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1-50 of 142
- Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Edward Asner was born of Russian Jewish parentage in Kansas City, to Morris David Asner (founder and owner of the Kansas City-based Asner Iron & Metal Company) and his wife Elizabeth "Lizzie" (Seliger). After attending college, Ed worked various jobs, including in a steel mill, as a door-to-door salesman and on an assembly line for General Motors. Between 1947 and 1949, he attended the University of Chicago. The onset of the Korean War saw him drafted into the U.S. Army Signals Corps and posted to France where he was primarily assigned clerical tasks. Upon demobilization, Asner joined the Playwrights Theatre Company in Chicago but soon progressed to New York. In 1955, he appeared off-Broadway in the leading role of the beggar king Jonathan Peachum in Brecht's Threepenny Opera. Five years later, he made his debut on the Great White Way in the courtroom drama Face of a Hero, co-starring alongside Jack Lemmon. He also began regular TV work in anthology drama.
From the early '60s, Asner, now based in California, earned his living as a busy supporting actor. His many noted guest appearances included turns in Route 66 (1960), The Untouchables (1959), The Fugitive (1963), Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1964) (sinister dictator-in-exile Brynov), The Invaders (1967) (twice -- as aliens) and How the Ghosts Stole Christmas (1998) (one of a couple of ghostly residents in a haunted mansion). Heavy-set and distinctively gravelly-voiced, Asner established his reputation as tough, robust and uncompromising (though, on occasion, good-hearted) authority figures. Excellent at conveying menace, he was memorably cast as the brutish patriarch Axel Jordache in Rich Man, Poor Man (1976) and as the slave ship's morally conflicted master, Captain Thomas Davies, in Roots (1977), which earned him a Primetime Emmy Award in 1977. The immensely prolific Asner (417 IMDB screen credits!) would receive seven Emmys in total (from 21 nominations), all Primetime, and become the only actor to win in both the comedy and drama category for the same role. That was also the part which made Asner a household name: the gruff, snarky newspaper editor Lou Grant (1977). Grant began as a mainstay on The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970), a 30-minute sitcom.
When the character was promoted to West Coast editor of The Los Angeles Tribune, Asner went on to star in his own much acclaimed drama series. Despite consistently high ratings, the show was axed after five seasons amid rumours of disharmony between the star and producers, possibly due to the former's outspoken political views. Indeed, Asner has been a controversial figure as an activist and campaigner, engaged in a variety of humanitarian and political issues. A self-proclaimed liberal Democrat, he published a book in 2017, amusingly titled "The Grouchy Historian: An Old-Time Lefty Defends Our Constitution Against Right-Wing Hypocrites and Nutjobs."
Between 1981 and 1985, Asner served twice as President of the Screen Actors Guild, during which time he was critical of former SAG President Ronald Reagan -- then the president of a greater concern -- for his Central American policy. In 1996, he was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame and in 2002 received the Screen Actors Guild's Life Achievement Award. In addition to appearing on screen and stage, he performed extensive work for radio, video games and animated TV series. He voiced the lead character Carl Fredricksen in Pixar's Oscar-winning production of Up (2009), starred as Santa in Elf (2003), and played Nicholas Drago in The Games Maker (2014). Ed passed away in Los Angeles at the age of 91 on August 29, 2021.- Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
He once jokingly described himself as 'a frustrated song-and-dance man' who wound up typecast as a TV crime fighter. Tall, handsome Armenian-American Mike Connors had a minor career in the movies before becoming a star on the small screen as the impeccably dressed macho sleuth Joe Mannix. Towards the end of the series, his earnings per episode averaged a respectable $40,000. He was four times nominated for an Emmy Award and won a Golden Globe in 1969. Mannix (1967) was highly innovative in its day: among its winning combination were an upbeat jazzy score (composed by Lalo Schifrin), teasers, fast cuts from scene to scene, a car replete with a computer transmitting and receiving fingerprints and an African-American co-star (the charming Gail Fisher, who played Joe's secretary Peggy Fair). Many notable names guested in the show, some at very beginning of their careers (Diane Keaton and Martin Sheen, among others). 'Mannix' ran for eight seasons (1967-1975), a testament to its enduring popularity.
Connors was born Krekor Ohanian in Fresno, California. His mother wanted him to become an attorney. After wartime service in the Army Air Force he enrolled at UCLA on the G. I. Bill of Rights, began in law school but eventually took up theatre studies as his major. The nickname "Touch', Mike acquired on the basketball court where he first came to the attention of the director William A. Wellman who considered his features 'expressive'. He was first signed by Goldwyn studios on a 90-day contract. However, Goldwyn never took up the option and Mike never appeared in any of his films (it turned out that his signing had been no more than leverage to bring Farley Granger back in line who was causing Goldwyn some trouble). Through a talent agent, Mike got an interview at Republic to do a film with Joan Crawford called Sudden Fear (1952). That same guy also decided that his original surname Ohanian sounded too much like O'Hanlon -- George O'Hanlon was already a well-established film actor and writer -- and consequently changed his name to 'Connors'. Until 1957, Mike appeared in mainly low budget movies and TV anthologies, billed as 'Touch Connors' (an appellation he thoroughly disliked). He did several films for Roger Corman for $400 a pop. Arguably, the one highlight of his film career -- several years later -- could be said to be his role as one of a pair of American bomber crew (the other being Robert Redford) held captive in a cellar by a lonely German drug store clerk who chooses to withhold from them the trivial matter of Germany's surrender to the Allies (played with whimsical aplomb by the brilliant Alec Guinness) in the underrated and very funny black comedy Situation Hopeless -- But Not Serious (1965).
After many years as a struggling actor, Mike's first TV hit was Tightrope (1959) for CBS in which he starred as an undercover cop infiltrating an organized crime syndicate. Though the story lines became increasingly repetitive through its 37 episodes, the role pretty much defined his subsequent tough-guy image. During the original pilot for 'Mannix', which initially had Joe Mannix as the top investigator for the computerized Intertect detective agency under boss Joseph Campanella, Mike performed many of the stunts himself, in the process breaking a wrist and dislocating a shoulder. In an effort to make his character 'more real' than the traditional cynical Bogart-style gumshoe, he played Mannix as being more 'humane', often becoming emotionally involved in his cases and -- just as often -- ending up on the wrong end of a knuckle sandwich (in the course of the 194 episodes, poor old Joe was knocked unconscious on fifty-five occasions and shot seventeen times), or watching his beautiful client walk off with another man.
