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- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Dan Stevens was born at Croydon in Surrey on 10th October 1982. His parents are teachers. He was educated at Tonbridge School and trained in acting at the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain. He studied English Literature at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. Whilst he was a Cambridge undergraduate, he acted in several student drama productions. He played the title role in the Marlowe Dramatic Society's production of William Shakespeare's play, "Macbeth". This was staged at the Cambridge Arts Theatre from Tuesday 26th February to Saturday 2nd March 2002. The cast also featured Rebecca Hall in the roles of Lady Macbeth and Hecate. During one of his university summer holidays in August 2003 he went to Slovakia where he filmed his scenes for the Hallmark production of Frankenstein (2004). Dan played the part of Henry Clerval and the mini-series was first broadcast on American television on 5th October 2004. Shortly after graduating from Cambridge Dan was nominated for an Ian Charleson award for his performance as Orlando in "As You Like It" at the Rose Theatre at Kingston in Surrey. "As You Like It" was directed by Peter Hall and ran from 30th November to 18th December 2004. This production for the Peter Hall Company subsequently went on a tour of America in the early months of 2005, playing at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, the Curran Theater in San Francisco and the Harvey Theater at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York City. It featured Rebecca Hall in the role of Rosalind.
Dan was reunited with the director Peter Hall when he played Claudio in a new production of the Shakespeare play, "Much Ado About Nothing", for the Peter Hall Company at the Theatre Royal in Bath from 29th June to 6th August 2005. In February 2006 Dan played the parts of Marban and Maitland in a revival of Howard Brenton's controversial play, "The Romans in Britain", directed by Samuel West at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. Then in May 2006 he played Nick Guest, the protagonist in The Line of Beauty (2006). This three part television mini-series was adapted by Andrew Davies from the 2004 Booker prize winning novel by Alan Hollinghurst. The Line of Beauty (2006) is about Nick Guest's relationship with his university friend Toby Fedden. The story takes place in the 1980s. It is set against the backdrop of Margaret Thatcher's free market economic policies and the spread of the acquired immunity deficiency syndrome, (AIDS). These two social developments directly affect the characters in the story because Toby's father Gerald is a Conservative member of parliament and Nick is homosexual.
Whilst The Line of Beauty (2006) was being broadcast on BBC television, Dan was appearing as Simon Bliss in the Noël Coward play, "Hay Fever". This play was staged at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in London from 11th April to 5th August 2006 and the cast also included Judi Dench in the role of Judith Bliss. At the end of the year Dan played Lord Holmwood in a television dramatization of Dracula (2006), which was broadcast on 28th December 2006. In 2007 Dan played the part of Michael Faber in Miss Marple: Nemesis (2007), an Agatha Christie adaptation with Geraldine McEwan in the role of Miss Jane Marple. He also featured in the cast of Maxwell (2007), a television drama about the famous newspaper magnate. Maxwell (2007) was first broadcast on British television on 4th May 2007. David Suchet played Robert Maxwell, and Dan took the part of Basil Brookes, one of the press baron's financial directors.
Dan played the part of Edward Ferrars in a television dramatization of Jane Austen's novel, Sense & Sensibility (2008). This was broadcast in three episodes on BBC1 between Tuesday 1st and Sunday 13th January 2008. The novel was adapted for television by Andrew Davies, whom Dan had previously worked with on The Line of Beauty (2006). Davies felt that the part of Edward Ferrars was underdeveloped in the book, and so he deliberately added scenes not included in the novel to help draw out the character. So, for instance, we saw Edward out horse riding on the Norland estate and chopping logs at Barton Cottage. In the DVD audio commentary Dan joked that this was the best example of log chopping ever seen on British television! After Sense & Sensibility (2008), Dan featured in the cast of "The Tennis Court", a BBC Radio 4 Saturday play broadcast on 19th January 2008. He also played Nicky Lancaster in a revival of the Noël Coward play, "The Vortex", at the Apollo Theatre in London from Wednesday 20th February to Saturday 7th June 2008. This was another collaboration with the stage director, Peter Hall. Dan played the eponymous hero of "Dickens Confidential", a six part radio drama series set in the 1830s which imagines what might have happened if Charles Dickens had continued his career as a journalist. This was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 between Monday 9th June and Monday 14th July 2008. He played the part of Peregrine in 'Orley Farm', the BBC Radio 4 Classic Serial. This was a three part adaptation of the novel by Anthony Trollope broadcast between Sunday 28th December 2008 and Sunday 11th January 2009. A month later he played Duval in the BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour drama, 'The Lady of the Camellias'. This was broadcast between Monday 2nd and Friday 6th February 2009.- Actress
- Director
- Producer
Rose McIver was born in New Zealand to artist Ann "Annie" Coney and professional photographer John George Whitfield "Mac" McIver. Rose has an older brother, musician Paul McIver.
McIver started appearing in commercials when she was only 2 years old. She made her film debut in the film "The Piano" (1993), playing an angel. As a child actress, she mainly received roles in fantasy television series. She had roles in the television films "Hercules and the Amazon Women" (1994), "Hercules in the Underworld" (1994), "Hercules in the Maze of the Minotaur" (1994), the television series "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" (1995 - 1999), and the spin-off series "Xena: Warrior Princess" (1995 - 2001).
McIver received her first lead roles in television with the post-apocalyptic series "Maddigan's Quest" (2006) and the comedy-drama series "Rude Awakenings" (2007), both short-lived. She gained more attention for her role as Summer Landsdown (the Yellow Ranger) in "Power Rangers RPM" (2009) and appeared in all 32 episodes of the series.
McIver had a supporting role in the supernatural drama film "The Lovely Bones" (2009) as main character Susie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan)'s younger sister Lindsey Salmon, who helps investigate her sister's murder.
McIver had a main-cast role in the comedy series "Super City" (2011), and a recurring role in the period series "Masters of Sex" (2013-2016). In 2013, she joined the cast of fantasy series "Once Upon a Time" (2011-), where she plays Tinker Bell.
McIver plays the lead character Olivia "Liv" Moore in the comedy-drama series, "iZombie" (2015-). Olivia works as a coroner's assistant and tries to control the urges of her transformation into a zombie.- Jodi Lyn O'Keefe was born in Cliffwood Beach, New Jersey, to Noreen and Jack O'Keefe, a director of labor relations for Merck. She began modeling at the age of 8 after seeing her eldest sister Heather modelling. She modeled for various companies such as Gitano Jeans and DreamPhone. When she reached her teen years she attended Saint John Vianney High School in Holmdel, New Jersey. After her sophomore year Jodi left school to star on the soap Another World (1964), where she played Marguerite Cory. After she left Another World she immediately landed the role of Cassidy Bridges on the hit CBS cop action/drama Nash Bridges (1996). She played Cassidy for all 6 seasons. While she was filming Nash Bridges she made her big screen debut in the 1998 Halloween sequel Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998). Jodi then hit the spotlight when she portrayed the snobby, popular and rich Taylor Vaughan in the 1999 hit teen flick She's All That (1999). She then starred in three more movies before she began to keep a lower profile.
- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Actor, comedian and producer Wendi McLendon-Covey has been captivating audiences throughout her career.
Wendi recently concluded her impressive 10-season run starring on ABC's "The Goldbergs," a milestone marked by two Critic's Choice nominations. Notably, at the time of its conclusion, "The Goldbergs" stood as the longest-running network comedy currently on-air. Wendi is now transitioning on to her next series endeavor. "St. Denis Medical" is a new workplace comedy for NBC, which will announce its premiere date soon for 2024. Wendi most recently hosted HGTV's TV special "Frozen in Design," now streaming on MAX.
Wendi is a veteran of over 40 movies, including studio films such as "Bridesmaids," "What Men Want, and "Blended," as well as indie/festival films like "Hello, My Name is Doris," "Blush," and "Paint."
Wendi has emerged in recent years as a rising star in the animation field. She is currently recurring as 'Chief Patsy Stamos' on "Grimsburg" on FOX, as well as "Big City Greens" on Disney Plus. The film "Big City Greens: The Movie Spacecation" premieres early June on Disney Channel and Disney+. She also voiced 'Gale' in Disney Pixar's Oscar-nominated film "Elemental." Other animation credits include "Bob's Burgers," "M.O.D.O.K.," and "Solar Opposites."
True comedy fans will recognize Wendi from her role as 'Deputy Clementine Johnson' in the cult classic "Reno 911," a mockumentary about law enforcement. Her other television work includes appearances on "Modern Family," "Rules of Engagement," "The Office," and Netflix's "Unstable."
