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1-7 of 7
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Fredi Washington was a pioneering African-American actress whose fair skin and green eyes often were impediments to her showing her extraordinary acting skills. Her talent was often overlooked because of people's obsession with her race and color. In the few films in which she acted her enormous talent as an actress couldn't be hidden.
Her first film performance was with Duke Ellington in a musical short, Black and Tan (1929), as a dancer. In Hollywood she was urged to "pass" for fully white by studio heads, who said they would make her a bigger star than Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Constance Bennett and Greta Garbo. Fredi refused. Her best-known role was as the original Peola, in the controversial film Imitation of Life (1934). She appeared with Paul Robeson in The Emperor Jones (1933) and in a few other films with her skin darkened. Her best work was on the stage, notably in "Mamba's Daughters" with Ethel Waters. Fredi never made it to the top like her contemporaries Waters, Josephine Baker, and Nina Mae McKinney because she didn't look "black" enough. But Fredi had what it took, as is more than evident in the few films that she did do.
Her best work was as an activist. She was the head of the Negro Actors Guild, helping black performers get a fair chance in the entertainment industry. Hopefully, people who discover her work today will see her beauty and talent shine through and look beyond her skin color, unlike most people of her time.- Animation Department
- Actor
- Art Director
Richard Bickenbach was born on 9 August 1907 in Indiana, USA. He was an actor and art director, known for Charlotte's Web (1973), Jonny Quest (1964) and It's the Wolf (1969). He was married to Dorothy Mae Baker. He died on 28 June 1994 in San Bernardino, California, USA.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Director
Giancarlo Sbragia was born on 14 March 1926 in Rome, Lazio, Italy. He was an actor and director, known for Anna Karenina (1974), Goliath and the Dragon (1960) and Cime tempestose (1956). He was married to Alessandra Panaro and Esmeralda Ruspoli. He died on 28 June 1994 in Rome, Lazio, Italy.- Actor
- Composer
- Writer
Ulrik Neumann was born on 23 October 1918 in Copenhagen, Denmark. He was an actor and composer, known for Kispus (1956), Spöke på semester (1951) and Resan till dej (1953). He was married to Stina Sorbon. He died on 28 June 1994 in Malmö, Skåne län, Sweden.- R.J. Reynolds III was born on 7 December 1933. R.J. was a producer, known for New Television (1986). R.J. died on 28 June 1994 in Pinehurst, North Carolina, USA.
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Kurt Eichhorn was born on 4 August 1908 in Munich, Germany. He is known for Philadelphia (1993), Der Zigeunerbaron (1975) and Eine Nacht in Venedig (1974). He died on 28 June 1994 in Murnau, Bavaria, Germany.- Camera and Electrical Department
- Actor
Paul Whitson was born on 3 October 1904 in Missouri, USA. He was an actor. He died on 28 June 1994 in Shasta County, California, USA.