Celebrities Lost To HIV/AIDS.
Celebrities who lost their lives to HIV or AIDS.
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- Music Department
- Actor
- Composer
Cazuza was born on 4 April 1958 in Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He was an actor and composer, known for Closer (2004), The Emerald Forest (1985) and Ashes of Paradise (1997). He died on 9 July 1990 in Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.Singer.- Director
- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
Peter Adair was born on 25 November 1943 in Los Angeles County, California, USA. He was a director and cinematographer, known for The AIDS Show (1986), Absolutely Positive (1991) and In the 1st Degree. He died on 27 June 1996 in San Francisco, California, USA.Filmmaker.- Additional Crew
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Ailey was born in the rural town of Rogers, Texas, USA. His childhood memories and experiences often informed his choreography; the most notable of his works was "Blues Suite", "Cry" (choreographed for Judith Jamison), and "Revelations", a ballet based on Ailey's observations and experiences in Black Baptist churches that was set to traditional Negro Spirituals. "Revelations" has the distinction of being one of the most performed ballets in the world. Beginning his dance career in 1953 with Lester Horton's dance company, Ailey assumed the artistic direction of Horton's company after Horton's death in 1953. In 1958, Ailey's seven member dance company, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, made its debut at the 92nd Street YMHA in New York City. Keeping a unique perspective about dance, he did not use his dance company merely as a vehicle to showcase his own choreography; he developed the Ailey American Dance Theater into a repertory company that provided art and entertainment while institutionalizing modern dances, helping preserve and develop old and new works by a variety of choreographers. Before his death in 1989, he had choreographed seventy-nine ballets, received New York's Handel Medallion, the Samuel H. Scripps American Dance Festival Award for lifetime contributions to modern dance, and in 1988, the Kennedy Center honored him for lifetime achievement in the performing arts. Additionally, Ailey's company was sent on several world tours by the U. S. State Department performing in the Soviet Union, France, Denmark, Finland, Morocco, and throughout South America to enthusiastic audiences and critics. After his death in 1989, his protege and former principal dancer Judith Jamison became artistic director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater furthering the Ailey dance tradition and artistic mission that is applauded and acknowledged throughout the world.Dancer, choreographer.- Cinematographer
- Director
- Camera and Electrical Department
One of the highest appraised contemporary cinematographers. He was born in Spain but moved to Cuba by age 18 to join his exiled anti-Franco father. In Havana, he founded a cineclub and wrote film reviews. Then, he went on to study in Rome at the Centro Sperimentale. He directed six shorts in Cuba and two in New York. After the 1959 Cuban revolution, he returned and made several documentaries for the Castro-regime. But after two of his shorts (Gente en la playa (1960) and La Tumba Francesca) had been banned, he moved to Paris. There he became the favourite cameraman of Éric Rohmer and François Truffaut. In 1978, he started his impressive Hollywood-career. In his later years, he co-directed two documentaries about the human rights situation in Cuba: Improper Conduct (1984) (about the persecution of gay people) and Nadie escuchaba (1987). He shot several prestigious commercials for Giorgio Armani and Calvin Klein. Nestor Almendros died of cancer.Cinematographer.- Director
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Emile Ardolino was born on 9 May 1943 in Maspeth, New York, USA. He was a director and producer, known for Dirty Dancing (1987), Great Performances: Dance in America (1976) and He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin' (1983). He died on 20 November 1993 in Bel Air, California, USA.Director.- Arthur Ashe grew up in segregated Richmond, Virgina where he decided to make a career out of tennis where he won his first U.S. Open in 1968, the first ever won by a black player. Ashe firmly established his stardom in 1975 after beating Jimmy Connors to take the Wimbledon title. As a tennis professional, he won three Grand Slam singles titles and led the U.S. to four Davis Cup victories. Over his career he won 33 singles tournaments on five continents. A sudden heart attack in 1979 ended his playing career where he underwent quadruple bypass surgery and then double bypass surgery in 1983 where he contracted AIDS from tainted blood during the surgery. Ashe kept his illness a secret until a newspaper leaked the story in early 1992 where he finally admited that he had AIDS and became an outspoken advocate for more research funding and created the Arthur Ashe Foundation for the Defeat of AIDS. He died just two days after completing his memoirs "Days of Grace."Tennis champion, activist.
- Music Department
- Composer
- Writer
A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Howard Ashman moved to New York City in 1974 and began writing plays while working as an editor in a publishing house. His work attracted attention and he became WPA Theatre's artist director in 1977. In 1982, Ashman collaborated with composer Alan Menken on the musical "Little Shop of Horrors", one of off-Broadway's highest-grossing musicals. The team of Ashman and Menken shifted their focus to movies, creating some of the songs for The Little Mermaid (1989). One of them, "Under the Sea", won an Oscar in 1989 for best song. Ashman then wrote the lyrics for the songs in the Disney animated musical hit Beauty and the Beast (1991), and he and Menken won another Oscar for the title song. However, two days after he won an Oscar for "Under the Sea" Ashman confided in Menken that he had AIDS. Despite the terminal illness that was making him weaker every day, Ashman never stopped composing songs. He even turned out more songs for a third Disney animated musical, Aladdin (1992), before his death from AIDS on March 14, 1991, at the age of 40.Composer, writer, producer.- Writer
- Additional Crew
Isaac Asimov was born Isaak Judah Ozimov, on January 2, 1920, in Petrovichi shtetl, near Smolensk, Russia. He was the oldest of three children. His father, named Judah Ozimov, and his mother, named Anna Rachel Ozimov (nee Berman), were Orthodox Jews. Ozimov family were millers (the name Ozimov comes from the eponymous sort of wheat in Russian). In 1923 Isaac with his parents immigrated to the USA and settled in Brooklyn, New York. There his parents temporarily changed his birthday to September 7, 1919, in order to send him to school a year earlier. Their family name was changed from Ozimov to Asimov.
Asimov was an avid reader before the age of 5. He spoke Yiddish and English at home with his parents and spoke only a few word in Russian. He began his formal education in 1925 in the New York Public School system. From 1930-1932 he was placed in the rapid advance course. In 1935 he graduated from high school, in 1939 received a B.S. and in 1941 he earned his M. Sc. in Chemistry from Columbia University. From 1942-1945 Asimov was a chemist at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard's Naval Air experimental station. After the war ended, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and was transfered to the island of Oahu and was destined to participate in the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in July 1946. He narrowly avoided that by receiving an honorable discharge in May 1946. In 1948 he completed his post-graduate studies and earned his Ph. D. in Chemistry. In 1949 he began his teaching career at the Medical School of Boston University, becoming assistant professor in 1951, and associate professor in 1955. In 1958 Asimov became a full-time writer and gave up his teaching duties because his income from his literary works was much greater than his professor's salary. He was fired, but he retained his title and later returned as a lecturer and was promoted to the rank of full professor in 1979. Asimov was considered one of the best lecturers at Boston University.
Young Isaac Asimov was raised as a non-religious person. His parents observed the Orthodox Judaism, but did not force their belief upon young Asimov. He did not have affiliation with a temple, did not have a bar mizvah and called himself an atheist, then used the term "humanist" in his later life. He did not oppose genuine religious convictions in others but opposed superstitious or unfounded beliefs. Asimov defined his intellectual position as a Humanist and rationalist. He opposed the Vietnam war in the 1960s and was a supporter of the Democratic party. He embraced environmental issues, and supported feminism, joking that he wished women to be free "because I hate it when they charge". He was also humorous about many of his memberships in various clubs and foundations. Asimov did not approve exclusionary societies, he left Mensa after he found that many of the members were arrogant. He liked individuality and stayed in groups where he enjoyed giving speeches. As a free thinker, Asimov saw sci-fi literature serving as a pool where ideas and hypotheses are expressed with unrestricted intellectual freedom.
Young Asimov was fascinated with science fiction magazines which were sold at his parent's general store. Around the age of 11 he wrote eight chapters of a fiction about adventures of young boys in a small town. His first publication was "Marooned Off Vesta" in the Amazing Stories magazine in 1939. Asimov shot to fame in 1941 with 'Nightfall', a story of a planet where night comes once every 2049 years. 'Nightfall' has been described as one of the best science fiction stories ever written. Asimov wrote over five hundred literary works. He is credited for introducing the words "positronic", "psychohistory", and "robotics" into the English language. He penned such classics as "I, Robot" and the "Foundation" series, which are considered to be the most impressive of his writings. He also founded "Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine", which became a best-selling publication.
Asimov was afraid of needles and the sight of blood. Although he had the highest score on the intelligence test he had the lowest score on the physical-conditioning test. He never learned how to swim or ride a bicycle. The author who described spaceflights suffered from fear of flying. In his entire life he had to fly only twice during his military service. Acrophobia was revealed when he took his date and first love on a roller coaster in 1940, and was terrified. This phobia complicated the logistics and limited the range over which he traveled; it also found reflection in some of his literary works. He avoided traveling long distances. Instead he enjoyed cruise ships like the RMS Queen Elizabeth 2, where he occasionally entertained passengers with his science-themed talks. He impressed public with his highly entertaining speeches as well as with his sharp sense of timing; he never looked at the clock, but he spoke for precisely the time allocated. Asimov's sense of time prevented him from ever being late to a meeting. Once he discovered that his parents changed his date of birth, he insisted that the official records of his birthday be corrected to January 2, 1920, the date he personally celebrated throughout his life.
Asimov met Gertrude Blugherman on a blind date on Valentine's Day in February of 1942, they got married in July of the same year. The Asimovs had two children, son David (born in 1951), and daughter Robyn Joan (born in 1955). Asimov had known Janet Opal Jeppson since 1959. She was a psychoanalyst and also a writer of science fiction for children. Correspondence with her convinced Asimov that she was the right kind of person for him. He and Gertrude were separated in 1970, and he moved in with Janet Jappeson almost at once. His first marriage ended in divorce in 1973. That same year he and Janet Jeppson were married at Janet's home by an official of Ethical Culture Society. Asimov had no children by his second marriage.
In 1983 Asimov contracted HIV infection from a tainted blood transfusion received during a triple bypass surgery. He eventually developed AIDS and wanted to go public about his AIDS but his doctors convinced Asimov to remain silent. The specific cause of death was heart and renal failure as complications of AIDS. He died on April 6, 1992, in Boston, Massachussets, and was cremated. His ashes were scattered.
Ten years after Asimov's death, his widow, Janet Jeppson Asimov, revealed that his death was a consequence of an unfortunately contracted AIDS.Author, scientist.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Amanda Blake was born in Buffalo, NY, of English and Scottish descent. She and her parents moved to Claremont, California, while Amanda was still in high school, and she graduated from Claremont High. She enrolled at Pomona College but, due to her avid participation in community and theater productions, she was devoting much more time to acting than her schoolwork. Amanda started on a full acting schedule, doing summer stock in New England. She followed that up with theater and radio acting in Buffalo and then movies in Hollywood. While acting in small theater and stock companies she also painted backdrops and scenery. She was still in her teens when she debuted in MGM"s Stars in My Crown (1950), and her first television role was in Double Exposure (1952). Her most famous role, however, came in 1955, when she starred in the classic western series Gunsmoke (1955) as "Miss Kitty" Russell, the feisty madame and proprietor of Dodge City's Long Branch Saloon opposite James Arness' Marshal Matt Dillon.Actress, activist.- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Jorge Bolet was born on 15 November 1914 in Havana, Cuba. He is known for À la place du coeur (1998), Song Without End (1960) and Music for You (1951). He died on 16 October 1990 in Mountain View, California, USA.Concert pianist.- Leigh Bowery was born on 26 March 1961 in Sunshine, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. He was an actor, known for The Ghosts of Oxford Street (1991), The Fall: Mr. Pharmacist (1986) and Lana Pellay: Pistol in My Pocket (1986). He was married to Nicola Bowery. He died on 31 December 1994 in London, England, UK.Performance artist, fashion designer.
