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1-50 of 1,382
- Music Department
- Composer
- Soundtrack
Domenico Cimarosa was born on 17 December 1749 in Aversa, Kingdom of Naples [now Campania, Italy]. He was a composer, known for Pocahontas: The Legend (1995), Il matrimonio segreto (1943) and Strangers in Good Company (1990). He died on 11 January 1801 in Venice, Veneto, Habsburg Monarchy [now Italy].- Music Department
- Composer
- Additional Crew
Beethoven was the child of a Flamian musician family and became a member of the electoral orchestra of Bonn in 1783. In 1787 he studied at Mozart's in Vienna and in 1792 he moved all to Vienna becoming a student of Joseph Haydn. The Vienna High Society loved him as a piano player as well as as composer. In 1802 his deafness became serious making Beethoven a real eccentric until his death in 1827.- Writer
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
American poet and writer John Greenleaf Whittier was born on December 17, 1807, near Haverhill, Massachusetts. He grew up on a farm with an extended family, consisting of three siblings--two sisters and a brother--and his mother's sister and his father's brother. The farm was fairly large but not particularly profitable, and the family made just enough money to get by. Whittier was a rather sickly child, and couldn't help out with farm chores very often (among other problems, his color-blindness made it difficult for him to distinguish between ripe and unripe fruits) and his frailty and bad health were problems for him throughout his life.
His formal education was not particularly extensive--due to his family's ongoing financial problems and his own poor health--but he developed into an avid reader who studied his father's books on the Quaker religion so thoroughly that the theology became the guiding principles in his life. He was strongly influenced by the religion's emphasis on one's responsibility to one's fellow human beings, which contributed to his becoming a fervent abolitionist later in his adult life.
Introduced to poetry by a teacher, Whittier wrote his first poem, "The Exile's Departure", in 1826. His sister thought so highly of it that she sent it to a newspaper, the Newburyport Free Press, and its editor, the abolitionist publisher William Lloyd Garrison, published it in the June 8 edition. Garrison was also impressed by the young boy's writing ability and urged him to attend the Haverhill Academy, a recently opened private school. Paying his tuition with money obtained from a variety of jobs--including shoemaker and teacher--he graduated from the Academy in 1828. Garrison hired him as editor of his weekly publication The American Manufacturer in Boston. Whittier soon developed into a fierce opponent of President Andrew Jackson, and in 1830 he was hired as the editor of the prestigious New England Weekly Review in Hartford, Connecticut, which was one of the most prominent Whig publications in the region.
Whittier ran for Congress in 1832 but lost. The experience caused him to have a nervous breakdown, and he returned home to the family farm at Haverhill to recuperate. The next year he resumed his relationship with Garrison, and soon joined his mentor in the abolitionist cause. He published an anti-slavery pamphlet, "Justice and Expediency". The pamphlet earned him the wrath of Northern businessmen and Southern slaveowners, effectively ending any hopes he may have harbored for a political career, and he devoted the next 20 years of his life to helping rid the country of the cancer of slavery. He helped to found the American Anti-Slavery Society, and was a very effective lobbyist in Congress for the cause, helping to recruit quite a few congressmen to the abolitionist movement. His activities were not without consequences, though. He received more than a few death threats, was stoned by mobs in his travels around the country and was run out of town several times. This didn't stop his activities on behalf of the movement, however, and in 1838 he became editor of The Pennsylvania Freeman, an anti-slavery newspaper in Philadelphia, a position he held for the next two years (in that same year the newspaper moved to a new office, which was promptly burned down by a rioting pro-slavery mob). Unfortunately, he and Garrison developed differences over the direction of the abolitionist movement, and the two bitterly split in 1839.
