Deaths: June 22
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Vinnie Paul was born on 11 March 1964 in Abilene, Texas, USA. He was an actor and composer, known for Triple Frontier (2019), Lethal Weapon (2016) and Heavy Metal 2000 (2000). He died on 22 June 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.- Alan Webb was born on 2 July 1906 in York, England, UK. He was an actor, known for The Great Train Robbery (1978), King Lear (1970) and The Taming of The Shrew (1967). He died on 22 June 1982 in Sussex, England, UK.
- Ann Landers was born on 4 July 1918 in Sioux City, Iowa, USA. She was an actress, known for Listen to Your Heart (1983), What's My Line? (1950) and The Joey Bishop Show (1967). She was married to Jules Lederer. She died on 22 June 2002 in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
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Chang Cheh was the leading Martial Arts director in Hong Kong in the 1970s, now with close to 100 films to his name. His has influenced other directors such as John Woo and Liu Chiau Liang, and made famous such Hong Kong stars as Phillip Chung-Fung Kwok, Fu Sheng and Lung Ti. Chang has declared that he will stop working after he has made his 101st film. During the 1970s, Chang was the most prolific of the directors for the now legendary Shaw Brothers Studios, and most revered works include Dynasty of Blood (1973) (aka Blood Brothers) and the awesome film which is Five Deadly Venoms (1978) (aka Five Venoms).- Actor
- Stunts
Chuck Mitchell was born on November 28, 1927, in Connecticut. A large, tubby and intimidating 6'3" hulk of a man with a deep voice and a scruffy demeanor, Mitchell was often cast as hostile and/or despicable characters. Mitchell was excellent as mean, sleazy and hateful brothel owner Porky in the uproariously raunchy hit comedy Porky's (1981) and its equally amusing sequel Porky's Revenge (1985). He was likewise memorable as slimy smut peddler Sam Gluckman in the gloriously trashy psycho exploitation gem Don't Answer the Phone! (1980) and sloppy restaurant owner Rocko in the hilarious Better Off Dead (1985). Mitchell had a recurring role as Big Ralph on the popular daytime soap opera General Hospital (1963). He did guest spots on such TV shows as Hill Street Blues (1981), Remington Steele (1982), The Fall Guy (1981), and Bret Maverick (1981). Besides acting, Chuck was also a singer and a stand-up comedian. Chuck Mitchell died of liver cirrhosis in Hollywood, California, on July 22, 1992.- Producer
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David O. Selznick was a son of the silent movie producer Lewis J. Selznick. David studied at Columbia University until his father lost his fortune in the 1920s. David started work as an MGM script reader, shortly followed by becoming an assistant to Harry Rapf. He left MGM to work at Paramount then RKO. He was back at MGM in 1933 after marrying Irene Mayer Selznick the daughter of Louis B. Mayer. In 1936, he finally set up his own production company, Selznick International. Three directors and fifteen scriptwriters later, Gone with the Wind (1939) was released.- Actress
Deanna Lund is best known for her role as "Valerie Scott" in the two-season cult series of the 1960s: Land of the Giants (1968), produced by Irwin Allen.
Irwin Allen cast Lund in the series, when he saw her in a recently made motion picture. Lund started out as the bad girl of the series, getting herself (and others) into trouble when she searched for food in the "giant land"; and another time trying to cause a mutiny in the castaway group, in the episode, The Bounty Hunter (1969).
As the 51 episode series moved forward, Valerie became more of a team player in the castaway group. Perhaps her best line in the series came in the episode, Wild Journey (1970), when she turns to the series star and says, "Captain, nobody tells me what I can and can't do".
In 1995, Lund was interviewed about her work on "Land of the Giants" and this interview can be found on the "Land of the Giants" DVD set. In the interview, Lund explains how she "felt so silly" acting in "Giants", as she was often talking to people (aka giants) who were not actually on the set. So she was often talking to nobody at all.
Much to the delight of young male viewers of the time, Valerie was often seen wearing sexy outfits in "Giants", and in one episode, Graveyard of Fools (1970), one outfit crossed the line as too sexy, in the eyes of the network.- Actor
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Always bright and beaming from ear to ear, Irish singer Dennis Day's name and career remains synonymous with that of Jack Benny's, working with the star comedian on radio and TV for the entire duration. It was Jack who gave him his break in 1939 and Jack who kept him employed as a singer and naive comic sidekick (his "Gee, Mr. Benny!" became a well-known catchphrase on the show). Dennis in fact would play second-banana to the comedian until Benny's death in 1974.
Dennis was christened Owen Patrick McNulty on May 21, 1917 in Bronx, New York, the son of an Ireland-born stationary engineer. The strength and promise of his lilting tenor was first discovered while performing with his glee club at St. Patrick's Cathedral High School. Graduating from Manhattan College, he first had designs on a law career and starting singing in order to earn money for tuition. By himself, he recorded "I Never Knew Heaven Could Speak" and distributed the song out to various radio producers, one of whom presented it to Mary Livingston, Benny's wife. She was so taken that she insisted he be considered for her husband's popular radio show "The Jack Benny Show". When the show's then-tenor Kenny Baker objected to being a featherbrained foil to Benny on the show and gave notice, Dennis auditioned and won a regular spot, and the idea of law school became a thing of the past. Making his debut on the Benny show on October 8, 1939, Dennis' innocent-eyed teenager (he was actually 21 at the time) often drew more laughs than Benny himself in their rapport together. His career was interrupted by World War II when he served with the Navy. He was discharged in 1946.
His cherry-cheeked, wide-eyed charm delighted scores of radio fans and the fame Dennis received from the show drew invitations to other radio programs, and eventually his own radio show "A Day in the Life of Dennis Day" in 1946. Here he played (naturally) a naive soda jerk. But he never left Benny, staying true-blue to the comedian when The Jack Benny Program (1950) transferred to TV and became an institution for a decade and a half. Dennis also showed great flair as a mimic, impersonating a number of illustrious stars such as Ronald Colman, Jimmy Durante and James Stewart on the Benny program. Dubbed "America's Favorite Irish Tenor", The Dennis Day Show (1952) took life just two years after the Benny program went on the air. It enjoyed two seasons on TV before it was canceled.
