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- William Henry Seward was an American politician who served as United States Secretary of State from 1861 to 1869, and earlier served as governor of New York and as a United States Senator. A determined opponent of the spread of slavery in the years leading up to the American Civil War, he was a prominent figure in the Republican Party in its formative years, and was praised for his work on behalf of the Union as Secretary of State during the Civil War. He also negotiated the treaty for the United States to purchase the Alaskan Territory.
- Writer
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Mark Twain, born Samuel Langhorne Clemens in Florida, Missouri in 1835, grew up in Hannibal. He was a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi River. Throughout his career, Twain served as a writer, lecturer, reporter, editor, printer, and prospector. Twain took his pen name from an alert cry used on his steamboat - "by the mark, twain".- Helen Tracy was born on 7 May 1850 in Jacksonville, Florida, USA. She was an actress, known for Romeo and Juliet (1916), Twenty-One (1923) and The Net (1923). She died on 5 September 1924 in Staten Island, New York, USA.
- Writer
- Music Department
- Composer
American poet, novelist and essayist James Weldon Johnson was born in Jacksonville, FL, in 1871. He came from a musically inclined family--his brother was noted composer and songwriter J. Rosamond Johnson--and received his B.A. from Atlanta University and his M.A. from that institution two years later, a significant accomplishment in an era when many blacks were prevented from getting any higher education at all.
He was hired as a teacher and the principal at an all-black school in Jacksonville. At the same time he was studying law and in 1897 he received his law degree and was admitted to the Florida bar, the first black attorney to do so since the end of the Civil War. In 1901 he relocated to New York City, where he joined his brother Rosamond and his partner in writing songs for both the stage and light opera, and the team was quite successful. One song was so popular that they cleared $13,000 from it--an astonishing sum at the time--and used that money to travel to France, where they spent several months partying and traveling before returning to the US.
He was soon appointed as the American Consul in Venezuela, and his tenure there was so productive he was appointed to the same position in Nicaragua, again with great success. In 1910 he married Grace Nail, and two years later produced his first novel, the (fictional) "Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man" (the subject was so sensitive at the time that the book was published with no writer's credit; it wasn't until 1927 that he was acknowledged as the author). He continued writing essays, books and songs and wrote the English libretto for the opera "Goyescas", which was presented at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1915. In addition, he served for many years as secretary for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. He returned to teaching in 1930--while still continuing his writing--and became Professor of Creative Literature at Fisk University. In 1934 he was named Visiting Professor of Literature at New York University.
On June 26, 1938, Johnson was driving through a railroad crossing near his summer home in Bar Harbor, ME, when his car was struck by a train. His wife was seriously injured but survived. Johnson was killed instantly.- Music Department
- Actor
- Writer
J. Rosamond Johnson was born on 11 August 1873 in Jacksonville, Florida, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for Infinite (2021), Do the Right Thing (1989) and Antebellum (2020). He was married to Nora Ethel Floyd. He died on 11 November 1954 in New York City, New York, USA.- Actor
George W. Jimenez was born on 29 November 1877 in Key West, Florida, USA. He was an actor. He died on 14 September 1945 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Actor
Art Berry Sr. was born on 25 August 1881 in Jacksonville, Florida, USA. He was an actor. He died on 12 June 1945 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Actor
Harry Ely was born on 18 September 1882 in Florida, USA. He was an actor. He died on 15 July 1951 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Joseph W. Stilwell was a four-star general in n the US Army during World War II. He headed the US campaign against Japanese forces in both Burma and China, the Chinese Nationalist government having such confidence in him that they gave him command of its forces in that theater.
Born in Palatka, FL, in 1883, Stilwell attended the US Army's Military Academy at West Point, NY, graduating in 1904. He served in the Philippines, then with the American Expeditionary Force in Europe during WW I. After that he became an instructor at West Point. He studied and became fluent in the Chinese language, and was posted to the Chinese city of Tienjin from 1925-28 and was US military attache in Beijing from 1935-39.
With the advent of World War II, Gen. Kai-Shek Chiang, the head of the Chinese Nationalist government, placed Stilwell in command of the Chinese Fifth and Sixth Armies in Burma. The Japanese had more and better equipped and trained troops, however, and in 1942 Stilwell's forces were driven out of Burma into India after a brutal 140-mile retreat through the jungles. Stilwell was eventually given command of all US forces in the China-Burma-India theatre. In 1945 Stilwell accepted the surrender of 100,000 Japanese troops in the Ryukyu Islands, ending the war in the Pacific. - Joe Byrd was born on 12 April 1885 in Jacksonville, Florida, USA. He was an actor, known for A Daughter of the Congo (1930) and Scandal (1933). He was married to Elsie Smith and Bonnie Windsor. He died on 9 October 1946 in Staten Island, New York, USA.
