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- Starting out as a tap dancer in his native Tennessee, Henry Heard 's career came to a halt after a 1946 automobile accident with a speeding freight train resulted in the loss of his right arm and leg. Nevertheless, he persevered, and was soon known through the world of Black entertainment as "Crip" Heard, who danced without the aid of a crutch or an artificial limb. Active in the Chicago metropolitan area as an advocate for the physically handicapped, after his retirement, Heard held down a 9-to-5 position as an office clerk in the office of Chicago's 34th Ward Sanitation Bureau and sponsored programs for the physically handicapped.
- 40 Kel was born on 2 July 1982 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. He was an actor, known for 40 Kel: Lindsey Abbott Hates My Music (2012) and 40 Kel feat. Miscellaneous: Expose (2012). He died on 31 August 2021.
- Aaron Fultz was born on 4 September 1973 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. He is an actor, known for 50 Kisses (2014), Sunday Night Baseball (1990) and 2002 National League Championship Series (2002). He has been married to Christy Perry since 1 October 1994. They have two children.
- Actor
- Stunts
Aaron Standridge was born on 8 April 1973 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. He is an actor, known for Gameheads (2007).- Aaron Taylor Morrow was born on 4 June 1992 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. He is an actor, known for Year of Fear (2016), The Nightmare Man and Pitching the Tent.
- Abraham Klausner was born on 27 April 1915 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. He was married to Judith Steinberg and Judith Haskell. He died on 28 June 2007 in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA.
- Abu Talib was born on 24 February 1939 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. He died on 8 October 2009 in Lancaster, California, USA.
- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Producer
Adam Hatley was born into the home of Ralph Hatley and Miriam B. Hatley, in Memphis Tennessee. Adam the first born of three boys, had the makings of an actor at a young age when he began doing plays in his early grade-school years. From his first play in the Third Grade, Adam began his love for the craft. Out of High School, Adam moved to New York City under contract with Zoli modeling agency where he began the path to his future. In New York Adam learned and grew and finally made the transition from the modeling world to the acting world. While Auditioning in both New York and Philadelphia, Adam ended up in LA. He now lives in the Santa Clarita area with girlfriend Kim Benton (Associate Producer: The Hanged Man) , where he continues climbing his way to the top.- Actor
- Producer
Adam Hughes was born in Memphis, Tennessee to Glenda and Brouck Hughes. He was raised in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina with younger brother, Eric, and older sister, Samantha. Playing sports took up most of Adam's free time growing up. While attending Fuquay-Varina High School he excelled in basketball and tennis. After graduation, Adam attended North Carolina State University majoring in computer engineering. He left school a couple semesters shy of graduating after being discovered in a local bar and cast for the show "Forever Eden". His favorite actor is Johnny Depp. In his free time, Adam enjoys hanging out with his friends.- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Adrian De-Shon Dent has always wanted to be a police officer. However, growing up in the entertainment industry, Adrian didn't fall far from his mother's talents, and with a father who served in the military and now working for the government, he had the discipline and courage to pursue a career that others would leave behind. By the age of 9, Adrian had performed for a large crowd at the Hard Rock Cafe in Memphis, TN alongside his mother who was a gospel sensation. Adrian's mother, Lynetta "Lea" Dent, had produced and directed 2 feature films by the time he was 15. Adrian became more involved in entertainment by writing his own music and lending a hand on film sets. He went on to audition for High School Musical the stage play and a Christmas carol in Memphis, TN. He later went on to work for one of the most popular radio networks in the city as a part time cinematographer with Flinn Broadcasting, all the while attending college to complete an associates degree in Visual Communications. By 2010 Adrian had developed a complete series with 8 episodes airing on local TV. The hype from a college campus motivated him to keep pushing forward, so he went on to direct music videos and web series, all of which seemed to be just for fun until he started making a name for himself in the city. Adrian Dent has now produced and directed 3 feature films, 4 web series, and has also directed music videos. Formerly known as Dent Films, he continues his work under the name Presidential Pictures alongside his wife, Divine Dent and a crew of amazing workers. Looking at actors such as Jensen Ackles and Keifer Sutherland, Adrian hopes he too will become a household name.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Adriane Lenox was born on 11 September 1956 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. She is an actress, known for Black Snake Moan (2006), The Blind Side (2009) and Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007).- Producer
- Manager
- Actor
Adriane Williams was born on 10 March 1971 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. Adriane is a producer and manager, known for Smote, Scorned (2010) and Who's the Dude? (2010).- Producer
- Actress
- Director
This blue-eyed beauty was born in Missouri. She started taking dance classes at the age of two, and was performing in recitals and on stage almost immediately. Her pursuit of dance continued through high school with various dance classes and companies.