- Director
- Editor
- Writer
One of the pioneers of independent gay cinema in the 1970s and '80s, Arthur J. Bressan, Jr. is best known for his 1985 drama, Buddies (the first feature film about AIDS). Working across multiple genres including documentary, narrative, adult and short form filmmaking, Bressan's boldness and artistry as a writer-director earned him both acclaim and controversy over the course of his decade-long filmmaking career.
In addition to Buddies, Bressan's best known films include Abuse (hailed by Rex Reed as "a film of astonishing power and emotional impact"); the ambitious 1977 documentary Gay U.S.A. which showcased LGBT Pride celebrations across the country during the time of Anita Bryant's anti-gay crusade; and Passing Strangers, Bressan's lyrical hard-core coming out drama which earned him the Best Director Prize at the 1974 San Francisco Erotic Film Festival. Other films include: Forbidden Letters (1979), Family Affair (1982), Thank You, Mr. President (1983), Pleasure Beach (1984), Juice (1984) and Daddy Dearest (1984).
Bressan died of AIDS in 1987.Director.- Actor
- Additional Crew
Merritt Butrick was an American actor from Gainesville, Florida. He is primarily remembered for portraying Dr. David Marcus in the science fiction films "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" (1982) and "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock" (1984). His character was depicted as a son of the Starfleet officer James Tiberius "Jim" Kirk (played by William Shatner) and the leading scientist Dr. Carol Marcus (played by Bibi Besch). Butrick also portrayed the one-shot character of Captain T'Jon in a 1988 episode of the science fiction series "Star Trek: The Next Generation". His character was depicted as a ship's commanding officer who had been tasked with transporting medication, but had become addicted to the drug felicium.
Butrick received his high school education at the Tamalpais High School, located in Mill Valley, California. The city is part of the San Francisco Bay Area. Butrick graduated from high school in 1977, and subsequently attended the California Institute of the Arts with the intent of becoming an actor. He dropped out, as his instructors thought that he did not have the necessary skills to become an actor. He subsequently found steady work as an actor throughout the 1980s.
In his television debut, Butrick portrayed a recurring rapist in two episodes of the police procedural "Hill Street Blues". His first major role in television was portraying the supporting character Johnny Slash in the sitcom "Square Pegs" (1982-1983). His character was depicted as a geeky high school student. Johnny demonstrated eccentric behavior, but insisted that he was not on drugs. He hung out with the social misfit Patty Greene (played by Sarah Jessica Parker), and was hinted to be attracted to her. The series was praised for its realism, but it was canceled prematurely. The production company received several complains concerning drug and alcohol abuse by teenage members of the cast, and decided to pull the plug to avoid further controversy.
Butrick's other films included the telekinesis-themed comedy "Zapped! (1982)", the corporate corruption-themed black comedy "Head Office" (1985), the dysfunctional family-themed drama "Shy People" (1987), the vampire-themed horror film "Fright Night Part 2" (1988), and the ghost-themed horror film "Death Spa" (1989). He received praise in 1988 for his portrayal of a ditzy male prostitute in the stage play "Kingfish".
In March 1989, Butrick died at the age of 29. His death was caused by toxoplasmosis, complicated by an AIDS infection. Two panels were dedicated to him as part of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, both referencing his role as David Marcus. A few of his former co-stars have recorded anecdotes about his life and career in DVD featurettes, though Butrick had few confidants.Actor.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Michael Callen was born on 11 April 1955 in Indiana, USA. He was an actor, known for Philadelphia (1993), Zero Patience (1993) and The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson (2017). He died on 27 December 1993 in Los Angeles, California, USA.Singer, activist.- Bobbi Campbell was born on 28 January 1952 in Columbus, Georgia, USA. He died on 15 August 1984 in San Francisco, California, USA.Activist.
- Being born and raised in Edinburgh, Charleson attended the Royal High School and then went on to attend Edinburgh University. He initially studied architecture but switched to an MA degree after cultivating an interest in acting. He won a place at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art after graduating from Edinburgh.Actor, singer.
- Tina Chow was born Bettina Louise Lutz to a Japanese mother and a German-American father in 1951. In her teens, she and her sister, Adelle Lutz, enjoyed success as models for Japanese cosmetics giant Shiseido's advertising campaign. This was a primer for Tina's future status as a major fashion icon of the 1980s.
She married restaurateur Michael Chow in 1972, and had two children with him: China Chow (born in 1974), who is now an up-and-coming actress, and Maximillian Chow (born in 1977).
Throughout their marriage, Tina helped Michael run his successful restaurant chain, "Mr. Chow's", and enjoyed the benefits of fame and celebrity. The couple lived an elite and exciting nightlife, and were considered to be quite prominent in the New York art world (artist friends included the late Keith Haring, Andy Warhol and Jean Michel Basquiat).Model, restaurateur, jewelry designer. - Roy M. Cohn was born on 20 February 1927 in New York City, New York, USA. He died on 2 August 1986 in Los Angeles, California, USA.Attorney.
- Actor
- Composer
- Soundtrack
Robbin Crosby was born on 4 August 1959 in La Jolla, California, USA. He was an actor and composer, known for The Wrestler (2008), That's My Boy (2012) and Super Troopers 2 (2018). He was married to Laurie Ann Carr. He died on 6 June 2002 in Los Angeles, California, USA.Guitarist, Ratt.- Born in Florida in 1949, Brad Davis moved to Georgia after graduating from high school to pursue an acting career. From there, he moved to New York City, twice, to find work. By the early 1970s Davis was acting in off-Broadway plays while studying acting at the Academy of Dramatic Arts. His stage work led to his movie debut and to television shows such as the hit Sybil (1976) and the mini-series Roots (1977). His biggest success was in 1978 with the lead role in Midnight Express (1978) where he played Billy Hayes, a young American imprisoned in Turkey for drug smuggling. It won him a Golden Globe award.
Another memorable movie role in 1982 was playing the title character of Querelle (1982), a ruggedly lethal sailor who seduces and sets both men and women's hearts aflutter.
Davis contracted AIDS in 1979 apparently from his one-time cocaine addiction, but in response to the anti-AIDS hysteria in Hollywood, Davis kept his illness a secret for a number of years and continued to act. His later years had him finally revealing that he had AIDS by the late 1980s and he became an AIDS activist in bashing the Hollywood industry and US government for ignoring and shunning victims suffering from the hideous disease. Brad Davis died in 1991 at age 41. His widow, Susan Bluestein, continues his activist work in the fight against AIDS.Actor. - Actor
- Soundtrack
Bobby DeBarge was born on 5 March 1956 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. He was an actor, known for Shaft (2019), Punky Brewster (1984) and American Bandstand (1952). He was married to Teri DeBarge. He died on 16 August 1995 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA.Singer.- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Paul Delph was born on 28 February 1957 in Norwood, Ohio, USA. Paul is known for No Small Affair (1984), North Shore (1987) and Gone Surfin' (1987). Paul died on 21 May 1996 in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.Singer, songwriter, producer, engineer.- Actor
- Director
Actor-turned-director Robert Drivas showed dark, brooding power and strong potential on the 60s stage, film and TV but, in the long run, did not achieve the kind of success he deserved. Born on November 21, 1935, the Coral Gables, Florida native initially studied his craft at the Universities of Chicago and Miami. He also trained at the Greek Playhouse in Athens and the Coconut Grove Playhouse in Miami. Making a potent New York debut as Ramses in the play "The Firstborn" (1958) starring Anthony Quayle as Moses and producer Katharine Cornell in the role of Bithiah, Drivas continued to be impressive on stage with "One More River" (1960), "The Wall" (1960), "The Irregular Verb to Love" (1963), "And Things That Go Bump in the Night" (1965) and "Where Has Tommy Flowers Gone?" (1971). In 1963 he won a Theatre World Award for his performance in "Mrs. Dally Has a Lover" alongside another TWA winner Estelle Parsons.
The attention he received on the theater boards eventually led to TV. Drivas showed great intensity and lasting power in episodic guest parts on such 60s crime shows as N.Y.P.D. (1967) and The Defenders (1961), and was a popular and frequent guest on The F.B.I. (1965). He also appeared as a guest star in episodes of Route 66 (1960) and 12 O'Clock High (1964). His first film appearance was long in coming but drew noticeable attention with the featured role of Loudmouth Steve in the classic prison drama, Cool Hand Luke (1967). This auspicious debut led to a couple of "generation gap" movies in which he was bumped up to co-star billing. Sharing the screen with Rod Steiger and Claire Bloom in the controversial LSD-influenced The Illustrated Man (1969), Drivas was intoxicating in his role but the film itself was deemed too "far out" and was considered a failure. Drivas was also quite impressive as the ultra-cool but idealistic son of David Janssen in Where It's At (1969). Again, the film was dismissed and Drivas did not advance. He went on to make only four more movies, all independent and/or foreign-made features and all overlooked.
Drivas turned successfully to stage directing in the 1970s, which included a number of Broadway projects. He gained progressive respect with his directing of such plays as "Bad Habits," for which he won an Obie award, the uproarious farce "The Ritz," "Legend," "Cheaters," "It Had to Be You," which starred the writing husband-and-wife team of Joseph Bologna and Renée Taylor, a revival of the musical "Little Me," and, his last, "Peg" in 1983 a short-lived reenactment of the life of songstress Peggy Lee with lyrics and book by the star herself. A few years later Drivas tragically died of AIDS-related cancer at the age of 50.Actor.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Denholm entered RADA at the age of 17, but dropped out after a year having hated every minute being there. He joined the RAF in 1940, trained as a gunner/radio operator, and was shot down over Germany in 1942. In the POW camp he and his fellow prisoners staged various productions in a theatre constructed out of old packing cases. After the war he joined a London repertory company and his career took off particularly when Laurence Olivier chose him for the starring role in Venus Observed, for which he won a Clarence Derwent award. When another Olivier production Ring Around the Moon transferred to New York Denholm replaced Paul Schofield in what became a Broadway hit. Returning to Britain he was signed to a film contract and appeared in such movies as The Cruel Sea, The Sound Barrier, Alfie, King Rat, and others in addition to appearing on television and making countrywide theatre tours. In 1983 he won a BAFTA Award for his role as the butler in Trading Places and followed it with a Best Supporting Actor Award for his role in A Private Function. Prior to that he won an Evening Standard Best Actor award for Bad Timing.Actor.- Costume and Wardrobe Department
- Costume Designer
Perry Edwin Ellis was born in 1940 in Portsmouth, Virginia, an only child. Until the age of nine, he and his parents lived with his grandmother in a huge old house which was filled with vintage clothing that belonged to Perry's aunts, which he found fascinating just looking at them. After graduating from high school, Perry majored in business at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. Later he attended New York University where he earned a master's degree in retailing. In 1963, Perry returned to Virginia and began working as a sportswear buyer for Miller & Rhoads, an upscale department store based in Richmond, where Perry often shopped for clothes when he was a teenager. Perry stocked the college department with preppie clothes designed by John Meyer of Norwich, Connecticut. Each year, he spent nearly $1,000,000 on Meyer's designs, making Miller & Rhodes one of the company's largest accounts. Impressed by the selections Perry made, Meyer grilled him about style trends. In 1967, Meyer hired Perry as a merchandiser and moved to New York.
