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- James Bland was an African-American musician and composer who wrote many songs about the American South for use in minstrel shows. His most famous was Carry Me Back to Old Virginny (1878), which became the official State Song of Virginia, being retired in 1997 due to racial controversies. Bland was born in Flushing, New York on October 22, 1854, one of eight children to educated free parents. His father bought him an eight-dollar banjo and Bland was soon performing professionally by his early teens. He attended Howard University in Washington, D.C., but soon pursued music, inspired by the music of some of the workers on the Howard campus, and joined the all-black Georgia Minstrels in the late 1870's. He soon married fellow Howard student and Virginia native Mamie Friend, and was inspired to write Carry Me Back to Old Virginny after hearing her speak of her homesickness while away at college. Other songs composed by Bland were In the Morning in the Bright Light (1879), In the Evening by the Moonlight (1879), and his second most famous song, Oh! Dem Golden Slippers (1879), known today mostly because it was used in an often-aired Golden Grahams cereal television commercial in the 1970's. In 1881, he moved to London, spending the next twenty years there before returning to the United States. While in London, he performed without blackface and gave command performances for Queen Victoria and the Prince of Wales. Bland was making $10,000 a year at one point but recklessly spent his money. In 1901 he returned penniless to Washington, D.C., and as the popularity of minstrel shows waned, Bland could not find work. He died alone in Philadelphia on May 5, 1911, a victim of tuberculosis. He was buried in an unmarked grave but in 1939 the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) provided a headstone at the grave site to commemorate his life. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.
- Producer
His film resume belies the fact that he was the most important man in motion pictures at the time of his death. Born as Max Loew in New York City to a poverty-stricken Viennese waiter, his life could've easily gone the the way of many boys of the east side slums, except that he was hyper-enterprising. He was also extremely superstitious: he never walked under ladders, distrusted nearly every doctor he met and refused to sign anything on a Friday (a habit that was often mistaken for something semitic; he was Jewish but decidedly non-practicing). Loew left school at nine and never looked back. Loew sold newspapers and lemons on the street, worked like a dog in an industrial printing plant, and began and failed at several business ventures - a print shop, furniture store and a fur factory - going bankrupt before he was 20. It's a testimonial to his personality and self-assurance that he picked himself up from these early failures and persevered. A second stab at the fur business brought him in contact with Adolph Zukor who became a friend and partner. Loew bought into a Zukor's penny arcade business and set about expanding it around the country. While opening up a new arcade in Cincinnati he was told of a competitor who was scoring bigger money with motion pictures than his mechanical machines. Loew struck up a deal with the Vitagraph Company for the necessary equipment and films, borrowed chairs and based on nickel admissions, grossed almost $250 the first day. Back in New York, Loew bought a Brooklyn burlesque house and converted it into the Royal, a first class house mixing the vaudeville bill with movies. The success of the Royal convinced him to convert his penny arcades into movie houses. Loew struck up a fateful business deal with brothers Joseph M. Schenck and Nicholas Schenck in 1906 when the group formed the Fort George Amusement Company and began a Paradise Park concession stand. Over the next decade Loew worked a slow (being a relative term in the business), methodical plan for theatrical dominance. By Armistice Day he owned 112 theaters that continued to offer a mix of vaudeville and movies. Joe Schenck ventured away from the company to become a movie producer.