While a senior in high school she joined a theater troupe. A showcase with casting directors led to Adrienne being offered roles in two network series. In fact, these were her first two auditions. She had fallen in love with acting. At her parents' request, she put her new career on hold to finish high school. Then, two days after graduation she moved to Los Angeles to continue chasing her dream.
Almost immediately, Adrienne booked roles in short films and frequently landed guest spots on many shows. In 2000 she landed the role that would introduce her to the world and bring her international fame, playing the duel characters of Livia and Eve, the daughter of Xena, on the most watched show in the world - Xena: Warrior Princess (1995). Adrienne soon became a fan favorite, and when the show wrapped she quickly moved on to the lead in the UPN series As If (2002) , where she played Nikki, the boy-obsessed college co-ed. From there she has continued to make many appearances in film and TV and is sought after for her voiceover work. Fortunate that she has never had a specific "type", Adrienne is able to move seamlessly from comedy to drama and from one distinct role to something completely different.
She is known for compelling performances that are brave, focused with intensity, and grounded in sincerity. Adrienne continues to pursue her passion and is striving to create a timeless career that can be celebrated for the unique choices she makes and the diverse characters she portrays. She surprises, delights and leaves you wanting more.- Ainslie Pryor was born on 1 February 1921 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. He was an actor, known for The Left Handed Gun (1958), Walk the Proud Land (1956) and Medic (1954). He died on 27 May 1958 in Hollywood, California, USA.
- Al Dewlen was born on 30 November 1921 in Memphis, Texas, USA. He was a writer, known for Ride Beyond Vengeance (1966), Twilight of Honor (1963) and Celebrity Playhouse (1955). He died on 17 August 2011 in Waco, Texas, USA.
- Al Fats Edwards was born on 26 February 1923 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. He was an actor, known for Zwei im 7. Himmel (1974), Unsere tollen Tanten in der Südsee (1964) and Die große Glocke (1969). He was married to Trudi Roth. He died on 24 February 1992 in Vienna, Austria.
- Music Department
- Composer
- Soundtrack
Al Jackson Jr. was born on 27 November 1934 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. He was a composer, known for Hellboy (2004), X-Men: First Class (2011) and Rush Hour (1998). He died on 1 October 1975 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA.- Actor
- Composer
- Music Department
Al Kapone was born in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. He is known for Hustle & Flow (2005), Black Snake Moan (2006) and Stomp the Yard (2007).- Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Al Vescovo was born on 27 February 1936 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. He was an actor, known for Pennies from Heaven (1981), Hercules in Hollywood (2005) and The Sweet Spot (2003). He was married to Norma Jean. He died on 14 October 2011 in Van Nuys, California, USA.- Writer
- Additional Crew
Alan Lightman was born on 28 November 1948 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. He is a writer, known for Undiscovered Worlds: The Search Beyond Our Sun (2011), Einstein Revealed (1996) and A Trip to Infinity (2022). He has been married to Jean Greenblatt since 28 November 1976. They have two children.- Albert Russel Erskine was born on 19 April 1911 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. He died on 5 February 1993 in Norwalk, Connecticut, USA.
- Music Department
- Actress
- Composer
Composer, songwriter ("Down Hearted Blues"), author and singer who was a singer on early recordings after high school, later appearing in the London production of 'Showboat' and at the Palladium and throughout Europe and Egypt. She had a radio program over NBC, and toured Europe and the Pacific entertaining troops during World War II, and later, Korea and Japan. On Broadway she appeared in the stage productions of 'Mamba's Daughters' and 'Mrs. Patterson'. She was also a practical nurse, working at New York's Goldwater Memorial Hospital. Joining ASCAP in 1952, her other popular-song compositions include "Down South Blues", "Chirping the Blues", "My Castle's Rocking", "I Want to Thank You, Lord", "You Got to Reap Just Reap What You Sow", "Will the Day Ever Come When I Can Rest", "Kind Treatment", and "What's the Matter, Baby?".- Music Department
- Soundtrack
He was the lead singer for the Memphis, Tennesse bands The Box Tops and Big Star.