In 1974, John Meyer died of cancer and Perry moved to the Vera Companies, where he worked as a sportswear merchandiser. Vera Co. specialized in designing polyester double-knit pantsuits. Perry tried to change the company's image by introducing natural fabrics. In 1975, the company's president allowed Perry to produce his own line under the Portfolio label. Perry designed 33 pieces for a fashion show in the Vera showroom where retailers and fashion critics were astonished by Perry's eclectic designs. This inspired Perry to start his own design company.
In 1978, his own company, Perry Ellis Sportswear began production. Perry opened his own showroom in an old band on the corner of Seventh Avenue and 41st Street. A peer of Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauran, and Anne Klein, Perry helped boost his reputation of American sportswear. By 1982 over 75 employees were working for Perry Ellis Sportswear. Unfortunately, Perry's health from then on began to decline after he came down with hepatitis. Soon other maladies crept in which he kept a secret from most of his friends and employees, who believed his frequent absences where letting the company slowly fall apart. In 1984, Perry and a old girlfriend, Barbara Gallagher, who lived in Los Angeles, has a daughter whom he named Tyler.
In May 1986, a gaunt Perry unveiled his latest line. People who attended the show, aware of Perry's health problems, thought it would be his last. When the show ended, Perry, too weak for the traditional walk down the fashion runway, appeared briefly in the doorway of the showroom where he received a standing ovation. A few hours later, Perry collapsed and was rushed to a hospital where he slipped into a coma. Two weeks later, on May 30, 1986, Perry Ellis died at age 46.Fashion designer.- Writer
- Actor
- Music Department
Kenny Everett was born on 25 December 1944 in Seaforth, Liverpool, England, UK. He was a writer and actor, known for Bloodbath at the House of Death (1984), Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) and Dateline Diamonds (1965). He was married to Lee Middleton. He died on 4 April 1995 in London, England, UK.Comedian, TV and radio personality.- Actor
- Writer
- Art Department
Wayland Flowers was born on 26 November 1939 in Dawson, Georgia, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for Madame's Place (1982), Old Is Somebody Else: Aging, Everybody Is Doing It (1974) and Norman... Is That You? (1976). He died on 11 October 1988 in Los Angeles, California, USA.Ventriloquist.- Althea Flynt was born on 6 November 1953 in Marietta, Ohio, USA. She was married to Larry Flynt. She died on 27 June 1987 in Bel Air, Los Angeles, California, USA.Wife of Larry Flynt.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Tom Fogerty was born on 9 November 1941 in Berkeley, California, USA. He was an actor, known for Café de Flore (2011), Creedence Clearwater Revival: In Performance (2008) and The Vow (2020). He was married to Patricia Suzanne Clapper and Loretta Gail Skinner. He died on 6 September 1990 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.Guitarist, Creedence Clearwater Revival.- Richard Frank was born on 4 January 1953 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. He was an actor, known for Amadeus (1984), Remington Steele (1982) and Falcon Crest (1981). He died on 27 August 1995 in Los Angeles, California, USA.Actor.
- Composer
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Andy Fraser was born on 3 July 1952 in Paddington, London, England, UK. He was a composer and writer, known for Wild (2014), American Beauty (1999) and The Diary of a Teenage Girl (2015). He was married to Henrietta (Ri). He died on 16 March 2015 in Temecula, California, USA.Singer, songwriter, musician.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Leonard Frey originally wanted to become an artist, but in college he became interested in acting. He made his stage debut in an off-Broadway production of "Little Mary Sunshine" and his film debut as a celebrant in Passages from James Joyce's Finnegans Wake (1966), but he first rose to prominence in the role of Harold, the self-proclaimed "Jew fairy", in both the stage and screen versions of The Boys in the Band (1970). Frey is probably best known for the role of Motel, the timid tailor, in Fiddler on the Roof (1971); this performance landed him a nomination for a Supporting Actor Oscar. He continued to work on stage, in films and on TV throughout the 1970s and 1980s, but he never again attained the level of critical success he enjoyed in "Fiddler on the Roof". In 1988 he died from complications related to AIDS.Actor.- Tom Fuccello was born on 11 December 1936 in Newark, New Jersey, USA. He was an actor, known for Dallas (1978), Love Is a Many Splendored Thing (1967) and Mac and Me (1988). He died on 16 August 1993 in Van Nuys, California, USA.Actor.
- Alison Gertz was born on 27 February 1966 in New York City, New York, USA. She died on 8 August 1992 in Westhampton Beach, Long Island, New York, USA.Activist.
- Music Department
- Actor
- Writer
Paul Giovanni was born on 2 June 1933. He was an actor and writer, known for The Wicker Man (1973), Hostel (2005) and Michael and Claire: A Portrait of Love and Dreams (2004). He died on 17 June 1990 in New York City, New York, USA.Playwright, actor.- Actress
- Additional Crew
Elizabeth Glaser was born on 11 November 1947 in New York City, New York, USA. She was an actress, known for And the Band Played On (1993), Convention '92 (1992) and 60 Minutes (1968). She was married to Paul Michael Glaser. She died on 3 December 1994 in Los Angeles, California, USA.Wife of Paul Michael Glaser, activist.- Music Department
- Composer
- Writer
Howard Greenfield was born on 15 March 1936 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. He was a composer and writer, known for Deadpool (2016), Transsiberian (2008) and Grease 2 (1982). He died on 4 March 1986 in Los Angeles, California, USA.Composer, lyricist.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
This African American actor attended Penn Hills High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He started his junior year at 6' 5" and finished it at 6' 9"! He played basketball throughout his high-school years and won a scholarship. He averaged 18 points a game and 10 rebounds! He played basketball during college, but not when it would interfere with his major at George Washington University in Washington, DC, which was Theatrical Arts. During his college years, he met Jay Fenichel with whom he would later make musical productions. Upon graduation, Fenichel moved to Los Angeles and Hall moved to Venezuela to play basketball.
After a year, Hall lost interest and relocated to Los Angeles, California. Along with Fenichel, the duo put together two night-club acts/musicals. One was a semi-autobiographical two-man musical, "In Five," and the other was a two-man show called "The Worst of Friends," both of which played in night clubs throughout the LA area. They also had a promotional business where they did promotional acts in department stores for new products.
While working on the set of the series 227 (1985), he met his co-star, Alaina Reed-Hall, who played Rose Lee Holloway. They married--both on the set, and in real life. Predator 2 (1990) was released December 1990, and in April 1991, he died of AIDS, which he contracted through a blood transfusion a few months before.Actor.- Costume and Wardrobe Department
- Costume Designer
- Actor
Born Roy Frowick Halston on April 23, 1932 in Des Moines, Iowa, Halston was a product of America's heartland. He led a classic Iowa childhood playing in soap box derby races, fishing, visiting farms, and the like. Halston took an interest in sewing from his mother, and from an early age he showed a special interest in making hats. Halston would make his own for his mother and sister (his first hat appeared on the cover of Harper's Bazaar in 1960). Halston attended Indiana University in 1952 for one semester. The family moved to Chicago in late 1952 where Halston enrolled in a night course at the Chicago Art Institute and took a day job as a window dresser. Halston continued to design hats and finally obtained his break when a small story on his fashionable creations appeared in the Chicago Daily News. It was at this time that his middle name Halston, would become his professional moniker. His hat sales took off and he began designing for a celebrity and show biz clientele. In 1957, Halston opened his first major shop, the Boulevard Salon, on the second floor of 900 Michigan Avenue. In 1959 Halston left Chicago for NYC to work for the famed French milliner Lilly Daché, where he proved to be a hardworking and dedicated employee. He was named co-designer at Daché after only one year. Following that Halston accepted a position at Bergdorf Goodman, a fashionable New York department store, where he charmed his clients and made a grand name for himself. After two-years at Bergdorf he succeeded in becoming the store's first designer to have his name placed in the hats he designed. He became adept at courting and manipulating the press at Bergdorf's. In 1962 he designed the famous pill box hat worn by Jackie Kennedy at the President's Inaugural making the Halston name a household word. Later that year he was bestowed the Coty's Fashion Critics Award. In 1966 Halston designed his first ready to wear collection for Bergdorf Goodman and while there Halston continued creating magic with his hat creations. Women's Wear Daily heralded him as "New York's Top Milliner". He opened his own salon in 1968 and became the toast of New York's fashion society. His close circle of friends and clients would come to include some of the most alluring and fascinating men and women in the world, among them Liza Minnelli, Barbara Walter, Martha Graham, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Andy Warhol and Elizabeth Taylor. Halston's career sky-rocketed during the 1970's and his designs set the standard for American designers. He was the undisputed high priest of fashion. The Halston name became synonymous with classically cut, simple, spare and elegant designs, a phenomenally successful fragrance line Halston by Halston for women X12 and Z14 for men, and the fabric known as "Ultra suede". His designs became ubiquitous as we went on to design and license his name on thirty-one different licensing products including a range of home linen, uniforms for Braniff International Airlines and a line of luggage for Hartmann. Throughout most of the seventies he epitomized the glamour, as well as the decadence of the era, becoming a central figure in the nightlife scene of New York's Studio 54 disco.Fashion designer.- Art Department
- Director
- Additional Crew
Keith Haring was born on 4 May 1958 in Reading, Pennsylvania, USA. He was a director, known for Beautiful Boy (2018), Love Is Strange (2014) and Tokyo Pop (1988). He died on 16 February 1990 in New York City, New York, USA.Artist.- Composer
- Music Department
- Actor
Dan Hartman was born on 8 December 1950 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA. He was a composer and actor, known for Oliver & Company (1988), Scrooged (1988) and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (1995). He died on 22 March 1994 in Westport, Connecticut, USA.Singer, songwriter, musician.- Actress
- Music Department
- Composer
Ofra Haza was born on 19 November 1957 in Tel Aviv, Israel. She was an actress and composer, known for The Prince of Egypt (1998), American Psycho (2000) and Head-On (2004). She was married to Doron Ashkenazi. She died on 23 February 2000 in Ramat Gan, Israel.Singer.- Actor
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Anthony Holland was born on 3 March 1928 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for All That Jazz (1979), Klute (1971) and The Lonely Lady (1983). He died on 9 July 1988 in New York City, New York, USA.Actor.- Actor
- Production Manager
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Born John Curtis Estes on August 8, 1944, in rural Pickaway County, Ohio, the youngest of four children, porn legend John Holmes was raised by a religious fanatic mother named Mary and an abusive alcoholic stepfather named Harold Bowman. He was a bible student, but at the age of 16 dropped out of school, left home and enlisted for a hitch in the US Army, where he was stationed in West Germany for three years. After his discharge he moved to Los Angeles in 1964 where he married a young nurse, and worked odd jobs such as taxi driver, door-to-door salesman, postal clerk, temp worker, coffee vat attendant, ambulance driver and forklift driver.
In the late 1960s he gravitated to the underground porno industry. One story was that a female neighbor was making porno loops and advised Holmes he could make good money. Unfortunately, his first check bounced and, after that, he always insisted on payment in cash. Another story is that in 1967 Holmes was frequenting a men's card playing club in the Los Angeles suburb of Gardena when a photographer for an underground magazine noticed his large "member" while standing next to him at a restroom urinal and gave Holmes his business card, telling him he could get plenty of work in still photo magazines. By 1969, with the advent of X-rated porn films, Holmes moved into the movie business. His tall, slim build, curly light brown hair, a light mustache and bright blue eyes made him an instantly recognizable star. John was not lacking for work, bringing not only a professional attitude but also his legendary endowment (12-5/8" long, according to a Screw Magazine interview, while other stories put it at 13-1/2" long). His enormously long penis got him starring roles in over 2,000 loops, stag films and adult features in a career that spanned nearly 20 years (with a peak of a $3,000-a-day salary). His lucrative off-screen penis-for-hire business took him around the world.