By 1920 Loew was the dominant movie theater owner in New York and had recently expanded into Canada. With this expansion he faced increasing problems obtaining a reliable supply of quality films, especially problematic since audiences were pushing vaudeville acts off his stages. On January 3, 1920 he paid $3.1 million for Metro Pictures, a Hollywood studio with a lot of potential but suffering from poor management and a middling track record of success. Marcus Loew understood the value of his theatrical empire but felt that movie production was too huge a gamble to personally manage. At heart he was a New Yorker and felt comfortable handling the finances, not the mechanics of grinding out pictures in far-away Hollywood. It was at this juncture that Louis B. Mayer enters the story - Louis B. Mayer Productions was a far smaller shaker in town, but had three key assets: a successful track record of producing profitable melodramas that played well in the sticks, wunderkind producer Irving Thalberg - recently hired away from Universal and who rapidly proved his worth as a producer all consumed with movie production, and L.B. himself - admittedly a great macro manager, who shared Loew's rise from nothing life story. Oddly, Loew was only impressed with two of these factors; he didn't want Thalberg! He caved after Mayer insisted that any merger include his key producer (one of the wisest manoeuvrings L.B. would ever make). Loew's Metro company was then courting a third studio, troubled Goldwyn Productions (see Samuel Goldwyn). Loew was attracted to its state-of-the art studio and 40-acre lot, an asset that he understood. Unfortunately, the Goldwyn company was hemorrhaging red ink due to an out-of-control production in Italy, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925), and was, closer to home, immersed in Erich von Stroheim's costly exercise in artistic overindulgence, Greed (1924), which only further demonstrated the need for competent management. Louis B. Mayer Productions was, despite its relatively insignificant size, the key to the merger. The parties worked out a percentage agreement and Loew merging a third troubled company into the fold, Goldwyn Pictures, which he had purchased for $4.3 million. The conglomerate bought Louis B. Mayer Productions for a mere $76,500 which tells something of the state of L.B.'s hard assets at the time of the merger. Metro-Goldwyn Pictures was formed on May 16, 1924 and dominated by Mayer's management team with Thalberg quickly rallying the best writers, directors, actors and technicians amongst the 3 former concerns. Mayer himself was named vice president and general manager of the new company at $1,500 a week, but that was dwarfed by a profit participation deal that included Thalberg (adding to his $650 a week salary) and key secretary Robert Rubin. These three men would split 20% of the company's profits, an incredibly rich benefits package as it turned out). Marcus Loew had chosen his personnel well, leaving him exactly in the position he wanted to be, writing checks from his 46 acre Long Island mansion and long weekly constructive arguments with Mayer on the phone. Under Mayer and Thalberg, the combination of these 3 shaky production companies and a huge injection of cash from Loew's Inc. created the premier studio in Hollywood. It's first official Metro-Goldwyn release, He Who Gets Slapped (1924), starring Lon Chaney was a hit. The company's name soon reflected Mayer's presence (the MGM moniker first seen in Buster Keaton's Go West (1925)) and for the next three decades MGM stood apart from every other operation in Hollywood, or the world for that matter. Unfortunately the early balanced managerial dynamic of Loew, Mayer and Thalberg ended forever when Marcus Loew died on September 5, 1927 at only age 57, leaving a $30 million estate (including 400,000 shares of Loew's Inc. stock) to his wife Caroline and sons. The title as the most powerful man in the film industry was assumed by Nicholas Schenck and MGM, for better or worse, would never be the same.- Maurice Black was born on 14 January 1891 in Queens, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for The Front Page (1931), Little Caesar (1931) and The Californian (1937). He was married to Edythe Raynore. He died on 18 January 1938 in Hollywood, California, USA.
- Walter Young was born on 13 September 1879 in Queens, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Delinquent Parents (1938) and The Patient in Room 18 (1938). He died on 18 April 1957 in New York City, New York, USA.
- James Sheridan was born on 29 July 1904 in Queens, New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Courage of the North (1935), The Power and the Glory (1918) and The Speed Reporter (1936). He died on 12 April 1961 in Sacramento, California, USA.
- Peter Gawthorne was born on 1 September 1884 in Queen's County, Ireland. He was an actor, known for 'Pimpernel' Smith (1941), Behind That Curtain (1929) and Ask a Policeman (1939). He was married to Ethel Marie Siddell. He died on 17 March 1962 in London, England, UK.
- Actress
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Lively childish leading lady on stage and films during the transition to sound. She began on stage at seventeen and went on to films in 1929. She made several early talkies at Paramount but her popularity soon waned.- Music Department
- Soundtrack
James Sheppard was born on 24 September 1935 in Queens, New York City, New York, USA. He is known for American Graffiti (1973), Look Who's Talking (1989) and Baby Boy (2001). He died on 24 January 1970 in Long Island, New York, USA.- Terry Robbins was born on 4 October 1947 in Queens, New York City, New York, USA. He died on 6 March 1970 in Greenwich Village, New York, USA.
