Deaths: August 23
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- Born in Seattle, Washington, in 1922, as Solomon Krakovsky, to Russian Jewish immigrants, Hill became interested in the theater as a little boy. After graduation from high school, he served in the Naval Reserve (1940-44). From there, he worked alongside a young, unknown star Marlon Brando in "A Flag is Born." His real acting debut came about in 1950, when he co-starred opposite Hedy Lamarr in A Lady Without Passport (1950), and his career took off from there.
For the rest of the 1950s and 1960s, he co-starred in B-movies such as: The Goddess (1958), Kiss Her Goodbye (1959), A Child Is Waiting (1963), The Slender Thread (1965). Hill also became a leading character actor guest-starring in a wide variety of shows such as: Schlitz Playhouse (1951), Danger (1950), Playwrights '56 (1955), Studio One (1948), Playhouse 90 (1956), Naked City (1958), Espionage (1963), Dr. Kildare (1961), Ben Casey (1961), among many others. Another guest-starring role on Rawhide (1959), led him to starring on Mission: Impossible (1966). Though the series lasted seven seasons, Hill was not pleased with his role because he refused to abide by the production schedule that required working on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, being an Orthodox Jew. Hill was fired after 1 season, and was replaced in the series by Peter Graves. After his firing, he went on a sabbatical from acting, to focus on selling homes in real estate, hence he moved to New York.
After his long absence from acting, he returned to the small screen with the TV mini-series, King (1978). The 1980s saw Hill returning to the box office, co-starring in such blockbuster films such as: It's My Turn (1980), opposite Jill Clayburgh and Michael Douglas, Eyewitness (1981), Yentl (1983), Garbo Talks (1984), opposite Anne Bancroft and Carrie Fisher, On Valentine's Day (1986), and it's sequel, Courtship (1987), he played a Mafia Don in Arnold Schwarzenegger's another blockbuster film, Raw Deal (1986), then, in a blockbuster ten movie Running on Empty (1988), followed by The Boost (1988), White Palace (1990), and one of the last films, Billy Bathgate (1991).
In the 1990s, at 68, after a 23-year-absence from the small screen, he reestablished his career, as the last minute replacement for a starring role in Law & Order (1990), where he played the role of a pragmatic District Attorney, Adam Schiff, a character whom everyone grew to love. Despite not appearing in the pilot episode of the series, he quickly became one of Hollywood's likable and bankable stars, where he often had scenes, that were filmed, only in court. His co-stars on the show consisted of actors who have also made bankable names like Hill himself like Chris Noth, former Pee-wee's Playhouse (1986) alumnae, S. Epatha Merkerson, Sam Waterston, and newcomers Jill Hennessy and Benjamin Bratt. On Law & Order (1990) he was also nominated for Emmies twice, but did not win. The entire cast was shocked when, in 2000, he left his role to enjoy his retirement. Before then, the entire cast appeared with Hill on Larry King Live (1985), to say goodbye to a legendary star. - Ann Ireland was born on 19 May 1953. She was a writer, known for The Pianist (1991). She died on 23 August 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Casting Department
- Actor
- Casting Director
Bernie Styles was born on 1 May 1918 in New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor and casting director, known for Witness (1985), Body Heat (1981) and Sliver (1993). He died on 23 August 2017 in Rancho Mirage, California, USA.- Brian Drebber was born on 27 January 1950 in Guam, Marianas Islands. He was an actor, known for American Flyers (1985), The 1992 Winter Olympics on TNT (1992) and The 1994 Winter Olympics on TNT (1994). He died on 23 August 2018 in Georgia.
- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Born of African and West Indian ancestry on July 2, 1927 in New York City, Brock Peters set his sights on a show business career early on, at age ten. A product of NYC's famed Music and Arts High School, Peters initially fielded more odd jobs than acting jobs as he worked his way up from Harlem poverty. Landing a stage role in "Porgy and Bess" in 1949, he quit physical education studies at CCNY and went on tour with the acclaimed musical. His film debut came in Carmen Jones (1954), but he really began to make a name for himself - having dropped his real name, George Fisher, in 1953 - in such films as To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) and The L-Shaped Room (1962). He received a Tony Award nomination for his starring stint in Broadway's "Lost in the Stars" in 1973. He also appeared in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991), two sequels to the popular Star Trek films. Brock Peters died at age 78 of pancreatic cancer on August 23, 2005.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Director
Carlo delle Piane was chosen for the role of Garuffi in Cuore, for his particular face, expecially for his nose deformed by a ball, worked in many films with the most important Italian directors and actors like Sordi, Toto, Fabrizi etc., but as he was forced to repeat the same character, it began for him a slow decline where it seemed that he had to leave acting. From 1968 to 1977 his filmography consists of many titles, expecially B-movies, but the meeting with one of Italy's best director, Pupi Avati, changed his acting career. In fact, he was chosen by Avati for a good film, _Tutti defunti... tranne i morti (1977). An obscure actor not always appreciated by critics, he could give to his characters fine psycological shades whether in brilliant or dramatic roles. For his great characterization in Regalo di Natale, in which he worked again with Avati, he won the prize for best actor in Venice film Festival, and he also had a good public success in Ti amo Maria.- Art Director
- Art Department
- Production Designer
Charles Alvin Lisanby was born January 22, 1924 in Princeton, Kentucky. Primarily establishing himself in live television production in New York City as a Scenic Designer, a member of the New York Scenic and Designer's IATSE #829 Union. With television production moving West, Lisanby transferred to Hollywood in the early 60's, accepting projects on both coasts. Lisanby joined the West Coast Motion Picture and Television Art Directors IATSE #876 Union, since he was designing within the union's jurisdiction.