- Patterson Margoni was born on 6 April 1886 in Pensacola, Florida, USA. She was a writer, known for Brotherly Love (1928). She was married to Louise Glass. She died on 5 July 1939 in Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
- Director
- Producer
- Writer
Charles Weston was born on 24 May 1886 in Jacksonville, Florida, USA. He was a director and producer, known for The Hand at the Window (1915), The Seventh Day (1914) and For King and Country (1914). He was married to Alice Inwood. He died on 15 August 1919 in New York City, New York, USA.- S.T. Jacks was born on 25 November 1887 in Pensacola, Florida, USA. He is known for The Millionaire (1927).
- Herbert Disney was born on 8 December 1888 in Florida, USA. He died on 29 January 1961.
- Katherine Franek was born on 25 December 1888 in West Palm Beach, Florida, USA. She is known for The Goddess (1915), Heredity (1915) and The Tigress (1915).
- A. Philip Randolph was born on 15 April 1889 in Crescent City, Florida, USA. He was married to Lucille Green. He died on 16 May 1979 in New York City, New York, USA.
- Morris McKenny was born on 28 October 1889 in St. Augustine, Florida, USA. He was an actor, known for Drums o' Voodoo (1934). He died on 4 July 1960 in New York City, New York, USA.
- Camera and Electrical Department
Carl Barlow was born on 13 January 1890 in Fort Meyers, Florida, USA. He died on 10 January 1925 in California, USA.- Brooklyn Keller was born on 20 March 1890 in Lakeland, Florida, USA. He is known for The Price of Silence (1917), Fires of Conscience (1916) and The Leopard's Bride (1916).
- Make-Up Department
Willard Colee was born on 17 June 1890 in St. Augustine, Florida, USA. He is known for Wolf Larsen (1958), Strange Intruder (1956) and The Cruel Tower (1956). He died on 15 December 1977 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Make-Up Department
- Actor
Bill Cooley was born on 17 June 1890 in Florida, USA. He was an actor, known for Look for the Silver Lining (1949), Tormented (1960) and The Doctors and the Nurses (1962). He died on 15 December 1977 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Willard Cooley was born on 17 June 1890 in St. Augustine, Florida, USA. He was an actor, known for The Burden of Proof (1918), Fog Bound (1923) and The Firebrand (1918). He died in 1977 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Jay Morley was born on 14 July 1890 in Port Orange, Florida, USA. He was an actor, known for The Little Boss (1919), The New Adventures of Terence O'Rourke (1915) and Fighting Fate (1921). He died on 9 November 1976 in Santa Monica, California, USA.
- Writer
- Editor
- Script and Continuity Department
Ralph Spence was born on 4 November 1890 in Key West, Florida, USA. He was a writer and editor, known for Tomorrow at Seven (1933), On Time (1924) and Around the World (1943). He died on 21 December 1949 in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA.- Actor
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Augustus Smith was born on 14 January 1891 in Jacksonville, Florida, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for Murder with Music (1941), Junction 88 (1947) and Drums o' Voodoo (1934). He died in December 1964 in Bronx, New York, USA.- Director
- Writer
- Cinematographer
Richard E. Norman was born on 13 July 1891 in Middleburg, Florida, USA. He was a director and writer, known for The Flying Ace (1926), Regeneration (1923) and The Crimson Skull (1922). He was married to Gloria Marie Desjardin. He died on 7 November 1960 in Jacksonville, Florida, USA.- Henry Murdock was born on 11 September 1891 in St. Augustine, Florida, USA. He was an actor, known for The Patent Leather Kid (1927), Cornered (1924) and 30 Below Zero (1926). He died on 15 August 1928 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Venice Hayes was born on 24 February 1892 in Florida, USA. She was an actress, known for Hogan's Mussy Job (1915), For Better - But Worse (1915) and Merely a Married Man (1915). She was married to Havon Kennison. She died on 28 September 1964 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Cory Osceola was born on 15 January 1893 in Florida, USA. He was an actor, known for Wind Across the Everglades (1958). He died on 28 October 1978 in Naples, Florida, USA.