His most famous character is probably Johnny Wadd, a lusty, always-on-the-make private detective he played in several crude porno films like Tell Them Johnny Wadd Is Here (1976), The Jade Pussycat (1977), China Cat (1978), Liquid Lips (1976) and Blonde Fire (1978), the last of which is considered the best of the so-called "Wadd films". Better still were the big-budgeted pictures that co-starred some of the adult film industry's top leading ladies, including Marilyn Chambers, Seka, Annette Haven and even a young--and underage--Traci Lords.
In the late 1970s Holmes developed a serious drug habit to cocaine (both snorting and freebasing), which prevented him from performing in the on-screen sex he was famous for, resulting in his dropping out of the adult-film business. By late 1980 he was broke, most of the huge amounts of money he made having gone to feed his drug addiction. He was reduced to making money by robbing people's houses and stealing cars, as well as delivering drugs for the local gangsters. The lowest point in his life was when he was implicated in four grisly, drug-related murders on July 1, 1981. He was allegedly present at the drug-related torture and murders at a house in the hills above Hollywood of William Deverell, Ronald Launius, Joy Miller and Barbara Richardson--a group suspected by many in the drug underworld of specializing in ripping off drug dealers--by a gang of killers sent by a powerful local gangster named Eddie Nash. A fifth victim, (Susan Launius, Ronald Launius' estranged wife), barely survived the attack and had no memory of the event. The bloody crime made lurid headlines throughout Southern California and became known as The Wonderland Murders, after the street in the wooded Laurel Canyon neighborhood of Los Angeles where the killings took place. Holmes was implicated in the crime but refused to tell police what he knew and went on the run for nearly six months with his teenage mistress, Dawn Schiller, before he was arrested while hiding out in Florida and returned to Los Angeles. The L.A. authorities, angered by Holmes' refusal to cooperate with the investigation, charged him with committing all four murders. After a three-week, public trial, Holmes was acquitted on June 26, 1982. Although found not guilty of the murders, he remained in jail on previous burglary and contempt-of-court charges until his release in November 1982. The true nature and details of the Laurel Canyon murders remains unsolved to this day.
After his release from prison, Holmes tried to clean up his act and continue his porno career with a new generation of porno stars. His cocaine addiction continued off-and-on, and although work in the porno business was still plentiful, it was no longer as lucrative as it had been, given the explosion in the use of cheaply made videotapes that saturated the market. In addition, Holmes was no longer the powerhouse star that he had once been. He was diagnosed with AIDS late in 1985 but continued working--without telling producers or his co-stars--until 1986, when his increasingly gaunt and frail physical appearance sent up "red flags" in the industry and he could no longer find work.
During the last five months of his life, John Holmes received treatment and stayed at the local VA (Veterans Administration) Hospital on Sepulveda Boulevard in Los Angeles from November 1987 to his death on March 13, 1988 from AIDS-related complications at age 43, with his second wife at his side, former porn star Misty Dawn. Holmes once estimated he'd had sex with over 14,000 women (on and off screen), and was truly a porn legend. His life was the basis for the film Boogie Nights (1997), and he was portrayed by Val Kilmer in Wonderland (2003), about the infamous murders, but the conflicting truths about his life, as always, was stranger than fiction.Adult film star.- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Rock Hudson was born Roy Harold Scherer, Jr. in Winnetka, Illinois, to Katherine (Wood), a telephone operator, and Roy Harold Scherer, an auto mechanic. He was of German, Swiss-German, English, and Irish descent. His parents divorced when he was eight years old. He failed to obtain parts in school plays because he couldn't remember lines. After high school he was a postal employee and during WW II served as a Navy airplane mechanic. After the war he was a truck driver. His size and good looks got him into movies. His name was changed to Rock Hudson, his teeth were capped, he took lessons in acting, singing, fencing and riding. One line in his first picture, Fighter Squadron (1948), needed 38 takes. In 1956 he received an Oscar nomination for Giant (1956) and two years later Look magazine named him Star of the Year. He starred in a number of bedroom comedies, many with Doris Day, and had his own popular TV series McMillan & Wife (1971). He had a recurring role in TV's Dynasty (1981) (1984-5). He was the first major public figure to announce he had AIDS, and his worldwide search for a cure drew international attention. After his death his long-time lover Marc Christian successfully sued his estate, again calling attention to the homosexuality Rock had hidden from most throughout his career.Actor.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Director
Richard Hunt did not have a face known to many -- his voice was known more than anything else. He was a major stronghold behind Jim Henson's "Muppets". 'Scooter', 'Janice', 'Sweetums' and a few others, were some of the "Muppets" that Richard was a performer and puppeteer of. He helped pave the way for Jim Henson and his company from the 1970s through the early 90s, until his surprising death in 1992 of AIDS.Puppeteer, actor.- Actor
- Composer
- Music Department
Paul Jabara was born on 31 January 1948 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He was an actor and composer, known for Thank God It's Friday (1978), Eraser (1996) and All Good Things (2010). He died on 29 September 1992 in Los Angeles, California, USA.Songwriter, actor.- Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Sylvester was born on 6 September 1947 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He was an actor, known for Hit and Run (2012), What to Expect When You're Expecting (2012) and Trading Places (1983). He died on 16 December 1988 in San Francisco, California, USA.Singer, actor.- Actor
- Director
- Soundtrack
Michael Jeter was an American actor from Tennessee. His best known roles were that of math teacher and assistant football coach Herman Stiles in the sitcom "Evening Shade" (1990-1994) and "Mr. Noodle's brother, Mister Noodle" in "Sesame Street", a role he played from 2000 to 2003. He specialized in playing "eccentric, pretentious, or wimpy characters".
In 1952, Jeter was born in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, located between Chattanooga and Memphis. The town is mostly associated with local hero Davy Crockett (1786-1836), who owned a powder mill there in the early 19th century. The area is home to the David Crockett State Park.
Jeter's father was dentist William Claud Jeter (1922-2010), and his mother was housewife Virginia Raines (1927-2019). The Jeters were a large family, and Jeter had one brother and four sisters. Jeter enrolled at the Memphis State University (later renamed to the University of Memphis) with the intention to follow a medical career. His interests changed, and he pursued an acting education instead.
Jeter started his career as a theatrical actor, regularly performing at the Circuit Theatre and Playhouse on the Square, both located in Memphis. He made his film debut in the anti-war film "Hair" (1979), playing Woodrow Sheldon. The film depicted the hippie counterculture and the Vietnam War.
Jeter's early film roles included appearing in the historical drama "Ragtime" (1981), the sex comedy "Soup for One" (1982), the mockumentary "Zelig" (1983), the comedy film "The Money Pit" (1986), the action thriller "Dead Bang" (1989), and the action comedy "Tango & Cash" (1989). Meanwhile he appeared in guest-star roles in then-popular television series, such as "Night Court" and "Designing Women". His first recurring role in television was that of Dr. Art Makter in the short-lived medical drama "Hothouse". He appeared in all 7 episodes of the series.
Jeter found fame and critical success when playing the nerdy Herman Stiles in the sitcom "Evening Shade". He won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series and the Viewers for Quality Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Quality Comedy Series. The series lasted for 4 seasons, and a total of 98 episodes
Jeter guest starred as Peter Lebeck in three episodes of "Picket Fences". For this role he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 1993, but the award was won by rival actor Laurence Fishburne (1961-). Jeter had another notable television role as Bob Ryan in an episode of "Chicago Hope". He was again nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 1996 for this role, but the award was instead won by rival actor Peter Boyle (1935-2006).
Jeter played mostly supporting roles in 1990s film. He played (amon others_ a homeless cabaret singer in "The Fisher King" (1991), Father Ignatius in the Catholic nun-themed comedy "Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit" (1993), the inventor Old Gregor in the post-apocalyptic film "Waterworld" (1995), alcoholic clown Norm Snively in the sports comedy "Air Bud" (1997), and sympathetic prisoner Eduard 'Del' Delacroix in "The Green Mile" (1999).
Jeter next earned the recurring role of "Mr. Noodle's brother, Mister Noodle" in "Sesame Street", His character replaced Mr. Noodle (played by Bill Irwin) in the "Elmo's World" segments of the series. Both character were silent mimes who made mistakes, but were able to correct them with the help of "enthusiastic kid voice overs". Jeter was enthusiastic about his role, and called it a career favorite. He played the role until his death.
The openly gay Jeter was HIV positive, but had been in good health for many years. In March 2003, Jeter was found dead at his home in Los Angeles. According to his life partner Sean Blue, the death was caused by an epileptic seizure. Jeter was 50-years-old at the time of death.Actor.- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Jobriath Boone was born on 14 December 1946 in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, USA. He is known for Desire Will Set You Free (2015), Mapplethorpe (2018) and Marc Almond: Be Still (2013). He died on 3 August 1983 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA.Singer, songwriter.- Actor
- Stunts
- Soundtrack
Larry Kert was born on 5 December 1930 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He was an actor, known for New York, New York (1977), Parade of Stars (1983) and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962). He died on 5 June 1991 in New York City, New York, USA.Actor, singer, dancer.- Music Department
- Composer
- Writer
Fela Kuti was born on 15 October 1938 in Abeokuta, Nigeria. He was a composer and writer, known for The Harder They Fall (2021), Queen & Slim (2019) and Run Fatboy Run (2007). He died on 2 August 1997 in Lagos, Nigeria.Singer, composer, musician.- Actor
- Composer
- Director
Rémi Laurent was born on 12 October 1957 in Suresnes, France. He was an actor and composer, known for La Cage aux Folles (1978), The Plouffe Family (1981) and Tous vedettes! (1980). He was married to Emöke Masznyik. He died on 14 November 1989 in Paris, France.Actor.- Irving Allen Lee was born on 21 November 1948 in New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for The Edge of Night (1956), As the World Turns (1956) and Ryan's Hope (1975). He died on 5 September 1992 in New York City, New York, USA.Actor.
- Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Most remembered for his extravagant costumes and trademark candelabra placed on the lids of his flashy pianos, Liberace was loved by his audiences for his music talent and unique showmanship. He was born as Wladziu Valentino Liberace on May 16, 1919, into a musical family, in Wisconsin. His mother, Frances Liberace (née Zuchowski), whose parents were Polish, played the piano. His father, Salvatore Liberace, an immigrant from Formia, Italy, played the French horn for the Milwaukee Symphony. His siblings, George Liberace, Angie Liberace and Rudy Liberace, also had musical ability. Liberace's own extraordinary natural talent became evident when he learned to play the piano, by ear, at the age of four. Although Salvatore tried to discourage his son's interest in the piano, praises from Ignacy Jan Paderewski, a famous Polish pianist, helped the young musician follow his musical career.
As a teenager, Liberace earned wages playing popular tunes at movie theaters and speakeasies. Despite being proud of his son's accomplishments, Salvatore strictly opposed Liberace's preference for popular music over the classics. Pianist Florence Bettray Kelly took control of Liberace's classical training when he was 14.
He debuted as a soloist with the Chicago Symphony, under the direction of Dr. Frederick Stock. At age 17, Liberace joined the Works Progress Administration Symphony Orchestra. He received a scholarship to attend the Wisconsin College of Music. In 1939, after a classical recital, Liberace's audience requested the popular tune, "Three Little Fishes". Liberace seized the opportunity and performed the tune with a semi-classical style which the audience loved. Soon, this unique style of playing the piano got Liberace bookings in large nightclubs.