Upon retiring on the West Coast, he remained in his Spanish Mediterranean villa overlooking Franklin Boulevard and Hollywood Boulevard. Charles' neighbor was Raymond Burr (Ironside (1967)). Charles fell, injuring his shoulder, becoming complicated with medical treatment, during the early August, 2013, summer. The complications caused his demise on August 23, 2013.- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Costume and Wardrobe Department
Charles Scorsese was born on 8 May 1913 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor and assistant director, known for Goodfellas (1990), Cape Fear (1991) and After Hours (1985). He was married to Catherine Scorsese. He died on 23 August 1993 in Kips Bay, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA.- Additional Crew
David H. Koch was born on 3 May 1940 in Wichita, Kansas, USA. He is known for Nova (1974), Citizen Koch (2013) and The Billionaires' Tea Party (2011). He was married to Julia Margaret Flesher. He died on 23 August 2019 in Southampton, New York, USA.- Writer
- Additional Crew
David Andrew Yallop was born on 27th January 1937 in South London. His mother was Irish and his father English. He was brought up as a Catholic, served as an altar boy in the local church and attended the local school. He was an average student in all subjects but English at which he excelled. His talent was recognised and encouraged by his teacher Mr. Collins.
He left school at the age of 14 as his mother could no longer afford to keep him there, and got work as a tea boy in a newspaper office as he wanted to be a journalist. He did National Service, which was obligatory in those days, and then started to get work in television. Independent television had started on 22nd September 1955. After several jobs along the way David was accepted by Associated Rediffusion which then became Rediffusion as Assistant Floor Manager then Floor Manager. With the change of the companies in 1968 David went to London Weekend Television. He started writing alongside his television work and eventually gave up his television job to write full time.
He started writing for television before he started writing his books because he was there. During the sixties and seventies he wrote for many of the pop groups, some singers and comedians. Names he remembers writing for are the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, James Brown, Elton John, Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, Dusty Springfield, Ingrid Bergman, Lulu, Cilla Black, the Who, Freddie and the Dreamers, Frankie Laine, the Moody Blues, the Monkees, Tom Jones, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Desmond Decker, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Phil Collins, the Righteous Brothers, Sonny and Cher, Noddy Holder and Slade, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Nat King Cole, Billy Daniels, David Whitfield, Englebert Humperdinck, the Four Tops, Stan Getz, Gary Glitter, Hot Chocolate, Jackie Wilson, the Bee Gees, Marianne Faithfull, Georgie Fame, Judy Garland, Julie Covington, Dave Dee Dozey Beaky Mick and Titch, Kiki D, Kenny Lynch, Stevie Wonder, David Barry, Meatloaf, Ike and Tina Turner, Louis Armstrong, the Hollies, Matt Munro, Mary Hopkins. He wrote special material for Charlie Drake, Rolf Harris, David Frost and Spike Milligan.
He is best known for his ten blockbuster books which have just been released on Kindle by Amazon, although some are still in print in book form. Deliver us from Evil: To Encourage the Others: In God's Name - which has never been out of print since it was written and first published in 1984 - Beyond Reasonable Doubt: To the Ends of the Earth: the Day the Laughter Stopped - the story of Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle. This book is very hard to get now, but it is obtainable secondhand. It is of particular interest to film buffs as Roscoe Arbuckle was one of the first Hollywood movie stars. He worked with Mack Sennett and was one of the first Keystone Kopps. Roscoe Arbuckle introduced both Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton to the industry. Indeed the title of the book 'the Day the Laughter Stopped' are words spoken by Buster Keaton. The book is a fascinating description of the beginning of the Hollywood Movie business and the power it achieved. Beyond Belief: Unholy Alliance: How they Stole the Game and the Power and the Glory make up the 10. They have been translated into many languages and have been published all over the world. He has written under the names David A. Yallop which his mother prefered and David Yallop which his publishers prefer.
He was a prolific writer of scripts for television and also wrote screenplays for two movies and a theatre play. Movies he wrote scripts for are 'Chicago Joe and the Showgirl' starring Keifer Sutherland and Emily Lloyd and 'Beyond Reasonable Doubt' - from his novel of the same name. This was commissioned by New Zealand director John Barnett and starred Australian actor John Hargreaves and British actor David Hemmings. In 2014 John Barnett said it is still a film he is proud of.
Minder - George Cole and Dennis Waterman of course - David wrote several scripts including 'The Balance of Power' in Series 5 : two episodes in series 7 'Days of Fines and Closures' and 'The Wrong Goodbye' Series 8 boasted five David Yallop scripts: 'The Loneliness of the Longdistance Entrepreneur' 'Whatever Happened to Her Indoors' 'Three Cons Make a Mountain' 'Guess Who's Coming to Pinner' and 'A bird in the Hand is Worth Two in Shepherds Bush' Series 9 has two David Yallop scripts 'Cars and Pints and Pains' and Looking for Mr. Goodtime.
Television plays include: To Encourage the Others for BBC (SFTA Nominated) The Fruits of Philosophy for Granada They Ran Before the Wind for New Zealand TV Why Not? For ATV Monty Python in the Court of America for BBC Next Time Lucky - BBC Play for Today Are you in the Business for ATV Voices in my Ear for Limehouse Productions Young Man in a Hurry for LWT My Learned Friend for BBC The Marchioness Disaster for Granada/Yorkshire TV.
Television series as well as Minder already listed include:- Crown Court 12 x 3 plays for Granada Orlando - of which he was the Series Creator Eastenders - 105 storylines for BBC An Independent Man - Series Creator and Sole writer - for ITV.
Television Comedy - David has written lot but remembers the following titles. Frost on Sunday for LWT Barker & Corbett for LWT That was the Week that Was for BBC Out of the Trees - co-writer with Graham Chapman for Monty Python French Without Tears for Canadian Broadcasting.
His one Stage Play was 'In Search of a Man' which his great friend Director Alan Clarke asked him to write. It was directed by Alan Clarke for the Questors.
