Interviews and Biographies by R.D Francis

1. Kim Milford

Richard Kim Milford was an actor-singer-songwriter-composer-dancer who first appeared in SummerStock Theatre in Chicago at age 10. At age 17 he was in the original staging of Hair (he played Woof and Claude). In 1970 he was awarded the Faith and Freedom Award by the Religious Heritage of America ...

Biography -- on the deceased, '70s actor-musician. Also look for B&S About Movies' review for Song of the Succubus, starring Kim and his band, Moon.

2. Ferd Sebastian

Producer | Flash and the Firecat

Ferd Sebastian was born on July 25, 1933 in Travis County, Texas, USA. He is a producer and director, known for Flash and the Firecat (1975), The Hitchhikers (1972) and On the Air Live with Captain Midnight (1979).

Biography -- and obituary on the '70s filmmaker. Features B&S About Movies' review links to his films.

3. Jesse P. Pollack

Director | The Acid King

Jesse P. Pollack is known for The Acid King (2019), The Point Pleasant Tapes and Dan Bell the Podcast (2018).

Interview feature -- with the true crime writer and filmmaker behind the B&S About Movies' reviewed documentary, The Acid King.

4. Eric Eichelberger

Producer | Ghoul Scout Zombie Massacre

Eric Eichelberger is known for Ghoul Scout Zombie Massacre (2018), Caress of the Vampire 2.5: The Return of Billy the Vampire (2022) and Techno Diva (2018).

Interview Q&A with the indie writer and director.

5. Joshua Reale

Director | Necropath

Joshua Reale is known for Necropath (2018), Death House (2017) and Empire State of the Dead (2016).

Interview Q&A with the indie writer and director.

6. Thai Edwards

Actor | The Ice Cream Stop

Multiple Award-Winning 2022 NAACP Image Award Nominated Actor Thai Edwards is a man of incredible talents, unparalleled charisma, and an admirable work ethic. With an extensive resume of accomplishments, it's no surprise that doors have opened up for him on his journey through Hollywood. ...

Interview as part of Ice Cream Stop review.

7. Russell Kern

Director | Pools of Anger

Russell Kern is known for Pools of Anger (1992), Spittin' Image (1982) and The Spirits of Jupiter (1984).

Interview as part of The Spirits of Jupiter review.

8. John Oak Dalton

Writer | Noah's Shark

In 1999, Dalton sold his first screenplay to the direct-to-DVD market and sold more than 40 screenplays over the next 20 years, with more than two dozen becoming films on television, at film festivals, on streaming, on video store shelves and in dollar bins. In 2018 Dalton moved to writer/director ...

Interview as part of film review for Scarecrow Country.

9. Earl 'Snake' Richards

Actor | That Tennessee Beat

Earl 'Snake' Richards is known for That Tennessee Beat (1966), White Lightnin' Road (1967) and Girl from Tobacco Row (1966).

Interview with his son, B. Earl Sink, Jr. & biography on Earl Richards.

10. Sig Shore

Director | Sudden Death

Born in East Harlem and raised in the Bronx, Sig Shore earned a basketball scholarship to George Washington University. During World War II he served as a navigator in the Army Air Corps where he became a first lieutenant. After the war he was the advertising director for Dance magazine and later ...

Interview (with family member) as part of review of 87's The Survivalist at B&S About Movies.

11. Andy Anderson

Director | Positive I.D.

Andy Anderson was born on July 13, 1946. He was a director and writer, known for Positive I.D. (1986), Interface (1984) and Detention (1998). He died on March 17, 2017 in Fort Worth, Texas, USA.

Interview (with associate) as part of film review for 84's Interface.

12. Michael Bolton

Soundtrack | Back to School

Michael Bolton, the multiple Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and social activist, has sold more than 65 million albums and singles worldwide. He continues to tour the world every year, all while writing, recording and taping for a wide array of projects spanning music, film, television and ...

Biography on his days as a hard-rock musician.

13. Jesse Turner

Actor | Smokey and the Good Time Outlaws

Jesse Turner is known for Smokey and the Good Time Outlaws (1978), Severed (2005) and Emile (2003).

Biography on the '70s country musician and actor.

14. Lane Caudell

Soundtrack | Fire in the Sky

Lane Caudell was born on April 25, 1952 in Asheboro, North Carolina, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Fire in the Sky (1993), Sasquatch: The Legend of Bigfoot (1976) and Buffalo Rider (1976).