Dennis also appeared in support of Benny on film. Buck Benny Rides Again (1940), marked Dennis' movie debut and in it he sang "My Kind of Country." Other sporadic filming emphasizing his vocal prowess were for the most part "B"-level musical entertainment. He co-starred with Judy Canova in the cornball comedy Sleepy Lagoon (1943); Anne Shirley in the romantic Music in Manhattan (1944); June Haver and Gloria DeHaven in I'll Get By (1950), in which he sang "McNamara's Band" and "There Will Never Be Another You", and; the Civil War-themed Golden Girl (1951) headlining Mitzi Gaynor as entertainer Lotta Crabtree in which Dennis crooned "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny" and "California Moon." Despite these agreeable outings, he never came close to becoming a musical film star perhaps because he was too identified with his cheery, naive image on radio and TV. Once he finished The Girl Next Door (1953) which again starred Ms. Haver, Dennis was nowhere to be seen on celluloid for at least another two decades. Walt Disney also welcomed Dennis' sunny tenor in his animated features The Legend of Johnny Appleseed (1948), in which Dennis sang the title song, and Melody Time (1948).
Best known for his recording of Irish tunes, including such novelty songs as "Clancy Lowered the Boom", Dennis won over the ladies with his romantic covers of such ballads as "Mam'selle," "Dear Hearts and Gentle People" and "Mona Lisa." Occasionally he was given dramatic work on TV but nothing really came of it, coming off much better as a guest in musical variety shows.
Dennis legally adopted his professional name in 1944 against his family's wishes. The strict Irish-Catholic married Peggy Almquist in 1948 and the couple had ten children (six daughters, four sons). Dennis and his family settled in Los Angeles where he became an honorary mayor of Mandeville Canyon. He and his wife also owned an antique shop in Santa Monica for a time. He continued to perform at conventions and fairs throughout the 1960s and 1970s, and was seen only occasionally in film and TV parts as he refused any work he deemed objectionable. He died at age 72 in Los Angeles from Lou Gehrig's disease.- Dick Leitsch was born on 11 May 1935 in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. He died on 22 June 2018 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Her quivery, high-pitched, Southern-cracked tones were once described as sounding like "a Tweetie Pie cartoon bird strangling on peanut butter." Just the absurdity of that description fits comedienne Dody Goodman to a tee. One did not know what to make of her, but she could certainly induce laughter with a mere perplexed look, a spaced-out pause, or by opening her mouth and spouting out a silly malaprop. Her flakiness seemed so real that one wondered if that was the REAL Dody Goodman or just some savvy comedienne who knew exactly how to package herself. Maybe a little of both.
An endearing scenestealer, Dody put her own indelible patent on the feather-brained relative, inept teacher and neighborhood chatterbox, playing them all to the hilt in an over six-decade career. Her characters alway seemed lost in their own little world...whatever world that was, it must have been a sweet and happy little place for she always displayed a pleasant demeanor and had a fixed smile plastered on that rather blank face of hers. TV was Dody's choice of medium later in life and her ditsy foils became a popular addiction on prime-time and late-nite TV shows during the 1960s and 1970s.
She was born Dolores Goodman, the daughter of Dexter, a cigar factory owner, and Leona Goodman, in Columbus, Ohio on October 28, 1914. Dody's beginnings were in dance and ballet and, after traipsing off to New York in the hopes of becoming a ballerina, fell into the ballet company at Radio City Music Hall. She eventually went the Broadway route and made her debut as a ballet dancer in the short-lived musical "Viva O'Brien" in 1941. From that she continued to gain experience in the dancing ensembles of "Something for the Boys," "One Touch of Venus," Laffing Room Only," "High Button Shoes," "Miss Liberty," "Call Me Madam" and "My Darlin' Aida." A featured role in the 1953 musical "Wonderful Town" starring Tony-winner Rosalind Russell was a huge turning point, and another standout part in 1955's "Shoestring Revue" had her introducing the show-stopping novelty song "Someone Is Sending Me Flowers".
It was comedienne Imogene Coca and "Wonderful Town" director George Abbott who saw Dody's true potential as a funny girl and helped steer her towards comedy. Soon Dody was performing on 50s TV in comedy skits. With a pixie-like eccentricity that reminded one of the late great Gracie Allen, Dody's big break happened in mid-career when, at age 43, she made a chatty 1957 guest appearance on the second episode of Jack Paar's "Tonight Show" and was hired as a regular. An enormous hit with audiences, she earned an Emmy nomination in the process, but Paar dropped her from the show the following year because she had a disconcerting habit of upstaging him. She later became a well-oiled guest on game shows and on Johnny Carson, Mike Douglas and Merv Griffin's chatfests.
On stage, Dody played the Carol Burnett role in a tour of "Once Upon a Mattress" and added "Fiorello!" and the "New Cole Porter Review" to her musical comedy resume in the early 1960s. She did not return to Broadway until over a decade later with a supporting role in "Lorelei" starring Carol Channing in 1974. Two decades later she would reappear in a Broadway revival of "Grease". On the legit comedy stage, she added to the wackiness of such plays as "A Thurber Carnival," "Don't Drink the Water, "The Front Page" and "George Washington Slept Here".
An ideal showcase for her loopy talents was as Louise Lasser's mother, Martha Shumway, on the cutting edge TV satire, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1976). An off-the-wall sendup of soap operas, Goodman was in her element as the title character's mother who engaged in conversation with her plants. When Lasser left the show, the cast maintained for another six months and the title was changed to Forever Fernwood (1977).
An older Dody appeared as a regular for a season on sitcom Diff'rent Strokes (1978) and in such teen-oriented movies as Grease (1978) and Grease 2 (1982), as well as Splash (1983) and Private Resort (1985). She also provided a regular cartoon voiceover for "Alvin & the Chipmunks" for years. On stage she earned a Drama Desk nomination for her 1984 appearance in the O'Neill play "Ah, Wilderness!" and later spent several seasons touring in the musical farce "Nunsense" -- starting out as Sister Mary Amnesia and graduating to the role of Mother Superior. At age 85 she was still kicking up her heels in one of the show's many spin-offs, "Nuncrackers," and was glimpsed occasionally as her old flaky self as a guest on "The David Letterman Show".