Wendi got her start at the world-famous Groundlings Theater in Los Angeles, where she excelled at both improv and sketch comedy. She currently resides in Long Beach with her husband of 27 years, and seven rescue cats.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Charles Dance is an English actor, screenwriter, and film director. Dance typically plays assertive bureaucrats or villains. Some of his most high-profile roles are Tywin Lannister in HBO's Game of Thrones (2011), Guy Perron in The Jewel in the Crown (1984), Sardo Numspa in The Golden Child (1986), Dr. Jonathan Clemens in Alien 3 (1992), Benedict in Last Action Hero (1993), the Master Vampire in Dracula Untold (2014), Lord Havelock Vetinari in Terry Pratchett's Going Postal (2010), Alastair Denniston in The Imitation Game (2014) and William Randolph Hearst in Mank (2020).
He played the role of Tywin Lannister in HBO's Game of Thrones (2011), based on the Song of Ice and Fire novels by George R. R. Martin.
In 1989, he played Bond creator Ian Fleming in Anglia Television's drama biography.- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Bradley Whitford's credits in film, television and theater include work with some of the most noted writers, directors and playwrights in the arts, and constitute a career worthy of a Juilliard-trained actor -- which he is. But stardom is something else altogether, and it remained elusive, at least until 1999 and his appearance on NBC's acclaimed political drama, The West Wing (1999).
Bradley Whitford was born in Madison, Wisconsin, to Genevieve Smith Whitford, a poet and writer, and George Van Norman Whitford. He studied theater and English literature at Wesleyan University and earned a master's degree in theater from the prestigious Juilliard Theater Center. Whitford's first professional performance was in the off-Broadway production of "Curse of the Starving Class," with Kathy Bates. He also starred in the Broadway production of "The West Wing" creator Aaron Sorkin's "A Few Good Men." His additional theater credits include "Three Days of Rain" at the Manhattan Theatre Club, "Measure for Measure" at the Lincoln Center, and the title role in "Coriolanus" at the Folger Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D.C.
Some of Whitford's most memorable performances include roles in such films as The Muse (1999) with Albert Brooks and Bicentennial Man (1999) with Robin Williams. He has also appeared in Scent of a Woman (1992), A Perfect World (1993), Philadelphia (1993), The Client (1994), My Life (1993), Red Corner (1997), Presumed Innocent (1990), and My Fellow Americans (1996). He also had a prominent supporting part in the horror thriller Get Out (2017), as a suspicious suburban father.- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Aimeé Richelle Teegarden, is an American actress, model, director and producer. She starred as Julie Taylor in the NBC drama Friday Night Lights (2006) from 2006 to 2011. In 2011, she co-starred with Dennis Quaid in Martin Guigui's thriller Beneath the Darkness (2011). Later she plays Jenny Randall in the horror film Scream 4 (2011) and as Nova Prescott in the Disney film Prom (2011). In 2014, she starred as Emery Whitehill in The CW's short-lived science fiction romantic drama Star-Crossed (2014), and in 2017, she had a role in the horror sequel Rings (2017).- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Director
Marc Menchaca was born on 10 October 1975 in San Angelo, Texas, USA. He is an actor and director, known for Ozark (2017), Homeland (2011) and She's Lost Control (2014). He has been married to Lena Headey since 8 October 2022.- Actress
- Director
- Producer
Bai Ling is recognized for unbridled freedom and creativity, Bai Ling has become undoubtedly one of the world's most diverse and captivating actresses! Born in the city of Cheng Du in southern China, Bai Ling began her career at age of 14. She enlisted In the Chinese People's Liberation Army, where she spent three years in a performance troupe entertaining soldiers stationed in Tibet. She first gained the attention of audiences and critics alike when she won the coveted lead role opposite Richard Gere in Jon Avnet's Red Corner (1997). She received numerous accolades including the prestigious Breakthrough Performance Award from the National Board of Review. She also garnered the Discovery Star awarded by the Hollywood Women's Press Club for their Golden Apple Awards. While developing her remarkable facility with the English language, she has worked with such prestigious filmmakers as Oliver Stone in Nixon (1995), George Lucas in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005), Barry Sonnenfeld in Wild Wild West (1999), Spike Lee in She Hate Me (2004), Andy Tennant in Anna and the King (1999), Ang Lee in The Wedding Banquet (1993), Alex Proyas in The Crow (1994) and Luc Besson' in )Taxi 3 (2003)_, in which she spoke French. She also starred in Terrence Malick's Broadway production of "Sansho the Bailiff". She dazzled audiences with her portrayal of the sexy, mysterious Achara in the hit TV series Lost (2004), and intrigued viewers with her seductive yet exhilarating role in HBO's Entourage (2004).
Bai Ling was awarded the Asian Oscar for her brilliant performance in her first Hong Kong film Three... Extremes (2004). It also earned her an additional three major awards in the Far East. She received the Spirit Diversity Award by The Hollywood Motion Picture Association. Her film Southland Tales (2006), directed by Richard Kelly was in competition at the Cannes Film Festival.
Bai starred in and executive-produced Shanghai Baby (2007). She has worked with Taylor Hackford in Love Ranch (2010), co-starring with Helen Mirren and Joe Pesci, and had a leading role in the Jason Statham action comedy Crank: High Voltage (2009) with costar with Jason Statham.- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Joelle Carter can be seen in such feature cult favorites as High Fidelity (2000) and American Pie 2 (2001), and indies Swimming (2000) and Lisa Picard Is Famous (2000). In addition, Carter has starred in numerous television projects, including the controversial series Wonderland (2000), created by Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights (2004)). Furthermore, she is very proud of the documentary Altered by Elvis (2006), which she co-produced. Carter also co-produced and starred in the short A Girl and a Gun (2008), which won Best Original Short at the 2008 Washougal International Film Festival. She was thrilled to attend the 2008 Cannes Film Festival with the film Jumping In (2008), in which she starred. Carter recently attended the Boston Film Festival, where her latest film, To Be Friends (2010) (directed by Jim Eckhart, executive-produced by Aaron Eckhart, and co-starring Todd Stashwick), was honored and opened the festival.
Carter's upcoming features include "City of Jerks" (directed by Phedon Papamichael) and Eyes to See (2010), both set to release in 2011.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Stocky tough-guy character actor Richard Jaeckel was one of Hollywood's most prolific supporting stars. Born in Long Island, New York, on October 10, 1926, Jaeckel's family moved to Los Angeles when he was still in his teens. After graduation from Hollywood High School, Jaeckel was discovered by a casting director while working as a mailboy for 20th Century-Fox. Although he had some reluctance to act, Jaeckel accepted a key part in the war epic Guadalcanal Diary (1943) and remained in films for over 50 years, graduating from playing baby-faced teenagers (like Dick Clark, Jaeckel never seemed to age) to gunfighters and hired killers with ease. From 1944-48 he served in the US Navy, and after his discharge he co-starred in Sands of Iwo Jima (1949) with John Wayne. Jaeckel's other notable roles in films include one of a trio of GIs accused of raping a German girl in Town Without Pity (1961)--a standout performance--and The Dirty Dozen (1967) as tough MP Sgt. Clyde Bowren, who goes along on the mission to keep an eye on the prisoners he's trained, a role he reprised in a made-for-TV sequel in 1985. Jaeckel also received an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor for his funny but tragic performance in Sometimes a Great Notion (1971). Although he appeared in over 70 films, he was very active in television series such as Frontier Circus (1961), Banyon (1971), Firehouse (1974), Salvage 1 (1979), At Ease (1983), Spenser: For Hire (1985) and Supercarrier (1988). From 1991-94 he played Lt. Ben Edwards on the hit series Baywatch (1989). He passed away after a three-year battle with melanoma cancer on June 14, 1997, at the Motion Picture and Television Hospital in Woodland Hills, California. Jaeckel was 70 years old.- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Sarah Lancashire was born on 10 October 1964 in Oldham, Lancashire, England, UK. She is an actress and producer, known for Happy Valley (2014), Yesterday (2019) and Clocking Off (2000). She has been married to Peter Salmon since 22 August 2001. They have one child. She was previously married to Gary Hargreaves.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Christopher Shannon Penn was born on October 10, 1965 in Los Angeles, California, the third son of actress Eileen Ryan (née Annucci) and director, actor, and writer Leo Penn. His siblings are musician Michael Penn and actor Sean Penn. His father was from a Lithuanian Jewish/Russian Jewish family, and his mother is of half-Italian and half-Irish descent.
Penn set out to follow in his parents' footsteps and started acting at age twelve in the Loft Studio. While in high school he and his brother Sean made several shorts with their classmates, which included such would-be stars as Emilio Estevez and Rob Lowe. Penn made his onscreen debut in the Christopher Cain movie, Charlie and the Talking Buzzard (1979). After a few years Penn caught the eye of acclaimed director Francis Ford Coppola, who cast him in a supporting role in the teen drama Rumble Fish (1983). Although the film was a flop critically and commercially, Penn's career was well under way.