Another subsequent starring role as a modern-day G-Man in the short-lived Today's F.B.I. (1981) did not come close to rekindling his earlier success. Most of Mike's later appearances were as guest stars, notably a return as Joe Mannix in an episode of Diagnosis Murder (1993). Later interviews revealed him to have been acutely aware of the transitory nature of TV stardom and exceedingly grateful for his one opportunity to shine. Mike Connors was happily married to Mary Lou Willey for 67 years.- Cute, tiny, and prolific little old lady character actress Frances Bay worked constantly in both films and TV shows alike after making her debut at the age of 59 in life with a small part in the comedy Foul Play (1978) in 1978.
She frequently portrayed eccentric elderly women and good-hearted grandmothers in all kinds of pictures and television programs. Frances acted several times for David Lynch: she's Kyle MacLachlan's sweet doddery aunt in Blue Velvet (1986), a gruff, profane whorehouse madam in Wild at Heart (1990), and the spooky Mrs. Tremond in the cult TV series Twin Peaks (1990) and its spin-off feature Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992). Frances popped up in two movies for director Stuart Gordon: she's a kind witch in The Pit and the Pendulum (1991) and a fortune teller in Edmond (2005).
Other notable film roles include a snippy librarian in The Attic (1980), a mysterious blind nun in the offbeat Nomads (1986), another librarian in In the Mouth of Madness (1994), and Adam Sandler's loving grandmother in the hit comedy Happy Gilmore (1996). Frances had the unique distinction of guesting on the final episodes of the TV shows Happy Days (1974), Who's the Boss? (1984), and Seinfeld (1989).
Among the many TV series Bay had guest spots on are Charmed (1998), ER (1994), Matlock (1986), The X-Files (1993), Murder, She Wrote (1984), The Commish (1991), L.A. Law (1986), Hill Street Blues (1981), Touched by an Angel (1994), The Golden Girls (1985), and Amazing Stories (1985).
She won a Gemini Award for her performance in the Disney TV program Avonlea (1990). Frances was also in the music video for Jimmy Fallon's "Idiot Boyfriend." In addition to her substantial movie and TV credits, Bay also acted in both Off-Broadway stage productions and regional theater; these plays include "Finnegan's Wake," "Grease," "Genuis," "The Caucasion Chalk Circle," "Number Our Days," "Uncommon Women," "Sarcophagus," and "The Pleasure of His Company." Frances won two DramaLogue Awards and was nominated for a Los Angeles Dramatic Critics' Award.
In 2002 Bay was the unfortunate victim of an automobile accident which resulted in having part of her right leg amputated. Her husband Charles sadly died in 2002 as well.
In real life Frances Bay was a very practical and unassuming woman with an avid love for jazz music. - Actor
- Soundtrack
For someone who goes only to movie theaters, Frank Aletter is a total stranger. It is true that the actor appeared in no more than a handful of theatrical films (Gerhart in Mister Roberts (1955), a commanding officer in Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970), Leigh Jensen in Private School (1983)...). But for a TV fan things are just the opposite, for Aletter was cast in NEARLY ALL the TV series, films, sitcoms and specials shot between 1955 and 1991! A sample of titles just give you an idea of Frank Aletter's prolific output on the small screen: Bringing Up Buddy (1960), Perry Mason (1957), The Cara Williams Show (1964), Lassie (1954), Mannix (1967), Marcus Welby, M.D. (1969), Insight (1960), Kojak (1973), Cannon (1971), Hunter (1976), "Super Jaimie"... In his first life, Frank Aletter had been a regular on Broadway appearing in plays and musicals like "Bells Are Ringing", "Time Limit", "Wish You Were Here" and of course "Mister Roberts", which opened to him the doors of filmed fiction.- The evil screen villain Angus Scrimm, most famous as "The Tall Man" in Don Coscarelli's Phantasm (1979) and its sequels, grew up in Kansas City, but in his teens moved to California and studied drama at USC under William C. de Mille (brother of Cecil B. DeMille). His film debut came as another "Tall Man" he played Abraham Lincoln in an educational film made by Encyclopaedia Brittanica, which led him to a steady career in theater, television and film. His big-screen debut was in Jim, the World's Greatest (1975), directed by then 18-year-old Coscarelli. During this time he was using his birth name, Lawrence Rory Guy. He adopted the stage name Angus Scrimm three years later for his performance in Coscarelli's horror/sci-fi opus "Phantasm", which would mark Scrimm's permanent impression upon modern cinema. His role as the infamous Tall Man has earned him the praise of critics worldwide, as well as a large following of fans. His success in the "Phantasm" films has been parlayed into numerous other malevolent roles including the evil Dr. Sin Do in The Lost Empire (1984), Vlad the Vampire King in Subspecies (1991) and the nefarious Dr. Lyme opposite Nicolas Cage and Charlie Sheen in Deadfall (1993). Scrimm did intriguing double duty as the diabolical Seer and the angelic Systems Operator in Mindwarp (1991), co-starring Bruce Campbell. He did a shock cameo in the Italian film Fatal Frames (1996), opposite Stefania Stella and Donald Pleasence, and managed a gleeful parody of himself as the hulking henchman in Transylvania Twist (1989). Scrimm has not limited his career efforts to simply acting, however. As a journalist he has written and edited for "TV Guide", "Cinema Magazine", the now-defunct "Los Angeles Herald-Examiner" and other publications. He has also written liner notes for thousands of LPs and CDs, for just about every genre from classical music to jazz, from Frank Sinatra and The Beatles to Artur Rubinstein and Itzhak Perlman. He won a Grammy award for best album liner notes.
- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Marvin Kaplan was born on 24 January 1927 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963), Wild at Heart (1990) and The Great Race (1965). He was married to Rosa Felsenburg. He died on 25 August 2016 in Tarzana, California, USA.- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Martin Ingerman was born on March 6, 1936 in New York City. He had an older brother named Arthur. He had a rough childhood and was often picked on. After he finished school, he went into the army. Later, he appeared in a couple of game shows and won. He wanted to be an actor so he went to California. He lived with another guy and actually ended up dating and eventually marrying his roommate's girlfriend.
Marty made a couple of movies, but made it big when he starred with John Astin in I'm Dickens, He's Fenster (1962). Soon after the show went off the air, he and his wife divorced.