Appearing at special events past the age of 90, she died peacefully on June 22, 2008, at the Englewood, New Jersey Hospital and Medical Center. Declining health had forced her to move into assisted living (Lillian Booth Actors' Fund Home) in Englewood back in October of 2007. The unmarried Dody was survived by several nieces and nephews.- As an amateur actor as a dare he auditioned for the RSC and was not only accepted, but he stayed for 6 years. Best known as Sgt Bulman in XYY Man (77) he then made several series of Strangers (79 -82). His films include Star Wars, Callan, The Prince and the Pauper and The Big Sleep.
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Prolific composer of film and television scores, educated at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). He has also composed the musical scorings for a number of industrial motion pictures. Joining the American Society of Composers and Publishers (ASCAP) in 1963, his chief musical collaborator has been Gene Kauer. For more titles composed by Mr. Lackey, check the ASCAP database at http://www.ascap.com .- Actor
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Fofó was born on 8 February 1923 in Madrid, Spain. He was an actor and writer, known for El gran circo de TVE (1973), Turu, the Wacky Hen (2019) and El nieto del Zorro (1948). He died on 22 June 1976 in Madrid, Spain.- Actor
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Fred Astaire was born in Omaha, Nebraska, to Johanna (Geilus) and Fritz Austerlitz, a brewer. Fred entered show business at age 5. He was successful both in vaudeville and on Broadway in partnership with his sister, Adele Astaire. After Adele retired to marry in 1932, Astaire headed to Hollywood. Signed to RKO, he was loaned to MGM to appear in Dancing Lady (1933) before starting work on RKO's Flying Down to Rio (1933). In the latter film, he began his highly successful partnership with Ginger Rogers, with whom he danced in 9 RKO pictures. During these years, he was also active in recording and radio. On film, Astaire later appeared opposite a number of partners through various studios. After a temporary retirement in 1945-7, during which he opened Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Astaire returned to film to star in more musicals through 1957. He subsequently performed a number of straight dramatic roles in film and TV.- Writer
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Gary David Goldberg was born in Brooklyn, New York on June 25, 1944. After a prolonged and checkered collegiate career, which began at Brandeis University in 1962 and ended at San Diego State University in 1975 (with many other schools in between), he moved to Hollywood to try to make it as a writer.
In 1976 he landed his first "real" job at MTM as a writer for "The Bob Newhart Show." Remaining at MTM, he moved over to become story editor and then producer of "The Tony Randall Show," and then in 1978, producer of "Lou Grant." In 1980 he created and executive produced "The Last Resort," also for MTM.
In 1981, Goldberg left MTM to form his own company, UBU Productions. Under this banner, he created nine television series, including the enormously successful "Family Ties," which ran on NBC 1982-1989, and the critically acclaimed "Brooklyn Bridge" which aired on CBS 1991-1993. In association with DreamWorks, UBU produced "Spin City" which ran for six seasons on ABC.
Goldberg has been the recipient of numerous honors during his career, including an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe as co-producer of "Lou Grant" and an Emmy Award as writer of the "Family Ties" episode "'A,' My Name is Alex"; five additional Emmy nominations for "Lou Grant" and "Family Ties"; a Peabody for "Lou Grant"; two Writers Guild Awards, one for an episode of "M*A*S*H*" and another for the "'A,' My Name is Alex" episode of "Family Ties"; five Writers Guild nominations for episodes of "Lou Grant," "Making the Grade," and "Family Ties"; five Humanitas Awards for "Lou Grant," and "Family Ties," as well as five additional Humanitas nominations, the Producers Guild Award as Producer of the Year in 1991 and the Valentine Davies Award from the Writers Guild in 1998 for his contributions to the entertainment industry and the community-at-large. In 2002 he won the Award of Excellence at Banff's World Television Festival. And, in 2003 he was honored with the Outstanding Television Writer Award at the Austin Film Festival. Goldberg is a member of the Broadcasting Magazine Hall of Fame.
During its run, "Brooklyn Bridge" received several honors -- a Golden Globe Award for Best Comedy Series, one Humanitas Prize and an additional Humanitas nomination for enriching television; a Christopher Award, two Viewers for Quality Television awards for Best Comedy, and eight Emmy nominations.
In 1989, Goldberg made his feature film debut when he produced and directed Universal Pictures' Dad (1989), starring Jack Lemmon. He also wrote the screenplay, which was adapted from the novel of the same name by William Wharton. His second feature film, Bye Bye Love (2008), starred Paul Reiser, Matthew Modine, and Randy Quaid, as three divorced fathers on a weekend, all with custody of their children.
In August of 2005 Warner Bros. released Must Love Dogs (2005) starring Diane Lane and John Cusack which Goldberg wrote and directed, adapting the Claire Cook novel of the same name.