That same year he acted in All the Right Moves (1983), a high school drama film starring a young Tom Cruise. The next year Penn gave a performance in Footloose (1984), starring Kevin Bacon and dealing with a small town which bans rock & roll music. The movie was a smash hit, and remains a classic to this day. Penn followed this up with a villainous role in Clint Eastwood's Pale Rider (1985), and the crime movie At Close Range (1986), starring Christopher Walken.
Penn acted in a few smaller productions until he was cast as Travis Brickley in the sports drama Best of the Best (1989). Penn's character is a martial arts fighter who joins the other main characters when they enter a taekwondo tournament against the Korean team. The movie spawned several sequels, though Penn only appeared in the first and second films. A few more jobs followed until Penn landed what is known as his most famous movie: Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs (1992). The indie crime film concerned a heist gone wrong, as the criminals search for a rat in their midst. Penn played the role of Nice Guy Eddie, the son of the old gangster that arranges the heist. The film continues to receive acclaim as a classic movie and as the start of Tarantino's directing career. Penn also acted in the Tarantino-scripted Tony Scott crime movie True Romance (1993), albeit in a much smaller role. Penn also took a supporting role in the ensemble film Short Cuts (1993) by Robert Altman.
After participating in these acclaimed films, Penn took on several smaller projects, including a role as the villain in the second "Beethoven" movie. In this period of time, Penn acted in such films as the crime film Mulholland Falls (1996), set in the 1950s. Penn then gave one of his greatest performances in the Abel Ferrara crime drama The Funeral (1996). The movie starred Christopher Walken, Penn, and Vincent Gallo as three brothers who are involved in the world of crime, even as it threatens to take them all down. Penn plays Chez, the middle brother, who has a very short temper. Penn also sang a song in the film as his character. While the film was well received critically and Penn received an award for Best Supporting Actor at the Venice Film Festival for his excellent performance, The Funeral (1996) went largely unseen. Penn followed up with the Canadian film The Boys Club (1996), the crime thriller One Tough Cop (1998), and a supporting role in the hit comedy Rush Hour (1998).
Following his latest success, Penn acted in the drama-comedy The Florentine (1999), the English comedy Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2001), and the crime thriller Murder by Numbers (2002). Penn was also one of the many stars that acted in the box office failure Masked and Anonymous (2003), starring Bob Dylan. The last few years of his career mainly featured supporting roles in such movies as After the Sunset (2004), Starsky & Hutch (2004), and the Canadian crime film King of Sorrow (2007), his last film appearance. Throughout his life Penn had had battles with heart disease and multiple drug use. He was found dead in his home on January 24, 2006. He was only forty years old.
Penn left behind a career that featured many roles in small, independent productions as well as several very well-known films. Penn worked with several esteemed directors and fellow actors, lending his talent to both television and film. Although he never received nearly as much attention or as many awards as his brother Sean, Chris Penn will always be remembered by those who watch movies and appreciate his work.- Actress
- Writer
- Music Department
American actress-author-composer Jessica Harper was born on October 10, 1949 in Chicago, Illinois, to Eleanor (Emery), a writer, and Paul Church Harper, Jr., a painter who was chairman of the Needham Harper Worldwide advertising agency in NY. Jessica launched her professional acting career soon after graduating from Sarah Lawrence. Drawing on her considerable singing skills, she was an understudy in the Broadway production of the "tribal love" rock musical Hair (1979) -- other understudies included Diane Keaton, Melba Moore, Keith Carradine, Meat Loaf and Cliff De Young, who would later co-star with Harper in Shock Treatment (1981),which also showcased her musical gifts.
In the 1970s and 1980s, she developed quite a reputation for herself as a cult actress: her wide-eyed, fresh-faced beauty and air of melancholy made her a unique presence on film. As "Cathy Cake" in the X-rated Inserts (1975), she was arguably the first "serious" American actress to have a truly explicit on-screen sex scene. Other memorable films she appeared in were Brian De Palma's Phantom of the Paradise (1974), Dario Argento's seminal slasher film Suspiria (1977), and two for Woody Allen: Love and Death (1975) and Stardust Memories (1980). Since her appearance in the American remake of Dennis Potter's Pennies from Heaven (1981) and My Favorite Year (1982), her film career has cooled somewhat (likely as directors didn't know how to use this seemingly fragile, ethereal and always unique talent), though she continues to work steadily in film and on television.
Since the 1990s, Harper -- the wife of motion picture executive Tom Rothman -- has developed a second successful career as an author of children's books and as a composer of music for children. She has written four picture books in collaboration with her sister, Lindsay Harper DuPont, including her most recent, "A Place Called Kindergarten". Her debut music CD, "A Wonderful Life" (1994), which won both a Parent's Choice Gold Award and a National Association of Parenting Publications Award, was particularly praised for the lyrics written by Harper. Her other five children's music CDs include "Inside Out" and "Hey, Picasso".- Actor
- Producer
- Director
"Shall We Begin!", the battlecry of The undefeated Gaul Crixus first bought Manu Bennett's voice & acting career to international attention. Spartacus: Gods of the Arena (2011) spoke a universal language that slowly but surely captured a massive audience. The the show lost lead actor Andy Whitfield to cancer, Bennett's pivotal role, transitioning from Spartacus' nemesis to a slave rebel leader, he was credited for maintaining throughout, the heart & strength of the series. Producer/Director Peter Jackson then employed Bennett to portray Orc Leader "Azog - The Defiler". At the World Premiere of The Hobbit, Peter Jackson told press that Bennett's was the "The Breakout Performance". Although many Tolkein fans failed to recognize him beneath the CGI veneer, Bennett's looming presence, hunting down Thorin Oakenshield & culminating in the ultimate face-off, where both characters die, Bennett entered the catalogue of the great cinematic Villain Performances. DC Comic soldier of fortune, Slade Wildon aka Deathstroke had slumbered for two decades until Bennett reprised the role on the CW series Arrow. Many DC fans declared Bennett as the best villain on the hit series when he established a heartfelt dominant core relationship with Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell). The two befriended upon the Island of Lian Yu before an incident with a super-drug called Mirakuru transformed Slade into the archetypal good guy/bad guy Deathstroke. Originally penned by Marv Wolfman & illustrated by George Perez, Deathstroke has now become a hot property for the DC Universe with Tony Daniels illustrating the new series of Deathstroke comic books & a Warner Bros Deathstroke feature film pending. When MTV shifted their focus toward producing original series they selected Bennett to portray the Dark Druid Allanon in the newly acquired Shannara Chronicles Series. Bennett had just the right mix of stoicism, angst & dramatic suave sought by the Shannara producers & author Terry Brooks. Manu Bennett is of Maori, Scottish, English, French & Finish ancestry. Bennett was born in Auckland, New Zealand. Bennett's great grandfather Frederick Augustus Bennett was the first Maori Bishop of the Anglican Church in New Zealand. Bennett's namesake Manuhuia Bennett (grandfather) was also ordained an Anglican Bishop. The Bennett name has roots dating back to a French Benedictine Monastery established in Northumbria in Northern England circa 500AD. The monastery was subsequently turned into a defensive fort named Chillingham Castle. With the advent of surnames circa 1000AD, the name Bennett was derived from Benedictine.
Manu Bennett's father Charles Edward Tiwha (Ted) Bennett was a popular New Zealand singer who recorded a No.1 hit "Clap Your Hands" & several other hits in the early 1960's. Bennett's mother Jean Clark was a bikini model from Australia who paraded the very first two piece bikini for designer Paula Stafford. Bennett's parents met during the Spring Blossom Festival in Hastings New Zealand. Bennett has two older siblings, Stephen & Rachel. The Bennett family moved to Australia in 1970. Jean Bennett nee Clark, was the winner of the Miss Paradise Beach, a swimsuit title held on the Gold Coast of Australia. Bennett's first acting job was on a series titled Paradise Beach, where he played stud, surf lifesaver, iron man Kirk Barsby. Bennett's mother, Jean, died in a car accident in 1985. His brother Stephen suffered injuries in a separate car accident & died only two weeks later.
During his schooling Manu Bennett trained as a dancer & musician & well as playing Rugby Union. Bennett was selected for the First XV for Te Aute College a Maori Boy school know for their strong rugby union history. On return to Australia Bennett was selected for the NSW Schoolboys Rugby Union Team & to trial for the Australian National Team. Bennett was prevented from attending the National trial outs due to a prior commitment to a ballet production of Swan Lake in which he had to perform the male lead. In the the 90's Bennett had to choose between a ballet scholarship in New York or an acting scholarship at The Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute. Bennett decided to pursue his acting career & attended the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in Los Angeles.