The Box Tops charted with 10 Hot 100 singles between 1967-70.
Those songs were: "The Letter" (#1), "Neon Rainbow" (#24), "Cry Like A Baby" (#2), "Choo Choo Train" (#26), "I Met Her In Church" (#37), "Sweet Cream Ladies, Foward March" (#28), "I Shall Be Released" (#67), "Soul Deep" (#18), "Turn On A Dream" (#58), "You Keep Tightening Up On Me" (#92).
Big Star was originally called Rock City and then Ice Water.
The original Big Star line-up was Christopher Bell (vocals & guitar), Alex Chilton (vocals & guitar), Andy Hummel (vocals & bass) and Jody Stephens (vocals & drums).
Big Star's records (No. 1 Record (1972), Radio City (1973) and Sister Lovers (1978)) were all critically acclaimed but suffered from very poor distribution. As a result, very few heard the band at the time of the albums original releases. The original pressings of these records are now sought-after collector's items.
Big Star's music has proved very influential on other bands and musicians such as R.E.M., The Replacements, Teenage Fanclub, The Posies and Matthew Sweet.
Moved from Memphis to New York in 1977 and played with future db's members Chris Stamey and Will Rigby in the band Alex Chilton And The Cossacks. That band recorded one single ("Bangkok" b/w "Can't Seem To Make You Mine" 1978).
Has resided in New Orleans, L.A. since 1982.
Has recorded several solo albums including Like Flies On Sherbert (1979), Bach's Bottom (1981), Feudalist Tarts (1985), High Preist (1987), Black List (1989), Cliches (1994), A Man Called Destruction (1995) and Set (2000).
He released two live albums Live In London (1982) and Live In Anvers (2004).
Big Star reformed for a one-off show at Missouri University on April 25th 1993. The new reformed line-up consists of Alex Chilton and Jody Stephens with Ken Stringfellow and Jon Auer of The Posies (replacing Christopher Bell who died in an December 1978 automobile accident and Andy Hummel who now works for General Dynamics in Fort Worth, Texas.). The performance resulted in a live album (Columbia: Live At Missouri University 4/25/93).
They performed sporadically since and released an album of all new material entitled In Space on Rykodisk Records in September 2005.
Was one of the many people affected by Hurricane Katrina and moved back to Memphis.- Actor
- Music Department
Alex Gibbs was born on 9 September 1992 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. He is an actor, known for Comedy Central Roasts (2003), When It Comes Around (2018) and The Escort (2014).- Costume and Wardrobe Department
- Costume Designer
Lee Alexandria (Alex) Perel is a free lance hairstylist, makeup artist, and seamstress, works in New York City. Alex brings a wealth of experience to her clients. Dating from 2003 from assisting in clothing design for the commercial market to honing her alteration techniques for the feature film 21 Grams she began to find her passion for style. Moving to Los Angeles to study fashion design she worked with Bohemian Society by contributing to the design and creation of clothing for Ashley Simpson, Steven Tyler, and George Clinton and for The Wayans Brothers appearance on MTV's Total Request Live. For a brief stay in her hometown Memphis before continuing her education in France, she interned at Theatre Memphis under the award winning costume designer Andre Ward. There she studied garment construction and sewing techniques for a variety of fabrics. This internship combined with her position at Ballet Memphis as wardrobe assistant developed her skills in design and alterations in connection with altered bodices, dresses, trousers, jackets and other various garments for multiple performances. Returning from France, Alex took the position of Wardrobe Supervisor with the Norwegian Cruise Lines. Responsibilities included tailoring, alterations, and care of multiple garments for the twenty dancers of the on board stage shows. The port of call was New York where she next sought an opportunity to further her education in the costume/fashion industry. To expand her repertoire she took a position with LaDuca Dance Shoes of New York. Phil LaDuca, owner, is the designer of the premiere flexible character shoe of the dance and theatre world. His shoes are seen in movies, television, and Broadway shows worldwide. Moving further into the world of stage and costume, Alex worked at Yvette Helin Studio, New York, constructing built- to-order costumes valued at over $10,000 individually. These included life size costumes of Nickelodeon characters Angelica and Chucky, Jimmy Neutron of the show Jimmy Neutron and many more. The technique specialized in crafting forms from foam and fabric coverings.