Biography on the '70s pop-musician and actor. Also look for B&S About Movies' reviews by RD Francis for the films Hangin' on a Star and Goodbye, Franklin High.

15. Roger Wilson

Actor | Porky's

Roger Wilson was born on October 8, 1956 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Porky's (1981), Blow Out (1981) and Porky's II: The Next Day (1983). He was previously married to Shaun Casey.

Biography on the '80s actor-musician. Also look for the B&S About Movies' reviews by RD Francis for the films Thunder Alley and Second Time Lucky.

16. Mark Gregory

Actor | Fuga dal Bronx

Mark Gregory was born on May 2, 1964 in Rome, Lazio, Italy. He was an actor, known for Escape from the Bronx (1983), 1990: The Bronx Warriors (1982) and Thunder (1983). He died on January 31, 2013 in Castel Madama, Lazio, Italy.

Biography and obituary on the '80s Italian actor.

17. Michael Sopkiw

Actor | Shark: Rosso nell'oceano

Although his moment in the acting spotlight was regrettably fleeting, Michael Sopkiw did nonetheless prove to be a delightfully sincere, spirited and enthusiastic asset in the four enjoyably low-rent mid-80s Italian exploitation features he starred in. Born in 1954 in Connecticut, the handsome and ...

Wikipedia referenced on his official page.

18. Mark Polonia

Director | Camp Murder

Mark Polonia was born on September 30, 1968 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, USA. He is a director and editor, known for Camp Murder (2021), Land Shark (2017) and Bigfoot Vs. Zombies (2016). He is married to Maria Davis.

Wikipedia Reference: "Exploring: SOV Filmmaker Jon McBride" feature at B&S About Movies on the official "Polonia Brothers" page.

19. Andrew Lewis Caldwell

Actor | The Matrix Resurrections

Andrew Lewis Caldwell was born on July 25, 1989 in Flint, Michigan, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for The Matrix Resurrections (2021), Cursed Friends (2022) and Haunt (2019).

Wikipedia reference on his page for review of Spring Break '83.

20. Neil Merryweather

Soundtrack | The Seven Minutes

Neil Merryweather is known for The Seven Minutes (1971), Lita Ford: Out for Blood (1983) and Tucker's Luck (1983).

Exploration of his soundtrack appearances.

21. Edward Van Halen

Soundtrack | Twister

Edward Van Halen was a musician who along with his brother Alex Van Halen, and Michael Anthony and David Lee Roth, formed the band Van Halen in the early '70s, with Eddie on guitar, Alex on drums, Michael on bass and David on vocals. The band had different members over the years, but the core (...

Exploration of his soundtrack appearances.

22. Jon McBride

Actor | Woodchipper Massacre

Jon McBride is known for Woodchipper Massacre (1988), Feeders (1996) and Cannibal Campout (1988).

Exploration of the '80s filmmaker's indie career.

23. Harry Hurwitz

Director | That's Adequate

Harry Hurwitz was born on January 27, 1938 in New York City, New York, USA. He was a director and writer, known for That's Adequate (1989), The Comeback Trail (1982) and Fleshtone (1994). He was married to Joy Sirott Hurwitz. He died on September 21, 1995 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

A "Drive-In Friday" exploration of his career and indie films.

24. Gene Otis Shane

Actor | Blood of Dracula's Castle

Gene Otis Shane was born on July 11, 1936 in the USA. He was an actor, known for Blood of Dracula's Castle (1969), Mission: Impossible (1966) and Hell's Bloody Devils (1970). He died on August 21, 2017 in the USA.

Exploration of the '70s drive-in era actor, aka Gene Shane, aka Duece Berry.

25. The Beatles

Soundtrack | The Beatles: Get Back

The Beatles were an English rock band that became arguably the most successful act of the 20th century. They contributed to music, film, literature, art, and fashion, made a continuous impact on popular culture and the lifestyle of several generations. Their songs and images carrying powerful ideas...

Exploring films using the Beatles as plot fodder (links to the the first part of a three-part series exploring 33 films).

26. Phil Savath

Writer | Big Meat Eater

Phil Savath was born on December 28, 1946 in New York, New York, USA. He was a writer and producer, known for Big Meat Eater (1982), The Outside Chance of Maximilian Glick (1988) and Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990). He was married to Susan. He died on November 3, 2004.

Exploration of his career and indie films shot in Canada.

