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1-24 of 24
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Keyla Monterroso Mejia was born on 26 February 1998 in Hawthorne, California, USA. She is an actress, known for Freeridge (2023), Launchpad (2021) and The 90 Day Plan (2021).- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Former College Football standout at San Diego State University where he played Defensive End. Was a first round Draft Pick of the New York Giants in 1969 where he played for 3 seasons before finishing his 13 year career with the Los Angeles Rams.
Actor John Frederick Dryer was born in Hawthorne, California, on July 6, 1946, son of Charles F. Dryer and Genevieve Nell Clark. Raised in Lawndale, California, he attended Lawndale High School and El Camino College. Before acting, he played football for 14 years. In college, Dryer played for the Aztecs of San Diego State University, under Head Coach Don Coryell, for the seasons 1967-1968. The 6' 6", 225-pound defensive end # 77 was named First Team All-American in 1968 and played in the College All-Star Game, East-West Shrine Game and Hula Bowl in 1969. A two-year letterman and starter, Dryer received the Chase Memorial Trophy as the school's top defensive lineman in 1968.
On September 15, 1967, he was among those players who first stepped onto the brand-new San Diego Stadium (Qualcomm Stadium), when the Aztecs defeated Tennessee State 16-8 in front of 45,822 fans. In 1988, Fred was inducted into the Aztec Hall of Fame. On May 28, 1997, he was named to the College Football Hall of Fame. He was considered among the most dominant pass rushers in college football history. The induction ceremony happened on August 16, in South Bend, Indiana. On November 8, he returned to San Diego to be honored during night's Homecoming game against the Spartans of San Jose State University. Dryer started his professional career on the football field in 1969, when he was drafted by the New York Giants in the first round (the 13th pick overall). But as he didn't like New York very much, he left the Giants after three seasons and returned to California to play for the Los Angeles Rams, which he did from 1972 to 1981, when he retired. On October 21, 1973, the defensive end # 89 set an NFL record by registering 2 safeties in a single game, against Green Bay Packers.
With the Rams, Fred made the Pro Bowl in 1970 and 1975 and played in Super Bowl XIV in 1980, when the L.A. team was defeated by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Dryer was considered a maverick due to his playing style - and was one in his own life. He loved birds because he heard a song of freedom in the sound of flapping wings. For three years, while playing for the New York Giants, he lived in a Volkswagen van. And he was a joker - on and off the football field. During the drills (and games), Fred played the role of stand-up comic. One of his talents was to do Tommy Prothro's voice, his head coach in 1972. After stopping playing, Fred did sportscasting on CBS, quitting after 10 games because he felt he had no freedom in that job; besides, he was tired of traveling. In the 80s, he started acting. In 1979, he began studying with actress and acting coach Nina Foch. With the movies Gus and Prime Time, he got his Screen Actors Guild card. His first important role was in The Starmaker, where he played Melanie Griffith's stepfather. In 1982, Fred auditioned for Cheers. One of 3 finalists, he lost the male lead to actor Ted Danson. Later, he made several guest appearances on the show as Dave Richards, Sam's former Boston Red Sox teammate turned sportscaster.