- Cornelia Crilley was born on 21 April 1948 in Queens, New York City, New York, USA. She died on 24 June 1971 in Upper East Side, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA.
- Ed Zimmermann was born on 30 March 1933 in Queens, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Guiding Light (1952), Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me? (1971) and The Star Wagon (1966). He died on 6 July 1972 in York, Maine, USA.
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Joe Corey was born on 26 June 1927 in Queens, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Burke's Law (1963), The Twilight Zone (1959) and The Silent Service (1957). He died on 29 August 1972 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Additional Crew
Eloise McElhone was born on 11 March 1921 in Queens, New York, USA. She is known for Birthday House (1963), The Eloise McElhone Show (1953) and Quick on the Draw (1950). She was married to ? Warwick. She died on 1 July 1974 in New York City, New York, USA.- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Additional Crew
Dolph Zimmer was born on 2 July 1892 in Queens, New York, USA. He was an assistant director, known for Code Two (1953), Mad Holiday (1936) and Balalaika (1939). He died on 23 October 1975 in North Hollywood, California, USA.- Lionel Trilling was born on 4 July 1905 in Queens, New York, USA. He was a writer, known for Alcoa Premiere (1961). He was married to Diana Trilling. He died on 5 November 1975 in New York City, New York, USA.
- Princess Livingston may not have had a long and extensive career in motion pictures, but her distinctive looks and wacky demeanor made her a delightful and unforgettable presence in the regrettably few films that she did appear in. Livingston was born on August 10, 1900 in Queens, New York. She began her career in show business in the 1940's as a burlesque comedienne in which she usually performed comic routines with a male partner. Livingston was running a motel in Hollywood prior to being cast in her first movie as the scary woman in the saloon in Russ Meyer's Wild Gals of the Naked West (1962). Livingston went on to act in a few more films for Meyer; she's especially memorable as the zany red-haired woman dancing wildly at Z-Man's decadent party in the outrageous camp cult classic Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970). Livingston died at age 76 on October 29, 1976 in Los Angeles County, California.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Actor. Jack Cassidy, by his own design, defied mere definition from the day he was born in Richmond Hills, New York in 1927 until his tragic death in 1976. An actor, singer, writer, designer - the consummate showman and irrefutable creative entity - his life never followed a simple path nor did it ever lead quite where expected. Yet, in the end, his impact on the entertainment community has been unmistakable - and unforgettable. The youngest of five children born to immigrant parents, Jack Cassidy's story is one of success and inspiration. By the time he was sixteen, he'd worked fifteen jobs ranging from busboy to dishwasher to ice truck driver. His uncle, a renowned circus contortionist, showed him the show business ropes and at the tender age of sixteen, Jack stepped into the chorus of "Something for the Boys". After that point, Jack's acting talent and rich baritone voice took him from show to show. He graced the stage in several productions before landing his first lead role in "Wish You Were Here" in 1953. The reviews were outstanding and his career started to flourish including the role of Johnny O'Sullivan in "Sandhog." The role of an Irish immigrant would hit close to home and would be one of his favorites. His life had also been enriched with his marriage to dancer-choreographer Evelyn Ward in 1948 and the birth of their son David in 1950. Evelyn and Jack had met while working on a show together and their wedding was attended by a who's-who of The Great White Way. Jack started to pepper his career with appearances not only on stage but on various television shows, sharing his talent with a broader audience. He made several appearances on "Toast of the Town" and "Lux Video Theatre" and also surfaced on episodes of "The United Steel Hour," "Richard Diamond, Private Detective" and "Gunsmoke." He would even have his own television show in Great Britain. His television presence would only grow over the next 20 years reflecting not only his career but his notoriety and prominence in the industry. In 1955, Jack was cast in a State Department European tour of the Rogers and Hammerstein musical "Oklahoma!" with a young actress named Shirley Jones. Legally separated from Evelyn, Jack pursued Shirley and after their first date in Paris, he declared his intent to marry her - which he did between performances of "The Beggar's Opera" in 1956. Their marriage would be blessed with the births of three sons: Shaun, Patrick and Ryan. All four of his sons would carry on Jack's legacy in their