In addition, her seasonal work with the New York City Ballet expanded her hands on experience in the more formal costume arena.
Like all ladies Alex began experimenting with make up in her teens. From grade school theatre to community theatre she learned make up application for stage for both large and small venues. Working with MG Hair and Make Up, Alex's knowledge and continued success in the Bridal arena in both make up application and hair style comes from wedding events in the New York area, 10 plus in the last year alone. In addition to on site events, Alex participated in two bridal fashion weeks and operated a booth for two years at the NYC Make Up Trade Show. She is proud to be associated with The MG Hair and Make Up Company who has been chosen two years in a row as editor's pick for the Knot and The Wedding Channel.
Alex is a graduate of Carsten Aveda Institute of New York, an international education center for cosmetology and aesthetics. She holds a New York license for cosmetology and has studied and earned a certificate in Hair Extensions, Japanese Straightening and Make-up application. She has received extensive experience in hair styling, blow dry, color and highlights application, Japanese straightening treatment, Brazilian keratin straightening treatment and perms.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Alexis Grace was born on 9 June 1987 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. She is an actress, known for Trailer Park Boys: Out of the Park (2016), Bad, Bad Men (2016) and Jacir (2022).- Actor
- Director
- Editor
An African-American director, actor, and videographer from Memphis, Tennessee. Known for The Secret Dreams of Squidlets and A. D. HD Films Wildlife. Huge passion for animals and the study of life. Plans to fund conservation of endangered species in the future. Other projects include: Bloom, Soulful Thoughts, Summer of '67, A Letter to Claudette Colvin and more.- Amy Crews was born on 10 June 1978 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. She is an actress, known for Girl of My Dreams (2013), The Diary of Preston Plummer (2012) and Exposure (2012). She has been married to Don Ouellette since 13 May 2006.
- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Andrew Jacobi Jeter was born on 8 January 1988 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for What is Love? (2018), Loneliest Number (2014) and The Rays (2023).- Actor
- Soundtrack
Andrew Johnson was the youngest of four children born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1983. While in high school, he was an employee at Memphis' famed Malco Trinity Commons movie theater where he met two influential people in his movie career, Mark Norris and Brad Ellis, who had just began filming an independent film, Hustled, with their production company Old School Pictures. After casting him in a small role in Hustled, director Ellis saw Johnson's potential and naturalness in front of the camera. He then cast Johnson as Michael Myers in the remake of the original Halloween film titled Halloween 2000, another low-budget independent film by Old School Pictures. He was then cast in various other roles for Old School Pictures movies, including The Path of Fear, Means to an End and Act One.
After Act One, Johnson took a brief hiatus from acting to pursue his degree from the University of Memphis, eventually graduating in 2007 with a degree in communication. Upon graduation he co-founded a marketing company and has since dedicated most of his time to the continued success of that company.
Not completely out of acting, he has appeared in several local television ads for various businesses, he looks to make a comeback in 2010 with an untitled script he is developing about drugs, gangs and other problems that face people in the everyday life of Memphis' inner city.- Andrew Lawrence Henderson was born on 6 March 2001 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. He is an actor, known for Forty Shades of Blue (2005).
- Andrew Love was born on 21 November 1941 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. He was an actor, known for A Family Thing (1996) and U2: Rattle and Hum (1988). He was married to Willie. He died on 12 April 2012 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
- Composer
- Producer
Andrew McCarty was born on 7 November 1992 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. He is a composer and producer, known for Good Morning, World (2018) and The Making of Anemoia (2019).- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Andrew Stevens, President/CEO of Andrew Stevens Entertainment and Stevens Entertainment Group, has produced and/or financed one hundred and eighty films through his various production and distribution companies. Unique in the motion picture industry, Stevens has functioned in almost every capacity in the entertainment business, from creative development of motion picture stories and screenplays, to foreign sales, distribution, post-production, deliveries and collections. He is an accomplished screenwriter, director, as well as prolific producer, academic author of several academic books, an educator and public speaker and was a successful actor for more than 20 years. Outside of the entertainment business, Stevens has been successful in both commercial and residential real estate development, song-writing for film, with 9 credited songs in film and 6 in TV to date, community service working with elderly patients with dementia, and E-Sports.