In 1984, Fred was chosen to play the leading role of the TV series Hunter: LAPD Homicide Detective Sergeant Richard Hunter, a mobster's son turned cop. Hunter, created by Frank Lupo and produced by Stephen J. Cannell, is TV's version of Clint Eastwood's violent big screen cop Dirty Harry. Hunter's partner is Sergeant DeeDee McCall, a beautiful and tough widow, known around the squad as "The Brass Cupcake", played by Stepfanie Kramer. Hunter ran on NBC from 1984 to 1991. Besides running in the USA, Hunter was sold to many countries: Brazil, Japan, Canada, England, France, Australia, Italy, Germany, Spain, Philippines, Korea, China, Thailand, Indonesia, Dubai, Brunei, Iceland, Bangladesh, Kuwait, Paraguay, Israel - 88 overall. In many of these places, the show goes on running till today. Fred is the biggest star in China - millions of Chineses watch Hunter every week. But, although being a worldwide hit, Hunter didn't get much recognition by the Hollywood industry and the critics. Fred directed several Hunter episodes: A Child is Born, The Jade Woman, The Girl on the Beach, Ring of Honor, The Incident as well as produced 44 of them (6th and 7th seasons). After Hunter, through his own company (Fred Dryer Productions), Fred returned to his popular role from TV on The Return of Hunter: Everyone Walks in L.A. (1995). In the same year, he produced and starred on a new TV series: Land's End, shot entirely in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
Since Land's End ended, Fred has been making movies and guest appearances on TV shows, as well as returned to play Hunter. Dryer enjoys playing golf and working out. When he was a football player, he used to surf and dive for abalone. Since those times, Fred has neither eaten red meat nor drunk soda; his diet is composed of vegetables and chicken. Another thing he very much likes is construction - he says if he wasn't in acting and producing, he would be in construction. Fred and his brother Charlie helped their father Charles build his house. In 1993, Fred built a 5-million mansion in Los Angeles, which was sold few years ago, because he didn't get used to living in such a luxurious place. His father died on September 14, 1963, and his mother in 1994. Fred got married in May of 1983 to actress and Playboy centerfold Tracy Vaccaro, who worked with him on Hunter and Land's End. Fred still lives in Los Angeles.- Actress
- Writer
Kim Krizan is a writer and actor who was raised in the Los Angeles area. For a time, Krizan lived in Austin, Texas, where she was active in theater and film; she also taught literature and writing at the college level. Krizan and Richard Linklater wrote Before Sunrise (1995) (Castle Rock), featuring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. Krizan also performed in Linklater's Dazed and Confused (1993) (Universal) as hip high school teacher Ginny Stroud, in Slacker (1990) (Detour/Orion) as Questions Happiness, and in Waking Life (2001) as herself. She co-wrote the story for Before Sunset (2004), the sequel to Before Sunrise (1995).- Music Artist
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Born Darlene Wright in Los Angeles in 1938, she began her career as lead singer with the vocal trio, The Blossoms. After a spell as regulars on ABC TV's variety show Shindig! (1964) in the early 60s, the trio went on to sing backup on a variety of Elvis Presley recordings, and even backed him on his 1968 NBC-TV special Elvis: The Comeback Special (1968). For a while, they backed Tom Jones during some of his Las Vegas shows. The Blossoms have the rare distinction of recording a number one hit without ever receiving any credit. Years before the advent of Milli Vanilli, Darlene Love, Fanita James and Gracie Nitzsche sang vocals on the Gene Pitney-penned song "He's a Rebel" that was championed as The Crystals' first (and only) No. 1 US hit. Because of confounding logistics, record producer Phil Spector had to use The Blossoms because The Crystals were on the wrong coast of the US at the time. And since he was up against the clock in L.A. attempting to get his production on the airwaves before the Vikki Carr version, he had no choice. Love also sang vocals on the Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans top twenty hit "Zip-a-Dee Doo Dah".- Actor
- Composer
- Producer
Michael Lockwood was born on 22 May 1961 in Hawthorne, California, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for As the Village Sleeps (2021), Lisa Marie Presley: Idiot (2005) and Jovi & Lou (2023). He has been married to Stephanie Hobgood since 10 October 2022. He was previously married to Lisa Marie Presley.- Born in Hawthorne, California (Los Angeles area) on November 26, 1929, the former Betty Jean Striegler was part of the Meglin Kiddies troupe as a child and entered pictures in her adolescent years. Betta made her film debut at age 10 with an unbilled role of a little girl who sings Marlene Dietrich's song "Little Joe" in the classic western Destry Rides Again (1939) starring Marlene Dietrich and James Stewart. She went on to also appear in an Our Gang short and had unbilled orphan roles in both Jane Eyre (1943) and Lydia (1941). She was also a one-time model.
The musical team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein took sharp notice of this young, attractive singing/dancing teen talent and gave her a small role in Broadway's "Carousel" in 1945. Four years later, when they were ready to cast the exotic role of "Liat" for their upcoming musical "South Pacific" starring Mary Martin and Ezio Pinza, they had to look no further than darkly beautiful Betta St. John. The Broadway show was a blockbuster hit come opening night. While performing in the show's London tour at the Theatre Royale Drury Lane Theatre early in 1952, she met and worked with British opera singer and cast member Peter Grant (he played Lt. Cable). They married on November 27th of that year and remained so until his death in 1992.
