Streets of Fire 1984 premiere
Tuesday May 29th, Samuel Goldwyn Theater 8949 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211
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Michael Kevin Paré was born on October 9, 1958 in Brooklyn, New York City, to Joan (Moroney) and Francis Paré, who owned print shops. His father died of leukemia when Paré was five, leaving his mother to raise their large family of children. Paré was working as a chef in New York City when an agent, Yvette Bikoff, convinced him to try acting. Paré's first starring role was as high school student Tony Villcana on the television series The Greatest American Hero (1981). His well-known film roles were as 1960s rock icon Eddie Wilson in Eddie and the Cruisers (1983) and its sequel Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives! (1989), as well as Streets of Fire (1984) and The Philadelphia Experiment (1984). Other films include Moon 44 (1990), Village of the Damned (1995), Bad Moon (1996), Hope Floats (1998) and The Virgin Suicides (1999). On television, Paré starred with Michael Beck on the CBS police drama Houston Knights (1987), as well as the short-lived sci-fi series Starhunter (2000).- Actress
- Soundtrack
Diane Lane was born on January 22, 1965, in New York. She is the daughter of acting coach Burton Eugene "Burt" Lane and nightclub singer/centerfold Colleen Farrington. Her parents' families were both from the state of Georgia. Diane was acting from a very young age and made her stage debut at the age of six. Her work in such acclaimed theater productions as "The Cherry Orchard" and "Medea" led to her being called to Hollywood. She was 13 when she was cast by director George Roy Hill in his wonderful 1979 film A Little Romance (1979), opposite Sir Laurence Olivier. The film only did so-so commercially, but Olivier praised his young co-star, calling her the new Grace Kelly. After her well-received debut, Diane found herself on magazine covers all over the world, including "Time", which declared her the "new young acting sensation". However, things quietened down a bit when she found herself in such critical and financial flops as Touched by Love (1980), Cattle Annie and Little Britches (1980), Movie Madness (1982), Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains (1982) and, most unmemorably, Six Pack (1982), all of which failed to set her career on fire.
She also made several TV movies during this period, but it was in 1983 that she finally began to fulfill the promise of stardom that had earlier been predicted for her. Acclaimed director Francis Ford Coppola took note of Diane's appeal and cast her in two "youth"-oriented films based on S.E. Hinton novels. Indeed, Rumble Fish (1983) and The Outsiders (1983) have become cult classics and resulted in her getting a loyal fan base. The industry was now taking notice of Diane Lane, and she soon secured lead roles in three big-budget studio epics. She turned down the first, Splash (1983) (which was a surprise hit for Daryl Hannah). Unfortunately, the other two were critical and box-office bombs: Walter Hill's glossy rock 'n' roll fable Streets of Fire (1984) was not the huge summer success that many had thought it would be, and the massively troubled Coppola epic The Cotton Club (1984) co-starring Richard Gere was also a high-profile flop. The back-to-back failure of both of these films could have ended her career there and then -- but thankfully it didn't. Possibly "burned out" by the lambasting these films received and unhappy with the direction her career was taking, she "retired" from the film business at age 19, saying that she had forgotten what she had started acting for. She stayed away from the screen for the next three years. Ironically, the two films that were the main causes of her "retirement" have since grown in popularity, and "Streets of Fire" especially seems to have found the kind of audience it couldn't get when it was first released.
The process of rebuilding her career was a slow and gradual one. First came the obscure and very sexy straight-to-video thriller Lady Beware (1987), followed by the critically acclaimed but little seen The Big Town (1987) with Matt Dillon and Tommy Lee Jones. In the former, Diane plays a very mysterious and sexy stripper and her memorable strip sequence is a highlight of the film. Despite her sexy new on-screen image, it wasn't until 1989's smash hit TV mini-series Lonesome Dove (1989) that Diane made another big impression on a sizable audience. Her performance in the hugely popular and critically acclaimed western epic as a vulnerable "whore with a heart" won her an Emmy nomination and much praise. Film producers were interested in her again. Another well-received TV production, Descending Angel (1990), was followed by smaller roles in major films like Richard Attenborough's Chaplin (1992) and Mike Binder's Indian Summer (1993), and larger parts in small independent films like My New Gun (1992), Vital Signs (1990) and Knight Moves (1992). Indeed, the latter two films co-starred her then-husband, Christopher Lambert, with whom she had a daughter named Eleanor.