David still does some writing and is just now getting together short pieces he has written for magazines to be published as a collection soon.- Excellent and engaging character actor Dennis Fimple was born 11 November, 1940, in Ventura, California and raised in the nearby town of Taft. His father, Elmer was an electrician, and his mother, Dolly was a beautician. Dennis first became interested in acting after he portrayed Tom Sawyer in a junior high school play. After graduating Taft Union High School, Fimple attended San Jose College on a scholarship, and majored in both speech and drama. He also earned a teaching credential at San Jose College. Dennis worked in a Cheetos factory by day and acted in dinner theater at night in his early days. Fimple eventually moved to Hollywood, where he initially worked as a teacher by day and a delivery man at night, prior to getting his first break; a 2-episode guest appearance on Petticoat Junction (1963).
Best known as the lovably dim-witted Kyle Murty on the comedy Western television program, Alias Smith and Jones (1971), Dennis popped up in many TV series throughout the years including; Here Come the Brides (1968), M*A*S*H (1972), The Rockford Files (1974), Starsky and Hutch (1975), Battlestar Galactica (1978), The Dukes of Hazzard (1979), Matt Houston (1982), Highway to Heaven (1984), Knight Rider (1982), The A-Team (1983), The Incredible Hulk (1978),Simon & Simon (1981), Sledge Hammer! (1986), Quantum Leap (1989) Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996) and ER (1994). Fimple was frequently cast as scruffy rural types in both films and TV shows alike. Among his most memorable movie roles are the amiable Curly in the delightful Claudia Jennings' drive-in classic, Truck Stop Women (1974), easygoing moonshine runner Dewey Crenshaw in Bootleggers (1974), likable eager beaver college anthropology student Pahoo, in the terrific Sasquatch cinema outing Creature from Black Lake (1976), the goofy Sunfish in the much-maligned King Kong (1976) remake, and cloddish fur trapper, Posey in the superior horror-Western The Shadow of Chikara (1977). His last film part was as the madcap Grandpa Hugo Firefly in Rob Zombie's enjoyably trashy 70's horror exploitation pastiche, House of 1000 Corpses (2003).
Dennis was not only an avid reader, but also a lover of antiques and collectibles. He's the father of son Chris. Dennis Fimple died at age 61, of complications from a car accident at his home in Frazier Park, California on August 23, 2002 - He grew up in Hamburg in middle-class circumstances. After completing middle school and a technical high school, he initially completed a commercial apprenticeship in the automotive industry. At this time he was already taking singing lessons in Hamburg. He started his professional life as a car salesman from 1957 to 1961. Shortly afterwards he found his way into broadcasting through the SWF in Baden-Baden. In Peter Frankenfeld's TV youth show "toi-toi-toi" he was able to attract attention for the first time as singer "Dieter Heck". In 1962 he sang in the preliminary round of the Eurovision de la Chanson, but was defeated by Conny Froboess with "Two Little Italians". From 1964 to 1966 he became a disc jockey for Radio Luxembourg. In 1966 he moved to Europawelle Saar in Saarbrücken and started there with the program "Die Deutsche Schlagerparade", which quickly developed into one of the most popular radio programs.
To avoid confusion with a colleague, he moderated under the double name Dieter "Thomas" Heck. In 1967 he was awarded the "Golden Arrow". Together with Dr. Reimund Hess from Saarländischer Rundfunk founded the "Golden Europe" award for successful German artists. His breakthrough came from January 1969 when he moderated the show "ZDF-Hitparade". In a very short time, this music program became the most successful format on German television, with international stars also appearing as guests. In particular, Heck's quick moderation, in which he read out the people involved in the recording, became unique on German television. In 1970 he received the "Golden Camera" from HÖRZU magazine. In 1973, Heck's TV puzzle game "4 against 4" started. His autobiography with the title: "My life is like the hit parade" was published in 1974.
In October 1976, Dieter Thomas Heck married Ragnhild Möller. Her daughter Saskia Fee Isabel comes from this connection. Heck had two sons, Rolf-Nils and Thomas-Kim, from his first marriage with his wife Edda. From 1978 he hosted the quiz show "The Pyramid". From 1981 onwards, the presentation of "The Day of the German Schlager" followed. The concept included the idea of promoting and honoring German-speaking performers and authors who were awarded the "Golden Tuning Fork". In the following years, the award developed into the most recognized prize of its kind. From 1983 onwards, it was broadcast by ARD under the title "The Golden Tuning Fork". In addition to his television appearances such as in "A Heart for Children", Dieter Thomas Heck repeatedly took on radio tasks, such as the programs "From the Telephone to the Microphone", "Good Mood from Südwest" for Südwestfunk from 1983 onwards or the program "For 13 years" for Bayerischer Rundfunk. Happy weekend".
In 1984, Heck was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit. In December 1984, after 184 recordings, the "ZDF Hit Parade" series ended. In 1985, Heck started the big ZDF show "Melodies for Millions", with which he supports the German Cancer Aid. The TV show "Superhitparade" (a gala evening in aid of German World Hunger Aid) and the program "Showpalast" on ZDF followed every year. He started another quiz show in April 1987 with "Your Stake Please". The program "Black on White" also started in the same year. In 1986, Dieter Thomas Heck acquired the baroque Aubach Castle in Lauf in the Black Forest. Dieter Thomas Heck continued to present "Music is in the Air" and "This is your life" on ZDF until 1997. He also moderated the program "The Big Los" for Aktion Sorgenkind (now Aktion Mensch). Since 1999, Heck has also produced and moderated the "Sommerhitfestival" on ZDF.