By 1940, Liberace was traveling with his custom-made piano, on top of which he would place his candelabrum. He then took Paderewski's advice and dropped Wladziu and Valentino to become simply Liberace. South Sea Sinner (1950), a movie with Shelley Winters, was Liberace's film debut. He played a honky tonk pianist in the movie, which opened in 1950.
In 1952, The Liberace Show (1952), a syndicated television program, turned Liberace into a musical symbol. It began as a summertime replacement for The Dinah Shore Show (1951), but after two years, the show was one of the most popular on TV. It was carried by 217 American stations and could be seen in 20 foreign countries. Sold-out live appearances at Madison Square Garden enhanced the pianist's popularity even more. Soon, Liberace added flamboyant costumes and expensive ornaments to his already unique performances. His second movie, Sincerely Yours (1955), opened in 1955, and Liberace wrote his best-selling autobiography, "Liberace", in 1972. His first book, "Liberace Cooks", went into seven printings.
In 1977, Liberace founded the non-profit "Liberace Foundation for the Performing and Creative Arts". The year 1978 brought the opening of "The Liberace Museum" in Las Vegas, Nevada, which serves as key funding for the Liberace Foundation. The profits from the museum provide scholarship money for financially needy college musicians. He continued performing until the fall of 1986, despite suffering from heart disease and emphysema during most of the 1980s. A closeted homosexual his entire life, Liberace was secretly diagnosed with AIDS sometime in August 1985, which he also kept secret from the public until the day he died. His last concert performance was at Radio City Music Hall on November 2, 1986. He passed away in his Palm Springs home on February 4, 1987 at age 67.
Liberace was bestowed with many awards during his lifetime including: Instrumentalist of the Year, Best Dressed Entertainer, Entertainer of the Year, two Emmy Awards, six gold albums, and two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In The Guinness Book of World Records, he has been listed as the world's highest paid musician and pianist. Liberace was an extremely talented and versatile man. He not only played the piano, but sang, danced and joked during his performances. In fact, one of Liberace's biggest accomplishments was his ability to turn a recital into a show full of music, glitter and personality.Pianist.- Director
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Additional Crew
Robert Mapplethorpe was born on 4 November 1946 in Queens, New York, USA. He was a director, known for Breathless (1983), Lady (1984) and Patti Smith: Still Moving (1978). He died on 9 March 1989 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.Photographer.- Tom McBride was born on 7 October 1952 in Charleston, West Virginia, USA. He was an actor, known for Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981), Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985) and As the World Turns (1956). He died on 24 September 1995 in New York City, New York, USA.Actor.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Baltimora was born on 23 May 1957 in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, UK. He was an actor, known for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993), Beverly Hills Ninja (1997) and Hot Summer Nights (2017). He died on 29 March 1995 in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, UK.Musician.- James Medina was born on 2 March 1962 in Florida, USA. He was an actor, known for Class of 1999 (1990), Quantum Leap (1989) and White Squall (1996). He died on 16 October 1995 in Los Angeles, California, USA.Actor.
- John Megna was born on 9 November 1952 in Queens, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), The Cannonball Run (1981) and Police Woman (1974). He died on 5 September 1995 in Los Angeles, California, USA.Actor.
- Music Artist
- Music Department
- Actor
Freddie Mercury was born on the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar. His parents, Bomi and Jer Bulsara, sent him off to a private school in India, from 1955 til 1963. In 1964, he and his family flew to England. In 1966 he started his education at the Ealing College of Art, where he graduated in 1969. He loved art, and because of that, he often went along with his friend Tim Staffell, who played in a band called Smile. Also in this band where Brian May and Roger Taylor.
When Staffell left the band in 1970, Mercury became their new singer. He changed the band's name into Queen, and they took on a new bass-player in February 1971, called John Deacon. Their first album, "Queen", came out in 1973. But their real breakthrough was "Killer Queen", on the album "Sheer Heart Attack", which was released in 1974. They became immortal with the single "Bohemian Rhapsody", on the 1975 album "A Night At The Opera".
After their biggest hit in the USA in 1980 with "Another One Bites The Dust", they had a bad period. Their album "Flash Gordon" went down the drain, because the movie Flash Gordon (1980) flunked. Their next, the disco-oriented "Hot Space", was hated not only by rock critics but also by many hardcore fans. Only the song "Under Pressure", which they sang together with David Bowie, made a difference. In 1983, they took a year off. But, in 1984 they came back with their new album called "The Works". The singles "Radio Ga Ga" and "I Want to Break Free" did very well in the UK but a controversy over the video of the latter in the USA meant it got little exposure and flopped. Plans to tour the USA were cancelled and the band would not recover their popularity there during Mercury's lifetime.
In April 1985, Mercury released his first solo album, the less rock-oriented and more dance-oriented "Mr. Bad Guy". The album is often considered now to have been a flop, but it actually wasn't. It peaked at number six in the UK and stayed on the chart for 23 weeks, making it the most successful Queen solo project. The band got back together again after their barnstorming performance at Live Aid (1985) in July 1985. At the end of the year, they started working on their new album, "A Kind Of Magic". They also held their biggest ever world tour, the "Magic Tour". They played Wembley Stadium twice and held their very last concert in Knebworth, in front of 125.000 people.
After 1986, it went silent around Queen. In 1987, he was diagnosed with AIDS but he kept working at a pace. He released a cover of the 1950s song "The Great Pretender", which went into the UK top ten. After that, he flew to Spain, where he made the magnificent album "Barcelona", together with Montserrat Caballé, whom he saw performing in 1983. Because Mercury loved opera, he became a huge fan of her. For him, this album was like a dream becoming reality. The single "Barcelona" went huge, and was also used as a theme song for the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.
After "Barcelona", he started working with the band again. They made "The Miracle", which was released in early 1989. It was another success, with hits such as "Breakthru", "I Want It All", "The Invisible Man" and the title track. At this point, Mercury told the band he had AIDS, meaning that a tour of the album was out of the question. After Mercury told the band, he refused to talk about it anymore. He was afraid that people would buy their records out of pity. He said he wanted to keep making music as long as possible. And he did. After "The Miracle", Mercury's health got worse. They wanted to do one more album, called "Innuendo." They worked on it in 1990 and early 1991. Every time when Mercury would feel well, he came over to the studio and sang. After "Innuendo" was released in January 1991, they made two video clips. The first one was the video clip of "I'm Going Slightly Mad", shot in March 1991. Because Mercury was very thin, and had little wounds all over his body, they used a lot of make-up. He wore a wig, and the clip was shot in black and white.
Mercury's final video clip was released in June 1991. The clip, "These Are The Days Of Our Lives", later turned out to be his goodbye song, the last time he appeared on film. You could clearly see he was ill, but he still hadn't told the world about his disease. Rumours went around that he some kind of terrible disease. This rumor was confirmed by Mercury himself, one day before he passed on. His death was seen as a great loss for the world of popular music.Singer, songwriter, musician, Queen.- Composer
- Music Department
- Producer
Jacques Morali was born on 4 July 1946 in France. He was a composer and producer, known for Can't Stop the Music (1980), The Nutty Professor (1996) and Blast from the Past (1999). He died on 15 November 1991 in New York City, New York, USA.Author, creator of the Village People.- He was a heavyweight professional boxer who held the WBO heavyweight title in 1993. He made national news Thursday, Feb. 15, 1996, when he announced that he was HIV positive. He then retired from boxing. He was suspended from worldwide boxing when he tested positive prior to a boxing match against Arthur Weathers in Las Vegas. The suspension was lifted in 2006. He died September 1, 2013 of multiple organ failures.Professional boxer, actor.
- Dorothy Karen "Cookie" Mueller was born 2 March, 1949 in Baltimore, Maryland. The daughter of Frank Lennert Mueller and Anne Mueller, Cookie had two siblings: brother Michael and sister Judy. Mueller grew up in the suburbs of Baltimore and acquired the nickname 'Cookie' when she was a baby. Cookie embarked on road trips with her family throughout her childhood and first began writing at age eleven. The tragic death of her brother Michael at age fourteen further encouraged Mueller to continue writing. Cookie hung out with the hippie crowd in high school and was constantly dying her hair different colors during her adolescent years. After amassing some money by working a small job at a Baltimore men's department store, Mueller headed off to Haight-Asbury in San Francisco, California so she could continue living a free-spirited hippie lifestyle. During this time Cookie traveled across the country living with groups of vagrants and briefly settled in such places Provincetown, Massachusetts; Pennsylvania, British Columbia, Italy, Jamaica, and San Francisco, California.
Mueller first met John Waters at the premiere of his film Mondo Trasho (1969). Cookie went on to become a key member of Waters' Dreamlanders ensemble and acted in 5 movies altogether for Waters. Mueller eventually moved to New York City where she established herself as a writer, journalist, and columnist: She wrote the health column "Ask Dr. Mueller" for the East Village Eye, was an art critic for Details magazine, and wrote the novella "Fan Mail, Frank Letters, and Crank Calls," the memoir "Walking Through Clear Water in a Pool Painted Black," and several collections of short prose. Cookie died at age 40 from AIDS-related causes on November 10, 1989 in New York City. Her body was cremated and her ashes have been interred in multiple locations all over the world.Actress, writer, columnist. - Timothy Patrick Murphy was born on 3 November 1959 in Hartford, Connecticut, USA. He was an actor, known for The Love Boat (1977), Dallas (1978) and Sam's Son (1984). He died on 6 December 1988 in Sherman Oaks, California, USA.Actor.
- Additional Crew
- Actor
- Director
He was an ethnic Tatar. He was educated at the Leningrad Ballet School and starred with Kirov Ballet. His first film was a USSR short Le Corsaire (1958). While performing in Paris in 1961 he defected to the West. He then performed internationally, becoming an Austrian citizen in 1982. The English/French documentary I Am a Dancer (1972), directed by Pierre Jourdan featured him and his long-time partner Margot Fonteyn. He played Rudolph Valentino in the film Valentino (1977) and Daniel Jelline in Exposed (1983), his last film. In 1982, he starred in the US stage revival of "The King and I".Ballet dancer.- Brad O'Hare was born on 13 October 1950 in Maryland, USA. He was an actor, known for American Playhouse (1980), Longtime Companion (1989) and Crossing Delancey (1988). He died on 1 October 1994 in New York City, New York, USA.Actor.
- David Oliver was born on 31 January 1962 in Concord, California, USA. He was an actor, known for Night of the Creeps (1986), A Year in the Life (1987) and A Year in the Life (1986). He died on 12 November 1992 in Los Angeles, California, USA.Actor.
- Actor
- Stunts
Dennis Ott was born on 13 June 1958 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He was an actor, known for Runaway Train (1985), Road House (1989) and Police Academy 6: City Under Siege (1989). He was married to Louise. He died on 3 November 1994 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.Actor.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Anthony Perkins was born April 4, 1932 in New York City, to Janet Esselstyn (Rane) and Osgood Perkins, an actor of both stage and film. His father died when he was five. Anthony's paternal great-grandfather was engraver Andrew Varick Stout Anthony. Perkins attended the Brooks School, the Browne & Nichols School, Columbia University and Rollins College. He made his screen debut in The Actress (1953), and was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar Friendly Persuasion (1956). Four years later, he appeared in what would be his most noted role, Norman Bates in Psycho (1960), memorializing him into film history forever.Actor.- Additional Crew
- Actor
- Director
Michael Peters was born on 6 August 1948 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He was an actor and director, known for What's Love Got to Do with It (1993), Michael Jackson: Thriller (1983) and Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993). He died on 29 August 1994 in Los Angeles, California, USA.Choreographer, director, actor.- Lonnie Pitchford was born on 8 October 1955 in Lexington, Mississippi, USA. He died on 8 November 1998 in Clarksdale, Mississippi, USA.Musician.