He met and married Shirley Jones and became stepfather to Shaun, Ryan, and Patrick Cassidy, sons of Jones from her marriage to Jack Cassidy. He worked some, but Shirley was primarily the breadwinner. Eventually he started putting some money away and in a couple of years was able to accumulate over a million dollars. In 1999, he and Shirley separated for six months, but then got back together. They live in Encino, California, with three dogs.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Philip Abbott was born March 21, 1924 in Lincoln, Nebraska, USA as Philip Abbott Alexander. He was an actor and director, known for his roles in The F.B.I. (1965), Quincy M.E. (1976), Sweet Bird of Youth (1962), Columbo (1971), and The Young and the Restless (1973), among many other productions. He was married to Jane Dufrayne; the couple had two sons and a daughter. Abbott died on February 23, 1998, aged 73, of cancer in Tarzana, California, USA.- A prolific character actor of imposing presence, Robert F. Simon drifted into acting via the Cleveland Playhouse, hoping that this would cure his natural propensity for shyness. After training at the Actor's Studio in New York he had a ten year run on Broadway (1942-52) in which he cut his teeth--both as actor and as stage manager--on anything from drama to musical comedy. In a roundabout way, he was even able to fulfill his original career goal of becoming a traveling salesman: as understudy to the great Lee J. Cobb as Willy Loman in Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman".
Robert started in films in 1950, but over the years came often to be typecast in stereotypical roles of benevolent authoritarianism or grouchy executive stress. At times he drew unkind reviews from the critics. He was considerably better served by the small screen, where, for some 35 years, he became a familiar face as generals, police captains, doctors, journalists and attorneys. We may remember him most fondly as George Armstrong Custer's disapproving superior, General Alfred Terry, in Custer (1967); as the sympathetic, long-suffering father of Darrin Stephens in Bewitched (1964); or as Maynard M. Mitchell, one of the wackiest of generals ever to have served in the Korean War (or any other war), in M*A*S*H (1972). - Actress
Typecast often as a dumb blond, Joan Vohs struggled her entire career to break out of that mold. She did manage partial success, but ultimately dropped out of acting altogether in order to become a full-time mom. She was born in Queens, New York, was a Rockette at age 16 and a Connover model before any acting for movies or television. Her first several roles were as models, usually of the "dumb blond" ilk. Occasionally, she landed a more substantive role, e.g. the role as suspected French spy "Fortune Mallory", played opposite George Montgomery in Fort Ti (1953). After a successful run of guest appearances on the T.V. sitcom, Family Affair (1966), Vohs retired from acting and devoted herself to raising her own family.- A barrel-chested, bull-necked presence on stage, film and TV, the tough-minded character actor was born Adolphus Jean Sweet in New York City on July 18, 1920, the son of an auto mechanic. He initially attended the University of Alabama in 1939, but his studies were interrupted by WWII Air Force duty. As a navigator of B-24s, he was shot down during a raid and captured, spending two years as a POW in Germany. For his valor he was honored with the Distinguished Flying Cross and The Purple Heart.
A semi-pro football player and a boxer at one point, he received his Masters from Columbia University in 1949 at age 29. He subsequently became the head of the drama division of the English Department at Barnard College from 1949 to 1961. During this period of time he studied voice with Peyton Hibbett, took intensive acting classes with Tamara Daykarhanova and Joseph Anthony at the Daykarhanova School for the Stage in New York City, and appeared in random stock productions in the hopes of one day pursuing a professional career full-time.
The 40-something-year-old Sweet finally made his New York/Broadway debut in the Zero Mostel starrer "Rhinoceros" in 1961, and continued on the Great White Way with outstanding parts in "Romulus" (1962), "The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window in 1964 (and its 1972 revival) and "Streamers" in 1976. Making his TV debut with "The Defenders" in 1961, Dolph quickly became a veteran of blue-collar cop shows including "East Side, West Side" and "The Trials of O'Brien." In the late 1960s he started making a dent in soap operas with regular roles on Dark Shadows (1966), The Edge of Night (1956), Somerset (1970) and especially Another World (1964), where he remained for five seasons (1972-1977) playing (of course) Police Chief Gil McGowan, the second husband of Constance Ford's beloved Ada Davis character.
Dolph received rather scant notice for his film roles despite some good scenes in such movies as Fear Is the Key (1972) and Go Tell the Spartans (1978). TV proved to be a more accepting medium for the actor. He portrayed J. Edgar Hoover in the "King" miniseries in 1978 and in the early 1980s the portly character player won a change-of-pace comedy lead in the popular sitcom Gimme a Break! (1981) in which he played (naturally) a police chief, Carl Kanisky, a widower whose household was run by the irrepressible Nell Carter.
During the show's run, Dolph was stricken with cancer and would die on May 8, 1985. At the beginning of the 1985-1986 season, the chief's passing was incorporated into the script and Nell became surrogate mother and father to his children. In real-life, the 64-year-old actor was survived by his second wife of 11 years, actress Iris Braun, and son Jonathan from his first marriage to Reba Gillespie, which ended in divorce in 1973. - Actor
- Stunts
- Additional Crew
Gordon Jones was born on 5 April 1911 in Alden, Iowa, USA. He was an actor, known for Flying Tigers (1942), The Green Hornet (1940) and My Sister Eileen (1942). He was married to Lucile Van Winkle. He died on 20 June 1963 in Tarzana, Los Angeles, California, USA.- Gilbert Green was born on 1 January 1914 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Executive Action (1973), Star Trek (1966) and Dark Intruder (1965). He was married to Laura Alice (Witkow) Klahr. He died on 15 April 1984 in Tarzana, California, USA.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Minor league singer/actress Gale Robbins was a knockout-looking hazel-eyed redhead who made a modest dent in post-war Hollywood films. Born Betty Gale Robbins in Chicago, Illinois (some say Mitchell, Indiana) on May 7, 1921, she was the eldest of five daughters of Arthur E., a doctor, and Blanche Robbins, and educated at Chicago's Jennings Seminary at Aurora, Illinois and Flower Tech. Gale had a natural flair for music and appeared in glee clubs and church choirs in the early days. She graduated from her Chicago high school in 1939.
She started out in entertainment as a model for the Vera Jones Modeling School in Chicago, but her singing talents soon took over. Signed by a talent agency, she sang with Phil Levant's outfit in 1940 and later teamed with some male singers for a swing band that called themselves "The Duchess and Her Dukes." She went on to work with some of the top radio and live 'big bands' of that era including the Jan Garber and Hal Kemp orchestras, her best showcase was working for Art Jarrett in 1941 when he took over Kemp's band.
20th Century-Fox caught sight of this slim looker while she was singing for 'Ben Bernie (I)'s outfit and was quickly signed her up, her first film being the pleasant time-filler In the Meantime, Darling (1944). A semi-popular cheesecake pin-up, Gale appeared on the cover of "Yank, The Army Weekly" in 1944, was heard on radio, and toured with Bob Hope in Europe the next year. Her post-war parts, mostly sultry second leads, were typically lightweight in nature. She was often lent out to other studios and not always in a singing mode. Gale's better known film work includes Race Street (1948), The Barkleys of Broadway (1949), Three Little Words (1950), The Fuller Brush Girl (1950) and Calamity Jane (1953).