Manu has appeared on various TV dramas & feature films, including multiple award winning "Lantana," opposite Anthony La Paglia. His first physical role was with appearing opposite Jon Cena on "The Marine". WWE was impressed with Bennett so gave him a role in their second feature film The Condemned starring opposite "Stone Cold" Steve Austin & Vinnie Jones. Rob Tapert cast Bennett as Marc Antony in Xena Warrior Princess, then opposite Josh Hartnett in the Vampire Horror 30 Days Of Night, then was pivotal in Bennett getting the role of Crixus in the series Spartacus.
Previous TV credits include starring roles in successful New Zealand productions "Shortland Street," "Street Legal," "Mataku," "Creature Of Quest," "Going Straight," and as Marc Antony opposite his "Spartacus" co-star Lucy Lawless in Tapert and Raimi's hit series "Xena: Warrior Princess."- Da'Vinchi, born Abraham D. Juste, is a Haitian-American actor with a magnetic charm. Starting his career in NYC as a spoken word artist and rapper, he quickly fell into the acting realm. Studying the craft under one of his mentors Marc John Jeffries, Da'Vinchi booked Marvel's Jessica Jones, and then a recurring role on ABC's hit show Grown-ish out the gate. Da'Vinchi has proven to be a future prominent force in Hollywood playing alongside Ben Affleck in The Way Back, guest starring in the CW's popular sports drama All American and signing to one of the top agencies in the business, APA, in just under 2 years. Da'Vinchi also has a passion for philanthropy and plans on using his platform to help the youth find their purpose and identify their gifts.
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- Producer
- Writer
Peter Coyote was born in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA as Robert Peter Cohon to Ruth (Fidler) and Morris Cohon, an investment banker. He is an actor, known for Bitter Moon (1992), Sphere (1998) and Patch Adams (1998). Coyote was previously married to Stefanie Pleet and Marilyn McCann.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Chiaki Kuriyama was born on October 10, 1984 in Tsuchiura, Japan. She was a popular model during Japan's child model boom in the mid-90s. In 1997, she appeared in the photo books Girl of Myth & Girl's Residence, which were photographed by Kishin Shinoyama. Girl of Myth became a best-seller but as it contained some nudity, it was discontinued by the publisher in 1999 after the institution of new anti-child pornography laws. She also posed as a model for the child fashion magazines Nicola & Pichi Lemon.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Suzy was born in Gwangju, South Korea on October 10, 1994. She attended Seoul Performing Arts High School. Before debuting, she was an online shopping model. In 2009, she auditioned for Mnet Superstar K and made it through the preliminary round but she was ultimately eliminated. However, she caught the attention of a scout from JYP Entertainment and soon became a trainee. After training for a year, she was paired with fellow members Fei and Jia. After the addition of Min into the group, the four of them prepared to debut as miss A.- Kyle Allen was born on 10 October 1994 in Livermore, California, USA. He is an actor, known for West Side Story (2021), The Map of Tiny Perfect Things (2021) and All My Life (2020).
- Lucy Griffiths (10 October 1986) is an English actress and was born in Brighton, England. Griffiths was educated at Roedean School, Windlesham House School, Dorothy Stringer High School and Varndean College. She is a former member of the National Youth Music Theatre. She first appeared on television in Sea of Souls and then Sugar Rush, and on stage in The White Devil. She was most famous for her role as Marian in the BBC drama Robin Hood and Ruth in the TV series The Little House. Her most recent notable performance was her appearance as Nora, Eric Northman's "sister", in the HBO series True Blood.
- Actress
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Benevolent, sweet-faced, actress and comedienne Julia (Anne) Sweeney, who was born on October 10, 1959 in Spokane, Washington, is normally identified with one single, highly unappetizing androgynous character. This sniveling, chunky-framed, springy-haired, plaid shirt-wearing, grotesque-looking character named Pat was the basis of many hilarious sketches that toyed with revealing his/her true gender.
Julia, the oldest of five children born to an Irish-Catholic federal prosecutor, demonstrated an early talent for mimicry but downplayed any interest in performing for serious college studies. With a prep school education, she first came into contact with the show business arena following graduation. Behind the scenes she worked for five years as an accountant for Columbia Studios in Los Angeles.
Finally developing the courage to realize her dream, she started taking classes on a whim at the famed Groundlings Theater. After fine-tuning her skills in improv, character development and sketch-writing, Julia was escalated to the big time appearing on such TV shows as "Brothers," "Hard Time on Planet Earth" and "Not Necessarily the News, she hit an early peak when she was selected to join Saturday Night Live (1975) in 1990 as a featured player.
Though she became a regular cast member the following season and found an instant audience rapport with her creepy Pat character, the comic gifts were vastly underused, which seemed to be the case for many of its distaff team at the time. "Pat" would outshine practically everything else she did on the show, including her timid wallflower type named "Mea Culpa," whose character became the basis of a stage show co-written by Julia and actor/writer/husband Stephen Hibbert called "Mea's Big Apology" in 1992. During her SNL stay, she managed some outside work with small roles in the comedy Honey, I Blew Up the Kid (1992) the SNL related feature film Coneheads (1993) and the drama Pulp Fiction (1994).
Highly discouraged, Julia parted ways with SNL in 1994 and worked up a feature film version of It's Pat: The Movie (1994) while her irons in the fire were hot. She co-wrote the script with Hibbert and co-starred with David Foley who played Pat's equally androgynous partner "Chris." The feature film did not generate great buzz, however, as it was basically a one-joke premise stretched to the limit.
Life turned extremely dark for Julia at this point. Divorced from Hibbert, brother Michael developed lymphoma. She and her family vainly tried to nurse him back to health. Following his death, Julia herself was forced to fight a life-threatening illness -- cervical cancer. The whole process triggered an outpouring of writing which evolved into a hit one-woman stage show entitled, "God Said, Ha!" Applauded for its candor, wit and humorous handling of such painful subjects, the monologue debuted in San Francisco in 1995, and was playing Broadway by November of the following year.
Eventually Julia contributed a few character cameos in such films as Stuart Saves His Family (1995) starring SNL alumni Al Franken; the Rodney Dangerfield slapstick vehicle Meet Wally Sparks (1997); and former SNL Chevy Chase's lampoon entry Vegas Vacation (1997). Preserving her applauded stage work on film, she wrote and directed God Said, 'Ha!' (1998), with Quentin Tarantino in the producer's chair. While embracing this second career-defining moment, Julia won an Audience Award at the New York Comedy Festival in 1998 for her efforts, and earned a Grammy nomination for the CD version.
Following work on such popular TV sitcoms as "Hope and Gloria," "3rd Rock from the Sun," "George & Leo" (recurring) and "Suddenly Susan," Julia went on to complete a trilogy of personal sojourns on stage into the millennium. "In the Family Way" (2003) recounted her experience adopting a daughter as a single parent, and "Letting Go of God" (2004) traced her religious roots from devout Catholic to atheist.
Other comedy film roles have included her Mom role as Beth Newton in Beethoven's 3rd (2000) and Beethoven's 4th (2001), Clockstoppers (2002) and a voice in the animated feature Monsters University (2013). On TV, she had another Mom role in the TV high school comedy series Maybe It's Me (2001) and appeared in guest parts in "According to Jim," "Frasier" and "Sex and the City," plus recurring roles on Shrill (2019) and Work in Progress (2019).- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Jodi Benson was born on October 10, 1961 in Rockford, Illinois as Jodi Marie Marzorati. She has received worldwide recognition & critical acclaim as the voice of Ariel in The Little Mermaid (1989), Tour Guide Barbie in Toy Story 2 (1999), Weebo in Flubber (1997) as well as Thumbelina in Thumbelina (1994). Other projects include The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning (2008), The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea (2000), Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure (2001), 101 Dalmatians 2: Patch's London Adventure (2002), Joseph: King of Dreams (2000), Balto: Wolf Quest (2001), Balto III: Wings of Change (2004) & Enchanted (2007).
She starred in Crazy For You as Polly Baker, receiving a Tony & Helen Hayes award nomination for best actress in a musical. Other Broadway credits include Smile, Welcome to the Club & Marilyn. Internationally, she has had the honor of sharing the stage w/ her husband Ray Benson at the European premiere of Ira Gershwin's My One & Only, starring as Miss Edythe Herbert. In Los Angeles, she starred in the critically-acclaimed Reprise/UCLA production of Babes in Arms, South Pacific, Flora the Red Menace, Oklahoma!, My Fair Lady & Chess, for which she won the Best Actress Drama League Award.
