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Sasha Grey first made her name as one of the most notorious adult film stars in recent history; but with a no regrets attitude, she moved on from her former career, in 2009 at age 21. She has gone on to star in HBO's Entourage, published NEÜ SEX a book of photographs, and she DJ's internationally. In 2013, she published her first novel, the internationally successful The Juliette Society, in 25 countries. She regularly tours internationally, as an artist, author, actress, and DJ.Paternal great-grandfather was Greek
Birth name was Marina Ann Hantzis- Spiro Agnew was a Greek-American politician from Baltimore, Maryland. He served as the Governor of Maryland from 1967 to 1969. He became a national celebrity for his "law and order" rhetoric in response to nationwide civil unrest. He was chosen by Richard Nixon as his running mate for the presidential election of 1968. Agnew served as the 39th Vice President of the United States from 1969 to 1973, easily winning re-election in 1972. He was forced to resign after a criminal investigation in Maryland uncovered evidence of Agnew's involvement in criminal conspiracy, bribery, extortion and tax fraud. Agnew eventually pleaded no contest to a single felony charge of tax evasion, and the other charges were dropped. He spend the rest of his life in retirement. A number of historians have cited Agnew as one of the founders of the "New Right" movement, which went on to dominate the Republican Party in the 1980s.
In 1918, Agnew was born in Baltimore. His father was restaurant owner Theodore Agnew (born Theophrastos Anagnostopoulos ). Theodore was from the small town of Gargalianoi in Messenia, Greece, located about 18 km (11 mi) north of the historic town of Pylos. His family were olive growers , but were impoverished during a financial crisis in the 1890s. Theodore emigrated to the United States in 1897., and had managed to open his own restaurant by 1908. Agnew's mother was Margaret Marian Akers, a retired government worker from Virginia. She was the widow of a close friend of Theodore who had died in 1917. She had a young child from her previous marriage.
During the 1920s, the Agnew family was relatively affluent, and Theodore acquired a larger restaurant. The restaurant closed shortly following the Wall Street Crash of 1929, due to financial problems. In 1931, the Agnew family's savings were wiped out in a bank failure. The family was forced to sell their private house and moved to a small apartment. Theodore sold fruit and vegetables from a roadside stall. Spiro helped financially support his family by taking part-time jobs, such as delivering groceries and distributing leaflets.
In 1937, Agnew started his college education at Johns Hopkins University. He pursued studies in chemistry, but found academic life to be stressful. He dropped out of his chemistry studies in 1939, then decided to pursue legal studies instead. He enrolled at the University of Baltimore School of Law, taking night classes. To financially support himself during his college years, he started working as an insurance clerk for the Maryland Casualty Company. Agnew pursued a romantic relationship with Elinor Isabel "Judy" Judefind, his co-worker at the insurance company. They were married in May 1942. By coincidence, her father was a chemist.
Agnew was drafted into the United States Army in December 1941. He completed his basic training at Camp Croft in South Carolina, which he credited with breaking him out of his previously sheltered life. He was sent for further training to the Officer Candidate School at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in May, 1942, a few days before his wedding.
From May 1942 to March 1944, Agnew served in various administrative positions at both Fort Knox and Fort Campbell. In March 1944, Agnew was transferred to England. His transfer was part of the build-up of forces for the upcoming Normandy landings (June, 1944). Agnew spend several months on standby in Birmingham, West Midlands, before being assigned to a combat role. He was assigned as a replacement officer for the 54th Armored Infantry Battalion in France. His unit saw action at the Battle of the Bulge (December, 1944-January 1945). Agnew took part in the Siege of Bastogne (December, 1944), defending the Belgian city against a German attempt to recapture it.
In the early months of 1945, Agnew and his unit fought their way into Germany. By the end of the war in Europe, the unit had managed to capture the ski town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria. The town had previously hosted the 1936 Winter Olympic Games. Agnew was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Bronze Star for his combat service. He was discharged from the Army in November 1945.
By the winter of 1945, Agnew resumed his legal studies. He was also hired as a law clerk by the Baltimore-based law firm of Smith and Barrett. His boss Lester Barrett noted Agnew's political ambitions, and advised him to join the Republican Party. Barrett had noted that the Democratic Party in Baltimore had numerous young and ambitious political hopefuls, while the Republican Party was suffering from a scarcity of competent recruits. According to Barrett, it would be easier for Agnew to stand out in the Party that offered less competition for elected positions. Agnew took the advise, and became a registered Republican in 1947.
In 1947, Agnew graduated with a Bachelor of Laws. After passing the bar examination in Maryland, he opened his own legal office in Baltimore. His business soon failed, but Agnew found work as an insurance investigator. In 1948, he was hired as a store detective for the supermarket chain Schreiber's. In 1951, Agnew was briefly recalled for Army service due to the outbreak of the Korean War. He then resumed working for Schreiber's. He resigned in 1952, opening another legal office. He specialized in labor law.
By 1955, Agnew was prosperous enough to move with his family to the suburb of Loch Raven, Baltimore. He became the president of the local school district's Parent-Teacher Association. He also joined the service club Kiwanis, whose members volunteered for community service. His biographers have noted that Agnew had become "an almost compulsive conformist", and already professed a love for "law and order".
In 1956, Agnew unsuccessfully sought nomination as a Republican candidate for the Baltimore County Council. He campaigned vigorously for other Republican candidates, and the Party gained a majority on the council seats at the election. To reward his loyalty to the Party, party officials appointed Agnew for a one-year term to the county Zoning Board of Appeals. The job came with a respectable salary and some political prestige. In 1958, Agnew was reappointed to the Board for a full three-year term. He soon became the Board's chairman.
In 1960, Agnew unsuccessfully sought election to the county circuit court. He finished last among the five candidates of the election, but his campaign made him a target for the Democratic Party which regained control of the county council in the election. The new council quickly removed Agnew from his position at the Zoning Appeals Board, in what was seen as an unfair act of retaliation.
In 1962, Agnew was an unsuccessful candidate for nomination to a Congress seat. Party officials noted that Agnew had loyal followers, and encouraged him to seek election as the county's chief executive officer. All holders of this position were members of the Democratic Party since 1895. But in the 1962 elections, there was a feud between rival factions of the local Democratic Party. The Democratic candidate chosen was the elderly Michael Birmingham, who was seen as out of touch with the public's wishes. Agnew chose to run as a reformist candidate, campaigning for an anti-discrimination bill which would require public amenities such as parks, bars and restaurants be open to all races. Agnew easily won the election, surpassing his supposedly racist rival by over 18, 000 votes. Agnew became the highest-ranking Republican in Maryland.
Agnew spend 4 years as a county executive. He succeeded in having his anti-discrimination bill pass as official legislation in the county. His administration build new schools, increases the teachers' salaries, reorganized the police department, and improved the water and sewer system. While he was seen as a moderately progressive administrator, Agnew's "law and order" rhetoric led him to denounce all demonstrations in the area, regardless of their cause. More controversial was Agnew's newfound reputation for cronyism. He bypassed the normal bidding procedures to appoint political allies in lucrative positions as the county's insurance brokers of record.
In the 1964 presidential elections, Agnew was a vocal critic of the Republican front-runner Barry Goldwater. In his view, Goldwater's extremist views would deprive the Republicans of any chance of victory. He was proven correct, as Goldwater lost the election and only won about 38.5% of the popular vote.
In the elections of 1966, Agnew decided to seek nomination for the position of the Governor of Maryland. He easily won the Republican primary, as he was the highest-profile candidate for the nomination. The Democratic candidate for this year was the segregationist George P. Mahoney. Liberal Democrats refused to vote for Mahoney, and flocked to support Agnew. Agnew easily won the election, gaining 49.5 percent of the popular vote. He had campaigned as the anti-Ku Klux Klan candidate.
Shortly after the election of 1966, allegations of corruption surfaced against Agnew. He had reportedly been offered three different bribes by the slot-machine industry in order to prevent him from vetoing legislation favorable to the industry. He had kept silent about the matter, though he had apparently declined to take the bribes. Agnew was also found to have partial ownership in a business venture, and his partners were businessmen who had ongoing business deals with Agnew's county administration. In both cases, Agnew publicly denied that he had broken the law.
Agnew's agenda as a governor included tax reforms, clean water regulations, and the repeal of laws against interracial marriage. He expanded community health programs, and passed legislation offering higher educational and employment opportunities for low-income voters. He took steps to desegregate Maryland's schools. He introduced fair housing legislation, but only for new building projects and only for those projects above a certain size. Agnew's reputation for cronyism expanded, as he had close ties with an ever-increasing number of businessmen.
Despite his own support for civil rights legislation, Agnew vocally opposed the militant tactics used by African-American leaders. He denounced protest leaders as professional agitators, and criticized the administration of Lyndon Johnson for its "misguided compassion" for radicals. In 1968, there were student protest at Bowie State College, a historically black institution. Agnew responded by closing the college and ordering more than 200 arrests.
On April 6, 1968, riots broke out in Baltimore in response to the then-recent assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. As the city burned, Agnew decided to declare a state of emergency and requested an intervention by the National Guard. By the time the riots ended, 6 people were dead and 4,000 people were under arrest. Agnew summoned moderate African-American leaders to the state capitol, where he castigated them for their perceived failure to control radical protesters. Agnew's criticisms for the African-American leadership gained him additional support from white suburbanites. Republican conservative leaders throughout the country increasingly lauded Agnew, while Agnew's African-American supporters felt betrayed by him.
As the 1968 presidential elections were approaching, Agnew declared his support for Nelson Rockefeller. When Rockefeller decided to discontinue his political campaign, Agnew was disappointed. Soon afterwards, Agnew started being courted as a political ally by Richard Nixon. Nixon had been impressed with his "law and order" rhetoric. At the Republican National Convention (August, 1968) in Miami Beach, Agnew declared his support for Nixon. On August 8, 1968, Nixon chose Agnew as his running mate for the election. Agnew himself felt surprised, as he was not among the highest-profile candidates for the position. He had only known Nixon for a few months.
During the election campaign of 1968, Agnew's "law and order" rhetoric impressed voters in the Southern United States. Liberal Republicans in the Northern United States were , however, alarmed by his increasingly belligerent views and statements. Agnew criticized the Democratic candidate Hubert Humphrey as overly soft on communism, and compared his political views to those of Neville Chamberlain. Agnew's vocal support for "orderliness, personal responsibility, the sanctity of hard work, the nuclear family, and law and order" impressed suburban voters across the country. The Republican Party easily won the Presidential elections, gaining 43, 2% of the popular vote and carrying 32 states. Maryland voted for the Democratic Party, but Agnew was largely credited for the Republican victories in South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky. He was more popular in these states than Nixon himself.
As Vice President, Agnew was initially granted his own office in the West Wing of the White House. In December 1969, Agnew moved to another office in the Executive Office Building. As the Vice President had no official residence at the time, Agnew and his wife moved secured a suite at the Sheraton Hotel in Washington, D. C. The same suite had been used by Lyndon Johnson when he was Vice President. Nixon appointed Agnew as the new head of the "White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs", in charge of overseeing coordination between state, local, and tribal governments and the federal government. Agnew was not part of Nixon's inner circle of advisers, and Nixon often ignored Agnew's opinions on foreign policy matters.
Agnew took his duties in the Senate seriously, personally opening every session for the first two months of his term. In the first year of his term in office, he spend more time presiding in the Senate than any vice president since Alben Barkley's term in office (term 1949-1953). Agnew lunched with small groups of senators, in an attempt to build good relations with them. Nixon appointed him as the chair of various government commissions, but many of these positions were sinecures. Agnew hoped for a more active role in politics.
Agnew's speeches in 1969 warned that there was "a vast faceless majority of the American public in quiet fury" over the continued unrest in the country. In October 1969, Agnew gave a press conference where he denounced the apparent political ties between American protesters and the government of North Vietnam. Nixon was rather impressed with Agnew's approach, and tasked Agnew with attacking the Democrats in general. Nixon could thus appear to avoid mudslinging, while Agnew would become the president's "attack dog". Agnew found his new role to be enjoyable.
By late October 1969, Agnew started blaming "liberal elites" for condoning violence by demonstrators. Agnew's anti-intellectual speeches and newfound support for the South, further attracted Southern whites to the Republican Party. Agnew played a large role in Nixon's Southern Strategy, an attempt to turn the Southern United States into a Republican stronghold. Agnew kept attacking the Democrats as supposedly soft on crime, unpatriotic, and favoring flag burning over flag waving. His speeches attracted enthusiastic crowds, but liberal Republicans complained to the Republican National Committee that Agnew's attacks had a detrimental effect to the party's support.
After Nixon's own Silent Majority speech (November 1969) met with a hostile reception by the American press, Agnew was encouraged to verbally attack the press itself as overly liberal and biased. Agnew drew praise from the conservative factions of both major parties, but alienated the press. Media executives started perceiving Agnew as a threat to the freedom of the press. Agnew singled out "The New York Times" and "The Washington Post" for criticism, as they were among the most vocal critics of Nixon's administration. By the end of November, Agnew enjoyed an approval rating of 64%. He had never been more popular in his political career.
In early 1970, Agnew became a popular speaker at Republican fund-raising events. He traveled over 25,000 miles (40,000 km) on behalf of the Republican National Committee. Agnew replaced Ronald Reagan as the party's leading fundraiser. He kept praising "the everyday law-abiding American", in an attempt to attract votes. In April 1970, Agnew finally managed to have one of his ideas about foreign policy heard by Nixon. Agnew's preferred solution for the Viet Cong strongholds in Cambodia was to launch an American attack on Cambodia. Nixon found the idea sound, approving it over the "dovish" advice from Secretary of State William P. Rogers and Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird.
In early May, 1970, Nixon cautioned Agnew to cease the verbal attacks on the student protest movement. Agnew had delivered an anti-student speech in reaction to the Kent State shootings. Nixon feared that the speech would backfire, and would cost a loss of support for Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections. In September of the same year, Agnew became the main speaker of the party's election campaign. Nixon also entrusted Agnew to verbally attack dissenting voices within the Republican Party, such as the novice senator Charles Goodell. The results of this election was disappointing for the Republicans. They gained two more seats in the Senate, but lost 11 governorships. Agnew was frustrated that Maryland had become a Democratic stronghold.
During 1971, the relationship between Agnew and Richard Nixon deteriorated considerably. Agnew was too independent and outspoken for Nixon's tastes, and he was popular with factions of the party which were hostile to Nixon. Agnew typically disapproved on Nixon's foreign policy decisions, and he felt that Nixon was insufficiently committed to winning the Vietnam War. Nixon seriously considered replacing Agnew as his running mate in the 1972 presidential elections, but eventually decided against it.
On July 21, 1972, Nixon officially asked Agnew to become his running mate again. Agnew was mildly surprised, but he took the offer. Agnew was given a hero's welcome at the 1972 Republican National Convention in Miami Beach, by delegates who viewed him as the party's future leader. His acceptance speech focused on praising the administration's accomplishments. Despite Nixon's instructions to the contrary, Agnew launched verbal attacks on George McGovern (the Democratic candidate of the election). During the election campaign, Nixon repeatedly instructed Agnew to tone down his verbal attacks on Democratic candidates. Meanwhile, Agnew was informed that administration officials were responsible for the Watergate break-in. He had no personal involvement in the matter, but felt that the break-in was a foolish decision.
Nixon and Agnew easily achieved re-election in the 1972 presidential elections. They won 60.7% of the popular vote, and carried 49 states. Massachusetts and the District of Columbia were the only areas who voted for the Democratic ticket. To Agnew's disappointment, Democrats dominated both houses of Congress after the election.
Back in Maryland, there was an ongoing criminal investigation on long-term corruption in Baltimore County. Among those investigated by the authorities were public officials, architects, engineering firms, and paving contractors. While investigating the engineering firm of Lester Matz, the authorities learned that Matz had won many of his contracts through the direct influence of Agnew. And Agnew was paid 5% of the value of each contract, in a bribery scheme that had lasted for most of his political career. Agnew learned of this investigation in February 1973, but district attorney George Beall assured him that he would do his best to protect Agnew's name.
By June 1973, evidence surfaced that Agnew had continued to receive bribes during his term as a vice president. Unlike previous charges against him, he was not protected by the statute of limitations. Further witnesses came forward to report criminal transactions with Agnew. Nixon himself was informed of the case in July 1973. By August 1973, the first press reports on Agnew's criminal activities surfaced. In October 1973, Agnew entered into negotiations for a plea bargain on the condition that he would not serve jail time. Agnew pleaded no contest to a tax evasion charge on October 10, 1973. As part of the plea bargain, the other charges against him were dropped. Agnew was fined 10,000 dollars, and was placed on three years' unsupervised probation. He officially resigned from the vice presidency on October 10. Nixon replaced him as vice president with Gerald Ford. Unlike Agnew, Ford had a reputation for personal honesty.
Following his resignation, Agnew moved to his summer home at Ocean City. He was initially unable to pay for his legal bills. He received a loan of 200,000 dollars from singer Frank Sinatra (1915-1998), who he had befriended during his political career. Agnew hoped that he would be able to resume his career as a lawyer. The Maryland Court of Appeals disbarred him in 1974, due to surfacing evidence about his crimes.
Agnew eventually secured enough funds to establish his own business consultancy, Pathlite Inc. He attracted an international clientele. Among his early successes was preparing a contract that would provide new uniforms for the Iraqi Army. Agnew lost money when he invested in a beer distributionship in Texas. In 1976, he published his debut novel "The Canfield Decision". Based on his own political career, it depicted an American vice president who has a troubled relationship with his president. The book was a best seller, and earned Agnew 100,000 dollars for serialization rights alone. But it attracted considerable controversy for its supposed anti-Semitism. Agnew had used the novel to publicize his views that the American news media were controlled by (in his words) "Zionist lobbies". He made further statements to the press against Israel and its influence on the United States.
In 1977, Agnew was wealthy enough to purchase a new home in Rancho Mirage, California. He also fully repaid Frank Sinatra's loan. In the same year's "Nixon interviews", Richard Nixon publicly defended Agnew's reputation. Nixon stated that Agnew must have been unaware that he was breaking the law by receiving bribes.
In 1980, Agnew claimed to be facing new financial problems. He secured an interest-free loan from Fahd bin Abdulaziz, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. He claimed that they had a common enemy in Israel, and voiced support for Saudi Arabia's anti-Israel policies. Also in 1980, Agnew published his memoir: "Go Quietly ... or Else". The book claimed that Agnew had never taken a bribe, and that the charges against him were unjust. The book was discredited when George White (Agnew's former lawyer) testified that Agnew had confessed to him about his many years of receiving bribes. The book also claimed that Agnew had unwillingly resigned in 1973, because Nixon administration officials had threatened him with assassination. The officials named in the book later denied that they had ever threatened Agnew.
In 1980, Agnew gave his first television interview in several years. He advised young people never to seek a political career, because high public office came at the price of overwhelming expectations. In 1981, legal students of the "George Washington University Law School" launched a lawsuit against Agnew. Agnew had been found to have received 268,482 dollars in bribes, and they argued that he should fully repay that sum to the state. In 1981, a court sentenced Agnew to pay the state 147,500 dollars for the kickbacks, and 101,235 dollars in interest. He fully repaid the debt in 1983. He then launched a legal case in an attempt to declare the payments as tax-deductible. He lost his case in 1989.
In 1987, Agnew was the plaintiff in a court case in Brooklyn. He was forced to disclose information about the business activities of his company, Pathlite, Inc.. He was found to have various business activities in Argentina, France, Greece, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Taiwan, and West Germany. The court found no evidence of illegal activities. Agnew claimed at the time that his business success was based on his ability "to penetrate to the top people".
In 1994, Agnew was invited to Richard Nixon's funeral at Yorba Linda, California. He decided to attend it, though he had intentionally avoided all contact with Nixon and his family for two decades. He received a warm welcome by former colleagues from the Nixon administration. In 1995, Agnew was invited to the Capitol in Washington D.C. for the dedication ceremony of a bust of him. He gave his first speech in many years, in order to address his poor reputation.
On September 16, 1996, Agnew suddenly collapsed at his summer home in Ocean City, Maryland. He was transferred to a hospital, and he died there on September 17. He was 77-years-old. An autopsy revealed that he was suffering from untreated acute leukemia. His death came as a surprise to his family and friends. Agnew had remained fit and active into his seventies, and regularly played golf and tennis. He had no visible signs of poor health.