Diane was now re-established in Hollywood and started to appear in higher-profile co-starring roles in some big-budget, major movies like Walter Hill's Wild Bill (1995), the Sylvester Stallone actioner Judge Dredd (1995), the Robin Williams's comedy Jack (1996) and Murder at 1600 (1997) co-starring Wesley Snipes. However, all of these still did not quite make Diane a "big-name star" and, by 1997, she found herself, possibly by choice, back in smaller, personal projects.
Her next role as a frustrated 1960s housewife in the independent hit A Walk on the Moon (1999) deservedly won her rave notices and, at last, gave her career the big lift it needed. The cute but tear-jerking comedy My Dog Skip (2000) also proved to be a small-scale success. However, it was the £330-million worldwide grossing blockbuster hit The Perfect Storm (2000) that finally made Diane Lane the household name that she always should have been.
After the worldwide success of "The Perfect Storm", she was more in demand than ever. She played Leelee Sobieski's sinister junkie guardian in the slick thriller The Glass House (2001), and co-starred with Keanu Reeves in the #1 smash hit Hardball (2001). However, her greatest career moment was still to come with her lead role in the enormous critical and commercial hit Unfaithful (2002), in which she superbly portrayed Richard Gere's adulterous wife. Her performance won the respect of critics and audiences alike, as well as many awards and nominations including Best Actress Oscar and Golden Globe nominations.
Her follow-up films including Under the Tuscan Sun (2003), Must Love Dogs (2005), Hollywoodland (2006), Secretariat (2010), and the blockbuster, Man of Steel (2013), were all received and her performances were highly praised. She won further Best Actress Golden Globe nominations for her roles in Under the Tuscan Sun (2003) and Cinema Verite (2011).
She is very well regarded within the industry, adored by film fans, and has a credibility and quality that is all too rare today. Her immense talent at playing human and real characters, her "drop dead gorgeous" beauty and down-to-earth grittiness guarantees that she will stay on top, and she guarantee has already shown the kind of resilience that will keep her working for a long, long time.- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Elizabeth EG Daily is an American actress, singer, and one of the top talents in the world of voiceover. You might know her in the classics as Dottie from "Peewee's Big Adventure" to "Valley Girl," or the classic "Smelly Cat" episode of Friends. Maybe Candy from The Devil's Rejects.
EG is said to be the voice of your childhood as Tommy Pickles from "Rugrats" or Buttercup from the "Powerpuff Girls," Babe from Babe: Pig in the City, Young Mumble from the Academy Award winning Happy Feet.
She also provided her voice as a singer, many classic projects, such as the theme song from Two and Half Men. Singing in Grand Theft Auto, and many classic soundtracks; Scarface, The Breakfast Club, Theif of Hearts. With lots of new current music on all digital platforms.
Elizabeth EG Daily continues to work on multiple different projects, creating more iconic acting roles, singing, VO, and producing.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Rick began his career as a radio DJ while he was still at high school which led to him writing, producing and being on air in his own show. He joined the Canadian TV series, SCTV (1976), winning an Emmy for writing and portraying the character, Bob McKenzie, which became the basis for the film, Strange Brew (1983), which he co-wrote, co-directed and made his film acting debut. The character he played in Ghostbusters (1984) was based on a similar character he played on SCTV (1976).- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
In the 1960s, Amy attended St. Philip Neri grammar school and Aquinas High School, both in Chicago, where she performed in school plays and was known as the school tomboy. In the early 1970s, Amy was featured in Playboy Magazine wearing only jelly, to promote her music band, Jelly. Amy is the daughter of John Madigan, a media personality in Chicago, Illinois.- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Having made over one hundred films in his legendary career, Willem Dafoe is internationally respected for bringing versatility, boldness, and daring to some of the most iconic films of our time. His artistic curiosity in exploring the human condition leads him to projects all over the world, large and small, Hollywood films as well as Independent cinema.
In 1979, he was given a role in Michael's Cimino's Heaven's Gate, from which he was fired. Since then, he has collaborated with directors who represent a virtual encyclopedia of modern cinema: James Wan, Robert Eggers, Sean Baker, Kenneth Branagh, Kathryn Bigelow, Sam Raimi, Alan Parker, Walter Hill, Mary Harron, Wim Wenders, Anton Corbijn, Zhang Yimou, Wes Anderson, Martin Scorsese, David Lynch, Oliver Stone, William Friedkin, Werner Herzog, Lars Von Trier, Abel Ferrara, Spike Lee, David Cronenberg, Paul Schrader, Anthony Minghella, Theo Angelopoulos, Robert Rodriguez, Phillip Noyce, Hector Babenco, John Milius, Paul Weitz, The Spierig Brothers, Andrew Stanton, Josh Boone, Dee Rees and Julian Schnabel.