She can be heard in over a dozen recordings & has a 6-part DVD series titled Baby Faith. Her animated works include Camp Lazlo! (2005), The Little Mermaid (1992), Batman Beyond (1999), The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy (2003), The Wild Thornberrys (1998), Hercules: Zero to Hero (1999), P.J. Sparkles (1992) as well as many others. On the concert stage, she has performed as a concert soloist w/ symphonies all over the world such as the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, The National Symphony, Cleveland Philharmonic, Dallas Philharmonic, Tokyo Philharmonic to name a few. She has starred in the Kennedy Center Honors for Ginger Rogers, The 25th Anniversary of Walt Disney, Central Park Disney Spectacular & Disney's 100 Years of Magic. She's honored to be the resident guest soloist for the Walt Disney Company/Disney Cruise Line & ambassador for feature animation. She gives thanks & praise to the Lord for her family, friends, her loving husband Ray as well as her precious children: son McKinley Benson & daughter Delaney.- Maggie Elizabeth Jones was born on October 10, 2003 in Atlanta, Georgia. This young actress has worked with a number of the industry's biggest stars and directors in a variety of diverse and challenging roles. Maggie received rave reviews for her role as Matt Damon's daughter in Cameron Crowe's film We Bought A Zoo (2011). In 2013, Maggie was as series regular on the FOX TV series Ben and Kate, opposite Dakota Johnson and Nat Faxon. Maggie and her sister, Mary-Charles Jones, have worked together twice in Footloose (2011) and again in Identity Thief (2013). Maggie also worked with her younger sister, Lillian Ellen Jones, on the pilot episode of Halt and Catch Fire (2014). More recently Maggie worked with Jason Lee on the film Away and Back (2015). In the spring of 2016 Maggie can be seen in the lead role of Lea Clark in the American Girl Doll Film, Lea to the Rescue.
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Amber Scott was born in the USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Hook (1991), Cannonball (2019) and American Experience (1987).- Producer
- Writer
- Director
Tim Miller is an American animator, film director, creative director and visual effects artist. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for the work on his short animated film Gopher Broke. He made his directing debut with Deadpool. Miller is also famous for creating opening sequences of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Thor: The Dark World.- Actress
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Emer Kenny was born on 10 October 1989 in Haringey, London, England, UK. She is an actress and writer, known for The Curse (2022), Karen Pirie (2022) and The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself (2022). She has been married to Rick Edwards since 28 May 2016.- Actress
- Composer
- Writer
From the adorably quirky Ann in State and Main, to a sister seeking justice in The Winslow Boy, to the tightly wound risk taker in The Spanish Prisoner, Rebecca Pidgeon has portrayed a wide range of multifaceted characters in both film, television and on the stage. In addition to the aforementioned films directed by David Mamet and also including Heist, starring alongside Gene Hackman, Pidgeon appeared alongside Helen Mirren, Bruce Willis and Morgan Freeman in Red for director Robert Schwentke.
Pidgeon was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to British parents, Elaine R. (Simpson), a yoga teacher, and Carl R. Pidgeon, a professor then teaching at MIT. She spent much of her childhood in Edinburgh, Scotland. Her paternal grandmother's sister was visual artist Olga Lehmann, and Rebecca's ancestry is English, as well as Scottish, German, and French.
Pidgeon's television credits include Phil Spector for HBO, opposite Al Pacino and Jesse Stone: Sea Change for CBS, opposite Tom Selleck. She had recurring roles on the hit series The Unit for CBS and The Shield for F/X and played a regular role on In Justice for ABC. Rebecca did memorable turns in Uncle Vanya for The BBC and in Samuel Beckett's Catastrophe, opposite Sir John Gielgud and Harold Pinter for Channel 4.
Pidgeon played 'Deeny' in The Old Neighborhood on Broadway and 'Claire' in Boston Marriage at The Geffen Playhouse. She originated the role of 'Carol' in Oleanna Off-Broadway, which had it's World Premiere at The Orpheum Theatre. The character was described by one critic as "Mamet's most fully realized female character...a mousy, confused cipher". As a member of The Royal National Theatre in London, Rebecca received stellar notices for her work in Speed-the-Plow and The Changeling. She is also a member of The Atlantic Theatre Company, where she starred in Dangerous Corner. Rebecca is a graduate of London's prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
In addition to her accomplished career as an actress, Pidgeon is a singer/songwriter, whose latest album Slingshot has been nominated for a Grammy Award.
Rebecca is married to playwright/director David Mamet. Her children are Noah and Clara Mamet, an actress, and actress Zosia Mamet is her stepdaughter. Rebecca is a convert to Judaism.- Actor
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Born in San Diego, California, on October 10th, 1973, to Mario and Elvira, Mario Lopez's first professional role was on the series, a.k.a. Pablo (1984). Mario is probably best known to youngsters, however, as A.C. Slater from NBC's popular 1980s teen comedy series Saved by the Bell (1989). Among Mario's other credits are several other popular television series, such as Pacific Blue (1996) and the movies Colors (1988), Depraved (1996) and Eastside (1999). Mario has proven himself as a talented and prolific presenter, having hosted such series as Name Your Adventure (1992), The Other Half (2001) and Pet Star (2002).- Actress
- Producer
Amanda Burton was born and raised in Derry, Northern Ireland. Leaving aged 18 to train as an actress at Manchester Polytechnic School of Theatre. Amanda has since become one of Britain's most respected and admired actresses often taking on leading strong roles in dramas. She is the mother of two daughters Phoebe (b. 1989) and Brid (b. 1990) and lives in London.- Actor
- Producer
Ali Suliman is one of the most prominent Arab actors in the international film industry. This is evidenced by his dominant presence across the 2021's international festivals with a slew of remarkable works, including Amira (2021) by director Mohamed Diab at the Venice International Film Festival, Huda's Salon (2021) by director Hany Abu Assad and Jordanian film Farha by director Darin J. Sallam at the Toronto International Film Festival, as well as Al Naher (The River) by director and writer Ghassan Salhab at the Locarno International Film Festival. Additionally, Suliman recently worked on Terrence Malick's latest film The Way of Wind, and British film The Swimmers by director Sally El-Husseiny. Suliman has previously worked on more than 50 films with high-profile directors and producers across the Arab world, Europe, and the US, including director Hany Abu Assad in his breakthrough film Paradise Now (2005) - which marked Palestine's first-ever nomination for an Academy Award in the Best Foreign Language Feature Film Category - well-known director Ridley Scott in Body of Lies (2008), Peter Berg in The Kingdom (2007) and Lone Survivor (2013), and Palestinian director Elia Suleiman in It Must Be Heaven (2019), which won two awards at 2019 Cannes Interntaional Film Festival. Moreover, Suliman has worked on a number of other successful films, such as The Last Friday (2011) by director Yahya Alabdallah - which is the first Jordanian film to participate in the Berlin International Film Festival - British TV series The State (2017), American series Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan (2018), Palestinian film 200 Meters (2020) by director Ameen Nayfeh, The Worthy (2016) by Emirati director Ali Mostafa, and Rattle the Cage (2015) by Emirati director Majid Al-Ansari. It is also worth mentioning that Suliman received several awards and nominations from international festivals, including the Best Actor Award at the El Gouna Film Festival and the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival for his film 200 Meters by director Ameen Nayfeh, and from the Dubai International Film Festival and the Carthage Film Festival for his film The Last Friday. Suliman's most recent appearance was in Sally El-Hosaini's film THE SWIMMERS, which opened the 47th Toronto International Film Festival, was screened at the 44th Cairo International Film Festival, and is also available now on Netflix, where it ranked first in the top 10 most watched films in the Arab world during its first week of streaming. Furthermore, he was a jury member at the 2022 Red Sea International Film Festival's Features Competition.- Writer
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- Producer
James Clavell was born on October 10, 1921, in Sydney, New South Wales, as Charles Edmund Dumaresq Clavell. He was a film and TV writer and producer. During World War II, he was a British soldier and a Japanese prisoner on Java and in Singapore, which led to his great interest in things East Asian and Japanese, and the experiences of prisoners of war. Clavell is very well-known for "The Great Escape" (1963), "The Satan Bug" (1965), "King Rat" (1965), "To Sir, with Love" (1967), "Tai-Pan" (1986), "Noble House" (1988), and especially "Shogun" (1980). Shogun won the Golden Globe Award for Best TV-Series - Drama and the Emmy Award for Outstanding Limited Series: James Clavell (executive producer).