Agnew was buried at Timonium, Maryland, in a ceremony primarily attended by members of his family. Among his former political allies, only Pat Buchanan bothered to attend the funeral. Buchanan had written some of Agnew's speeches. There was also an honor guard of the combined military services at the funeral. Agnew was survived by his wife Judy Agnew, who died in 2012. They had 4 children. Agnew is considered among the most controversial American politicians of the 20th century, but he is also counted among the influential founders of the New Right movement. Some of Agnew's political tactics have been imitated by other Republican politicians, particularly his attacks on the press.Father was Greek; original family surname was Anagnostopoulos
Was the 39th Vice-President of the United States, under President Richard Nixon; was the former governor of Florida
DIED September 17, 1996, age 77, of leukemia - Actor
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Theo Alexander is considered the most successful and prolific Greek actor of his generation. He graduated from the famous Circle in the Square acting conservatory on Broadway and also holds a cum laude degree in management and a minor in psychology from Boston University. As soon as he's finished his studies in New York he left for Los Angeles where he started his career in Hollywood. He co-starred in projects like Chuck, Pushing Daisies, CSI New York, Major Crimes, etc. World wide fame and recognition came when he co-starred in the third season of True Blood as the beloved character of Talbot. Talbot was voted by the New York times as the best 10 characters of that season on TV. As a producer and lead in the critically acclaimed movie Meteora, which was in the official selection of the Berlin film festival 2011, he was nominated for the Silver Bear award of best actor and the the Golden Bear award for best picture. He has also directed his first short film 'Avenge Me', which was picked up by internationally acclaimed production company and Filmnation's partner, Faliro House Mr Alexander is really selective in the projects he's involved with and he's usually doing one or two every year, in order to immerse himself in his role. For example he lived 3 months in a monastery for his role as a monk in Meteora or gaining 120 lb for his latest role as an older "castrated" man in Cosmote TV's mini series 42oC. He's now working in the biggest production of Russian TV for 2022 entitled " The Son". His life's mission is to become a part of this distinguished club of storytellers that inspire, educate and empower others in order to create, pursue their dreams and leave behind them a footprint in the human tradition, that will leave this world a better place when they're gone.Was born in Athens to Greek parents; birth name was Theodoros Zoumpoulidis- Actor
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Tom grew up in the small towns of Richmond and Crystal Lake, Illinois. He began performing at home, with his 10 brothers and sisters, creating puppet shows, short films, music and radio dramas, before moving on to school plays and community theater.
He graduated from The Goodman School of Drama, as it became the Theatre School at DePaul University. His work on the Chicago stage began in the ensemble of the "Body Politic Theatre", where he starred in such memorable productions as "Translations", "The Playboy of the Western World" and "Falstaff & Hal". Other notable stage work includes "What the Butler Saw", "Candida" and "The Mystery Cycle" at the Court Theatre, and "Free Advice from Prague" and "The Courtship of Carl Sandburg" at Northlight.
Tom was head writer and announcer of the NPR musical variety show, "The Flea Market". He directed plays for the Curious Theater, played music with both Balderdash and Jamie O'Reilly & The Rogues, and was artistic director of the Call to Action Theater.
While working on-stage in Chicago, Tom was cast as "Eliot Ness" in the television series, The Untouchables (1993) and spent two years shooting on his home turf. Moving to L.A., Tom starred in the NBC comedy, The Pursuit of Happiness (1995), with Melinda McGraw and Brad Garrett. He's played recurring roles on Big Love (2006), Boston Legal (2004), Eli Stone (2008), The Guardian (2001), Spin City (1996), From the Earth to the Moon (1998) and, most recently, Parenthood (2010). Other favorite TV work include Grey's Anatomy (2005), Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000), Just Shoot Me! (1997), ER (1994) and The Larry Sanders Show (1992).
Traveling to the western Rockies, Tom spent four years portraying the beloved "Dr. Harold Abbott" on the family drama, Everwood (2002), opposite Treat Williams. He went on to direct episodes of "Everwood" as well as ABC's Brothers & Sisters (2006) and the new CW series, Hart of Dixie (2011).
Tom's film credits include The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996), opposite Geena Davis, Brokedown Palace (1999) with Claire Danes and Kate Beckinsale, Billboard Dad (1998) with the Olsen twins, Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen', Second Chances (1998), Straight Talk (1992), HBO's Live from Baghdad (2002) and the recent black-comedy, Lucky (2011), with Colin Hanks and Ari Graynor.
His work on the Chicago stage continues at the Victory Gardens Theater, where he's starred, most recently, in "Cynical Weathers" and Edward Albee's "At Home At The Zoo", both directed by Dennis Zacek.
Tom plays "Dr. Peter Pelikan" on the hit NBC series, Parenthood (2010), opposite Ray Romano. He stars as "President Abraham Lincoln" in the Salvador Litvak film, Saving Lincoln (2013), alongside Penelope Ann Miller and Lea Coco. He also appears as "Governor Samuel Reston" on the ABC political thriller, Scandal (2012), opposite Kerry Washington and Tony Goldwyn.
Tom is married to actress Nancy Everhard, who played "Katherine Ness" on The Untouchables (1993). His daughters, Meg O'Reilly Amandes and Nia O'Reilly Amandes make up two-thirds of the Chicago band, "Midnight Moxie". And his son, Ben Amandes, is himself a budding hyphenate.Father was Greek; mother was German and Irish- Actor
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Peter Andre was born on 27 February 1973 in Harrow, London, England, UK. He is an actor and composer, known for Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014), David Brent: Life on the Road (2016) and Keith Lemon: The Film (2012). He has been married to Emily MacDonagh since 11 July 2015. They have two children. He was previously married to Katie Price.Both parents are Greek; speaks Greek fluently; birth name was Peter James Andrea- Music Artist
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The preeminent singing sister act of all time with well over 75 million records sold by which the swinging big-band era could not be better represented were the fabulous Andrews Sisters: the blonde melodic mezzo Patty Andrews, the brunette soprano Maxene Andrews and the red-headed contralto Laverne Andrews.
With their precise harmonies and perfectly syncopated dance moves, the girls reached heights of worldwide fame still unattained by any group which followed. They delivered an optimistic, upbeat war campaign that instilled hope, joy and allegiance through song, comedy, and lively movement. Providing a musical security blanket to a war-torn country via records, films, radio, clubs, stages, canteens, they bravely traveled overseas war zones emphasizing through song the motto that America was strong and proud ... and to keep on singing and swinging! Unfortunately, while the adhesive harmonies of The Andrews Sisters were intricately close, their personal harmonies were more discordant.
Second only to perhaps Bob Hope in commitment and extensive USO touring, the girls' profound influence extends even today with such current pop idols as Bette Midler, The Pointer Sisters, Barry Manilow, The Manhattan Transfer and Christina Aguilera. All have reinvented themselves in Andrews Sisters' style at one time or another. .
Hailing from Minnesota, eldest sister LaVerne Sophie was born on July 6, 1911, followed by Maxene Angelyn on January 3, 1916, and finally Patricia Marie on February 16, 1918. Greek father Peter was a restaurateur in the Minneapolis area; their mother Ollie was a Norwegian homemaker. Childhood was, for the most part, lost to them. The girls' musical talents were quickly identified and they started performing on the road as youngsters, entering assorted kiddie contests and often winning for their efforts. They practically grew up on the vaudeville circuit, roughing it and toughing it with various bands and orchestras.
Signed by orchestra leader Leon Belasco in 1937, the girls made their very first recordings with "There's a Lull in My Life" (an early solo by Patty), "Jammin'" and "Wake Up and Live." Subsequent radio work eventually led to the Decca Records label. Although LaVerne read music and was, in fact, an accomplished pianist, the trio learned by sense memory, pure instinct and a strong ear. Patty, the youngest, became the lively melodic leader, engulfed by the warm harmonies of LaVerne and Maxene.
The old Yiddish song "Bei Mir Bist Du Schon" was translated into English for them by Sammy Cahn and the girls walked off with their first huge hit in late 1937 (and paid a flat fifty dollars and no royalties!). An overnight sensation upon release wherein it sold more than a million copies, their contract was immediately revised by Decca and throughout the rest of the decade, they recorded smash after smash -- "The Beer Barrel Polka (Roll Out the Barrel!)," "Well, All Right," "Hold Tight, Hold Tight" (with Jimmy Dorsey ), "Oh, Johnny! Oh, Johnny! Oh!," and their first two duets with Bing Crosby in 1939: "Ciribiribin" and "Yodelin' Jive" (both featuring jazz violinist Joe Venuti and his orchestra).
The country was absolutely enthralled and captivated. Universal responded in like by signing them to some of their nonsensical "B" musicals derived purely for escapism as the U.S. prepared itself and became embroiled in WW2. Their first appearance co-starred the zany and sometimes corny antics of The Ritz Brothers in an unflattering ditty called Argentine Nights (1940). The frizzy-bobbed trio were introduced as a sort of specialty act with the songs "Hit the Road," "Oh, He Loves Me" and "Rhumboogie." This was followed by a 1-2-3 punch back at the recording studio with their renditions of the rollicking "Beat Me, Daddy, Eight to the Bar," a reinvention of the WW1 waltz "I'll Be with You in Apple Blossom Time" and the soft, sentimental ballad "Mean to Me."
Their second film was the above-average Bud Abbott - Lou Costello vehicle Buck Privates (1941), which solidly showcased the tunes "You're a Lucky Fellow, Mr. Smith," "Bounce Me Brother with a Solid Four," "I'll Be with You in Apple Blossom Time," and their infectious signature jump hit "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy." The girls vocalized perfectly and stepped in swinging time for two other Bud Abbott - Lou Costello comedies, In the Navy (1941) and Hold That Ghost (1941).
Box-office sellouts on stage and in personal appearances across the nation, they were given their own radio show in late 1944, which continued through 1946, featuring such weekly guest stars as Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Eddie Cantor, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, Carmen Miranda, Judy Garland, Ethel Merman, Rudy Vallee, and many other prominent celebrities. In late1947, CBS Radio signed the sisters as regulars on "Club Fifteen" (they appeared three times a week for five years with alternating hosts Bob Crosby and crooner Dick Haymes.
In 1942, Universal decided it was the right time to spruce them up and give them a bit more on-screen persona by featuring them front-and-center in what turned out to be an unfortunate string of poorly-produced "quickies." In Give Out, Sisters (1942), they posed as rich society matron types out to better their careers while featuring their big hit "Pennsylvania Polka." In Private Buckaroo (1942), they put on a show for servicemen singing, among others, the huge hit "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree with Anyone Else But Me". The plots may have been pancake-thin but they were sure-fire morale boosters and needed war-time tension relievers. No trained actresses by any margin, the girls emanated a down-home naturalness and appeal with a comedic flair that attracted audiences coast-to-coast.
In later films, the girls played everything from "lonely hearts" club managers in Always a Bridesmaid (1943), to elevator operators in How's About It? (1943), to war-time factory workers in Swingtime Johnny (1943). The girls were also featured in Universal's Follow the Boys (1944) and Paramount's Hollywood Canteen (1944), popular all-star productions designed to promote the war effort. With a never-say-die flair, they finished up their Universal contract rather inauspiciously with Her Lucky Night (1945), just as WW2 had come to an end.
Still highly in demand in the recording studio, on radio, on stage and in clubs, they had no trouble moving on. In the post-war years, they appeared in Paramount's Die Welt dreht sich verkehrt (1947) and teamed with Bing Crosby on "You Don't Have to Know the Language." The picture was the highest-grossing film of that year. The Disney company also utilized the girls' voices in their cartoon features Make Mine Music (1946) and Melody Time (1948).
All three girls experienced down times in their personal lives as well during the late-1940s. There were rumblings amid the group. Maxene and Patty went through painful divorces (Maxene split with the group's manager Lou Levy; Patty lost agent and husband, Martin Melcher to singer Doris Day), and lost their parents within a year of each other, as did their mentor Jack Kapp of Decca Records. Moreover, the girls squabbled over their parents' estate shares and individual career desires.
In 1953, Patty, the group's lead, declared she was going solo. LaVerne and Maxene attempted to duo for a time until Maxene attempted suicide, of a drug overdose in 1954, heartbroken over the brittle breakup of the group. LaVerne denied the suicide attempt to reporters. The girls reunited in 1956 and worked constantly for the next decade in recording studios (Capitol and Dot), on stages throughout the world (frequently in England), and in countless guest-star television spots.
LaVerne's serious illness in 1966, however, promptly ended the trio permanently. She died of liver cancer in May of the next year. Maxene retired shortly after and became Dean of Women at a Tahoe, Nevada college. Patty, ever the trouper, continued on television, in clubs and in film cameos...wherever there was an audience.
In 1973, Patty and Maxene reunited for their first Broadway musical, the nostalgic "Over Here" (Tony-winning Janie Sell played the LaVerne counterpart) in which they performed their old standards following the show's second act; but it did little to repair the strained Patty/Maxene off-stage relationship, especially since LaVerne wasn't around to foster peace-making tactics. As Maxene blamed Patty's husband, Walter Weschler, as an instigator in separating her from Patty, the estrangement remained permanent until Maxene's death in 1995.
The two sisters did reunite briefly when they earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1987. The group was also inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998. Patty sang in shows and on cruise ships while Maxene continued soloing and did quite well for a time in such musical shows as "Pippin" and "Swing Time Canteen" (the latter as late as 1995).
Plagued by heart problems (she suffered a massive heart attack in 1982), Maxene died of a second coronary on October 21, 1995. Patty remained in seclusion in her Northridge home near Los Angeles with husband Wally for years. After his death in 2010, Patty began a slow and steady decline and died on January 30, 2013, just two weeks before her 95th birthday.
Fortunately, The Andrews Sisters' legendary feuding can never overshadow their exhaustive musical contributions and unparalleled success during 36 years of performing together. In 1987, the group was honored with a Hollywood Walk of Fame star for their recording work. The following year, they were among the inaugural inductees to the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.Father was Greek; mother was Norwegian; original family surname was Andreas
One of the best-selling female singing groups of all time with sales of over 80 million records worldwide; had 46 Top 10 Billboard hits; also appeared in 17 movies
Laverne DIED May 8, 1967, age 55, of cancer Maxine DIED October 21, 1995, age 79 Patty DIED January 30, 2013, age 94- Producer
- Director
- Writer
Criss Angel was born on December 19, 1967 and raised in East Meadow, New York. He grew up loving music, playing the drums and always having an interest in magic. Two of his biggest magic influences are Harry Houdini and Richiardi Jr.. His father was also a big influence on him, especially after a long battle with cancer until his death in 1998. As a teenager, he performed as a magician at birthday parties, night clubs and private events. He got his pyrotechnics license at age 18. He also has a 7th degree black belt and a background in dance and gymnastics. Criss played in a band called "AngelDust" with friend Klay Scott, who produced and helped arranged his CD's and music for Criss' Mindfreak show. He performed in "World Of Illusion" at Madison Square Garden in 1998. Criss then scored a show on Broadway titled "Mindfreak", which ran up until Jan. 6, 2003 with almost 600 performances. He has had many television appearances and specials such as The Science of Magic (1997), The Science of Magic II (2003), the ABC Family special Criss Angel Mindfreak (2002), and the Sci-Fi channel's Criss Angel Supernatural (2003). He became a household name with the A&E channel Criss Angel Mindfreak (2005) television series airing every Wednesday night. Seasons 1 & 2 were filmed at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas with season 3 filmed at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas.
Angel is the only magician to have won the Merlin Magician of the Year award twice: in 2001 and 2004. He holds the world records for longest time submerged underwater (24 hours), the longest body suspension (5 hours, 42 minutes), fastest time to perform the "Metamorphosis" illusion (under a second) and the fastest straight-jacket escape (2 minutes & 30 seconds). One of his favorite musicians is Korn and he is now a personal friend of Jonathan Davis, who has appeared on his television series.Both parents were Greek; birth name was Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos- John Aniston was born on 24 July 1933 in Crete, Greece. He was an actor, known for Days of Our Lives (1965), Search for Tomorrow (1951) and Journeyman (2007). He was married to Sherry Rooney and Nancy Dow. He died on 11 November 2022 in the USA.Born in Crete, Greece; birth name was Yannis Anitios Anastassakis; father of actress Jennifer Aniston
DIED November 11, 2022, age 89, of natural causes - Actress
- Producer
- Director
Jennifer Aniston was born in Sherman Oaks, California, to actors John Aniston and Nancy Dow. Her father was Greek, and her mother was of English, Irish, Scottish, and Italian descent. Jennifer spent a year of her childhood living in Greece with her family. Her family then relocated to New York City where her parents divorced when she was nine. Jennifer was raised by her mother and her father landed a role, as "Victor Kiriakis", on the daytime soap Days of Our Lives (1965). Jennifer had her first taste of acting at age 11 when she joined the Rudolf Steiner School's drama club. It was also at the Rudolf Steiner School that she developed her passion for art. She began her professional training as a drama student at New York's School of Performing Arts, aka the "Fame" school. It was a division of Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and the Arts. In 1987, after graduation, she appeared in such Off-Broadway productions as "For Dear Life" and "Dancing on Checker's Grave". In 1990, she landed her first television role, as a series regular on Molloy (1990). She also appeared in The Edge (1992), Ferris Bueller (1990), and had a recurring part on Herman's Head (1991). By 1993, she was floundering. Then, in 1994, a pilot called "Friends Like These" came along. Originally asked to audition for the role of "Monica", Aniston refused and auditioned for the role of "Rachel Green", the suburban princess turned coffee peddler. With the success of the series Friends (1994), Jennifer has become famous and sought-after as she turns her fame into movie roles during the series hiatus.Father was actor John Aniston, who was Greek; original family surname was Anastassakis
Is a Golden Globe and Emmy winner- Actress
- Stunts
Marie Avgeropoulos currently stars as "Octavia Blake" in the CW's post-apocalyptic drama series, The 100 (2014). The Emmy- nominated series chronicles the surviving population living on a space station, called the ARK, who send a group of 100 delinquents down to earth. THE 100 set out to see if earth might still be inhabitable as supplies are running low on the ARK.
Marie recently wrapped production on three independent films: Isolation (2015), Numb (2015) and A Remarkable Life (2016), slated for release in early 2016. Earlier this year, Marie was seen, opposite Taylor Lautner in the Lionsgate thriller, Tracers (2015). Other film credits for Marie include the 2011 Golden Globe-nominated 50/50 (2011), alongside movie veterans Seth Rogen & Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as well as her memorable premiere film role in the 2009 comedy, I Love You, Beth Cooper (2009), starring opposite Hayden Panettiere.
Marie has also become a go-to TV actress with several guest appearances on hit shows, such as Supernatural (2005), Fringe (2008), Eureka (2006) and Human Target (2010). In 2013, Marie landed her break-out role in television in The CW's Cult (2013), opposite Matthew Davis and Robert Knepper.
Born and raised on the shores of Lake Superior in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada Marie grew up fishing, hunting and camping spending most of her free time outdoors. She learned to play the drums at a young age, which has helped land her roles in various national commercials.
Marie currently resides in Los Angeles.Both parents are Greek; was born in Canada- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Hank Azaria is an American comedian and actor from Queens, New York. He is known for voicing several characters in The Simpsons including Apu, Chief Wiggum, Moe, Bumblebee Man, Lou and Superintendent Chalmers. The latter became well-known due to the "Steamed Hams" scene. He also acted in Godzilla, The Smurfs and Mystery Men.Mother was Greek; father was half Greek and half Turkish; both parents were Sephardic Jewish
Is a six-time Emmy winner- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Music Department
Mark Ballas was born on 24 May 1986 in Houston, Texas, USA. He is an actor, known for Samantha Who? (2007), Dancing with the Stars (2005) and Steppin' Out with Katherine Jenkins (2012). He has been married to B.C. Jean since 25 November 2016.Father is half Greek, half Mexican; mother is English and Irish- Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
David Michael Bautista, Jr. was born on January 18, 1969 in Washington, D.C., to Donna Raye (Mullins) and David Michael Bautista, a hairdresser. He has Filipino and Greek ancestry.
When WCW officials told him he'd never make it in sports entertainment, Bautista pushed himself to achieve his dream of being a Superstar. In May 2002, he made his debut on SmackDown using the ring name Batista, but it wasn't until a move to Raw and two victories over Kane that "The Animal" began to make noise in the WWE Universe. The wins impressed Ric Flair and Triple H, who were looking to align themselves with the industry's brightest new stars. After a lengthy search, they identified Randy Orton and Batista. Collectively the four Superstars became known as Evolution.
Batista earned his first championship alongside "The Nature Boy" when the duo captured the WWE Tag Team Championships in December 2003. As Evolution dominated WWE, Batista started to emerge from the shadows of Triple H and Ric Flair. By the time Batista won the 2005 Royal Rumble Match, World Heavyweight Champion Triple H viewed him as a serious threat to his title.
After a triceps injury at the hands of Mark Henry forced Batista to relinquish the title in January 2006, he vowed to return. Batista successfully regained the World Heavyweight Championship at Survivor Series in 2006. Four months into his second reign, Batista faced the Undertaker at WrestleMania 23. "The Animal" took Undertaker to the limit, but was unable to stop the streak of "The Deadman" at WrestleMania. Though disappointed, Batista stayed hungry and always managed to keep himself in the championship hunt for the rest of his career.