Heck produced, among other things, with his production company DITO Multimedia Production-GmbH from the beginning of 1988 to the end of 2000 the "Deutsche Schlagerparade" for the third ARD programs, as well as the "Schlagerparade der Volksmusik", which has been broadcast on the first ARD program since 1996 , the "Golden Tuning Fork" and the "German Schlager Festival". He also appeared several times as an actor. Dieter Thomas Heck was seen, among other things, in the 1970 television film "The Million Game", in "Tatort" (1981) and in the TV series "Café Wernicke" (1981 to 1983) and "Praxis Bülowbogen" (1988). by Günter Pfitzmann. His publications as a singer include albums such as "It's Midnight John" and "My Very Personal Wish Concert - Evergreens". His second autobiographical book entitled: "The sound makes the music" followed in 1987.
In 1999, Heck was honored with the Saarland Order of Merit and in 2000 with the Baden-Württemberg Medal of Merit for his social donations. Privately, Heck has been involved in the Grit-Jordan-Verein e.V., which he founded, since 2000. In 2008, he was awarded the "Echo Special Prize" for outstanding contributions to German-language music. In 2009, Dieter Thomas Heck received the award Bundesverdienstkreuz 1st class of the Federal Republic of Germany. In 2014 and 2017 he was awarded the Hans Rosenthal Honorary Prize and the Golden Camera for his life's work. His last appearance on a TV show was "Our Greatest Hits" in 2016, hosted by Johannes B. Kerner.
Dieter Thomas Heck died on August 23, 2018 at the age of 80 in a Berlin hospital. - Writer
- Additional Crew
After being discharged from the U.S. Navy after World War II, Ed Warren was an itinerant house and sign painter traveling around New England. However, with his wife Lorraine Warren, née Lorraine Moran, he became known as a demonologist employed in investigating reports of haunted houses. They attained national renown in 1975 when they wrote up their reports of their investigation of the George Lutz house in Amityville, Long Island, New York. The Lutz family moved into the house, which had been the site of the murder of five members of the DeFeo family the previous year. The Lutz family moved out after 28 days, claiming that they had been chased out by ghosts and other demons. Although some felt that the story was a hoax, the Warrens swore that, after their investigation, the house was haunted. The Warrens were the founders of the New England Society for Psychic Research.- Eduardo Angeloz was born on 18 October 1931 in Río Tercero, Córdoba, Argentina. He died on 23 August 2017 in Córdoba, Argentina.
- Composer
- Camera and Electrical Department
Eli Kassner was born on 27 May 1924 in Vienna, Austria. Eli was a composer, known for Plague (1979), Images (1970) and Point of Departure (1960). Eli died on 23 August 2018 in Toronto, Canada.- Enrique Sdrech was born on 14 January 1928. He died on 23 August 2003 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Actress
- Writer
- Stunts
Evita Muñoz was born on November 26th, 1936, in Orizaba, Veracruz, Mexico. Before she was 4 years old, she was in front of the cameras already making _El Secreto del Sacerdote_ with Pedro Armendáriz. It was in her second film, ¡Ay Jalisco... no te rajes! (1941) with Jorge Negrete, that she was given the nickname of "Chachita". From then on, she became the star of her own movies, like Morenita clara (1943) and La hija del payaso (1946). When she was a teenager, she stared in the biggest grossing and still most popular trilogy of the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema: _Nosotros los pobres (1948)_, _Ustedes los ricos (1948)_, and Pepe El Toro (1953), sharing credits with Pedro Infante. Her ongoing career spans over 40 classic films during 60 years as a wonderfully complete actress, star, idol and has made her a living legend in her own time, as the sole survivor of the Golden Age of Mexican Movies.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Francis X. Bushman was born on 10 January 1883 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. He was an actor and director, known for Sabrina (1954), The Phantom Planet (1961) and Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925). He was married to Iva Millicient Richardson, Norma Emily Atkin, Beverly Bayne and Josephine Fladine Duval. He died on 23 August 1966 in Pacific Palisades, California, USA.- Franck Venaille was born on 26 November 1936 in Paris, France. He was a writer, known for Le fils d'Amr est mort! (1975), Versailles peut-être (1978) and Je me suis mis en marche (2015). He was married to Micha Venaillle. He died on 23 August 2018 in Paris, France.
- Frank Potenza was born on 11 November 1933 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Saul of the Mole Men (2007), She's the One (2020) and All In (2006). He was married to Concetta Potenza. He died on 23 August 2011 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Director
Gilbert Taylor was born on 21 April 1914 in Bushey Heath, Hertfordshire, England, UK. He was a cinematographer and director, known for Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977), Flash Gordon (1980) and The Omen (1976). He was married to Dee Vaughan and Eileen Donnelly. He died on 23 August 2013 in Newport, Isle of Wight, England, UK.- Hank Patterson was born in Springville, Alabama to Green and Mary Newton Patterson. Hank's great-grandfather, James Pearson, was an original settler of St. Clair County, AL as was his mother's great-grandfather, Thomas Newton. Between 1894 & 1897, the family left AL to live in Taylor, Texas, where Hank attempted to work as a serious musician, only to settle for playing piano in traveling vaudeville shows. He worked his way out to California in the 1920s and here began his film career followed by long runs on two television series Gunsmoke (1955) and Green Acres (1965).
- Actor
- Producer
- Director
A pioneering cowboy star of silent and early talking Westerns, Hoot Gibson was one of the 1920s' most popular children's matinée heroes. In his real life, however, he had a rather painful rags-to-riches-and-back-to-rags career, a problem that seemed to plague a number of big stars who fell victim to their high profile and wound up living too high on the hog.
An unfortunate byproduct of stardom is, of course, the misinformation that is often fed to the public over the years by either overzealous publicity agents or the actor himself. The many variations of just how Gibson earned the name tag "Hoot" is one of them: (1) As a youth, he loved to hunt owls; (2) while a teenager working on a rodeo ranch, other ranch hands called him "Hoot Owl" and that the name was shortened to just "Hoot"; (3) he picked up the nickname while a messenger with the Owl Drug Company; and (4) while touring briefly in vaudeville, he would hoot when the audience cheered and, thus, the nickname.