Clavell was married to April Stride, and they were parents of two children. He died on September 7, 1994, in Vevey, Vaud, Switzerland.- Actress
- Director
- Producer
Andrea Navedo was born on 10 October 1969 in The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress and director, known for Remember Me (2010), Superfast! (2015) and Bright (2017).- Actress
- Soundtrack
Known as "The First lady of the American Theater", Helen Hayes had a legendary career on stage and in films and television that spanned over eighty years. Hayes was born in Washington, D.C., to Catherine Estelle "Essie" Hayes, an actress who worked in touring companies, and Francis van Arnum Brown, a clerk and salesman. Her maternal grandparents were Irish. A child actress in the first decade of the 20th century, by the time she turned twenty in 1920 she was well on her way to a landmark career on the American stage, becoming perhaps the greatest female star of the theatre during the 1930s and 1940s. She made a handful of scattered films during the silent era and in 1931 was signed to MGM with great fanfare to begin a career starring in films. Her first three films, Arrowsmith (1931), The Sin of Madelon Claudet (1931), and A Farewell to Arms (1932), were great hits and she would win the 1932 Oscar for Best Actress for her work in Madelon Claudet. Alas, her lack of screen glamour worked against her becoming a box office star during the golden era of Hollywood, and her subsequent films were often not well received by critics. Within four years she had abandoned the screen and returned to the stage for the greatest success of her career, "Victoria Regina", which ran for three years starting in 1935. Helen Hayes returned to motion pictures with a few featured roles in 1950s films and frequently appeared on television. In 1970, she made a screen comeback in Airport (1970), a role originally offered to Claudette Colbert, who declined it, earning Hayes her second Oscar, this time for Best Supporting Actress. Helen Hayes retired from the stage in 1971 but enjoyed enormous fame and popularity over the next fifteen years with many roles in motion pictures and television productions, retiring in 1985 after starring in the TV film Murder with Mirrors (1985).- Composer
- Music Department
- Actor
Michael Giacchino is an American composer of music for films, television and video games.
Giacchino composed the scores to the television series Lost, Alias and Fringe, the video game series Medal of Honor and Call of Duty and many films such as The Incredibles (2004), Star Trek (2009), Up (2009), Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014), Jurassic World (2015), Inside Out (2015), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), War for the Planet of the Apes (2017) and Coco (2017).
For his work on Up he earned an Academy Award for Best Original Score.- Writer
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Hacks are nothing new in Hollywood. Since the beginning of the film industry at the turn of the 20th century, thousands of untalented people have come to Los Angeles from all over America and abroad to try to make it big (as writers, producers, directors, actors, talent agents, singers, composers, musicians, artists, etc.) but who end up using, scamming and exploiting other people for money as well as using their creative ability (either self-taught or professional training), leading to the production of dull, bland, mediocre, unimaginative, inferior, trite work in the forlorn hope of attaining commercial success. Had Edward D. Wood, Jr. been born a decade or two earlier, it's easy to imagine him working for some Poverty Row outfit in Gower Gulch, competing with the likes of no-talent and no-taste producers and directors--such as Victor Adamson, Robert J. Horner and Dwain Esper--for the title of all-time hack. He would have fit in nicely working at Weiss Brothers-Artclass Pictures in the early 1930s in directing low budget Western-themed serials, or directing low budget film noir crime drama features at PRC (Producers Releasing Corporation) in the following decade from 1940 to 1946. Ed Wood is the probably the most well known of all the Hollywood hacks because he is imprisoned in his own time, and in the 1950s, Ed Wood simply had no competition. He was ignored throughout his spectacularly unsuccessful film making career and died a penniless alcoholic, only to be "rediscovered" when promoters in the early 1980s tagged him "The Worst Director of All Time" (mostly thanks to the Medveds' hilarious book, "Golden Turkey Awards") and he was given the singular honor of a full-length biopic by Tim Burton (Ed Wood (1994)). This post-mortem celebrity has made him infinitely more famous today than he ever was during his lifetime.
Wood was an exceedingly complex person. He was born on October 10, 1924, in Poughkeepsie, NY, where he lived most of his childhood. He joined the US Marine Corps in 1943 at the height of World War II and was, by all accounts, an exemplary marine, wounded in ferocious combat in the Pacific theater (a transgender, he claimed to have been wearing a bra and panties under his uniform while storming ashore during the bloody beachhead landing at Tarawa in November 1943). He was habitually optimistic, even in the face of the bleak realities that would later consume him. His personality bonded him with a small clique of outcasts who eked out life on the far edges of the Hollywood fringe.
After settling in Los Angeles in the late 1940s, Wood attempted to break into the film industry, initially without success, but in 1952 he landed the chance to direct a film based on the real-life Christine Jorgensen sex-change story, then a hot topic. The result, Glen or Glenda (1953), gave a fascinating insight into Wood's own personality and shed light on his transgender identity (an almost unthinkable subject for an early 1950s mainstream feature). Although devoutly heterosexual, Wood was an enthusiastic cross-dresser, with a particular fondness for angora. On the debit side, though, the film revealed the almost complete lack of talent that would mar all his subsequent films, his tendency to resort to stock footage of lightning during dramatic moments, laughable set design and a near-incomprehensible performance by Bela Lugosi as a mad doctor whose presence is never adequately explained. The film deservedly flopped miserably but Wood, always upbeat, pressed ahead.
Wood's main problem was that he saw himself as a producer-writer-director, when in fact he was spectacularly incompetent in all three capacities. Friends who knew Wood have described him as an eccentric, oddball hack who was far more interested in the work required in cobbling a film project together than in ever learning the craft of film making itself or in any type of realism. In an alternate universe, Wood might have been a competent producer if he had better industry connections and an even remotely competent director. Wood, however, likened himself to his idol, Orson Welles, and became a triple threat: bad producer, poor screenwriter and God-awful director. All of his films exhibit illogical continuity, bizarre narratives and give the distinct impression that a director's job was simply to expose the least amount of film possible due to crushing budget constraints. His magnum opus, Plan 9 from Outer Space (1957), features visible wires connected to pie-pan UFOs, actors knocking over cardboard "headstones", cars changing models and years during chase sequences, scenes exhibiting a disturbing lack of handgun safety and the ingenious use of shower curtains in airplane cockpits that have virtually no equipment are just a few of the trademarks of that Edward D. Wood Jr. production. When criticized for their innumerable flaws, Wood would cheerfully explain his interpretation of the suspension of disbelief. It's not so much that he made movies so badly without regard to realism--the amazing part is that he managed to get them made at all.
His previous film with Lugosi, Bride of the Monster (1955), was no better (unbelievably, it somehow managed to earn a small profit during its original release, undoubtedly more of a testament to how cheaply it was produced than its value as entertainment), and Wood only shot a few seconds of silent footage of Lugosi (doped and dazed, wandering around the front yard of his house) for "Plan 9" before the actor died in August 1956. What few reviews the film received were brutal. Typically undaunted, Wood soldiered on despite incoherent material and a microscopic budget, peopling it with his regular band of mostly inept actors. Given the level of dialog, budget and Wood's dismal directorial abilities, it's unlikely that better actors would have made much of a difference (lead actor Gregory Walcott made his debut in this film and went on to have a very respectable career as a character actor, but was always embarrassed by his participation in this film)--in fact, it's the film's semi-official status as arguably the Worst Film Ever Made that gives it its substantial cult following. The film, financed by a local Baptist congregation led by Wood's landlord, reaches a plateau of ineptitude that tends to leave viewers open-mouthed, wondering what is it they just saw. "Plan 9" became, whether Wood realized it or not, his singular enduring legacy. Ironically, the rights to the film were retained by the church and it is unlikely that Wood ever received a dime from it; his epic bombed upon release in 1959 and remained largely forgotten for years to come.
After this career "peak," Wood went into, relatively speaking, a decline. Always an "enthusiastic"--for lack of a better word--drinker, his alcohol addiction worsened in the 1960s due to his depression of not achieving the worldwide fame he had always sought. He began to draw away from film directing and focused most of his time on another profession: writing. Beginning in the early 1960s up until his death, Wood wrote at least 80 lurid crime and sex paperback novels in addition to hundreds of short stories and non-fiction pieces for magazines and daily newspapers. Thirty-two stories known to be written by Wood (he sometimes wrote under pseudonyms such as "Ann Gora" and "Dr. T.K. Peters") are collected in 'Blood Splatters Quickly', published by OR Books in 2014. Novels include Black Lace Drag (1963) (reissued in 1965 as Killer in Drag), Orgy of the Dead (1965), Devil Girls (1967), Death of a Transvestite (1967), The Sexecutives (1968), The Photographer (1969), Take It Out in Trade (1970), The Only House in Town (1970), Necromania (1971), The Undergraduate (1972), A Study of Fetishes and Fantasies (1973) and Fugitive Girls (1974).
In 1965, Wood wrote the quasi-memoir 'Hollywood Rat Race', which was eventually published in 1998. In it, Wood advises new writers to "just keep on writing. Even if your story gets worse, you'll get better", and also recounts tales of dubious authenticity, such as how he and Bela Lugosi entered the world of nightclub cabaret.
In the 1970s, Wood directed a number of undistinguished softcore and later hardcore adult porno films under various aliases, one of which is the name "Akdov Telmig" ("vodka gimlet" spelled backwards; it helps to imagine that you're a boozy dyslexic, as Ed Wood was). His final years were spent largely drunk in his apartment and occasionally being rolled stumbling out of a local liquor store. Three days before his death, Wood and his wife Kathy were evicted from their Hollywood apartment due to failure to pay the rent and moved into a friend's apartment shortly before his death on the afternoon of December 10, 1978, at age 54. He had a heart attack and died while drinking in bed.