Whittier went on to help form the Liberty Party, an abolitionist political group. However, the combination of his editorial duties, his poetry and prose writings, his activities in the abolitionist movement, the violence directed against it--and him--and his continuing health problems contributed to his having yet another nervous breakdown. He returned to his home in Amesbury, and stayed there for the rest of his life. Although that ended his active participation in the abolitionist movement, he was still a strong supporter of it, and helped the Liberty Party to evolve into the Free Soil Party. In 1847 Whittier became editor of The National Era, probably the most powerful and influential abolitionist paper in the North, a post he held for the next ten years, and contributed what many believe to be his best writing to the paper. With the passage of the 13th Amendment in 1865, which outlawed slavery, Whittier ended his abolitionist activities and devoted himself to writing poetry. He was one of the founding members of The Atlantic Monthly--a publication that survives to this day--and in 1867 he met Charles Dickens while the renowned British author was on a visit to the U.S., an event that left a deep impression on him.
Although Whittier spent virtually his entire life in Massachusetts, he died at the home of a friend in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire, on September 7, 1892. Among his most famous works are the poems "Barbara Frietchie", "Snow-Bound" and "The Brewing of Soma". The city of Whittier, California--home of former US President Richard Nixon--is named after him.- Lõrinc Tóth was born on 17 December 1814 in Komárom, Hungary. Lõrinc was a writer, known for Musical TV Theater (1970). Lõrinc died on 17 March 1903 in Budapest, Hungary.
- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Herbert Beerbohm Tree was born on 17 December 1852 in Kensington, London, England, UK. He was an actor and director, known for King John (1899), Henry VIII (1911) and The Tempest (1905). He was married to Lady Tree. He died on 2 July 1917 in Marylebone, London, England, UK.- M.R. Morand was born on 17 December 1860 in Bury, Lancashire, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Daddy (1917), Gloria (1916) and The Land of Mystery (1920). He was married to Helena Woodley Nash. He died on 5 March 1922 in Westminster, London, England, UK.
- Leo Leipziger was born on 17 December 1861 in Breslau, Silesia, Germany [now Wroclaw, Dolnoslaskie, Poland]. Leo was a writer, known for Jettatore (1919), Die Ballhaus-Anna (1911) and Mascotte (1920). Leo died on 21 December 1922 in Berlin, Germany.
- August Palme was born on 17 December 1856 in Kalmar, Kalmar län, Sweden. He was an actor, known for Jefthas dotter (1919) and Bodakungen (1920). He died on 3 September 1924 in Annecy, Haute-Savoie, France.
- David Powell was born on 17 December 1883 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK. He was an actor, known for Missing Millions (1922), The Dawn of a Tomorrow (1915) and Fine Feathers (1915). He died on 16 April 1925 in New York City, New York, USA.
- Edfrid A. Bingham was born on 17 December 1870 in Oak Hill, Ohio, USA. Edfrid A. was a writer, known for The Johnstown Flood (1926), The Breaking Point (1924) and The Glimpses of the Moon (1923). Edfrid A. died on 2 May 1930 in New York City, New York, USA.
- Nicolai Johannsen was born on 17 December 1885 in Norway. He was an actor, known for In the Hour of Temptation (1914), Prinsessens Hjerte (1916) and En Død i Skønhed (1915). He died on 13 September 1935.
- Ernest Ferny was born on 17 December 1886 in Geneva, Switzerland. He was an actor, known for Le tombeau hindou (1938), Le tigre du Bengale (1938) and One Hour with You (1932). He died on 28 May 1939 in Neuilly-Plaisance, Seine-Saint-Denis, France.
- Ford Madox Ford was born on 17 December 1873 in Merton, Surrey, England, UK. He was a writer, known for Parade's End (2012), The Road to Romance (1927) and Monster Theory. He was married to Elsie Martindale. He died on 29 June 1939 in Deauville, France.
- Horace Goldin was born on 17 December 1873 in Vilna, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. He was married to Helen Levy (dancer). He died on 22 August 1939 in New York City, New York, USA.