Gale went on to host the Hollywood House (1949) and also appeared on The Colgate Comedy Hour (1950) in 1951. In the late 50s the gal with the smooth and sexy vocal style released an easy-listening album ("I'm a Dreamer") for the Vik Label backed by Eddie Cano & His Orchestra. She covered such standards as "Them There Eyes" and "What Is This Thing Called Love." After her final film appearance in Quantrill's Raiders (1958) and a few additional TV parts on such programs as "Bourbon Street Beat," "77 Sunset Strip," "The Untouchables," "Perry Mason" and "Mister Ed," Gale phased out her career to focus full-time on raising her family.
Married to her high school sweetheart Robert Olson in November of 1943 while he was serving in the Air Force, her husband turned to construction engineering as a career and they had two children. After her 47-year-old husband was tragically killed on February 4, 1967, in a building accident, a distraught Gale, left the States for a time with her two daughters, and decided to make a transatlantic comeback of sorts appearing in nightclubs in Japan and the Orient. She later was glimpsed in the film Stand Up and Be Counted (1972) and appeared on stage in Stephen Sondheim's musical "Company" in 1975. She also made ends meet as an interior decorator. Gale died of lung cancer in February of 1980, and interred at Forest Lawn Cemetery.- Elizabeth Rogers was born on 18 May 1934 in Austin, Texas, USA. She was an actress, known for The Towering Inferno (1974), An Officer and a Gentleman (1982) and Star Trek (1966). She was married to Erik L. Nelson. She died on 6 November 2004 in Tarzana, California, USA.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Joe Mantell was an American actor of Austrian-Jewish descent. His original last name was "Mantel", but he added an additional l at the end. He was once nominated for Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor .
In 1915, Mantell was born in Brooklyn, New York City. His parents were immigrants from the region of Galicia in Eastern Europe. At the time of their immigration, Galicia was part of the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria (1772-1918), one of the crown-lands of the Austrian Empire.
Mantell started appearing in films as an uncredited extra c. 1949. His first credited role was that of Dexter Freeman in the adventure film "Barbary Pirate" (1949), which depicted the Barbary Wars (1801-1805, 1815).
Mantell first received critical attention for his role as Angie in the romantic drama "Marty" (1955). Angie is depicted as the best friend of protagonist Marty Piletti (played by Ernest Borgnine), but discourages Marty from pursuing marriage with his love interest Clara (played by Betsy Blair). For this role as an obstacle to love, Mantell received his only nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. The award was instead won by rival actor Jack Lemmon (1925-2001).
Mantell continued playing minor and supporting roles in films. His film appearances included the film noir "Storm Center" (1956), the political drama "Beau James" (1957), the military-themed comedy "The Sad Sack" (1957), and the World War II-themed comedy-drama "Onionhead".
Mantell was cast frequently in guest star roles in television. He received the starring role of gangster Jackie Rhoades in the episode of "Nervous Man in a Four Dollar Room" (1960) of the anthology series "The Twilight Zone", co-stared as Pole, the robot fighter Battling Maxo's co-owner in the episode "Steel" (1963) of the same series. He played the failed assassin Giuseppe Zangara (1900-1933) in the two part episode "The Unhired Assassin" (1960) of the crime drama series "The Untouchables".
Mantell had his first recurring role in television when playing Ernie Briggs in six episodes of the sitcom "Pete and Gladys" (1960-1962). He had another recurring role as private detective Albie Loos in four episodes of the detective series "Mannix" (1967-1975).
In 1974, Mantell had one of his most recognizable roles in the neo-noir "Chinatown" (1974), as the character Lawrence Walsh . Walsh is depicted as an associate of the private investigator J. J. "Jake" Gittes (played by Jack Nicholson), and plays a significant role in the film's conclusion, Years later, Mantell returned to the role of Walsh in the sequel films "The Two Jakes" (1990). This happened to be Mantell's last appearance in a film.
Mantell retired from acting in 1990, at the age of 75. He lived in retirement until his death in September 2010. He died in Tarzana, California. He was 94-years-old at the time of death, one of the oldest living actors.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
Bob Livingston's father was a newspaper editor in Quincy, Illinois. As a reporter for the Los Angeles Daily News Bob did a story on the Pasadena Playhouse, and that got him interested in acting. In his mid-20s, he was doing bit parts for Universal and Fox and went from there to romantic roles with MGM. His first real success came with Republic, in 1936, as a masked hero in the serial The Vigilantes Are Coming (1936). That led to more cowboy roles and the leading role in the "Three Mesquiteer" series. He had more appearances (29) in that series than anyone else. He played other cowboy roles (Zorro in The Bold Caballero (1936)), worked with Al St. John in the "Lone Rider" Series (1941-43) and finished up in a number of character parts in Gene Autry and Roy Rogers movies.- Morgan Jones was born on 15 June 1928 in Wooster, Ohio, USA. He was an actor, known for Forbidden Planet (1956), The Blue Angels (1960) and The Gallant Men (1962). He was married to Carole Tetzlaff and Joan Granville. He died on 13 January 2012 in Tarzana, Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
King Moody was born on 6 December 1929 in New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Teenagers from Outer Space (1959), Quantum Leap (1989) and Get Smart (1965). He was married to Jacqueline L Larson and Rachel Rosenthal. He died on 7 February 2001 in Tarzana, Los Angeles, California, USA.- René Enríquez was born on 24 November 1933 in Granada, Nicaragua. He was an actor, known for Bananas (1971), Hill Street Blues (1981) and Dream West (1986). He died on 23 March 1990 in Tarzana, Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Actor
- Stunts
- Additional Crew
Actor and stuntman Boyd Franklin 'Red' Morgan was born on October 24, 1915 in Waurika, Oklahoma. Morgan spent the first twelve years of his life growing up on a combination farm and cattle ranch. Boyd started high school in Hobbs, New Mexico and finished high school in Holtville, California. An outstanding athlete in high school, Morgan attended the University of Southern California on a football scholarship in 1935 and made his film debut as a football player in 1936. Following graduation from college, Boyd was recruited by the Washington Redskins before going on to join the Pacific Coast League in 1940 and went on to play football for the Hollywood Bears and the Birmingham Generals. Morgan joined the U.S. Navy as an ensign in 1942 and in the wake of his military service worked as a football coach at Polytechnic High School in Long Beach, California up until 1948. Boyd decided to pursue a career as both an actor and stuntman in the late 1940's. Among the notable actors that he doubled for are Stuart Whitman, Dean Martin, Scott Brady, Gene Evans, Darren McGavin, Jim Davis, Peter Graves, and Leo Gordon. A steady and sturdy fixture in Western movies and TV shows, Morgan's career in show business encompassed over five decades altogether. Boyd died from a heart attack at age 72 on January 8, 1988 in Tarzana, California.- Handsome, hairy-chested Ralph Byrd had an 18 year career in Hollywood both as a leading man and as a character actor, though he is best remembered for his role as Chester Gould's comic strip detective, Dick Tracy, in several movie serials and on television (first for ABC and then in a syndicated series). During his film career he was a contract player for RKO and 20th- Fox. A serious auto accident slowed down his film career in the late 1940s, but he returned to the role of Tracy and worked steadily until his untimely death of a heart attack. His survivors were his widow, the actress Virginia Carroll, and his daughter, Carol, 13 at the time of his death.