Dafoe has been recognized with four Academy Award nominations: Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Platoon, Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Shadow Of The Vampire, for which he also received Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations, Best Actor in a Supporting Role for The Florida Project, for which he also received Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations, and most recently, Best Leading Actor for At Eternity's Gate, for which he also received a Golden Globe nomination. Among his other nominations and awards, he has received two Los Angeles Film Critics Awards, a New York Film Critics Circle Award, a National Board of Review Award, two Independent Spirit Awards, Venice Film Festival Volpi Cup, as well as a Berlinale Honorary Golden Bear for Lifetime Achievement.
Willem was born in Appleton, Wisconsin, to Muriel Isabel (Sprissler), a nurse, and William Alfred Dafoe, a surgeon. He is of mostly German, Irish, Scottish, and English descent. He and his wife, director Giada Colagrande, have made three films together: Padre, A Woman, and Before It Had A Name.
His natural adventurousness is evident in roles as diverse as Marcus, the elite assassin who is mentor to Keanu Reeves in the neo-noir John Wick; in his voice work as Gil the Moorish Idol in Finding Nemo and Ryuk the Death God in Death Note; as Paul Smecker, the obsessed FBI agent in the cult classic The Boondock Saints; and as real life hero Leonhard Seppala, who led the 1925 Alaskan dog sled diphtheria serum run in Ericson Core's Togo. That adventurous spirit continues with upcoming films including Wes Anderson's The French Dispatch, Abel Ferrara's Siberia, and Paul Schrader's The Card Counter.
Dafoe is one of the founding members of The Wooster Group, the New York based experimental theatre collective. He created and performed in all of the group's work from 1977 thru 2005, both in the U.S. and internationally. Since then, he worked with Richard Foreman in Idiot Savant at The Public Theatre (NYC), with Robert Wilson on two international productions: The Life & Death of Marina Abramovic and The Old Woman opposite Mikhail Baryshnikov and developed a new theatre piece, directed by Romeo Castellucci, based on Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Minister's Black Veil. He recently completed work on Marina Abramovic's opera 7 Deaths of Maria Callas.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Deborah Gaye Van Valkenburgh is a Schenectady, New York-born Los Angeles-based actress, singer, artist, and writer working in all manner of media. She graduated from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, with a BFA in Painting & Drawing. As a teen in Upstate New York she performed in coffee houses with the folk band Spur Of The Moment. During college she sang locally in a duo popularly known as "The Myrtle Avenue Watermelon".
She made her professional debut on Broadway in the revival of the musical "Hair". This was swiftly followed by a memorable performance as "Mercy" in Walter Hill's cult classic film The Warriors (1979), then for five years as "Jackie Rush" on the hit TV sitcom Too Close for Comfort (1980) as one of the daughters of a couple played by Ted Knight and Nancy Dussault.
She has since appeared in a wide array of stages across the country performing in such notable venues as TOSOS, Geva Theatre Center, Manhattan Theatre Club, San Diego REP, The Old Globe Theatre, South Coast REP, The Blank Theatre Company, The Matrix, The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, LATC, Arizona Theatre Company and Portland Center Stage. Acclaimed Productions include Amy and David Sedaris's The Book Of Liz, Steve Martin's Picasso At The Lapin Agile, Ruby's Bucket O'Blood (world premiere), The Beauty Queen Of Leenane, Dancing At Lughnasa, Burn This, The Goat, Company, Tamara, The Heidi Chronicles, Pump Boys & Dinettes, and Livin' Dolls.