Gary Goldberg is married to Diana Meehan. They have two children, Shana and Cailin.- Actor
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George Denis Patrick Carlin was born and raised in Manhattan, New York City, to Mary (Bearey), a secretary, and Patrick John Carlin, an advertising manager for The Sun; they had met while working in marketing. His father was from Donegal, Ireland, and his mother was Irish-American. His parents divorced when he was two months old, and he was raised by his mother. The long hours the mother worked left the young George by himself for long hours every day, providing him (in his own words), the time he needed to think about various subjects, listen to radio, and practice his impersonations, that where acclaimed by his mother and coworkers since an early age. Carlin started out as a conventional comedian and had achieved a fair degree of success as a Bill Cosby style raconteur in nightclubs and on TV until the late 1960s, when he radically overhauled his persona. His routines became more insightful, introducing more serious subjects. As he aged, he became more cynic and bitter, unintentionally changing his stage persona again in a radical way throughout the '90s. This new George Carlin, usually referred to as the late George Carlin, is one of the most acclaimed and enjoyed by the public and critics. Carlin's forte is Lenny Bruce-style social and political commentary, spiced with nihilistic observations about people and religion peppered with black humor. He is also noted for his masterful knowledge and use of the English language. Carlin's notorious "Seven Dirty Words" comedy routine was part of a radio censorship case that made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1978.- Actor
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Gunter Gabriel was born on 11 June 1942 in Bünde, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. He was an actor, known for Dirndljagd am Kilimandscharo (1983), Andi Ommsen ist der letzte Lude (2003) and Läster-Lexikon (1975). He was married to Carin Grundmann, ??? and Gabriele. He died on 22 June 2017 in Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany.- Music Department
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Harry Rabinowitz was born on 26 March 1916 in Johannesburg, South Africa. He was a composer and actor, known for Masters of the Universe (1987), Time Bandits (1981) and Death and the Maiden (1994). He was married to Mary (Mitzi) Cooper Scott and Lorna Thurlow Anderson. He died on 22 June 2016 in France.- Actor
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Hartmut Neugebauer was born on 2 September 1942 in Zirke, West Prussia, Germany. He was an actor, known for Brigade mondaine: Vaudou aux Caraïbes (1980), Code Name: Wild Geese (1984) and Contamination (1980). He died on 22 June 2017 in Munich, Bavaria, Germany.- Actress
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Holly Lewis was born on December 26, 1965 in Grand Island, Nebraska. The daughter of Cortez and Rita Lewis, Holly grew up in Litchfield, Nebraska participating in such activities as speech, drama, and athletics. Lewis won the outstanding performer in a Nebraska State one-act play production in 1983. After graduating from Arizona University with a Bachelor of Arts degree, Holly moved to San Francisco, California to work in commodity brokering. Lewis eventually quit that particular job and moved to Los Angeles to pursue a more fulfilling career as both an actress and a film producer. Besides acting in an assortment of movies and television shows, Holly also acted in TV commercials for Prilosec (as an obsessed football fan character who was subsequently featured in numerous print ads), Dave's Place, and American Express. In addition, Lewis wrote and produced as well as starred in the short film Oscar (2004) in collaboration with her husband Raider Rhotenacher. In her spare time Holly enjoyed taking daily strolls and climbing mountains (she scaled twelve out of thirteen of the highest peaks in Southern California including Mt. Whitney, which is the highest mountain in forty-eight contiguous states). Lewis died at the tragically young age of forty-six at her home in Murdock, Nebraska on June 22, 2012. She was survived by her husband Raider Rhotenacher, parents Cortez and Rita, brother Mark, and sister Lori.- Hope Summers could portray a friendly neighbor or companion as she did for Frances Bavier's Aunt Bee character on many episodes of The Andy Griffith Show (1960) or a seemingly amiable satanist in Rosemary's Baby (1968).
Born in Mattoon, Illinois, she developed an early interest in the theater. Graduating from Northwestern School of Speech in Evanston, Illinois, she subsequently taught speech and diction there. This, in turn, led to her the head position in the Speech Department at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, teaching students privately on the side as well. In the 1930s Hope began to focus on acting. She found work in community and stock theaters in Illinois and earned some notice for putting on one-woman shows such as "Backstage of Broadway." She made use of her vocal eloquence by building up her resumé on radio, performing in scores of dramatic shows, including "Authors' Playhouse," "First Night," "Ma Perkins", and "Step-Mother".
In 1950 Hope transferred her talents to the new medium of television and earned a regular role on the comedy series Hawkins Falls: A Television Novel (1950). By the age of 50 she was customarily called upon to play slightly older than she was, appearing in a number of minuscule matron roles in such films as Zero Hour! (1957), Hound-Dog Man (1959), Inherit the Wind (1960), Spencer's Mountain (1963), The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966), Charley Varrick (1973) and her last, Foul Play (1978). She never had any major stand-out roles in movies; TV would be a more prolific choice of medium. Her gently stern, old-fashioned looks allowed her to be a part of many small-town settings, including Dennis the Menace (1959) and Petticoat Junction (1963), and in various western locales such as Maverick (1957) and Wagon Train (1957).
She played a rustic regular for many years on The Rifleman (1958). Usually assigned to play teachers, nurses and other helpful, nurturing types, her characters were also known to be inveterate gossips. Hope worked until close to the end of her life, passing away from heart failure in 1979. - Music Department
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James Horner began studying piano at the age of five, and trained at the Royal College of Music in London, England, before moving to California in the 1970s. After receiving a bachelor's degree in music at USC, he would go on to earn his master's degree at UCLA and teach music theory there. He later completed his Ph.D. in Music Composition and Theory at UCLA. Horner began scoring student films for the American Film Institute in the late 1970s, which paved the way for scoring assignments on a number of small-scale films. His first large, high-profile project was composing music for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982), which would lead to numerous other film offers and opportunities to work with world-class performers such as the London Symphony Orchestra. With over 75 projects to his name, and work with people such as George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, Oliver Stone, and Ron Howard, Horner firmly established himself as a strong voice in the world of film scoring. In addition, Horner composed a classical concert piece in the 1980s, called "Spectral Shimmers", which was world premiered by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Horner passed away in a plane crash on June 22, 2015, two months short of his 62nd birthday.- Jerry Carrigan was born on 13 September 1943 in Florence, Alabama, USA. He was married to Vickie. He died on 22 June 2019 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA.
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Belonging to an important family clan in Wisconsin, Joseph Losey studied philosophy but was always interested in theater and thus worked together with Bertolt Brecht. After directing some shorts for MGM, he made his first important film, The Boy with Green Hair (1948), for RKO. While he was filming The Prowler (1951) in Italy he was summoned to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee, the congressional committee charged with "rooting out" Communist "subversion" in the motion picture industry. Unwilling to subject himself to the committee's well-known intimidation tactics, Losey decided to seek exile in Great Britain. In the following years he used a pseudonym--"Joseph Walton"--for his films, which were of minor quality. He regained his prestige with the thrillers Chance Meeting (1959), The Concrete Jungle (1960) and Eva (1962). From that point on his films varied between top-quality work like Accident (1967) and much lower-quality projects such as Modesty Blaise (1966), which was a box-office success, and Galileo (1975), which wasn't.- Juan Luis Galiardo was born on 2 March 1940 in San Roque, Cádiz, Andalucía, Spain. He was an actor and producer, known for El caballero Don Quijote (2002), Familia (1996) and El vuelo de la paloma (1989). He was married to María Elías and Juana Prieto. He died on 22 June 2012 in Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
- Judith Krantz was born on 9 January 1928 in New York City, New York, USA. She was a writer, known for Till We Meet Again (1989), Mistral's Daughter (1984) and I'll Take Manhattan (1987). She was married to Steve Krantz. She died on 22 June 2019 in Bel Air, Los Angeles, California, USA.