Due to his recent resurgence in popularity, many of his equally interesting transgender - themed sex novels have been republished. The gravitational pull of Planet Angora remains quite strong.- Actor
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Vico Ortiz (They/Them) is a proud Latine/x non-binary/gender fluid actor/activist born and raised in Puerto Rico. They received their education at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles. Their first breakthrough role was in the hit Amazon series, "Transparent" which opened their career to the LGBTQ+ entertainment community and paved the way to more recognized TV appearances in shows such as "The Fosters", "Lucifer" and "Criminal Minds'' among many others. More recently, Vico has had guest starring roles in "American Horror Story: 1984 ", the Starz award winning series "VIDA" and a recurring role in the GLAAD nominated Freeform comedy "Everything's Gonna Be Okay", returning for its second season in 2021. Vico also received a 2021 Queerties Award nomination for their series regular role in the award winning digital series "These Thems". In the next year (2021) Vico will also star as a series regular in the upcoming Amazon Prime Video original post-apocalyptic horror "Narcos vs. Zombies" playing U.S. Military Sgt. Valencia set for release in the fall of 2021.
Vico Ortiz is also a rising star in the world of drag performers creating the original and dynamic Drag King "Vico Suave'', a character that was created by mixing their Hispanic/Caribbean and American culture while exploring their own gender fluidity and sexuality. Their character of "Vico Suave'' is most recognized for their performance in "VIDA" on Starz. They also made a commitment to use their character of "Vico Suave" as an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. Some of the LGBTQ+ organizations they're committed to supporting are The Dru Project and the Los Angeles LGBTQ Center to name a few. Vico's mission is Visibility. To showcase diversity in the Latine/x culture on Stage, TV and Film. They want young queers and people around the globe to see characters on screen that are relatable no matter their background, their sexual orientation or gender identity. Their passion is to educate society on gender, inclusive language, and join the stream of voices within the entertainment industry that is constantly pushing and advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and their positive portrayals in the media.- Actor
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Edan Gross (also billed as "Edon" Gross) appeared as a guest on many popular television programs from the 1980s and '90s, including Northern Exposure, Married...with Children, Cheers, Murphy Brown, The Golden Girls, Empty Nest, Newhart, Highway to Heaven, and Herman's Head. He was a featured regular on the short-lived sitcoms Sweet Surrender (NBC, 1987), Free Spirit (ABC, 1989-1990) and Walter & Emily (NBC, 1991-1992). He was also the voice of the Good Guy dolls in Child's Play, the "Corky doll" from the Cricket doll series, the title character of the animated series Little Dracula, and Flounder on the animated series The Little Mermaid, and he did additional voice work on numerous animated specials.
Edan Gross was the President of 3TAC Distribution Inc. from December 17, 2013 until its dissolution on April 1, 2016.- Actor
- Director
Dana Elcar was born on 10 October 1927 in Ferndale, Michigan, USA. He was an actor and director, known for The Sting (1973), MacGyver (1985) and 2010 (1984). He was married to Marianne Torrance, Mary Margaret "Peggy" Romano and Kathryn Frances Mead. He died on 6 June 2005 in Ventura, California, USA.- Actor
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Few entertainers today are as accomplished or versatile as Ben Vereen. His legendary performances transcend time and have been woven into the fabric of this country's artistic legacy. His first love and passion is and always will be the stage. "The theater was my first training ground. It taught me discipline, dedication and appreciation of hard work and values that will stay with me a lifetime. The stage sharpens the creative instrument and encourages you to go deeper inside and try new things," states Ben.
On Broadway, Ben Vereen has appeared in Wicked, Fosse, I'm Not Rappaport, Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Pippin,Grind, Jelly's Last Jam and A Christmas Carol. His role in Pippin garnered him both the prestigious Tony Award and the Drama Desk Award for "Best Actor in a Musical."
For over 40 years, Ben has showcased his versatility and creativity, performing countless one-man shows not only in the United States, but also Europe, Asia and the Caribbean. He was the first simultaneous winner of the "Entertainer of the Year," "Rising Star," and "Song and Dance Star" awards from the American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA). He also earned a coveted spot in the Casino Legends Hall of Fame. Ben and his band are currently touring his one man shows, "Ben Sings a Tribute to Sammy Davis Jr. featuring the music of Sammy Davis Jr." and "Brooklyn to Broadway" at top performing arts centres. He also performs with symphonies around the country.
While performing worldwide, Ben's acting credits continue to give us memorable roles that stand the test of time such as the unforgettable Chicken George in Roots and Louis Armstrong in Louis Armstrong - Chicago Style.Ben's television guest appearances include How I Met Your Mother, Grey's Anatomy, for which he won the Prism Award, House of Payne, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, OZ, Touched By An Angel, Second Noah, New York Undercover, The Nanny, Star Trek - The Next Generation, The Jamie Fox Show, The Promised Land, and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as well as recurring roles on Silk Stalkings, Webster, J.J. Starbuck and Booker. For Nickelodeon, Ben provided voice-overs on the show Wonder Pets! Additional credits include: Anne Rice's Feast of All Saints(Showtime), Intruders They Are Among Us (Emmy nomination), Zoobilee Zoo, Faerie Tale Theatre's Puss N' Bootswith Gregory Hines, The Jesse Owens Story, Ellis Island (Golden Globe Nomination), Lost in London, and Salute to Liberty Special. His own network television shows are Ben Vereen: His Roots (Seven Emmy Awards), Tenspeed and Brownshoe and You Write the Songs. In the early 90's, he released a number of well-received children's Sing-Along musical videos.
Ben was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for his performance in the Hallmark movie An Accidental Friendship. He appears in two soon to be released features, 21 and a Wake-Up starring Faye Dunaway andMama, I Want to Sing! in which Ben co-starred opposite Ciara and Patti LaBelle. While filming Idlewild with the award winning group Outkast, Ben also served as the acting coach for both Andre 3000 and Big Boy. In addition, Ben has been coaching the singing sensation Usher both as an entertainer and an actor. Ben was featured in the movie, On The One - Preaching to the Choir directed by Charles Randolph-Wright. Other film credits include Sweet Charity, All That Jazz, Funny Lady (Golden Globe nomination), Why Do Fools Fall in Love,And Then Came Love starring Vanessa Williams, the animated movie Once Upon a Forest, Christmas in Washingtonand The Painting which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2004, Ben was nominated for a "Career Achievement Award" by the Le Prix International Film Star Awards Organization.
The lecture circuit has become an integral part of Ben's career, as he has become one of the Nations' most requested speakers among audiences of all ages. His strong sense of social consciousness has enabled him to reach out to his audiences and convey to them a deep feeling of understanding. His topics range from overcoming adversity, arts in education, Black history, motivational topics, recovery through physical and occupational therapy and the importance of continuing education - to name a few.
Ben's gift of time has benefited many organizations. He has served on Ballet Florida's Board of Directors, the American Red Cross and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Association. In addition, he has served as chairman of several renowned organizations including the American Heart Association and the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Association. In 1989, he spearheaded his own organization, "Celebrities for a Drug Free America," which raised more than $300,000 for drug rehabilitation centres, educational programs and inner city community-based projects. The Community Mental Health Council awarded Ben with their 2004 Lifeline Celebration Achievement Award. For his humanitarian contributions, he has received a number of awards including Israel's Cultural and Humanitarian Awards, three NAACP Image Awards, an Eleanor Roosevelt Humanitarian Award and a Victory Award. He has received honorary doctorates from the University of Arizona, Emerson College, St. Francis College, and Columbia College in Chicago. In 2001, Medgar Evers College created the Ben Vereen Scholarship for the Performing Arts, and in 2004, he received an Achievement in Excellence Award from his alma mater, the High School of the Performing Arts.
