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- Actor
- Director
- Soundtrack
Don Ameche was a versatile and popular American film actor in the 1930s and '40s, usually as the dapper, mustached leading man. He was also popular as a radio master of ceremonies during this time. As his film popularity waned in the 1950s, he continued working in theater and some TV. His film career surged in a comeback in the 1980s with fine work as an aging millionaire in Trading Places (1983) and a rejuvenated oldster in Cocoon (1985).
Ameche was born Dominic Felix Amici in Kenosha, Wisconsin, to Barbara Edda (Hertel) and Felice Amici, a bartender.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Of Irish, English, and Scottish descent, Maureen Paula O'Sullivan was born on May 17, 1911 in Boyle, County Roscommon, Ireland. Her father was Charles Joseph O'Sullivan, an officer in the Connaught Rangers, and his wife, the former Mary Fraser (or Frazer). She was educated at Catholic schools in Dublin, Paris, and London (Convent of the Sacred Heart, Roehampton, where a fellow student was fellow future actress Vivien Leigh). Even as a schoolgirl, Maureen desired an acting career, despite her father's initial opposition. She studied hard and read widely. When the opportunity to be an actress came along, it almost dropped in her lap. American film director Frank Borzage was in Dublin in 1929, filming Song o' My Heart (1930), when the 18 year old met him. He suggested a screen test, which she took. The results were more than favorable and she won the substantial role of Eileen O'Brien, then went to Hollywood to complete filming.
Once in sunny California, Maureen wasted no time landing roles in other films such as Just Imagine (1930), The Princess and the Plumber (1930), and So This Is London (1930). She was perhaps MGM's most popular ingenue throughout the 1930s in a number of non-Tarzan vehicles. In 1932, she teamed up with Olympic medal winner Johnny Weissmuller for the first time in Tarzan the Ape Man (1932), as Jane Parker. Five other Tarzan films followed, the last being Tarzan's New York Adventure (1942). The Tarzan epics rank as one of the most memorable series ever made. Most people agree that those movies would not have been as successful as they were, had it not been for the talent, grace, and radiant beauty of O'Sullivan. But she was more than Jane Parker. She went on to roles in such films as The Flame Within (1935), David Copperfield (1935), and Anna Karenina (1935). She turned in another fine performance in Pride and Prejudice (1940). After the 1940s, however, she made fewer films, primarily for personal reasons, i.e. caring for her large family.
It isn't always easy to walk away from a lucrative career, but O'Sullivan did because she wanted to devote more time to her husband, John Farrow, an Australian-American writer, and their seven children: Michael, Patrick, Maria (a.k.a. Mia Farrow), John, Prudence, Theresa (a.k.a. Tisa Farrow), and Stephanie Farrow. The couple were married from 1936 until his death in 1963. After her last Tarzan venture she asked for release from her contract to care for her husband who had just left the U.S. Navy with typhoid. She did not retire completely and still found time to make occasional movies and television programs, as well as operate a bridal consulting service (Wediquette International).
O'Sullivan made her Broadway debut opposite Paul Ford in "Never Too Late" (November 27, 1962-April 24, 1965), a great success. She would appear on Broadway again in various vehicles through 1981, and later also co-produced two Broadway productions. Later movie patrons remember her as Elizabeth Alvorg in Peggy Sue Got Married (1986) (playing opposite fellow silver screen film veteran Leon Ames). Her final celluloid role was in The River Pirates (1988). Some made-for-television movies followed and she retired completely in 1996, two years before her death in Scottsdale, Arizona on June 23, 1998 during heart surgery. She was 87 years old.- Actor
- Producer
- Executive
Dennis Farina was one of Hollywood's busiest actors and a familiar face to moviegoers and television viewers alike. Recently, he appeared in the feature films, "The Grand," a comedy about a Vegas poker tournament with Woody Harrelson, Cheryl Hines and Ray Romano; "Bottle Shock," also starring Alan Rickman, Bill Pullman and Bradley Whitford; and Fox's "What Happens in Vegas," in which Dennis starred as Cameron Diaz's boss. Farina also appeared on the NBC series "Law and Order" and in the HBO miniseries, "Empire Falls," for which he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Mini-Series.
Farina is well remembered for his role in memorable features such as Steven Soderbergh's "Out of Sight," in which he played the retired lawman father of Jennifer Lopez's character. This was Farina's second outing in an Elmore Leonard best seller, the previous one being "Get Shorty," directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and co-starring John Travolta, Rene Russo and Gene Hackman. Farina received an American Comedy Award for Funniest Supporting Male for his performance as "Ray 'Bones' Barboni."
In 1998's "Saving Private Ryan," directed by Steven Spielberg, Farina played "Col. Anderson," a pivotal role in the film. It is this character who convinces Tom Hanks character to lead a squad deep into Nazi territory to rescue "Pvt. Ryan." He also co-starred with Brad Pitt and Oscar-winner Benicio Del Toro in the darkly comedic crime drama "Snatch," directed by Guy Ritchie.
