack's "Love Has Finally Come at Last" (from Richardson's latest album 'Facts Of Life - The Soul Of Bobby Womack' and a nomination for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance "Sow Love" from Nesby's 2009 release 'The Lula Lee Project.'
You might ask what's next the unforgettable vocal powerhouse/thespian, Nesby is Fusing her church roots, passion for storytelling and emotive articulation of song Nesby has released her 6th studio album entitled "Living My Life" on Arrow Records a subsidiary of Pastor Creflo and Taffi Dollars World Changers Church International.- Producer
- Actor
- Executive
Brian Udovich is a producer of film and television. He has a Masters degree from the AFI (American Film Institute) and is the curator of the screening series REEL GRIT in Los Angeles. His feature films have won awards and premiered at major international festivals like Sundance, Toronto, AFI and SXSW. His AFI thesis film THE MONSTER AND THE PEANUT was awarded the student Emmy for best dramatic film in 2004. He was born in Joliet, Illinois.- Composer
- Music Department
- Actor
Jermaine Stegall is most well-known for composing the score to Coming 2 America (2021) starring Eddie Murphy and James Earl Jones. Other scoring assignments include Senior Year (2022) starring Rebel Wilson for Paramount Pictures, as well as Praise This (2023) and Oracle (2023) for Universal Pictures. In addition to scoring Lucasfilm's Our Star Wars Stories (2018), Jermaine was also nominated for a MPSE Golden Reel Award for the animated film Canvas (2020) directed by Frank E. Abney III. Televised performances include conducting the Camila Cabello orchestra at the American Music Awards 2018 (2018) and the Tori Kelly orchestra at The 2019 ESPY Awards (2019) live in Hollywood at the Microsoft Theater.- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Kyle Nudo was born in Joliet, Illinois, USA. He is known for Leatherheads (2008), The Wicksboro Incident (2003) and Foot Traffic (2018).- Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Daniel 'Rudy' Ruettiger was born on 23 August 1948 in Joliet, Illinois, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Rudy (1993), Born in June and Outwitting the Devil.- Music Department
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Frank Marocco was born on 2 January 1931 in Joliet, Illinois, USA. He was an actor, known for The Matrix Reloaded (2003), Election (1999) and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003). He was married to Anne. He died on 3 March 2012 in San Fernando Valley, California, USA.- Actor
- Music Department
Jimmy Chamberlin was born on 10 June 1964 in Joliet, Illinois, USA. He is an actor, known for The Smashing Pumpkins: Beguiled (2022), Smashing Pumpkins: Disarm (1993) and Smashing Pumpkins: Rocket (1994). He has been married to Lori Chamberlin since April 2002. They have two children.- Additional Crew
- Sound Department
- Actor
Rosen's family moved to Long Beach when he was age 7 and he graduated from Long Beach State by 1963. Shortly after he got a job at KCET as a production assistant. In 1965, channel 2 was looking for a kid's show, so Rosen pitched Dusty's Treehouse (1968) to CBS and ended up doing the show for 10 years. In the early '80s, Rosen was involved in several cable startups at the dawn of a new generation. He was also the casting director for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) and the voice director for several hit cartoon shows such as Mask (1985), My Little Pony: The Movie (1986), Captain N: The Game Master (1989), Defenders of the Earth (1986), and Fraggle Rock (1987).
Entering the '90s he was the voice director for computer game Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers (1993) and also did the voice for Yuri Markarov in Quest for Glory IV: Shadows of Darkness (1994).