Active since January 2003, his company has developed, produced and/or arranged the financing for more than thirty motion pictures, including the newly completed Send It!, which he also directed, All good Things, 47 Hours the Lifetime movie, The Wrong Affair, Half Past Dead 2, Walking: Tall Lone Justice, Walking: the Payback, the SyFy Channel films, Fire From Below, Mongolian Death Worm and Mandrake, 7 Seconds and The Marksman, both starring Wesley Snipes, Black Dawn starring Steven Seagal, Pursued starring Christian Slater, Blessed starring Heather Graham, Method, starring Elizabeth Hurley, to name a few. including 7 Seconds (2005) and The Marksman (2005), both starring Wesley Snipes, Black Dawn (2005) starring Steven Seagal, Pursued (2004) starring Christian Slater, Blessed (2004) starring Heather Graham, Method (2004), starring Elizabeth Hurley, and Silent Partner (2005), starring Tara Reid.
From 1997 through 2002, Stevens co-founded, and served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Franchise Pictures, an independent film production and distribution company with a domestic theatrical output deal with Warner Bros. During his five-and-a-half tenure at Franchise, Stevens produced or executive produced and provided the finance or co-finance for more than 60 feature films including the enormously successful The Whole Nine Yards (2000), and its sequel The Whole Ten Yards (2004), both starring Bruce Willis and Matthew Perry, The In-Laws (2003), starring Michael Douglas and Albert Brooks, Angel Eyes (2001) starring Jennifer Lopez and Jim Caviezel, City by the Sea (2002) starring Robert De Niro, The Pledge (2001) starring Jack Nicholson, 3000 Miles to Graceland (2001), starring Kevin Costner and Kurt Russell, Half Past Dead (2002) starring Steven Seagal. Stevens was also responsible for creating Franchise Classics, a division which produced and distributed many films which appeared in such major film festivals as Cannes, Sundance Film Festival and Toronto Film Festival including The Big Kahuna (1999), starring Kevin Spacey, Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her (2000), starring Cameron Diaz and Glenn Close, Green Dragon (2001), starring Forest Whitaker and Patrick Swayze, and The Caveman's Valentine (2001), starring Samuel L. Jackson. Concurrent with the formation of Franchise, Stevens co-founded and served as president of a sister company, Phoenician Entertainment which produced such films as The Third Miracle (1999), starring Ed Harris and Anne Heche, Entropy (1999), starring Stephen Dorff and U2, Woman Wanted (1999), starring Kiefer Sutherland and Holly Hunter, and many genre action/adventure films. Prior to Franchise and Phoenician, Stevens was an owner and president of Royal Oaks Entertainment, which produced and/or distributed seventy pictures over a three-year period including many HBO, Showtime and Sci-Fi Channel world premieres. Prior to Royal Oaks, Stevens' initial venturing into foreign sales and production company ownership was with Sunset Films International, which amassed a library of nineteen titles, (including seven in-house productions) during his first year as president of the company. Stevens serves on the board of directors of the International Film and Television Alliance, (the former American Film Marketing Association) and until recently served as Chairman of the Independent Producers Association (IPA), which is, among other things, active in collective bargaining for independent producers and film companies. Stevens has been involved in many guild negotiations with both the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the Directors Guild of America (DGA) on behalf of the constituency of independent producers and was a key architect of the current DGA/IPA multi-tiered low-budget agreement.
