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1-50 of 192
- Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Terry Crews was born in Flint, Michigan, to Patricia and Terry Crews Sr. He earned an art excellence scholarship to attend Western Michigan University and also earned a full-ride athletic scholarship to play football. Crews was an All-Conference defensive end, and was a major contributor on the 1988 MAC champion WMU Broncos. His college success was rewarded in 1991, when he was drafted by the NFL's Los Angeles Rams.
Crews played six years in the NFL, with stints at the L.A. Rams, San Diego Chargers , Rhein Fire (NFL Europe-Germany), Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles. While in the NFL, used his art talent by painting a line of NFL licensed lithographs for Sierra Sun Editions.
In 1996, Crews co-wrote and co-produced the independent feature film "Young Boys Incorporated" (1996).
Crews retired from the NFL in 1997 and moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. Crews's first break came in 1999, when he auditioned for the extreme sports show called Battle Dome (1999), with other actor-athletes from around the country. Crews was chosen to be a series regular, known as the urban warrior T-Money.
In 2000, Crews made his big-screen debut in The 6th Day (2000). Since then, he has landed roles in Serving Sara (2002), Friday After Next (2002), Deliver Us from Eva (2003), Malibu's Most Wanted (2003), Starsky & Hutch (2004), Soul Plane (2004), White Chicks (2004), and the Mike Judge film, Idiocracy (2006).- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Actor/Writer/Director
Ian was born and raised on a farm in North Wales, destined to follow in the family footsteps. However - inspired by a wonderful drama teacher at his secondary school, Ian joined the school drama club before becoming a founding member of the Flintshire Youth Theatre. At 19 he left for London to study acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. To make ends meet whilst at collage Ian performed a comedy show in London's Covent Garden.
After graduating he spent much of the 80's working in repertory theatres throughout the country. It was at this time that Ian, having honed his comedy skills on the streets of London, became involved in the fast emerging alternative comedy circuit in London (Ian was the first ever comedian to be reviewed by the 'City Limits', a London arts and events magazine). He played most of the clubs, including the famous Comedy Store, with his own special brand of kooky, visual (and spoken!) bizarre comedy.
Ironically, despite his comedic successes, Ian is best known for his roles as a villain, hard-man or serial killer. His parents are frequently heard to request he play 'a nice person'. His most recent bad guys include the serial killer in Netflix original, Marcella and the chilling Frank in Sky Atlantic's high-profile drama Tin Star, filmed in Canada alongside Hollywood luminaries Tim Roth and Christina Hendricks. Tin Star confirmed Ian's professional standing in Canada and USA. His current role is also a trans-Atlantic production. He plays Mr Pennyworth Snr in the new Warner Horizon television series Pennyworth. Set in 1960s London and filming at the Warner Bros studios in Leavesden , Pennyworth explores the early life of Batman's loyal butler, Alfred Pennyworth.
Happily for Ian's parents and his children, his most child-friendly creation is as the jovial King Thistle in the oft-repeated animated series Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom and Ian has been delighted to support children's charities with King Thistle's many personalised letters and recordings extolling the virtues of being a King whilst also highlighting the dangers of 'Jelly Floods' ! In fact, charity work plays a huge role in Ian's life and he has been frequently asked to front campaigns and participate in many charity events. He is both a Patron of the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital and The Hospice of the Good Shepherd.
Like most in the acting profession, Ian has enjoyed exciting highs and devastating lows - with the lows often caused by his well-documented struggle with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. It is through Ian's own personal experiences of this debilitating mental illness that led him to become Patron of the charity OCD-UK . Ian has spoken at length about his OCD at conferences and to the media. In 2017 he presented and narrated a 30-minute documentary about OCD for BBC Wales called OCD - An Actor's Tale.
There are inevitable quiet times in Ian's profession and he has used this 'downtime' to establish himself as a writer. In 2005, he drew on his own experiences of dealing with OCD to co-write the drama Dirty, Filthy, Love with prolific dramatist, and Oscar nominated writer, Jeff Pope. Ian's and Jeff's work on Dirty Filthy Love was recognised by a Royal Television Society Award and a Broadcast Award for Best Single Drama. They were also nominated for the BAFTA Award in the same category. The film also received the Silver Award at the New York Film and TV Festival, together with a nomination, again for best single drama , at Prix Italia in Milan. Perhaps most importantly, Dirty Filthy Love was recognised with a nomination by The Mental Health in Media Awards
Sundance subsequently secured the rights to the film and streamed it on the Sundance Channel to rave reviews.
Recently Ian has turned his talents to directing and last year directed his first television drama, Time Out. This a stand alone drama, which is part of the award winning series called Moving On made by Colin McKeown's LA Productions and exec produced by multi award winning writer Jimmy McGovern.
Having lived in London for most of his adult life, Ian and his partner Sue headed north to bring up their family in Chester. Ian's work was recognised two years ago by an honorary doctorate for services to Mental Health and the Arts by the University of Chester in the prestigious setting of Chester Cathedral.