She continued her musical escapades in the early 1990s as a featured vocalist for Peter Tork: A Likely Story and acoustic band DB House at a variety of legendary clubs like The Roxy, At My Place and Coconut Teaszer. She completed work on Shirlyn Wong's short film Love's Routine (2013), which starred Willem Dafoe.- Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Richard Lawson was born on 7 March 1947 in Loma Linda, California, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for For Colored Girls (2010), Poltergeist (1982) and How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998). He has been married to Tina Knowles since 12 April 2015. He was previously married to Denise Gordy.- Actor
- Camera and Electrical Department
Rick Rossovich, considered one of the nicest people to work with, is also a devoted family man. He and his wife Eva have two kids, Roy and Isabel. For three months each year, the family lives at their home in Sweden, where Eva is from, so that the kids can have both sides of their parents' upbringing. Rick lives in Ojai, California.- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Bill Paxton was born on May 17, 1955 in Fort Worth, Texas. He was the son of Mary Lou (Gray) and John Lane Paxton, a businessman and actor (as John Paxton). Bill moved to Los Angeles, California at age eighteen, where he found work in the film industry as a set dresser for Roger Corman's New World Pictures. He made his film debut in the Corman film Crazy Mama (1975), directed by Jonathan Demme. Moving to New York, Paxton studied acting under Stella Adler at New York University. After landing a small role in Stripes (1981), he found steady work in low-budget films and television. He also directed, wrote and produced award-winning short films including Barnes & Barnes: Fish Heads (1980), which aired on Saturday Night Live (1975). His first appearance in a James Cameron film was a small role in The Terminator (1984), followed by his very memorable performance as Private Hudson in Aliens (1986) and as the nomadic vampire Severen in Kathryn Bigelow's Near Dark (1987). Bill also appeared in John Hughes' Weird Science (1985), as Wyatt Donnelly's sadistic older brother Chet. Although he continued to work steadily in film and television, his big break did not come until his lead role in the critically acclaimed film-noir One False Move (1991). This quickly led to strong supporting roles as Wyatt Earp's naive younger brother Morgan in Tombstone (1993) and as Fred Haise, one of the three astronauts, in Apollo 13 (1995), as well as in James Cameron's offering True Lies (1994).
Bill died on February 25, 2017, in Los Angeles, from complications following heart surgery. He was 61.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Lee Ving was born on April 10, 1950 in Philadelphia, PA as Lee James Jude Capallero. He is best known as the frontman for the seminal L.A. hardcore punk band Fear. His film appearances include Flashdance (1983), Streets Of Fire (1984) and Clue (1985). He was also one of the principal subjects featured in the punk music documentary The Decline Of Western Civilization (1981).- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Stoney Jackson moved to California in 1976 with his family. His parents started a Family Practice Medical Clinic in Riverside. It was then Stoney got an agent and started doing television commercials and eventually moved to the theatrical side of the industry. Stoney has appeared in over 40 films in addition to dozens of guest roles on television series as well starring in several TV series of his own. Stoney has appeared in 4 decades of television and movies.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Grand L. Bush was born on 24 December 1955 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is an actor, known for Licence to Kill (1989), Die Hard (1988) and Street Fighter: The Movie (1995). He has been married to Sharon Dahlonega since 7 December 1994. They have four children. He was previously married to Romona Jean Bynum.- Director
- Actor
- Producer
Robert Townsend transcends any medium he touches whether he's performing stand up, acting, writing, directing, producing, or running a television network. A Chicago native, Townsend is often referred to as one of the "Godfathers" of the Independent Film World." With over 30 years in the business, he has made an indelible mark in Hollywood with an extensive list of credits. Robert's genius first revealed itself in elementary school. As a kid Robert was always fascinated with television, watching and studying it tirelessly, he began to practice acting out scenes and impersonating famous characters. At his school during a reading of Shakespeare's Oedipus Rex he dazzled the class with his ability to transform effortlessly into character, as a result Robert's remarkable versatile talent as a young actor was born and caught the attention of Chicago's Experimental Bag Theatre. Robert made an unforgettable mark in his hometown of Chicago, where he went onto New York's renowned comedy club the Improvisation that initiated his career as a stand-up comedian. Then for Robert it was on to Hollywood, where he dabbled in a mixture of industries and found that with his versatile talent, he was able to adapt easily from being a comedian to a full-screen actor. Robert's first film appearance was (uncredited) in popular urban classic, Cooley High (1975). His break came while performing on various television comedy specials including Rodney Dangerfield: It's Not Easy Bein' Me (1986) and Uptown Comedy Express (1987). Although comedy had been his forte during the early part of his career, he knew he was destined to be on the big screen. He landed the role of a lifetime co-starring opposite Denzel Washington in A Soldier's Story (1984), and appeared with Diane Lane in Streets of Fire (1984) and Kevin Costner in American Flyers (1985).
Once in Hollywood, seeing the difficulty Black Actors had and the lack of good work available in the film industry, left a burning desire for Robert to step behind the camera. With his acting career in high gear, Robert's career took a turn for the best when Robert Townsend the "independent filmmaker" was born. He wanted to do something to fill this void and without formal film education or outside funding (he used his own credit cards to finance), Robert wrote, directed, produced and starred in his own first film. The result was the critically acclaimed Hollywood Shuffle (1987), a satire, depicting the trials and tribulations of Black Actors in Hollywood. The success of this film forced "Hollywood" to recognize and appreciate the visionary versatile talent of "Robert Townsend", Tinseltown's newest, talented actor and filmmaker.