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One of the brightest, most tragic movie stars of Hollywood's Golden Era, Judy Garland was a much-loved character whose warmth and spirit, along with her rich and exuberant voice, kept theatre-goers entertained with an array of delightful musicals.
She was born Frances Ethel Gumm on 10 June 1922 in Minnesota, the youngest daughter of vaudevillians Ethel Marian (Milne) and Francis Avent "Frank" Gumm. She was of English, along with some Scottish and Irish, descent. Her mother, an ambitious woman gifted in playing various musical instruments, saw the potential in her daughter at the tender age of just 2 years old when Baby Frances repeatedly sang "Jingle Bells" until she was dragged from the stage kicking and screaming during one of their Christmas shows and immediately drafted her into a dance act, entitled "The Gumm Sisters," along with her older sisters Mary Jane Gumm and Virginia Gumm. However, knowing that her youngest daughter would eventually become the biggest star, Ethel soon took Frances out of the act and together they traveled across America where she would perform in nightclubs, cabarets, hotels and theaters solo.
Her family life was not a happy one, largely because of her mother's drive for her to succeed as a performer and also her father's closeted homosexuality. The Gumm family would regularly be forced to leave town owing to her father's illicit affairs with other men, and from time to time they would be reduced to living out of their automobile. However, in September 1935 the Gumms', in particular Ethel's, prayers were answered when Frances was signed by Louis B. Mayer, mogul of leading film studio MGM, after hearing her sing. It was then that her name was changed from Frances Gumm to Judy Garland, after a popular '30s song "Judy" and film critic Robert Garland.
Tragedy soon followed, however, in the form of her father's death of meningitis in November 1935. Having been given no assignments with the exception of singing on radio, Judy faced the threat of losing her job following the arrival of Deanna Durbin. Knowing that they couldn't keep both of the teenage singers, MGM devised a short entitled Every Sunday (1936) which would be the girls' screen test. However, despite being the outright winner and being kept on by MGM, Judy's career did not officially kick off until she sang one of her most famous songs, "You Made Me Love You," at Clark Gable's birthday party in February 1937, during which Louis B. Mayer finally paid attention to the talented songstress.
Prior to this her film debut in Pigskin Parade (1936), in which she played a teenage hillbilly, had left her career hanging in the balance. However, following her rendition of "You Made Me Love You," MGM set to work preparing various musicals with which to keep Judy busy. All this had its toll on the young teenager, and she was given numerous pills by the studio doctors in order to combat her tiredness on set. Another problem was her weight fluctuation, but she was soon given amphetamines in order to give her the desired streamlined figure. This soon produced the downward spiral that resulted in her lifelong drug addiction.
In 1939, Judy shot immediately to stardom with The Wizard of Oz (1939), in which she portrayed Dorothy, an orphaned girl living on a farm in the dry plains of Kansas who gets whisked off into the magical world of Oz on the other end of the rainbow. Her poignant performance and sweet delivery of her signature song, 'Over The Rainbow,' earned Judy a special juvenile Oscar statuette on 29 February 1940 for Best Performance by a Juvenile Actor. Now growing up, Judy began to yearn for meatier adult roles instead of the virginal characters she had been playing since she was 14. She was now taking an interest in men, and after starring in her final juvenile performance in Ziegfeld Girl (1941) alongside glamorous beauties Lana Turner and Hedy Lamarr, Judy got engaged to bandleader David Rose in May 1941, just two months after his divorce from Martha Raye. Despite planning a big wedding, the couple eloped to Las Vegas and married during the early hours of the morning on July 28, 1941 with just her mother Ethel and her stepfather Will Gilmore present. However, their marriage went downhill as, after discovering that she was pregnant in November 1942, David and MGM persuaded her to abort the baby in order to keep her good-girl image up. She did so and, as a result, was haunted for the rest of her life by her 'inhumane actions.' The couple separated in January 1943.
By this time, Judy had starred in her first adult role as a vaudevillian during WWI in For Me and My Gal (1942). Within weeks of separation, Judy was soon having an affair with actor Tyrone Power, who was married to French actress Annabella. Their affair ended in May 1943, which was when her affair with producer Joseph L. Mankiewicz kicked off. He introduced her to psychoanalysis and she soon began to make decisions about her career on her own instead of being influenced by her domineering mother and MGM. Their affair ended in November 1943, and soon afterward Judy reluctantly began filming Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), which proved to be a big success. The director Vincente Minnelli highlighted Judy's beauty for the first time on screen, having made the period musical in color, her first color film since The Wizard of Oz (1939). He showed off her large brandy-brown eyes and her full, thick lips and after filming ended in April 1944, a love affair resulted between director and actress and they were soon living together.
Vincente began to mold Judy and her career, making her more beautiful and more popular with audiences worldwide. He directed her in The Clock (1945), and it was during the filming of this movie that the couple announced their engagement on set on January 9, 1945. Judy's divorce from David Rose had been finalized on June 8, 1944 after almost three years of marriage, and despite her brief fling with Orson Welles, who at the time was married to screen sex goddess Rita Hayworth, on June 15, 1945 Judy made Vincente her second husband, tying the knot with him that afternoon at her mother's home with her boss Louis B. Mayer giving her away and her best friend Betty Asher serving as bridesmaid. They spent three months on honeymoon in New York and afterwards Judy discovered that she was pregnant.