- Actress
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Paulette Breen was born on 23 April 1947. She was an actress and producer, known for The Clonus Horror (1979), The Wizard of Speed and Time (1988) and All My Children (1970). She died on 29 October 2014 in Tarzana, California, USA.- Producer
- Director
- Script and Continuity Department
Laven, Jules V. Levy and Arthur Gardner met in 1943 in the First Motion Picture Unit of the Army Air Force. They were stationed at the Hal Roach Studio in Culver City, California (with other notables such as Capt. Ronald Reagan, Capt. Clark Gable and Lt. William Holden), making training films. Levy, Gardner and Laven resolved that they would start their own independent motion picture company after they got out of the Air Force; all were discharged in 1945, but their company wasn't formed until 1951 (in the interim, Levy and Laven worked as script supervisors and Gardner as an assistant director and production manager). The first Levy-Gardner-Laven film was Without Warning! (1952). In the decades since they have produced dozens of additional features and several TV series (including The Rifleman (1958), Law of the Plainsman (1959), The Detectives (1959) and The Big Valley (1965)).- Director
- Editor
- Editorial Department
Virgil W. Vogel began his career at Universal in 1940 as an assistant editor. He worked as an editor for many years, although by the mid-'50s he had begun to tire of the job and pressed Universal executive Edward Muhl for a shot at directing. Vogel was handed The Mole People (1956) with John Agar, and his capable handling of that film led to other assignments at the studio. Vogel later directed many made-for-television movies as well as episodes of TV's Bonanza (1959), Wagon Train (1957), M Squad (1957), The Six Million Dollar Man (1974), Mission: Impossible (1966), Quantum Leap (1989), Spenser: For Hire (1985) and many others.- Director
- Animation Department
- Actor
Arthur (Art) Moore-cartoonist, animator, novelist, and poet was born on August 13, 1914 (Anaheim, CA). He seemed to find success in whatever field he went into. Raised in Los Angeles, as a student at Hollywood High School his cartoons were already appearing in the city's leading newspaper, The Los Angeles Examiner. Impressed by the wry, but very funny take on life reflected in his cartoons, the Examiner hired him full-time as soon as he graduated.
In 1939 his cartooning led to employment at Walt Disney Studios, where he became an animator. After working on Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck shorts, Art became part of the team working on Disney's most famous feature film projects, including Fantasia (1940), Pinocchio (1940), Dumbo (1941), and Bambi (1942).
His work at Disney continued until December, 1941, when he, along with a number of other Disney animators, was inducted into the U.S. Army Signal Corps where, as Director of Animation, he spent the war years producing animated training films for World War II troops.
Returning to Los Angeles after the war, Lt. Moore and two of his Disney "buddies" opened their own animation studio in Hollywood. "Royal Titles" provided titles for the film industry and created animation for commercial films. As television developed, Art founded "Arthur Moore Studios," which created a number of children's cartoon series, including the 150 episodes of The Adventures of Spunky and Tadpole (1958), which appeared on national television from the late 50's to the mid-60's.
Art was also beginning his writing career at this time. He was the writer as well as creator of his children's cartoon series, he had a monthly column in Film Magazine, and had started writing short stories. After several of his short stories were published and a publisher showed interest in his first novel, Art put his animation career behind him, closed his animation studio, and made the switch to "author."
And he was a successful author. Art had 73 novels, 130 short stories, 15 children's books, and dozens of poems published over a span of thirty years, beginning in the early 60's. He was known for his thoroughly researched historical novels, although he also wrote in other genres, including spy thrillers, westerns, mysteries, and science fiction. His mystery and detective stories, many of them published in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, displayed his delightfully sardonic sense of humor, as did his lifetime of published cartoons.
In the late 1980's, Parkinson's disease began slowing down Arthur Moore's writing career, and it was this illness that eventually led to his death. He left a large number of unpublished works.- Ben Frommer was born on 12 June 1913 in Poland. He was an actor, known for Scarface (1983), Plan 9 from Outer Space (1957) and Psycho II (1983). He was married to Hilda Valerie Cohen. He died on 9 May 1992 in Tarzana, California, USA.
- Producer
- Actor
- Composer
Lou Scheimer was an American animation producer, voice actor, and theme score composer from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was one of the co-founders of the animation studio Filmation (1962-1989), and was often credited as an executive producer in its television shows. As a voice actor, he is primarily remembered for voicing the benevolent King Randor and the inept magician Orko in the animated series "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe". He also voiced several of the series' secondary characters.
In 1928, Scheimer was born to a German-Jewish in Pittsburgh. His father was a recent German immigrant. He reportedly decided to move to the United States, after being involved in a fist fight with members of the antisemitic Nazi Party (NSDAP, 1920-1945). Scheimer received his tertiary education at the Carnegie Tech University (later renamed to Carnegie Mellon University), a private research university located in Pittsburgh. The university was originally a technical school, established by the industrialist Andrew Carnegie in 1900. Its name commemorated its founder. Scheimer graduated in 1952, with a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts.
Scheimer soon found work in the animation industry. In the mid-1950s, he was appointed to the position of art director for the production company Larry Harmon Pictures. The company was producing television cartoons, primarily featuring Bozo the Clown and Popeye. It was owned by producer Larry Harmon (1925 -2008), who voiced Bozo. While working there, Scheimer former a close working relationship with former Disney animator Hal Sutherland ( 1929-2014). The two later became business partners.
In 1961, Larry Harmon Pictures shut down. Scheimer and Sutherland were subsequently hired by the minor production company True Line. While working there, they were contracted by the Japanese-American company SIB Productions to create an animated television series for them. They fulfilled the contract by producing the space-travel-themed series "Rod Rocket" (1963). The contract allowed True Line to hire additional personnel. Scheimer and Sutherland formed a close relationship with their new co-worker Norm Prescott (1927-2005).