At Bragging Rights in 2009, Batista shocked the world when he blamed Rey Mysterio for a loss to Undertaker, then attacked his former tag team partner. "The Animal" then became locked in a tense rivalry with another former friend, John Cena, over the WWE Championship. The grueling match at Over the Limit led to a wheelchair-bound Batista declaring "I quit!" the following night on Raw before fading from the WWE Universe in May 2010. Following his departure from WWE, Bautista appeared opposite Vin Diesel in the Universal film Riddick (2013) and RZA's feature directorial debut The Man with the Iron Fists (2012), in which he played the villainous Brass Body and starred opposite Russell Crowe and Lucy Liu. His other film credits include The Scorpion King 3: Battle for Redemption (2012), where he played Argomael; the action film House of the Rising Sun (2011); and Wrong Side of Town (2010) opposite rapper Ja Rule.
Two years later, he joined MMA and won his first professional MMA fight. In January 2014, he made his long awaited return to the WWE, before quitting a second time in June of that same year. He did this in order to promote Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), which was released on August 1, 2014, and starred Chris Pratt, Benicio Del Toro, Zoe Saldana, and Djimon Hounsou, alongside Bautista.
He will shoot Kickboxer: Vengeance (2016), directed by John Stockwell, and co-starring martial artist Alain Moussi and UFC fighter Georges St-Pierre. The remake of the 1989 Jean-Claude Van Damme film, Kickboxer (1989) is about two brothers David and Kurt Sloan; When David wins the Karate World Championship, a promoter lures him to Hong Kong, despite his brother's protestations that the man is a crook. When Kurt travels to Thailand to meet his brother, he discovers he has died and seeks his revenge.
After starring in films such as, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), Blade Runner 2049 (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Hotel Artemis (2018), Escape Plan 2: Hades (2018), and Final Score (2018), he made a special guest appearance on WWE Smackdown! (1999) for it's 1000 episode reuniting with his former Evolution members Triple H, Randy Orton, and Ric Flair on October 16, 2018. The following year on February 25, 2019, he made his return to WWE Raw (1993) when he attacked Ric Flair on his 70th birthday at the end of the episode sending a message to Triple H that would ultimately lead to a No Holds Barred match for WrestleMania 35 (2019). Batista added the stipulation that if he wins the match, Triple H will have to retire from in-ring competition. As a result, Triple H was finally able to beat Batista for the first time and won the match, which ultimately led to Batista announcing his official retirement from wrestling in the WWE. Following his retirement, he will continue with his career as an actor in Hollywood.
His next films scheduled for release will be; Stuber (2019), Avengers: Endgame (2019), Escape Plan: The Extractors (2019), and My Spy (2020). He is one of many professional wrestlers to make the smooth transition from wrestling into the entertainment world.Mother is Greek (some sources say his mother is half Greek); father is Filipino- Actress
- Director
- Writer
Emmanuelle Béart was born August 14, 1963, in Gassin, France. She lived with her mother, brothers, and sister on a farm not far from Saint-Tropez in Provence (southern France), because her father, singer and poet Guy Béart, did not want his children to be affected by the glamour world of Paris. When Emmanuelle was thirteen, she saw Romy Schneider in the movie Mado (1976). From that time on, she wanted to be an actress. In Emmanuelle's teens, her parents sent her to Montreal, Quebec, Canada, for four years, so she could learn English. There, she was engaged for a Robert Altman movie that was never made. After returning to France, she took drama classes and got her first TV role, in Raison perdue (1984). David Hamilton, the photographer/director, was impressed by her beauty and gave her a role in First Desires (1983). She met her spouse-to-be, Daniel Auteuil, while making Love on the Quiet (1985). The film that made her famous in France was Manon of the Spring (1986), in which she played the role of a blonde shepherd dancing nude in the fields. Director Tom McLoughlin chose her out of 5,000 candidates for her first Hollywood picture, Date with an Angel (1987). Emmanuelle is a very sensitive and a perfectionist. For the part of Camille in the film A Heart in Winter (1992), she took violin lessons for a whole year. Her biggest success was as a nude model in the art film La Belle Noiseuse (1991), which starred Michel Piccoli and was directed by Jacques Rivette.Maternal grandmother was Greek
Cesar Award winner and seven-time Cesar Award nominee- Actor
- Soundtrack
Abraham Benrubi was born on 4 October 1969 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. He is an actor, known for Christmas Bloody Christmas (2022), Parker Lewis Can't Lose (1990) and ER (1994).Father was Greek Jewish; mother was French-Canadian- Dennis Boutsikaris is an American character actor who has won the Obie Award twice. He is also a narrator of audio-books, for which he has won 13 Golden Earphone Awards and 8 Audie Awards. He won Best Audiobook of the Year from Amazon for his reading of American Gods.
Boutsikaris was born in Newark, New Jersey, to a Greek American father and Jewish mother, and grew up in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey. He took up acting while a student at Governor Livingston High School, because he felt he was too small to succeed in athletics. A graduate of Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts, Boutsikaris toured the country with John Houseman's The Acting Company doing classical theatre.
Boutsikaris' film credits include leading roles in *batteries not included, The Dream Team, Crocodile Dundee II, Boys on the Side and In Dreams, among many others. His most recent indie films include Cherry Crush, The Education of Charlie Banks, Calling It Quits," The Bourne Legacy" and "Money Monster". He is Paul Wolfowitz in Oliver Stone's "W." In 2012, he co-starred in The Bourne Legacy, the fourth installment of the successful Bourne franchise.
On television, he had the lead in the series Stat, The Jackie Thomas Show, and Misery Loves Company. He has also had recurring roles on Sidney Lumet's 100 Centre Street, Nurse, Trinity, ER, Law & Order and Showtime's Shameless. Boutsikaris had a leading part in episode twenty of the second season of the hit CBS show Person of Interest which aired in the USA on Thursday, April 26, 2013. He was part of NBC's State of Affairs, the TV series that marks the return to series television of Katherine Heigl. In 2012, he also made an appearance as Jack Quayle in the season 2 episode "Collateral Damage" of the CBS show Blue Bloods. From 2015 to 2022, he played the role of lawyer Rich Schweikart in the first, second, then fourth through sixth seasons of the American series Better Call Saul. In 2017, Boutsikaris was cast in the recurring role of Henry Roarke on the ABC thriller series Quantico.
He has starred in over 20 TV movies, including Chasing the Dragon, And Then There Was One, Three Faces of Karen, Survival on the Mountain, Beyond Betrayal, and as Woody Allen in the miniseries Love and Betrayal: The Mia Farrow Story (with Patsy Kensit).
On Broadway Boutsikaris became the first American to play Mozart in Amadeus and was directed by Sir Laurence Olivier in Filumena. He starred in the Off-Broadway production of Sight Unseen to great critical acclaim.
He has been seen on Broadway in Bent, Filumena (directed by Sir Laurence Olivier), and Amadeus (as the first American to play Mozart) with Frank Langella. He was seen in the Delacorte Theatre's production of Julius Caesar as Cassius. He was in the original New York productions of The Boys Next Door, A Picasso, and the revival of That Championship Season.
Off-Broadway he is probably best known for playing Jonathan Waxman in the original production of Sight Unseen at the Manhattan Theatre Club and later at the Orpheum Theatre. He received the Obie Award and a nomination for a Drama Desk Award for this performance. At the Geffen Theatre in Los Angeles, he appeared in the premiere of David Mamet's The Old Neighborhood and in 2007 Jane Anderson's The Quality of Life with Laurie Metcalf and Jo Beth Williams. For that performance he received the Backstage West Garland Award for Best Actor and was nominated for Best Actor by the L.A. Critics Drama Circle and by the LA Alliance Ovation Awards.
In 2009 he was in the Broadway revivals of Brighton Beach Memoirs and Broadway Bound again with Laurie Metcalf. The former opened to wide critical acclaim and then closed one week later. The latter never opened.
He continued his association with Laurie Metcalf appearing with her in The Other Place Off-Broadway.
He can be heard in over 160 audio-books and has received eight Audie Awards and two Best Voices of the Year Awards from AudioFile Magazine. He was voted Best Narrator of the Year by Amazon for "THE GENE".
Boutsikaris has received two Obie Awards: one in 1985 for Outstanding Performance in Nest of the Woodgrouse at the New York Shakespeare Festival, directed by Joseph Papp; and one in 1992 for Outstanding Performance in Sight Unseen at the Manhattan Theatre Club. He also received a Drama Desk Award nomination for Best Actor for Sight Unseen, as well as a Cable ACE nomination for Best Supporting Actor for Chasing the Dragon in 1995. He was nominated for a People's Choice Award as best Newcomer. He received the Best Actor Award at the Staten Island Film Festival and the Long Island Film Festival for his role in Calling It Quits.Father was Greek; mother was Jewish - Music Department
- Composer
- Actor
Jeff Buckley was born on 17 November 1966 in Anaheim, California, USA. He was a composer and actor, known for Vanilla Sky (2001), Tell No One (2006) and Jeff Buckley: Everybody Here Wants You (2002). He died on 29 May 1997 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA.Maternal grandmother was Greek and Panamanian
DIED May 29, 1997, age 30, of accidental drowning- Actor
- Soundtrack
Born Charles Callias in Brooklyn, NY on December 20, 1927, he served in the US Army in Germany during World War 2.
Originally a drummer, he played with Tommy Dorsey, Claude Thornhill and Buddy Rich. He was always clowning around and would drive the band members crazy on the bus as they traveled. So much so, they suggested he should be a comedian. "He was just messing around with the guys and it worked, I guess" his son Mark said. Charlie was a natural comic, and it wasn't long before he gave up drumming for stand-up routines. He dropped a vowel from his legal name, Callias, when he took to the stage in his first television appearance in 1963 on the "Hollywood Palace" variety show.
In 1967, he appeared on The Merv Griffin Show and had Jerry Lewis (another one of Merv's guests) in hysterics so much so he told Merv that he had to use Charlie in his upcoming film "The Big Mouth".
He was a regular on the Andy Williams Show and a semi-regular on the Flip Wilson and the Des O'Connor Variety Show; acted as co-host on the Joey Bishop Show.
In 1975, Callas co-starred, for three years, with Robert Wagner and Eddie Albert on the series "Switch." His character used different disguises in most shows proving his versatility.
He made over 50 appearances on The Tonight Show, a popular favorite of Johnny's until Sept 1982 when as part of his act he shoved Johnny off his chair. Carson told him in front of the audience that he would never appear on his show again, and he never did.
Callas had a rapid-fire humor that has tantalized audiences in nightclubs from coast to coast. Among his nightly appearances was a one-year tour of major engagements with Frank Sinatra, including the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles. Charlie has also appeared at the Hilton Hotels, Caesar's Palace, The Sands Hotel, Flamingo Hilton, Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas; Harrah's Clubs in Reno and Lake Tahoe; Cal-Neva Lodge; Lake Geneva Playboy Club, Resorts International, Claridge Hotel and Park Place.
Some of his more recent television appearances were on both the "Larry The Cable Guy's Christmas Spectacular" (2007) and the "Larry The Cable Guy's Star-Studded Christmas Extravaganza" (2008) where he delighted audiences with his trademark antics and exceptional comedic talents.
He was married to Eve Velac (who died in July, 2010), had two sons, Mark and Larry, and two grandsons.Father was Greek; mother was German; birth name was Charles Callias
Was a drummer during the Big Band era who later became a comedian
DIED January 27, 2011, age 86, of natural causes- Actress
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
This volatile opera diva was born Sophie Cecilia Kalos in New York City to Greek émigrés on December 2, 1923. Her father set up a pharmacy and changed the family name from Kalogeropoulos to Callas. As a child Maria studied the piano. When her parents separated (she was 14 at the time), her mother returned to Athens with Maria and her sister.
The budding singer was quickly accepted into the National Conservatoire where she was taught singing lessons by Maria Trivella. She performed her first recital within the year and in 1939 won a prize for her stage debut in the Conservatoire's production of "Cavalleria Rusticana." In 1941, the soprano dramatico d'agilita made her professional debut in "Boccaccio" with the Lyric Theatre Company. While there she made a semi-name for herself with performances of "Tosca" and "Fidelio."
Impending war led her back to the United States in 1944 where she reclaimed the name of Maria Callas. She was offered a contract from the Met which she turned down because among the three roles she was offered to sing there was Butterfly and she believed that she was too obese to sing the fragile 14 year-old Butterfly, her friends considered her to be crazy turning down the Met while she was so unknown.
Maria performed elsewhere (Chicago, etc.) before returning to Europe in the post-war years where she met Giovanni Battista Meneghini, a wealthy industrialist and avid opera fan. They married in 1949 and he immediately took control of her career. She reached her zenith at La Scala (1951-1958), also recording during that time. In 1956, she finally made her debut at the Met as "Norma" with performances of "Tosca" and "Lucia" following.
Within a couple of years her temperamental outbursts and excessive demands began to rise full force, resulting in a number of dismissals and walkouts. After meeting Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis through her husband, a torrid affair erupted and her marriage ended. Maria gave up the stage in the early 1960s for the jet-set life with Onassis, but continued with occasional concerts. Despite experiencing vocal problems, she made one unforgettable comeback on stage in 1964-1965 when she toured with her personal favorites ("Norma" in Paris and "Tosca" at the Met). Weak and tired, her final curtain on stage rang down in July of 1965 in Covent Garden.
With her career over, she renounced her American citizenship and expected to marry Onassis. But their relationship was a stormy one and it eventually tapered off with Onassis instead marrying Jacqueline Kennedy in 1968. Maria was completely devastated and those around her say she never recovered. The following year she filmed an unsuccessful production of Medea (1969) and eventually set up master classes at Juilliard. In one last comeback, she attempted a European tour of recitals but her voice completely failed her. Her last public performance was on November 11, 1975.
Riddled by sadness and despair, and by now firmly addicted to sleeping pills, Maria turned reclusive in her last year and died of a heart attack in 1977 at age 53. Despite a career that flourished less than two decades, Callas must be respected as one of the more important and recognizable opera legends. She was certainly one of the most emotive and visually dramatic. What also carries her today is, of course, her grandly turbulent and tragic image -- an Édith Piaf of opera.Both parents were Greek immigrants to the U.S.; birth name was Maria Anna Sophia Cecilia Kalogeropoulos; was born in New York City
DIED September 16, 1977, age 53, of a heart attack- Actress
- Director
- Producer
Gia Carides has been working as an actress since age 12 in film and in theatre. She has been nominated twice for her work, in Strictly Ballroom (1992) (Best Actress in a Supporting Role AFI Awards) and Brilliant Lies (1996) (Best Actress in a Leading Role AFI Awards). She has appeared in as many American films as well as Australian films, and continues to work in both countries.Father is Greek; mother is English; was born in Sydney, Australia- Alex Carter was born on 12 November 1963 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is an actor, known for The Island (2005), Veritas: The Quest (2003) and Out of Time (2003).Birth name was Alex Apostolopoulos; was born in Canada
- Actress
- Producer
- Executive
Gabrielle Carteris was born on 2 January 1961 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990), Raising Cain (1992) and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance (2006). She has been married to Charles Isaacs since 3 May 1992. They have two children.Father was Greek; mother was Ashkenazi Jewish- Actor
- Director
- Writer
John Cassavetes was a Greek-American actor, film director, and screenwriter. He is considered a pioneer of American independent film, as he often financed his own films.
Cassavetes was born in New York City in 1929 to Nicholas John Cassavetes (1893-1979) and his wife, Katherine Demetre (1906-1983). Nicholas was an immigrant from Greece, while Katherine was Greek-American who had been born in New York City. The Cassavetes family moved back to Greece in the early 1930s, and John learned Greek as his primary language. The family moved back to the United States around 1936, possibly to evade Greece's new dictatorship, the 4th of August Regime (1936-1941). Young John had to learn to speak English. He spent his late childhood and most of his teenage years in Long Island, New York. From 1945-47, he attended the Port Washington High School. He wrote for the school newspaper and the school yearbook. The 18-year-old Cassavetes was then transferred to the Blair Academy, a boarding school located in Blairstown, New Jersey. When the time came for him to start college, Cassavetes enrolled at Champlain College (in Burlington, Vermont) but was expelled owing to poor grades.
After a brief vacation to Florida, Cassavetes enrolled at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA), in New York City. Several of his old friends were already students there and had recommended it to Cassavetes, who would be mentored by Don Richardson (1918-1996). After graduating, he began to regularly perform on stage while also appearing in small roles in films and television shows.
Cassavetes's first notable film role was that of Robert Batsford, one of the three villains (along with Vince Edwards and David Cross) in The Night Holds Terror (1955). His next major role was juvenile delinquent Frankie Dane in the crime film "Crime in the Streets" (1956). He won a lead role in Edge of the City (1957) as drifter Axel Nordmann. His co-star for the film was Sidney Poitier, who played stevedore Tommy Tyler. The film helped break new ground, portraying a working-class interracial friendship. Cassavetes gained critical acclaim for his role, and film critics compared him to Marlon Brando. Cassavetes's success as an actor led to his becoming a contract player for MGM. In 1959, he directed his first film, Shadows (1958). It depicted the lives of three African-American siblings in New York City. It won the Critics Award at the Venice Film Festival.
His next directing effort, Too Late Blues (1961), was about the professional and romantic problems of a struggling jazz musician. The film was poorly received at the time, though its autobiographical elements are considered remarkable. Cassavetes then directed A Child Is Waiting (1963), which depicted life in a state institution for mentally handicapped and emotionally disturbed children. The film was a documentary-style portrayal of problems in the social services. It was praised by critics but failed at the box office.
In 1968, Cassavetes had a comeback as a director with Faces (1968), which depicts a single night in the life of a middle-aged married couple. After 14 years of marriage, the two feel rather miserable and seek happiness in the company of friends and the beds of younger lovers, but neither manages to cure their sense of misery. The film gained critical acclaim, and, in 2011, was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.
Cassavetes returned to the theme of a midlife crisis in his next film, Husbands (1970). The film depicts three middle-aged men, professionally successful and seemingly happily married. The death of a close childhood friend reminds them of their own mortality, and of their fading memories of youth. They flee their ordinary lives with a shared vacation to London, but their attempts to rejuvenate themselves fail. This film attracted mixed reviews, with some critics praising its "moments of piercing honesty" and others finding fault with its rambling dialogue.
Cassavetes's next film was Minnie and Moskowitz (1971), about the romantic relationship between a seemingly incompatible couple, jaded museum curator Minnie Moore and the temperamental drifter Seymour Moskowitz. It was well received and garnered Cassavetes a Writers Guild of America Award for Best Comedy Written Directly for the Screen. His next film was A Woman Under the Influence (1974), concerning the effects of mental illness on a working-class family. In the film, ordinary housewife Mabel Longhetti starts displaying signs of a mental disorder. She undergoes psychiatric treatment for six months while her husband, Nick Longhetti, attempts to play the role of a single father. But Nick seems to be a social misfit in his own right, and neither parent seems to be "normal". Cassavetes was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director for this film, but the award was won by Francis Ford Coppola.
Cassavetes next directed the gritty crime film, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976). In the film, Korean War veteran and cabaret owner Cosmo Vittelli owes a large debt to a criminal organization and is coerced to serve as their hit-man in an assassination scheme. He has been told that the target is an insignificant bookie, but after the assassination Vittelli learns that he just killed a high-ranking crime boss of the Chinese mafia and that he himself is now a target for assassination. The film gained good reviews and a cult following.
His next film, Opening Night (1977), was more enigmatic, mixing drama with horror elements. Protagonist Myrtle Gordon (played by Cassavetes's wife, Gena Rowlands) is a famous actress, but aging and dissatisfied with the only theatrical role available to her. After seeing teenager Nancy Stein, one of her obsessive fans , get killed in a car accident, Myrtle starts having visions of Nancy's ghost. As she keeps fighting the ghost, drinking heavily and chain-smoking, the film ends without explaining what seems to be going wrong with Myrtle's perception of reality. The film was a hit in Europe but flopped in the United States.
Cassavetes had another directing comeback with "Gloria" (1980). In the film, Gloria Swenson (formerly a gangster's girlfriend) is asked to protect Phil Dawn, the young son of an FBI informant within a New York crime family. After the apparent assassination of Phil's parents, Gloria finds herself targeted by gangsters and wanted by the police as a kidnapping suspect. The film won the Golden Lion award at the Venice Film Festival, and protagonist Gena Rowlands was nominated for several acting awards.
Cassavetes's 11th directing effort was the rather unconventional drama Love Streams (1984), about the relationship between two middle-aged siblings. In the film, Sarah Lawson suffers from depression following a messy divorce and moves in with her brother, Robert Harmon, an alcoholic writer with self-destructive tendencies. Though estranged from his ex-wife and his only son and unable to protect himself from violent foes, in the end Robert finally has someone for whom to care. The film won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival.