On March 12, 1946 in Los Angeles, California, Judy gave birth to their daughter, Liza Minnelli, via cesarean section. It was a joyous time for the couple, but Judy was out of commission for weeks due to the cesarean and her postnatal depression, so she spent much of her time recuperating in bed. She soon returned to work, but married life was never the same for Vincente and Judy after they filmed The Pirate (1948) together in 1947. Judy's mental health was fast deteriorating and she began hallucinating things and making false accusations toward people, especially her husband, making the filming a nightmare. She also began an affair with aspiring Russian actor Yul Brynner, but after the affair ended, Judy soon regained health and tried to salvage her failing marriage. She then teamed up with dancing legend Fred Astaire for the delightful musical Easter Parade (1948), which resulted in a successful comeback despite having Vincente fired from directing the musical. Afterwards, Judy's health deteriorated and she began the first of several suicide attempts. In May 1949, she was checked into a rehabilitation center, which caused her much distress.
She soon regained strength and was visited frequently by her lover Frank Sinatra, but never saw much of Vincente or Liza. On returning, Judy made In the Good Old Summertime (1949), which was also Liza's film debut, albeit via an uncredited cameo. She had already been suspended by MGM for her lack of cooperation on the set of The Barkleys of Broadway (1949), which also resulted in her getting replaced by Ginger Rogers. After being replaced by Betty Hutton on Annie Get Your Gun (1950), Judy was suspended yet again before making her final film for MGM, entitled Summer Stock (1950). At 28, Judy received her third suspension and was fired by MGM, and her second marriage was soon dissolved.
Having taken up with Sidney Luft, Judy traveled to London to star at the legendary Palladium. She was an instant success and after her divorce from Vincente Minnelli was finalized on March 29, 1951 after almost six years of marriage, Judy traveled with Sid to New York to make an appearance on Broadway. With her newfound fame on stage, Judy was stopped in her tracks in February 1952 when she became pregnant by her new lover, Sid. At the age of 30, she made him her third husband on June 8, 1952; the wedding was held at a friend's ranch in Pasadena. Her relationship with her mother had long since been dissolved by this point, and after the birth of her second daughter, Lorna Luft, on November 21, 1952, she refused to allow her mother to see her granddaughter. Ethel then died in January 1953 of a heart attack, leaving Judy devastated and feeling guilty about not reconciling with her mother before her untimely demise.
After the funeral, Judy signed a film contract with Warner Bros. to star in the musical remake of A Star Is Born (1937), which had starred Janet Gaynor, who had won the first-ever Academy Award for Best Actress in 1929. Filming soon began, resulting in an affair between Judy and her leading man, British star James Mason. She also picked up on her affair with Frank Sinatra, and after filming was complete Judy was yet again lauded as a great film star. She won a Golden Globe for her brilliant and truly outstanding performance as Esther Blodgett, nightclub singer turned movie star, but when it came to the Academy Awards, a distraught Judy lost out on the Best Actress Oscar to Grace Kelly for her portrayal of the wife of an alcoholic star in The Country Girl (1954). Many still argue that Judy should have won the Oscar over Grace Kelly. Continuing her work on stage, Judy gave birth to her beloved son, Joey Luft, on March 29, 1955. She soon began to lose her millions of dollars as a result of her husband's strong gambling addiction, and with hundreds of debts to pay, Judy and Sid began a volatile, on-off relationship resulting in numerous divorce filings.
In 1961, at the age of 39, Judy returned to her ailing film career, this time to star in Judgment at Nuremberg (1961), for which she received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress, but this time she lost out to Rita Moreno for her performance in West Side Story (1961). Her battles with alcoholism and drugs led to Judy's making numerous headlines in newspapers, but she soldiered on, forming a close friendship with President John F. Kennedy. In 1963, Judy and Sid finally separated permanently, and on May 19, 1965 their divorce was finalized after almost 13 years of marriage. By this time, Judy, now 41, had made her final performance on film alongside Dirk Bogarde in I Could Go on Singing (1963). She married her fourth husband, Mark Herron, on November 14, 1965 in Las Vegas, but they separated in April 1966 after five months of marriage owing to his homosexuality. It was also that year that she began an affair with young journalist Tom Green. She then settled down in London after their affair ended, and she began dating disk jockey Mickey Deans in December 1968. They became engaged once her divorce from Mark Herron was finalized on January 9, 1969 after three years of marriage. She married Mickey, her fifth and final husband, in a register office in Chelsea, London, England on March 15, 1969.
She continued working on stage, appearing several times with her daughter Liza. It was during a concert in Chelsea, London, England that Judy stumbled into her bathroom late one night and died of an overdose of barbiturates, the drug that had dominated her much of her life, on June 22, 1969 at the age of 47. Her daughter Liza Minnelli paid for her funeral, and her former lover James Mason delivered her touching eulogy. She is still an icon to this day with her famous performances in The Wizard of Oz (1939), Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), Easter Parade (1948), and A Star Is Born (1954).- Actor
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- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Despite growing up in a small town in New Jersey, Keith Loneker knew early in life that he had bigger things in store for him. You'd never know by his hulking body that this giant is an underdog. Loneker has overcome many personal obstacles to defy the odds his entire life. In high school he endured a painful hip injury. Doctors said he would never play sports again. Keith decided not to accept the doctor's opinion. He became a gym rat working out 3 hours a day to rehabilitate his ailing hip. After a year of training, Loneker proved doctors wrong when he stepped onto a football field for the first time in 2 years. Loneker, who was just happy to be back among his pals playing ball, was not aware that his raw talent on the football field would land him a Division 1 scholarship with the University of Kansas. The scholarship also did not come easy to Loneker. Many local Division 1 football programs passed on Loneker. They said he was too short, injury prone, or he just didn't have the talent. Glen Mason, the former head coach of the University of Kansas, balked at Loneker's critics and offered him a full scholarship. It was apparent early in Loneker's college career that he was a special player. He played as a true freshman. Loneker was an all Big Eight tackle three years at the University of Kansas. After graduation Loneker prepared for the NFL draft. His agent and many publications projected he would be a third round draft choice. Loneker had a party at his house in New Jersey on draft day with family and close friends. Loneker was shocked when after eight rounds his name was not called by an NFL club. His family and friends could see the disappointment in his eyes after the NFL draft had finished. Then as everyone thought he may get upset, Keith turned his misfortune into fuel.. Not getting drafted made Loneker hungry to prove his critics wrong once again. He walked on with the LA Rams and immediately began turning heads with vicious play on the field. The coaches knew they had plucked a gem and Loneker not only made the team but went on to start by the end of his rookie season. Keith enjoyed his five years in the NFL and is thankful he had the chance to fulfill his childhood dream. Keith didn't realize that his football career was about to transition into a movie career. A former teammate who was working in Hollywood as an agent called Loneker and told him he had a part that he thought he'd fit perfect. Loneker had never acted before, but decided to make a tape for an audition. The producers of the film hired him off his tape alone. To Keith's surprise he landed the role of "White Boy Bob" in a Steven Soderbergh film "Out Of Sight". The part was small, but Loneker got to showcase his talent with stars like George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, and Ving Rhames. Loneker continued his career in film and landed a small part in, "Rock Star" with Mark Wahlberg and Jennifer Anniston. Nothing has come easy for Loneker during his life, but that doesn't stop this man from trying to fulfill all of his dreams. This small town Jersey boy has shown all his critics who judged him that nothing can stand in the way of a motivated man. Some people might call Loneker's success luck, but those who know him say it is character, hard work, and a big heart that made this underdog what he is today.- Laura Antonelli was born on 28 November 1941 in Pola, Istria, Italy [now Pula, Istria, Croatia]. She was an actress, known for Passion of Love (1981), Malicious (1973) and The Innocent (1976). She was married to Enrico Piacentini. She died on 22 June 2015 in Ladispoli, Rome, Lazio, Italy.