- John Keller was born on 21 March 1893 in Lakeland, Florida, USA. He is known for The Forlorn Hope (1913), The Bells of Austi (1914) and Mother of the Shadows (1914).
- Sound Department
Ferrol Redd was born on 25 March 1893 in Milton, Florida, USA. He is known for The Great Mike (1944), The Man in Half Moon Street (1944) and The Contender (1944). He died on 6 October 1965 in Kern County, California, USA.- Actor
- Writer
John Stuart Dudley was born on 5 June 1893 in Florida, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for China (1943). He died on 1 May 1966 in Wilmington, North Carolina, USA.- Edgar Connor grew up dancing for pennies on the streets of Jacksonville, Florida, when, in 1906, J. Rosamond Johnson and Bob Cole, two black vaudevillians, recruited him to sing and dance in two of their vaudeville productions, "The Shoo-Fly Regiment" and "The Red Moon." From there, he became a fixture in vaudeville both in the States, and abroad, appearing in dance revues on cruise ships as well as in nightclubs and theaters in France, particularly Cannes. He also headed the road show "Shuffle Along No. 2" for a number of years before going into movies.
- Producer
- Writer
- Additional Crew
In 1920, Merian C. Cooper was a member of volunteer of the American Kosciuszko Squadron that supported the Polish army in the war with Soviet Russia, where he met best friend and producing partner Ernest B. Schoedsack. On 26 July 1920, his plane was shot down, and he spent nearly nine months in the Soviet prisoner-of-war camp. He escaped just before the war was over. He was decorated by Marshall Jozef Pilsudski with the highest military decorations: Virtuti Military. He had a successful career in the military and in the movie business.- Cinematographer
- Production Manager
Frank M. Blount was born on 22 February 1894 in Tampa, Florida, USA. Frank M. was a cinematographer and production manager, known for Behind the Door (1919), The Grim Game (1919) and Down Home (1920). Frank M. died on 11 August 1983 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Mercedes Gilbert was born on 26 July 1894 in Jacksonville, Florida, USA. She was an actress, known for Lights Out (1946), The Call of His People (1921) and Moon Over Harlem (1939). She was married to Arthur J. Stevenson. She died on 1 March 1952 in New York City, New York, USA.- Director
- Writer
Ward Hayes was born on 7 September 1894 in Key West, Florida, USA. He was a director and writer, known for Come on Cowboys! (1924), My Pal (1925) and An Awful Bull (1921). He died on 26 January 1925 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Nellie King was born on 1 July 1895 in West Palm Beach, Florida, USA. She is known for Wild Honey (1918).
- Blaine Cordner was born on 21 August 1895 in Jacksonville, Florida, USA. He was an actor, known for Before Morning (1933), Kraft Theatre (1947) and The Philco Television Playhouse (1948). He died on 29 March 1971 in New York City, New York, USA.
- Louella Maxam was born on 10 June 1896 in St. Augustine, Florida, USA. She was an actress, known for The Raiders (1921), The Mantle of Charity (1918) and Because of a Woman (1917). She was married to William Brunton. She died on 3 September 1970 in Burbank, California, USA.
- Actress
Rova Maris was born on 22 October 1898 in Tampa, Florida, USA. She was an actress. She died on 9 March 1944 in Tampa, Florida, USA.- Art Department
Weldon H. Patterson was born on 31 October 1898 in Florida, USA. He died in November 1971 in Duval County, Florida, USA.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Zeke Canova was born on 31 December 1898 in Florida, USA. He was an actor, known for I'm from Arkansas (1944), Thrill of a Lifetime (1937) and Artist and Models (1937). He died on 9 August 1980 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Gladys Thornton was born on 8 March 1899 in Madison, Florida, USA. She was an actress, known for M Squad (1957), Telephone Time (1956) and Mister Peepers (1952). She died on 2 September 1964 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Petite, sultry leading lady of the 1920's and 30's who was born and schooled in Tampa, Florida, until the age of ten when she lost her mother. She moved to New York with her dad and started modelling while still in her teens. Her original intention was to go into the teaching profession. Instead, Evelyn became enamored with acting during a school visit to the Popular Plays and Players Studio in Ft.Lee, New Jersey, a production cooperative for distributors World Film, Pathe and Metro. Before long, she obtained a job as an extra for $3 a week using her birth name Betty Riggs. Between 1914 and 1920, she appeared in featured film roles with stars like Olga Petrova and John Barrymore (who hand-picked her as his leading lady for Raffles, the Amateur Cracksman (1917)), then took a sabbatical for health reasons and went to England.