Cassavetes' swan song as a director was the comedy Big Trouble (1986), replacing the much younger Andrew Bergman. The film concerns an insurance agent who needs $40,000 for college tuition for his three daughters. He agrees to cooperate in an insurance scam with the wife of one of his clients, though the plan may require them to murder her husband. Several elements of the film were recycled from the plot of the iconic film noir Double Indemnity (1944), and "Big Trouble" served as its unofficial remake. The film was unsuccessful, and Cassavetes himself reportedly disliked the script.
In the late 1980s, Cassavetes suffered from health problems and his career was in decline. He died in 1989 from cirrhosis of the liver caused by many years of heavy drinking. He was only 59 years old. He is buried at the Westwood Village Memorial Park in Los Angeles, having left more than 40 unproduced screenplays and an unpublished novel. His son, Nick Cassavetes, eventually used one of the unproduced screenplays to direct a new film, the romantic drama, She's So Lovely (1997). It was released eight years after the death of John Cassavetes, and was well received by critics.Both parents were Greek
Birth name was Ioánnis Nikólaos Kassavétis
Three-time Oscar nominee and three-time Golden Globe nominee; was the father of actor Nick Cassavetes; was married to actress Gena Rowlands for 34 years, until his death
DIED February 3, 1989, age 59, of cirrhosis of the liver- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Nick Cassavetes was born in New York City, the son of actress Gena Rowlands and Greek-American actor and film director John Cassavetes. As a child, he appeared in two of his father's films: Husbands (1970) and A Woman Under the Influence (1974). After spending so much of his youth surrounded by the film industry, Cassavetes initially decided he did not want to go into the field. He instead attended Syracuse University on a basketball scholarship. His athletic career was effectively ended by an injury, and he decided to rethink his aspirations, ultimately deciding to attend his parents' alma mater, the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. He has appeared in the films, Face/Off (1997), The Wraith (1986), Life (1999), Class of 1999 II: The Substitute (1994), Backstreet Dreams (1990) and The Astronaut's Wife (1999), among others. He has directed several films, including John Q (2002), Alpha Dog (2006), She's So Lovely (1997), Unhook the Stars (1996), The Notebook (2004), and My Sister's Keeper (2009). He also adapted the screenplay for Blow (2001) and wrote the dialogue for the Justin Timberlake music video, "What Goes Around... Comes Around". In 1985, Cassavetes married Isabelle Rafalovich. They had two daughters together, Virginia Cassavetes (Virginia Sara Cassavetes) (born in 1986) and Sasha Cassavetes (born in 1988), before divorcing. He then married Heather Wahlquist (Heather "Queenie" Wahlquist), who has appeared in several of his films, including a small role in The Notebook (2004) as Sara, a secondary character and best friend to the female lead Allie Hamilton, portrayed by Rachel McAdams. The movie is effectively a family project, as Cassavetes's own mother, Gena Rowlands, appears as the older, married Allie Calhoun.Father was Greek actor and director John Cassavetes; mother is Oscar-winning actress Gena Rowlands, who is English and Welsh
Original family surname was Kassavétis- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
George Chakiris made his film debut at the age of 12 singing in the chorus of Song of Love (1947). Following his graduation from high school, he supported his night-time dancing, singing and dramatic lessons with a daytime job clerking in a Los Angeles department store. Later he started his acting/dancing career appearing in musicals such as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)--he is one of the ballet dancers escorting Marilyn Monroe in "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend"--White Christmas (1954), The Girl Rush (1955), There's No Business Like Show Business (1954), Brigadoon (1954), and Meet Me in Las Vegas (1956). In 1957, he made his debut as a dramatic actor in Under Fire (1957). In 1958 he traveled to New York hoping for a Broadway "break." Hearing that Jerome Robbins was casting the London company of "West Side Story", he auditioned and was awarded the co-starring role of Riff. He played the part for almost two years on the West End stage before acting, singing and dancing as Bernardo in the Robert Wise film version (West Side Story (1961)), a performance that earned him a Golden Globe and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Since then, he starred in a succession of films, including Diamond Head (1962) with Charlton Heston, Bebo's Girl (1964) with Claudia Cardinale, The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967) with Catherine Deneuve, Françoise Dorléac and Gene Kelly, The Big Cube (1968) with Lana Turner, Why Not Stay for Breakfast? (1979), Jekyll and Hyde... Together Again (1982), and Pale Blood (1990). He is one of the most traveled stars in motion pictures, having been to such locations as Hawaii, Japan, Mexico, Italy, England, Spain, and France. His nightclub career was launched to rave reviews at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas and Harrah's Club in Lake Tahoe. In the 1970s and 1980s, his career focused on television and music. He appeared as guest star in several TV series such as Hawaii Five-O (1968) (Death is a Company Policy - 1972), Wonder Woman (1975) (Death in Disguise - 1978), CHiPs (1977) (Fox Trap - 1983), Scarecrow and Mrs. King (1983) (Lost and Found - 1984), Murder, She Wrote (1984) (Weave a Tangled Web - 1989), and he joined the cast of Dallas (1978) from 1985 to 1986. He has released several records: "George Chakiris," "Memories Are Made of These," "The Gershwin Song Book," "West Side Story's Dynamic...". Recently, he has appeared in several plays and stage musicals: after "The King and I" in the US in 1995, he performed in Britain the role of Rochester in "Jane Eyre".Both parents were Greek and born in Turkey; George was born in Ohio
Won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for the movie "West Side Story"
Is currently 91 years old- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Jessica Michelle Chastain was born in Sacramento, California, and was raised in a middle-class household in a Northern California suburb. Her mother, Jerri Chastain, is a vegan chef whose family is originally from Kansas, and her stepfather is a fireman. She discovered dance at the age of nine and was in a dance troupe by age thirteen. She began performing in Shakespearean productions all over the Bay area.
An actor in a production of "Romeo & Juliet" encouraged her to audition for Juilliard as a drama major. She became a member of "Crew 32" with the help of a scholarship from one of the school's famous alumni, Robin Williams.
In her last year at Juilliard, she was offered a holding deal with TV writer/producer John Wells and she eventually worked in three of his TV shows. Jessica continues to do theatre, having played in "The Cherry Orchard", "Rodney's Wife", "Salome" and "Othello". She spends her time between New York and Los Angeles, working in theater, film and TV.
In 2011, she had a prolific year in film. She was nominated for and won a number of awards, including a 2012 Oscar nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for The Help (2011).Paternal grandmother was half Greek
Academy Award- and Golden Globe Award-winning actress- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Michael Chiklis has been working professionally as an actor since he was thirteen. He started in the theater and after receiving his BFA in acting from Boston University's College Of Fine Arts, Michael moved to New York City where he continued acting on the stage until he got his big break playing the late, great John Belushi in the controversial bio-pic Wired. Since then, Michael has spent the last 30 plus years starring in historic television, celebrated films and stage productions as well as directing and recording music. The first 30 years of his career have been extremely rewarding and he's even more excited about the next 30! Michael lives in Los Angeles with his wife Michelle Chiklis. They have two daughters together, Autumn and Odessa Chiklis.Father was Greek; mother was half Greek and half English and Irish; was born in Lowell, Massachusetts- Music Artist
- Producer
- Actress
Kelly Brianne Clarkson was born on April 24, 1982 in Fort Worth, Texas and raised in Burleson, Texas to Jeanne Ann Taylor (née Rose), an English teacher & Stephen Michael Clarkson, an engineer. She was the first winner of the series American Idol in 2002. Kelly is also a strong believer in God.Maternal grandfather was half Greek
Was the first winner of the competitive reality TV show "American Idol"- Actor
- Soundtrack
John Colicos was born on 10 December 1928 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was an actor, known for The Changeling (1980), The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981) and Battlestar Galactica (1978). He was married to Mona McHenry. He died on 6 March 2000 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Father was Greek; was born in Canada
DIED March 6, 2000, age 71, of a heart attack- Actor
- Writer
John Considine was born on 2 January 1935 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for MacGyver (1985), A Wedding (1978) and Combat! (1962). He has been married to Astrid Lee Peterson since 24 December 1984. He was previously married to Jette Seear and Toby Considine.Maternal grandfather was Alexander Pantages, who was Greek and the founder of the Pantages theater chain; is the older brother of actor Tim Considine- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Tim Considine was born on 31 December 1940 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for My Three Sons (1960), Patton (1970) and Executive Suite (1954). He was married to Willett Helen Hunt and Charlotte Stewart. He died on 3 March 2022 in Mar Vista, California, USA.Maternal grandfather was Alexander Pantages, who was Greek and the founder of the Pantages theater chain; was the younger brother of actor John Considine
Best known for playing the eldest son on the classic TV series "My Three Sons" and the movie "The Shaggy Dog"
DIED March 3, 2022, age 81- Award-winning Greek-American actor Michael Constantine (born 22 May 1927) is best known for his portrayal of the Windex bottle-toting family patriarch "Gus Portokalos" in the sleeper hit My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002). Before his appearance in that movie and the subsequent TV series based on it, he was primarily known for his portrayal of principal Seymour Kaufman in the series Room 222 (1969), for which he won a 1970 Emmy Award as Best Supporting Actor (in 1971, he also received a second Emmy nomination and a Golden Globe nomination as Best Supporting Actor for the role).
Michael Constantine was born Constantine Joanides in Reading, Pennsylvania, to Greek parents, Andromache (Fotiadou) and Theoharis Ioannides, a steel worker. He made his Broadway debut as part of the ensemble of the hit play "Inherit the Wind," which made its bow at the National Theatre on April 21, 1955, and closed on June 22, 1957, after 806 performances. During the run of the play, Constantine managed to work his way up into the part of "Conklin". His next appearance on the Great White Way was in "Compulsion," a dramatization of the Leopold & Loeb trial, in which he played three parts: speakeasy owner "Al," defense attorney "Jonathan Wilk" and "Dr. Ball." The show had a modest run of 140 performances in the 1957-58 season at the Ambassador Theatre.
On October 19, 1959, Constantine was part of the opening-night cast of the hit play "The Miracle Worker," appearing in the role of "Anagnos." It ran for 719 performances at the Playhouse through July 1, 1961, but his next play, "The Egg", was a flop, lasting but one week (eight performances) at the Cort in January 1962. His last turn on Broadway was in Tony Richardson's staging of Bertolt Brecht's mediation on the rise of Adolf Hitler, "Arturo Ui" (a.k.a. "The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui"). Constantine played the character "Dogsborough" in support of the great Broadway star Christopher Plummer's "Arturo Ui." It, too, was a one-week flop, lasting but eight performances at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in November 1963. Constantine's Broadway career was at an end.
He made his motion picture debut in The Last Mile (1959) in support of Mickey Rooney, but had already begun appearing in the medium in which he made his reputation, television, the year before. He appeared in teleplays on the omnibus television anthologies Armstrong Circle Theatre (1950) and Play of the Week (1959) and made numerous guest appearances on TV series, where his ethnic look made him valuable as heavies on such programs as The Untouchables (1959). In film, he appeared in such productions as Robert Rossen's classic The Hustler (1961), If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium (1969) and the film version of Woody Allen's play, Don't Drink the Water (1969), the latter two films revealing his flair for comedy.
Constantine was a regular on the series Hey, Landlord (1966). His stint on Room 222 (1969) was followed by his star-turn in the short-lived series Sirota's Court (1976), for which he received his second Golden Globe nomination, this time as Best Leading Actor in a Musical or Comedy TV Series, in 1976. After that, he remained steadily employed but his career remained rather quiet until cast he was cast in My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002).
Michael Constantine died in August 2021. He was 94.Both parents immigrated to the U.S. from Greece
DIED August 31, 2021, age 94, of natural causes - Cat Cora was raised in a small Greek community in Jackson, Mississippi, by a family who held strongly to their Greek and Southern heritage. Both her grandfather, father, and godfather were restaurateurs and, by the time she was fifteen, she had already presented a business plan to them for her very own restaurant. During college, she cooked at an Italian bistro and a private dining club, preparing classical French cuisine. After graduating from college, Cat backpacked through Europe for four months, in search of good food and wine.
Leaving Mississippi for New York with a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise physiology and biology under her belt, Cat got the education of her dreams at The Culinary Institute of America, in Hyde Park. While in New York, she apprenticed with and then worked for Chef Anne Rozenweig at Arcadia and worked at the Beekman tavern under Chef Larry Forgione, (father of Marc Forgione and Bryan Forgione), of "An American Place". Her culinary education continued in Europe with apprenticeships with two of France's three-star Michelin chefs: Georges Blanc and Roger Verge.
After returning to New York, Cat worked as a sous chef at The Old Chatham Shepherding Company, under Chef Melissa Kelly, before heading west to Northern California. She was offered the position of Chef de Cuisine in Napa Valley's Bistro Don Giovanni.Father is Greek; both of his parents were from Skopelos, Greece; her mother has German, English, and Welsh ancestry
Professional chef best known as an "Iron Chef" on the TV show "Iron Chef America" and as co-host of the TV show "Around the World in 80 Plates" - Director
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Costa-Gavras was born on 12 February 1933 in Loutra-Iraias, Greece. He is a director and writer, known for Z (1969), Missing (1982) and Amen. (2002). He has been married to Michèle Ray-Gavras since 1968. They have two children.Both parents were Greek; was born in Loutra-Iraias, Greece; birth name was Konstantinos Gavras
Is currently 91 years old- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Director
TV sportscaster Bob Costas is known as a smart interviewer with encyclopedic knowledge and a devilish sense of humor.
He was born in the borough of Queens, New York. He is the son of Jayne (Quinlan) and John George Costas, an electrical engineer. His father's roots are Greek, from the island of Kalymnos in the Aegean Sea, and his mother is of Irish and German descent. He grew up primarily in Commack, New York, graduating from Commack High School South. Following high school, Costas majored in communications at Syracuse University. He left school prior to graduating to accept a job at radio giant KMOX in St. Louis. Later he received an honorary degree from Syracuse's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.Father was Greek; mother was Irish and German- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Certainly idiosyncratic as a writer, Cameron Crowe has created a series of scripts that, while liked by the critics, were considered offbeat and difficult to market.
Cameron Bruce Crowe was born in Palm Springs, California, to Alice Marie Crowe (née George), a teacher and activist, and James A. Crowe, a real estate/telephone business owner. Cameron began his writing career as a 15-year-old high-school student, with articles on music submitted to Rolling Stone magazine, and only a few years later had his first script, for Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982). This movie was important for more than his career - his future wife Nancy Wilson had a small role in the film. Music remained important to him, with the rock band Pearl Jam playing a bit role in Singles (1992) well before they were "discovered". His next movie, Jerry Maguire (1996), took over five years to develop - a chance photograph of a football player and his agent was the initial inspiration. It took some 20 drafts and near terminal discouragement that he would ever get it right before the film finally made it to the screen. And this time his wife composed the music.Mother is half Greek, half Spanish
Oscar-winning screenwriter best known for the films "Almost Famous," "Jerry Maguire," "Vanilla Sky," and "Fast Times at Ridgemont High"- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Stunning, dark-haired '40s and '50s leading lady Margia Dean was the daughter of a Greek lawyer. Her parents moved from Athens to the US in 1913, a number of years before her birth on April 7, 1922, in Chicago, Illinois. The youngest of three girls, she was christened Marguerite Louise Skliris. Her family moved to San Francisco when she was 4 years old and by age 7 she was a working actress whose stage credits included Little Eva in "Uncle Tom's Cabin," Mytyl in "The Blue Bird" and Becky Thatcher in "Tom Sawyer."
As a juvenile performer she won talent scholarships for both the Reginald Travers Repertory Company and the Henry Duffy Players companies, and at age 15 won a national Shakespearean performance contest. Margia grew up to become a dazzling beauty and began appearing in a number of pageants that would eventually attract the attention of Hollywood. She won the titles of "Miss San Francisco" and "Miss California," which led to a first-prize talent in the "Miss America" contest.
In 1944 the 22-year-old hopeful made her film debut at Republic Pictures but was not signed to a contract. She went on to freelance in other parts for both major (Columbia, MGM, Fox) and minor (Monogram, PRC) studios, where strong focus remained on her shapely figure. She made little impression until winning her first leading role in Shep Comes Home (1948) co-starring Robert Lowery for Screen Guild. Finally earning co-star billing, albeit on a second-string level, she became much more visible in her films, which included Red Desert (1949), The Lonesome Trail (1955), Villa!! (1958) and the cult classics The Quatermass Xperiment (1955), 7 Women from Hell (1961) and (her last) Moro Witch Doctor (1964). At the same time she appeared in myriad TV and theater productions, and engaged in an enviable jet-setting social life with escorts that included Prince Aly Khan.
Frustrations set in, however, as the obviously talented actress found herself almost exclusively bonded in the "B" film ranks where she could still attract audiences as a temptress or villainess. While she occasionally graced an "A" picture--including Living in a Big Way (1947) starring Gene Kelly, Take Care of My Little Girl (1951) with Jeanne Crain and Mitzi Gaynor and The Revolt of Mamie Stover (1956) starring Jane Russell--her roles were usually smaller in size. Although she admittedly took on a number of roles that were beneath her talent in order to pay the bills, some of her better acting appearances actually came later in her career, notably The Secret of the Purple Reef (1960) with Peter Falk and The Big Show (1961) starring Esther Williams and Cliff Robertson.
In subsequent years Margia expanded her interests to include producing at a time when few women could break into such a male-dominated field. She was the executive producer of the western The Long Rope (1961) starring Hugh Marlowe. She was also associate producer on a couple of minor '60s films made in England and produced a TV pilot. In 1965 she married second husband Felipe Alvarez, an architect by trade, whose own creative outlets included painting, writing, photography, guitar and voice, and eventually left the business.
Margia went on to become the vice-president of a major real estate firm, a Beverly Hills restaurateur and a Brentwood dress shop owner. Happily married to Alvarez for 40+ years, the couple has retired blissfully to the Southern California area. The still-vivacious octogenarian is glimpsed from time to time at film festivals and nostalgia conventions. Had a few more lucky breaks and some better career decisions come her way, there is no telling what kind of "A"-level heights lovely Margia Dean might have attained. Still, she remains a viable and entertaining footnote in Hollywood's past.Both parents were Greek immigrants to the U.S.; birth name was Marguerite Louise Skliris
Was a B-movie actress who was popular in the 1940's and 1950's
DIED JUNE 23, 2023, age 100, of natural causes- Producer
- Actor
- Executive
John Paul DeJoria was born on 13 April 1944 in Echo Park, Los Angeles, California, USA. He is a producer and actor, known for You Don't Mess with the Zohan (2008), Sound of Freedom (2023) and Bernie (2011). He has been married to Eloise DeJoria since 13 June 1993. They have six children.Mother was Greek; father was Italian; was born in Los Angeles, California
Was once homeless, but is now the billionaire owner of John Paul Mitchell hair products- Actress
- Writer
- Director
Natasia Charlotte Demetriou is an English comedian, actress, and screenwriter. She is best known for her roles as Nadja in the FX horror comedy series What We Do in the Shadows (2019-present) and Sophie in the Channel 4 sitcom Stath Lets Flats (2018-present).Natasia was born in London, the daughter of an English mother and a Greek-Cypriot father. She was raised in North London. Her younger brother, Jamie Demetriou, is a comedian and actor with whom she often collaborates. She studied acting at University of Leeds. Prior to becoming a professional comedian, Demetriou worked as a makeup artist, notably working on music videos for Boy Better Know.Father is Greek; mother is English; was born in London, UK- Adam Demos is an Australian actor. He is best known for his roles as August Walker on the American television series Unreal and Brad in the Netflix series Sex/Life. Adam Demos was born in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. His mother Lindy Demos is of Greek descent. He attended Tarrawanna Public School and graduated from Dapto High School in 2003. He is a cousin of Australian basketball player Tyson Demos.Mother is Greek; father is British and Irish
Was born in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia - Composer
- Music Department
- Actor
Composer and conductor Alexandre Desplat, Oscar winner and seven-time Academy Award nominated, for his prolific filmography and his collaborations with Stephen Frears, Terrence Malick, Ang Lee, Kathryn Bigelow, Jacques Audiard, Wes Anderson, Roman Polanski, George Clooney or Matteo Garrone is one of the most worthy heirs of the French masters of film music.
Brought up in a cultural and musical mix thanks to his Greek mother and his French father who studied and got married in California, he grew up listening to French symphonists, Ravel or Debussy , world music and jazz.
He studied piano and trumpet before choosing the flute as the main instrument. As a free auditor in Claude Ballif's analysis class at the CNSM, he enriches his classical musical education by studying Brazilian and African music. He will record later with Carlinhos Brown or Ray Lema.
Passionate about film music, it's as much his musical sensitivity as his intimate approach to cinematographic language that will allow his privileged relationship with filmmakers. Inspired by the scores of Maurice Jarre, Bernard Herrmann, Nino Rota or Georges Delerue, it is after hearing the score of John Williams for Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) that he decides to compose exclusively for the big screen.