Farina's numerous other screen credits include John Frankenheimer's "Reindeer Games," "Paparazzi," Martin Brest's "Midnight Run," the Michael Mann film "Manhunter", among many other feature films. Farina is also recognized for his role in the critically acclaimed television series, NBC's "Crime Story". A veteran of the Chicago theater, Farina has appeared in Joseph Mantegna's "Bleacher Bums," and "A Prayer For My Daughter," directed by John Malkovich, and many others. He died on July 22, 2013 in Scottsdale, Arizona at age 69.- Bob Crane was born in Waterbury, CT, the youngest of two sons. In school he was known for being a class clown and an intense music lover. His favorites were jazz and big band. Bob's specialty was the drums. After graduating from Stamford High School in 1946, he turned his attention to his love for music. He became a drummer with the Connecticut Symphony Orchestra for about a year. He was later dismissed for not being "serious enough". In 1949 Bob married Ann Terzian, his high school sweetheart. They had three children - Robert David Crane, Debbie, and Karen. In 1956 Bob and his family left the east and moved out west to California. There he began a lengthy, successful career in radio. He worked at KNX radio and became "King of the Airwaves" in Los Angeles. His radio program became a huge success, the most listened to on the air. This was due to Crane's personality and humor. He had charm and an undeniable quick wit. Hollywood's biggest and brightest were frequently interviewed by Bob on his show, including Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, Marvin Gaye, Mary Tyler Moore, and Bob Hope. In the midst of his success, Bob's true goal was to make it big as an actor. He began to make guest appearances on such shows as The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961) and The Twilight Zone (1959). He also appeared in the 1961 films, Return to Peyton Place (1961) and Man-Trap (1961). In 1963 Bob got a role on the popular The Donna Reed Show (1958), as "Dr. Dave Kelsey". After two years the producers let him go, saying his character was "too suggestive". This was no problem for Crane. In 1965 he received the starring role in a new sitcom for CBS called Hogan's Heroes (1965). It was a comedy about a group of POWs in a Nazi prison camp. He played the smooth-talking, crafty "Colonel Robert Hogan". Hogan's Heroes became a hit show, finishing in the top 10 at the end of the 1965-66 season. Crane was nominated for an Emmy twice, in 1966 and 1967. He had reached the peak of his success. It was during this time that Crane met Patti Olson, known as Sigrid Valdis. She played "Hilda" on Hogan's Heroes. Bob divorced his wife, Ann, after 20 years of marriage, and married Patti in 1970. They married on the set of "Hogan's Heroes". They had a son, Scott Crane, in 1971. Also in 1971, the new president of CBS abruptly canceled Hogan's Heroes after a 6-year run. Following the end of Hogan's Heroes Bob continued to act. However the roles were few and not very fulfilling. He starred in Superdad (1973) and Gus (1976), two Disney films, and had guest spots on shows, including Police Woman (1974), Ellery Queen (1975), and The Love Boat (1977). Bob briefly had his own show, The Bob Crane Show (1975), in 1975. Unfortunately, NBC canceled the show after 3 months. In 1973 Bob bought the rights to the play "Beginner's Luck". He both directed the play and starred in it. The play went around the country, including California, Texas, Hawaii, and Arizona. In June, 1978 Bob took "Beginner's Luck" to Scottsdale, Arizona. It was in Scottsdale that the unthinkable happened. In the early morning hours of June 29, 1978, Bob Crane was brutally murdered in his rented apartment room. He was beaten to death, while he slept, and strangled with an electrical cord. He was 49 years old. His murder remains unsolved.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Barbara Harris began acting while still a teenager in Chicago, playing small parts in the Playwrights Theatre Club (whose other players included such youngsters as Edward Asner, Mike Nichols and Elaine May). She was also in "The Compass Players", the first ongoing improvisational theater troupe in America, directed by her then-husband Paul Sills (who founded the theater based on principles created by his mother, Viola Spolin , the author of "Improvisation for the Theatre"). A more polished version of the Compass, called "The Second City", was an enormous hit in Chicago and was moved to Broadway, where she was nominated for a Tony. She starred in a series of notable stage productions, including "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever"; "Oh Dad Poor Dad"; "The Apple Tree" (Tony Award, 1967) and "Mother Courage". Her film credits include major roles in A Thousand Clowns (1965), Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad (1967), Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me? (1971), The War Between Men and Women (1972), Nashville (1975), Freaky Friday (1976), Family Plot (1976), Plaza Suite (1971), Movie Movie (1978), The Seduction of Joe Tynan (1979), The North Avenue Irregulars (1979), Second-Hand Hearts (1980), Peggy Sue Got Married (1986), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) and Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), and TV appearances included episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) and Middle Ages (1992).- Actor