Stevens was a award-winning actor, including a Golden Globe nomination and the Star of Tomorrow award from the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) starring in over 80 feature films and/or television series. Stevens authored a fully accredited Associate of Applied Arts college degree program in Motion Picture Production, which he later distilled into an online certificate program, (2015) DVD and Vimeo series. "Foolproof Film School. Dallas: Stevens Entertainment Group. ISBN 978-0-6924374-9-0, which teaches Stevens' unique practical perspective of the business side of making movies, based on his academic texts, (2014) Book: "Foolproof Filmmaking". Westport: Prospecta Press. ISBN 978-1-935212-27-0; (2016) Book: "Producing for Profit". New York and London" Focal Press/Routledge/Taylor and Francis Group. ISBN 978-1-138-12104-1; and (2017) Book "Screenwriting for Profit". New York and London" Focal Press/Routledge/Taylor and Francis Group. ISBN 978-1-138-95060-3- Actor
- Writer
Andy Holmes was born on 8 August 1961 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Gerbert (1989). He has been married to Wendy Shelton since 12 June 1988. They have three children.- Actor
- Director
- Cinematographer
Andy Strong was born on 5 June 1984 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. He is an actor and director, known for Good Cop, Good Cop (2015), BioShock Infinite (2013) and Kat Robichaud: Artists (2017).- Angee's experience in theater and film helped her secure her role of Wanda Gilmore in the PBS series Wishbone (1995). Angee, who hails from western Tennessee, has appeared in films such as Blank Check (1994) and the ABC mini-series "Texas Justice". She has performed in the off-Broadway productions of "Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You", "The Actors Nightmare" and "The Fruits of Enlightenment." Her regional theater credits include " Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean", "The House of Blue Leaves", "Lend Me A Tenor" and "Crimes of the Heart". Her children's theater experience includes roles in the improvisational "Red Balloon Players" and "Project Interact". Angee received her degree in theater arts from Southwest Texas State University and studied for two years at Circle in the Square on Broadway.
- Music Department
- Composer
- Soundtrack
Anita Kerr was born on 13 October 1927 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. She was a composer, known for Limbo (1972), The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1967) and I'm Going to Tell You a Secret (2005). She was married to Al Kerr and Alex Grob. She died on 10 October 2022 in Geneva, Switzerland.- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
Anita Ward was born on 20 December 1956 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. She is known for Cell (2016), The Book of Eli (2010) and Mystery Men (1999).- Additional Crew
Ann Brown was born on 14 December 1955 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. Ann is known for Great Balls of Fire! (1989). Ann was married to James Ray. Ann died on 23 January 2023 in Oxford, Mississippi, USA.- Actress
- Additional Crew
Anna Alicia Brock was born on 12 June 1986 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. She is an actress, known for Glory Road (2006), Doll Graveyard (2005) and Believe in Me (2006).- Actress
- Sound Department
- Camera and Electrical Department
Anna Graves was born on 12 May 1978 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. She is an actress, known for Crazy Rich Asians (2018), X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) and Wolfenstein (2009).- Anna Mae He was born on 28 January 1999 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
- Anne Haney held prominent roles acting on stage, on the screen, and on TV. All these achievements came in her mid-40s, after she had raised a daughter and buried a husband. It wasn't until after she had packed her daughter off to college and "the maid quit", as she said, that she decided to try her hand at acting. She was born in Memphis, Tennessee and studied drama, radio and TV at the University of North Carolina, where she met her husband, John Haney. She did apply her schooling briefly at a Memphis television station, but soon settled down with her husband and devoted herself to family life. "I was a lovely faculty wife. We made ambrosia salad. We did good works. We played a lot of bridge", she said of those times. By the 1970s, however, Haney began seeking work in local theatre productions and television commercials. Soon, she was traveling with a touring company performing as the maid in Noël Coward's "Fallen Angels". She toured for two years. Eventually, she joined the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of T.V. and Radio Artists. She and her husband had, in fact, planned to move to Southern California after his retirement. She was eager to experience and, she hoped, benefit from the variety and prestige available only in Hollywood. Those plans changed when Mr. Haney died of kidney disease in 1980; Anne Haney made the trek to California, alone. Not long after arriving, she had an agent and a part in the Walter Matthau vehicle Hopscotch (1980). As her career took off, she also secured roles on stage, notably the role of Margaret Fielding in the Theatre West production of "Verdigris". When asked whether she ever dwelled on the prospect that had she begun her career too late, she replied that "this is gravy to me. It's a wonderful way to spend the last third of my life".
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Anne Howard Bailey was born on 26 July 1924 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. She was a writer, known for Santa Barbara (1984), General Hospital (1963) and Tales of Tomorrow (1951). She died on 23 November 2006 in Rancho Mirage, California, USA.- Annie Compton was born in January 1930 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. She is an actress, known for Macon County Line (1974) and It's Your Bet (1969). She was previously married to Peter Haskell and William Danforth Compton.
- Director
- Cinematographer
- Producer
Antonio James was born on 3 June 1985 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. He is a director and cinematographer, known for Trey (2013), Father's Moment of Truth (2013) and Free's Freedom (2014).- Antwun Echols was born on 4 December 1971 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. He died on 3 July 2023 in Florida, USA.