Following the success of "Hollywood Shuffle," film projects continued to pour in. He was soon directing Eddie Murphy in Eddie Murphy: Raw (1987). His next film endeavor was the popular tearjerker classic The Five Heartbeats (1991)," a semi-autobiographical piece; reminiscent of the 60s R & B male groups and the ups and downs of the music industry. This classic continues to be a favorite amongst audiences and one of the most talked about films in the industry. The Meteor Man (1993) that he also wrote, directed and starred in included a stellar cast: James Earl Jones, Bill Cosby and Eddie Griffin.
In between features, Robert created and produced his ground breaking Cable Ace award-winning Partners in Crime (2005) variety specials for HBO and highly praised Townsend Television (1993) for FOX television. He also created and starred in the WB Network hit series The Parent 'Hood (1995).
Townsend has made history by being nominated for over 30 NAACP Image Awards for film and television. At the 2001 NAACP Image Awards he directed three performers nominated in the best actor/actress category in three different films: Leon, for his role in NBC's Little Richard (2000); Alfre Woodard in the Showtime Movie Holiday Heart (2000) (which also garnered her a Golden Globe nomination) and Natalie Cole for her gripping self-portrayal in Livin' for Love: The Natalie Cole Story (2000) (for which she won the coveted Image Award for best actress). Townsend continued to helm films for the small screen: Carmen: A Hip Hopera (2001) for MTV Films, starring Beyoncé (one of the highest rated shows for MTV) and Image Award winner, 10,000 Black Men Named George (2002) for Showtime, a highly acclaimed period piece about the Pullman porter strike, starring Andre Braugher and Charles S. Dutton.
Robert has worked with some of the top talent in Hollywood including: Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Morgan Freeman, Alfre Woodard, Louis Gossett Jr., Keenen Ivory Wayans and Chris Tucker, just to name a few and is responsible for discovering many of Hollywood's A-List talent before they became household names. He is the mastermind behind many of Hollywood's favorite and best-remembered movies and hit series. Robert's body of work has been seen on MGM, Disney, Fox, NBC, HBO, WB and MTV.
While busy as a performer and filmmaker, Robert always makes time to participate in humanitarian efforts and speak to various organizations. As a longtime speaker for the United Negro College Fund and the NAACP, his concern for inner city youth takes him through out the country to inspire young people to follow their dreams. In addition, Robert shares his business expertise with various Fortune 500 companies. Townsend is also a spokesman for the Milken Family Fund an organization created to recognize outstanding educators in the country, and stress to children the importance of education and respect for teachers. He has traveled with The Milken Family Fund to Chicago, Boston, Sacramento, Philadelphia, Washington, DC and Los Angeles to recognize deserving teachers and inspire and motive students around the country.
Although he has many accolades, but none are more important than his family. His four children are the center of his heart. Following in his footsteps, his 3 daughters; Grace, Sierra and Skylar aka "The T Unit". They have received their first TV credit for the "B5 Christmas Special" aired on the BFC, a concept they came up with and pitched to their father. Despite his demanding schedule, Robert makes sure he spends quality time with his son, Max and his three daughters.
Always a pioneer, Townsend took the helm as President and CEO of Production for The Black Family Channel (BFC) creating and spearheading production for BFC's top rated shows. Where he ran the cable network for four years before it was sold to the Gospel Music Channel in the Spring of 2007. During his reign, he created unprecedented original programming for the network. Showing his unstoppable genius, in his short time as a television executive Townsend reached several milestones; he created over 15 new shows for the network with limited financing; of which two shows were nominated for a prestigious NAIMC Vision Award (National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications), The Thou$and Dollar Bee and Lisa Knight and the Round Table), and he was voted one of the Most Influential Minorities in Cable by Cable World Magazine.
Townsend has recently returned in front of the camera to star opposite Angela Bassett in the faith based film Of Boys and Men (2008). He has also directed Golden Globe winner Ving Rhames in a biopic about the troubled boxing legend Sonny Liston entitled Phantom Punch (2008). Townsend also directed Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy (2009), a comedy documentary on the history of African America Comedians from slavery to present, with interviews including such legends as Bill Cosby, Dick Gregory, Chris Rock and the Wayans. As a Hollywood Icon and humanitarian, Townsend's mission is to create quality programming for everyone to enjoy and to create a classic body of work that would be timeless.- Actor
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Perhaps best remembered for his touching performance as "Bubba" opposite Tom Hanks in the Academy Award-winning Forrest Gump (1994), Mykelti Williamson is one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood, who has been steadily honing his craft since he first began acting professionally at the age of 18.