In 2018, Ian was invited to become a Patron and Ambassador at the Square Chapel Arts Centre in Halifax.- A native of Flint, Michigan, Nancy Kovack was a student at the University of Michigan at 15, a radio deejay at 16, a college graduate at 19 and the holder of eight beauty titles by 20. Her professional acting career began on television in New York, first as one of Jackie Gleason's "Glea Girls" and then, more prominently, on The Dave Garroway Show (1953), Today (1952) and Beat the Clock (1950). A stage role opened Hollywood doors for Kovack, who signed with Columbia. She later racked up an impressive list of episodic television credits, and was Emmy-nominated for a 1969 guest shot on Mannix (1967). The wife of world-renowned maestro Zubin Mehta of New York Philharmonic fame, Kovack publicly alleges that she was recently bamboozled (to the tune of $150,000) by Susan McDougal, a central figure in the Whitewater scandal.
- Actress
- Writer
- Music Department
Performer, actress, singer and author Sandra Bernhard appeared as a series regular in season three of the immensely popular FX Television/Ryan Murphy show "POSE" reprising her role as brassy but caring Nurse Judy Kubrack, who works with H.I.V. / AIDS patients, following a memorable season one guest appearance and hugely successful second season. Bernhard has also done a special guest appearance on Ryan Murphy's "American Horror Story: Apocalypse", highlighting a successful, decades long television career.
She is also currently in her fifth year hosting her weekly radio show Sandyland on Sirius XM's Radio Andy channel 102, for which she won a broadcasting Gracie Award.
A pioneer of the one-woman show, Bernhard brings a completely unique and raucous mix of cabaret, stand-up, rock-n-roll, and social commentary to her live stage performances. Just last year she celebrated the 10 year anniversary of her iconic annual holiday shows at Joe's Pub in New York City, while she also continues to tour throughout the country and overseas.
Extremely notable past live stage shows, which she has performed both on and off-Broadway, include Without You I'm Nothing, I'm Still Here, Dammit, Everything Bad and Beautiful, and #blessed.
Bernhard's film credits include The King of Comedy, for which she was awarded Best Supporting Actress by the National Society of Film Critics, Track 29, Hudson Hawk, Dinner Rush, and the live performance film Without You I'm Nothing. Past television credits include Two Broke Girls, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Broad City, Difficult People, You're the Worst, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Will &Grace, The Sopranos, The Larry Sanders Show and Roseanne. Music albums include I'm Your Woman (Polygram, 1986), Excuses for Bad Behavior (Epic, 1994) and the world music album Whatever It Takes (Mi5, 2009). She has written three books: May I Kiss You on the Lips, Miss Sandra?, Confessions of a Pretty Lady, Love, Love and Love.- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
In the glimmering realm of Hollywood, where dreams come to life under the radiant lights, one name stands out like a beacon of talent and charisma - Seamus Dever. With his chiseled features, magnetic presence, and an acting prowess that leaves audiences in awe, Dever has carved a remarkable path through the entertainment industry.
Born in Flint, Michigan, Seamus Patrick Dever embarked on his extraordinary journey towards stardom. From an early age, it was clear that he possessed an innate knack for performing, captivating anyone fortunate enough to witness his early school plays and performances. His boundless enthusiasm and natural charisma set him apart, hinting at the incredible career that lay ahead.
Dever's first tentative steps into the world of acting were met with resounding success, as he began to make his mark in theater at the age of six. His talent was undeniable, and his dedication unmatched. He is the youngest graduate from the MFA program at Carnegie-Mellon University and the Moscow Art Theatre.
However, it was the small screen that truly catapulted Seamus Dever into the limelight. In 2009, he landed the role of Detective Kevin Ryan in the hit crime drama series "Castle." His portrayal of the dedicated and quick-witted detective garnered widespread acclaim and turned him into a household name. Dever's undeniable chemistry with his co-stars and his ability to seamlessly embody his characters' emotions made him an indispensable asset to the show's success.
Beyond the confines of "Castle," Seamus Dever's star continued to ascend. His versatility as a character actor and his facility with languages and dialects shone as he has been able to transition to villains and bad guys, many from foreign soil. As a result of his commitment to disappear into a character, Dever's performances never failed to captivate.
But it wasn't just his acting that endeared him to fans; it was his genuine nature and his unwavering commitment to his profession. Dever's dedication to his roles extended beyond the set, often immersing himself in research and preparation to breathe life into his characters. He is a lifetime member of the Actors Studio and believes in continuing to hone his craft.
As Seamus Dever continues to make his mark, his journey is far from over. With every role he takes on, every character he brings to life, he solidifies his place as a true icon of the silver screen. His story is one of passion, determination, and an unquenchable thirst for artistic excellence - a journey that has only just begun.
(Biography written by ChatGPT, not too bad, huh?)- Director
- Producer
- Writer
Michael Francis Moore was born in Flint, Michigan on April 23, 1954, and was raised in its Davison suburb. He is the son of Helen Veronica (Wall), a secretary, and Francis Richard Moore, who worked on an auto assembly line. He has Irish, as well as English and Scottish, ancestry.
Moore studied journalism at the University of Michigan-Flint, and also pursued other hobbies such as gun shooting, for which he even won a competition. Michael began his journalistic career writing for the school newspaper "The Michigan Times," and after dropping out of college briefly worked as editor for "Mother Jones."