- Irene Bennett was born on 17 December 1913 in Oklahoma, USA. She was an actress, known for Lady Be Careful (1936). She died on 25 August 1941 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Józef Chmielinski was born on 17 December 1862 in Warsaw, Poland, Russian Empire [now Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland]. He was an actor, known for Niewolnica milosci (1923), Nie damy ziemi, skad nasz ród (1920) and Tovarishch Elena (1917). He died on 28 September 1941 in Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland.
- Director
- Actor
- Writer
Roy McCray was born on 17 December 1889 in Iowa, USA. He was a director and actor, known for Nothing Ever Happens Right (1915), No Soup (1915) and Hearts and Clubs (1915). He died on 18 July 1943 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Max Grünberg was born on 17 December 1876 in Berlin, Germany. He was an actor, known for Die fünf Frankfurter (1922), Marie Antoinette - Das Leben einer Königin (1922) and Die lachende Grille (1926). He died on 29 September 1943 in Berlin, Germany.
- Paul Oskar Höcker was born on 17 December 1865 in Meiningen, Saxe-Meiningen [now Thuringia, Germany]. He was a writer, known for Der Gefangene (1920), Fasching (1921) and Die verbotene Frucht (1921). He was married to Margarete Linke. He died on 6 May 1944 in Rastatt, Baden [now Baden-Württemberg], Germany.
- Hanns Saßmann was born on 17 December 1882 in Vienna, Austria-Hungary [now Austria]. He was a writer, known for The Fairy Dolly (1936), The Cabbie's Song (1936) and Der Feuerteufel (1940). He died on 8 May 1944 in Kufstein, Tyrol, Austria.
- Art Director
- Production Designer
- Art Department
Karl Machus was born on 17 December 1884 in Berlin, Germany. He was an art director and production designer, known for Passion (1919), 1812, Gräfin Vandières (1926) and Ich heirate meine Frau (1934). He died on 24 May 1944 in Berlin, Germany.- Sheila Donisthorpe was born on 17 December 1898 in London, England, UK. She was a writer, known for First Night (1937) and Children to Bless You (1948). She was married to Frank W. Donisthorpe. She died on 1 September 1946.
- Alexander Sarner was born on 17 December 1892 in Spitalfields, London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for The Dreyfus Case (1931), The Passing of the Third Floor Back (1935) and The Chinese Puzzle (1919). He died on 6 January 1948 in Dollis Hill, London, England, UK.
- Stella LeSaint (born Stella Razeto) started on the stage with the Florence Roberts company in San Francisco. She then moved on to vaudeville in New York City and formed the "Stella Razeto and Company" group. Due to illness she left the stage, eventually joining the Majestic Company where she played with Mabel Trunnelle and Herbert Prior for many months. She then moved to the Selig Polyscope Company where she worked with her future husband, Edward LeSaint.
- Music Department
- Composer
- Soundtrack
Composer, songwriter, author, conductor and violinist, educated at the Royal HS of Music in Berlin (with Max Bruch) and a violin student of Joachim and Wirth. He joined ASCAP in 1942, and his popular-song compositions include "Random Thoughts", "Only a Song", "Never to Know", "Come Along", "A Little Song", and "Senorita Chula".- Born in Berlin (now Kitchener), Ontario to John M. King and Isabel Grace Mackenzie. His grandfather was William Lyon Mackenzie, the first mayor of Toronto and leader of the 1837 Upper Canada Rebellion.
King graduated from the University of Toronto in 1895 and he also graduated from Harvard University in 1898.
In 1905, King graduated from the University of Chicago, but got no degree.
King lost his seat in the 1911 federal election and worked for the Rockefeller foundation and in 1917, King lost his seat again. In 1919, with the death of Sir Wilfred Laurier, King became leader of the Liberal party.
In 1921, King won his seat after defeating Arthur Meighen in the 1921 election and became the 10th Prime Minister of Canada. But in 1925, King lost his seat because of the King-Byng Affair, causing Meighen to win. In September of 1926, King defeated Meighen again.
