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1-24 of 24
- Actor
- Director
Genial, pleasant-voiced character actor Paul Benedict was born in New Mexico on September 17, 1938, and made hosts of stage, film and TV appearances in a career lasting five decades. The son of a doctor, he was diagnosed with acromegaly by an endocrinologist who happened to catch the nascent actor in a stage play. He underwent medical treatment that successfully prevented the advancing of the disease. Following military service with the Marine Corps., Paul went on to a highly successful entertainment career using his spade-sized jaw and large nose often to humorous effect.
Following his graduation from Suffolk University, Benedict began acting at the Theatre Company of Boston and performed with such up-and-coming hopefuls as Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman and Al Pacino before moving to New York in 1968. Decades laterk, Pacino remembered his old colleague when he revived Eugene O'Neill's one-act, two-person drama "Hughie" on Broadway in 1996. Paul was cast as the hotel night clerk who listens patiently and endlessly to the forlorn ramblings of Pacino's hustler character. Paul made his unofficial Broadway debut in 1968 with "Leda Had a Little Swan," but it closed just before it officially opened. He then went on to appear in "Little Murders" (1969), "The White House Murder Case" (1970) and "Bad Habits" (1974).
Benedict began his on-camera career with the little seen western film spoof The Double-Barrelled Detective Story (1965) and then was seen in another spoof, the political satire The Virgin President (1968). He continued in a quirky, humorous vein in Norman Lear's Cold Turkey (1971), as well as Taking Off (1971), They Might Be Giants (1971), The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight (1971), Deadhead Miles (1972), Up the Sandbox (1972) and The Front Page (1974). Lear took a liking to Paul and began using him as a guest on some of his classic TV comedies, including "Maude" and "All in the Family," before casting him as Harry Bentley, the polite but put-upon white Englishman next door neighbor to affluent black couple Isabel Sanford and Sherman Hemsley on the decade-long comedy series The Jeffersons (1975). It remains his best known oddball comedy role. Another familiar character would be The Mad Painter on the long-running children's PBS show Sesame Street (1969).
He played an fascinating assortment of erudite, toothy and tweedy characters on film, one of his best remembered being that of Reverend Lindquist in Jeremiah Johnson (1972). He also played the emissary of the governor in The Front Page (1974), a slave trader in Mandingo (1975), an untalented Shakespearean stage director in The Goodbye Girl (1977); an eccentric butler in The Man with Two Brains (1983); another butler in Arthur 2: On the Rocks (1988); a business college professor in Cocktail (1988); a warden in The Chair (1988); a film school teacher in The Freshman (1990); an irritated judge in The Addams Family (1991); and a professor in Isn't She Great (2000).
Benedict made an impression as a stage director as well, including "Any Given Day," the original production of "Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune," and the Obie-winning "The Kathy and Mo Show." His final Broadway appearance was as Mayor Shinn in the 2000 revival of "The Music Man" and he took his final curtain call with Pinter's "No Man's Land" at the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
On TV, Paul made appearances on some of TV's most popular shows, including "Sweepstakes," "Mama Malone," "Murder, She Wrote," "The New Twilight Zone," "A Different World," "Tales from the Crypt," "Seinfeld" and "The Drew Carey Show." On film, Paul became a stock player for Christopher Guest and his hilarious "mockumentary" features -- This Is Spinal Tap (1984), Waiting for Guffman (1996) (as the long-awaited guest) and A Mighty Wind (2003).
Unmarried, the 70-year-old actor died of natural causes on December 1, 2008, at his home in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts.- John Fitzgerald Kennedy Jr. was born on November 25, 1960, in Washington, DC, to John Fitzgerald Kennedy (President-to-be John F. Kennedy) and Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy (Jacqueline Kennedy). Three weeks before his birth, his father was elected President of the United States, and the nation loved little John. The press dubbed him "John-John", but his family called him John. Even as a toddler, he loved to fly. On his third birthday, his father was buried, and he was photographed giving his father's casket a salute in a photo and video seen around the world. About a month later, they moved out of the White House and into a 15-room apartment overlooking Central Park in New York City. He went to private schools. When he was six, his uncle Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated while running for president. He had been a father figure to John and his sister, Caroline Kennedy, a fact that Ethel Kennedy -- who had nine children with RFK -- did not like. That same year, Jackie married Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Socrates (Ari) Onasis (Aristotle Onassis). He virtually played no part in John's life because John hardly saw him. Ari died in 1975. John went on to high school and then decided to go to Brown University in Rhode Island. He graduated and, after his mother said no to his becoming an actor, went to law school and became an assistant District Attorney. In 1994, Jackie died of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. In 1996, John married Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy on an island off Georgia. She was very shy, and that did not bode well because they were constantly being photographed. On July 16th, 1999, Carolyn and her sister Lauren, with John as pilot, took off in his plane for Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, to drop Lauren off, with John and Carolyn continuing onward to the Kennedy Compound for the wedding of his cousin Rory Kennedy (Robert's youngest daughter, born after RFK's death). It was foggy, and several miles off Martha's Vineyard, the plane crashed, killing all three of them. The bodies of the women were found near the wreckage, but John's body was found in the pilot's seat.
- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Suzzanne Douglas is an award-winning actress of both screen and stage, whose work has led her through all walks of creative life. Driven by her desire to constantly grow as an artist, Suzzanne has developed a canon of enigmatic and complex roles, and hopes to encourage younger artists to do the same.
Her theater credits include Dorothy Brock in "42nd Street" at the Drury Lane Theaterm Mertreuil in the Baltimore Center Stage Theater's production of "Les Liaisons Dangereuses", and Kendra in George Street Playhouse's "American Son." Other theater credits include "The Tap Dance Kid", "Night in Tunisia", "Julius by Design", "The Drowning Crow", "Crowns" (NAACP Image Award for Best Ensemble), "Women of Brewster Place", and Arthur Laurent's "Hallelujah, Baby!", which he re-wrote especially for her. Suzzanne was also the first African-American to play the role of Dr. Bearing in the Pulitzer-Prize-winning play "Wit" at the George Street Playhouse.
On television, she is best known for her co-starring role with Robert Townsend in the long-running Warner Brothers sitcom "The Parent 'Hood", which is in syndication in most markets. She has also appeared in such highly acclaimed shows as CBS' "Bull" with Michael Weatherly, "The Good Wife", "Bones", and "Law & Order" ("SVU" and "Criminal Intent"). Suzzanne has also brought her numerous talents to the big screen. Her filmography runs the gamut from made-for-television, to independent, to mainstream cinema including "Whitney", "How Stella Got Her Groove Back" (Black Oscar, NAACP Image Award Nominee), "School of Rock", "The Inkwell", "Jason's Lyric", "Tap" (NAACP Image Award), the ABC remake of the classic "Sounder" (Black Reel Award, NAACP Image Award Nominee), "Black N' Blue", "Happy Yummy Chicken"--for which she wrote the title track, and "Changing the Game", which was selected for the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.
As a producer, Suzzanne won the award for Best Short film at the Hollywood Black Film Festival awards for "The Last Weekend." She co-produced Theresa Rebeck's Love on the Rocks starring Julie White.
Suzzanne's vocal talents have taken her from Broadway, starring opposite Sting in "The Threepenny Opera", to the concert halls of Russia with Jon Faddis. A singer and composer, Suzzanne performs regularly with her trio, performing music from the American Songbook as well as her original compositions. She has traveled and performed with many renowned musicians including Nate Adderley, Don Braden, T.S. Monk, Helen Sung, Stanley Turrentine, Gene Harris, and Kenney Burrell.
Suzzanne earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at Illinois State University and a Master in Music degree at the Manhattan School of Music. She is a dedicated patron of the arts and an advocate for teaching artistic expression in the educational system. Through this, she hopes to engage and empower individuals and their communities. Suzzanne is a former board member at George Street Playhouse, and a current member of the Artistic Board at Luna Stage in West Orange, NJ. She is a lifetime member of Girl Scouts of America, The National Council of Negro Women, Sigma Alpha Lambda, and Jack and Jill of America, Inc. She is an Honorary Member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. where she serves on its National Board.- Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy was born on 7 January 1966 in White Plains, New York, USA. She was married to John Kennedy Jr.. She died on 16 July 1999 in Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Martha's Vineyard.
- Writer
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Robert Dozier was born on 18 July 1930 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. He was a writer and producer, known for Harry O (1973), Matinee Theatre (1955) and Sweepstakes (1979). He was married to Diana Muldaur and Sally Moffet. He died on 6 January 2012 in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, USA.- Bart Giamatti was born on 4 April 1938 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. He was married to Toni Marilyn Smith. He died on 1 September 1989 in Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, USA.
- Actor
- Additional Crew
P.J. Brown was born on 5 November 1956 in Richmond [now Staten Island], New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Rounders (1998), Romance & Cigarettes (2005) and Cop Land (1997). He died on 28 May 2018 in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, USA.- Lauren Bessette was born on 5 November 1964 in White Plains, New York, USA. She died on 16 July 1999 in Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Martha's Vineyard.
- Gardner Baldwin was born on 22 March 1951 in Montclair, New Jersey, USA. He was an actor, known for V.R. Troopers (1994), Masked Rider (1995) and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (1993). He died on 7 September 2011 in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, USA.