- Producer
- Stunts
Buster Crabbe graduated from the University of Southern California. In 1931, while working on That's My Boy (1932) for Columbia Pictures, he was tested by MGM for Tarzan and rejected. Paramount Pictures put him in King of the Jungle (1933) as Kaspa, the Lion Man (after a book of that title but clearly a copy of the Tarzan stories). Publicity for this film emphasized his having won the 1932 Olympic 400-meter freestyle swimming championship and suggested a rivalry with Johnny Weissmuller. Producer Sol Lesser wanted Crabbe for an independent Tarzan the Fearless (1933), though he first had to get James Pierce to waive rights to the part already promised to him by his father-in-law, Edgar Rice Burroughs. The film was released as both a feature and a serial; most houses showed only the first serial episode, which critics panned as a badly organized feature. Just prior to the film's release, Crabbe married his college sweetheart and gave himself one year to either make it as an actor or start law school at USC. Paramount put him in a number of Zane Grey westerns, then Universal Pictures gave him the lead in very successful sci-fi serials (Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers) from 1936 to 1940. In 1940, he began a string of Billy the Kid westerns for low-budget (very low-budget) studio PRC. After World War II, he devoted much of his time to his swimming pool corporation and operation of a boys' camp in New York. In 1950, he made the serials Pirates of the High Seas (1950) and King of the Congo (1952). In addition, he was very active on television in the 1950s. In 1953, he hosted a local show in New York City that featured his serials. He played the title role in the adventure series Captain Gallant of the Foreign Legion (1955). During television's "Golden Age", he had several "meaty" lead roles on such weekly anthology series as "Kraft Theater" ("Million Dollar Rookie") and "Philco Television Playhouse" ("Cowboy for Chris") He later returned to western features to play Wyatt Earp in Badman's Country (1958) and gave a stellar performance. Buster Crabbe died at age 75 of a heart attack on April 23, 1983.- Actor
- Soundtrack
You could probably shoehorn actor Van Williams right in there with the other dark-haired, impossibly handsome film and TV heartthrobs Tom Tryon, Robert Logan, Gardner McKay, Brian Kelly, Adam West, Roger Smith and John Gavin of the late 1950s/early 1960s who were saddled with colorless heroic leads to play on film and/or TV -- roles that played off their photogenic prowess, manly charisma and charm but seldom tested their dramatic mettle.
Born on February 27, 1934 as Van Zandt Jarvis Williams, he was the son of a cattle rancher. He majored in animal husbandry and business at Texas Christian University but moved to Hawaii which changed the course of his life. While operating a salvage company and a skin-diving school during the mid-1950s, he was approached by Elizabeth Taylor and husband/producer Mike Todd, who were filming there. Encouraged by Todd to try his luck, Van arrived in Hollywood with no experience. Todd perished in a plane crash before he was able to help Van, but the young hopeful ventured on anyway, taking some acting/voice lessons, and was almost immediately cast in dramatic TV roles.
Warner Brothers had a keen eye for camera-loving hunks and smartly signed Van up. Fitting in perfectly, he was soon showing just how irresistible he was as a clean-cut private eye on the series Bourbon Street Beat (1959). Although the show lasted only one season, Warners carried his Kenny Madison character into the more popular adventure drama Surfside 6 (1960) opposite fellow pin-up / blond beefcake bookend Troy Donahue. Series-wise, Van tried comedy next opposite Walter Brennan in The Tycoon (1964) . After his contract expired at Warners, 20th Century-Fox handed him his most vividly recalled role, that of the emerald-suited superhero The Green Hornet (1966) with the late Bruce Lee as his partner Kato. The show, inspired by the huge cult hit Batman (1966) enjoyed a fast start but, like its predecessor, met an equally untimely finish.
Never a strong draw in films, Van revealed quite a bit of himself (literally) in his debut in Tall Story (1960) coming out of a shower. Although handed a typically staid second lead in the drama The Caretakers (1963), he focused strictly on the TV medium. Continuing well into the 1970s to guest sporadically on such TV classics as The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961), Love, American Style (1969), Mission: Impossible (1966), The Big Valley (1965)", Nanny and the Professor (1970), Barnaby Jones (1973), and The Rockford Files (1974). Another starring series attempt with Westwind (1975) failed to make the grade and he soon let his career go.