In 2000 Williamson starred as Lt. Philip Gerard, the hardnosed detective determined to recapture escaped convict Dr. Richard Kimble (Tim Daly) in CBS' update of the classic 1960's action series The Fugitive (2000).
The son of an Air Force Staff Sergeant (father) and certified public accountant (mother), Williamson was born in St. Louis, MO, and began performing on the stage at the age of 9. Like many youngsters, he was enamored with the concept of television, and thought that the images he was seeing on the small screen were reality. It wasn't until his mother put him in a church play that he realized that what the people on the small screen were doing was performing. He was instantly hooked. At the age of 15, Williamson and his family settled in Los Angeles. A superb athlete, he excelled at both football and basketball, but the acting bug led him to quit sports and dance with the cheerleading squad, much to the chagrin of his coaches.
Following graduation, Williamson began acting professionally, making appearances on television shows such as Starsky and Hutch (1975), Hill Street Blues (1981) and China Beach (1988), among others. He made his film debut in the Walter Hill-directed feature Streets of Fire (1984), opposite Diane Lane, Michael Paré and Willem Dafoe.
He would subsequently appear in the feature The First Power (1990) with Lou Diamond Phillips, Miracle Mile (1988) with Anthony Edwards and Mare Winningham, Number One with a Bullet (1987), Wildcats (1986) and Free Willy (1993).
Following his critically acclaimed performance in Forrest Gump (1994), Williamson starred in Forest Whitaker's Waiting to Exhale (1995); partnered with Al Pacino in Michael Mann's Heat (1995); Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home (1995), and starred alongside Nicolas Cage in Con Air (1997).
Williamson was also seen in Mike Nichols' political drama Primary Colors (1998) (a cameo appearance which he did as a personal favor to Nichols and John Travolta) and Three Kings (1999), opposite George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg and Ice Cube.
In 1996 Williamson returned to television when he starred opposite Delroy Lindo and Blair Underwood in the critically acclaimed HBO telefilm Soul of the Game (1996) and received rave reviews for his stirring portrayal of legendary Negro League baseball legend Josh Gibson. Williamson also starred in Buffalo Soldiers (1997) for TNT and 12 Angry Men (1997) for Showtime, as well as starring in the cable network's series The Hoop Life (1999).
On stage Williamson starred with Samuel L. Jackson, D.B. Sweeney, Ellis Williams, Matt McGrath and Richard Reilly in Clark Gregg's ("What Lies Beneath") 1995's ensemble drama "Distant Fires", which earned the cast a prestigious L.A. Theatre Award.
An avid sports fan and devoted family man, Williamson enjoys restoring classic cars and rodeoing in his free time. He currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two of his three daughters.
Named by his grandfather for 'Spirit' or 'Silent Friend' in the language of Blackfeet Indians, Mykelti Williamson has quietly built a reputation in Hollywood as one of the most consistently proven actors in the business, delivering stirring and honest performances that always capture audiences.- Actor
- Producer
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Ed Begley Jr. was born on 16 September 1949 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for A Mighty Wind (2003), Pineapple Express (2008) and Whatever Works (2009). He has been married to Rachelle Carson-Begley since 23 August 2000. They have one child. He was previously married to Ingrid Taylor.- Actor
- Producer
John Dennis Johnston was born on 14 May 1950 in Elmwood, Nebraska, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for 48 Hrs. (1982), Wyatt Earp (1994) and Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977).- Producer
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Hill was born in Long Beach, California and educated at Mexico City College and Michigan State University. He worked in oil drilling and construction in the 60s before becoming a 2nd assistant director in 1967. He has written and co-written screenplays, including several uncredited works. He has produced and directed films since 1975.- Producer
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Lawrence Gordon (Producer) has been one of the entertainment industry's most prolific and successful producers in a career spanning six decades. He has been behind such timeless films as the drama "Field of Dreams," for which Gordon received a Best Picture Oscar nomination; the landmark action film "Die Hard"; and the ultimate buddy picture "48 Hrs.," starring Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy. Born in Yazoo City, Mississippi, Gordon graduated from Tulane University with a degree in business administration. Moving to Los Angeles in the early 1960s, he went to work as executive assistant to Aaron Spelling at Four Star Television and soon became a writer and associate producer of Spelling shows. He followed with a stint as head of West Coast talent development for ABC Television and later as an executive with Bob Banner Associates. In 1968, he joined Sam Arkoff and Jim Nicholson at American International Pictures (AIP) as story editor, and rose to vice president in charge of