The musical splash Betta made on Broadway suddenly reopened the door for some decorative film work. She made her adult debut in the second femme lead (behind Deborah Kerr) in Dream Wife (1953). In this she plays Tarji, a princess, who is courted by bachelor tycoon Cary Grant. This led to other "B"-level co-star/featured parts in a number of exotic eastern and western adventures throughout the 1950's including Miriam in the biblical epic The Robe (1953); Lady Iolanthe opposite Ricardo Montalban in The Saracen Blade (1954); Princess Johanna in The Student Prince (1954); outlaw Billy the Kid's (played by Scott Brady) love interest in The Law vs. Billy the Kid (1954); a British belle in the mystery drama Alias John Preston (1955) which had a small featured role for husband Peter Grant; an alternative to "Jane" in Tarzan and the Lost Safari (1957) starring Gordon Scott; and a Canadian islander (she is top-billed) in the British-made High Tide at Noon (1957).
After numerous guest appearances on TV here and in England, Betta co-starred with Boris Karloff and Christopher Lee in the British-made horror Corridors of Blood (1958) and Lee again in the horror The City of the Dead (1960), and made one more movie excursion into the jungle with Gordon Scott's Tarzan in Tarzan the Magnificent (1960) before abandoning the limelight altogether. - Actor
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Music Department
Dennis Wilson was born in Hawthorne, California in 1944 to Audree and Murry Wilson. The middle of three brothers, Dennis was rebellious and argumentative; he often acknowledged that he was the Wilsons' "black sheep." He joined America's band, The Beach Boys, when his mother pushed his brothers to let him play with them, although at first he refused to take part in it that way. The Beach Boys fell into trouble in the 1970s, a direct result of Dennis' spiral into heavy drug and alcohol use. He accidentally drowned in December 1983, leaving a wide fan base and an even wider legacy.- Music Artist
- Actor
- Music Department
The Beach Boys is an American rock band formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Dennis Wilson, and Carl Wilson; their cousin Mike Love; and their friend Al Jardine. The Beach Boys are one of the most critically acclaimed, commercially successful, and widely influential bands of all time. The group had over eighty songs chart worldwide, thirty-six of them US Top 40 hits (the most by an American rock band), four reaching number-one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The Beach Boys have sold in excess of 100 million records worldwide, making them one of the world's best-selling bands of all time.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Carl Wilson was born on 21 December 1946 in Hawthorne, California, USA. He was an actor, known for Almost Famous (2000), Marley & Me (2008) and Love & Mercy (2014). He was married to Gina Martin and Anna Katherine (Annie) Hinsche. He died on 6 February 1998 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Ty Leisher is a writer and director from Los Angeles. He grew up in the shadow of Hollywood and was addicted to telling stories with moving pictures from a very young age. He has had the honor of directing such talented actors and musicians as MTV's Faking It star Michael J Willett, Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner, The Voice's Erick Macek, Dexter star Dave Baez and Poker Pro Ali Eslami. His 2012 web series, Bullets was heralded as "Better than Rounders" by Bluff Magazine. Ty is a writer and director of dark crime dramas, sickening thrillers and action comedies. Ty brings his ten years of experience and expertise in telling award-winning, emotionally gripping stories for limited budgets.- Gary Haynes was born on 13 April 1945 in Hawthorne, California, USA. He is an actor, known for The Time Tunnel (1966), Original: Do Not Project (1972) and Peyton Place (1964).
- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Kenny Fisher was born on 18 April 1981 in Hawthorne, California, USA. He is an actor and director, known for Refuge (2005), Andreia (2013) and Sugarland (2009).- Brandon Hall was born on 27 October 1960 in Hawthorne, California, USA. He is an actor, known for Conundrum (2000), Inland Empire (2023) and Bit. (2019).