Over his career, Rosen won several Emmys; ten L.A. Emmys and the George Foster Peabody Award.- Robert D. Novak was born on 26 February 1931 in Joliet, Illinois, USA. He was an actor, known for Contact (1997), The Thomas Crown Affair (1999) and Dave (1993). He was married to Geraldine Williams Novak and Rosanna Hall. He died on 18 August 2009 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Additional Crew
- Camera and Electrical Department
Dan Gutierrez was born on 13 December 1978 in Joliet, Illinois, USA. Dan is an assistant director, known for Jurassic World (2015), Terminator Genisys (2015) and Contraband (2012).- Director
- Writer
- Special Effects
Justin Lee was born on 17 December 1980 in Joliet, Illinois, USA. He is a director and writer, known for Sunday Driver (2017), Humbug (2016) and Casting Couch (2019).- Joseph Herbst was born on 7 April 1908 in Joliet, Illinois, USA. He was an actor, known for The Terror of Tiny Town (1938). He died on 6 July 1993 in Joliet, Illinois, USA.
- Jon Hatje was born on 2 December 2001 in Joliet, Illinois, USA. He is an actor, known for Square Knot (2016), A Coat of Arms and Chicago Fire (2012).
- Matthew Ray was born on 3 September 1982 in Joliet, Illinois, USA. He is an actor, known for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999), Petunia (2012) and White Collar (2009).
- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Scott Vinci was born near Chicago, Illinois and lived there until his dad changed jobs and relocated the family to Rockwall, Texas. He graduated from college at the University of North Texas, majoring in drama. Scott's acting roots link back to live theater.
After earning his B.A., Scott moved back to Chicago and attended The Second City school of improvisation. It was there he solidified his comedic timing and also began performing stand-up comedy. With its rich history, Vinci wanted to take part in The Second City training center.
Now in Los Angeles, Scott is acting, writing, and performing improvisation, along with stand-up comedy. He is known for his television and film roles in Alias, Wanted, and his many comedic shorts on Funnyordie.com.- Editor
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Stephen Donnelly was born in Illinois to loving parents. He began his creative career at age 7 with the Butterfly Poem, "I saw with my eye a small butterfly - I had one look, then off it took." His love for storytelling and the arts was further inspired by his two great loves, Star Trek and the Beatles. He was fortunate to attend a High School in where he was further inspired by a rich media curriculum. He won several awards for Acting and Directing and by age 17 had found his true calling. Always a writer, he began his film making career with the aptly titled, "Oh, Shit!" After a short stint in broadcast television, Stephen was given an edit system and never looked back. Since 1992 he has been writing, producing and editing commercials, trailers, long-form promotional, episodic television and feature films. In 2011, he published The Beatles Discography, a guide to the songs and releases of the Beatles. In 2015 he formed the Rincon Media Group, which has roots that stretch back to his high school days. Stephen said of his creation, "I have created a space in the spirit of John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band - anyone working with me is a part of the Rincon Media Group."- Composer
- Music Department
- Actor
Meet Stefan L. Smith (he/him), a multi award winning film composer and violist hailing from Joliet, Illinois. Stefan's musical talents were recognized early on, as he earned a full tuition scholarship for his Bachelor degrees in Music Composition and Viola Performance from DePaul University's School of Music. He was also awarded a full tuition scholarship to pursue a Master's degree in Viola Performance at the University of Southern California's Thornton School of Music, studying with violist pedagogue Donald McInnes. It's no surprise he made the move to Los Angeles in 2008, where he continues to hone his craft.
Stefan's musical prowess knows no bounds. He's a true multitasker, composing music for film, TV, video games, concert halls, R&B, pop, and even EDM, all while maintaining an active professional performance/recording career, holding the seat of principal (and/or guest principal) violist with some of the most prestigious American orchestras such as the Hollywood Studio Symphony, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, The Academy's Oscars Orchestra, and many more. He's even been featured as an on-screen musician, appearing in major productions like the 94th Academy Awards, Modern Family, Jimmy Kimmel Live, The West Wing and more.
The awards and recognition that Stefan has received throughout his career is a testament to his talents. Most recently, he won the 2022 Hollywood Music In Media Award for Best Score in an Animated Short for his score to She Dreams At Sunrise. He is also the recipient of the the 2021 ASCAP David Rose Award for Film Scoring and the National Award of Merit at the National Fine Arts Festival of 2000. In 2013, he was invited to join the UC Berkeley Young Musicians Program Faculty, where he taught violin, viola, and music composition. He is also a sponsored artist with leading companies such as William Harris Lee, a former Maestro Foundation Performing Artist, Coda Bow International Performing Artist, and Remic Microphones.