What facts are known about Hoot is that he was born Edmund Richard Gibson on August 6, 1892, in Tekamah, Nebraska. As a child he grew up among horses and received his first pony at the age of 2-1/2. His family moved to California when he was 7. At age 13 the adventurous youth ran away from home and joined a circus for a time. Later work included punching cows in both Wyoming and Colorado (at the time, a territory and not a state). While working on the Miller 101 Ranch at Fort Bliss, Oklahoma, as a horse wrangler, Hoot developed a strong, active interest in the rodeo scene--in particular, bronco busting. In 1907 he signed a four-year contract with the Dick Stanley-Bud Atkinson Wild West Show, which toured throughout the US and (later) Australia.
By 1910 Hoot had found an "in" to the movie business as one of the industry's first stuntmen (for which he was paid $2.50 for performing stunts or training horses). Director Francis Boggs was looking for experienced cowboys and stunt doubles to appear in his western short Pride of the Range (1910) starring Tom Mix; both Hoot and another future cowboy star, Art Acord, were hired. Hoot lost a solid Hollywood contact in Boggs, however, when the director and his working partner, producer William Nicholas Selig, were both shot in October, 1911, by a mentally disturbed employee (Selig was injured, but Boggs was killed). Gibson managed to find other stunt work in director D.W. Griffith's western short The Two Brothers (1910) and several others for the next few years.
Acting, at this point, was not his bread-and-butter income. Hoot still continued to forge a name for himself on the rodeo circuit with his pal Acord. In 1912, at age 20, he won the title "All-Around Champion Cowboy" at the famed annual Pendleton (Oregon) Round-Up. He also won the steer-roping World Championship at the Calgary Stampede. While on the circuit, he met fellow rodeo rider Rose August ("Helen") Wenger. They eventually married (there is still some question about whether they legally exchanged vows) and she took on the marquee name of Helen Gibson. She even found film stunt work herself and eventually was chosen to replace Helen Holmes as star of the popular movie serial The Hazards of Helen (1914) during mid-filming. Hoot himself had a minor role in the Universal cliffhanger.
Hoot picked up a couple of more strong connections in the film industry with western star Harry Carey and director John Ford. Gibson gained some momentum as a secondary player in a few of their films, including Cheyenne's Pal (1917), Straight Shooting (1917), The Secret Man (1917) and A Marked Man (1917). With the outbreak of World War I, however, Gibson's film career was put on hold. He joined the US Army, eventually attaining the the rank of sergeant while serving with the Tank Corps, and was honorably discharged in 1919. He returned immediately to Universal and was able to restart his career, quickly working his way up to co-star status in a series of short westerns, most of which were directed by his now close friend Ford. The two-reelers usually co-starred either Pete Morrison or Hoor's wife Helen, or sometimes both. Films such as The Fighting Brothers (1919), The Black Horse Bandit (1919), Rustlers (1919), Gun Law (1919), The Gun Packer (1919) and By Indian Post (1919) eventually led to his solo starring success.
During this prolific period, he was frequently directed by George Holt (The Trail of the Holdup Man (1919)), Phil Rosen (The Sheriff's Oath (1920)) and Lee Kohlmar (The Wild Wild West (1921)). It was at this time that he and wife Helen separated and divorced. In the early 1920s, Hoot went on to marry another Helen--Helen Johnson. They had one child, Lois Charlotte Gibson, born in 1923. The couple divorced in 1927.
Superstardom came with the John Ford (I)full-length feature western Action (1921), which was taken from "The Three Godfathers" story. It starred Hoot, Francis Ford and J. Farrell MacDonald as a trio of outlaws on the lam who find a baby. From that point on, both Hoot and Tom Mix began to "rule the west". Gibson's light, comedic, tongue-in-cheek manner only added to his sagebrush appeal, especially to children and women. His vehicles were non-violent for the most part, and he rarely was spotted carrying a gun while riding his palomino horse Goldie. Not a particularly handsome man, his boyish appeal and non-threatening demeanor were his aces in the hole--a major distinction that separated him from the more ascetic cowboy stars of the past.
By 1925 Hoot was making approximately $14,500 a week and spending it about as fast as he was making it. He successfully made the transition to talkies and, in 1930, married popular Jazz-era actress Sally Eilers, a third party to his previous divorce. The couple made three features together: The Long, Long Trail (1929), Trigger Tricks (1930) and Clearing the Range (1931). When she found celluloid success on her own with Bad Girl (1931), Sally decided to split from Hoot professionally and personally. They divorced in 1933.
Hoot lost his Universal contract in 1930, which signified the start of his decline. While he secured contracts with lesser studios during the early 1930s, such as Allied Pictures and First Division Pictures, the quality of his films suffered. By this time Hoot had already begun to feature race cars and airplanes in his pictures. such as The Flyin' Cowboy (1928) and The Winged Horseman (1929). Airplanes in particular became a large, expensive passion of his. In 1933 he crashed his biplane during a National Air Race in Los Angeles, which had pitted him against another cowboy star, Ken Maynard. Fortunately, he survived his injuries.
With the advent of talking films, singing cowboys such as Gene Autry and Roy Rogers were becoming the new rage, and both Hoot and Tom Mix felt the kick. Yet he managed a couple of "comebacks" by pairing up with others stars. He joined old silent film teammate Harry Carey and 'Guinn Big Boy Williams' in the "Three Mesquiteers" western Powdersmoke Range (1935), and was billed second to Ray Corrigan in the Republic serial The Painted Stallion (1937).