Van let his career subside and went quite successfully into business with telecommunications, real estate and law enforcement supplies among his lucrative ventures. With his glossy, pretty-boy years far behind him, he had no need to look back at his show biz success with the exception of an occasional autograph convention. He died of renal failure in Scottsdale, Arizona, on November 28, 2016, at age 82.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Muhammad Ali beat more champions and top contenders than any heavyweight champion in history. He defeated heavyweight kings Sonny Liston (twice), Floyd Patterson (twice), Ernie Terrell, Jimmy Ellis, Ken Norton (twice), Joe Frazier (twice), George Foreman and Leon Spinks. He defeated light-heavyweight champs Archie Moore and Bob Foster. Ali defeated European heavyweight champions Henry Cooper, Karl Mildenberger, Jürgen Blin, Joe Bugner, Richard Dunn, Jean-Pierre Coopman and Alfredo Evangelista. He defeated British and Commonwealth king Brian London. All of Ali's defeats were by heavyweight champions: Frazier, Norton, Spinks, Larry Holmes and Trevor Berbick. Ali also beat undefeated fighters Sonny Banks (12-0), Billy Daniels (16-0), 'Rudi Lubbers' (21-0) and George Foreman (40-0).- Standing out than the rest, Ultimate Warrior became one of the most popular wrestlers in the WWE (back then in the WWF). During his run from the 1980s-90s, Warrior became known for high high energy when running down to the ring with his music hits, shaking the ropes during his entrance, his signature move, the Gorilla Press Drop and the Big Splash, which seems that Warrior would be one the only non-heavyset built wrestler to use it.
Before reaching high status to become a main eventer in the WWE, Warrior became popular when he became a two-time Intercontinental Champion by defeating the Honky Tonk Man (Wayne Farris) (within 32 seconds at the first ever Summerslam in 1988) and Ravishing Rick Rude.
Warrior is now deceased. - Actor
- Stunts
- Additional Crew
Baseball gave burly Fred Graham his start in motion pictures. In 1928 he was working for the MGM sound department and also playing semi-pro baseball on the side. The studio was making a murder mystery called Death on the Diamond (1934), starring Robert Young and Nat Pendleton. Graham was hired to tutor Young and Pendleton in the fine points of the game, and doubled Pendleton in the catching scenes. This started him on a more than 40-year career as a stuntman and actor. While at the studio he doubled Clark Gable, Nelson Eddy and Charles Bickford. He went over to Warner Bros. in 1938, and his initial assignment was to double Basil Rathbone in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938). In 1941 he moved to Republic Pictures and worked on the studio's famed westerns and serials, and was a major part of the team of stunt experts, including such aces as David Sharpe and Tom Steele, responsible for the reputation that Republic enjoyed as having the best stunt department in the business. Graham met John Wayne there and stunted for him in many of the films Wayne made at the studio. He also appeared in many films as an actor, usually playing truck drivers, cops, soldiers, crooks, etc. In 1968 he went to work for Arizona's Department of Economic Planning and Development of Motion Pictures, and had more to do with bringing filming to the state of Arizona than anyone else. In Arizona they have the "Carefree at Southwest Studios", which was formerly known as "The Graham Studio". In 1978 "Slugger", a nickname he got in his Republic days, passed away.- Make-Up Department
- Actress
Rena Horten was born on 11 February 1941. She was an actress, known for Mission: Impossible (1966), Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace (1962) and Motorpsycho! (1965). She died on 11 November 2009 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.- Actor
- Music Department
- Composer
Billy Preston was born on 9 September 1946 in Houston, Texas, USA. He was an actor and composer, known for Blues Brothers 2000 (1998), Beautiful Girls (1996) and Baby Driver (2017). He died on 6 June 2006 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.- Writer
- Actor
- Producer
Robert Schimmel was born on 16 January 1950 in The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA. He was a writer and actor, known for Scary Movie 2 (2001), A Low Down Dirty Shame (1994) and Dark Seduction (2015). He was married to Melissa Schimmel and Vicki Schimmel. He died on 3 September 2010 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.- Writer
- Actor
Probably one of the greatest adventure novelists of our time. When his novel "Raise the Titanic" was bought for $840,000 by Viking Publishing in 1976, it put him on the map after 11 years of hard work. Before his success with RTT, he previously had written "Pacific Vortex", which wasn't published until after his successes, "The Mediterranean Caper" and "Iceberg". Originally in advertising, first as an award-winning copy writer, and then as creative director for two of the nation's largest agencies. He started his writing career when his wife, Barbara, got a night job for the local police station as a clerk. At night after putting his kids to bed, he had hardly anything to do and no one to talk to. So out of solitude he decided to write a book. After a few nights of thinking of an idea on what to write about he thought it would be fun to produce a little paperback series. The thought of a best-seller never crossed his mind. Thanks to his marketing experience, he began researching and analyzing all the series heroes, beginning with Edgar Allan Poe's Inspector Dumas. Next came Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes and all the other fiction detectives and spies. Like the likes of Bulldog Drummond, Sam Spade, Phillip Marlowe, Mike Hammer, Matt Helm, James Bond. Whatever he could find, he studied them all. With his experience in creative advertising under his belt, he started