- Champion surfer Dru Steven Harrison was born on June 25, 1950 in Hawthorne, California. The youngest in a family of four boys, Harrison grew up in Hermosa Beach, California and was a varsity wrestler while a student at Mira Costa High School. Dru first started surfing at age ten and won his first professional surfing contest at age fifteen at the Swami's Pro-Am in San Diego, California (he won five hundred dollars in prize money). In 1968 Harrison went on to win the Smirnoff Pro Surfing Championship at Santa Cruz, California. Besides being honored with his own line of surfboards, Dru's other notable achievements include placing eighth in the 1966 World Surfing Championships, winning the juniors division of the 1967 United States Surfing Championships, and placing second in the men's division after fellow champion surfer Corky Carroll in the 1969 United States Surfing Championships. In addition, he wrote half a dozen articles for both Surfer and Surfing magazines. Harrison moved to Hawaii in the mid-1970's and competed in his last surfing contest in 1996. While living in Hawaii Dru worked as an airline baggage handler. Harrison died at age 52 from alcohol-related causes on February 14, 2003. He was survived by his wife Kate, son Tyler, daughters Breanna and Kaili, and his three older brothers Derek, Drake, and Dane.
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Domenic Scotty was born on 7 July 1970 in Hawthorne, California, USA. He is an actor, known for House of Fallen (2008), Desperate Escape (2007) and The Bureau (2009).- Actor
- Additional Crew
Kevin Fisher was born on 8 June 1977 in Hawthorne, California, USA. He is an actor, known for Superman Returns (2006), Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007) and Dylan Dog: Dead of Night (2010).- Art Department
Eric Bilson was born on 27 September 1965 in Hawthorne, California, USA. He is known for The 'Burbs (1989), Beverly Hills Cop III (1994) and Blue Chips (1994). He died on 14 June 1994 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Reed Booker was an independent house painter in the Hollywood area in the 60's and early 70's. Roger Corman was one of his clients. As a result he worked as an extra in 'B' movies for American International Pictures and others. He appeared in "The Trip", "Wild Angeles", "The Hired Hand", and "The Dunwich Horror". He had a small part in Beach Dickerson' "Runaway, Runaway".
He died tragically in 1981,when he was shot in South Central Los Angeles, CA in a robbery attempt by a 15-year-old youth. - Scott Laidlaw was born on 17 February 1953 in Hawthorne, California, USA.
- Gioia (pronounced JOY-A) was born in Los Angeles of Italian and Mexican descent. The first member of his family to attend college, he received a B.A. from Stanford University. Before returning to Stanford to earn an M.B.A., he completed an M.A. in Comparative Literature at Harvard University where he studied with poets Robert Fitzgerald and Elizabeth Bishop.
In 1977 he moved to New York, and eventually became a Vice President of General Foods. He began writing on weekends, and published three books of poetry. His essay, "Can Poetry Matter?", which appeared in The Atlantic Monthly in 1991, ignited an international debate on the role of poetry in contemporary intellectual life. The Atlantic received more responses on this essay than on any piece in recent history. Today, "Can Poetry Matter?" stands as one of the most influential literary essays of the past quarter century. Gioia's essay collection, Can Poetry Matter?: Essays on Poetry and American Culture (1992), was chosen by Publishers Weekly as one of the "Best Books of 1992." It also became a finalist for the 1992 National Book Critics Award in Criticism. His poems, translations, essays, and reviews have appeared in The New Yorker, The Washington Post Book World, The New York Times Book Review, Slate, and The Hudson Review. He is also a long time commentator for BBC Radio. He is also the classical music critic for San Francisco magazine.
In 1992 he left business to become a full-time writer, and in 1996, moved to Northern California. In November 2002 he was nominated by George W. Bush to serve as the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. He divides his time between Washington, D.C. and California. - Actor
- Editorial Department
- Additional Crew
Cris Venegas was born on 4 April 1985 in Hawthorne, California, USA. He is an actor, known for Stained Memories (2003). He has been married to Brianna Venegas since 29 December 2007.- Additional Crew
- Actor
Anthony White was born on 18 December 1969 in Hawthorne, California, USA. He is an actor, known for Winter's Bone (2010), Undercover Boss (2010) and Leaving L.A. (1997).- Bob Perry was born on 17 April 1973 in Hawthorne, California, USA. He is an actor, known for Arli$$ (1996), Blotter (2004) and In the Game (2004).
- Bobby Floyd was born on 20 October 1943 in Hawthorne, California, USA.