In 1962, Scheimer started independently working on commercials. He figured that he could form his own company to produce animation. In September 1962, Scheimer and Sutherland formed Filmation. The company's name was a short form of the term "film animation". Prescott joined them soon after the company's formation. The trio were the company's main producers. They immediately started work on the animated feature film "Journey Back to Oz" (1972), loosely based on the Oz novels by L. Frank Baum. Due to financial problems, it took them about a decade to complete the film.
For its first few years, Filmation primarily produced animated television commercials. The company's first big break came c. 1966. Scheimer and his partners were hired by DC Comics editor Mort Weisinger (1915-1978) to produce an animated adaptation of the superhero Superman. The result was the animated series "The New Adventures of Superman" (1966-1970), the first animated adaptation of the character since the 1940s short film series which had been produced by the Fleischer Studios. Due to this series' perceived success, DC Comics later assigned further animated projects to Filmation. The company produced animated adaptations of (in order of release): Superboy, Aquaman, and Batman.
Filmation had its second big break with another comic book adaptation. Scheimer and his partners signed a contract with Archie Comics to produce an animated adaptation of the teenage humor series "Archie". Filmation created "The Archie Show" (1968-1969), featuring Archie's main characters as a bubblegum pop band. The series' music was highly popular, and the song "Sugar, Sugar" became the No. 1 song of 1969 on the Billboard charts. Filmation went on to create several spin-offs of the series in the 1970s. Among the most successful spin-offs was "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" (1970-1974). Filmation took a minor fantasy character of Archie Comics, Sabrina, and turned her into a popular series protagonist.
By the early 1970s, Filmation had emerged as a leading company in television animation. But it was no longer an independent company, as Scheimer and his partners had sold their ownership rights in 1969. The company functioned as a subsidiary of the TelePrompTer Corporation, which was the largest cable television provider in the United States during the 1970s. Scheimer remained on the company's helm, while some of his partners entered semi-retirement. In 1981, TelePrompTer was acquired by Westinghouse Electric Corporation. Filmation had a new corporate parent, but Scheimer continued leading the company.
Filmation had another hit in their hands when they produced "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" (1983-1985), an animated adaption of a line of Mattel toys. It was among the earliest first-run syndicated cartoons. Due to the lack of supervision by a network, the series had greater artistic freedom than previous projects by Filmation. Scheimer wanted to instill moral values on the young viewers, so the series often focused on moral dilemmas, and questions concerning the priorities of its heroes. The series also had a successful spin-off of its own, "She-Ra: Princess of Power" (1985-1986).
In 1989, Westinghouse decided to shut down Filmation and to sell the studio's properties. Scheimer effectively went into retirement after the end of his studio. In the late 1990s, he was hired by the Dutch company Dreamweavers to create an adult animated film. The result was the science fiction film "Robin and the Dreamweavers", where an evil siren seeks power through manipulating "mankind's baser carnal desires". The film had problems in finding a distributor.
Scheimer spend the last decades of his life struggling with Parkinson's disease, which would eventually cause his death. In 2012, he was honored with an Inkpot Award for his contributions to animation. He died on October 17, 2013, two days before his 85th birthday. Several of his animated works have maintained a cult following into the 21st century, thanks to their colorful characters and their distinctive designs.- Actor
- Stunts
- Additional Crew
Paul Bradley found his way into films after leaving the cavalry. Unfortunately for Bradley, his real name was distinctively Italian and it required him to adopt his stage name. This turned out to be a good career move for Bradley because he would find his niche as one of the most popular dress extras in the 1930s.
It was during this time that Bradley became connected with George Sanders and served as his stand-in and as his personal assistant. Whenever Sanders was working in the United States, he usually had Bradley as his stand-in. Sanders and Bradley developed such a good friendship that Bradley served as the best man at one of Sanders' weddings.
As Sanders' regularly obtained work in Europe, Bradley's distinctive white hair and pencil thin mustache made him a natural for socialite scenes in countless dramas and in some television westerns. He even obtained a lot of work as a mature male clothing model because of his dashing good looks.
While most people's careers came to a close, Bradley's career spanned through the early 1990s until he decided to bring a close to a career that spanned over 60 years.- Ben Astar was born on 15 June 1909 in Palestine [now Israel]. He was an actor, known for Bye Bye Birdie (1963), The Magical World of Disney (1954) and 5 Fingers (1952). He was married to Isabella Milch. He died on 20 October 1988 in Tarzana, California, USA.
- Actress
- Stunts
Heidi Von Beltz was born on 25 September 1955 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She was an actress, known for Kill the Golden Goose (1979), Smokey and the Bandit II (1980) and Charlie's Angels (1976). She died on 28 October 2015 in Tarzana, California, USA.- Director
- Producer
- Writer
Jack Shea was born on 1 August 1928 in New York City, New York, USA. He was a director and producer, known for Designing Women (1986), The Jeffersons (1975) and Insight (1960). He was married to Patt Shea. He died on 28 April 2013 in Tarzana, Los Angeles, California, USA.- Art Department
- Additional Crew
- Animation Department
Jaroslav Gebr was born on 26 May 1926. He is known for The Sting (1973), Night Gallery (1969) and Columbo (1971). He died on 7 February 2013 in Tarzana, California, USA.- Director
- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
Charles Correll was born on 23 January 1944 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He was a director and cinematographer, known for Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984), National Lampoon's Animal House (1978) and The Winds of War (1983). He was married to Robin Kellick. He died on 4 June 2004 in Tarzana, Los Angeles, California, USA.- Evan Maldonado was born on 11 August 1974 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She was married to Eddie Maldonado. She died on 18 July 2017 in Tarzana, California, USA.
- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Born in Shreveport, Louisiana on August 19, 1952, David was the third child of Jack Gray Beaird Sr. and Mary Jane Hunter. He was a graduate of Chicago's Goodman School of Drama. In Chicago, he began his professional career as an actor, playwright, director, and acting coach that spanned four decades.
At 19, David won acclaim for his role in "Look Homeward, Angel" as the character Eugene Gant. The Chicago Tribune called him, "a young man who will one day be a consummate and famous actor." After a number of successful acting roles, he founded the Wisdom Bridge Theatre in 1974 on a shoestring budget. The theatre's name was inspired by a painting whose subtitle read: "The bridge to wisdom is in the continual asking of questions." This was David's method. Using his plays to ask big questions, David built Wisdom Bridge into a critically-acclaimed avant-garde theatre, with innovative stagings of "Cyrano de Bergerac" and "Twelfth Night". There he also developed one of his original plays, "Dignity," a life story of Socrates. He even adapted the comic strip, "The Wizard of ID" and staged it with a life-sized dragon puppet. By 1975, when David was 22, the Shreveport Times called him, "the nation's youngest theatrical genius" who was "setting the Chicago theatrical world on its ear." He left the Wisdom Bridge in 1977 due to health problems.