to wonder what he could conceive that was totally different. He didn't want to compete with already-famous authors. He was determined not to write about a detective, secret agent or undercover investigator or deal in murder mysteries. He then decided his hero's adventure would be based on and under water. And thus, the basic concept for Dirk Pitt the marine engineer with the National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA) was born. He found it interesting that almost no authors were writing pure, old-fashioned adventure. It seemed to him, a lost genre. After taking a refresher course in English, he launched his first book that introduced Pitt and most all of his characters who appeared in the upcoming novels to follow afterwards. The first book was named "Pacific Vortex". Dr. Cussler, leaned heavily on Alistair McLean on his first two books and was quite flattered when critics told him they were quite similar. But by his third book, he began to drift into his own style with a myriad of sub-plots. And because of that, "Iceberg", to this day, has and always will be a sentimental favorite of his because it never ended where it began. After completing "Pacific Vortex", he was about to launch a second book when he was offered a position at a large advertising agency. It would have been a wonderful opportunity with a well-paid salary, but his wife challenged him. She knew that if he wanted to write sea stories, why didn't he take a job as a clerk at the local dive shop who at the time was hiring. He wasted little time and in 1968 he started working for the Aquatic Center Dive ship in Newport Beach as a behind-the-counter-salesman. Never being a certified diver, it took him just a few weeks. Once he was certified, Dr. Cussler started bringing in his typewriter in the morning and wrote at a card table behind the counter when business was slow which was usually in the afternoons. A little over a year later, Dr. Cussler finished his second novel, "Mediterranean Caper". That's when he decided to leave the shop and return to advertising. With constant rejection letters on his first novel, Pacific Vortex, Dr. Cussler had decided that it would be a smart decision to find himself a literary agent. With a little cunning and ingenuity, he soon met Peter Lampack, who was with the William Morris Agency in Manhattan. With Peter liking his second novel, "Mediterranean Caper", Dr. Cussler now had a contract. With the contract promptly signed and mailed, he started working on his third novel, "Iceberg". Now that he had an agent and with renewed inspiration, Dr. Cussler left the advertising agency, and decided to write full time. Fed up with Southern California and wanting to change his family's lifestyle, he sold his boat, house and car. He bought a new family sedan and a tent trailer. After a wonderful summer, he and his family relocated to Estes Park, Colorado. Once settled in, he started to work on his third novel, Iceberg. After a year he finished Iceberg and with his agent having no success finding an editor to take "Mediterranean Caper" and now, "Iceberg" and with his savings about depleted, Dr. Cussler went back to advertising. Once he got himself a job with a very small agency and started to prove to them his value, Dr. Cussler moved his family to the suburb of Arvada just outside of Denver. It wouldn't be long before he was given the pink slip again. Taking a once broken down and small firm and making it into multi-million company, Dr. Cussler vowed to never work in the advertising agency again. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Because that's when he started to work on "Raise The Titanic!" in one corner of his unfinished basement. By then his agent, Peter Lampack, had found a small publisher to take Mediterranean Caper. Printing fifty-thousand copies and selling thirty-two thousand, Pyramid Publishing paid him five thousand dollars and sold the novel for seventy-five cents a piece. Less then a year later, Dr. Cussler sold his novel, Iceberg to Dodd Mead Publishing for five-thousand dollars. The novel sold thirty-two thousand copies with an initial intent of only printing five thousand. Once he finished Raise The Titanic, Dr. Cussler sent it off to his agent. Once approved, it was relayed to Dodd Mead. It was rejected within ten days. His agent decided to sent the renounced manuscript to Putnam but they wanted a massive rewrite which Dr. Cussler refused to do. And what Dr. Cussler would later say, "Out of the blue, Viking Press bought it, asked for very few changes and paid me seventy-five hundred dollars." And that's when "strange forces" went to work. A London editor from Macmillan Publishing was visiting a friend at Viking and heard about the Dr. Cussler manuscript. Since the Titanic was a British ship, he asked for a copy of the manuscript to read on his plane back to England. He ended up wanting to buy it. But his agent had already sold "Iceberg" to Sphere Publishing, a small publishing house in London, for four hundred dollars. Since Sphere had the first option, they put in a bid for the manuscript that was promptly topped by Macmillan. Once the dust settled from the bidding war, Sphere owned the book, paying twenty-two thousand dollars, a high price for England in those days. Getting the feeling that things were suddenly falling into place, Dr. Cussler called his agent and got his rights back for Mediterranean Caper. At the same time, Dodd Mead Publishing notified his agent that Playboy Publications had offered four thousand dollars for the paperback right to Iceberg. Still with that "gut" feeling, Dr. Cussler told his agent that he would buy back Mediterranean Caper from Dodd Mead Publishing for five thousand dollars. The deal was done two weeks later. With the buzz and interest about Raise The Titanic over in Britain, it didn't take long for American paperback publishers to take notice. It soon went to auction with Viking Press winning the rights for $840,000. Once