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1-6 of 6
- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
He wasn't a natural, instinctive talent but entertainer Ken Murray had solid breeding to rely on. Born in 1903 in New York City, his father was a vaudeville comic and Ken taught himself to dance, sing, tell jokes, and even perform rope tricks to try and get ahead. It paid off. Touring in an act with his first wife, Ken was soon headlining the Palace during the declining days of vaudeville. At first a hobby, Ken found another lucrative outlet when he went to Hollywood and bought a 16mm home movie camera to take shots of home and family. As his name around town increased, so did the quality of his subjects, which now included famous movie stars who mugged willingly for the camera. By the mid 1930s, his movies were being utilized by Columbia in a short subject series called "Screen Snapshots", clips that are still used today for documentaries and retrospects.
In 1942, Ken appeared as producer, star and overall ringleader of the stage show "Ken Murray's Blackouts", a strange blend of risqué humor, well-proportioned young starlets, musical interludes and novelty acts that ran for many years. In fact, it set a record at the time for the longest running show in the history of Los Angeles (7 years, 3,844 performances). It became an absolute must-see during WWII.
He received a special Academy Award in 1947 for "novel and entertaining use of the medium". Ken hosted his own TV show, The Ken Murray Show (1950), between 1950 and 1953. He worked in Las Vegas showrooms as well in the 50s, managing a few acting roles on the side, notably The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962). The showman with the distinct crew cut penned his autobiography "Life on a Pogo Stick" in 1960. In 1979 he edited his home movies into a film anthology called "Ken Murray's Shooting Stars".
He had four children, two boys and two girls -- his son Cort was a professional singer at one time.
Ken died at age 85 in Burbank, California.- Camera and Electrical Department
Wally Meinardus was born on 6 July 1912 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is known for Chain Lightning (1950), Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969) and How to Murder Your Wife (1965). He died on 12 October 1988 in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA.- Writer
- Director
- Actor
Rafael García Serrano was born on 11 February 1917 in Pamplona, Navarra, Spain. He was a writer and director, known for Los ojos perdidos (1966), The Black Tulip (1964) and Ronda española (1951). He died on 12 October 1988 in Madrid, Spain.- Actress
Randy Allen was born on 3 December 1929 in the USA. She was an actress. She was married to Lee Carroll. She died on 12 October 1988 in the USA.- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Leonard L. Capizzi was born on 18 October 1940 in Somerville, Massachusetts, USA. He is known for Love, Simon (2018), Silver Linings Playbook (2012) and Must Love Dogs (2005). He died on 12 October 1988 in Marin County, California, USA.- Kurt Fiebig was born on 29 February 1908 in Berlin, Germany. He was a composer, known for Der gehorsame Rebell (1952). He was married to Dorothea Simke. He died on 12 October 1988 in Hamburg, Germany.