27. Tawny Kitaen

Actress | Bachelor Party

Tawny Kitaen was born on August 5, 1961 in San Diego, California, USA. She was an actress and producer, known for Bachelor Party (1984), The Perils of Gwendoline in the Land of the Yik Yak (1984) and Witchboard (1986). She was married to Chuck Finley and David Coverdale. She died on May 7, 2021 in ...

Exploration of her full film career with reviews of each.

28. Brett Piper

Writer | Queen Crab

Brett Piper was born in New Hampshire, USA. He is known for Queen Crab (2015), A Nymphoid Barbarian in Dinosaur Hell (1990) and Mysterious Planet (1982).

A "Drive-In Friday" exploration of his film career, along with reviews to four of his films.

29. Sherry E. DeBoer

Actress | Harrad Summer

Sherry E. DeBoer was born in 1952 in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. She is an actress, known for Harrad Summer (1974), Making It (1971) and The Todd Killings (1971).

An exploration of her film career, along with reviews for each film, noted.

30. Don Kirshner

Producer | Toomorrow

Don Kirshner was born on April 17, 1934 in Bronx, New York City, New York, USA. He was a producer and composer, known for Toomorrow (1970), Musical Chairs (1975) and The Kowboys (1970). He was married to Sheila Grod. He died on January 17, 2011 in Boca Raton, Florida, USA.

An exploration of his post-Monkees-era films as a producer, with reviews for each film/TV series.

31. Sylvester Stallone

Actor | Rocky

Sylvester Stallone is an athletically built, dark-haired American actor/screenwriter/director/producer, the movie fans worldwide have been flocking to see Stallone's films for over 40 years, making "Sly" one of Hollywood's biggest-ever box office draws.

Sylvester Stallone was born on July 6, 1946, ...

An overview of his films in the wake of the 45th anniversary release of Rocky.

32. Dennis Devine

Director | Fatal Images

Dennis Devine is known for Fatal Images (1989), Alice in Murderland (2010) and Vampires of Sorority Row (1999).

An overview of his career and reviews to four of his better-known films.

33. Tibor Takács

Director | Black Warrant

Tibor Takács was born in Budapest, Hungary. Tibor is a director and writer, known for Black Warrant (2022), The Secret Ingredient (2020), and Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996) He has had the privilege of working with many notable actors in various genres and has extensive experience with stunts, ...

A "Drive-In Friday" exploration of his career, along with reviews to four of his better-known films.

34. Tangerine Dream

Composer | Thief

The pioneering German collective Tangerine Dream has been delivering their distinctive style of ambient music for nearly three decades, laying down a foundation of sound textures and sonic imagery that has influenced many of today's electronic musicians. Founded in 1967 by fine art aficinado Edgar ...

An overview of their film soundtrack career across reviews of ten films.

35. Robert Louis Stevenson

Writer | Muppet Treasure Island

Robert Louis Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, and travel writer from Edinburgh. His most popular works include the pirate-themed adventure novel "Treasure Island" (1883), the poetry collection "A Child's Garden of Verses" (1885), the Gothic horror novella "Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr ...

The influence of "The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" via an "Exploring: Italian Giallo Films of the 1960s through the 1970s" feature.

36. Tim Berners-Lee

Self | Horizon

Tim Berners-Lee was born on June 8, 1955 in London, England, UK. He has been married to Rosemary Leith since 2014. He was previously married to Nancy Carlson.

The influences of computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee on artificial intelligence -- and films concerned with the technology.

37. Kurt Cobain

Soundtrack | The Batman

Kurt Cobain was born on February 20 1967, in Aberdeen, Washington. Kurt and his family lived in Hoquiam for the first few months of his life then later moved back to Aberdeen, where he had a happy childhood until his parents divorced. The divorce left Kurt's outlook on the world forever scarred. He...

A discussion of his influences on film as part of an "Exploring: 50 Gen-X Grunge Films of the Alt-Rock ‘90s" feature.

38. Elvis Presley

Soundtrack | Girls! Girls! Girls!

Elvis Aaron Presley was born on January 8, 1935 in East Tupelo, Mississippi, to Gladys Presley (née Gladys Love Smith) and Vernon Presley (Vernon Elvis Presley). He had a twin brother who was stillborn. In 1948, Elvis and his parents moved to Memphis, Tennessee where he attended Humes High School. ...