own way - each with critically acclaimed careers in theater, film and television. Jack and Shirley would collaborate in other ways, appearing together on Broadway in "Maggie Flynn" in 1968 (Jack would receive a Tony nomination for his portrayal of "Phineas"), recording a number of albums including "Love From Hollywood" and "Brigadoon" and touring with the nightclub act "The Marriage Band" which was created by Jack and inspired by their relationship. As the country transformed through the 1960s, Jack Cassidy's career blossomed in all respects. In the theater, he took home the Tony for Best Featured Actor in 1963 for "She Loves Me" and followed that with Tony nominations for his work in "Fade Out, Fade In," "It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman" and "Maggie Flynn" and is one of the most nominated actors in Tony history. The West Coast beckoned to him and Jack started to truly establish himself in television. Whether it was a brilliant dramatic performance on "Alfred Hitchcock Presents,", "77 Sunset Strip," "Coronet Blue," "Lock Up," "Maverick" or "Wagon Train," a dazzling musical performance on "The Bell Telephone Hour" or "The Garry Moore Show" or a delightful comedic performance on "Bewitched" or "That Girl" - Jack was finally allowed to showcase his versatility and range to audiences unable to see him set foot on a stage. He even started his movie career in films such as "Look in Any Window", "The Chapman Report", "FBI Code 98" and the animated "Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol" in 1962. Often considered "larger than life" himself - even by co-stars Paula Prentiss and Richard Benjamin - Jack brought life to the character of Oscar North in the 1968 series "He & She" to the delight of both audiences and critics. His delivery of the classic "trapped in an elevator" routine has never been matched and his superior flair and uproarious comic timing would garner an Emmy nomination in 1969. His television presence would swell in the 1970s as he became a staple of both dramatic programs and game shows. Indeed it was nearly impossible to turn on the television and not see Jack's brilliant smile or hear his infectious laughter. He frequented "Columbo" and remains one of the more popular guest stars in the show's history. Other memorable performances include appearances in "Barnaby Jones," "Matt Helm," "McCloud," "Hawaii Five-O," "Alias Smith and Jones" and "Bonanza" as well as comedic interludes in "Love, American Style", "The Carol Burnett Show", "Laugh-In" and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." His career expanded into the television movie genre with "Your Money or Your Wife," "George M!," "June Moon," and "The Phantom of Hollywood." Yet it was his depiction of attorney Otis Baker in "The Andersonville Trial" that again brought him an Emmy nomination and critical acclaim. Jack Cassidy's film career in the 1970s was filled with wonderful, quirky roles in films such as "Bunny O'Hare" with Bette Davis and Ernest Borgnine, the Clint Eastwood action-thriller "The Eiger Sanction", "The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County" with Mickey Rooney and his brilliant portrayal of the legendary John Barrymore in "W.C. Fields and Me". However, he craved the solid, dramatic roles where he could truly prove his abilities on a larger scale. Tragically, he had just started receiving these offers right before his death in 1976. Like the character he'd created on "He & She," Jack Cassidy was undeniably larger than life. His notorious sense of humor made him the life of the party from private gatherings to public charity galas. It is no surprise that his friends and fans read like a roster of Hollywood's top talent. Among them, Dick Van Dyke, Jack Lemmon and Dick Van Patten have counted themselves as admirers of his talent. Jack was the superlative example of the classic leading man with his charisma, dashing grin and sparkling eyes who conducted his life with nothing less than panache and style. His golden baritone voice will forever set him apart. His talent will never be matched. His wit and humor warm the memories of the friends and family he left behind. He was a creative powerhouse who was denied the time necessary to fully express the full spectrum of his talents - some of which are only now revealed through the talent and success of his sons in many facets of the industry. Despite the brilliance of his career, he had only started to tap into the expanse of his potential. It was a life cut short and a life that deserves to be celebrated- Actor
- Producer
Pat DiCicco was born on 14 February 1909 in Queens, New York, USA. He was an actor and producer, known for Night Life of the Gods (1935) and Avalanche (1946). He was married to Linda Douglas, Gloria Vanderbilt and Thelma Todd. He died on 24 October 1978 in New York City, New York, USA.- Theresa Ferrara was born on 5 September 1951 in South Ozone Park, Queens, New York City, New York, USA. She died on 10 February 1979 in New York, USA.