By making the acquaintance of American playwright Oliver Cromwell she was able to land a good role in the George Bernard Shaw comedy 'The Ruined Lady' on the London stage. This, in turn, led to her being cast as leading lady in several British films. In 1922, she even went to Spain as star of The Spanish Jade (1922), distributed in America by Paramount. Upon her return to the United States in 1924, she was briefly under contract to Fox, then joined Associated Authors, and, finally, Paramount-Famous Players-Lasky (1926-30). At the height of her career in silent films, the dark-haired, aquiline Evelyn became a matinee idol with performances as exotic temptresses and vamps, particularly in films by Austrian director Josef von Sternberg. She was notable as the gangster's moll 'Feathers' in Underworld (1927) (the proverbial tough broad with the heart of gold) and as a self-sacrificing Russian girl in love with an exiled Czarist general (Emil Jannings) in The Last Command (1928). She gave another interesting performance as a blackmailer in Paramount's first all-talking picture Interference (1928)
While Evelyn's voice proved no detriment to her success in talking pictures, the declining quality of her films certainly did. Her Alaskan epic The Silver Horde (1930) in which she portrayed another disreputable character named Cherry Malotte was described in critical review as 'dull and trivial' (New York Times, October 25). Her performances as gang molls in Framed (1930) and The World Gone Mad (1933), as well as her unlikely mission worker in Madonna of the Streets (1930) engendered lukewarm write-ups like 'satisfactory' or 'competent'. This did nothing to elevate Evelyn's post-Paramount career. By the end of the decade she had moved down the cast list from second leads to supporting roles, finally appearing in westerns and 'quota quickies' for poverty row studios, such as Monogram and PRC. One example of the 'cheap and cheerful' category in which she seemed to enjoy herself was the Columbia serial Holt of the Secret Service (1941), playing Kay Drew, partner of tough agent Jack Holt. She was also memorable in one of her last roles as a one-armed satanist in the eerie Val Lewton horror flic about devil-worshippers in Greenwich Village, The Seventh Victim (1943).
After making her last film in 1950, Evelyn found work as an actor's agent with the Thelma White Agency in Hollywood. After the death of her third husband, Harry Fox (who gave the Foxtrot its name) in 1959, Evelyn made a final screen appearance as a guest star on Wagon Train (1957). She left the limelight for good in 1960 and lived her remaining years in retirement in Westwood Village, California. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6548 Hollywood Boulevard.- Composer
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Howard Jackson was born on 8 February 1900 in St. Augustine, Florida, USA. He was a composer, known for Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936), Dizzy Dames (1935) and Torchy Runs for Mayor (1939). He died on 4 August 1966 in Florida, USA.- Claude Register was born on 12 September 1900 in Graceville, Florida, USA. He was a composer, known for Vernon, Florida (1981). He died on 4 March 1997.
- Sadie Colar was born on 29 March 1901 in Pensacola, Florida, USA. She was married to Kid Sheik and M Peterson.. She died in 1998 in Broward County, Florida, USA.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Anne Canova was born on 3 September 1901 in Florida, USA. She was an actress, known for Thrill of a Lifetime (1937), Artist and Models (1937) and Things You Never See on the Screen (1935). She died on 23 January 1994 in Los Angeles County, California, USA.- Patterson Dial was born Elizabeth Patterson Dial. Her father, William Dial, was a hardware merchant. At the age of fourteen she made her film debut in Gloria's Romance. Patterson studied dancing and moved to New York City to pursue a stage career. In 192 she appeared in the comedy Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford. The lovely redhead had roles in more than a dozen films including The Silent Partner, Reno, and A Lady Of Quality. She started having an affair with married novelist Rupert Hughes who was thirty years older than her. When his wife found out about the affair she committed suicide.
Patterson married Rupert on December 31, 1924. Then she quit acting and embarked on a new career as a writer. During the 1930s she wrote numerous short stories for magazines like Liberty and Cosmopolitan. She also assisted her husband with his writing. The couple, who had no children, were well-respected in literary circles. Sadly Patterson struggled with severe bouts of depression. On March 23, 1945 she took an overdose of sleeping pills in her Hollywood Hills home. She died shortly after arriving at the hospital. Patterson was only forty-two years old. Her husband insisted that it was an accidental overdose but there were rumors she had committed suicide. She was cremated and buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.