He then turned to filmmaking, and to earn the money for the budget of his first film Roger & Me (1989) he ran neighborhood bingo games. The success of this film launched his career as one of America's best-known and most controversial documentarians. He has produced a string of documentary films and TV series predominantly about the same subject: attacks on corrupt politicians and greedy business corporations. He landed his first big hit with Bowling for Columbine (2002) about the bad points of the right to bear arms in America, which earned him an Oscar and a big reputation. He then shook the world with his even bigger hit Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004), making fun of President George W. Bush. This is the highest-grossing documentary of all time. Michael is known for having the guts to give his opinion in public, which not many people are courageous enough to do, and for that is respected by many.- Rachel DiPillo was born on 26 January 1991 in Flint, Michigan, USA. She is an actress, known for Hello, My Name Is Frank (2015), Cuckoo (2015) and Chicago Med (2015).
- Tony Burton, who is famous for playing the corner man in six "Rocky" movies, was himself, in real life, a professional heavyweight boxer. Boxing in such avenues as Palm Springs, Los Angeles, and Hollywood, California, the 6 feet 200 pound Burton knocked-out among others, Bob Smith and Denny Chaney. His most important match was an April 4, 1959 6th round knockout defeat at the hands of undefeated LaMar Clark at Palm Springs, California. Clark was the 10th rated heavyweight and had won 38 straight knockouts. Burton gave as good as he got for 5 rounds, but Clark's relentless mauling style finally wore him down.
- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Andrew Lewis Caldwell was born on 25 July 1989 in Flint, Michigan, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for The Matrix Resurrections (2021), Cursed Friends (2022) and Haunt (2019).- Chris and his twin brother, Marty, were chosen for the roles of Niles and Holland Perry after a nationwide talent search. They were studying and appearing in plays at the HB (Herbert Berghof) Studio in NYC. Berghof (was it coincidence?) was the husband of Uta Hagen, who played the twins' grandmother, Ada, in the film.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Raye Birk was born in Flint, Michigan in 1943. He grew up there and graduated from Southwestern High school in 1961. He attended Northwestern University in Evanston Illinois and graduated with a degree in theater in 1965. He received an MFA in theater from the University of Minnesota in 1967.
He then taught acting and performed at Southern Methodist University in Dallas from 1967 to 1970. In 1970, and for the next 13 years, he acted and directed professionally in regional theaters in Oregon, Milwaukee and San Francisco. Birk moved to Los Angles in 1983 to pursue work in television and film. Despite and active career in TV and film, he continued to find time for his first love, the theater, doing at least one stage production a year during the 20 years he live and worked in LA.
He moved to Saint Paul, Minnesota in 2003. Since that time he has appeared in 12 productions at the Tyrone Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, including "Pride and Prejudice", "Pygmalion", "Hamlet", "The Great Gatsby" and the musical "1776". He has played Ebenezer Scrooge in the Guthrie production of "A Christmas Carol" since 2005.
Raye has been married to his wife Candace Barrett for 41 years. They have one son, Joshua, who is a professor of medieval history.- Actor
- Art Director
- Art Department
Gregg Rainwater was born on 27 February 1966 in Flint, Michigan, USA. He is an actor and art director, known for Street Fighter (1994), Young Justice (2010) and The Young Riders (1989).- Marty and his twin brother, Chris, were chosen for the roles of Niles and Holland Perry after a nationwide talent search. They were studying and appearing in plays at the HB (Herbert Berghof) Studio in NYC. Berghof (was it coincidence?) was the husband of Uta Hagen, who played the twins' grandmother, Ada, in the film.
- Producer
- Actor
Bob Eubanks was born on 8 January 1938 in Flint, Michigan, USA. He is a producer and actor, known for Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), Payback (1990) and Roger & Me (1989). He has been married to Debbie James since 2004. They have one child. He was previously married to Irma Brown.- Director
- Writer
- Visual Effects
Born in 1964 and raised in Flint, Michigan, Kerry Conran came from a family of aspiring artists: his older brother Kevin Conran was an illustrator and his younger sister Kirsten Conran an art director at an ad agency. Growing up watching classic sci-fi films such as Metropolis (1927), King Kong (1933) and Superman: The Mad Scientist (1941), Kerry often imagined recreating the atmospheres of those films as his own, and spent most of his childhood making short super-8 movies, imagining his fantasy worlds.
Pursuing his dream to become an illustrator and an animator, Kerry went to and graduated from the animation school, CalArts. It was there that he started to form the idea of his own sci-fi serial in the spirit of those of the 1930s, entitled The World of Tomorrow (2003). With the digital technologies he had at his disposal, he planned to make an entire feature-length film without even having to leave his apartment. Working independently with help from his brother and a few friends, Kerry created his fantasy world on his personal computer and set up a blue screen in his apartment, using other friends as actors. After four years of working on his own time, he had completed only six minutes of footage, but it was these six minutes that would set his career in motion.
His brother Kevin invited a friend of his wife and the only person in the film industry he knew, Marsha Oglesby, to take a look at the short. Oglesby, deeply impressed by their work, immediately referred them to producer Jon Avnet (Risky Business (1983), Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)), who agreed to finance their project, with Kerry directing as well as penning the script. Now armed with a studio, a team of over 100 animators, and a cast of A-list actors (Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Angelina Jolie among others, all of whom signed on immediately after seeing the 6-minute reel), Kerry was able to complete his project, "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" (2004), the first film entirely shot on blue screens. The film, though not a box-office success, was a relative hit among critics, impressive for a newcomer with no major writing or directing experience.