- Billy Rinaldi was born on 3 February 1911 in Queens, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Thank You (1925). He died on 22 August 1979 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Camera and Electrical Department
William John Ranaldi was born on 3 February 1911 in Queens, New York, USA. He is known for The Giant Gila Monster (1959), The Killer Shrews (1959) and Southwest Passage (1954). He died on 22 August 1979 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Music Department
- Composer
- Writer
He met Lorenz Hart in 1918 who was to write lyrics for Richard for the next 25 years. The produced many successful songs and musicals such as 'Pal Joey' and 'The Boys From Syracuse'. In 1943 Richard teamed up with Oscar Hammerstein to make a musical version of the play 'How Green Was Your Valley' which became 'Oklahoma' Richard also provided the music for 'Carousel', 'South Pacific'. The King and I' and 'The Sound of Music'.- Kathie Durst was born on 15 June 1952 in Queens, New York City, New York, USA. She was married to Robert Durst. She died on 31 January 1982 in South Salem, New York, USA.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Born in the Astoria section of Queens, New York City, Ethel Merman surely is the pre-eminent star of 'Broadway' musical comedy. Though untrained in singing, she could belt out a song like quite no one else, and was sought after by major songwriters such as Irving Berlin and Cole Porter. Having debuted in 1930 in "Girl Crazy, " she is yet remembered for her marvelous starring appearances in so many great musicals that were later adapted to the silver screen. Among the film versions, Merman herself starred in Anything Goes (1936) and Call Me Madam (1953). That wonderfully boisterous blonde, Betty Hutton, had the Merman lead in both Red, Hot and Blue (1949) and Annie Get Your Gun (1950). Besides Betty Hutton, other Merman screen stand-in roles include Lucille Ball, (in Du Barry Was a Lady (1943)), Ann Sothern, (in Panama Hattie (1942)), Vivian Blaine (in Something for the Boys (1944)) and Rosalind Russell (in Gypsy (1962)). (Russell could never render Stephen Sondheim and Jule Styne's "Everything's Coming Up Roses" the way the immortal Merman did, over and over again.) Ethel Merman's lifetime facts: her dare of birth, was on Thursday, January 16th, 1908 & her life expired on Wednesday, February 15th, 1984. Thursday, January 16th, 1908 & Wednesday, February 15th, 1984, differ 27,789 days, equaling 3,969 weeks & 6 days.- Angelo Sepe was born on 14 January 1941 in South Ozone Park, Queens, New York City, New York, USA. He died on 18 July 1984 in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA.
- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Humorist, playwright and screenwriter Norman Krasna went to great lengths planning for a career in law. He attended New York University, Columbia University and St. John's University law school but then abruptly changed his plans and started work as a copy boy at a New York newspaper. He had a brief stint as a drama critic for the Evening Graphic and wrote a column for the Exhibitor's Herald World and this likely awakened his interest in the film business. He was soon off to L.A. and finagled a job in the Warner Brothers publicity department. Upon seeing his first filmed play, The Front Page (1931), he decided there and then to become a playwright. Having obtained a copy of the original script, he re-typed it over and over to get the hang of style and methodology. This approach seems to have worked since Krasna soon published his first play (the comedy "Louder,Please") which opened on Broadway by November 1931.