development. He then segued to vice president at Screen Gems, the television division of Columbia Pictures, where he helped put together the classic television movie "Brian's Song," as well as the first "novel for television," the adaptation of Leon Uris' QB VII. Accepting an offer to become the first executive in the company's history to head worldwide production, Gordon returned to AIP. His many projects included "Coffy," "Foxy Brown," "Hell's Angels '69," "Wild in the Streets," John Milius' "Dillinger" (which Gordon also executive-produced), and Ralph Bakshi's groundbreaking and controversial animated hit "Heavy Traffic," which was named one of The New York Times' top-10 films of 1973. Gordon then formed Lawrence Gordon Productions and began a long and successful association with director Walter Hill. Among the duo's memorable titles are "Hard Times," starring Charles Bronson; "The Driver," with Ryan O'Neal and Isabelle Adjani; the cult classic "The Warriors"; "48 Hrs.," teaming Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy, in his feature film debut; the rock-and-roll fable "Streets of Fire"; "Brewster's Millions," with Richard Pryor and John Candy; and "Another 48 Hrs.," which reunited the stars from the original. Gordon also produced the comedy hit "The End," starring Burt Reynolds, and collaborated with him again on the box office smash "Hooper." During this period, Gordon also produced the Paul Schrader-penned "Rolling Thunder," and the now-cult movie musical "Xanadu," starring Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly. By 1977, he was housed at Paramount Pictures with an overall producing deal. In 1982, he reunited with his old boss Aaron Spelling to create and executive produce the ABC television series "Matt Houston." In 1984, Gordon became president and chief operating officer of 20th Century Fox, where he oversaw such successful titles as James Cameron's "Aliens"; James L. Brooks' "Broadcast News"; "Commando," starring Arnold Schwarzenegger; and "Jewel of the Nile," starring Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito. During his tenure, "The Simpsons" television series was created by Matt Groening and James L. Brooks, as were series by Stephen Bochco and David E. Kelley. After his stint at Fox, in 1986, Gordon produced the critically acclaimed "Lucas," marking the directorial debut of David Seltzer; and "Jumpin' Jack Flash," starring Whoopi Goldberg, which was Penny Marshall's first film as a director. During the 1980s, Gordon also produced for the stage. For Broadway, he produced the 1986 musical "Smile," with music by Tony, Grammy and Oscar winner Marvin Hamlisch and book and lyrics by Tony and Oscar winner Howard Ashman. Off-Broadway, Gordon produced the 1982 revival of Joe Orton's "Entertaining Mr. Sloane," which won the Drama Desk Award for Best Revival of a Play. For the screen, Gordon produced the 1987 summer action hit "Predator," starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, and, later, its sequel. In 1988, he produced the mega-blockbuster "Die Hard," which introduced Bruce Willis as an action hero and forever changed the action genre. The film went on to spawn three hit sequels, in addition to becoming one of cinema's most successful and imitated franchises. The following year, Gordon produced another seminal hit, "Field of Dreams," starring Kevin Costner under the direction of Phil Alden Robinson. The beloved film earned three Oscar nominations, including one for Best Picture, while the title itself and the famous line, "If you build it...," became part of the cultural lexicon. Gordon subsequently produced "Family Business," directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Sean Connery, Dustin Hoffman and Matthew Broderick; the comedy hit "K-9," starring James Belushi; "The Rocketeer," directed by Joe Johnston; and "Lock Up," starring Sylvester Stallone. In 1989, Gordon formed Largo Entertainment with the backing of JVC Entertainment, Inc. of Japan, representing the first major Japanese investment in the entertainment industry. As the company's chairman and chief executive officer, Gordon was responsible for the production of such films as "Point Break," starring Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves; "Unlawful Entry," starring Kurt Russell, Ray Liotta and Madeleine Stowe; "Used People," starring Shirley MacLaine, Jessica Tandy, Kathy Bates, Marcia Gay Harden and Marcello Mastroianni; and "Timecop," starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. Largo also co-financed and handled the foreign distribution of the acclaimed biopic "Malcolm X," directed by Spike Lee and starring Denzel Washington in the title role. Gordon left Largo in 1994 in favor of a long-term producing deal with Universal Pictures. There, his first production was the controversial Kevin Costner-starrer "Waterworld," which grossed $300 million worldwide. Other Lawrence Gordon Productions include "The Devil's Own," starring Harrison Ford and Brad Pitt; the critically acclaimed "Boogie Nights," directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and starring Mark Wahlberg, Burt Reynolds, Heather Graham and Julianne Moore; and "Mystery Men," starring Ben Stiller. In 2001, Gordon produced two pictures that opened at number one at the box office: the summer hit "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider," starring