Hoot left films and toured with the Robbins Brothers and Russell Brothers circuses during 1938 and 1939 before retiring from show business altogether. His multiple divorces and reckless spending habits had taken their toll on his finances. For a time he found work in real estate before Monogram Pictures offered the stocky-framed actor a chance to return in 1943. Hoot teamed up with cowboy star Ken Maynard in the popular "Trail Blazers" series, and the duo were later joined by Bob Steele. Chief Thundercloud replaced a difficult Maynard on a couple of the films, but by the end of the series Gibson and Steele were riding alone together. The nearly dozen films in the series began with Wild Horse Stampede (1943) and ended with Trigger Law (1944), the latter being his last hurrah in films.
Hoot then returned to real estate. By the time he appeared as a surprise guest on the popular sitcom I Married Joan (1952) starring Joan Davis, his Western features of the 1930s and 1940s, as well as those of Maynard, Steele and others were a large staple of films seen by a TV audience that couldn't get enough Western fare. He did a favor for old friend John Ford by appearing in a cameo role in the director's 1959 film The Horse Soldiers (1959). His last movie spotting was a guest cameo in the "Rat Pack" film Ocean's Eleven (1960).
Hoot married a fourth and final time on July 3, 1942, to one-time radio singer and actress Dorothea Dunstan. This marriage took hold and lasted for 20 years until his death. By the 1960s Gibson was on the verge of financial collapse after a series of bad investments. Diagnosed with cancer in 1960, rising medical costs forced him to find any and all work available. He was relegated at one point to becoming a greeter at a Las Vegas casino and, for a period, worked at carnivals.
It was an unhappy end for a cowboy who brought so much excitement and entertainment to children and adults alike. Gibson died of cancer at the Motion Picture Country Home in Woodland Hills, California, just a couple of weeks after his 70th birthday. He was interred in the Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California. In remembrance, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and, in 1979, was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Music Department
Puppeteer, actor, musician, and master of voices, Jerry Nelson originally joined Henson & Company as a temporary replacement for Frank Oz, who had been drafted into the armed services in the 60's. He later re-joined the crew as a full-time performer in the 70's, and has since been heavily involved in almost every major Muppet project, including Sesame Street (1969), The Muppet Show (1976), Fraggle Rock (1983) and feature films. Memorable characters include "The Count", "Herry Monster", "Mumford the Magician", "Robin the Frog", "Crazy Harry" and "Gobo". Come the late 1990s, Nelson has begun to focus more on his musical career but continues his involvement in The Muppets.- Julio Llinás is known for I Don't Want to Talk About It (1993), Derecho viejo (1998) and Clorindo Testa (2022).
- Actress
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
Kathleen Freeman's introduction to show business came very early in life. Her parents were vaudevillians, and she made her debut at age 2 in their act. Later she attended UCLA with intentions of becoming a pianist, but was bitten by the acting bug and never looked back. She gained experience on stage in various stock and repertory companies, and made her film debut in 1948. One of the most memorable character actresses in recent memory, her stocky build, incredibly expressive face and hearty laugh have kept audiences convulsed for decades, playing a variety of neighborhood gossips, busybodies and eccentrics. Memorable as Sister Mary Stigmata ("The Penguin"), Dan Aykroyd's and John Belushi's nemesis, in The Blues Brothers (1980). She was used as a comic foil by Jerry Lewis in many of his films, always to great advantage. She did much television work, playing in everything from The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961) to Gomer Pyle: USMC (1964) to Hogan's Heroes (1965) to Married... with Children (1987), where she was the voice of Peg's monstrous but never-seen mother, Al Bundy's nemesis. She was working on Broadway in a production of "The Full Monty" when she died of lung cancer in 2001.- Actor
- Camera and Electrical Department
Kito Junqueira was born on 15 May 1948 in São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. He was an actor, known for Planet of the Pantanal (1990), Cavalo Amarelo (1980) and The Law and the Crime (2009). He was married to Maria Santos Pizano, Márcia Bini and Lúcia Alvarez. He died on 23 August 2019 in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.- Music Department
Leo Gauriloff is known for Valokuva - tie alitajuntaan (1990). Leo died on 23 August 2019 in Stockholm, Sweden.- Actress
- Additional Crew
Scots actress, long in the United States, who specialized in housekeepers and mothers, most notably the housekeeper Mrs. Hudson in the Sherlock Holmes series of movies of the Thirties and Forties. She was born Mary Gilmour, the daughter of a Glasgow wire weaver. She worked as a dressmaker before finding work on the stage. Joining a company bound for an American tour, she came to the U.S. in her twenties, apparently making a few appearances on Broadway in small roles, but primarily touring in stock. With her mother Mary and daughter (also named Mary), she arrived in Los Angeles in the mid-Twenties and began playing variations on the roles she would spend her career doing. She became friends with John Ford while making Hangman's House (1928) and made seven more films for him. In 1939, she took on her most famous role as Sherlock Holmes's housekeeper and played the role in ten films and numerous radio plays. She was a charter member of the Hollywood Canteen, entertaining servicemen throughout the Second World War. On the radio show "Those We Love," she played the regular role of Mrs. Emmett. She entered retirement just as television reshaped the entertainment industry, making only a single appearance in that medium. Very active in the Daughters of Scotia auxiliary of the Order of Scottish Clans, she lived out her final years in Pasadena, California with her daughter and grandson. She died after a long illness on August 23, 1963.- Music Department
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Already a band leader in his native land by his early teenage years, trumpeter Ferguson played in the bands of Boyd Raeburn, Jimmy Dorsey and Charlie Barnet in the 40s. His breakthrough into public consciousness came in 1950 when he joined Stan Kenton, electrifying audiences with his high-note playing. Unlike many other high-note trumpeters, Ferguson proved that it was possible to actually play music up there rather than simply make noises. However, it is possible that not all his fans appreciated the skills he was demonstrating. After leaving Kenton in 1953, Ferguson worked at Paramount studios in Los Angeles before turning to band leading, sometimes with a big band, at other times with a small group. Skillful use of arrangements often allowed the Ferguson bands to create an impression of size; the 12-piece band he led at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival had all the power and impact of many groups twice its size. In the late 60s, Ferguson moved to the UK, where he formed a big band with which he toured extensively. In the USA again during the 70s, he moved into jazz-rock and reached a new audience who found the music and the flamboyance with which it was presented extremely attractive. During the 80s, Ferguson formed the funk band "High Voltage" before returning to jazz with the big band-orientated "Big Bop Nouveau". Ferguson also plays several other brass instruments with considerable skill, but it is as a trumpeter that he has made his greatest impact. His technical expertise on the instrument has made him a model for many of the up-and-coming young musicians.- Oliver McGowan was born on 22 August 1907 in Kipling, Alabama, USA. He was an actor, known for Star Trek (1966), One Step Beyond (1959) and Mannix (1967). He died on 23 August 1971 in Hollywood, California, USA.