In the 1980's he headed to Hollywood where he wrote (or rewrote) and directed a series of films, including "Octavia" (1984), "The Party Animal" (1984), "My Chauffeur" (1986), "It Takes Two" (1988) and "Pass the Ammo" (1988), a satire of televangelism that was presciently made before the Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker scandal made news. Directing films was new territory and David recalled having to be told to say "action" and "cut" during his early turns as director. While "Party Animal" was a wild and bawdy romp, with "My Chauffeur" he was channeling screwball comedies of the 1930's. "It Takes Two" was also a romantic comedy. His films had commercial success and led to other offers, not all of which he wanted to pursue.
He did want to pursue theatre and in California, David founded the Whitefire Theatre in Sherman Oaks, which was close enough to his house at the time that he could walk to work. He ran acting classes at the theatre that became very popular. There was often the chance for students to work in the theatre in exchange for tuition. These classes gave actors a chance to work through material they would later audition elsewhere, which helped many land roles and certainly saved a lot of embarrassment.
It was at the Whitefire that David began staging "Scorchers", a play he had written about a cajun wedding night in the bayou. The play ran for at least two years and won several awards. The theatrical success of "Scorchers" led to a film version that was released in 1991. Although the budget for the film was fairly low, the strength of the material, and no doubt the charisma of the director, helped attract numerous stars to appear. Faye Dunaway, Emily Lloyd, James Earl Jones, Denholm Elliot, and Jennifer Tilly all contributed their talents. The opening monologue of the film is particularly captivating. In it, the character Jumper, played by David's lifelong friend and collaborator, Leland Crooke, describes his baptism in the mystical Lost River: "I hit that water. I swam in pure sunlight, and turned old but got caught young forever."
In 1992, he created the television series "Key West", in which an Ohio factory worker played by Fisher Stevens wins the lottery and goes off to live the writer's life in Florida, with Hemingway as his inspiration. David wrote, directed and produced much of the series, but ultimately felt hemmed in by the way the television network tried to control his work. Stevens begins one episode by saying: "Writing is a solitary exercise... It cannot be done by committee. You have to dig deep down into your gut with no distractions and with discipline." This summed up at least part of David's objection to the television writing process and perhaps helps explain why the show was his only major television writing credit.
Returning to the theater, David brought his heartstopping tale of greed and family dysfunction, "900 Oneonta," to the London stage in 1994. The play opened at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre but then, due to popular demand and rave reviews, moved to the Old Vic. With Jon Cryer, Ben Daniels, Sophie Okonedo, and Leland Crooke in the cast, the darkly-comic show was a hit and garnered an Olivier award nomination for best play. "Disturbingly hilarious& nails you breathless to your seat" went one write-up from the Evening Standard. "900 Oneonta" also played in New York City at the Circle Repertory in 1996. Attesting to its appeal, the play had a long and successful run at LA's Odyssey Theatre, with the main London cast members returning in the cast.
In 2001, David married Shevonne Marie Durkin. They had been together since 1993, when they met and fell in love while working on a project called "Wasted Grace." At one audition, asked to read her lines differently, Shevonne jumped up on David's desk and belted them out. She got the part, of course. With her playfulness, loyalty and intelligence, Shevonne helped to ground and complete David. They shared many happy years together.
David worked for many years on a project that dealt with the power of Buddhism. In "The Civilization of Maxwell Bright," a misogynist played by Patrick Warburton (a Whitefire acting veteran) is humanized by an Asian mail-order bride who also happens to be a Buddhist nun. The film's subject, according to David, was "how one person pulls the other out of hell." It screened at festivals in 2005.
After that, his high-profile public output dropped off. His health suffered. But he never ceased to be an outlandish storyteller, a captivating presence, a lifelong seeker, and a generous soul. There are many stories that encapsulate David's generosity. It was a key part of his character. He would help a family with their mortgage, surprise panhandlers with large donations, pick up big dinner checks, give away a car, or, repeatedly, share his home with family and friends. He left his door unlocked and was open to visitors. He always looked for ways to help others, sometimes simply by giving them his profound attention, sometimes by whisking them out of truly harmful circumstances and giving them a new start.
He also had a profound connection with animals, starting with his childhood dog Skipper. His dog Zeus, with whom he loved to sing, is still waiting for him to come home and sing again.
David helped many people, both personally and professionally, by believing in their abilities. His belief was catching, and people used it to begin believing in themselves. He went out of his way to encourage and celebrate the creativity of others and sought, in his own relaxed and tolerant way, to support his friends and family. He had faith in his personal artistic vision and tried to protect it from whatever self-styled experts or critics said. Just as Jumper had in "Scorchers", David had found Lost River and hoped everyone else could find it too: "The secret, most precious, most beautiful things in your heart -- and in life -- just ain't on any map. But you been there, you know they real, they true whether you can prove it or not & Anything you yourself done swum in, believe."- Carolyn Hughes was born in 1930 in Ireland. She was an actress, known for Paratroop Command (1959), The Wasp Woman (1959) and Mike Hammer (1958). She was married to Elliott Kastner and George C. Scott. She died in 1994 in Tarzana, California, USA.
- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Al J. Jennings was born on 25 November 1863 in Virginia, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for The Lady of the Dugout (1918), Beating Back (1914) and The Tryout (1919). He died on 26 December 1961 in Tarzana, California, USA.- Actor
- Director
Morgan Wallace was born on 26 July 1881 in Lompoc, California, USA. He was an actor and director, known for Wild Girl (1932), The Mouthpiece (1932) and Dream Street (1921). He was married to Louise Chapman Wallace. He died on 12 December 1953 in Tarzana, California, USA.- Viola Kates Stimpson was born on 25 October 1906 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. She was an actress, known for Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986), Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000) and Graduation Day (1981). She died on 14 January 2008 in Tarzana, California, USA.