Ben celebrated Eartha Kitt's 80th birthday in concert at Carnegie Hall to multiple standing ovations and in front of the Armed Forces for those men and women who have served in Iraq, truly a major highlight of his career. In 2009, he performed at the Inaugural Ball and entertained at the reopening of the Ford Theatre in Washington, D.C., which was attended by President Obama. Last year Ben entertained at the Friar's Club gala honouring CBS president Leslie Moonves. Ben is leading an ongoing diabetes awareness campaign called "S.T.A.N.D." in partnership with sanofi-aventis pharmaceuticals. Ben recently starred in the world premier of Fetch Clay, Make Man directed by Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys) at the McCarter Theatre. Below are some of Ben's reviews from the show:
"A seething resentment can be sensed underneath the wary cool with which Fetchit negotiates with Fox. In brief snippets from the routines that made Fetchit famous (and infamous), Mr. Vereen also reveals the glowing pride of an entertainer whose gifts sometimes managed to transcend the offensive uses to which they were put." -New York Times
"The dramatic center is Ben Vereen's role as Lincoln Perry,the vaudeville performer who made his fortune in silent films and Depression-era talkies playing screen persona Stepin Fetchit, the quintessential negative stereotype of the shuffling, smiling, work-shirking Negro...Tapping all the undiminished charisma and limber body language of a veteran song-and-dance man, Vereen effortlessly sells the now-reviled representation of the black flunky while slyly asserting the cultured, savvy negotiator beneath; it's a performance of enormous charm and intelligence." -Variety
"As Fetchit, Ben Vereen creates a man who comports himself with dignity in hopes of negating all that he did before. In one scene, after Fetchit has been forced to acknowledge what he'd been, Vereen blinks three times, and actually manages to make a statement with each blink: The first acknowledges the charge, the second shows his pain at being reminded, and the third hopes to push away the memory." -The Star-Ledger
Additionally, Ben has a recurring role on the CBS comedy How I Met Your Mother, playing Wayne Brady's father. In February of 2011, he released his CD Steppin' Out Live with Ben Vereen and staged a triumphant return to Broadway with his concert "BEN VEREEN ON BROADWAY AT TOWN HALL" . One review from Ben's show is featured below:
"Ben Vereen's performance at The Town Hall on February 18th was a lesson in performance energy.....a tour de force ....Without a single synthesizer, with no voice tuner, with only an acoustic band, Vereen displayed shocking innovation."....." He flirted with off notes and inventive runs during classics such as "My Funny Valentine." This is always a dangerous idea, because it risks alientating the audience who wants to hear the melody of a familiar tune, but Vereen not only pulled it off, he left the audience wanting him to do more...The lasting impression was of a man who loves life, wants you to love life, and has mastered both his medium and his message. At age 65, he is the youngest man performing today. - The Newark Examiner
Ben remains the consummate actor, singer, and all around entertainer with a storied and legendary career.- Aleksey Kravchenko was born on 10 October 1969 in Moskovskaya oblast, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia]. He is an actor, known for Come and See (1985), 9th Company (2005) and Zaverbovannyy. He is married to Nadezhda Borisova. He was previously married to Alisa ?.
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Hugo grew up on Sydney's leafy North Shore. He attended the local primary school before moving to Barker College in Hornsby at the commencement of grade five.
Hugo progressed through his schooling years participating heavily in many sports and extracurricular activities. He showed particular skill in the dramatic arts which he studied towards as an elective for his Higher School Certificate (HSC).
At the completion of school he tried out for the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA) and was unsuccessful due to his young age. He spent 2006 travelling and successfully gained entry into NIDA in 2007. Since the completion of the four-year course he has successfully entered the Australian arts scene in a number of productions, most notably his role as Fish Lamb in Tim Winton's Cloudstreet (2011).- Actress
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Amanda Ryan was born on 10 October 1971 in the UK. She is an actress, known for Elizabeth (1998), Coronation Street (1960) and The Forsyte Saga (2002).- Michael Oliver was born on 10 October 1981 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is an actor, known for Problem Child (1990), Problem Child 2 (1991) and Drexell's Class (1991). He has been married to Magnolia Ponce since 4 June 2016.
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Martin Kemp was born on 10 October 1961 in Islington, London, England, UK. He is an actor and director, known for Stalker (2010), EastEnders (1985) and The Krays (1990). He has been married to Shirlie Kemp since 14 November 1988. They have two children.- A stunning former actress and model whose career peaked in the mid-1980s, Karen Kopins Shaw was born in Ridgefield, Connecticut on October 10, 1958. After graduating from Marymount College, she moved to California to pursue an acting career.
Between 1983 and 1984, Kopins landed guest spots on the TV shows The Fall Guy (1981), Riptide (1984), T.J. Hooker (1982), and Knight Rider (1982). In 1985, she made her feature film debut with a role in the musical Fast Forward (1985). The same year, she had a leading role in the horror comedy Once Bitten (1985) alongside Jim Carrey. She also starred in Creator (1985) opposite Peter O'Toole, as well as Jake Speed (1986). She also had a role in the second half of season 11 (1988) of Dallas (1978), portraying Bobby Ewing's (Patrick Duffy) girlfriend.
Regrettably, Ms. Kopins mostly only guest-starred on shows - including The A-Team (1983), Full House (1987), and Designing Women (1986) - until her retirement from acting in 1994. Outside of work on the silver and TV screens, she also modeled, and was crowned Miss Connecticut 1977. Additionally, she has an impressive 250 commercials under her belt, as well as numerous print ads, and is a crusader against Lyme disease. She lives in Redding with her husband, residential contractor Mark Shaw, and their four children. - Writer
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S.S.Rajamouli is an Indian filmmaker who primarily works in Telugu cinema. He is one of the most celebrated filmmakers ever of the Indian film industry and pioneered the Pan-Indian films movement. Rajamouli was born in a Telugu family to V. Vijayendra Prasad and Raja Nandini. Both his parents hail from Andhra Pradesh.
Rajamouli has directed 12 feature films so far, including mega blockbusters like Baahubali: The Beginning, Baahubali: The Conclusion, and RRR. Through his Baahubali series, Rajamouli pioneered the Pan-Indian films movement. His next film, tentatively called SSMB29, is a globetrotting action adventure & first collaboration with "Superstar" Mahesh Babu which is is expected to begin its production in 2024.
Eega (2012) won nine awards at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival, including the Most Original Film. Baahubali films have received six Saturn Award nominations with Baahubali 2 (2017) winning the Best International Film. His latest directorial "RRR" (2022) received various international accolades including the 1st Academy Award for India, a Golden Globe Award for the song "Naatu Naatu" & nomination for Best Foreign language film, and a Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
A self confessed "film freak", Rajamouli's penchant for filmmaking is best captured by the word "emotion". He has often stated that his films are based on stories driven by human emotions. While scaling up his work with "larger-than-life" themes over the years, Rajamouli maintained his signature style of filmmaking that allows audience to simmer in the thrills and emotions of the story with less dialogue.
He is a recipient of various national and international honors including a prestigious New York Film Critics Circle award, a Critics' Choice Movie Award, two Saturn Awards, and four National Film Awards. In 2016, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri (fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India), for his contributions in the field of art. In 2023, he was included on the Time's list of the 100 most influential people in the world- J. Eddie Peck was born on 10 October 1958 in Lynchburg, Virginia, USA. He is an actor, known for Kyle XY (2006), Dallas (1978) and All My Children (1970). He has been married to Sonya Zaza since 1989. They have two children.
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Chad Willett just wrapped the film Sgt. Fruit Fly playing an Afghanistan war vet. Also known for ABC's hit show Big Sky playing Jade Pettyjohn's father. His role as a creepy preacher in Beyond showed off his diversity and playing hubby to Toni Collette whilst fending off Simon Pegg in Hector and the Search for Happiness was a romcom romp. Classic titles such as House, Bones, NCIS, Colony, Charmed, Jack & Jill, The Chronicle, Joan of Arc, The Locket, The Cape, Alive are evidence of Chad's successful acting career spanning over 30 + years in the industry. Chad continues to produce alongside helping create the Gears of War gaming franchise for Microsoft and is currently working on Unwanted, Cradle of Storms and other films in development through his StoryLab production house.- Actress
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The only child of Pamela and Bernard Fullerton was born in Kaduna, Nigeria on 10 October 1956. As a child she wanted to be a ballet dancer and at 11 she enrolled at the Elmhurst Ballet School in Surrey where she was spotted and signed to appear in the film 'Run Wild, Run Free' in 1969. This was followed by 'Nicholas and Alexandra' in 1971, and in 1972 the title role in 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland', which was her big break. In 1975 was one of the original leads in the BBC television hospital drama series 'Angels'. The next year she married actor Simon MacCorkindale, divorcing him in 1981. Her career went quiet until in 1985 she became a Bond Girl, playing Pola Ivanova in 'A View To A Kill', then was one of the women involved with Nigel Harvers in the miniseries 'The Charmer.' As her career progressed, she encountered old family friend Neil Shakell again and fell in love with him; she married him in 1994 and became stepmother to his son James, and the next year she gave birth to Lucy. In 1996 she answered a knock on her door to face a gunman; later she discovered that the reason he didn't shoot her was that her baby was in her arms. She had already become disillusioned with her career, and the incident made her shun the limelight. She began buying, renovating, and selling houses, and she became so successful that she now owns a company that looks after property and an interior-design consultancy. Writing a property-advice column for two national newspapers for 10 years encouraged her to write three property-focused books. Besides her film and television work she played two well-known women on stage: Guinevere in Camelot opposite Richard Harris, and Eliza Dolittle in Pygmalion.