In 2019, Stefan was commissioned to write a symphonic work for the Chicago Sinfonietta which premiered at Orchestra Hall. He was also commissioned by the Colburn School in 2022 to compose a concert work for the principal bassoonist of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Andrew Brady. Stefan is also an Artistic Director for Fever Up's "Candlelight" chamber series in Los Angeles and the Metropolis Chamber Musicians.
With his striking viola performances, heart-stirring compositions and an unwavering passion for music, Stefan L. Smith is truly a unique force within the global music and film industries.
Smith is represented by Spectra Creative Agency in Los Angeles, CA.- Michael Alstott was born on 21 December 1973 in Joliet, Illinois, USA. He is an actor, known for Adventure Scouts (2010), The NFL on CBS (1956) and NFL Monday Night Football (1970).
- Arbender Robinson is no stranger to the stage. On Broadway he has managed to master the NYC audition process and has had successful runs in the Tony Award winning shows Hairspray, Hair, The Book of Mormon and currently Disney's The Lion King. He has also appeared in Disney's The Little Mermaid and the critically acclaimed revival of Ragtime. Arbender is from Chicago and is a fairly new face in NYC and on Broadway; moving to NYC and quickly landing roles on Broadway.
He made his Broadway debut in the Tony Award winning production of Hairspray where he covered the role of Seaweed. In the original cast of Disney's The Little Mermaid he covered the role of Prince Eric. He also served as the Dance Captain and Swing for the Broadway revival of Hair and was seen in the Broadway revival of Ragtime. He was seen in the Disney's The Lion King; Broadway's 6th longest running and all time highest grossing show.
Prior to moving to NYC, Arbender was a featured Vocalist with Royal Caribbean Cruises as well as an actor and vocalist for numerous Disney productions at Walt Disney World. He spent 4 years as a studio session Vocalist for the Disney Organization and can be heard in various parades and attractions worldwide. Arbender also performed extensively in Regional Theater in the US as well as numerous shows abroad including: Smokey Joe's Cafe, Five Guys Named Moe, Sweeney Todd, Jesus Christ Superstar, Aida, Ragtime, Secret Garden, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Songs for a New World, Parade, Miss Saigon and Into the Woods. - Actor
- Additional Crew
William Nero Jr. was born on 1 November 2001 in Joliet, Illinois, USA. He is an actor, known for Public Enemies (2009), Couples Retreat (2009) and Animal Witness (2008).- Writer
- Additional Crew
- Editor
Matthew Daniel Gossen was born in Joliet, Illinois and raised in New Lenox, Illinois. He attended Columbia College Chicago where he received a bachelor's degree in Film and Video with concentrations in directing and screenwriting. Matt currently resides in Los Angeles, California where he works as a film and television writer.- John R. Haley was born on 31 July 1950 in Joliet, Illinois, USA. He is an actor, known for Chicago Overcoat (2009), The Beast (2009) and Nightfall.
- Frank Cernugel was born on 8 August 1950 in Joliet, Illinois, USA. He was an actor, known for Home Alone (1990). He died on 1 January 2021 in Joliet, Illinois, USA.
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Additional Crew
Dale Denning was born in Joliet, Illinois, USA. Dale is known for Screamtime (1983), The Driller Killer (1979) and Hit and Run (1982). Dale was married to Ken Kelsch and Michael Coleman. Dale died on 23 June 2016 in Morristown, New Jersey, USA.- Bill Lawrence was born on 27 November 1919 in Joliet, Illinois, USA. He is an actor, known for Mr. Wise Guy (1942), The Man (1972) and The Ted Steele Show (1948).
- Additional Crew
- Producer
Todd Frangella was born on 20 April 1980 in Joliet, Illinois, USA. Todd is a producer, known for Not Your Average Travel Guide (2006), Fire Me... Please (2005) and Wickedly Perfect (2004).