Conran was chosen to direct the screen adaption of Edgar Rice Burroughs' 'John Carter of Mars', a sci-fi piece, after 'Robert Rodriguez dropped out, but was replaced by John Favreau, who was in turn replaced by Andrew Stanton. Kerry and Jude Law also expressed interest in turning "Sky Captain" into a franchise, but due to the film failing at the box office, there has been no news of any sequels or prequels.- Harvey Vernon was born on 30 June 1927 in Flint, Michigan, USA. He was an actor, known for Teen Wolf (1985), All of Me (1984) and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993). He died on 9 October 1996 in Sun Valley, California, USA.
- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Andre Rison was born on 18 March 1967 in Flint, Michigan, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Wide Open: The Andre Rison Story (2023), TNA iMPACT! Wrestling (2004) and Arli$$ (1996). He is married to Lisa Lopez. They have four children. He was previously married to Tonja Harding.- Aketra Sevillian was born on 8 February 1995 in Flint, Michigan. She is an actress, known for Sugar (2024), Days of Our Lives (1965) and Sasha Lanes (2023).
- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Tim Bennett grew up in Detroit, Topeka, Hobbs and Phoenix.
He sold his first joke to The National Enquirer at age 12.
He attended Central High School and played bass in The Flatworms with singer/songwriter Andrew Creighton.
He attended the University of Arizona, where he performed in a college sketch comedy troupe whose membership has included Graham Elwood, Paul Goebel, Michael Hartigan, Peter Murrieta, Jim Bruce, John Patrick Nelson, Bob Rubin, Timothy Gassen, Marlowe Weisman, Ted Sroka, Nicole Randall Johnson, Alex Baze and Micah Wright.
In the early 90s, he worked at The Second City in Chicago as a box-officer, archivist, home theatre installer, stage manager, assistant director, creative consultant, and a writer and director of short films and TV pilots for the improvisational theatre.
His first Hollywood gigs were as background atmosphere on Melrose Place (1992) and "Party of Five " (1994)_.- Actor
- Additional Crew
Kendre Berry was born in Flint, Michigan, March 14, 1991 to Ken and Telishia Berry. Kendre inherited his love for performing from his mom who was a theater actress, and his dad also did some acting and stand-up comedy.
At age two, Kendre began playing drums. At age three, he was crowned "Cover Boy USA" in the America's Cover Miss/Cover Boy Pageant. He also won the top prize for "Overall Winner."
When Kendre was seven years old, his mother heard the Oprah Winfrey Show announce that they were having a search for kids for an episode with Bill Cosby promoting his "Little Bill" books. She sent in a video of him performing a Jell-o pudding act with his puppet, Jamal. His video was selected and aired on the Oprah Winfrey Show.
Kendre continued acting in church, school plays, and the local Flint Youth Theater, and in Gospel Musical plays his parents produced. He was excited when he asked his mother if he could send in a video for Nickelodeon's search for the funniest kid in America. His parents thought the idea wasn't too far fetched since he had been selected by video in the Oprah Winfrey contest.
Out of 10,000 contestants, Kendre made it to be one the top five finalists to appear with the cast of All That on Nickelodeon's one hour special, "R U All That". After the contest, he performed as a guest on the show "All That".
After seeing how passionate Kendre was about becoming an actor, his parents thought a try at Hollywood might prove to be rewarding. After giving the idea much thought and some strong prayers, his parents decided to pack up their four kids and Bailey, their dog and move to California. After only a few weeks, Kendre' landed the role of Backpack Boy on Nickelodeon's "Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide". Soon after he filmed his first movie, "Searching for David's Heart," and landed guest appearances on "Cold Case" (CBS), "One on One" (UPN), "ER" (NBC), and "Eyes" (ABC). Kendre currently plays Durrell Young on the HBO, Emmy Award winning drama "Six Feet Under". It airs Sunday nights at 9 pm.- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Rahvaunia was born and raised in Flint Michigan. She is the oldest of three siblings, one being a fraternal twin. Rahvaunia's love for dancing and acting began early while watching MGM musicals, Fred Astaire, Shirley Temple and Gene Kelly films as a child. Rahvaunia was involved in the choir, dance, band, theatre, and cheer leading during her grade school, junior high, and high school years.
Rahvaunia has written, produced and performs a one woman show called "tHis Is Very IMPORTANT". The show opened in Jan 2018 for a 12 show run. Later that year the show was accepted and performed in the BFF (Binge Fringe Festival) at the Santa Monica Playhouse, in Santa Monica CA. Setting a record for the festival as the firs show to sell out within 48hrs. Rahvaunia and team "tHis Is Very IMPORTANT" will be going to South Africa to perform in the National Arts Festival Fringe in July 2019, and then to NYC to perform on 42nd Street in the United Solo Festival in October 2019.