- Keith Prentice is probably best remembered for his role in Boys in the Band, a film whose title makes it sound like a musical, but in fact it was a dark, mostly negative portrayal of a group of gay men living in the 1960s, and it was anything but upbeat (and was not a musical at all). However, earlier in his career, the handsome actor built an impressive resume of musical roles.
At age 18, Keith left his home state of Ohio for New York City to study at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. After six months there, he was signed to understudy the juvenile lead in the long-running Broadway hit The Sound of Music, featuring Mary Martin. After skipping through the Alps for a year and a half in that Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, Prentice left to understudy the lead in Noel Coward's Sail Away. He played the role several times opposite Elaine Stritch.
His other stage musical credits included the part of Julio in Lerner and Loew's Paint Your Wagon, and The King and I, with Farley Granger and Barbara Cook in Washington, D.C., as well as Henry Spoffard in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Chick Miller in Wish You Were Here, Neil in Fiorello! Hank in Wildcat, and Nestor in Irma La Douce.
In 1968 he appeared off-Broadway in the non-musical The Boys in The Band, a controversial play featuring gay characters at a dramatic birthday party. Today, with gay-themed TV shows and movies like Will & Grace and Trick finding mainstream success,it may be difficult to imagine how ground-breaking Prentice's play was.
After completing the movie version of Boys in the Band in 1970, he joined the cast of Dark Shadows, the super-successful supernatural TV soap opera. Like other cast members, he played more than one role, and both were rather dour.
In 1983, Keith Prentice founded the Theatre Under the Stars in his hometown of Kettering, Ohio. He directed productions there for the next decade. He died in Kettering, of cancer and AIDS-related complications, on September 27, 1992.Actor. - Actor
- Production Designer
- Writer
Kurt Raab was born on 20 July 1941 in Bergreichenstein, Sudetenland [now Kasperské Hory, Czech Republic]. He was an actor and production designer, known for Tenderness of the Wolves (1973), Satan's Brew (1976) and Why Does Herr R. Run Amok? (1970). He died on 28 June 1988 in Hamburg, West Germany.Actor.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Dack (given name Norman) and identical twin brother, Dirk Rambo (Orman), were born in sunny California in 1941. Dack's noticeable difference was a mole on his left cheek. Both happened upon an acting career, at age 21, after being discovered by Loretta Young for her TV show, while sitting in a church pew. The sons of Lester and Beatrice Rambo, the brothers also had another brother and sister, Bill and Beverly. Dack's early training began as a student of Vincent Chase and Lee Strasberg, and both boys found employment, following the one-season stint on Loretta's TV show, in 1963. While Dirk found success on episodic-TV (The Virginian (1962), Dragnet 1967 (1967)), Dack went on to a couple of other TV series, including Never Too Young (1965) and The Guns of Will Sonnett (1967). Dirk was tragically killed in 1967, after being struck by a drunken driver. A stunned Dack ventured on, however, and eventually found a secure place for his dark good looks in 70s and 80s glossy drama and secondary action. He played many a calculating lover in both daytime (All My Children (1970), Another World (1964)) and prime-time (Dallas (1978)) soaps, while showing off his athletic skills in such outdoor adventure series as Sword of Justice (1978). Later in his career, he worked up a few action leads in low-budget filming. In 1991, while appearing on Another World (1964), Dack discovered he had contracted AIDS and made a courageous decision to retire in order to focus on awareness of this deadly disease. He was extremely candid as to his bisexuality and advocating safe sex and helping to establish an international data bank for AIDS research. He died of complications in 1994 at age 52.Actor.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
Born on May 24, 1962, in Harlem. Attended Julia Richmond High School, where he performed in a dance class, and later auditioned for Louis Falco, the choreographer for the film Fame (1980). Actually attended New York's High School of the Performing Arts for a year, before being kicked out. He was, therefore, perfectly cast as Leroy in the film, which won Academy Awards for best song and original score. Like his character in the film, Ray had never had professional dance training but had an abundance of raw talent. In 1982, he toured Britain to perform with other Fame (1980) cast members in 10 concerts. The Kids from Fame in Concert (1983), a television special about the tour, was broadcast in the United States a year later.Actor, choreographer.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Sharon Redd was born on 19 October 1945 in Norfolk, Virginia, USA. She was an actress, known for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978), Fear City (1984) and Sharon Redd: Never Give You Up (1982). She died on 1 May 1992 in Westchester County, New York, USA.Singer.- Actor
- Director
- Soundtrack
Robert Reed was an American actor, mostly known for television roles. His most famous role was that of pater familias Michael Paul "Mike" Brady in the popular sitcom "The Brady Bunch" (1969-1979). He returned to this role in several of the sitcom's sequels and spin-offs.
Reed was born under the name "John Robert Rietz Jr. " in 1932. His birthplace was Highland Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. His parents were government worker John Robert Rietz Sr. and homemaker Helen Teaverbaugh. The couple were childhood sweethearts and married each other at age 18. Reed was their only child.
Due to his father's career transfers, Reed moved often as a child. He spend part of his childhood in Navasota, Texas and Shawnee, Oklahoma. The senior Reitz eventually retired from his government positions, and started a new life as a cattle farmer in Muskogee, Oklahoma. The Reitz family moved to a farm there.
As a youth, Reed joined the 4-H agricultural club, and demonstrated calves in agricultural shows. He was already fascinated with acting and music, and started performing as a theatrical and singer before he graduated high school. He had a side career as a radio announcer for local radio stations, and also helped produce radio dramas.
Reed graduated from Muskogeee's Central High School in 1950. He soon enrolled at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where he studied drama. His mentor was acting coach Alvina Krause (1893-1981). During his university years, Reed played the leading role in 8 different plays. Following his graduation, Reed studied abroad at Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.
With the completion of his studies, Reed started a career as a theatrical actor. He appeared in summer stock productions in Pennsylvania, and joined the off-Broadway theatre group "The Shakespearewrights" which (as their name suggested) specialized in Shakespearean plays. Reed had leading roles in the group's productions of "Romeo and Juliet" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream". He left the group to join the Chicago-based Studebaker Theatre company.
By the late 1950s, Reed remained a relatively obscure theatrical actor. He moved to Los Angeles in hope of finding higher-profile roles in film or television. In 1959, Reed made his television debut in a guest star role in the sitcom "Father Knows Best". He next had guest star roles in the science fiction series "Men into Space" (1959-1960), and the Western series "Lawman" (1958-1962). His film debut was the horror film "Bloodlust!" (1961), playing the human prey of a sadistic hunter. The film was a loose adaptation of the short story "The Most Dangerous Game" (1924) by Richard Connell (1893-1949).
Reed had his first major role in television as lawyer Kenneth Preston in the courtroom drama series "The Defenders" (1961-1965). Reed played the son and junior partner of lawyer Lawrence Preston (played by E. G. Marshall), in a series featuring a father-son legal team. The series lasted for 132 episodes, and was a ratings hit. The series earned a total of 22 Primetime Emmy Award nominations during its run.
Following the cancellation of "The Defenders", Reed was mostly reduced to supporting roles in television. He appeared in (among others) "Family Affair"," Ironside", "The Mod Squad", and "Bob Hope Presents The Chrysler Theatre". In 1968, Reed signed a contract to play a lead role in the television adaptation of the play "Barefoot in the Park" (1963) by Neil Simon. When it was decided that the television adaptation would feature a mostly African-American cast, Reed was offered a leading role in "The Brady Bunch" as a consolation prize.
"The Brady Bunch" lasted for 117 episodes, though it never was among the highest-rated shows on television. It found a larger audience in syndication after its cancellation, and has remained a cult favorite. Reed was not happy with the often silly scripts of the sitcom, and had regular arguments about suggested re-writes with the show's producer Sherwood Schwartz (1916-2011). On the other hand, Reed formed long-lasting friendships with most members of the series' main cast.
Reed refused to appear in the fifth season finale of "The Brady Bunch", because he felt its script was unacceptable. He was fired from the series, and the production team considered replacing him with a new actor for the series' sixth season. However, the fifth season turned out to be the final one, with network ABC deciding to cancel the series.
While "The Brady Bunch" was still ongoing, Reed had the recurring role of Lt. Adam Tobias in the detective series "Mannix". He played the role for 22 episodes, running from 1968 to 1975. With the series' cancellation in 1975, Reed was left with no regular roles for the first time since the late 1960s.
Reed's next notable role was that of transgender Dr. Pat Caddison in the two-part episode "The Fourth Sex" (1975) of the medical drama Medical Center". The role was critically well-received, and Reed was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award, the "Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series". The award was instead won by rival actor Ed Asner (1929-).
Reed had a regular role as Teddy Boylan in the dramatic miniseries "Rich Man, Poor Man" (1976), and a prominent guest appearance as Dr. William Reynolds in the miniseries "Roots" (1977). For the first role, Reed was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. The Award was instead won by rival actor Anthony Zerbe (1936-). For the second role, Reed was nominated again for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. The award was instead again won by rival actor Ed Asner.
Reed reunited with his friends from the Brady Bunch in the sequel series "The Brady Bunch Hour" (1976-1977), which only lasted for 9 episodes. He next played Mike Brady in the television film "The Brady Girls Get Married" (1981), the television film "A Very Brady Christmas" (1988), and the short-lived sequel series "The Bradys" (1990). The attempts to turn the popular sitcom into a dramatic series were not met with success.
Reed had another lead role in television as Dr. Adam Rose on the medical drama "Nurse" (1981-1982). The series only lasted for 25 episodes. Otherwise, Reed was reduced to mostly playing guest star roles again. His last guest star role appeared in 1992 episode of the crime drama "Jake and the Fatman".
In November 1991, Reed was diagnosed with colon cancer. As his health deteriorated, Reed increasingly isolated himself. He only allowed visits from his daughter Karen Rietz and close friend Anne Haney (1934-2001). In May 1992, he died at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, California. He was 59-years-old. He was buried at Memorial Park Cemetery in Skokie, Illinois.
Following his death, his death certificate revealed that Reed was HIV positive. While he was not suffering from AIDS, doctors were unable to determine whether HIV contributed to the deterioration of his health and his eventual death. How and when Reed contracted HIV remains unknown. Reed had managed to avoid having information about his personal life leaking to the press during his career, and also avoided sharing details about it even with his friends.
Reed is still fondly remembered for his television work, while his theatrical career has largely faded from memory.Actor.- Director
- Producer
- Writer
The son of a Shipley chemist he was initially connected with the stage first with the post war Shipley Young Theatre then with the Bradford Civic Theatre where he came into contact with the Bradford born author J B Priestley who recognising his potential commissioned him to write a TV documentary. from where it was a short step to directing films. His close association with another novelist, John Osborne resulted in him directing Look Back in Ange in 1959 and The Entertainer in 1960 where the location scenes were shot in Morecambe where his parents had made their home in retirement. Following the great success of Tom Jones, particularly in America and his marriage to Vanessa Redgrave having ended he moved there and co wrote the film Dead Cert. The last film he made was The Hotel New Hampshire.Director, writer, producer.- The inspiration for the movie Days of Thunder (1990), Tim Richmond earned the nickname Hollywood Tim because of his passion to become an actor, a bug that bit him during a cameo appearance in the movie Stroker Ace (1983) with Burt Reynolds.