the auction was over and finding out that "Raise The Titanic" was the third Dirk Pitt novel, Viking Press bought them both for forty thousand dollar a piece. "Raise The Titanic" was Cussler's first novel to have several plots going on at the same time and to have them all converge at the end. Since then, Dr. Cussler has sold over 100 million copies of his Dirk Pitt Adventures. He continues to write Dirk Pitt adventures while living a life that nearly parallels that of his action hero. Like Pitt, Dr. Cussler enjoys discovering and collecting things of historical significance. With NUMA (National Underwater & Marine Agency, a non profit group begun by Cussler) he has had an amazing record of finding over 60 shipwrecks, one of which was the long-lost Confederate submarine Hunley. And recently discovered the rescue ship Carpathia who picked up the Titanic survivors. Dr. Cussler also has a renowned and extensive classic car collection, which features over 80 examples of custom coachwork. Along with being Chairman of NUMA, he is also a fellow of the Explorers Club (which honored him with the Lowell Thomas Award for outstanding underwater exploration), the Royal Geographical Society and the American Society of Oceanographers. Married to Barbara Knight for 40 years, with three children and two grandchildren, he divides his time between the mountains of Colorado and the deserts of Arizona. He is represented by the Bartholomeaux Agency.- Writer
- Director
- Actor
Harold P. Warren was born on 23 October 1923 in New Haven, Connecticut, USA. He was a writer and director, known for Manos: The Hands of Fate (1966). He died on 26 December 1985 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Writer
Hugh Downs was born on 14 February 1921 in Akron, Ohio, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for Live from Lincoln Center (1976), Car 54, Where Are You? (1961) and Concentration (1958). He was married to Ruth Shaheen. He died on 1 July 2020 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Between 1942 and 1945 there was a pert, sweet-faced "B"-level cutie who knew how to swing with the best of them at Universal. The beautiful dancer/singer might have gone on to better things but ended her career abruptly for marriage and never looked back. Grace McDonald, who was born in New York City on June 15, 1918, struck out into the local vaudeville scene at a young age with her equally talented brother, Ray McDonald. As a brother-sister dance team similar to the Astaires, their specialty proved to be tap. The twosome made it to Broadway with the hit musical "Babes in Arms" and stole part of the show with their version of "I Wish I Were in Love Again." This gave them a one-way ticket to Hollywood, where Ray got picked up by MGM and Grace by Paramount. Her first film, Dancing on a Dime (1940), stumbled a bit and she didn't make another film for two years when Universal decided to sign her up. Though her musicals were obviously hep and had lots of pep, they were pretty much assembly-line productions intended to boost the morale of a war-weary nation. The titles certainly said it all -- Give Out, Sisters (1942), Behind the Eight Ball (1942), How's About It? (1943) and Hat Check Honey (1944). She also appeared frequently in vehicles designed for The Andrews Sisters. Grace was game for straight acting parts as well, playing opposite Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in the comedy It Ain't Hay (1943), and also appearing in the dramas Murder in the Blue Room (1944) and Destiny (1944). After making Honeymoon Ahead (1945), Grace fell in love with a Marine and retired to be his wife. Not much was heard of her until her death of double pneumonia on October 30, 1999. Although just a sliver of a memory in the Hollywood annals, Grace was a game trooper and added a little kick to life when it was certainly needed.- Fred Kohler Jr. was born on 8 July 1911 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He was an actor, known for The Ten Commandments (1956), The Pecos Kid (1935) and Texas Stampede (1939). He was married to Dorothy J. Downing, Carol Janis and Ouida V. Ross. He died on 7 January 1993 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.
- Kathy Lutz was born on 13 October 1946 in Massachusetts, USA. She was a writer, known for The Amityville Horror (2005), Shattered Hopes: The True Story of the Amityville Murders - Part I: From Horror to Homicide (2011) and History's Mysteries (1998). She was married to George Lutz and Sebastian Quaratino. She died on 17 August 2004 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.
- Actor
- Writer
Joe Garagiola was born on 12 February 1926 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for Catch Me If You Can (2002), Police Story (1973) and 1975 World Series (1975). He was married to Audrie Garagiola. He died on 23 March 2016 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.- Additional Crew
J. Allen Hynek was a professor of Astronomy at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. He was also the Founder of the Center for UFO Studies and first coined the phrase "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" as a way to catagorize direct contact with aliens.- Composer
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Angela Morley was born on 10 March 1924 in Leeds, Yorkshire, England, UK. She was a composer, known for Peeping Tom (1960), Watership Down (1978) and The Slipper and the Rose: The Story of Cinderella (1976). She was married to Christine Parker and Beryl Stott. She died on 14 January 2009 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.- Meadowlark Lemon was born on 25 April 1932 in Wilmington, North Carolina, USA. He was an actor, known for The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh (1979), Modern Romance (1981) and Imps* (1983). He was married to Dr. Cynthia Lemon and Willye Maultsby. He died on 27 December 2015 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.