In April 2023 Rahvaunia won the award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Short at the LVBFF.- Actress
- Additional Crew
- Writer
Shondalia White was born in Flint, Michigan, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for American Horror Story (2011), Black-ish (2014) and Shameless (2011).- Actress
- Art Department
- Animation Department
Maddie Taylor is an American transgender voice actress, storyboard artist, comedienne and animator from Flint, Michigan. She provided the voice of Sparky from The Fairly OddParents, Buddy from the Open Season franchise, Pizza Lord from Breadwinners, Verminious Snaptrap from T.U.F.F. Puppy, George W. Bush from South Park and Dana Dufresne from The Loud House.- Writer
- Producer
- Actor
David Magee was born in 1962 in Flint, Michigan, USA. He is a writer and producer, known for Life of Pi (2012), Mary Poppins Returns (2018) and Finding Neverland (2004).- Amy is a native of Michigan and graduate of Syracuse University. She is known for Farewell Amor (2020), Hitch (2005) and Meet The Parents (2000), as well as Bull (2016), Alpha House (2013) and Modern Love (2019). She appeared on Broadway in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" and "November" and regionally at The Old Globe in San Diego, Shakespeare Theatre in DC, and Papermill Playhouse in NJ.
- Mary Ann Jarou was born on 1 September 1977 in Flint, Michigan, USA. She is an actress, known for General Hospital (1963), How I Met Your Mother (2005) and ER (1994). She has been married to Jeff Thomas since 12 March 2016.
- Actor
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Charles Smith was born on 13 September 1920 in Flint, Michigan, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for The Shop Around the Corner (1940), Everglades! (1961) and Target (1958). He died on 26 December 1988 in Burbank, California, USA.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Lorraine Miller attended schools in Flint, MI, where she excelled in many areas including debate, singing, acting and numerous club activities. After graduating in May of 1940 from Flint Northern High, she worked as a telephone operator for Michigan Bell until she won a contest as "Rodeo Queen". The prize was a contract with MGM in Hollywood. When she arrived in California she stayed at the "Studio Club", a residence for young actresses. Her roommate there was Donna Reed. In 1941 Flint celebrated "Lorraine Miller Day", and Life magazine ran a story with pictures about her work in Hollywood. Lorraine was known for her beauty, and she has been compared to Rita Hayworth.- Dorothy Steel was born on 23 February 1926 in Flint, Michigan, USA. She was an actress, known for Black Panther (2018), Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) and Jumanji: The Next Level (2019). She was married to Warren Wardell . She died on 15 October 2021 in Detroit, Michigan, USA.
- Producer
- Director
- Writer
Brad Leo Lyon was born February 26, 1982 to Leo and Joann Lyon in Flint, Michigan. Perhaps the middle name of Leo foreshadowed that he would become a true "Renaissance Man" in today's times as "Leo"nardo Da Vinci was the quintessential renaissance man of his time. Lyon's diverse background spans the world of sports, business, film, and even as a published author.
As a child, a constant pendulum was swinging between the worlds of drama and athletics. His life's constant voyage between the two had him on the cover of newspapers at an early age for his work on stage while appearing numerous times for sports. He is often quoted as saying that it was his "love for sports" that kept him from "embracing my inner nerd that stage and film allows me to become."
Following High School, it seemed sports had won out as he left for college to pursue a law degree and was a two sport college athlete. Destiny had other ideas though as his father's heart related health condition brought him back to Michigan. Sports would not take a backseat just yet though as he became one of the youngest presidents of a college athletic program and founded a college wrestling program at his hometown's Mott Community College. The competitive fires still burned and he continued to compete nationally and internationally, eventually placing at such renowned competitions as the Iron Man World Championships and the Folkstyle World Championships.
He left the college sports world and teamed up with his father to purchase a Minor League sports team as they founded the expansion Genesee County Patriots. While working as the Director of Operations for the team, he also participated in the sport on various levels that included being named a 2005 All American and 4 All Star appearances. Meanwhile, his first published book was released; oddly enough in the cheer leading field. Lyon was briefly a college cheerleader as a sophomore. Wrestling didn't completely disappear form his life as a short lived Mixed Martial Arts career saw him headline Champions of Cage Fighters during an undefeated, albeit brief, foray into the sport.
The Patriots were a springboard into film. Lyon began a division of the company called Lyon Productions which was used to produce television commercials for the Patriots and partner companies. In 2008, the Patriots were approached to work with another Patriotic themed company in Patriot Pictures, a company known for such films as Material Girls and Air Force One. Patriot Pictures was producing a film called All's Faire In Love starring Christina Ricci, Mathew Lillard, Ann Margret, Bill Engvall, Cedric the Entertainer, and a host of other familiar actors. With extremely short notice, Lyon coordinated the football scene for the film, cast players and cheerleaders, provided wardrobe and props, and even played the Football Coach.
Diving full speed into the industry, he found himself working full time in film. His business experiences from running both a college and a Minor League professional sports team gave him an ideal background for producing films. This led to his first Executive Producing and Line Producing adventure with the film Minor League: A Football Story (starring Robert Miano, Dustin Diamond, Rap Artist Bone Crusher, and Tiny Iron) which he also wrote and played a role in. Ultimately, success in the film industry took him away from the Patriots. Ironically, it was a football film that led him to suspend operations for the Patriots as Lyon Productions became the emphasis of his time.