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Lola Lane, born Dorothy Mullican, grew up Indianola, Iowa. Small-town life was not to her taste and she yearned to be in show business. She was also a bit of a rebel. At one time, in her teens, she 'scandalized' the townsfolk by dancing a particularly suggestive Charleston right in front of the church--which was emptying after Sunday service.
She secured her first job playing piano accompaniment to silent films in the local movie theater for seven dollars a week. She then worked briefly in an ice cream factory, but soon had enough and quit, leaving for Des Moines (in accordance with her mother's dictates) to study music. She spent two years at the local conservatory, Simpson College, but--still the rebel--cut classes and was expelled, much to her joy. There are several versions as to what happened next: according to one, her sister Leota Lane was "discovered" by vaudevillian Gus Edwards (who was always scouting for talented youngsters) singing in an Iowa theater. Dorothy then chaperoned Leota on her trip to New York and both girls subsequently appeared in "Greenwich Village Follies" on Broadway. According to the New York Times obit of Lola Lane (June 25, 1981), Edwards discovered her "singing in a flower shop in Des Moines". Dorothy herself claimed that she wrote Edwards in New York, borrowed $200 and went to his house for an audition.
Whichever story is true, Dorothy ended up with a $450-a-week vaudeville contract. Around this time, she and her other sisters (Leota, Martha, Rosemary and Priscilla) changed their surname. Dorothy Mullican became Lola Lane. She toured with Gus Edwards in "Ritz Carlton Nights" and in 1928 appeared in "The War Song" on Broadway. During one of her performances, she was spotted by Benjamin Stoloff who was conducting auditions for a part in his movie Speakeasy (1929). Needless to say, she got the part.
While never becoming as big a star as her sister Priscilla Lane, Lola had a fairly successful career in the movies. She won critical acclaim for her performance in Marked Woman (1937) as a hard-boiled night club hostess and was rewarded with a contract at Warner Brothers. She continued to play similar characters in films like Gangs of Chicago (1940), as well as appearing in occasional "potboilers" like Zanzibar (1940). Lola also played female reporter Torchy Blane (Torchy Blane in Panama (1938)), which served as inspiration for Superman's girlfriend Lois Lane. Lola retired from the screen in 1946.- Mariano Sancha died on 22 June 2017 in Madrid, Spain.
- Mary Valastro was born on 17 April 1948 in Altamura, Puglia, Italy. She was married to Bartolo 'Buddy' Valastro Sr. and Picinich, Sergio. She died on 22 June 2017 in Hoboken, New Jersey, USA.
- Moose was the youngest of a litter of four, yet was also the biggest, hence his name. Hyper and destructive as a pup, he eventually found his way to Birds & Animals Unlimited, where he got his job playing Eddie on 'Frasier', before going on to act in the film My Dog Skip (2000), along with his son, Enzo.
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A veteran of stage, screen, radio and TV, character actor Nigel Stock was born in Malta in 1919, the son of Captain W.H. Stock, RE, and his wife Margaret Marion Munro. In British India from childhood, he and his sister Angela returned to the UK in his early teens for schooling. Nigel was educated at St. Paul's School and studied for the stage at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, where he earned the Leverhulme Exhibition, Northcliffe Scholarship, and the Principal's Medal.
Stock made his debut stage appearance at the Savoy Theatre in 1931, at the age of 12, in a production of "The Traveller in the Dark". He continued to rack up a number of classical and contemporary credits at various distinguished theaters, including the Old Vic, with productions of "The Winter's Tale", "Macbeth" (playing Macduff), "Tobacco Road" and "Goodbye, Mr. Chips". Stock interrupted his thriving career by serving in the Army from 1939 to 1941 with the London Irish Rifles, and with the Assam Regiment, Indian Army between 1941 and 1945 in Burma, China and Kohima. He was honorably discharged with the rank of Major. He returned to the stage in 1946 with "And No Birds Sing" and made his first appearance on the New York stage as "Philip" in "You Never Can Tell" in 1948. A reliable player who lent distinction to every aspect of the theatrical repertoire, from William Shakespeare through Anton Chekhov to modern farce, he impressed in "She Stoops to Conquer", "The Caine Mutiny Court Martial", "Altona", "Uncle Vanya" and "Sleuth", among others.
An imposing, often bearded presence, he started off in films as a teenager in Lancashire Luck (1937), later appearing in such popular British releases as Brighton Rock (1948), The Dam Busters (1955), Damn the Defiant! (1962), The Lost Continent (1968), The Lion in Winter (1968), Cromwell (1970) and Russian Roulette (1975), often appearing in villainous roles. Interestingly, one of his last performances was a character part in the Steven Spielberg production of Young Sherlock Holmes (1985). Between 1964-1968, Stock made a household name for himself playing Dr. Watson" in Sherlock Holmes (1964).