While not a huge hit, the play led first to a screenwriting contract with Columbia, then in 1935 with MGM. At MGM, Krasna met Groucho Marx and the two became lifelong friends (in 1948, they wrote a play together, "Time for Elizabeth", which had a brief run on Broadway). Within a relatively short period of time Krasna acquired a reputation for writing intelligent, witty scripts quickly. This ability naturally endeared him to thrifty-minded producers. He also had a penchant for clever one-liners (it would have been fun to sit in on conversational banter between Krasna and Groucho). Krasna did not only confine himself to screwball comedy but also occasionally turned out good original dramatic material such as Fritz Lang's indictment of mob justice, Fury (1936). He penned Mr. & Mrs. Smith (1941) for Alfred Hitchcock, wrote the perennial family favourite White Christmas (1954), and the glossy romantic comedy Indiscreet (1958) based on his own 1953 play "Kind Sir". For the most part, the accolades kept coming for his sophisticated comedies - often featuring mistaken identity (The Ambassador's Daughter (1956)), irascible, or curmudgeonly characters (Charles Coburn in The Devil and Miss Jones (1941) and Princess O'Rourke (1943)), or men-of-the-world cured of their cynicism through love (Cary Grant in 'Indiscreet'). Krasna won an Oscar for 'Princess O'Rourke', one of four films he also directed. While most of his plots are now somewhat dated, his dialogue rarely fails to entertain.
After leaving MGM in 1938, Krasna worked for the next twelve years as a free-lance writer dividing his time between Hollywood and Broadway. In 1950, he formed an independent production company with charismatic producer Jerry Wald at RKO. The enterprise was sadly short-lived. Just four films were produced out of a total of sixty originally stipulated. Krasna then went on to produce several films for various studios, including Clash by Night (1952), which featured a young Marilyn Monroe. He also wrote Marilyn's penultimate film Let's Make Love (1960). That same year, he was honoured with the Laurel Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Screen Writer's Guild. Krasna retired in 1964 and died twenty years later in Los Angeles, aged 74.- Florence Halop was born on 23 January 1923 in Jamaica Estates, Queens, New York City, New York, USA. She was an actress, known for St. Elsewhere (1982), Night Court (1984) and George Burns Comedy Week (1985). She was married to George Gruskin. She died on 15 July 1986 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Zany, extrovert, sometimes blonde, sometimes brunette, sometimes red-haired character comedienne Joan Shawlee began her performing career as a fourteen-year old Powers model. At sixteen, she sang in New York night spots and was proclaimed one of "the six most beautiful girls in Manhattan". Hollywood noticed in due course and 20th Century Fox signed her under contract. However, Joan was soon revealed to be under-age. Having failed to get into films, Joan returned to New York to live with her mother. In 1945, as luck would have it, she was spotted singing at the famous Copacabana by comedian Lou Costello. On the condition that her mother could join her in Hollywood, Joan signed a new contract with Universal. She appeared in thirteen films as 'Joan Fulton', culminating in a leading role in Buck Privates Come Home (1947).
Having married the businessman Walter Shawlee, Joan changed her surname. She also henceforth specialised in playing wisecracking, streetwise 'dames', often guest starring with her erstwhile mentors in The Abbott and Costello Show (1952), or as a favorite stock character in the comedies of Billy Wilder. Her roles were generally small, but tended to be memorable: as 'Sweet Sue', tough leader of an all-girl band infiltrated by Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis in drag in Some Like It Hot (1959); as Sylvia in The Apartment (1960), as the hooker Amazon Annie in Irma la Douce (1963)), and as wicked Momma Monahan in Roger Corman's cult biker flic The Wild Angels (1966). Joan also starred in her own (short-lived) half-hour British comedy series, Aggie (1956), as a somewhat accident-prone fashion model on international assignments. Her co-star was (future "Danger Man") Patrick McGoohan. She was a frequent guest on 60's and 70's TV shows, with small recurring roles as ex-showgirl Pickles in The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961) and as Margo, one of The Feather and Father Gang (1976). Joan died of cancer in March 1987 in Hollywood, aged 61.- Frank James Burke was born in 1959 in Queens, New York City, New York, USA. He died on 18 May 1987 in Cypress Hills, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA.