- Writer
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Actor and prominent television writer, educated at the University of Wisconsin with an engineering background that he used to advantage in writing his "Space Patrol" scripts. Beginning as a film and television actor, his writing talents came to the forefront while portraying 'Agent X' on "Space Patrol". The producer asked Jolley to contribute scripts, and his 'Agent X' character was retired by being forced into "permanent suspended animation" on the series. As the chief writer, Jolley created many of the "Space Patrol" concepts, including weaponry and such substances as 'endurium' and 'raydurium', and he always insisted that the storylines must never violate actual fact. After "Space Patrol" ended, he formed Bartlett-Jolley Productions in 1956 with ex-actor Dick Bartlett (who directed the scripts Jolley would write, with both men producing), which went on to produce eight pictures for Universal-International by 1958.- Actor
- Additional Crew
Bill Capizzi was born on 21 March 1937 in Somerville, Massachusetts, USA. He was an actor, known for The Great Outdoors (1988), Babe: Pig in the City (1998) and Bulletproof (1996). He died on 26 March 2007 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.- Actress
- Soundtrack
April Stevens was born on 29 April 1929 in Niagara Falls, New York, USA. She was an actress, known for Passengers (2016), The Little Death (2014) and The Big Tip Off (1955). She died on 17 April 2023 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.- Margo Woode was born on 20 April 1928 in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. She was an actress, known for Somewhere in the Night (1946), Moss Rose (1947) and It Shouldn't Happen to a Dog (1946). She was married to Ron Beckett and Bill Burton. She died on 28 September 2018 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.
- Ann Lee was born on 8 August 1918 in Amarillo, Texas, USA. She was an actress, known for Boots Malone (1952), Mr. & Mrs. North (1952) and Trial (1955). She was married to Jack A Harris. She died on 19 August 2003 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.
- Music Department
Murray Deutch was born on 23 March 1920 in Bronx, New York City, New York, USA. He is known for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991) and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990). He was married to Pearl (Pamela) Wolkowitz. He died on 2 October 2010 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.- Producer
- Production Manager
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Harold E. Knox was born on 8 February 1904 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He was a producer and production manager, known for The Last Man on Earth (1964), Young Jesse James (1960) and Swamp Fire (1946). He was married to Irene Ryan. He died on 5 January 1991 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.- Elisabeth Kübler-Ross was born on 8 July 1926 in Zurich, Switzerland. She was a writer, known for One Last Game (2011), Grief (2015) and Elisabeth Kübler-Ross: Facing Death (2003). She was married to Emanuel K. Ross. She died on 24 August 2004 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Gene Ames was born on 13 February 1923 in Malden, Massachusetts, USA. He was an actor, known for Forever, Darling (1956), The Ames Brothers Show (1955) and Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall (1948). He died on 26 April 1997 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.- Nancy Bertinelli was born on 20 February 1937 in Pennville, New Jersey, USA. She was married to Andrew Bertinelli. She died on 18 June 2019 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.
- Andrew Bertinelli was born on 24 May 1934 in Carbondale, Pennsylvania, USA. He was married to Nancy Bertinelli. He died on 7 November 2016 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.
- Actor
- Writer
He began as a member of a dance troupe in Vaudeville called "The 3 Bennett Brothers". It was during this time in the 1920's that he met and befriended William Claude Dukenfield (also known as W.C. Fields). He began working with the juggler turned comedian for 17 years. Prior to WWII, he moved to Hollywood, CA to pursue a career in movies and television. On December 8th, 1942 he enlisted in the U.S. Navy.- Special Effects
- Additional Crew
- Actor
Thol Simonson was born on 28 July 1912 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He was an actor, known for The Outer Limits (1963), Superman (1973) and Superman Flies Again (1954). He died on 10 October 2010 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.- Todd Michael Bogers was born on 14 November 1968 in Arizona, USA. He was an actor, known for Raising Arizona (1987). He died on 7 December 1991 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.
- Producer
- Actor
- Writer
Russell Wolfe was an American film producer. In 2005, he was a co-founder of the film studio Pure Flix, which produced films catering to a conservative Christian audience. Their most notable box office success was the "God's Not Dead" film series.
In 2013, Wolfe was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a disease that causes the death of neurons controlling voluntary muscles. His health declined rapidly, and the disease caused his death in 2015.
