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1-17 of 17
- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
The original glamour ghoul herself, "Vampira", of late night 1950s television, was actually born Maila Syrjäniemi (later changed to the easier surname Nurmi) on December 11, 1922 in Gloucester, Massachusetts (not Finland as she often claimed). Her uncle was the multiple Olympic medal runner Paavo Nurmi.
It was director Howard Hawks, of all people, who discovered Maila while she was performing in Mike Todd's Grand Guignol midnight show "Spook Scandals". Hawks escorted the lovely blonde beauty to Hollywood with the hopes of grooming her into the next Lauren Bacall. Cast in the film version of the Russian novel "Dreadful Hollow", the project was put on hold so many times that Maila walked out of her contract in frustration. She became a cheesecake model and an Earl Carroll dancer for several years in his revues, sharing a chorus line at one time with future burlesque stripper Lili St. Cyr.
Married at the time to child actor-turned-screenwriter Dean Riesner, she came up with the idea of "Vampira" at a masquerade contest where she based her costume on Charles Addams' New Yorker cartoons. Heavily painted up with long fingernails, a mane of raven-colored hair, and slim-waisted black attire, the Morticia gimmick won the best costume award that night... and more. She caught the attention of local television and was placed under contract to Channel 7 in Hollywood to see if she could encourage late night viewers to stay up and watch its regular programming of cheapjack horror schlock. The macabre madam was a genuine hit (for one season, at least, in 1954-55), adding a sexy nuance and silly double entendres to her campy horror set.
She earned an Emmy Award nomination in 1954 for "Most Outstanding Female Personality". Fan clubs sprouted up all over the world. She appeared in "Life", "TV Guide" and "Newsweek" magazine articles, and could be seen around and about town and in Las Vegas judging contests and making variety special appearances. Songs were written about the "Queen of Horror". She even appeared with arms outstretched and ghoulishly attired in the worst cinematic failure of all time, Edward D. Wood Jr.'s Plan 9 from Outer Space (1957), as Bela Lugosi's zombie-like mate, for which she is infamously associated. Lugosi actually was a huge fan of hers and had always wanted to work with her. Wood shot some footage of her years later as a tribute to Lugosi (he died in 1956 during filming) and added it before the film's release.
By the late 1950s, Maila's extended "15 minutes" of fame was over. With her career at stake (pun intended), she stretched things out with haphazard appearances in abysmal movies [The Beat Generation (1959); Sex Kittens Go to College (1960)] before closing the lid permanently on "Vampira". In later years, Maila divorced her writer/husband and became passionately involved in animal protection rights. A painter on the sly, she created some "Vampira" portraits that became a collector's item. Living very modestly in Southern California, she appeared in a small gag cameo in the film I Woke Up Early the Day I Died (1998). Malia Nurmi died at age 85 of natural causes at her home in Los Angeles, California on January 10, 2008.- Actor
- Stunts
Christopher Bowman (Bowman the Showman), a southern California native was born in Hollywood, California on March 30, 1967, raised in Van Nuys and trained in Burbank for 18 years of his skating career. At a very young age, his parents realized the need for good training and representation therefore enlisting Mary Grady of the Mary Grady Agency (at that time the best children's agency in the business) and acting coach Alice Hour, best known as the script coach for the 1960 Alfred Hitchcock classic Psycho (1960) starring Anthony Perkins. Christopher appeared in over 500 television commercials and television shows including Little House on the Prairie (1974) & Archie Bunker's Place (1979), alongside legends Michael Landon, Melissa Gilbert and Carol O'Connor (I).
Christopher eventually branched into Feature Films as an Actor and Stuntman through Stunts Unlimited. He's been seen in various films including Casey's Shadow (1978) with Walter Matthau, the Troma cult classic Surf Nazis Must Die (1987), License to Drive (1988) with Corey Haim and Joel Schumacher's epic film The Lost Boys (1987).
As a skater, Christopher became internationally known as "Bowman the Showman" and became one of the most electric, mesmerizing men's singles skaters in history. His eighteen year career was nurtured by legendary coach Frank Carroll, past coach of skating greats Linda Fratianne and Michelle Kwan. Christopher was in the spotlight of United States and World figure skating as a 2-time United States National Champion and the winner of 5 United States National Championship Medals and 2 World Championship Medals, Junior Worlds Champion and 2-time Untied States Winter Olympic Team Member. Christopher had the largest fan base in the history of Winter Olympians.