You can now find Lyon living up to that Renaissance lifestyle as he works regularly as a Producer, Director, Script Writer, and Actor. As of April 2011, he has been credited as a producer on such films as Minor League, Beach Vacancy, Sister Mary (starring Bruce Vilanch, Ant, Judy Tenuta), The Haunting, Little Creeps (starring Joe Estevez, Robert Z'Dar, Dustin Diamond, Lark Voorhies, and Aurelian Smith aka Jake the Snake Robers), and College Fright Night. He directed both Beach Vacancy and Little Creeps and will be appearing as an actor in A State of Hate opposite Renee O'Connor and Ernie Hudson.- Producer
- Additional Crew
- Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kathleen Glynn was born on 10 April 1958 in Flint, Michigan, USA. She is a producer, known for Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004), Bowling for Columbine (2002) and The Big One (1997). She was previously married to Michael Moore.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Paul Goebel was born on 18 July 1968 in Flint, Michigan, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Not Another Teen Movie (2001), Smile If You Want More (1994) and Florida Bush League Wrestling: The Movie (2002).- Karen E. Fraction was born on 15 February 1958 in Flint, Michigan, USA. She was an actress, known for My Brother and Me (1994), Palmetto (1998) and SeaQuest 2032 (1993). She was married to Lawrence Hamilton. She died on 30 October 2007 in Largo, Florida, USA.
- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Screenwriter and motion picture director Rick Pamplin spent the early years of his career as an award-winning print and broadcast journalist (CBS News) in Michigan before heading to Hollywood. He spent 18 years in Los Angeles, writing and selling movies to Warner Bros., Walt Disney Pictures and Universal Studios, writing and directing on the syndicated TV series GLOW: Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (1986) and writing and directing his first feature film Provoked (1989).
Pamplin left to begin an independent production company at Universal Studios Florida where he developed, wrote and directed a series of award-winning projects including Michael Winslow Live (1999), Hoover (2000) starring Academy Award-winner Ernest Borgnine, Magic 4 Morons (2000) also starring Winslow and A Dog's Life: The Oscar Lose Story (2008).
The original screenplay for "Hoover" is included in the permanent collection of the Motion Picture Academy library in Los Angeles. Pamplin has been nominated on "Best Director" ballots by the Directors Guild of America and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, among other recognition, awards and achievements.
Films and television shows written and/or directed by Rick Pamplin are currently in distribution worldwide and have been seen theatrically, on premium cable and commercial television, on multiple streaming and on-demand sites, on DVDs, digital downloads and other formats, generating millions and millions of dollars of revenue.
Pamplin created, wrote and directed his latest feature-length documentary Movie Money: Confidential (2022) featuring Burt Reynolds and Salma Hayek, inspired by the Louise Levison book "Filmmakers & Financing." Worldwide distribution rights were acquired by Kaczmarek Digital Media Group (KDMG) for a March 2022 release.
Currently Pamplin is writing and directing a new documentary feature film for distributor KDMG for release in 2022. After that, he will also write and direct four new independent feature films, a comedy, a documentary and two dramas, slated for production in 2022-25.- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Michael Wayne James was born in Flint, Michigan, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Finding Red Cloud (2008), General Hospital (1963) and Looking for Lions (2014). He has been married to Suzanne James since 20 December 2008.- Make-Up Department
- Visual Effects
- Actor
Erik Porn was born on 3 November 1977 in Flint, Michigan, USA. He is an actor, known for G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009), Ford v Ferrari (2019) and Pineapple Express (2008).- Summer Stevens was born on 15 October 1977 in Flint, Michigan, USA. She is an actress, known for Soup of the Day (2006), Foolproof Plan (2001) and Community (2009).
- Actress
- Producer
Claressa Shields was born on 17 March 1995 in Flint, Michigan, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for The Fire Inside (2024), Lola 2 (2022) and BET Her Presents: The Waiting Room (2019).- Robert Lewis Bell was born on January 18, 1922 in Flint, Michigan. His father was an assembly worker at General Motors and his mother was a housewife. He had two older brothers. After graduating high school, a friend's family offered to take him along to Arizona, where he dug ditches, worked as a carhop and lumberjack, and signed onto construction jobs. His show business career began as a U.S. Cavalryman extra for the motion picture Arizona (1940), where he also helped build the village of "Old Tucson" for the movie.
Although he was certifiably blind in his right eye, he succeeded in passing the Marine Corps physical in 1941, by memorizing the eye charts. Less than a year later, however, he was given a medical discharge but decided to try again, only this time, with the Navy. With the help of a sympathetic Navy doctor, he was accepted and served in San Francisco and, later, the Philippines, until 1946.
Upon his discharge, he returned to Flint, where he joined a community theater production and was subsequently offered a job as an announcer and disc jockey at WMRP Radio. A year later, he moved to South Bend, Indiana's WHOT Radio where he met and married copywriter Carol Atkinson. In 1950, they moved to Indianapolis, where he broke into television on WFBM-TV.
Bell's flair for comedic character acting surfaced in 1953, when he was paired with variety/talk show host Wally Phillips at WLWT-TV and WLW Radio in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1956, the stations' Executive Vice President, Ward Quaal, left the company to become General Manager of WGN Continental Broadcasting Company (WGN-TV & Radio) in Chicago and brought Bell, Phillips and the show's writer/director/producer Don Sandburg along. During the four years that followed, Phillips and Bell starred on their own variety series, which included "The Wally Phillips Show" and "Midnight Ticker". Bell also doubled as a staff announcer. From 1959 until 1968, he hosted "The Three Stooges" weekday afternoon showcase as "Andy Starr", the elderly custodian of the Odeon Theater. But it was in 1960 when WGN-TV asked him to portray the character that would make him a Chicago television legend, "Bozo the Clown".