During the recording of his first feature film he meets violinist Dominique Lemonnier. This is the beginning of an exceptional artistic exchange as she becomes her favorite soloist, artistic director and wife. With his strong sense of interpretation, his creative spirit and his singular violin playing, Solré inspired Alexandre's compositions, influencing his music in depth, initiating a new way of writing for the strings in the cinema.
Collaborator of Jacques Audiard since his first film, he creates for his works strong and singular compositions and he won in 2005 for The Beat That My Heart Skipped (2005) the Silver Bear of the Berlinale, and his first Caesar. He works in France with Philippe de Broca and Francis Girod but Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003) of Peter Webber, his 50th score for the film, he gets a first Golden Globe nomination and BAFTA and began his rise in Hollywood. Leading American career and European collaborations and remaining faithful to his directors, he composes among others Syriana (2005)'s scores of Stephen Gaghan, Birth (2004) of Jonathan Glazer, Coco Before Chanel (2009) by Anne Fontaine, Army of Crime (2009) by Robert Guédiguian, The Heir Apparent: Largo Winch (2008) by Jérôme Salle, Intimate Enemies (2007) or Hostage (2005) by Florent-Emilio Siri.
Prizes and collaborations with the greatest directors follow one another. In 2007, he received his first Oscar nomination for Stephen Frears's The Queen (2006) and won his first European Film Award. The same year, he won the Golden Globe, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award, and the World Soundtrack Award for John Curran's score The Painted Veil (2006), performed by pianist Láng Lang. He composed in 2008 for Lust, Caution (2007) by Ang Lee and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) by David Fincher which will earn him a second Oscar nomination and a fourth Golden Globes and BAFTA nomination.
With his score for The Ghost Writer (2010) by Roman Polanski, he won in 2010 a second César and a second European Film Award. The same year he wrote the music of The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) by Chris Weitz, whose album was a platinum record, and Tom Hooper's The King's Speech (2010) for which he won the BAFTA, the Grammy Award, and was nominated for the fourth time at the Oscars and for the fifth time at the Golden Globes.
In 2010-2011 he wrote the music of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) which became the third greatest success of all time. He composed in 2011 nine partitions, The Tree of Life (2011) of Terrence Malick, Carnage (2011) by Roman Polanski, Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) by George Clooney , which earned him another Oscar nomination, The Well-Digger's Daughter (2011) by Daniel Auteuil and The Ides of March (2011) by George Clooney.
In 2012 he worked with Kathryn Bigelow for Zero Dark Thirty (2012), Matteo Garrone for Reality (2012), Gilles Bourdos for Renoir (2012), Jérôme Salle for Zulu (2013), George Clooney for Moonrise Kingdom (2012) and Jacques Audiard for Rust and Bone (2012) for which he won a third Cesar. For his score of Argo (2012) of Ben Affleck, Oscar for Best Picture, it is named for the sixth time BAFTA, and for the fifth time at the Golden Globes and the Oscars.
He signed in 2013 the partition The Monuments Men (2014) from George Clooney, Venus in Fur (2013) of Roman Polanski, and was appointed to the BAFTAs and the Oscars for Philomena (2013) of Stephen Frears.
In 2014 he composed the music Godzilla (2014) of Gareth Edwards, and receives exceptional fact, two Oscar nominations for The Imitation Game (2014) of Morten Tyldum and The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) by George Clooney, for which he won a BAFTA, Grammy and Oscar.
Member of the jury of the Cannes Film Festival in 2012, he became in 2014 the first composer President of the jury of the Venice Film Festival. Crowning long years of collaboration, he directed the London Symphony Orchestra in December 2014 for a concert of his works at the Barbican Theater in London.
In 2018, Alexandre Desplat received a second Oscar, a Golden Globe and a BAFTA for The Shape of Water (2017) of Guillermo del Toro.Mother is Greek; father is French; was born in Paris, France
Is a two-time Oscar winner and seven-time Oscar nominee- Actor
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Chris grew up splitting his time between Greece and Canada. At age 9, he started doing TV commercials and professional theater. He left home at 18 to perform in a series of US national tours after which, he landed on Broadway. Chris now splits his time between New York and Los Angeles acting in TV and Film. Also an established voice-over artist, he can be heard on numerous national campaigns and networks.Both parents are Greek; speaks fluent Greek; born in Toronto, Canada- Matt Di Angelo was born on 1 May 1987 in Enfield, London, England, UK. He is an actor, known for The Smoke (2014), EastEnders (1985) and I Dream (2004). He has been married to Sophia Perry since 4 September 2021. They have two children.Father is Greek; birth name was Mario Angelo S. Constantinou; was born in London, England
- Alex Dimitriades was born on 28 December 1973 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. He is an actor, known for Head On (1998), Ghost Ship (2002) and Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo (2005).Both parents are Greek; was born in Sydney, Australia
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Michael Dukakis, three-term governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts who served longer in that post than any other person in history, is best remembered in history as the 1988 Democratic candidate for President in an election in which Ronald Reagan's vice president, George Bush, effectively used "Swift Boat" tactics to undermine Dukakis' candidacy.
Born Michael Stanley Dukakis on November 3, 1933 to Greek-immigrant parents in Brookline, Massachusetts (the birthplace of both John F. Kennedy and his 1988 Presidential opponent Bush). Dukakis' father was a Harvard-educated physician and his mother was a Massachusetts schoolteacher. She worked to eliminate first her native Greek accent and then her New England accent to remove imperfections from her speech pattern that might hinder her teaching ability. In a time and place where non-Anglo-Saxon ethnicity was looked down upon (even that of the Irish Americans who emigrated to the U.S. with the ability to speak English and a knowledge of Anglo-Saxon politics) and even proved a hindrance to social mobility, the Dukakis family was committed to assimilation. Part of the bad rap against Dukakis that would cost him his first reelection campaign as governor and his bid for the White House was that he was too stiff and formal; yet, being brought up in an era and place in which overt displays of emotion were looked down upon upon by the ruling class of Boston Brahmins as too "ethnic" (as well as betraying lower-caste origins), one can understand Dukakis' coolness and reserve as being an attempt not to be stereotyped by his social "betters". (His contemporary, three-term New York governor Mario Cuomo, said that when he entered law practice in the early 1950s, he was told to ditch his Italian name and rename himself something along the lines of "Mike COnnors". He, of course, refused, though that type of ethnic cleansing was considered normal among upwardly mobile and socially ambitious "urban ethnics" of the time.)
The class system in Boston was so strict before being shattered by John F. Kennedy's presidency that JFJ's father, Joseph P. Kennedy, felt the need to relocate his family to New York City in the 1930s so that they would no grow up amidst anti-Irish prejudice. Despite the fact that he was one of the richest men in the country and his wife was the daughter of a Boston mayor, an Irish Catholic was beyond the pale, socially, to the Boston Brahmins, the brethren of the Cabot and Lodge families that dominated the self-proclaimed "Hub" of the universe. (A local ditty went about Boston hailed the Hub as "...the land of the bean and the cod,/Where the Lodges speak only to the Cabots,/And the Cabots speak only to God.)
After graduating from Swarthmore College in 1955, Dukakis served as an enlisted intelligence analyst in the U.S. Army. After completing his military service, he graduated from Harvard Law School in 1960. After serving in the General Court (Massachusetts legislature), Dukakis was elected governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1974, defeating the incumbent Republican Francis W. Sargent. The commonwealth was undergoing a fiscal crisis and the Republican Party was very unpopular in the commonwealth, the only state that had been won in the electoral college by 1972 Presidential candidate George McGovern two years before. Dukakis' victory was the result, partially, of his taking a pledge not to increase the state's sales tax to balance the state budget, but he reneged on the promise soon after taking office. During the great Blizzard of 1978, which shut down Boston and a good deal of the Commonwealth, "The Duke" went into local TV studios in a sweater to announce emergency bulletins. The coldness of his public persona in the midst of the crisis was likened to that of the weather itself, and hurt his popularity. Combined with a nation-wide and local backlash against the high property tax rates, and his reneging on his promise to not raise the sales tax, he lost to Edward J. King in the Democratic primary, as King capitalized on the issue of taxes. Following California's lead, the voters of the Commonwealth voted for Proposition 2 and 1/2 that limited property tax rates to 2 1/2% of the property valuation.
Dukakis defeated King in in the Democratic primary in 1982, and easily defeated his Republican opponent to be reelected governor. (Fellow future Democratic Presidential nominee John Kerry was elected Lieutenant Governor on the same ballot with Dukakis, serving in the Dukakis administration from 1983 to 1985, when he was took Paul Tsongas's Senate seat.) The second term and the first years of Dukakis' third term as governor were very successful (he won re-election in 1986 with over 60% of the vote), during which time he presided over a booming economy fueled by the high-technology industry, second at the time only to that of California. A reform-minded technocrat, Dukakis was given credit for the "Massachusetts Miracle" (part of the credit of which should be attributed to Masssachusetts Congressman Tip O'Neil, who had taken over JFK's old congressional district, who as the powerful Democratic Speaker of the House helped direct billions in defense spending to the Commonwealth).
The National Governors Association voted Dukakis the most effective governor in 1986, positioning Dukakis for a bid for the presidency. Basing his candidacy as the architect of the "Massachusetts Miracle", Dukakis overcame the other contenders for the Democratic Party presidential nomination (a group dubbed the "Seven Dwarfs" by the media for their collective lack of stature or prominence on the national stage; Dukakis' own personal lack of stature). The success of the Dukakis' campaign was largely attributed to campaign manager John Sasso, who had originally worked for rival candidate Joseph Biden. (Having also managed the campaigns of Al Gore and John Kerry, Sasso is now 0-3 in presidential election contests.)
Dukakis came out of the Democratic convention with an overwhelming lead over Ronald Reagan's heir-apparent, Vice President George Bush, the Republican nominee, but would not or could not handle the dirty campaign tactics that were the stock-in-trade of all the Vice President's men, including Lee Atwater. While the Dukakis camp expected an attack on their candidate as a traditional liberal, they did not seem to be able to cope with the McCarthyite vitriol from the Bush camp, which sought to make the "L" word the equivalent of what communism had been in the early 1950s. Harking back to McCarthy, Bush had accused Dukakis during one of their televised debates as being a "card-carrying member of the American Civil Liberties Union," replacing "communist" with the ACLU (a variation of the "L"-word) and recycling an old charge from the '50s against liberals and "fellow travelers".
Unlike future Democratic Presidential candidate Bill Clinton (who had delivered the key-note address at the 19988 Democratic convention), who- when confronted with Bush's dirty tactics, such as pillorying his
As it had during the Big Blizzard, The Duke's stoical personality as projected to the voting public was interpreted as a lack of passion (which ran against the traditional stereotype of the Greek-American being fiery if not hot headed, an image that Dukakis, like his mother earlier, chose to expunge from his being). His opponents, touching on his reputation as a technocrat and superb administrator, referred to him as "Zorba the Clerk." Nevertheless, Dukakis widely was perceived to have performed well in the first presidential debate with Bush, and his candidacy was buoyed by his running mate, Texas Senator Lloyd Bentsen, who was not afraid to take off the gloves. However, in the second debate, the runner stumbled; Dukakis had been suffering from the flu. Still, his performance was poor and played to his reputation as being cold, particularly his response to moderator Bernard Shaw's question, "Governor, if Kitty Dukakis [his wife] were raped and murdered, would you favor an irrevocable death penalty for the killer?"
Projecting himself as a man of reason, Dukakis replied with no visible emotion, "No, I don't, and I think you know that I've opposed the death penalty during all of my life," and then explained his stance. Many observers felt Dukakis' answer lacked the normal emotions one would expect of a person discussing a loved one's rape and death. Many - including the candidate himself - believe that this, in part, cost Dukakis the election, as his poll numbers dropped from 49% to 42% nationally overnight. Other commentators thought the question itself was unfair, in that it injected an irrelevant emotional element into the discussion of a policy issue.
Arguably the greatest issue of the campaign was that of race and crime, as articulated by the Bush camp in the prison furlough program issue. Framed by Lee Atwater, the Bush camp ran ads that criticized Dukakis for a prison furlough program that resulted in the release of convicted murderer Willie Horton, an African American, who committed a rape and assault in Maryland after fleeing Massachusetts. While it was Al Gore during the Democratic primaries that was the first candidate to publicly raise the furlough issue and highlight the fact that a furloughed prisoner had broken into a house, raped a woman and beaten her husband, Gore never mentioned Horton by name or highlighted the fact that he black, as the TV ads did merely by running his picture.
Despite the fact that the furlough program was started before Dukakis' gubernatorial administration and that the federal government under Ronald Reagan had a similar program that had resulted in similar outcomes, candidate Bush decided to play the race and crime card to boost his candidacy. Bush mentioned Horton by name in a speech in June 1988 and an "independent" political action committee (PAC) legally not affiliated with the Bush campaign, the National Security Political Action Committee, aired an ad entitled "Weekend Passes" which used a mug shot image of the African American Horton. The Bush campaign refused to repudiate it, and indeed, followed it up with its own, official campaign ad, "Revolving Door," criticizing Dukakis over the furlough program without mentioning Horton.
The first Bush to be president also hammered on the patriotism theme (and unlike his son, an errant National Guard pilot during the Vietnam War, George H.W. Bush was an authentic war hero, serving honorably during the Second World War) to undermine Dukakis by portraying him as soft on defense, in regards to the controversial "Star Wars" Space Defense Initiative program, which Dukakis promised to scale down. The response to this provocation lead to a public relations disaster when the Dukakis campaign engineered a photo-op at the General Dynamics plant in Michigan in September 1988, in which The Duke was photographed driving an M1 Abrams tank. Filmed wearing a safety helmet that seemed too large for his head, Dukakis looked awkward, out of place, and decidedly uncomfortable in such a military setting. Footage of Dukakis was used by the Bush campaign as evidence he would not make a good commander-in-chief, and "Dukakis in the tank" is still shorthand among political operatives for disastrous public relations outings.
The campaign arguably was the dirtiest since the 19th century until Bush's son ran for reelection against John Kerry in 2004. Dukakis lost the 1988 election and retired from active politics after his gubernatorial term expired in 1991. The "Massachusetts Miracle" expired during the lead up to the recession that gripped America in the Bush administration, and The Duke's popularity withered as he was forced to significantly raise taxes. He did not run for a fourth term in 1990; controversial Boston University President John Silber, a social reactionary who was dubbed by Ronald Reagan his "Favorite Demcorat" won the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, and narrowly lost the general election to William Weld, ushering in nearly two decades of Republican governors in the heavily Democratic Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
After the end of his term, he served on the board of directors for Amtrak. Splitting his time between Boston and Los Angeles, California, he became a professor of political science at Boston's Northeastern University and a visiting professor of public policy at the University of California, Los Angeles. Dukakis has recently developed a strong passion for grassroots campaigning and the appointment of precinct captains to coordinate local campaigning activities, two strategies he feels are essential for the Democratic Party to compete effectively in both local and national elections. His policies have become gospel to Howard Dean, the head of the Democratic Central Committee. He also has taken a strong role in advocating for effective public transportation and high speed rail as a solution to automobile congestion and the lack of space at airports.Both parents were Greek; is currently 90 years old
Longest-serving governor in Massachusetts history; was the Democratic nominee for U.S. President in 1988; cousin of actress Olympia Dukakis- Actress
- Producer
Long a vital, respected thespian of the classic and contemporary stage, this grand lady did not become a household name and sought-after film actress until age 56 when she turned in a glorious, Oscar-winning performance as Cher's sardonic mother in the romantic comedy Moonstruck (1987). Movie (and TV) fans then discovered what East coast theater-going audiences had uncovered decades before -- Olympia Dukakis was an acting treasure. Her adaptability to various ethnicities (Greek, Italian, Jewish, Eastern European, etc.), as well her chameleon-like versatility in everything from cutting edge comedy to stark tragedy, kept her in high demand for 30 years as one of Hollywood's topnotch character players.
Olympia Dukakis was born on June 20, 1931, in Lowell, Massachusetts, the daughter of Greek immigrants, Alexandra (Christos), from the Peloponnese, and Constantine S. Dukakis, from Anatolia. She majored in physical therapy at Boston University, where she graduated with a BA. Olympia practiced as a physical therapist during the polio epidemic. She later returned to her alma mater and entered the graduate program in performing arts, earning a Master of Fine Arts degree.
Olympia found early success by distinguishing herself first on stage performing in summer stock and with several repertory and Shakespearean companies throughout the county. She made her Broadway debut as an understudy in "The Aspern Papers" at age 30, followed by very short runs in the plays "Abraham Cochrane" (1964) and "Who's Who in Hell" (1974). In 1999, she premiered a one-woman play "Rose," at the National Theatre in London and subsequently on Broadway in 2000. The play earned her an Outer Critics Circle Award and Drama Desk Award nomination and she continues to tour the country with it.
Olympia was seen on the New York stage in the Roundabout Theatre's production of "The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore" (2011), in San Francisco in A.C.T.'s production of "Vigil" (2011) and as "Prospera" in "The Tempest" (2012) at Shakespeare & Co. She has performed in over 130 productions Off-Broadway and regionally at theaters including the Public Theatre, A.C.T., Shakespeare in the Park, Shakespeare & Co., and the Williamstown Summer Theatre Festival, where she also served as Associate Director. She was seen again at Shakespeare & Co. in the summer of 2013 as the title role in "Mother Courage and Her Children."
Olympia married Yugoslav-American actor Louis Zorich in 1962. The New York-based couple went on to co-found The Whole Theatre Company in Montclair, New Jersey, and ran the company for 19 years (1971-1990). As actress, director, producer and teacher, she still found the time to raise their three young children. She also became a master instructor at New York University for fourteen years. She scored theater triumphs in "A Man's a Man," for which she won an Off-Broadway Obie Award in 1962; several productions of "The Cherry Orchard" and "Mother Courage"; "Six Characters in Search of an Author"; "The Rose Tattoo"; "The Seagull"; "The Marriage of Bette and Boo" (another Obie Award); and, more notably, her many performances as the title role in "Hecuba." A good portion of her successes was launched within the walls of her own theater company, which encouraged the birth of new and untried plays.
Olympia's prolific stage directing credits include many of the classics: "Orpheus Descending," "The House of Bernarda Alba," "Uncle Vanya," and "A Touch of the Poet," as well as the more contemporary ("One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and "Kennedy's Children"). She also adapted such plays as "Mother Courage" and "The Trojan Women" for the theater company. Over the duration of their marriage, she and her husband have experienced shared successes, appearing together in "Long Day's Journey Into Night," "Camino Real, "The Three Sisters" and "The Seagull," among many others. Both are master interpreters of Chekhovian plays -- one of their more recent acting collaborations was in "The Chekhov Cycle" in 2003.
Making an inauspicious debut in a bit role as a mental patient in Lilith (1964), she tended to gravitate toward off-the-wall films with various offshoots of the ethnic mother. She played mom to such leads as Dustin Hoffman in John and Mary (1969), Joseph Bologna in the cult comedy Made for Each Other (1971) and Ray Sharkey in The Idolmaker (1980). Interestingly, it was her scene-stealing work on Broadway in the comedy "Social Security" (1986) that caught director Norman Jewison's eye and earned her the Moonstruck (1987) movie role. The Academy Award win for Best Supporting Actress was the last of a stream of awards she earned for that part, including the Los Angeles Film Critics, Golden Globe and American Comedy awards.
From then on, silver-haired Olympia was frequently first in line for a number of cream-of-the-crop matron roles: Steel Magnolias (1989), Dad (1989), Look Who's Talking (1989), The Cemetery Club (1993), Mr. Holland's Opus (1995) and Mother (1995).
On TV, she received high praise for her work especially for her sympathetic trans-gendered landlady Anna Madrigal in the acclaimed miniseries Tales of the City (1993) and its sequels More Tales of the City (1998) (Emmy Nominee) and Further Tales of the City (2001). She was additionally seen in episodes of Bored to Death (2009), and TV movies The Last of the Blonde Bombshells (2000) (Judi Dench), Sinatra (1992) (Golden Globe Nominee), and The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (1999) (Emmy Nominee). This work is among more than 40 other series, mini-series and guest starring roles she accumulated over her long career. Several recurring TV roles also came her way with Center of the Universe (2004), Bored to Death (2009), Sex & Violence (2013), Forgive Me (2013), Switch (2018) and one last return to her popular Anna Madrigal role with the series sequel Tales of the City (2019).