But Richmond became most famous for his explosive rise and tragic fall in NASCAR racing. The 1980 Indianapolis 500 rookie of the year, Richmond was involved in an Indycar crash where his car was sliced in two at Michigan International Speedway, and was persuaded by Pocono Raceway's Joseph Mattioli to try stock cars.
Richmond drove the 1981 season for some five different teams and finally achieved stability in 1982, winning his first two races. But his greatest success came when billionaire Charlotte car dealer Rick Hendrick slotted him into one of his racecars with crew chief 'Harry Hyde(II)'.
After a stormy opening quarter of 1986, Hyde and Richmond reached an understanding of each other's abilities and from late May onward were all but unstoppable, winning seven races, most of them in a ten-race span from mid-June to early September; only late-season engine failures cost Richmond a shot at the season title. His most spectacular win came at Pocono in July 1986; after crashing with 'Richard Petty' Richmond made up a lap and beat Geoff Bodine and Ricky Rudd in a three-wide photo finish.
But Richmond's health was deteriorating - he suffered a near-fatal bout with double pneumonia after the 1986 season and was literally begging doctors to save his life. Unknown to the sport at the time, Richmond also contracted AIDS (his doctor later said that Richmond, universally known in the sport as a playboy, contracted the disease via heterosexual intercourse, but there is still doubt in that regard), and despite his illness, he returned to NASCAR circles for an eight-race run in 1987 that saw victories at Pocono and Riverside, California.
Unaware of his illness other drivers suspected Richmond was a drug user, and persuaded NASCAR to test him. Two tests resulted during Speedweeks 1988, with contradictory results. NASCAR asked to see his medical records; Richmond refused and filed a defamation suit against NASCAR that was settled out of court when it was ruled that his medical records were relevant to the case.
Richmond was badly injured in a motorcycle accident in 1989 and finally succumbed to AIDS that August.Racecar driver. - Actor
- Composer
- Music Department
Larry D Riley was born June 20 1952. He is the son of George C Bass Sr and Corrine Riley. He started acting around 1975. He moved to New York and was in a lot of plays.
He was cremated and ashes where spread on the beach in Malibu, California.Actor.- Brooklyn born US actor who attained minor cult status through his portrayal of troubled teenager "Cotton" leading a group of other teen misfits to release caged buffaloes earmarked for shooting in the film Bless the Beasts & Children (1971) based upon the Glendon Swarthout novel of the same name.
His other work was restricted to a handful of appearances in several TV shows and telemovies.
Died from AIDS related illness on April 1, 1986.Actor. - Max Robinson was born in Richmond, VA on May 1, 1939 to Maxie and Doris Robinson. His siblings are sisters Jewell and Jean, and brother Randall. In 1959, at the age of 20, Max Robinson beat out four white applicants for a position at a local TV station in Portsmouth, VA where he read the news on the air. There was just one catch: his face had to be hidden behind a slide bearing the station's logo. "One night," Clarence Page wrote in Chicago, "[Robinson] ordered the slide removed so his relatives could see him. He was fired the next day.
When he moved to Washington, he was the first African-American anchor on a local television news program on WTOP-TV Channel 9 in 1969, and the first African-American anchor on a network television news program. During his three and a half years at WRC he won six journalism awards for his coverage of such events as the 1968 riots after civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination, the antiwar demonstrations, and the national election. It was during this time that Robinson won two regional Emmys for a documentary he did on black life in Anacostia titled The Other Washington.
At WTOP, he was teamed with Gordon Peterson for 6:00 PM and 11:00 PM newscasts and the rest was history. There was such a rapport between Robinson and his viewers that when Hanafi Muslims took hostages at the Washington Mosque, they would only speak with Max Robinson. In 1978, when Roone Arledge was looking to revamp ABC News' nightly news broadcast into World News Tonight, he remembered Max Robinson from a 60 Minutes interview, and hired him to be a part of his new three-anchor format: Frank Reynolds in Washington, Peter Jennings in London, and Robinson in Chicago. He became the first black man to anchor a nightly network news broadcast. Almost immediately, Robinson took it upon himself to fight racism at every turn and at whatever cost he thought necessary. He was constantly embroiled with his network bosses over the way news stories portrayed black America and how they neglected to reflect the black viewpoint. Robinson's integrity as a journalist and his role as a leader in the fight against prejudice made him a mentor to many young black television journalists. Unfortunately, he never felt worthy of the admiration or satisfied with his accomplishments. It wasn't long before friends and co-workers began to notice a significant change in his behavior. He became stubborn and moody, began showing up late for work or not at all, and his fondness for alcohol took on epidemic proportions. He had been married three times and fathered four children. Excerpted from AAP website: Management at ABC was getting frustrated with the image problems that Robinson was causing them. When they switched to a single anchor format, with the death of Frank Reynolds, Robinson was relegated to doing news briefs and anchoring the weekend news program. He left ABC in 1984 to become the first black anchor at WMAQ in Chicago. But it didn't last, and he left WMAQ in '85. Unfortunately, just when it appeared that he was about to put his life in order, he was hospitalized in Blue Island, Illinois, with pneumonia. It didn't take doctors long to figure out the cause of his ailment. He kept his condition secret. It was thought that most news organizations knew already and decided to honor a fellow journalist's privacy. To have AIDS at that time was to be a pariah. In some ways, it still is. But in 1988, it was much worse. In the fall of 1988, he traveled back to DC to give a speech at Howard University's School of Journalism. Later that night, he became increasingly ill, and checked into Howard University Hospital. On the morning of December 20, 1988, Max Robinson passed away. The truth of his condition was finally revealed: he died from complications due to AIDS. Journalists from all corners came to his funeral in DC, The Reverend Jesse Jackson delivered the eulogy and his old partner Gordon Peterson said a few words. It was a beautiful service. Max Robinson deserves as much credit for his achievements in journalism as Edward R. Murrow or Frederick Douglass. But he's fading from the collective memory. There are no books written about him. There are no documentaries or dramas made of his story. Yes, he was moody and temperamental. His drinking and bouts with depression got in the way of his work in later years. Sometimes the people who loved him were hurt by things he said or did. He made mistakes. And he died from AIDS. But that's not all that he was. He took down the slide in 1959 so Portsmouth residents could see who had been delivering the news in such an eloquent fashion. He showed Washingtonians the other side of Washington with his documentary on Anacostia. He risked his life by agreeing to act as a negotiator during the hostage crisis at the Washington Mosque. He broke through the wall of racism by being the first time and time again. He mentored young black journalists who were coming through the door he had opened. He stood up and pointed out racism even in his own network when it would have been easier to just take the money and read the news. He tried to educate his children about their African heritage. He won numerous awards for his efforts and made things a whole lot easier for the African-American journalists of today.News anchor. - Howard E. Rollins Jr. was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1950. He was the youngest of four children born to Howard E. Rollins Sr. (steelworker) and Ruth R. Rollins (domestic worker). Rollins graduated from Towson State College, where he studied theater. His first break into acting came when a friend convinced him to try out for a role in "Of Mice and Men" at a local Baltimore theater. He surprised himself with his acting talent.
He left for New York City in 1974 to further his acting career. Rollins earned an Oscar nomination for the role of Coalhouse Walker Jr. in Ragtime (1981) and an Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actor on the NBC daytime drama Another World (1964). He is also known for his brilliant portrayal of Virgil Tibbs on the long running hit TV series In the Heat of the Night (1988), based on the 1967 movie of the same name. In 1995, he made his final feature film appearance in Drunks (1995).
Rollins was diagnosed with lymphoma in late 1996. Six weeks later, he died of complications from the disease at the age of 46.Actor. - Steve Rubell was known as the co-founder and co-owner of the world famous New York nightclub Studio 54. Born and raised in New York, Rubell and his business partner Ian Schrager operated a number of restaurants and offices before deciding to create the ultimate nightclub. Renting a vacant theater on west 54th Street in Manhattan, New York, they opened Studio 54 in April 1977. Their goal was to have a club where anyone could get invited and anything would go within it. After a unrepresented opening which it made $7 million within the first year, Studio 54 drew many people and celebrities to its unconventional parties and gatherings. Drugs, alcohol and sex of all kinds inhabited the place which made it all the more notorious and controversial.
By the end of 1979, the excess and business of Studio 54 caught up with Rubell and Schrager when they were arrested by the IRS for income tax evasion and were sentenced to three years in prison. They both were paroled after serving 13 months and tried operating Studio 54 but without success. Selling it, Rubell and Schrager went into the hotel business where they bought out and operated a number of upscale hotels.
Rubell, a closeted homosexual, was diagnosed HIV positive in 1985, but incredibly denied his condition and continued his excess lifestyle of drinking, drugs. Rubell died in 1989. Schrager continues running their hotel they started.Businessman. - Kenny Sacha was born on 22 January 1953 in New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992), Simon & Simon (1981) and Madame's Place (1982). He died on 1 August 1992 in Hollywood, California, USA.Actor, comedian, impressionist.
- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Fred Sadoff was born in Brooklyn, New York on October 21, 1926 to Henry Sadoff from Philadelphia and Bertha Leib Sadoff from Russia. He was the youngest in the family, his older brother Robert having been born in 1921. He served a year in the military from 1943-1944 and, when he got out, decided to give acting a try. He first cut his teeth in acting on the Broadway stage, appearing in "Wish You Were Here" in 1947 and the original production of "South Pacific". He got his film break in 1958, working with Audie Murphy and Michael Redgrave in The Quiet American (1958) as Dominguez. One role he appeared in, and was not given credit for, was a small speaking part in the (1952) movie Viva Zapata! (1952). He was still more interested in the live theater than in movies, though, and felt that film did not offer enough depth for acting. He was also interested in directing plays.
After having met Redgrave, Fred decided to move to Europe and secured a contract to direct plays. He formed his own company, "F.E.S. Plays Ltd.", which stood for Frederick Edward Sadoff. He spent a lot of time with Michael Redgrave and his family. His production company was doing quite well in England, producing such plays as "Huey" and "The Importance of Being Oscar". For ten years, things were going well, but then his life took a turn and things began to change. He never married and kept a rather secluded lifestyle, with a secret nobody knew very much about, as things like that were not talked about in those days. His company also ran into financial problems in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He felt it was time to move on in his life. He alternated between returning to the United States to do television series and then going back to Europe to finish dealing with the closing of his company.
It was not until 1972 that the movie industry would really notice Fred. A book written by Paul Gallico was being made into a movie. The film was The Poseidon Adventure (1972) and Fred played the character Linarcos. The film was a gigantic classic and Fred's film and television career skyrocketed. However, he still wanted to keep directing live theater and, to that end, formed a new company in Hollywood, The Actors Studio, with another actor, and he eventually moved to Los Angeles in 1974. Fred kept up a steady flow of work, appearing in such series as Barney Miller (1975) and The Rockford Files (1974) and had a recurring role as Dr. Lenny Murchison on The Streets of San Francisco (1972). He did several feature films and made-for-TV movies. His life was going in the direction he really wanted, admired by fans for his resonant voice and commanding appearance. He did not want a regular part on a series, preferring to appear in a series only as long as necessary.