- William Styron was born on 11 June 1925 in Newport News, Virginia, USA. He was a writer, known for Sophie's Choice (1982), Lie Down in Darkness and Playhouse 90 (1956). He was married to Rose Burgunder. He died on 1 November 2006 in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, USA.
- Edna Billotto was born on 8 February 1923. She was an actress, known for Jaws: The Revenge (1987). She died on 15 June 1998 in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, USA.
- Hershel West was born on 1 March 1924 in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, USA. He was an actor, known for The Shark Is Still Working: The Impact & Legacy of 'Jaws' (2007) and Jaws: The 25th Anniversary Documentary (2015). He died on 3 May 2018 in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, USA.
- Camera and Electrical Department
Gavin Curran was born on 13 August 1967 in Anchorage, Alaska, USA. He is known for Vanilla Sky (2001), Okja (2017) and A Most Violent Year (2014). He was married to Laurie Turner. He died on 15 February 2024 in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, USA.- Philip R. Craig was an American writer known for his Martha's Vineyard mysteries. He was born in Santa Monica and raised on a cattle ranch near Durango, Colorado. In 1951 he attended Boston University intending to become a minister, and got a degree in 1957. While at BU, he studied poetry with Robert Lowell, who quickly persuaded him that he had no future in that field, and turned to studying prose with Gerald Warner Brace, who encouraged him to write fiction. He taught English and Journalism at Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts from 1962 to 1965, and at Wheelock College in Boston until 1999, at which point he retired to become a full-time writer. He was invited to join the Olympic fencing squad, but had to decline due to a knee injury. He died May 8, 2007 after a brief fight with cancer. He is survived by his wife Shirley, two children (Kimberlie and James S. Craig) and five grandchildren.
- Producer
- Production Manager
- Editorial Department
Jonathan Bernstein was born on 30 January 1946 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA. He was a producer and production manager, known for Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask (1972), About Sarah (1998) and Family of Spies (1990). He was married to Jill. He died on 20 October 2023 in West Tisbury, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, USA.- Tafari Campbell was born on 10 March 1978 in Dumfries, Virginia, USA. He was married to Sherise Campbell. He died on 23 July 2023 in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, USA.
- Born in Johnson City, Tenn., Carol graduated from Stephens College in Missouri before attending Yale Drama School in New Haven, Conn. She spent most of her life in New York city in a career that spanned many aspects of the arts from the stage to film to television and to art galleries.
She ultimately combined all of these experiences into the Craven Gallery which she founded and ran in Vineyard Haven and West Tisbury for nearly 15 years in the late 1990s and 2000s. She closed the gallery in 2011 but continued to consult for private clients.
Carol's early years in New York city in the late 1960s and 1970s were spent performing in some off Broadway work as well as in television commercials. Her last stage production was Howie and Thelma in the Woods. During that time, she also managed the Alexander Milliken Gallery as well as several other prominent galleries where her passion for art grew. In the early 1980s she and her husband, Richard (Dick) Craven were executive producers of the television game show Child's Play.
Carol and Dick moved to Martha's Vineyard permanently in the late 1990s in order to better handle his health condition related to ALS. Concurrently, she founded the Craven Gallery which became a beacon of fine art on the Island and a regular gathering spot for many over the next 15 years.
Dick Craven died in 2001. - Margot Loines Wilkie was born on 24 February 1912 in Dongan Hills, Long Island, New York, USA. She was married to John Wilkie and Dwight Whitney Morrow Jr.. She died on 21 August 2013 in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, USA.
- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Arnie Reisman was born on 1 May 1942 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He was a writer and producer, known for The Powder & the Glory (2007), Stolen Bases (2001) and The Other Side of the Moon (1990). He was married to Paula Lyons. He died on 4 October 2021 in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, USA.- Richard Robinson was born on 15 May 1937 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. He died on 6 June 2021 in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, USA.
- Camera and Electrical Department
Brian Dowley is known for Cape Spin: An American Power Struggle (2011). Brian was married to Mimi Michaelson. Brian died on 10 August 2018 in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, USA.- Samuel Huntington was born on 18 April 1927 in New York City, New York, USA. He was married to Nancy Alice Arkelyan. He died on 24 December 2008 in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, USA.
- Francis Sayre was born on 17 January 1915 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA. He was married to Harriet Hart. He died on 3 October 2008 in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, USA.
- Vance Packard was born on 22 May 1914 in Granville Summit, Pennsylvania, USA. He was an actor, known for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 - Sex (1969), The Mike Douglas Show (1961) and The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money & Power (1992). He was married to Virginia Matthews. He died on 12 December 1996 in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, USA.