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- Music Department
- Additional Crew
Oscar Hammerstein II was an American lyricist, librettist, theatrical producer, and musical theatre director from New York City. He won a total of 8 Tony Awards for his best known works, "South Pacific" (1949), "The King and I" (1951), and "The Sound of Music" (1959). He twice won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, for his songs "The Last Time I Saw Paris" (1940) and "It Might as Well Be Spring" (1945). Several of his songs became part of the standard repertoire for both singers and jazz musicians. During the 1940s and the 1950s, Hammerstein produced some of his best musicals in collaboration with the composer Richard Rodgers (1902-1979). They are credited with creating character-driven stories with dramatic moments, while American musicals were previously considered light-hearted entertainment.
In 1895, Hammerstein was born in New York City. His parents were the theatrical manager William Hammerstein (1875-1914) and his first wife Alice Nimmo (died in 1910). His father operated the Victoria Theatre in Times Square, considered for a while as the most successful theatre in New York City. Hammerstein's paternal ancestors were German Jews, while his maternal ancestors were British. Hammerstein's paternal grandfather was Oscar Hammerstein I (1846-1919), a theatrical impresario and composer who is credited with popularizing the opera genre in the United States.
In 1912, Hammerstein enrolled at Columbia University. He later studied at Columbia Law School. Following his father's death in 1914, Hammerstein participated in his first play: "On Your Way". It was performed in the Varsity Show (1894-), Columbia's regular arts presentation. During his university years, Hammerstein both wrote and performed for the Varsity Show.
In 1917, Hammerstein dropped out of law school to pursue a theatrical career. He found a mentor in the lyricist and librettist Otto Harbach (1873-1963). Harbach taught him that in musicals, the music, lyrics, and story should be closely connected. Hammerstein took this lesson to heart. Hammerstein wrote the book and the lyrics for the Broadway musical "Always You" (1920), the first musical of his career. In 1921, Hammerstein joined "The Lambs" (1874-), a New York City-based social club for theater professionals. It was named in honor of the English authors and salonists Charles Lamb (1775-1834) and Mary Lamb (1764-1847).
In 1927, Hammerstein had his first great success with the musical "Show Boat". It was an adaptation of a then-popular novel by Edna Ferber (1885-1968), and depicted life on a a Mississippi River show boat over a 40-years-period. It was considered revolutionary in musical storytelling in dealing with tragedy and serious issues, in a field previously dominated by light comedies and satirical operettas. The musical introduced the popular songs "Ol' Man River", "Make Believe", and "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man". Hammerstein had partnered with the composer Jerome Kern (1885-1945) for this musical. The duo continued to work together for decades.
In the early 1940s, Hammerstein was asked by Richard Rodgers to work with him in a musical adaptation of the play "Green Grow the Lilacs" (1930) by Lynn Riggs (1899-1954). Rodgers had previously attempted to work on the adaptation with Lorenz Hart (1895-1943), but they had a falling out over Hart's declining mental state and his self-admitted lack of inspiration. The adaptation turned into the hit musical "Oklahoma!" (1943), about a love triangle in Indian Territory. It ran for an unprecedented 2,212 performances, and has often been revived. The musical's success convinced Hammerstein and Rodgers that they should collaborate further in subsequent works.
Hammerstein and Rodgers became the dominant creative force of the American musical theatre from 1943 to 1959. Their subsequent collaborations were the musicals "Carousel" (1945), "Allegro" (1947), "South Pacific" (1949), "The King and I" (1951), "Me and Juliet" (1953), "Pipe Dream" (1955), "Flower Drum Song" (1958), and "The Sound of Music" (1959). Most of them were well-received, and they never had a single flop in all these years. The duo also worked together for the music of the film "State Fair" (1945), and for the music-themed television special "Cinderella" (1957). Their works often provided social criticism, and dealt with issues such as discrimination (in various forms) and domestic abuse.
In 1943, Hammerstein wrote the book and lyrics for the musical "Carmen Jones". It was an adaptation of the opera "Carmen" by Georges Bizet, but featured African-American characters and had an all-black cast. It was considered groundbreaking for its era. The musical eventually received its own film adaptation, serving as a vehicle for Dorothy Dandridge (1922-1965).
Hammerstein was an advocate for writers' rights within the theater industry. In 1956, he was elected as the new president of the Dramatists Guild of America, a professional organization whose main goal was to negotiate better contracts for playwrights. His term lasted until 1960, when he was replaced by Alan Jay Lerner (1918 - 1986).
In August 1960, Hammerstein died at his home, Highland Farm in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. It was a 19th-century farmhouse which had served as his residence since 1940. The cause of death was stomach cancer, and he had been struggling with the disease for a while. He was 65-years-old at the time of his death. To honor his passing, the lights of Times Square were turned off for one minute, and London's West End lights were dimmed. His remains were cremated and his ashes were buried at the Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York. A memorial plaque for Hammerstein was placed at Southwark Cathedral in London.