Stock had a devout interest in ornithology. His third wife was actress Richenda Carey. They appeared together on stage in the world premiere of "Mumbo Jumbo" from May 8-May 31, 1986. Less than a month later, Stock died on June 23rd of a heart attack. He was survived by four children.- Graduated cum laude from the University of Southern California, 1937, B.S. Merchandising, with a certificate to teach at the high school level, which USC regarded as equal to a Master's degree. A former professor noted that she "stood out from the empty-headed, overdressed little sorority girls of that era like a good piece of literature on a shelf of cheap paperbacks." She later taught high school in Whittier, California.
She met her future husband, Richard Nixon, when both were cast in a Whittier community theater performance of George S. Kaufman's "The Dark Tower". - Actor
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Paul De Rolf was born on 6 December 1942 in Lena, Indiana, USA. He was an actor, known for The Ten Commandments (1956), 1941 (1979) and The Karate Kid Part II (1986). He died on 22 June 2017 in Australia.- Writer
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Raúl Astor was born on 10 January 1925 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was a writer and producer, known for El hombre de oro (1960), Maria Guadalupe (1960) and Pecado mortal (1960). He was married to Chela Castro. He died on 22 June 1995 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.- Ross Ford was born on 24 February 1923 in Sterling, Colorado, USA. He was an actor, known for Air Hostess (1949), Manhattan Angel (1948) and Project Moon Base (1953). He died on 22 June 1988 in Hollywood, California, USA.
- Stepan Shakaryan was born on 23 October 1935 in Baku, Azerbaijan, USSR. He was a composer, known for Spitak aper (1976), Morgani khnamin (1970) and Hakob Hovnatanyan (1967). He died on 22 June 2019 in Yerevan, Armenia.
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Steve Rossi was born on 25 May 1932 in New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for The Mexican (2001), The Last of the Secret Agents? (1966) and Allen and Rossi Meet Dracula and Frankenstein (1974). He was married to Karma Kennedy and Elaine Annette Gronski. He died on 22 June 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.- Stuart's entertainment career began as a child in school, acting and singing in school plays, then in the late 1920's he began entertaining professionally as Larry Sothern. He was the lead singer in the Will Bradley Orchestra, as well as the John Phillip Souza Band, going on to have his own band, the Larry Sothern Orchestra. While in Florida he joined the Theater of Fifteen, appearing in a number of plays that toured the US in the late 30's and early '40's. Although Larry had been a singer all his life, he wanted very much to be an actor, and at last he saw in the Fifteen an opportunity to gain experience in the theater. He took a small part in "Give My Regards to Broadway," which ran four weeks instead of the usual two, and gave him additional time to work on his next part, which was a leading role in a new play, "U. S. Ark." He worked intensively and came through with an amazingly professional performance as Fanchon, the Communist. Larry performed in six plays over nine months in 1940. U.S. Ark, The Texas Ranger, The Gentle People, Kiss the Boys Goodbye, A Man From the Band and Battle of Angels. A Man From the Band proved to be a leading role for Larry. He played Ernie Craig, a band leader who marries a socialite.
In mid 1941 Larry joined the cast of "My Sister Eileen". The play was on Broadway for better than a year with the original cast, but a different cast played Chicago for over eight months, this was the cast that Larry was with. After Chicago, the play went on the road for approximately one year, performing at St. Louis, Decatur, Cincinnati, Detroit, Dayton, Minneapolis and Lansing, then traveling to the west coast to Oakland and Los Angeles, closing sometime in 1942.
World War II put a hold on Larry / Stuart's career when he was called into the U. S. Army in 1942 under his birth name of Clarence Maxwell, with Basic Training, as well as his advanced training with the 55th Field Artillery Division being accomplished at Camp Roberts, San Louis Obispo County. After returning from an over-seas assignment, he was discharged in November of 1944, with the rank of Sergeant.
As with a number of actors and actresses, Larry Sothern changed his name to Stuart Randall and became an actor with his first movie being Bells of Coronado, starring Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, which was released in January of 1950,
Some of Stuart's movies are Storm Warning, with Ronald Reagan, Wells Fargo Gunmaster, The Hoodlum, Carbine Williams, Pony Soldier, with Tyrone Powers, Pony Express, with Charlton Heston, Southwest Passage, starring Rod Cameron, The Far Country with Jimmie Stewart, Indestructible Man with Lon Chaney, Run of the Arrow, Verboten!, Frontier Uprising, with Jim Davis, Taggart, and True Grit, with John Wayne.
He appeared in nearly all of the popular western television series of the 50's, 60's and 70's at least once, some of them numerous times, including: three times on the Lone Ranger; twice on Zane Grey Theater; twice on Colt .45; five times as a series regular on Cimarron City; three times on Sugarfoot; five times in Restless Gun; three times on The Texan; Wagon Train twice; seven appearances in The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp; twice each on The Rifleman, Wanted: Dead or Alive and Lawman; three in Riverboat; twice on Death Valley Days; seven times on The Virginian and six times on Bonanza and of course his most memorable appearance in Laramie, thirty-four times as Sheriff Mort Cory as well as two other appearances earlier in the series, portraying other characters.
Stuart also appeared in non-western series, including: Lassie eleven times; Tightrope twice; Navy Log twice; twice in Wire Service; Schlitz Playhouse five times; The Star and the Story twice; The Loretta Young Show three times; Public Defender three times; and twice on Waterfront.
Stuart's entertainment career spanned forty-five years, with his last screen appearance being on the television series Alias Smith and Jones - Dreadful Sorry Clementine, Season 2, Episode 10, in November, 1971.
Stuart passed away at his home in Victorville, California on June 22, 1988. - Tracy Wright was born on 7 December 1959 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She was an actress, known for Trigger (2010), Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005) and Blindness (2008). She was married to Don McKellar. She died on 22 June 2010 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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Victor Maddern was born on 16 March 1928 in Seven Kings, Ilford, Essex, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), Four Desperate Men (1959) and Exodus (1960). He was married to Joan Neuville. He died on 22 June 1993 in London, England, UK.