- Cinematographer
Louis Andres was born on 14 March 1915 in Queens, New York City, New York, USA. He was a cinematographer, known for Souls of Sin (1949). He died on 15 June 1987 in Hewitt, New Jersey, USA.- Writer
- Producer
Joseph Landon was born on 14 February 1923 in Queens, New York, USA. He was a writer and producer, known for Wall of Noise (1963), Von Ryan's Express (1965) and The Explosive Generation (1961). He died on 7 August 1987 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Lillian Eggers was born on 8 October 1917 in Queens, New York, USA. She was an actress, known for The Powers Girl (1943). She was married to Tom Conway. She died on 27 January 1988 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- J.P. Foley was born on 23 January 1926 in Queens, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for The Verdict (1982). He died on 26 September 1988.
- Milton Brothers was born on 17 June 1926 in Jamaica, Queens, New York City, New York, USA. He was married to Joyce Brothers. He died on 9 January 1989 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA.
- Glenn Mure was born on 26 December 1950 in Queens, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Monique (1979) and Hot T-Shirts (1980). He died on 6 February 1989 in New York, New York, USA.
- Director
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Additional Crew
Robert Mapplethorpe was born on 4 November 1946 in Queens, New York, USA. He was a director, known for Breathless (1983), Lady (1984) and Patti Smith: Still Moving (1978). He died on 9 March 1989 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.- Music Department
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Archie Bleyer was born on 12 June 1909 in Corona, Queens, New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Cocktail (1988), The Godfather Part III (1990) and The Whole Shebang (2001). He was married to Janet Ertel and Kitty. He died on 20 March 1989 in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA.- June Cicero was born on 3 June 1955 in Queens, New York City, New York, USA. She died on 17 December 1989 in Rochester, New York, USA.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Jack Fletcher was born on 21 April 1921 in Forest Hills, Queens, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988), Calucci's Department (1973) and Once Upon a Mattress (1964). He died on 15 February 1990 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Composer
- Soundtrack
Richard Sohl was born on 26 May 1953 in Queens, New York, USA. He was a composer, known for Final Reward (1978), Her Name Is Lisa (1987) and A Violent Desire for Joy (2018). He died on 3 June 1990 in Fire Island, New York, USA.- Actor
- Composer
- Music Department
Born in Queens, NY, Thunders is best known as the lead guitarist for the New York Dolls in the early 1970s and unintentionally helped inspire the Punk movements in New York City and London. He later formed The Heartbreakers and went on to a solo career. His career was often interrupted by issues related to drug addiction, and he died under suspicious circumstances in a New Orleans, LA, hotel room at 38 years old.- Rusty Rastelli was born on 31 January 1918 in Maspeth, Queens, New York City, New York, USA. He was married to Irene McKee and Concetta Pietrafesa. He died on 24 June 1991 in Flushing, Queens, New York City, New York, USA.
- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Michael Landon was born Eugene Maurice Orowitz, on Saturday, October 31st, 1936, in Forest Hills, Queens, New York. In 1941, he and his family moved to Collingswood, New Jersey.
When Eugene was in high school, he participated -- and did very well -- in track and field, especially javelin throwing, and his athletic skills earned him a scholarship to USC. However, an accident injured his arm, ending his athletic career -- and his term at USC -- and he worked a number of odd jobs and small roles to make ends meet and decided that acting was for him. However, he thought that his real name was not a suitable one for an aspiring actor, and so "Michael Landon" was born.
Two of his first big roles were as Tony Rivers in I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957) and as Tom Dooley in the western The Legend of Tom Dooley (1959). That same year he was approached by producer David Dortort to star in a pilot called The Restless Gun (1957), which was renamed when the series was picked up to Bonanza (1959). Landon played Little Joe Cartwright, the youngest of the three Cartwright brothers, a cocky and somewhat rebellious youth nevertheless had a way with the ladies. For 14 years, Landon became the heart and soul of the show, endearing himself to both younger and older viewers, and he became a household name during the 1960s and 1970s.
In 1968, after almost ten years of playing Little Joe, he wanted an opportunity to direct and write some episodes of the show. After the season finale in 1972, Dan Blocker, who played his older brother Hoss and was also a close friend, died from a blood clot in his lung, after gall bladder surgery, but Michael decided to go back to work, revisiting his own character in a two-part episode called "Forever."