His film studio survived him. At the time of his death its films had collectively grossed over 195 million dollars at the worldwide box office.- Additional Crew
- Art Department
- Actor
Nick Papac was born on 23 October 1980 in Montebello, California, USA. He was an actor, known for xXx: State of the Union (2005), Next (2007) and S.W.A.T. (2003). He died on 12 August 2006 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.- Writer
- Soundtrack
Novelist Glendon Swarthout had the widest literary range of any American author of his generation, writing 16 novels, which ranged from dramas to comedies to romances and mysteries, and another 6 novellas for young adults with his wife, Kathryn. Many of Glendon's novels became international bestsellers and book club editions, reprinted in innumerable paperback editions, some still available in bookstores and libraries worldwide. With a PhD. in Victorian literature, as well as Master's and B.A. degrees in English from the University of Michigan and Michigan State University, Dr. Swarthout knew almost too much about the great works of fiction and their authors, and was constantly trying to top them, never writing sequels to any of his hit novels or a series of books based on his lead characters. Glendon later admitted this was possibly a mistake, for critics and fans never knew what might come out of his typewriter next, although editors tried to get him to write a Where The Girls Are or a series of Shootist Westerns many times. Still, Glendon won many writing awards for his stories and quite a few of them were also eventually made into interesting motion pictures, including the film hits Where The Boys Are (MGM,1960) and The Shootist (Paramount, 1976), as well as less successful films, Seventh Cavalry (Columbia, 1956), They Came To Cordura (Columbia, 1959), and Bless the Beasts & Children (Columbia, 1972). Bless the Beasts has never been out of print since 1970, though, and another new American edition of The Shootist was reprinted by Bison Books in late 2011.- Donald Ross was born on 17 September 1940 in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. He was an actor, known for The Sound of Fury (1950). He died on 18 February 2021 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.
- Writer
- Producer
Jeb Rosebrook was born on 11 June 1935 in New York City, New York, USA. He was a writer and producer, known for The Black Hole (1979), The Waltons (1972) and I Will Fight No More Forever (1975). He was married to Dorothy Rosebrook. He died on 31 August 2018 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.- Carl Hubbell was born on 22 June 1903 in Carthage, Missouri, USA. He was an actor, known for Big Leaguer (1953), Sports Quiz (1944) and Pennant Chasers (1940). He was married to Julia Stanfield and Lucille Harrington. He died on 21 November 1988 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.
- Paul Westphal was born on 30 November 1950 in Torrance, California, USA. He was an actor, known for Space Jam (1996), Forget Paris (1995) and Four Square Miles to Glory. He was married to Cindy Lou Paden. He died on 2 January 2021 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.
- Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Peter Stelzer was born on 14 June 1944 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He was an actor and producer, known for Miss Evers' Boys (1997), Favorite Son (1988) and On Promised Land (1994). He was married to Marla Frumkin. He died on 5 April 2011 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Tom Fogerty was born on 9 November 1941 in Berkeley, California, USA. He was an actor, known for Café de Flore (2011), Creedence Clearwater Revival: In Performance (2008) and The Vow (2020). He was married to Patricia Suzanne Clapper and Loretta Gail Skinner. He died on 6 September 1990 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.- Joe Foss was born and raised on a farm just outside Sioux Falls, SD. As a young man he was fascinated by the exploits of Charles A. Lindbergh, and vowed to one day "trade his horse for a plow." He joined the Marines during WWII and, despite his age, became a pilot. Foss scored 26 kills during the war, tying Eddie Rickenbacker's WWI record. Foss received the Medal of Honor for his work. He later served as a colonel during the Korean War.
After Foss left the military, he went into politics, serving in the South Dakota legislature. In 1955 he became South Dakota's youngest governor, serving two years in that office. He was also an avid hunter and sportsman. He served as the American Football League's first president (1960-1966), was the original host of ABC's The American Sportsman (1965) and was president of the National Rifle Association from 1988 to 1990.
Foss was taken to the hospital October 7, 2002 after suffering a brain aneurysm. He never came out of his coma. - Beverly Bayne was born on 11 November 1893 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. She was an actress, known for Romeo and Juliet (1916), The Age of Innocence (1924) and The Girl at the Curtain (1914). She was married to Charles Thomas Hvass Sr. and Francis X. Bushman. She died on 18 August 1982 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.
- Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Saxophonist, songwriter ("Three Little Fishies", "I Don't Care"), composer and conductor, educated at the University of North Carolina. He was a saxophonist for the Hal Kemp orchestra for fifteen years, then formed his own band. During World War II, he was United States Navy bandmaster aboard the USS Franklin until it was sunk in the South Pacific in 1945. After the war, he reorganized his band. Joining ASCAP in 1941, his other popular-song compositions included "Tonight I'm Thinking of You", "Tell Her", "V for Victory", "Rugged but Right", "She Told Him Emphatically No", "All I've Got Is Me", "Oo-Goo the Little Worm", "Canasta Song", and "Turnabout Is Fair Play"- Chet Douglas was born on 19 December 1935 in Champaign County, Illinois, USA. He was an actor, known for Two Rode Together (1961), The Six Million Dollar Man (1974) and The Underwater City (1962). He was married to Yvonne King. He died on 4 December 2000 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.