Hammerstein was survived by his second wife Dorothy Hammerstein (1899-1987), a professional interior designer and decorator. They had been married since 1929. Hammerstein's son James Hammerstein (1931-1999) followed his father's footsteps as a theatre director and producer. Hammerstein's stepdaughter Susan Blanchard (1928-) worked as a lyricist and theatrical producer, though she is primarily known as a a socialite.- Actor
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- Producer
Richard Hearne was born on 30 January 1908 in Norwich, Norfolk, England, UK. He was an actor and writer, known for Mr. Pastry's Progress (1950), The Time of His Life (1955) and Helter Skelter (1949). He was married to Yvonne Hearne. He died on 23 August 1979 in Bearsted, Kent, England, UK.- Actor
- Additional Crew
Robert Symonds was born on 1 December 1926 in Bristow, Oklahoma, USA. He was an actor, known for The Exorcist (1973), Catch Me If You Can (2002) and And Justice for All (1979). He was married to Priscilla Pointer and Elizabeth Janel Kaderli. He died on 23 August 2007 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Actor
- Producer
Hollywood's original Latin Lover, a term that was invented for Rudolph Valentino by Hollywood moguls. Alla Nazimova's friend Natacha Rambova (nee Winifred Hudnut) became romantically involved with Rudy and they lived together in her bungalow from 1921 (during the filming of Camille) until they eloped to Mexico on May 13, 1922 believing that his divorce from Jean Acker was official. After their re-marriage two years later she left him because he signed a contract that barred her from being involved in his pictures and wasn't allowed on set. She went to Nice to live with her parents and never entered their new mansion, Falcon Lair. He began to date sexy Pola Negri and was also linked to Vilma Banky. While he was touring to promote his last film, an editorial in the Chicago Tribune accused him of "effeminization of the American male". He defended his manhood by challenging the article's writer to a boxing match; it never took place, but another writer for the paper did enter the ring on behalf of the author who would not be named, and Valentino defeated him. He died shortly afterward while he was in New York attending the premiere of his last film. He collapsed in his hotel on August 15, 1926 and died on August 23, after an operation that led to an infection. 80,000 mourners nearly caused a riot at his New York funeral. Another funeral followed in California.- Animation Department
- Art Director
- Art Department
Russ Heath was born on 29 September 1926 in New York City, New York, USA. He was an art director, known for Starchaser: The Legend of Orin (1985), G.I. Joe (1985) and G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero - The M.A.S.S. Device (1983). He was married to Joyce E. Rupp. He died on 23 August 2018 in Long Beach, California, USA.- Ruth Cohen was born on 28 January 1930 in Bronx, New York City, New York, USA. She was an actress, known for Seinfeld (1989), V.I.P. (1998) and Life Among the Cannibals (1999). She died on 23 August 2008 in Panorama City, California, USA.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Born and raised in New York, Storey moved with her then-husband Richard Conte to Los Angeles in the 1950s, where she worked on stage, television, and screen. After her divorce, she earned a master's degree in social welfare from UCLA and co-founded the Center for Human Problems in the Los Angeles area. Eventually she entered private practice, working with many people from the entertainment industry. Her son, Mark Conte, is a film editor.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Sheila Steafel was born on 26 May 1935 in Johannesburg, South Africa. She was an actress, known for The 10th Kingdom (2000), Parting Shots (1998) and The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom (1968). She was married to Harry H. Corbett. She died on 23 August 2019 in London, England, UK.- Writer
- Additional Crew
Susan Vreeland was born on 20 January 1946 in Racine, Wisconsin, USA. She was a writer, known for Brush with Fate (2003), What Love Sees (1996) and Stolen (2005). She was married to Joseph Gray. She died on 23 August 2017 in San Diego, California, USA.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Sybil Jacobson was born on November 23, 1929, in Cape Town, South Africa. By age 2 she had learned to play the piano, and she also demonstrated a remarkable talent for singing, dancing and mimicry. She moved to Great Britain as a small child, and by age 5 was singing, dancing, playing the piano or doing uncanny imitations of Maurice Chevalier in London nightclubs. She also performed on radio with her uncle, Harry Jacobson, and his popular orchestra. During a show at the Palace Theater a movie producer noticed Sybil and cast her in her first film, Barnacle Bill (1935). Warner Bros. Pictures studio head Jack L. Warner was so impressed with her performance that in 1935 he brought Sybil to Hollywood as his studio's answer to Shirley Temple. Aware of Shirley's popularity and golden curls, Warner did not allow Sybil to see Shirley's films for fear that she might copy her. Despite her obvious talent, Sybil failed to achieve the success that Warner had anticipated, and in 1938 the studio did not renew her contract. However, during her time at Warner Brothers, Sybil made ten films and caught the eye of Darryl F. Zanuck, the head of 20th Century-Fox--the studio that had Temple under contract. Zanuck cast Sybil opposite Shirley in two films, The Little Princess (1939) and The Blue Bird (1940). Sybil's role in "The Blue Bird" was her most dramatic, and her older sister and guardian, Anita Jacobson, hoped that it would boost her career. However, many of Sybil's scenes were cut from "The Blue Bird", and it would be her final film.- Viola Harris was born on 19 September 1920 in Bronx, New York, USA. She was an actress, known for The Other Guys (2010), Choke (2008) and Sex and the City 2 (2010). She was married to Robert H. Harris. She died on 23 August 2017 in New York City, New York, USA.
- Virginia Sale was born on 20 May 1899 in Urbana, Illinois, USA. She was an actress, known for Topper (1937), Registered Nurse (1934) and I Like It That Way (1934). She was married to Sam Wren. She died on 23 August 1992 in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Yasser Al Masri was born in 1970 in Kuwait. He was an actor, known for Oyoun Alia (2008), Madam President (2015) and Underground (2013). He was married to Nisreen. He died on 23 August 2018 in Zarqa, Jordan.