The septuagenarian hardly slowed down and continued strongly into the millennium with top supporting film credits including The Intended (2002), The Event (2003), the title role in the mystery Charlie's War (2003), The Thing About My Folks (2005), Jesus, Mary and Joey (2005), Away from Her (2006), Day on Fire (2006), In the Land of Women (2007), The Last Keepers (2013), A Little Game (2014), 7 Chinese Brothers (2015), The Infiltrator (2016), Her Secret Sessions (2016) and Change in the Air (2018). The film Cloudburst (2011), in which she shared a co-lead with Brenda Fricker, became a critical and audience darling, winning a multitude of "Best Film" awards and several "Best Actress" honors (Seattle, San Diego) at various film festivals.
An ardent liberal and Democrat, she was the cousin of 1988 presidential nominee Michael Dukakis. Moreover, she was a strong advocate of women's rights and environmental causes. Olympia published her best-selling autobiography "Ask Me Again Tomorrow: A Life in Progress" in 2003, an introspective chronicle full of her trademark candor and wry humor. She was also a figure on the lecture circuit covering topics as widespread as life in the theater to feminism, Alzheimer's, diabetes, and osteoporosis.
A hardcore New Yorker, she resided there following the death of her husband in 2018, and until her death in May 2021. She received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Greek America Foundation, the National Arts Club Medal of Honor, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.Both parents were Greek
Oscar winner and two-time Golden Globe winner; cousin of politician Michael Dukakis
DIED May 1, 2021, age 89- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
A charismatic performer who spent years on television looking for his big break, actor George Eads finally became a television star portraying forensic investigator Nick Stokes on the hit procedural "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (CBS, 2000- ). Prior to that role, Eads eked out a living with roles on less-than-popular shows like "Strange Luck" (Fox, 1995-96) and Aaron Spelling's short-lived "Savannah" (The WB, 1996-97), before carving out a niche in TV movies like "The Ultimate Lie" (USA, 1996) and "Crowned and Dangerous" (ABC, 1997). He went on to score a few episodes of "ER" (NBC, 1994-2009) and had a regular role on the sitcom "Grapevine" (CBS, 2000), only to find himself out of work once more when that series was canceled after five episodes. But Eads segued right away into "CSI," where he was fortunate enough to have landed on a series that ran well into the next decade, turning him into a known commodity while allowing the actor the comfort of tackling outside roles as he chose. During his time on the show, Eads landed a number of guest spots and TV movies, but none as high-profile as his starring turn as the iconic 1970s daredevil, "Evel Knievel" (TNT, 2004). With his portrayal of Stokes, Eads was elevated from unknown to fan favorite after years of struggle.Mother is Greek; father was English and Irish; was born in Fort Worth, Texas- Actor
- Producer
Evan Evagora was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia. His mother Marie is of New Zealand and Cook Island Maori descent and moved from Auckland at the age of 20. His father, Xristos immigrated to Australia from his homeland of Cyprus at the age of three.
The youngest of seven siblings, Evan grew up excelling in sports, learning boxing at a very young age (instructed by his father, an ex professional) as well as playing Australian football. His family also pushed him to pursue his creative interests, having starred in school productions throughout primary school.
As he entered high school Evan's focus shifted primarily to sports, winning a state boxing championship as well competing in football finals. At the end of his schooling Evan took a gap year across Europe with a group of friends before enrolling into film school. During his study he was scouted and then later moved to Sydney to pursue his acting careerFather is Greek; mother is Maori from New Zealand; was born in Melbourne, Australia- Actress
- Soundtrack
Known for her performance in La Vie d'Adèle (Blue Is The Warmest Color) by Abdellatif Kechiche, that landed her both the Palme d'Or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival and the César for Most Promising Actress that same year, Adèle Exarchopoulos has been on the French and International big screen regularly since then. Going forward with original projects, such as "Qui Vive" by Marianne Tardieu (2014) or "Les Anarchistes" by Elie Wajeman (2015), she took part in international projects like "The Last Face" by Sean Penn and "Noureev" by Ralph Fiennes before returning to Cannes in 2019 with "Sibyl", a psychological drama by Justine Triet. The past year marks another turning point in her career as she was in two critically acclaimed comedy projects: the successful TV show "La Flamme" by Jonathan Cohen and long awaited movie "Mandibules" by Quentin Dupieux. She will soon be seen in the big action drama "Bac Nord" by Cedric Jimenez as well as a few other projects including "Rien à Foutre" by Emmanuel Marre and "Les Cinq Diables" by Léa Mysius.Paternal grandfather was Greek; was born in Paris, France
Is a Cesar award-winning actress; at age 19 became the youngest person to ever receive the Palme d'Or award at the Cannes Film Festival- Writer
- Actress
- Producer
Elizabeth Stamatina Fey was born in 1970 in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, just west of Philadelphia, to Xenobia "Jeanne" (Xenakes), a brokerage employee, and Donald Henry Fey, who wrote grant proposals for universities. Her mother is Greek, born in Piraeus, while her father had German, Northern Irish, and English ancestry. Going by the name of Tina, Fey considered herself a "supernerd" during her high school and college years. She studied drama at the University of Virginia, and after graduating in 1992, she headed to Chicago, the ancestral home of American comedy. While working at a YMCA to support herself, she started Second City's first set of courses. After about nine months, a teacher told her to just skip ahead and audition for the more selective Second City Training Center. She failed but about eight weeks later, she re-auditioned and got into the year-long program. She ended up spending many years at The Second City in Chicago where many SNL cast members first started out. Then in 1995, Saturday Night Live (1975) came to The Second City's cast, including Fey's friend, Adam McKay, as a writer, searching for new talent. What they found was Tina Fey. When Adam was made Head writer, he suggested Fey should send a submission packet over the summer with six sketches, 10 pages each. Tina took the advice and sent them. After Lorne Michaels met her and saw her work she was offered a job a week later. She admitted that she was extremely nervous working in the legendary Studio 8H; being a foot shorter than everyone else, younger, and being one of the only female writers at the time. After a few years, Tina made history by becoming the first female head writer in the show's history. Tina also made her screen debut as a featured player during the 25th season by co-anchoring Weekend Update with Jimmy Fallon. Since Tina and Jimmy have taken over Weekend Update it has been considered the best ever. This year she made it to full fledged star by becoming a regular cast member, though she is hardly on the show, besides Update. And during the past two summers, Tina and Rachel Dratch performed their two-woman show to critical acclaim in both Chicago (1999) and New York (2000) and made their Aspen Comedy Festival Debut. Tina is married to Jeff Richmond, a Second City director and lives in New York City.Mother is Greek, born in Piraeus, Greece; father has German, Irish, and English ancestry
Birth name was Elizabeth Stamatina Fey; two-time Golden Globe winner and six-time Emmy winner- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Art Department
Spiros Focas is one of Greece's most respected and well-known actors. He was discovered by legendary Italian director Luchino Visconti and cast in a lead role in the classic Rocco and His Brothers (1960). He went on to star in many Greek and Italian films throughout the 1960s and '70s, working with such famous directors as Vincente Minnelli and Ferdinando Baldi. His work in Hollywood includes the hit films The Jewel of the Nile (1985) and Rambo III (1988). His most recent work includes the role of Uncle Telly in 3 Nights in Nisyros (2009).Both parents were Greek; was born in Patras, Greece; birth name was Spyridon Androutsopoulos
DIED November 10, 2023, age 86, of natural causes- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Jason David Frank is well-known for his role of Tommy Oliver in the long-running family television show Power Rangers. He is the voice of Emissary in Transformers: Titans Returns and brings Bloodshot to life in the highly-anticipated project Ninjak vs.the Valiant Universe. Always one looking for adventure, Jason shares his exciting life in the extremely popular series My Morphin Life, which is now in its fourth season.
Arguably the most popular and famous Power Ranger, Jason's character was only intended to be in ten episodes. Due to his popularity, he was morphed into the most amount of different rangers in the show's twenty-four year history. He began as the Mighty Morphin Green Ranger, a bad boy turned good, and subsequently morphed into the Mighty Morphin White Ranger, Red Zeo, Red Turbo, and then returned in 2004 as the Black Dino Thunder Ranger.
Throughout Power Ranger history, Jason David Frank's character has appeared in 225 total episodes and counting, more episodes than any other ranger. He also starred in the series both full-length movies, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers the Movie (1995) and Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie (1997). In 2013, Jason David Frank reprised his role of the Green Ranger in the Power Ranger's 20th Anniversary season, which featured a mega-war with many rangers from the show's long history, and was most recently had a cameo in the Power Rangers movie. With his dynamic screen presence and outstanding martial arts, he has catapulted Tommy to legendary fame in the Power Ranger fandom and to this day, maintains an enormous fan base that stretches around the world.
His martial arts is not just for television and films, Jason, an inductee of the World Karate Union Hall of Fame, is a highly accomplished and respected martial artist with 39 years of experience. In 1994, he created his own martial arts system, "Toso Kune Do," which means "Way of the Fighting Fist" and incorporates many different aspects of martial arts. He holds an eighth degree black belt in American Karate, a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and in February 2013, he received the title of Master of Muay Thai by the world renowned Muay Thai trainer Grand Master Toddy (Arjan). He is the owner and operator of Rising Sun Karate and MMA, with three schools in Texas and one in California.
In January 2013, Jason David Frank became the Guinness World Record Holder for most 1 inch pine board broken during freefall. Jason, who was introduced to skydiving during Power Rangers, shattered the previous record with seven broken pine boards.
On November 19, 2022, Jason David Frank took his own life by hanging himself in the bathroom at the Texas hotel and died at the age 49.Maternal grandfather was Greek
DIED November 19, 2022 by suicide- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Zach Galifianakis was born in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, to Mary Frances (Cashion), who owned a community arts center, and Harry Galifianakis, a heating oil vendor. His father is of Greek descent and his mother is of mostly English and Scottish ancestry. Zach moved to New York City after failing his last college class by one point. Zach got his start performing his brand of humor in the back of a hamburger joint in Times Square. He toured the country, performing in coffee shops and universities.
After more than a decade performing stand-up and making both television and film appearances, Zach broke through to wider recognition with his co-starring role as "Alan Garner", in the comedy mega-hit, The Hangover (2009). Later that year, he played a large role in the CGI-heavy kids movie, G-Force (2009), and then appeared in memorable supporting parts in the films, Up in the Air (2009) (as a laid-off employee), Youth in Revolt (2009) (as a loutish stepfather), and Dinner for Schmucks (2010), as one of the title characters. More recently, he co-starred with Keir Gilchrist in the teen dramedy, It's Kind of a Funny Story (2010), with Robert Downey Jr. in the road trip comedy, Due Date (2010), and alongside Will Ferrell in the political spoof, The Campaign (2012). He also voiced "Humpty Dumpty" in the animated film, Puss in Boots (2011), and reprised his character in both The Hangover Part II (2011) and The Hangover Part III (2013). In 2014, he appeared in the winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014), and in 2016, he starred in the comedies Masterminds (2015) and Keeping Up with the Joneses (2016), released three weeks apart.
When not performing and acting, Zach spends time at his home in the mountains of his native North Carolina, where he hopes to open a writer's retreat on a completely self-sustained farm.Father is Greek; mother is Scottish and English- Actor
- Soundtrack
Nicholas Galitzine stars opposite Sofia Carson in the Netflix feature film Purple Hearts, directed by Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum. Just after its release at the end of July, Purple Hearts went straight to Number One and has broken viewing records, making it Netflix's most successful film of 2022 and their seventh most popular film of all time.
He has just wrapped the leading role of Prince Henry in Matthew Lopez' forthcoming Amazon feature film Red, White & Royal Blue and earlier this year he filmed Bottoms, the new feature film from Shiva Baby director Emma Seligman, opposite Rachel Sennott.
Nicholas starred as Prince Robert in Amazon's Cinderella for director Kay Cannon, opposite Camila Cabello. Before that, he was the male lead role of Timmy in the Sony feature The Craft for director Zoe Lister-Jones opposite Cailee Spaeny and produced by Jason Blum, Douglas Wick and Lucy Fisher, which was nominated for a GLAAD award.
He can also be seen as the series regular role of Elliot in the Netflix series Chambers written by Leah Rachel and directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, opposite Uma Thurman and Tony Goldwyn; as well as a supporting lead in the A24 feature Share for director Pippa Bianco, which premiered at Sundance 2019 and is based on Pippa's award winning short film.
Nick's previous leading film roles include Handsome Devil directed by John Butler opposite Andrew Scott, which won Best Film at the 2017 Dublin International Film Festival; The Beat Beneath My Feet which was nominated for a British Independent Film Award and a Crystal Bear at the Berlin Film Festival in 2015; The Changeover opposite Timothy Spall and The Watcher in the Woods opposite Anjelica Huston.Mother is Greek; father is British with Russian ancestry- Actress
- Additional Crew
- Producer
Ana Kristina Gasteyer was born on May 4, 1967 to Marian Roumell-Gasteyer and Phil Gasteyer. Gasteyer began her career at Northwestern University; she initially enrolled as a voice major, but later switched to theater studies when she started to get involved with the campus' improv comedy group. She went on to further develop and foster her comedy work with the Los Angeles improv group, The Groundlings.
Gasteyer is perhaps best known for her iconic work on Saturday Night Live. During her six-year stint, she created and delivered some of the most iconic SNL characters, including middle school music teacher "Bobbie Moughan-Culp", NPR radio host "Margaret Jo", Lilith Fair poetess "Cinder Calhoun", as well as her incomparable impressions of Martha Stewart, Celine Dion and Hillary Rodham Clinton.
On the big screen, Gasteyer was most recently seen in Amy Poehler's feature directorial debut, Wine Country, opposite her SNL friends and colleagues, currently available on Netflix. Next up for Gasteyer is Clea Duvall's Sony picture, Happiest Season, which she co-stars opposite Kristen Stewart, Aubrey Plaza and Victor Garber.
On the small screen, Gasteyer is a recurring character on the hit ABC series, The Goldbergs, as well as on the show's spin-off, Schooled. Additional notable credits include comedy hits Netflix's Lady Dynamite, TBS' People of Earth, HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm, and ABC's Suburgatory.
In addition to her comedy work, Gasteyer is an accomplished singer and songwriter. Her freshman album, I'm Hip, was released in 2014. It received critical reviews. Gasteyer's most recent album, Sugar & Booze, topped numerous "Best Holiday Album" lists. Billboard called the album "an uproarious homage to Christmas albums of old". Continuing, the LA Times wrote that, "'Saturday Night Live' alumna Gasteyer puts her considerable vocal chops to work here to marvelous effect on this ebullient big-band jazz effort."
Inspired by the music from Sugar and Booze, Gasteyer produced an 8-episode original series for Audible, which she co-wrote with Mona Mansour. The series featured characters voiced by Gasteyer, Maya Rudolph, Patti Lupone, and Rachel Dratch, among others.
Gasteyer was able to marry her phenomenal vocal talents with her acting skills in two of Fox's live musicals A Christmas Story and the iconic musical Grease. As well as Showtime's Reefer Madness. Most recently, she dazzled on the enormous hit Fox musical series The Masked Singer as fan favorite, The Tree.
On the stage, Gasteyer originated the role of "Elphaba" in the Chicago sit-down of Wicked and then went on to play the role on Broadway. Her resume also includes The Rocky Horror Show and the Tony Nominated plays: The Royal Family and Three Penny Opera. She also starred in Funny Girl, and Passion at The Chicago Shakespeare Theater, which earned her a Jefferson Award nomination. She played Miss Hannigan in the Tony-winning musical Annie at The Hollywood Bowl.Maternal grandfather was Greek- Actor
- Producer
Jordan Gavaris was born on 25 September 1989 in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. He is an actor and producer, known for The Lake (2022), Orphan Black (2013) and PEN15 (2019).Father is Greek; was born in Ontario, Canada- Director
- Producer
- Actor
Romain Gavras was born on 4 July 1981 in Paris, France. He is a director and producer, known for Athena (2022), Our Day Will Come (2010) and Sacrifice.Son of Greek director Costa-Gavras; was born in Paris, France- Solidly built, boyishly handsome American leading-man, Christopher George was the son of Greek immigrants. Weaned on stories of the legendary Greek heroes, George and his brother Nick (later a prominent fashion photographer) both quit high school to join the Marines. Completing his education after his tour of duty, George acted in numerous TV commercials, winning a New York Film Festival Award for his efforts. Appearing in Broadway plays like A Street Car Named Desire and films like Howard Hawks's El Dorado (1966). He became a great friend of John Wayne also in Chisum (1970). George also became a TV star in the wartime adventure series The Rat Patrol (1966). He later starred in the science fiction series The Immortal (1969) and then returned to filmmaking. He also starred in Project X (1968), The Train Robbers (1973), Midway (1976), Grizzly (1976), Day of the Animals (1977), The Exterminator (1980), Graduation Day (1981), and his last, Mortuary (1982). He also appeared in another 30 other films and TV guest appearances. Christopher George died of a heart attack. He was married to his wife, actress Lynda Day George (a frequent co-star) for 14 years.Both parents immigrated to the U.S. from Greece; Greek was his first language; was a Golden Globe nominee
DIED Novemer 28, 1983, age 52, of a heart attack - Odiseas Georgiadis is known for The Post (2017), The Perfect Date (2019) and CollegeHumor Originals (2006).Father is Greek; mother is from Ghana; birth name was Paul Danziger
- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Alexis Georgoulis was born in the Greek town Larissa. In 1993, he started studying at the National Technical University of Athens to become a Civil Engineer. In 1997, after graduating from the prestigious Jasmine Drama School, Alexis would go on to star in several stage productions. During this time, he teamed up with the dance group "Heresis" in the performance "Carmen 33" (1997) and "The Return" (1998).
Looking toward a career in front of the camera, Alexis took part in the TV series "Alice in Wonderland" (1997 ET channel), and "Death Agony" (1998 ET channel), and also in the short cut film "No One's Rose". In 2001, he co-starred in the sitcom "You Are My Mate", which became a huge success and made him one of Greece's most sought after leading men. Alexis would go on to appear in the Greek TV series "Oneiro Itan" (2003), "Erastis Ditikon Proastion" (2004) and "Oi Istories Tou Astynomou Beka" (2007).
In 2002, Alexis would star in back to back feature films, the comedy "The Bubble" and the crime drama "Too Late Tomorrow". Following the success of these films, Alexis starred in "Oxygono" (2003), which won the Fipresci Prize at the Thessaloniki Film Festival. Taking advantage of his big screen success, Alexis went on to direct the play "Good Luck" written by the rewarded Greek writer Bill Katsikonouris for the Progressive Stage of the National Theatre. The following year at the Kivotos Theatre (2004), he directed the black comedy "The Shape of Things", written by Neil Labute.
In 2005, Alexis returned to feature films playing the lead role of Dimitris Georgiou in "Liubi". In 2009, Alexis was given the opportunity to bring his talents overseas, playing the lead role in Fox Searchlight's "My Life in Ruins" also starring Nia Vardalos and Richard Dreyfuss. The film, produced by Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman, extended Alexis appeal and has since made him an international star extending far beyond Europe. Alexis can next be seen in "A Green Story" starring opposite Shannon Elizabeth.