Alan Livingston created "Bozo" for Capitol Records in Hollywood, California in 1946. He hired voice artist and former circus clown, 'Pinto Colvig', to portray the character on the recordings and first Bozo television series, "Bozo's Circus", on KTTV-TV in Los Angeles in 1949. In the late 1950s, Livingston and Capitol briefly parted ways and sold the licensing rights to Larry Harmon, whose business partner, Jayark Films Corporation, began distributing Bozo limited-animation cartoons to television stations along with the rights for each to hire its own live Bozo host.
Chicago's Bozo debuted on June 20, 1960 starring Bob Bell on a live 30-minute "Bozo" show weekdays at noon, performing comedy sketches and introducing Bozo cartoons. The program was placed on hiatus in January 1961 to facilitate WGN-TV and Radio's move from Tribune Tower in downtown Chicago to the city's northwest side. The show was expanded to an hour and returned as "Bozo's Circus" on September 11, 1961 with additional cast members, a 13-piece orchestra, comedy sketches, circus acts, cartoons, games and prizes before a 200+ member studio audience. The show and Bell's portrayal achieved a popularity and success unlike any locally produced children's show in the history of television. His improvisational skills on live television, double-entendres and Jackie Gleason-like mannerisms also attracted a huge adult following. The program began airing nationally via cable and satellite in 1978, and studio audience reservations surpassed a 10-year wait. In 1980, the series moved to weekday mornings as "The Bozo Show" and aired on tape delay.
Bell retired in 1984 with the show remaining #1 in its timeslot. Immediately following his retirement, the Chicago Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Board of Directors honored him with their Governors' Award. Fellow cast members throughout his 24-year run as Bozo included Ned Locke as Ringmaster Ned, Bob Trendler as Mr. Bob, Don Sandburg as Sandy the Tramp, Ray Rayner as Oliver O. Oliver, Roy Brown as Cooky the Cook, Marshall Brodien as Wizzo the Wizard, and Frazier Thomas. Joey D'Auria took over the Bozo role until 2001.
After raising four children, Bell and his wife Carol moved from Deerfield, Illinois to Lake San Marcos, California, an area he had visited while serving in the Marine Corps during World War II. In addition to presiding over the Kiwanis Club of Lake San Marcos, he served on the board of directors of a community educational association that raised funds for the local school system.
In 1986, he was greeted with a lengthy standing ovation when he returned for a special guest appearance as himself during a live broadcast of "The Bozo 25th Anniversary Special" from Medinah Temple in Chicago. Ten years later, he became the first portrayer of Bozo to be inducted into the International Clown Hall of Fame in Wisconsin.
On December 8, 1997, Bob Bell passed away due to heart failure at the age of 75 in San Marcos, California. Illinois Governor Jim Edgar and Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley proclaimed April 18, 1998 "Bob Bell Day" in the State of Illinois and City of Chicago as Addison Street near the WGN-TV Studios was named "Bob Bell Way." In 1999, actor and Chicago native Dan Castellaneta, best known as the voice of Homer Simpson and Krusty the Clown on "The Simpsons" television series, revealed during a national television interview that his voice characterization of Krusty was based on Bob Bell's Bozo. Considering Bell's sly sense of humor, there's no doubt he would be proud. - Cynthia Sophiea was born on 26 October 1954 in Flint, Michigan, USA. She is an actress, known for Desperate Housewives (2004), The Closer (2005) and The Middle (2009).
- Jay Kopita was born on 8 November 1968 in Flint, Michigan, USA. He is an actor, known for Friday Night Lights (2006), The Pretender (1996) and Melrose Place (1992).
- Actor
- Costume and Wardrobe Department
- Producer
Chris Burns was born on 26 October 1973 in Flint, Michigan, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Boss Level (2020), Venom (2018) and Road House (2024). He has been married to Miracole Burns since 7 July 2007.- Cam "Buzz" Brainard was born and raised in Flint, Michigan. After high school, he attended Central Michigan University. Buzz spent the late 1980s in New York City and then came to the west coast so that he could play golf year-round. He hosts the weekly syndicated show "Altville" (heard on KZLA Sunday nights from 11pm to 12am), which features an eclectic mix of alternative country and Americana music. It hosts artists such as Steve Earle, Lyle Lovett, Kasey Chambers, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Robert Earl Keen, Jack Ingram, Emmy Lou Harris, and many others.
In case you hadn't noticed, Buzz is a big sports fan, which makes him the perfect host of "This Week in Baseball" on Fox. Buzz is also the voice of the Disney Channel, host of "Breed All About It" on Animal Planet, and the smart aleck-narrator of "Maximum Exposure."
He loves hanging out at the Rose Bowl Flea Market, Las Vegas, or the Whitsett Driving Range.