The Stock Market Crashed in 1929, causing the Great Depression to start, King lost his seat in the 1930 federal election against R. B. Bennett. King was able to defeat Bennett in the 1935 federal election. Throughout World War II, King met famous state leaders, including Franklin D. Roosevelt, Adolf Hitler, Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin.
King retired from the Liberal party and as Prime Minister in 1948 and Louis St. Laurent took his spot.
On July 22, 1950, King died of pneumonia in Chelsea, Quebec. He was 75 years old. - Jan Valtin was born on 17 December 1905 in Mainz, Germany. He was a writer, known for Studio One (1948). He was married to Hermine. He died on 1 January 1951 in Betterton, Maryland, USA.
- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Laurence Schwab was born on 17 December 1892 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. He was a writer and producer, known for Take a Chance (1933), Follow Thru (1930) and New Moon (1940). He was married to Mildred. He died on 29 May 1951 in Southampton, Long Island, New York, USA.- Anatoliy Goryunov was born on 17 December 1902 in Moscow, Russian Empire [now Russia]. He was an actor, known for Boule de suif (1934), Vratar (1936) and Anna (1936). He died on 10 July 1951 in Moscow, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia].
- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Aziza Amir was born on 17 December 1901 in Damietta, Egypt. She was an actress and writer, known for Kaferi am khatiatak (1933), Laila (1927) and Ibnati (1944). She was married to Mahmoud Zulfikar, Mustafa el Shere3y and Ahmed El Shereay. She died on 28 February 1952 in Cairo, Egypt.- Soundtrack
Jean Marco was born on 17 December 1923 in Istanbul, Turkey. He died on 25 June 1953 in Connerré, Sarthe, France.- Writer
- Director
Jefferson Moffitt was born on 17 December 1887 in Oakland, California, USA. He was a writer and director, known for Kelly the Second (1936), The Good-Bye Kiss (1928) and The Eagle's Talons (1923). He died on 8 April 1954 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Karel Rint was born on 17 December 1885 in Prague, Austria-Hungary [now Czech Republik]. He was an actor, known for Jan Rohác z Dubé (1947) and Velký prípad (1946). He died on 18 August 1955 in Plzen, Czechoslovakia [now Czech Republic].
- Jon Junior was born on 17 December 1890 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. He was an actor, known for The Phantom Buster (1927), The Misleading Lady (1916) and My Best Girl (1927). He died on 30 September 1955 in San Francisco, California, USA.
- Sean P. O'Riordain was born on 17 December 1904 in Monkstown, County Cork, Ireland. He died on 11 April 1957 in Dublin, Ireland.
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Josef Lada was born on 17 December 1887 in Hrusice, Bohemia, Austria-Hungary [now Czech Republic]. He was a writer, known for O zatoulané princezne (1987), Kater Mikesch (1985) and Wir warten auf's Christkind (1960). He was married to Hana Budejická. He died on 14 December 1957 in Prague, Czechoslovakia [now Czech Republic].- Aubrey Mather was born on 17 December 1885 in Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Heaven Can Wait (1943), The Secret of St. Ives (1949) and The Undying Monster (1942). He died on 16 January 1958 in London, England, UK.
- Production Designer
- Art Director
Oto Antonini was born on 17 December 1892 in Agram, Austria-Hungary. He was a production designer and art director, known for Brisem i sudim (1919), Kovac raspela (1919) and Veliki miting (1951). He died on 15 February 1959 in Zagreb, Croatia, Yugoslavia [now Croatia].- Hans Henny Jahnn was born on 17 December 1894 in Hamburg-Stellingen, Germany. He was a writer, known for Die Nacht aus Blei (1985) and Thomas Chatterton (1970). He was married to Ellinor Philips. He died on 29 November 1959 in Hamburg, Germany.