Georgoulis is managed by Sages Entertainment Group.Born in Larissa, Greece to Greek parents
Is an actor, producer, and member of European Parliament- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Nick is an actor/writer/producer/director. He was born in Melbourne, Australia, the first born son of Greek Immigrant parents. He grew up mainly in the inner Melbourne suburbs of Fitzroy & Richmond. His main schools were Abbotsford Primary School & Richmond High School. He completed his HSC at Taylors College in 1980. In 1981 he was accepted into the Drama course at Rusden State College where he also majored in Media Studies majoring in Film. He left Rusden halfway through his course when he auditioned and was accepted into the Drama School at the prestigious Victorian College Of The Arts. He graduated in 1985 with a Degree in Dramatic Arts. In 1987-90 he toured Australia with ethnic comedy stage show: "Wogs Out Of Work", which he also co-wrote and produced. A huge success it played to over 750,000 people. In 1989-92 he starred in TV sitcom "Acropolis Now" for 5 seasons (63 episodes) which he also created and co-wrote. In 1990 he toured Australia with the play "The Heartbreak Kid" in which he played the lead role. In 1990-1991 he toured Australia with the stage production of "Acropolis Now Live", which he also co-wrote & produced. In 1991 he played Danny Zuko in the David Atkins production of the musical "Grease" at the Footbridge Theatre in Sydney. In 1993-1995 he toured Australia with ethnic comedy stage show: "Wog-A-Rama", which he also wrote, produced & directed. In 1996-1998 he toured Australia with ethnic comedy stage show: "Wogboys" which he also wrote, produced & directed. In 1999 he starred in the feature film "The Wog Boy" which he also co-wrote & produced. It went on to gross more than 12 million dollars at the Australian Box office becoming one of the most popular Australian films of all time. In 2000-02 he toured Australia with ethnic comedy stage show: "Wog Story", which he also wrote, produced & directed. In 2003 he starred in the feature film "The Wannabes" which he also co-wrote & produced. In 2004 he hosted & produced the TV special "Greece Is The Word" which was watched by over 3 million people on the Seven Network and repeated before the Athens Olympics Opening Ceremony. In 2005 he developed a new comedy series "Get Nicked" that was commissioned by the Seven Network but which was unfortunately canceled just before going into production. Nick has been announced as the host of new variety/talent show "The Singing Office" starting on Fox 8 in September '07. Nick has won numerous awards including 2 Mo Awards for Best Comedy performer of the year in 1998/99. The Comedy Star of The Year award at the Australian Movie Exhibitors Convention in 2001. The IF Award for Most Successful Box Office Australian film of the year for 2000.Both parents are Greek; was born in Melbourne, Australia- Mimi Gianopulos is known for What to Expect When You're Expecting (2012), Get a Job (2016) and Baby Daddy (2012). She has been married to Brett Ryland since 4 June 2022.Paternal grandfather was Greek
- Heather Goldenhersh was born on 26 March 1973 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She is an actress, known for The Merchant of Venice (2004), Wedding Daze (2006) and Kinsey (2004). She is married to Brían F. O'Byrne. They have two children.Mother was Greek, English, and Scottish; is a Tony Award nominee
- Actress
- Director
- Producer
Valeria Golino is an Italian actress and film director. She is known to English-language audiences for her role in Rain Man, Big Top Pee-wee and the two Hot Shots! films, especially the olive-in-the-belly-button scene. The second child of an Italian germanist and a Greek painter, Valeria Golino grew up in Naples until her parents parted. After three years in Athens with her mother and another three in Naples with her father, she began to work as a model. She left high school after her first movie and didn't study performing arts at all. In 1985 she got the leading role in Little Flames (1985) by Peter Del Monte and the next year won the Best Actress Award at the Venice Film Festival for Storia d'amore (1986). After some European co-productions (Dernier été à Tanger (1987), The Gold Rimmed Glasses (1987), Three Sisters (1988)) she began to work in Hollywood (Big Top Pee-wee (1988)). She soon gained prominent roles in Rain Man (1988), Hot Shots! (1991) and Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993). Now she works in the US (Clean Slate (1994), An Occasional Hell (1996)), Europe (The King's Whore (1990), Immortal Beloved (1994)) and in Italy. too, especially with young directors (Come due coccodrilli (1994), Le acrobate (1997), L'albero delle pere (1998)). In 1994 she produced and acted in Slaughter of the Cock (1996) by Greek director Andreas Pantzis. Her voice is more appreciated in Hollywood (where she took speech therapy) than in Italy (where she is sometimes dubbed); in "The Slaughter of the Cock" she acts as a deaf and dumb woman. She speaks four languages: Italian, Greek, French and English. Her brother is a musician and their uncle Enzo Golino is a famous journalist.Mother was Greek; father was Italian; was born in Naples, Italy- Music Artist
- Actress
- Composer
Ariana Grande was born Ariana Grande-Butera on June 26, 1993 in Boca Raton, Florida to Joan Grande, a chief executive officer for Hose-McCann Communications & Edward Butera, a graphic designer, photographer, artist and Ibi Designs Inc. owner/founder. She starred in the 2008 musical, 13 before becoming a household name through her roles on Nickelodeon. She appeared as Cat Valentine in the network's sitcoms Victorious (2010) and Sam & Cat (2013), lent her voice to the character Diaspro in Nickelodeon's revival of Winx Club (2004), and was part of the main cast for the Nick TV movie "Swindle". She has since appeared in other theatre and television roles.
Ariana's music career began in 2011 with the soundtrack album "Music from Victorious". In 2013, she released her first studio album Yours Truly, which entered atop the US Billboard 200. The album's lead single, The Way, opened in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, with critics comparing her wide vocal range to that of Mariah Carey.
Ariana's second studio album, My Everything (2014), entered at number one in the US and charted in the top 10 in 24 other countries. With the lead single, Problem and several other singles, she was continuously in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 for 34 weeks and had the most top 10 singles of any artist in 2014. The next year, she gave her first world tour, The Honeymoon Tour, to promote My Everything. In 2016, she released her third studio album Dangerous Woman, which charted at number two on the Billboard 200. The title track debuted at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, making her the first person in the history of that chart to have the lead singles from each of their first three albums debut within the top 10 in the US. In 2017, Ariana gave her international Dangerous Woman Tour.
As of June 2017, Ariana's music videos had been viewed a total of more than nine billion times online. Her accolades include three American Music Awards, three MTV Europe Music Awards, an MTV Video Music Award and four Grammy Award nominations. All three of her albums have been certified platinum by the RIAA. She has supported a range of charities and has a large following on social media. In 2016, Time named Ariana one of the 100 most influential people in the world on their annual list.Usually described as Italian. However, in a 2014 Facebook post she wrote, “Just found out my grandparents are heavily Greek and part North African...I thought I was Italian. My whole life is a lie.”- Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Laird Hamilton was born on 2 March 1964 in San Francisco, California, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Die Another Day (2002), Waterworld (1995) and Point Break (2015). He has been married to Gabrielle Reece since 30 November 1997. They have two children. He was previously married to Maria Souza.Father was Greek; birth name was Laird John Zerfas
One of the greatest surfers in history; was once chosen by People magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World- Actress
- Director
- Producer
Angela Michelle Harmon is an American actress and model from Dallas, Texas. She is known for her work on Agent Cody Banks, Baywatch Nights, Law & Order, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, Women's Murder Club, Seraphim Falls and Rizzoli & Isles. She was married to Jason Sehorn and has three children.Mother is Greek; father has English ancestry- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bret Hart is one of Canada's most successful wrestlers. He is also recognized as one of the worlds best wrestlers ever. Hart comes from the legendary Hart Family of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He owns a junior hockey team named after him and has his own column in the Calgary Sun. Bret has held the WWF World Title (5), Intercontinental Title (2), co-held the Tag Team Title (2), the US Heavyweight Title (2) and was the 1993 King of the Ring. He and his brothers and sister hold dual citizenships in both Canada (where he was born) and the US (where his mother was born).Maternal grandmother was Greek
One of the greatest wrestlers of all time; is one of 12 children, all of whom were either wrestlers, married to a wrestler, or involved in the wrestling business in some capacity; brother of popular wrestler, Owen Hart- Actress
- Director
- Writer
Lindsay Korman-Hartley is an accomplished American actress, singer, writer, and now director. She was born Lindsay Nicole Korman in Palm Springs, California, and is of Ashkenazi Jewish, as well as Greek, Italian, and Russian descent. Singing since age eleven, Lindsay was a national pre-teen talent winner of the Young Miss America Beauty Pageant. At the age of fourteen, she was cast in her first professional role, playing Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, at the Mc Callum Theatre in Palm Desert, California. At sixteen, Lindsay and her family relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada, where she graduated a year early from high school and headlined as the lead vocalist in the Las Vegas Sands Hotel afternoon show Viva Las Vegas. Shortly after attending the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Lindsay had the great honor to move to New York City and perform on Broadway, in the hit musical Grease!. She has won several national vocal competitions, including The Los Angeles Philharmonic's Award-Vocal/Opera. However, Lindsay is most notably known for portraying the hopeless romantic Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald on the NBC soap opera Passions, from 1999-2008.
In 2000, Lindsay was not only nominated for the Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Female Newcomer, she wrote the song Kiss Me for her character, which she performed that year on the show. In 2009, Soap Opera Digest announced that she would join the cast of Days of Our Lives, another NBC soap opera. The following year, Lindsay signed on to play the new character of Cara Castillo on All My Children. She was also cast as DC Comics character Mad Harriet during Smallville's tenth and final season. In 2013, Lindsay, once again, played the role of Dr. Cara Castillo on the new All My Children being revived by Prospect Park.
With over 2000 of episodes of television under her belt, Lindsay landed her first lead in a Hallmark movie titled, On Paper. Since then, she has been cast as the lead in numerous Lifetime thrillers which prompted her to write them. In 2017, Lindsay starred in the first movie she wrote that debuted on Lifetime, Deadly Exchange.
After her tenth movie she penned was green-lit for production, Lindsay was ready to dive into the world of directing. Intrigued by the work of directors and with a strong desire to collaborate, in June of 2019, Lindsay directed her first thriller, Forgotten Abduction, that debuted on The Lifetime Channel. Since then, Lindsay has directed over fifteen features for Lifetime, Crackle, and Hulu. As well as, The Romeo and Juliet Killers, a true crime story, currently airing on Tubi. Lindsay has just produced, directed and returned in front of the camera for the pilot of television series Paranormal Nobodies; a supernatural coming of age story.Mother is Greek, Italian, and Russian Jewish- Actress
- Additional Crew
- Producer
Marilu Henner was born on 6 April 1952 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for L.A. Story (1991), Taxi (1978) and Noises Off... (1992). She has been married to Michael Brown since 21 December 2006. She was previously married to Robert Lieberman and Frederic Forrest.Mother was Greek; father was Polish- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Arianna Huffington was born on 15 July 1950 in Athens, Greece. She is an actress and writer, known for John Q (2002), The Siege (1998) and Edtv (1999). She was previously married to Michael Huffington.Both parents were Greek; was born in Athens, Greece; birth name was Ariadni-Anna Stasinopoulou- Actress
- Producer
Alexia (Ally) Ioannides' career is both impressive and expansive, playing many different roles that highlight her ability to transform. She starred in the indie film Synchronic that debuted at the 2019 Toronto Film Festival opposite Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan. She was nominated for a Critics Choice Super Award for her performance. Ally was a series regular in the dystopian AMC series Into the Badlands, playing the bisexual assassin Tilda. For the four season run, the role required that she train extensively in martial arts. She received great reviews for her role, New York Times reviewer Mike Hale singled her out as the character he wanted more of. Prior roles have all been notably different - from the troubled Parenthood teen, to an emotional guest role in Law & Order: SVU as the victim of rape on a college campus, the fan favorite recurring role of a psychotic murderer on CBS's Elementary, and the lead of the standout segment in the iconic V/H/S 99 (2022), a brutal hazing horror where her performance truly terrified audiences. She recently recurred on The Sex Lives of College Girls opposite Renee Rapp, and had a prominent guest star on the Good Doctor.Father is Greek; mother has Croatian and Swedish ancestry; was born in Atlanta, Georgia- Actor
- Producer
- Executive
Hugh Michael Jackman is an Australian actor, singer, multi-instrumentalist, dancer and producer. Jackman has won international recognition for his roles in major films, notably as superhero, period, and romance characters. He is best known for his long-running role as Wolverine in the X-Men film series, as well as for his lead roles in the romantic-comedy fantasy Kate & Leopold (2001), the action-horror film Van Helsing (2004), the drama The Prestige and The Fountain (2006), the epic historical romantic drama Australia (2008), the film version of Les Misérables (2012), and the thriller Prisoners (2013). His work in Les Misérables earned him his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and his first Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy in 2013. In Broadway theatre, Jackman won a Tony Award for his role in The Boy from Oz. A four-time host of the Tony Awards themselves, he won an Emmy Award for one of these appearances. Jackman also hosted the 81st Academy Awards on 22 February 2009.
Jackman was born in Sydney, New South Wales, to Grace McNeil (Greenwood) and Christopher John Jackman, an accountant. He is the youngest of five children. His parents, both English, moved to Australia shortly before his birth. He also has Greek (from a great-grandfather) and Scottish (from a grandmother) ancestry.
Jackman has a communications degree with a journalism major from the University of Technology Sydney. After graduating, he pursued drama at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, immediately after which he was offered a starring role in the ABC-TV prison drama Correlli (1995), opposite his future wife Deborra-Lee Furness. Several TV guest roles followed, as an actor and variety compere. An accomplished singer, Jackman has starred as Gaston in the Australian production of "Beauty and the Beast." He appeared as Joe Gillis in the Australian production of "Sunset Boulevard." In 1998, he was cast as Curly in the Royal National Theatre's production of Trevor Nunn's Oklahoma. Jackman has made two feature films, the second of which, Erskineville Kings (1999), garnered him an Australian Film Institute nomination for Best Actor in 1999. Recently, he won the part of Logan/Wolverine in the Bryan Singer- directed comic-book movie X-Men (2000). In his spare time, Jackman plays piano, golf, and guitar, and likes to windsurf.Paternal grandmother was half Greek; Oscar nominee and Golden Globe winner- Actor
- Soundtrack
Character actor Anthony James was born on July 22, 1942 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Unusually tall (6' 6½) and lanky, with a rough, pockmarked face, a lean, stringy build, and an extremely intense screen presence, James was often cast in Westerns as scary, sleazy villains. He was especially memorable as the racist diner counterman in the outstanding In the Heat of the Night (1967). Other noteworthy parts include a gay hitchhiker in the cult classic Vanishing Point (1971), a priest in The Culpepper Cattle Co. (1972), an outlaw in High Plains Drifter (1973), a deranged psycho in The Teacher (1974), the chauffeur from hell in the chiller Burnt Offerings (1976), and the vicious leader of a gang of ferocious barbarians in the science fiction film Ravagers (1979).
James was hilarious in a rare change-of-pace good guy role as a heroic cannibal (!) in the post-nuke sci-fi romp World Gone Wild (1987), and also parodying his evil persona in The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear (1991). Among the many television shows in which he appeared in guest roles were Married... with Children (1987), Beauty and the Beast (1987), Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), Simon & Simon (1981), The A-Team (1983), Riptide (1984), The Fall Guy (1981), Hunter (1984), Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979), Quincy M.E. (1976), Charlie's Angels (1976), Vega$ (1978), Starsky and Hutch (1975), S.W.A.T. (1975), Ironside (1967), Hawaii Five-O (1968), Bonanza (1959), Gunsmoke (1955) and The Big Valley (1965).
James's last film appearance to date was as the owner of a seedy bordello in Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven (1992). After quitting acting in the early 1990s, he pursued a successful career as an artist. His paintings have been exhibited in galleries in such major cities as New York, Boston and Miami.Both parents were Greek; was born in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; birth name was James Anthony
DIED May 26, 2020, age 77, of cancer- Actor
- Producer
- Executive
Theo James was born on December 16, 1984 in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom as Theodore Peter James Kinnaird Taptiklis. He is an actor, known for his role as Tobias "Four" Eaton in the films Divergent (2014), The Divergent Series: Insurgent (2015) and Allegiant (2016). He is also known for his roles as David in Underworld: Awakening (2012) and Underworld: Blood Wars (2016) and Will Younger in the Netflix film, How It Ends (2018).Paternal grandfather was Greek; birth name was Theodore Peter James Kinnaird Taptiklis; was born in High Wycombe, England- Elena stars in the upcoming Netflix and Lorenzo Di Bonaventura's highly anticipated superhero drama Jupiter's Legacy, based on the graphic novel from Mark Millar's Millarworld. She previously starred as Minnow Bly in Season 1 anthology of the Blumhouse produced Facebook Watch series Sacred Lies, from the executive producers behind Jessica Jones, True Blood and Breaking Bad. She was most recently seen making her Broadway and stage debut starring in the revival of Les Liaisons Dangereuses opposite Liev Schreiber and Janet McTeer directed by Josie Rourke of the Donmar Warehouse. Of Greek and French heritage, she is fluent in Mandarin and proficient in ASL. She premiered at Sundance Film Festival for Ry Russo-Young's YA film adaptation Before I Fall. Additional credits include My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, Jason Reitman's films Men, Women and Children alongside J.K Simmons, Jennifer Garner and Labor Day with Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin, Tom McCarthy's The Cobbler Elena most recently lead the cast of the upcoming re-imagining of Stephen King's short story Children of the Corn, shot in Australia. Produced by Lucas Foster (Ford v Ferrari) Doug Barry (FML) John Baldecchi (Happy Death Day) and directed by Kurt Wimmer. In addition, Elena can be seen on Netflix in Before I Fall, Summer Night, and Shoplifters of the World with Joe Manganiello and Thomas Lennon.Father is Greek; mother has French ancestry; was born in New York City
- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Melina Kanakaredes is an Emmy-nominated actor, writer, director, and philanthropist. She's best known for her starring role as Stella Bonasera in CSI: New York. Prior to that, she starred as Dr. Sydney Hansen in NBC's Providence. Most recently, Melina starred as Dr. Lane Hunter in Fox's The Resident. Melina's roots are in theatre, and throughout her career she's continued to work on stage, both in Los Angeles and New York City. One of her favorites; starring on Broadway as Sally Bowles in Cabaret. Film credits include Snitch, Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief, and 15 Minutes. Melina is also a successful writer, and has multiple projects in development, including an autobiographical comedy about growing up in a candy factory, produced by Sony. Away from the set, Melina enjoys celebrating her Greek heritage with friends and family, and travels to Greece as often as possible. She's also dedicated to working with many charitable organizations: LACHSA Foundation, Americans for the Arts, Jhpiego, and Xprize to name a few.Both parents were Greek; was born in Akron, Ohio- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
John Kapelos was born on 8 March 1956 in London, Ontario, Canada. He is an actor and writer, known for Big Sky (2020), The Umbrella Academy (2019) and The Shape of Water (2017).Born in London, Ontario, Canada; speaks fluent Greek- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
New York based actor Kelly Karavites was born in Astoria, Queens, New York City to a large Greek family involved in what else, the diner business. After serving 2 years in the U.S. Army as an enlisted man he was appointed by his congressman and the Secretary of the Army to cadet at the United States Military Academy. Despite this tremendous honor, he later opted for an honorable discharge and he pursued acting studies at New York's Herbert Berghoff Studio in Manhattan over the years. During this same time he studied for and received his Bachelor's degree from the City University of New York working in career fields as diverse as advertising, financial services and academia. Over the last several years, Kelly has performed in numerous Off Broadway stage performances, countless stand up comedy performances, and several independent films in roles very worthy of the term character actor. Kelly considers no other career suitable for his inquiry into the human condition better than acting. There is no cure.Birth name was Achilleus Karavites; speaks fluent Greek- Canadian actress Athena Karkanis began her professional career in acting in 1996 with several episodes of Stickin' Around (1996). Since that time, Athena has an extensive career in film, television and voice acting. Her credits include the Canadian teen drama The Best Years (2007), The Border (2008), and Wild Kratts (2010). Athena also had a recurring role in the "Saw" movie saga, particularly Saw IV (2007) and Saw VI (2009). During the course of 2011-2012, Athena found work on the supernatural series Lost Girl (2010) and contributed voice-work for video games such as Star Wars: The Old Republic (2011) and Diablo III (2012).Is Greek and Egyptian; was born in Lethbridge, Ontario, Canada
- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Alex Karras was born on 15 July 1935 in Gary, Indiana, USA. He was an actor and producer, known for Blazing Saddles (1974), Victor/Victoria (1982) and Porky's (1981). He was married to Susan Clark and Ivalyn Joan Jurgensen. He died on 10 October 2012 in Los Angeles, California, USA.Father was Greek; mother was Canadian; was born in Gary, Indiana
Was a former NFL player with the Detroit Lions, a professional wrestler, and a sportscaster. Was also an actor best known for starring in the TV series "Webster"
DIED October 10, 2012, age 77, of dementia, heart disease, cancer, and kidney failure- Alex Karzis is known for Warehouse 13 (2009), Detention (2003) and Covert Affairs (2010). He was previously married to Lisa Schrage.Father is Greek; mother may be Greek also; birth name was Alexander Constantine Karzis; was born in Canada
- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Simon Kassianides was born on 7 August 1979 in London, England, UK. He is an actor and director, known for The Mandalorian (2019), Unforgettable (2017) and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013).Both parents were Greek; was born in London, England- Producer
- Production Manager
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Anthony Katagas is one of the most prolific producers working in American independent film. Winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture for his role in producing "12 Years a Slave," he has produced nearly 35 films in the last twelve years. He has worked with a variety of innovative and award-winning filmmakers, including James Gray, John Hillcoat, Steve McQueen, Andrew Dominik, Paul Haggis, Brad Pitt, John Singleton, Wes Craven, Vadim Perelman, Lasse Hallstrom, Ben Younger, Nanette Burstein, Denys Arcand, and Sofia Coppola.
Along with his Oscar, Katagas' awards include a BAFTA, Golden Globe, Broadcast Critics' Choice Award, Independent Spirit Award and the coveted Darryl F. Zanuck PGA Award for Best Picture. He has had four films nominated for the Palme d'Or and two films nominated for César Awards. Additionally, his films have garnered nominations or awards from the DGA, SAG, National Board of Review, Gotham Awards, New York Film Critics, Los Angeles Film Critics and appeared on the prestigious AFI list for achievement in film.
In 1999 Katagas started Keep Your Head Productions, geared towards producing independent films in his hometown of New York City. Through Keep Your Head Productions, he has produced films by visionary filmmaker Michael Almereyda: "Happy Here and Now" (IFC Films, 2001), "This So-Called Disaster" (IFC Films, 2002), "William Eggelston in the Real World" (Palm Pictures, 2005) and "Cymbeline" (Benaroya Pictures, 2014). He also produced James Gray's, "The Immigrant" (The Weinstein Company, 2013), which competed for the Palme d'Or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. Next up for Keep Your Head is James Gray's "The Lost City Of Z."