Bonanza (1959) was finally canceled in early 1973, after 14 years and 430 episodes. Michael didn't have to wait long until he landed another successful role that most TV audiences of the 1970s would thoroughly enjoy, his second TV western, for NBC, Little House on the Prairie (1974). That show was based on a popular book written by Laura Ingalls Wilder, and he played enduring patriarch and farmer Charles Ingalls. Unlike Bonanza (1959), where he was mostly just a "hired gun," on this show he served as the producer, writer, director, and executive producer. By the end of its eighth season in 1982, Landon decided to step down from his role on "Little House" as he saw his TV children grown up and moved out of their father's house, and a year later, the show was canceled. After 14 years on Bonanza (1959) and 8 years on Little House on the Prairie (1974), it was about time to focus on something else, and once again, he didn't have to wait too long before Highway to Heaven (1984) came along. Unlike the western shows that he did for 23 years, this NBC fantasy/drama show focused on Jonathan Smith, an angel whose job was to save peoples' lives and work for God, his boss. Victor French played ex-cop Mark Gordon, who turned down a fortune but had redeemed himself by meeting Jonathan.
By the end of the fifth season in 1989, French was diagnosed with lung cancer and died in June of that same year. Landon was devastated by the loss and pulled the plug on Highway to Heaven (1984). In early 1991, after 35 years of working on NBC, he was axed by the network, so he moved to CBS to star in the pilot of a two-hour movie, Us (1991), in which he played Jeff Hayes, a man freed from prison by new evidence after 18 years wrongfully spent inside. This was going to be another one of Landon's shows but, in April 1991, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He later appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) to talk about his battle with the disease, and many people in the audience were affected by the courage and energy he showed. Unfortunately, he was already terminally ill by that time, and on Monday, July 1st, 1991, after a three-month battle, he finally succumbed to the disease. His family, his colleagues, and his children were all by his side. His life-time: Saturday, October 31st, 1936 to Monday, July 1st, 1991, was 19,966 days, equaling 2,852 weeks & 2 days.- Bartholomew Miro Jr. was born on 21 April 1948 in Queens, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Life Study (1973). He died on 8 May 1992 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Donald Woods was born in 1958 in Queens, New York. He died on 25 June 1992 in Manhattan, New York, USA.
- Producer
- Director
- Additional Crew
Leigh A. Wiener was a photographer noted for his portraits of famous people and historic events. Over his 40-year career Wiener's work appeared in many newspapers and magazines, including Life, Paris Match, the Los Angeles Times, and the Saturday Evening Post. Several of his portraits were acquired by and are displayed in the US's National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC. He was just beginning to attain the public acclaim that includes retrospective exhibitions of his work, when he died of Sweet's syndrome, a rare blood disease caused by exposure to radiation. It is believed he contracted this while covering atomic tests for Life Magazine in Nevada, USA in 1958.- Frederic Nay was born on 26 April 1911 in Queens, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Dämon Blut - 2. Teil (1920). He died on 18 August 1993 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Writer
- Additional Crew
- Script and Continuity Department
William Raynor was born on 9 April 1920 in Queens, New York, USA. He was a writer, known for Get Smart (1965), Karen (1964) and Murder Without Tears (1953). He was married to June R. ? and Betty Raynor. He died on 5 January 1994 in Bellingham, Washington, USA.- Writer
- Art Department
- Additional Crew
Don Heck was born on 2 January 1929 in Queens, New York, USA. Don was a writer, known for Iron Man (2008), Avengers: Endgame (2019) and Iron Man 3 (2013). Don died on 23 February 1995 in Centereach, Suffolk, New York, USA.- Don Lodice was born Dominici LoGuidice and was hailed as one of the greatest tenor sax players of the swing era. He studied at Newton High School, then joined the orchestras of Bunny Berigan and Tommy Dorsey, and worked in films at MGM and later in television since 1956. He joined ASCAP that year, and collaborated with Matt Dennis in co-writing "We Belong Together".