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1-8 of 8
- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Born Paul Wilchinsky on December 21, 1922, the son of Sol and Clara Wilchinsky, Paul Winchell grew up to be the most beloved ventriloquist of American children. Ironically, as famous as Paul was, his dummy, Jerry Mahoney, was probably more famous. Not since Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy in the previous two decades had a ventriloquist and his dummy known equal celebrity.
Entering the spotlight on the Edward Bowes "Original Amateur Hour" (1948), he began working soon after in a review show in which Major Bowes would showcase the winners of his radio program. He started his television career on the CBS program The Bigelow Show (1948) in 1948; The Paul Winchell Show (1950), originally called "The Spiedel Show," in 1950; and, finally, the best-known of his shows Winchell-Mahoney Time (1965). With a clubhouse premise, his dummies Jerry Mahoney and Knucklehead Smiff--another of Paul's characters--as the clubhouse leaders, and the music of the bandleader Milton Delugg. A new innovation of Winchell's was to replace the dummy's hands with those of puppeteers who were hidden behind the dummies in a crate. Winch also played many serous dramatic roles on television without his dummy sidekicks.
What may be even more famous is that he created the voice of Tigger for the Walt Disney Company's "Winnie The Pooh" motion-picture series, based on the famous books by A.A. Milne. He played the role behind the scenes until 1999, when he was replaced by Jim Cummings, who also voiced Pooh from the time that Sterling Holloway died. He was also the voice of many other world-famous cartoon characters.
A little-known fact about Winchell is that he was one of the original inventors of an artificial heart--years before the first successful transplant with such of a device--an automobile that runs on battery power, a method for breeding tilapia, and many other inventions that are still around today.- Actress
- Additional Crew
Stark-looking Imogen Claire, the British dancer, choreographer and actress, was born in London in 1943 and trained at the Royal Ballet School. She went on to study at the London Dance Theatre and progressed to principal roles. As an actress with a decided taste for the avant garde, she became a regular player in the splashy, offbeat film dramas/musicals of Ken Russell, her first film being The Music Lovers (1971) with Glenda Jackson. This was followed by the controversial The Devils (1971) starring Vanessa Redgrave and Oliver Reed, The Boy Friend (1971), Savage Messiah (1972), Mahler (1974), Tommy (1975), Lisztomania (1975) and Valentino (1977). Along the same line, other cult films included The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), as one of the Transylvanians, Flash Gordon (1980), Caravaggio (1986), by the innovative director Derek Jarman, and Billy Elliot (2000), in which she played the role of a dance examiner.
In the theatre realm, she appeared in a production of "Tales of the Vienna Woods" where she met John Rothenberg. They were a couple for over two decades before marrying in 1992. A great portion of her theatre assignments was with Philip Prowse, both as designer and director, with Imogen acting and providing the choreography. She also spent a couple of years teaching at the Drama Centre.
Heavily involved in union politics, Imogen was elected Equity's very first choreographer council person in 1994. She lent a strong, unwavering voice, coming up with a steady stream of productive initiatives, particularly for dancers. The Dance Passport was launched in 2000 and proved a major success. She also pioneered insurance plans designed specifically for dancers in case of injury. She was re-elected in 2004 but illness prevented her from taking a full part in council activities. She died after a lengthy battle with cancer in her native London on June 24, 2005.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Casting Department
Jack Kosslyn was born on 28 December 1920 in New London, Connecticut, USA. He was an actor, known for Magnum Force (1973), Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) and Play Misty for Me (1971). He was married to Sharon Skinner-Kosslyn. He died on 24 June 2005 in Calabassas, California, USA.- Composer
- Music Department
- Actor
Hans Kann was born on 14 February 1927 in Vienna, Austria. He was a composer and actor, known for Stationschef Fallmerayer (1976), Die totale Familie (1982) and Was kostet der Sieg? (1981). He died on 24 June 2005 in Vienna, Austria.- Actor
- Additional Crew
J.B. Friend was born on 15 July 1929 in Long Beach, California, USA. He was an actor, known for Emergency! (1972) and Neighbors (1981). He died on 24 June 2005 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Composer
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Gennadiy Savelyev was born on 21 April 1933 in Tashkent, Uzbek SSR, USSR [now Uzbekistan]. Gennadiy was a composer, known for Kapronovye seti (1963), Krysa na podnose (1963) and V trudnuyu minutu (1968). Gennadiy died on 24 June 2005.- Kenneth Harris was born on 11 November 1919 in Aberaman, Glamorgan, Wales, UK. He was married to Jocelyn Rymer and Doris Winsmore Young-Smith. He died on 24 June 2005 in Gosberton, Lincolnshire, England, UK.
- Rudolf Jusits was born on 29 December 1948 in Stegersbach, Burgenland, Austria. He was an actor and director, known for Ein echter Wiener geht nicht unter (1975), Tatort (1970) and Staatsoperette (1977). He died on 24 June 2005 in Pürbach, Lower Austria, Austria.