- Actor
- Composer
- Music Department
A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Bobby Womack was born into a musical family. Managed by their father, he and his brothers formed "The Womack Brothers", a gospel singing group that toured with several national gospel stars. "The Womack Brothers" caught the attention of the legendary Sam Cooke when Cooke was singing on the gospel circuit. When Cooke formed his own record label, Sar Records, he immediately signed Bobby and his brothers. In 1962, they were renamed "The Valentinos" and had their first R&B hit single "Lookin' For A Love". Although he continued to record with his brothers throughout the 1960s, Womack began playing guitar in Sam Cooke's band until Cooke's untimely death in 1964. Without the stewardship of Cooke, however, "The Valentinos" floundered and split up, subsequently beginning Bobby Womack's solo career. Although he had mediocre commercial success as a recording artist throughout the 1960s, he had considerable success as a composer and arranger for R&B/Pop artists such as Wilson Pickett, Joe Tex and Dusty Springfield. He would eventually recorded a string of hits of his own from 1971 through 1976. Among them were "That's The Way I Feel About Cha", "Woman's Gotta Have It" and a newly arranged version of "Lookin' For A Love". His career slumped during the Disco era as his earthy and soulful vocals were suddenly out of vogue. Nevertheless, he returned triumphant in the early 1980s with the recording of the album entitled "The Poet" on which he delivered what has become his signature composition and recording "If You Think You're Lonely Now". His 1972 composition and recording of the song "Across 110th Street"--which was originally recorded for the movie of the same name--resurfaced as the theme for the feature film Jackie Brown (1997). Ironically, the film's star, Pam Grier, had been a back-up singer for Womack when she was a coed at UCLA. Considered by critics and fans alike to be one of the last great "Soul" men, Womack continues to record and perform, and has maintained a devoted following throughout the world.- Mike Walden was born on 6 November 1927 in Girard, Illinois, USA. He was an actor, known for Fantasy Island (1977), The Last Hurrah (1977) and The Oklahoma City Dolls (1981). He was married to Nancy Stewart. He died on 12 February 2017 in Tarzana, California, USA.
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Calvin Clements Sr. was born on 14 February 1915 in Jersey City, New Jersey, USA. He was a writer, known for Gunsmoke (1955), How the West Was Won (1976) and Firecreek (1968). He died on 11 March 1997 in Tarzana, California, USA.- Barbara Jean Wong was born on 3 March 1924 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She was an actress, known for Chinatown at Midnight (1949), China (1943) and The Red Dragon (1945). She was married to Robert Wah Lee. She died on 13 November 1999 in Tarzana, California, USA.
- Additional Crew
- Writer
- Actor
Tony Hawes was born on 23 March 1929 in Blackheath, London, England, UK. He was a writer and actor, known for The ABC Comedy Hour (1972), Running Wild (1954) and Rolf on Saturday O.K.? (1977). He was married to Lois Laurel and Helene Cross. He died on 13 February 1997 in Tarzana, Los Angeles, California, USA.- Music Department
- Composer
- Actor
Raymond John Heindorf was born August 25, 1908. in Haverstraw, New York. He grew up in Mechanicville, New York, where he moved to when he was about 10 years old. In 1926 he graduated from Mechanicville High School. He was interested in cars and machinery; he loved to play pool with his father, the late John J. Heindorf, at the Railroad YMCA, where he was the Railroad Express agent. Ray took a business course at the Mechanicville High School. His genius at the piano was reflected in his speed on the typewriter. He had an excellent rating, but decided that business was not to be his field of endeavor. He graduated with the Class of 1926 and during his high school days he played the piano at the State Theatre (now demolished) to earn extra money. Ray eventually met Arthur Lang for a job, saying he was an arranger of dance music, and thus began a long friendship.
When sound pictures took the place of the silent films, Ray and Lang decided to move to Hollywood. His first picture was The Hollywood Revue of 1929 (1929) at MGM. Ray connected with Warner Bros. in 1932 and remained there for the rest of his life. He succeeded Leo F. Forbstein as Music Director upon Forbstein's death in 1948. Ray was first married to Maxine and had a son, the late Michael Heindorf, and later married Lorraine and had two daughters. Ray left Warner Bros. in 1965. Until his death, Ray lived in Los Angeles, having moved from Encino. Shortly before he died, Ray had completed an oral history, which was done at the request of Yale University and was conducted in Ray's home by Irene Kahn Atkins, Gus Kahn's daughter.
Raymond John Heindorf passed away on February 3, 1980. at Tarzana California Medical Center, ending an era of music that will never be the same again. His funeral service was held at St. Francis de Sales Church, Shermain Oaks, CA, and he is buried at San Fernando Valley Mission Cemetery. His favorite baton was buried with him.- Actress
- Additional Crew
Roberta Jonay was born on 15 October 1921 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. She was an actress, known for Calcutta (1946), The Emperor Waltz (1948) and Suddenly It's Spring (1947). She was married to Judson Pratt. She died on 19 April 1976 in Tarzana, California, USA.- Michael King was born on 6 July 1922 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Hero and the Terror (1988), Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) and Dan's Motel (1982). He was married to Lee Carney. He died on 1 June 1992 in Tarzana, California, USA.
- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Additional Crew
Ray Rennahan started working behind movie cameras from 1917. Early on, he had the foresight to recognise the potential for dramatically enhancing motion pictures by the application of colour cinematography. During the 1920's, he was regarded as a leading innovator in the development of the three-strip Technicolor process. This was first applied in several sequences of an MGM musical, The Cat and the Fiddle (1934), and then saw the light of day in its entirety, in a live action two-reel short, entitled La Cucaracha (1934). Both were appropriately photographed by Rennahan. His next project was Becky Sharp (1935), the first feature length all-Technicolor movie.
The visual quality of this picture, particularly noted in the striking set pieces, prompted Darryl F. Zanuck at 20th Century Fox to hire Rennahan for Wings of the Morning (1937). This rather stolid melodrama was filmed on location in Ireland and England in 1935. It starred Henry Fonda and Annabella, and what was lacking in script, was primarily redeemed by Rennahan's stunning outdoor photography of the verdant countryside, and by his spectacular horse racing sequences (his first camera operator for this picture was one of the future greats of cinematography, Jack Cardiff). Rennahan continued with the racing theme in Kentucky (1938), and then worked with Bert Glennon on the outdoor western Drums Along the Mohawk (1939). That same year, he gained an Oscar (in conjunction with Ernest Haller) for his outstanding colour photography on Gone with the Wind (1939), for which he employed a faster film stock which required less lighting. Rennahan later won a second statuette for Blood and Sand (1941).
When not working directly behind the camera, Rennahan and his specialist team were often employed as consultants on the colour process. As director of photography, he also worked for David O. Selznick again, this time on the brilliant western epic Duel in the Sun (1946), constituting possibly some of his finest work. Between 1945 and 1953, he was under contract to Paramount. After 1957, he worked almost exclusively in television, with special emphasis on outdoor subjects and westerns.- Blake Harthcock (born on February 14th, 1992) is an American actor, dancer, print model, and voiceover actor. Born in Brandon, MS. He began acting at the age of 6 at Black Rose Theatre and appeared in Treme (2011) followed by Sticky Notes (2016). In 2018 he moved to Los Angeles and appeared on Steve (2019).