- Director
- Writer
- Producer
André Hugon was born on 17 December 1886 in Algiers, France [now Algeria]. He was a director and writer, known for Moulin Rouge (1940), La rue sans joie (1938) and Le chant de l'exilé (1943). He died on 22 August 1960 in Cannes, Alpes-Maritimes, France.- Actress
- Writer
Christine Silver was born in London in 1884, became highly popular in the theatre from the late 1890's, her best known stage performance was in George Bernard Shaw's 'Fanny's First Play' in 1911, was a pretty brunette star in few silent movie dramas, first under the direction of Albert Ward in a crime drama 'The Playdell Mystery' in 1916 for the British Empire Film Company, also later with the London Film Company in the early 1920's, often seen in character roles in talkies until her last in 1955, later she appeared in a number of T.V. series, including The Vise and last seen in T.V.'s The History of Mr. Polly in 1959. she was also an accomplished playwright. Died in London age 75.- Paul Kreibich was born on 17 December 1894 in Germany. He was an actor, known for One Night Stand (1989) and Actors Entertainment (2009). He died on 15 March 1961 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Art Department
- Actor
- Writer
George Cleethorpe was born on 17 December 1883 in Ireland. He was an actor and writer, known for Any Night (1922), Cleaning Up (1930) and Sky Scrappers (1930). He died on 25 August 1961 in the USA.- Writer
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Wladyslaw Broniewski was born on 17 December 1897 in Plock, Poland, Russian Empire [now Plock, Mazowieckie, Poland]. He was a writer, known for Ludzie Wisly (1938), Teatr Polskiego Radia (2004) and Television Theater (1953). He died on 10 February 1962 in Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland.- Cinematographer
R.E. Irish was born on 17 December 1882 in Illinois, USA. He was a cinematographer, known for The Tiger's Coat (1920), The Broken Coin (1915) and Some Boy (1917). He died on 14 April 1962 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Actor
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Konrad Bayer was born on 17 December 1932 in Vienna, Austria. He was an actor and writer, known for Kasperl am elektrischen Stuhl (1969), Sun Stop! (1962) and Zeit.geschichte (2011). He died on 10 October 1964 in Vienna, Austria.- Lilly Christine, a.k.a. "The Cat Girl," was a famous and beloved burlesque exotic dancer and men's magazine model of the late 1940's up until the early 1960's with a mesmerizing stage presence, a wild mane of long peroxide blonde hair, and a simply spectacular 37C-22-35 voluptuous bombshell body. Lilly was born as Martha Theresa Pompender on December 17, 1923 in Dunkirk, New York. Although there were rumors that she had a Norwegian father and a Swedish mother, Christine in reality was actually of Italian-Polish descent. She first began dancing in 1948 and proved to be a major headliner performing her trademark voodoo love potion dance at Prima's 500 Club in New Orleans, Louisiana. Lilly was prominently featured doing her other signature stalking cat dance in the Broadway stage production of the musical revue "Michael Todd's Peep Show," which ran from June 28, 1950 to February 24, 1951 at the Winter Garden Theatre in New York City. Moreover, Christine graced the covers and/or posed for centerfolds in such adult publications as "Rogue," "He," "Modern Man," "Gala," "Tempo," and "Cover Girls." She had uncredited minor parts in the movies "Two Guys from Texas," "My Wild Irish Rose," "Two Guys from Milwaukee," and "Irish Eyes Are Smiling." Lilly Christine was still dancing and drawing huge crowds in nightclubs down south when she died from peritonitis at the tragically young age of 41 on January 9, 1965 in Broward County, Florida.
- Alfred Butterfield was born on 17 December 1915. He was a writer and producer, known for Fifty Years Before Your Eyes (1950), Secrets of the Reef (1956) and For All the World's Children (1950). He died on 1 April 1965.
- Actor
Bing Davidson was born on 17 December 1940 in Hastings, Nebraska, USA. He was an actor. He died on 18 July 1965 in San Francisco, California, USA.- Frank Meredith was born on 17 December 1898 in Bee Spring, Kentucky, USA. He was an actor, known for Hold That Woman! (1940), Mills of the Gods (1934) and Government Agents vs Phantom Legion (1951). He died on 23 July 1965 in Los Angeles, California, USA.