After a very successful competitive skating career, Christopher has once again found himself at home in front of a camera as he has embarked on a natural career of television commentating with FOX sports and as the lead skating analyst for ESPN covering US National and World Championships and numerous elite international events. It was through NBC Radio and WFAN out of New York, he announced for the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Games. Christopher is a fun-loving guy and serious about his sport. He is now a well-known coach, with a very successful skating school that hosts figure and power skating seminars internationally.
Most recently, Christopher has re-embarked in his first love of acting, landing a role as an assistant football coach in the family feature film Down and Distance (2010) to be released early in 2008 with Gary Busey, Master P, Little Romeo and football legend Brian Bosworth.- Campbell Morrison was born on 21 June 1952 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK. He was an actor, known for Life Without George (1987), Eldorado (1992) and Ain't Misbehavin' (1997). He was married to Nicki Ballantyne. He died on 10 January 2008 in Warminster, Wiltshire, England, UK.
- Jack Eagle was born on 15 January 1926 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Stepmom (1998), Isn't She Great (2000) and Goodbye, Johnny Wake (2007). He died on 10 January 2008 in New York City, New York, USA.
- Maurice Tauzin was born on 2 April 1931 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He was an actor, known for The Bandit of Sherwood Forest (1946) and The Pied Piper (1942). He was married to Yvette Tauzin. He died on 10 January 2008 in Beverly Hills, California, USA.
- Additional Crew
- Director
- Writer
Gene Starbecker was born on 16 May 1927 in Bronx, New York, USA. Gene was a director and writer, known for ...and Then It Happened (1972), Death Zones (1975) and Just in Case: Suppression of School Bus Fires (1977). Gene was married to Marcia Marlow. Gene died on 10 January 2008 in Rockville, Maryland, USA.- Soundtrack
Dave Day was born in 1941 in the USA. He died on 10 January 2008 in Renton, Washington, USA.- Pandiyan was an actor, known for Guru Sishyan (1988), Poonthotta Kaavalkkaaran (1988) and Panthaya Kuthiraigal (1990). He was married to Latha. He died on 10 January 2008 in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India.
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Production Manager
- Producer
Jerry A. Baerwitz was born on 17 June 1925 in New York City, New York, USA. Jerry A. was an assistant director and production manager, known for Fright Night (1985), Some Kind of Wonderful (1987) and The Texan (1958). Jerry A. died on 10 January 2008 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Giuliano Ciannella was born on 25 October 1943 in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. He was an actor, known for The Metropolitan Opera Presents (1977) and Otello (1976). He died on 10 January 2008 in Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy.
- Additional Crew
- Writer
- Director
Finn Bentzen was born on 20 January 1934 in Ringkøbing, Denmark. He was a writer and director, known for Børnenes julekalender 1966 (1966), Eldorado for dyr (1985) and Hvaffor en hånd (1991). He died on 10 January 2008.- Eduard Lazarev was born on 19 December 1935 in Sverdlovsk, RSFSR, USSR [now Yekaterinburg, Russia]. He was a composer, known for Ya gotov prinyat vyzov (1984), Sotrudnik ChK (1964) and Iyunskiy rubezh (1982). He died on 10 January 2008 in Moscow, Russia.
- Casting Director
Michael Macdonald was born on 8 April 1938 in New York City, New York, USA. He was a casting director, known for Lord of the Flies (1963). He died on 10 January 2008.- Sound Department
Albert Ponce was born on 16 February 1969 in Canada. He is known for The Millionaire Matchmaker (2008), Inside American Jail (2007) and Vegas Cops (2002). He died on 10 January 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.- Rod Allen was born on 31 March 1944 in Leicester, Leicestershire, England, UK. He died on 10 January 2008.
- Writer
- Music Department
- Producer
Andrés Henestrosa was born on 30 November 1906 in Ixhuatan, Oaxaca, Mexico. He was a writer and producer, known for Antonieta (1982), Rosalía: La Llorona (Live) (2020) and Charlas mexicanas (2004). He died on 10 January 2008 in Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico.- Music Department
- Writer
- Composer
Earl Brown was born on 25 December 1928 in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. He was a writer and composer, known for The Skeleton Key (2005), All Commercials... A Steve Martin Special (1980) and The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour (1971). He died on 10 January 2008 in Sherman Oaks, California, USA.