Buzz and his wife Sandy have a precocious blonde-haired son named Hank, and two dogs named Frankie and Gibby (named after Kirk Gibson). - Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Producer
Born Jonathan Jason Green II on December 29, 1990 in Flint, MI to Jonathan Green Sr. and Mezon Green. J.J. fell in love with acting as a youngster in his church Christmas play and has been reaching for the stars since. J.J. is works tirelessly every day to show his hometown and anyone with a dream that you can do anything you want as long as you are willing to put in the time and work.- Producer
- Publicist
- Actor
Howard Bragman was one of the most recognized public relations professionals in America. He took his 30+ years of agency experience, in virtually every area of PR, and became the "go-to" guy on television to explain celebrity misbehavior, corporate crisis and the role of "spin" in our everyday lives. He was a frequent contributor to ABC's Good Morning America (1975), and PR expert on CNN and MSNBC.
He founded "Fifteen Minutes" in 2005, which evolved into a respected American boutique entertainment public relations agency. His personal participation included high-level strategy, top-tier media contacts, crisis communications, media training and agency vision and values. Prior to "Fifteen Minutes", he founded "BNC", which became the largest entertainment PR agency in the world. He sold the agency to IPG in 2000.
Prior to that, he was a Vice President at the PR firm Burson-Marsteller. In addition to his agency work, Bragman was an award-winning adjunct professor at the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communications and is the author of the bestselling book, "Where's My Fifteen Minutes? (Penguin/Portfolio, 2008).
He received numerous awards and recognition for his work as a political activist for those with HIV/AIDS, GLBT Civil Rights and Jewish causes. He resided in Los Angeles with his husband, a nationally-respected horse trainer.- Michael D. Johnson, Jr., a.k.a. MJ The Prodigy was born on January 12, 1992 and raised in the vehicle city of Flint, Michigan. Michael blessed the movie screen with his role in Wild Sands (2013), Unconditional (2012), Selma (2014), and Radio Road (2016).
Growing up, Michael's mother used sports as a way of steering him clear of drugs and bad company. She also placed a grand emphasis on the importance of cultivating his mind and convinced him that through education he could capture even the most elusive dreams and accomplishments.
Shortly before beginning college as a highly anticipated track & field recruit at popular HBCU Tennessee State University (TSU), Michael realized his natural talent in sports, modeling, and acting.
While at Tennessee State, Michael excelled as a vital member of the Ohio Valley Conference with top-3 finishes every year with the Men's Track & Field Team, under the leadership of an Olympic legend, Chanda Cheeseborough.
At the end of his junior year, he was elected as the new reigning Mr. Tennessee State University by the student body, all while earning his place on the Dean's List every semester. Hard work and steady diligence earned Johnson his undergraduate and graduate degree in Pre-Law by the end of 2015!
Involved in many different projects, Michael was determined to stay true to his ultimate dream, acting. He participated in college theatre plays and classes, earned lead roles in local short and independent films, and a multitude of modeling jobs.
Since graduation, Michael has honed in on his skills to create and produce original social media content while earning his JD in the meantime. After gaining national recognition and support, Michael built a social media fan base surpassing over 10K followers.
Michael continues to remain humble while working around the clock to produce substance-based content and work on his craft as an actor in Hollywood and an aspiring entertainment lawyer. - Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Vern Urich was born on 7 December 1961 in Flint, Michigan, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Titanic (1997), L.A. Confidential (1997) and Suddenly Susan (1996).- Actor
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Biography MATT HUDSON is a Cincinnati based film and stage actor who began as an Assistant Stage Manager at The English Theatre in Frankfurt, Germany in the mid 90s. There he worked with professional stage actors cast in London's West End. He soon afterwards began receiving theatrical training and taking on stage roles himself. Recently expanding his scope of performance art, Matt has also appeared in some three dozen feature-length and short films. He also provided the voice for the "Old Dragon" in the English dub of the video game "Evil Islands: Curse of the Lost Soul", Nival Interactive, Moscow.- Actress
- Music Department
- Stunts
Vann Johnson was born on 13 November 1960 in Flint, Michigan, USA. She was an actress, known for A Gun, a Car, a Blonde (1997), Redrum (2007) and Michael Bolton: When a Man Loves a Woman (1991). She died on 27 September 2017 in the USA.- Music Department
- Composer
- Soundtrack
Joe Ryan III is an independent Artist, Producer, Songwriter, Composer & Engineer from Flint, MI, whose debut was scoring the theme song & 16 Episode Season of B.E.T.'s "Toya: A Family Affair" after multiple placements on B.E.T.'s "Trey Songz: My Moment" Docu-series. Joe Ryan III has charted in Japan (#5) and US(#28) , with his self-written, produced, mixed and mastered independent release "1 8 7 9", which is symbolic of how many miles he drove from the Midwest to Hollywood, CA, living out of his Ford Mustang for 7 months. The album is currently at over 1 Million Streams.
Joe Ryan III has composed on Fox's "Lethal Weapon", NBC's "The Voice", MTV's "The Challenge: Champs Vs. Stars", ABC's "The Ellen Degeneres Show", Cartoon Network's "Teen Titan's Go!", ABC's "Dancing With The Stars", talk shows "The Real" & "Extra", as well as, most recently, The Jennifer Hudson Show, currently airing and many more.
As a producer/songwriter, Joe Ryan III co-wrote/produced Leela James' "Fall For You" title track, which is now certified Gold, by the RIAA and is currently at over 60 million views on YouTube.
Joe has worked with Babyface, The Jacksons, Ledisi, Leela James, KEM, Teyana Taylor, Fabolous, Joey Bada$$, Ying Yang Twins, Heavy D and more.