He appeared on several soap operas, including Ryan's Hope (1975), All My Children (1970) and Days of Our Lives (1965). One of the last movies he did was the made-for-TV film The Murder of Mary Phagan (1988). He did not have a speaking part--he appeared in the last part of the movie--but was instantly recognizable. As it turned out, Fred was HIV-positive and was slowly dying of AIDS. It was in late 1993 that he realized he could not keep up the pace he had. Fred Sadoff died on May 6, 1994, peacefully at his home in Los Angeles, California. He gave much and those of us who recognized what he did, know that this was an actor who never got the due he richly deserved. He will truly be missed by all of us, those who loved him and those in the acting industry who could have benefited from his wealth of hard work and dedication it takes to be a class actor that he was.Actor.- Actor
- Additional Crew
Born Marcelino Sánchez on December 5, 1957, in Cayey, Puerto Rico, he died of AIDS-related cancer in his Hollywood home on November 21, 1986. Sanchez began acting in the late 1970s. His third film role was that of Rembrandt, a young, naïve gang member with a flair for spray painting in The Warriors (1979). After these films, Sánchez went on to appear in roles on CHiPs (1977), 48 Hrs. (1982), Hill Street Blues (1981), and, most notably, in the Bloodhound Gang segment of 3-2-1 Contact (1980).Actor.- Sean Sasser was born on 25 October 1968 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. Sean was married to Michael Kaplan. Sean died on 7 August 2013 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA.Reality TV personality, activist.
- Composer
- Music Department
- Actor
Gil Scott-Heron was born on 1 April 1949 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He was a composer and actor, known for State of Play (2009), Dope (2015) and Undercover Brother (2002). He was married to Brenda Sykes. He died on 27 May 2011 in New York, New York, USA.Singer.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Franklyn Seales was a stage and television actor best remembered for playing the finicky business manager Dexter Stuffins on the NBC sit-com "Silver Spoons." He also appeared in films, most notably as the real-life cop killer in "The Onion Field."
One of eight children, Seales was born in 1952 on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent. In 1960, Seales' family emigrated to the United States, where they settled in New York City.
A painter since age six, Seales planned to study art at Pratt Institute. But then John Houseman noticed Seales when he was helping a friend to audition by performing the balcony scene from "Romeo and Juliet." Signed on the spot to a full scholarship at Juilliard, Seales studied acting as a member of Houseman's Acting Company, during the early 1970s.
Seales' first big break was the PBS broadcast of the television drama The Trial of the Moke (1978). He portrayed Lt. Henry O. Flipper, the first black graduate of West Point.
Seales' film debut was in the true-crime drama The Onion Field (1979). He portrayed a weak, gullible ex-con who's just out of jail when a fast-talking killer, played by James Woods, talks him into a senseless crime that results in the murder of a police officer.
From 1983 to 1987, Seales played the character for which he was best remembered, the finicky business manager Dexter Stuffins on the NBC situation-comedy Silver Spoons (1982), which also starred John Houseman as stoic Grandpa Stratton.
Toward the end of his life, Seales worked mainly in the non-profit Equity-waver theatre on the Westside of Los Angeles. He appeared in plays ranging from the theater of the absurd to Shakespeare. Los Angeles Times critic Lawrence Christon called Seales "one of America's most compelling stage actors."
As a member of the all-star L.A. Theatre Works, Seales was one of a company of 36 actors who contributed $6,000 each for the pleasure of performing classic plays together on the radio. Some of the Theater Works other members were James Earl Jones, Ted Danson, Richard Dreyfuss, Bonnie Bedelia, Stacy Keach, Michael York, and Ed Asner.
Seales last appeared in "Nothing Sacred," at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles in the fall of 1988. A comedic adaptation of Turgenev's "Fathers and Sons," it was directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg. Seales appeared as Uncle Havel, an aristocratic fop and former military man. For his characterization, Seales relied on his recollections of the English colonels and majors of his native St. Vincent, when it was still a British colony, "with their little sticks and stiff mustaches."
Although he was acclaimed for his versatility, Seales admitted that being a light-skinned black man had limited the roles that were available to him.
Franklyn Seales died on Monday, May 14, 1990 from complications from AIDS at his family's home in Brooklyn, New York. He had been too ill to work for several months. In its obituary, the Los Angeles Times said that "Seales as an actor came to be seen as a link between the tradition of black Africa and the sophistication of classical Anglo drama."
He was survived by his mother, three brothers and three sisters. A memorial service was planned at Juilliard.Actor.- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Tommy Sexton was born on 3 July 1957 in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. He was an actor and writer, known for Codco (1986), Cod on a Stick (1974) and Dolly Cake (1976). He died on 13 December 1993 in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada.Actor, comedian.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Ray Sharkey was born on 14 November 1952 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for The Idolmaker (1980), Wiseguy (1987) and Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills (1989). He was married to Carole Graham and Rebecca Wood. He died on 11 June 1993 in New York City, New York, USA.Actor.- Attractive, dark-featured character actor with a voice like thunder, and eyes like a wolf, who was featured in less than sympathetic roles throughout his career. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Albert Paul Shenar attended the University of Wisconsin. Soon after graduation, he relocated to New York City, where he quickly landed roles on the stage. These experiences led to a Broadway debut in 'Tiny Alice' as 'Brother Julian.' After a few satiating years on and off Broadway, Paul found himself again relocating, this time to Philadelphia. It was here where he made a considerable contribution to the arts. Along with fellow actors Rene Auberjonois and Bill Ball, to name a few, he co-founded the American Conservatory Theater, where he was not only a regular performer until the day he died, but a teacher and advisor as well. From there, roles on television, and the big screen followed. Shenar made a splash, portraying Orson Welles in The Night That Panicked America (1975). He received some of the best reviews of his career for this famous television film. Soon after he received more for his portrayal of another famous celebrity, as Florenz Ziegfeld in Ziegfeld: The Man and His Women (1978). He continued working steadily on television, even appearing in shot-for-television replacement footage for the disaster film, Two-Minute Warning (1976). And then feature films came calling. Shenar turned in credible and memorable performances in film, such as the diabolical Bolivian drug lord Alejandro Sosa, in Brian De Palma's Scarface (1983) (1983), and most notably, voicing the evil conspiring rat, "Jenner", in Don Bluth's The Secret of NIMH (1982). Other roles of note include Dr. Lawrence in Luc Besson's The Big Blue (1988), Joshua Adams in Deadly Force (1983), Paulo Rocca in the action packed Arnold Schwarzenegger film, Raw Deal (1986), and Ben Gardner, the father of a troubled Kristy McNichol, in Alan J. Pakula's Dream Lover (1986), respectively. Though not a household name in his time, his candor, energy, and aesthetic performances have left a long lasting impression, that only gets better with age, and will not soon be forgotten.Actor.
- Randy Shilts was born on 8 August 1951 in Davenport, Iowa, USA. He was a writer, known for And the Band Played On (1993), Pride, Prejudice and Gay Politics (1982) and 60 Minutes (1968). He died on 17 February 1994 in Guerneville, California, USA.Author, journalist, activist.
- Hugo Soto was born on 15 January 1953 in Corrientes, Argentina. He was an actor, known for Man Facing Southeast (1986), Lo que vendrá (1988) and The Loves of Kafka (1988). He died on 2 August 1994 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.Actor, sculptor.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Dennis Stewart was born on 29 July 1947 in Los Angeles County, California, USA. He was an actor, known for Grease (1978), Grease 2 (1982) and Moonlighting (1985). He died on 20 April 1994 in Los Angeles, California, USA.Actor.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Jermaine Stewart was born on 7 September 1957 in Columbus, Ohio, USA. He was an actor, known for Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008), Weekend at Bernie's (1989) and She-Devil (1989). He died on 17 March 1997 in Homewood, Illinois, USA.Singer.- Michael Sundin was an English actor, puppeteer, dancer, and trampolinist from Low Fell, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. He was better known as one of the presenters of the children's program "Blue Peter" from 1984 to 1985. He was fired under controversial circumstances.
Sundin initially became known as a champion trampolinist. He reportedly won five British titles and one world title in trampolining tournaments. He decided to follow a career in show business, making his stage debut in a 1980 version of the Christmas pantomime "Jack and the Beanstalk".
Sundin found work as both an actor and a dancer. From 1982 to 1983, he portrayed the acrobatic kitten Bill Bailey in the musical "Cats" (1981). The musical was loosely based on the poetry collection "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" (1939) by T. S. Eliot, and depicted sentient cats competing for a chance at rebirth.
In 1984, Sundin was hired as in-suit performer for the dark fantasy film "Return to Oz" (1985). The film was a loose adaptation of the fantasy novels "The Marvelous Land of Oz" (1904) and "Ozma of Oz" (1907) by L. Frank Baum. Sundin was chosen to portray the sentient robot Tik-Tok, one of the film's main characters. He operated the character's body, while Tim Rose remotely-operated the head and Sean Barrett voiced the character. While Sundin was preparing for this role, his casting attracted considerable press attention. Television producer Biddy Baxter invited him to audition for a position as one of the presenters of "Blue Peter". Sundin passed the audition, and was chosen to replace Peter Duncan. His debut episode was broadcast in September 1984.
Sundin made his last appearance as a television presenter in late June 1985. His contract was not renewed following the end of the season. The production team claimed that Sundin "had little rapport with the viewers", but Baxter also reported that both parents and viewers had complained that Sundin was too effeminate. The press had recently outed Sundin as a gay man, which was thought to be the undeclared reason for his firing. Biddy Baxter later claimed in an interview that Sundin was fired because "children didn't like him", not because of his sexuality. The controversy over the perceived discrimination was covered in the tabloid press.
After portraying Tik-Tok "Return to Oz", Sundin was chosen to portray the March Hare in the drama film "Dreamchild" (1985). In the film, the elderly Alice Liddell finds herself becoming the center of attention at the centenary of Lewis Carroll's birth. Her memories of her long-gone friend and potential suitor are juxtaposed with hallucinations of meeting both a ghostly Carroll and the characters from Wonderland.
Sundin subsequently had his last film appearance in the adventure film "Lionheart" (1987). In the film, a group of orphans attempt to join the crusading army of Richard the Lionheart, King of England (1157-1199, reigned 1189-1199), while evading a slave trader who wants to sell them as slaves. The film combined events from the Third Crusade (1189-1192) and the Children's Crusade (1212).
Sundin fell ill in 1988, and was hospitalized in 1989. In July 1989, he died at the Newcastle General Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne. He was only 28-years-old at the time of his death, and he was the first among the presenters of "Blue Peter" to die. The British press initially attributed his death to liver cancer. Later press reports indicated that Sundin had contracted the virus HIV/AIDS, and died due to the infection.Actor, dancer, TV personality. - Actor
- Soundtrack
Stephen Stucker was a marvelously wild and dynamic free-spirited actor who specialized in deliciously broad portrayals of memorably outrageous characters in a handful of comedies made in the 70's and 80's. Stucker was born on July 2, 1947 in Des Moines, Iowa. He attended Lincoln School in Alameda, California. During his school days Stephen was known as both an accomplished pianist and a class clown with a dry wit. Stucker made his film debut with a funny turn as crazed asylum escapee Bruce Wilson in the entertainingly lowbrow "Carnal Madness." He was likewise sidesplitting as a cross-dressing court stenographer in "The Kentucky Fried Movie." Stephen achieved his greatest enduring popularity with his gloriously zany and unforgettable performance as loopy airport control room worker Johnny in the hilarious disaster picture parody "Airplane!." Stucker reprised this role in "Airplane II: The Sequel" and had an amusing bit as a train stationmaster in "Trading Places." Stephen appeared in three episodes of the hit TV series "Mork & Mindy." Besides "The Kentucky Fried Movie" and "Airplane!," Stucker also worked with the comedy team of Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker as a member of the theatrical group the Kentucky Fried Theater. Stephen Stucker died at the tragically young age of 38 from AIDS on April 13, 1986.Actor.