Katagas' credits include: Ray McKinnon's "Chrystal" (First Look, 2004), Adam Rapp's "Winter Passing" (Focus Features, 2005), Ben Younger's "Prime" (Universal, 2005), Lasse Hallström's "The Hoax" (Miramax, 2006), Vadim Perelman's "The Life Before Her Eyes" (Magnolia Pictures, 2007), James Gray's two Palme d'Or and César-nominated films "We Own the Night" (Columbia Pictures, 2007) and "Two Lovers" (2929 Productions, 2008), Marc Lawrence's "Did You Hear About the Morgans?" (Columbia, 2009), Wes Craven's "My Soul To Take" (Universal, 2010), Paul Haggis' "The Next Three Days" (Lionsgate, 2010) and John Singleton's "Abduction" (Lionsgate, 2011).
Most recently Katagas produced Andrew Dominik's "Killing Them Softly" (The Weinstein Company, 2012) starring Brad Pitt; James Gray's "The Immigrant" (The Weinstein Company, 2013) starring Joaquin Phoenix, Jeremy Renner and Marion Cotillard; Steve McQueen's "12 Years a Slave" (New Regency, 2013) starring Brad Pitt, Michael Fassbender and Chiwetel Ejiofor; Rupert Goold's "True Story" (New Regency, 2014) starring Jonah Hill and James Franco; and Ken Scott's "Unfinished Business" (New Regency, 2014) starring Vince Vaughn, Tom Wilkinson and Sienna Miller.
To be released in 2016, Katagas is producing John Hillcoat's "Triple 9" (Open Road) starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Kate Winslet, Woody Harrelson and Casey Affleck and "Nerve" (Lionsgate), which was directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman and stars Dave Franco and Emma Roberts.
Currently, Katagas is in production on his 4th collaboration with James Gray, "The Lost City of Z."Academy Award-winning producer- Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Andreas from a working-class Greek-American family. Attracted from early childhood to being on stage when at 4 his mother took him to see a community theater performance, he took theatre as an extra-curricular activity in high school. He then majored in it at St. Louis University, where he worked his way through school doing things like waiting on tables. Next, after earning a drama fellowship, Katsulas received a Master's Degree in Theater Arts from one of the nation's top schools for the genre, Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana.
With never a doubt or hesitation, Andreas jumped right into the professional theater world, performing in plays in his native St. Louis with the Loretto-Hilton Repertory Theater. This was followed by work with the Theatre Company of Boston. After that, Katsulas moved to New York to some challenging off-off-Broadway theater at La Mama. This was followed by a fifteen-year heart and soul involvement with Peter Brook's International Theatre Company in Paris, performing around the world with a challenging combination of improvisational theater in every imaginable circumstance and space, and "prepared" theater pieces in traditional, as well as unconventional, theatrical spaces. Katsulas trod the boards from Lincoln Center in New York and The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., to the "mean streets" of Brooklyn and marketplaces in remote African Villages. There were performances from elite Theater Festivals in Iran, Avignon and Belgrade: in prisons & mental institutions; at rock quarries in Australia; on barrios in Venezuela; in sewage plants in Switzerland; winding through the streets of Venice, Italy; in the fields with farm workers in California, near the lakes of Minnesota with Native Americans, in sometimes extreme conditions like snow, rain, and intensive heat.
During a hiatus from the stage, a part in Michael Cimino's The Sicilian (1987) brought Andreas to Los Angeles, after which he was immediately cast as Joey Venza in Ridley Scott's Someone to Watch Over Me (1987), then as Arthur, the chauffeur, in Blake Edwards's Sunset (1988).
In early 2005, Andreas was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer; he passed away a year later, in Los Angeles. He had lived there since 1986, and had hoped to return to working in the theater before his far-too-early death, just over three months shy of his 60th birthday.Both parents were Greek; was born in St. Louis, MO - Director
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Known for his creative stage direction, Elia Kazan was born Elias Kazantzoglou on September 7, 1909 in Constantinople, Ottoman Empire (now Istanbul, Turkey). Noted for drawing out the best dramatic performances from his actors, he directed 21 actors to Oscar nominations, resulting in nine wins. He directed a string of successful films, including A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), On the Waterfront (1954), and East of Eden (1955). During his career, he won two Oscars as Best Director and received an Honorary Oscar, won three Tony Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards.
His films were concerned with personal or social issues of special concern to him. Kazan writes, "I don't move unless I have some empathy with the basic theme." His first such "issue" film was Gentleman's Agreement (1947), with Gregory Peck, which dealt with anti-Semitism in America. It received 8 Oscar nominations and three wins, including Kazan's first for Best Director. It was followed by Pinky (1949), one of the first films in mainstream Hollywood to address racial prejudice against black people. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), an adaptation of the stage play which he had also directed, received 12 Oscar nominations, winning four, and was Marlon Brando's breakthrough role. In 1954, he directed On the Waterfront (1954), a film about union corruption on the New York harbor waterfront. In 1955, he directed John Steinbeck's East of Eden (1955), which introduced James Dean to movie audiences.
A turning point in Kazan's career came with his testimony as a witness before the House Committee on Un-American Activities in 1952 at the time of the Hollywood blacklist, which brought him strong negative reactions from many liberal friends and colleagues. His testimony helped end the careers of former acting colleagues Morris Carnovsky and Art Smith, along with ending the work of playwright Clifford Odets. Kazan later justified his act by saying he took "only the more tolerable of two alternatives that were either way painful and wrong." Nearly a half-century later, his anti-Communist testimony continued to cause controversy. When Kazan was awarded an honorary Oscar in 1999, dozens of actors chose not to applaud as 250 demonstrators picketed the event.
Kazan influenced the films of the 1950s and 1960s with his provocative, issue-driven subjects. Director Stanley Kubrick called him, "without question, the best director we have in America, and capable of performing miracles with the actors he uses." On September 28, 2003, Elia Kazan died at age 94 of natural causes at his apartment in Manhattan, New York City. Martin Scorsese co-directed the documentary film A Letter to Elia (2010) as a personal tribute to Kazan.Both parents were Cappadocian Greek; birth name was Elia Kazantzoglou or Kazanjoglous; was born in Istanbul, Turkey (formerly Constantinople)
Was a two-time Academy Award winner for Best Director; grandfather of actress Zoe Kazan
DIED September 28, 2003, age 94, of natural causes- Actress
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Zoe Swicord Kazan was born in Los Angeles, California, to screenwriters Nicholas Kazan and Robin Swicord. She is the granddaughter of director Elia Kazan. She is of Greek (from her paternal grandfather), English, and German descent.
Kazan received her BA in Theater from Yale University. In the fall of 2006, she played "Sandy" opposite Cynthia Nixon in The New Group's production of "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie". She returned to the stage in the fall of 2007 in Playwrights Horizon's production of "100 Saints You Should Know" and in the New Group's "Things We Want". She lives in Brooklyn.Paternal grandfather was Greek Academy-Award winning director Elia Kazan- Actor
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Elias Koteas was born on March 11, 1961, in Montreal, Canada. Both his parents are of Greek descent. Elias attended Vanier College in Montreal before leaving to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City in 1981, of which he is a graduate. He also attended the Actors Studio in New York City, where he studied acting under Ellen Burstyn and Peter Masterson. His film debut was in One Magic Christmas (1985). He has also appeared on stage in "Kiss of the Spider Woman," "Death of a Salesman," "Bent" and "The Cherry Orchard." In 1989 he was nominated for a Genie (Canada's Academy Award) for best actor in Malarek (1988), a true story in which he plays a troubled street-kid-turned reporter for a Canadian newspaper. A somewhat of a breakthrough role for Elias happened in 1990, when he got the role of vigilante Casey Jones in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) and its sequels. He is one of Canada's most popular actors and frequently appears in films by Canadian directors Atom Egoyan and David Cronenberg. It was Cronenberg's controversial movie Crash (1996) that had Cannes all abuzz in 1996. Elias played Vaughan, a self-appointed "mad scientist" with an unusual fetish--sexual delight in car crashes! The past two years have been busy ones for Koteas, adding six more roles to his resume. As Capt. James Staros, the commanding officer of Charlie Company in The Thin Red Line (1998), he brought sensitivity and compassion to his portrayal of a man who cared about the safety of his men--even at the risk of his own career. In 2000 he appeared in Lost Souls (2000), a thriller starring Winona Ryder, and starred on Broadway with Josh Brolin in the Sam Shepard play "True West."Both parents are Greek from the Mani Peninsula; speaks fluent Greek; was born in Canada- Actor
- Costume and Wardrobe Department
George Kotsiopoulos was born on 18 November 1968 in Skokie, Illinois, USA. He is an actor, known for Iron Man 3 (2013), The Young and the Restless (1973) and Close Up with the Hollywood Reporter (2015).Both parents are Greek; was born in Skokie, Illinois- Nick Kyrgios was born on 27 April 1995 in Canberra, Australia.Father is Greek; mother is Malaysian and a member of the Royal Family in Malaysia; was born in Canberra, Australia
Is an Australian professional tennis player once ranked 13th in the world; he and his tennis partner are the 2022 Australia Open men's double champions - Director
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Yorgos Lanthimos was born in Athens, Greece. He studied directing for Film and Television at the Stavrakos Film School in Athens. He has directed a number of dance videos in collaboration with Greek choreographers, in addition to TV commercials, music videos, short films and theater plays. Kinetta, his first feature film, played at Toronto and Berlin film festivals to critical acclaim. His second feature Dogtooth, won the "Un Certain Regard prize" at the 2009 Cannes film festival, followed by numerous awards at festivals worldwide. It was nominated for a Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award (Oscar) in 2011. Alps won the "Osella for best screenplay" at the 2011 Venice film festival and Best Film at the Sydney film festival in 2012. His first English language film The Lobster was presented in Competition at the 68th Cannes Film Festival. Moreover, "The Lobster" was nominated for the (Oscar about the) Best Original Screenplay by the Academy and won Best Screenplay and Best Costume Design at the European Film Awards of 2015. His fifth project "The Killing of a Sacred Deer" was also presented in Competition at the 70th Cannes Film Festival where it won the award for the best Screenplay. Lanthimos's last film "The Favorite" is a historical Drama about the British Queen Anne.Born in Athens, Greece, to Greek parents; is a three-time Academy Award nominee- Actor
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Tommy Lee was born on 3 October 1962 in Athens, Greece. He is an actor and composer, known for Barb Wire (1996), The Dirt (2019) and Vanilla Sky (2001). He has been married to Brittany Furlan since 14 February 2019. He was previously married to Pamela Anderson, Heather Locklear and Elaine Margaret Starchuk.Mother is Greek; father had English and Irish ancestry; was born in Athens, Greece
Musician who is a founding member of the bands Motley Crue and Methods of Mayhem- Dimitri Leonidas was born on 14 November 1987 in England, UK. He is an actor, known for Centurion (2010), The Monuments Men (2014) and Riviera (2017).Father is Greek; mother is English and Welsh; was born in London, England; is the brother of actress Stephanie Leonidas
- Stephanie Leonidas is an English actress. She is perhaps best known for her roles as Helena in the fantasy film MirrorMask and as Irisa on the American science fiction television series, Defiance. Leonidas was born in Westminster, London.Father is Greek; mother is English and Welsh; was born in London, England; is the sister of actor Dimitri Leonidas
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Ralph George Macchio was born on November 4, 1961 in Huntington, Long Island, New York. He started out in various TV commercials in the late 1970s before appearing in the puerile comedy movie Up the Academy (1980), then a regular role in 1980 on the television series Eight Is Enough (1977) followed by a decent performance as teenager Johhny Cade in the The Outsiders (1983) based on the popular S.E. Hinton novel about troubled youth.
In 1984, Macchio scored the lead role in The Karate Kid (1984) directed by Rocky (1976) director John G. Avildsen. The film was a phenomenal success, being highly popular with adults and children alike. The movie spawned two equally popular sequels The Karate Kid Part II (1986) and The Karate Kid Part III (1989), both again starring Macchio and Pat Morita, and both directed by Avildsen.
Macchio also starred in the blues road movie Crossroads (1986), featured alongside Joe Pesci in My Cousin Vinny (1992) and, looking to toughen up his image, Macchio played a hit man in A Good Night to Die (2003). Arguably, movie audiences still identify Macchio very strongly with his Karate Kid role, but as his features have gained a more weathered, adult edge, he has found opportunities and positive reviews from appearances in stage productions showcasing his acting talent. It would be great to see this versatile actor score some broader and more challenging film roles.Father is half Greek, half Italian; mother is Italian; was born in Huntington, New York- Actor
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Tall, dark and handsome, not to mention a charismatic rebel of 1960s Hollywood, actor George Maharis (surname originally Maharias) was born in 1928 in Astoria, New York, one of seven siblings. His immigrant father was a restaurateur. Maharis expressed an early interest in singing and initially pursued it as a career, but extensive overuse of his voice and improper vocal lessons stripped his vocal cords, and he subsequently veered towards an acting career.
Trained at the Neighborhood Playhouse with Sanford Meisner and the Actor's Studio with Lee Strasberg, the "Method" actor found roles on television, including several episodes of Naked City (1958), and secured an early name for himself on the late 1950s off-Broadway scene, especially with his performances in Jean Genet's "Deathwatch" and Edward Albee's "Zoo Story". Producer/director Otto Preminger "discovered" Maharis for film, offering him a choice of five small roles in the upcoming film Exodus (1960), in which the actor eventually played an underground freedom fighter.
One of the episodes Maharis did of the police drama Naked City (1958), entitled "Four Sweet Corners", wound up being a roundabout pilot for the buddy adventure series that would earn him household fame. With the arrival of the series Route 66 (1960), the actor earned intense TV stardom and a major cult following as a Brando-esque, streetwise drifter named Buzz Murdock. Partnered with the fair-skinned, clean-scrubbed, college-educated Tod Stiles (Martin Milner, later star of Adam-12 (1968)), the duo traveled throughout the U.S. in a hotshot convertible Corvette and had a huge female audience getting their kicks off with the show. At the show's peak, Maharis parlayed his TV fame into a recording career with Epic Records, producing six albums in the process and peaking with the single "Teach Me Tonight".
During the middle of the series' third season peak, Maharis abruptly left the series with a number of reasons cited. Often quoted is that the virile, seductive image of a fast-rising star apparently got to him, and that he proved increasingly troublesome as he grew in stature. Tabloids reported that the actor purposefully instigated ongoing clashes with both producers and co-star Milner in order to leave the series and seek film stardom while the irons were hot. Maharis denied this, insisting that his working relationships on the set were solid and that any complaints were vastly overblown. He cited health reasons as the reason for his leaving, claiming that a long-term bout (and relapse) of infectious hepatitis, caught during a 1962 shoot of the series, forced him to abandon the show under doctor's orders. For whatever reason, Maharis left. His replacement, ruggedly handsome Glenn Corbett, failed to click with audiences and the series was canceled after the next season.
Back to working on films, the brash and confident actor, with his health scare over, aggressively pursued stardom with a number of leads, but the duds he found himself in -- Quick, Before It Melts (1964), Sylvia (1965), A Covenant with Death (1967), The Happening (1967), and The Desperados (1969) prime among his list of disasters -- hampered his chances. The best of the lot was the suspense drama The Satan Bug (1965), but it lacked box-office appeal and disappeared quickly. Moreover, a 1967 sex scandal (and subsequent one in 1974) could not have helped. In the 1970s Maharis returned to series TV in the short-lived The Most Deadly Game (1970), co-starring fellow criminologists Ralph Bellamy and Yvette Mimieux (who replaced the late Inger Stevens who committed suicide shortly before shooting was about to start). The decade also included a spate of TV movies, including the more notable The Monk (1969) and Rich Man, Poor Man (1976). In between these he appeared in Las Vegas nightclubs and summer stock, and was one of the first celebrities to pose for a nude centerfold in Playgirl (July 1973).
His last working years brought about the occasional film, most notably as the resurrected warlock in The Sword and the Sorcerer (1982) and an appearance in the horror thriller Doppelganger (1993). With his "bad boy" glory days behind him, Maharis' TV career ended rather routinely with guest parts on such popular but unchallenging shows such as "Fantasy Island" and "Murder, She Wrote". Later years were spent focusing on impressionistic painting. He has been fully retired since the early 1990s.Both parents were Greek; original family name was Mahairis; was born in New York, New York
DIED MAY 24, 2023, AGE 94, of hepatitis- Costas Mandylor was born on 3 September 1965 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. He is an actor, known for Saw V (2008), Saw VI (2009) and Saw IV (2007). He has been married to Victoria Ramos since 10 October 2013. He was previously married to Talisa Soto.Both parents are Greek
Original family name was Theodosopoulos; was born in Melbourne, Australia; is the brother of actor Louis Mandylor - Actor
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Louis Mandylor is most recognized for his leading credits in a variety of highly acclaimed, award-winning films and television series, including the Academy Award-nominated box office smash hit comedy My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002), and its sequel, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016).
Additionally, he is known for his leading credits in the Primetime Emmy Award-nominated series CSI: Miami (2002) and CSI: NY (2004), in Friends (1994) as "Joey's Twin," in the ALMA Award-winning drama sports film Price of Glory (2000), in the CBS hit show Martial Law (1998) with Sammo Kam-Bo Hung, and in Can't Hurry Love (1995) with Mariska Hargitay and Nancy McKeon; also, recently claiming some praise reviews for The Debt Collector (2018).
Louis Mandylor as Sue in The Debt Collector (2018): ". . . I thought Mandylor's monologue about why he drinks was one of the finest acting moments of his career and was genuinely moving. . . ." -Theactionelite.com
". . . Mandylor stands tall next to Adkins as French's grizzled and burnt out guide through this new shady world he finds himself in. The two have a genuine chemistry that makes every scene they play off each other feel fun and breezy. . . ." -Aintitcool.com
". . . Mandylor's grizzled veteran collector is the perfect foil to the fresh-faced Brit. . . ." -Cityonfire.com
Mandylor also just finished filming Doom: Annihilation (2019) for Universal.Both parents are Greek
Original family name was Theodosopoulos; was born in Melbourne, Australia; is the brother of actor Costas Mandylor- Actor
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Jason Mantzoukas is an American actor, comedian, writer and podcaster. He is best known for his recurring role as Rafi in the FX comedy series The League, and as one of the three co-hosts of the podcast How Did This Get Made? alongside Paul Scheer and June Diane Raphael. After beginning his career as an improv comedian, he has played several comedic roles in film and television. He appeared in the films The Dictator, The Long Dumb Road, Sleeping with Other People, They Came Together, Conception, and John Wick: Chapter 3. He has had recurring roles on three TV series created by Michael Schur: Parks and Recreation (as Dennis Feinstein), Brooklyn Nine-Nine (as Adrian Pimento), and The Good Place (as Derek Hofstetler). He voices the characters Jay Bilzerian in the Netflix animated series Big Mouth, Alex Dorpenberger in the HBO Max animated series Close Enough, Rex Splode in the Amazon Prime animated action series Invincible, and Jankom Pog in the Paramount+ animated series Star Trek: Prodigy.Both parents are Greek; was born in Nahant, Massachusetts- Gilles Marini exploded onto the scene as "Dante", the Casanova living in the beach house next door to Kim Cattrall's "Samantha" on the Sex and the City (2008) movie, a role which has earned him international recognition. Though people went to the theatres to see Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte, they left with one thing on their mind....Gilles's shower scene.
Gilles has been seen on television on Ugly Betty (2006), Dirty Sexy Money (2007), Criminal Minds (2005), Windfall (2006) and in several soap operas, including The Bold and the Beautiful (1987) and Passions (1999). His recent film credits include "One and the Other" (L'Une et L'Autre (2007)), Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007) and The Boys & Girls Guide to Getting Down (2006).
Gilles has appeared in many television commercials and print ads for companies like Budweiser, Clairol, Coca Cola, Ross, Chrysler, Fila, GNC, Infiniti, Mervins, Avon, Lord and Taylor, Robinsons May, etc.
Gilles was born in Grasse, France. After working as a baker in his father's bakery since he was 8-years-old and graduating from high school, Gilles joined the French army and was stationed in Paris, where he acted as a fireman for the famous Brigade des Sapeurs Pompiers de Paris. It was in Paris where Gilles met Fred Goudon, a famous photographer who introduced Gilles to the world of modeling. After fulfilling his military duties, Gilles decided to go to the United States to learn English while working as a model.
In his spare time, Gilles enjoys playing soccer as part of a neighborhood team. He also teaches martial arts to his son, Georges Marini.
Gilles currently resides in California with his wife Carole, son Georges, and daughter Juliana.Mother is Greek; father is Italian; was born in Grasse, France