- Music Artist
- Actress
- Composer
Grammy-winning Queen of Soul and the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Aretha Louise Franklin was born in Memphis, Tennessee, to Barbara Vernice (Siggers) and C. L. Franklin, a Baptist minister, who preached at the New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit for over thirty years. Known as the man with the "Million-Dollar Voice", her father was one of the most respected and prominent ministers in the country, and Aretha grew up singing in church, and surrounded by local and national celebrities. She learned how to play piano by ear and soon understood the correct tones and pitches.
Aretha released her first single at the age of eighteen, under Columbia Records, it reached number ten on the BillBoard charts and her first record was released in January of 1961. While working for the label, she managed to score two more R&B hits, Operation Heartbreak and Won't Be Long. However the people at Columbia often felt they didn't understand the direction Aretha wanted to go with her music, and ultimately failed to bring out her potential. In 1966, Aretha signed a contract with Atlantic Records, where she released her first legendary single, Respect, written by The King Of Soul, Otis Redding. With this single, Franklin would trigger a new vocal skill called, "call and response," which would help liven up many of her singles. While signed with Atlantic, she released three additional top ten hits, Baby I Love You, A Natural Women,and Chain Of Fools, and won her first two Grammy awards, and eight consecutive Grammys for best female R&B vocal category.
Franklin had not only achieved her dream of becoming a musical sensation but stood out in the civil rights movement for her single with Otis Redding, Respect. The song helped send a message to Americans about equality, peace, and justice. Franklin continued to release pop hits throughout the decade, such as Think, I Say A Little Prayer, and Ain't No Way. After these amazing hits to many listeners she was seen as The Queen Of Soul. In the 1970s, she started recording gospel hits such as Don't Play That Song, Rocksteady, and Daydreaming. It was foreseeable that Franklin would soon stumble upon a masterpiece which became the best selling gospel album of all time, which she did in 1972 with her album Amazing Grace.
In the mid '70s, even though she was releasing hit songs, she began to lose touch with her soul-pop audiences due to the disco genre making its entrance into mainstream music. In 1979, she released an album in order to gain the audience of disco lovers called, La Diva. La Diva sold less than 50,000 copies and was marked as the lowest point in Franklin's career. On June 10, 1979, her father Clarence was shot by a mugger. This left Clarence in a coma for five years and Aretha decided to move back to Detroit to take care of her father. Clarence Franklin died on July 27, 1984.
In 1980, along with several other musicians such as Ray Charles and James Brown, Aretha Franklin appeared in the hit feature film The Blues Brothers. In 1982, she returned to the R&B top ten charts with her hit album Jump To It, featuring Luther Vandross. It sold more than 600,000 copies and was gold-certified, managing to stay on number one for seven weeks. In 1985, Franklin released an album which featured a unique never before heard element of rock. The album, "Who's Zoomin Who?", and soon went on to receive platinum-certified success. The album also featured a hit song with George Michael called I Know You Were Waiting For Me, and went on to sell more than one million copies. In 1987, Aretha sang the theme song to A Different World, a sitcom created by Bill Cosby, and in 1989, she released a pop album which featured Elton John, James Brown, The Four Tops, Kenny G, and Whitney Houston, called Through The Storm. In 1992, Franklin sang the song Someday We'll All Be Free for the soundtrack to the biopic film Malcolm X (1992). In 1993, Aretha sang at Bill Clinton's inauguration. At a slower rate in the mid-late '90s, she continued to release albums and singles, working with new artists such as BabyFace, Jermaine Dupri, Sean "P Diddy" Combs, and Lauryn Hill along with her label, Arista Records.
In 2003, she had ended the 23 year relationship with Arista and opened her own label, Aretha. Franklin released her first album on the label, A Woman Falling Out Of Love, in 2011. It marked her fifty years in show business.
Aretha Franklin died of advanced pancreatic cancer on August 16, 2018, in Detroit, Michigan. She will be known as one of the most influential singers of all time, and as an activist who spoke of the world through her music, and used music as a tool for truth, justice, and soul.- Writer
- Producer
- Script and Continuity Department
Arthur Julian was born on 7 March 1923 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. He was a writer and producer, known for Gimme a Break! (1981), The Carol Burnett Show (1967) and That Girl (1966). He died on 30 January 1995 in Westwood, California, USA.