An overview of his "racing films" with a "Drive-In Friday" feature, as well as an overview of films using his legend as plot-fodder as part of an "Exploring: Elvis Fantasy Flicks" feature.

39. Stanley Kubrick

Director | 2001: A Space Odyssey

Stanley Kubrick was born in Manhattan, New York City, to Sadie Gertrude (Perveler) and Jacob Leonard Kubrick, a physician. His family were Jewish immigrants (from Austria, Romania, and Russia). Stanley was considered intelligent, despite poor grades at school. Hoping that a change of scenery would ...

An overview of his influence with and the inspirations behind "2001: A Space Odyssey" as part of an "Exploring: The Russian Antecedents of 2001: A Space Odyssey" feature published during a "Star Wars" week of film reviews at B&S About Movies.

40. Peter Carpenter

Actor | Point of Terror

Handsome and muscular 6'3" hunk Peter Carpenter hailed from Oakland, California. Of Spanish and Italian descent, Carpenter was part of the Corbelli family who lived in the East Bay area and was raised in the Catholic faith (the name of his production company Jude Productions was done in tribute to ...

An overview of the late actor's career as part of a "Peter Carpenter Double Feature: Vixen (1968) and Love Me Like I Do (1970)" article and film review.

41. Werner Herzog

Director | Fitzcarraldo

Director. Writer. Producer. Actor. Poet. He studied history, literature and theatre for some time, but didn't finish it and founded instead his own film production company in 1963. Later in his life, Herzog also staged several operas in Bayreuth, Germany, and at the Milan Scala in Italy. Herzog has...

A discussion of his five films with Klaus Kinski as part of a "Drive-In Friday: Klaus Kinski vs. Werner Herzog Night" feature -- also includes a link to a "Drive-In Friday" feature regarding Klaus Kinski's Italian spaghetti westerns.

42. John Doe

Actor | Road House

John Doe was born on February 25, 1953 in Decatur, Illinois, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Road House (1989), The Bodyguard (1992) and Pure Country (1992). He has been married to Gigi Gonzalez since 1987. They have three children. He was previously married to Exene Cervenka.

A review week of films starring musician-actor John Doe, rounded up with a "John Doe Week Round Up" feature encapsulating all of the week's film reviews.

43. Michael Fischa

Director | Rice Girl

Michael Fischa was born on May 11, 1952 in Vienna, Austria. He is a director and producer, known for Rice Girl (2014), Deadtime Stories: Volume 1 (2009) and Stella - Auge um Auge.

Career biography by way of a day dedicated to his films: Look for my B&S About Movies' "Critics Reviews" for "My Mom's a Werewolf," "Crackhouse," and "Rice Girl" on the IMDb to learn all about Mr. Fischa.

44. Bernard L. Kowalski

Director | Baretta

Bernard Kowalski is an important figure in television with a long and impressive list of credits. To mention a select few, he directed the pilots for Richard Diamond, Private Detective (1956), N.Y.P.D. (1967) and The Monroes (1966); executive-produced Baretta (1975); and was co-owner of Mission: ...

Career biography by way of a two-day festival of his films: Look for my B&S About Movies' "Critics Reviews" for "Terror in the Sky," "Hot Car Girl," "Stilleto," "Night of the Blood Beast," "Nashville Beat," "Two for the Money," and "Krakatoa: East of Java" on the IMDb to learn all about Mr. Kowalski.

45. Paul Naschy

Actor | El retorno del hombre lobo

Paul Naschy reigns supreme as the true king of Spanish horror cinema. He was born Jacinto Molina Alvarez on September 6, 1934, in Madrid, Spain. His father ran a successful fur business. Naschy grew up during the Spanish Civil War, and sought escape from the real-life horrors around him in ...

Career biography courtesy of my B&S About Movies' reviews for "Horror Rises from the Tomb" and "Panic Beats," as well as "The People Who Own the Dark" (1975) and "Inquisition" (1977) -- with links to reviews of many of his other films.

46. Ronald L. Marchini

Actor | Karate Cop

Ronald Lee Marchini (aka Ron Marchini) is an American martial artist who is a champion in karate and action films actor. He wrote books on karate with Leo Fong, a martial artist known for Power training in Kung-Fu and karate. In May 1964, at Takayuki Kubota's All-Stars Tournament in Los Angeles, ...

Career biography by way of a "Ron Marchini Week" of film reviews.

Look under IMDb's "External Sites" for the article or "Critic" reviews under any Ron Marchini film for individual film reviews.