Angelina Jolie, and the acclaimed "K-PAX," starring Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges. In summer 2003, "Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life" was released, with Angelina Jolie back as Lara Croft. The next year, Gordon produced the Guillermo del Toro's "Hellboy," based on the popular Mike Mignola comic book series and starring Ron Perlman and Selma Blair. In summer 2008, he scored an even bigger hit with its sequel, "Hellboy II: The Golden Army," reuniting the original cast and filmmakers. Gordon's "Watchmen" directed by Zack Snyder ("300") was released in March of 2009 as one of the highest R-rated openings ever. Gordon is producing a documentary for Netflix on the legendary basketball player Bill Russell. He is also executive producer on a television adaptation of "Field Of Dreams" for Peacock, and executive produced the "Predator" spinoff "Prey" on Hulu. Gordon served for many years as a member of the Board of Directors of the Producers Guild of America (PGA) and the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, as well as the Board of the American Film Institute. He is a recipient of the ShoWest Lifetime Achievement Award, the PGA's prestigious David O. Selznick Lifetime Achievement Award, Tulane University's Distinguished Alumni Award, and most recently the Mississippi Governor's Arts Award.- Producer
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As flamboyant as any character in his movies, Joel Silver can be credited along with Jerry Bruckheimer as practically reinventing the action film genre in the 1980s. Born in New Jersey, he attended the New York University Film School. After college, he worked at Lawrence Gordon Pictures, earning his first onscreen credit as associate producer of The Warriors (1979). He eventually became president of the motion picture division of Gordon Pictures. Together with Gordon, Silver produced 48 Hrs. (1982) and Streets of Fire (1984). In 1983 he formed Silver Pictures and initially set up shop at Universal Pictures to produce Brewster's Millions (1985) before going to Fox and continued producing hit action films such as Commando (1985), the "Lethal Weapon" franchise, the first two films of the "Die Hard" franchise and the three films of "Matrix" franchise of action films. He had then subsequently joined Warner Bros. in 1987 after leaving Fox. Despite these successes, he has hit some rough spots and has been banned from working on several studio lots. He was unable to produce the "48 Hrs" sequel Another 48 Hrs. (1990), the third "Die Hard" film, Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995) and the fourth "Matrix" installment The Matrix Resurrections (2021) because of past run-ins with studio executives. Because of his habit of wearing sport shirts and talking loudly and quickly, he has been parodied in several films, even spoofing himself in Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) by playing the frustrated cartoon director in the film's opening sequence. In order to perform in that role, he had to use an alias to get onto the Walt Disney lot, and his onscreen credit was not revealed to Disney executives until the very last minute. He had worked in television, setting up his own television branch with his first project Parker Kane (1990), a project that would eventually never made to series, and then worked at HBO for many years, until he found a home at Warner Bros. Television in 1998, where he had developed two UPN shows The Strip (1999) and Freedom (2000) before finding commercial success with the hit Veronica Mars (2004). In 1999, Silver Pictures had teamed up with film director/producer Robert Zemeckis to set up Dark Castle Entertainment to produce genre and horror films with the first film under Dark Castle being House on Haunted Hill (1999). Joel Silver pioneered the practice of shooting action movies in Australia with the "Matrix" films, and has been credited with either inventing or reinventing the careers of Eddie Murphy, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Steven Seagal. He was mentioned in Halle Berry's Academy Award acceptance speech. Other credits include non-action pictures, ranging from Xanadu (1980), Weird Science (1985) and Fred Claus (2007) to HBO's long-running TV series, Tales from the Crypt (1989). He had resigned from his founding production company in 2019.- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Larry Gross was born in 1953. He is a writer and producer, known for 48 Hrs. (1982), Another 48 Hrs. (1990) and We Don't Live Here Anymore (2004). He has been married to Rose Kuo since 1999. They have one child.- Music Department
- Composer
- Actor
Born in Santa Monica, Ca., Ry Cooder, at the age of four had an accident which left him blind in one eye. He became a bit secluded and began playing the guitar. His biggest influences include Blind Willie Johnson, Arthur "Blind" Blake, Joseph Spence and Curtis Mayfield. Cooder has played on several albums from the Rolling Stones, John Lee Hooker, Eric Clapton and Duane Eddy. He has one son, Joachim, who has played several percussive instruments on his recent albums and soundtracks.- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
Cinematographer Andrew Laszlo was born on January 12, 1926 in Papa, Hungary. Laszlo started out as a camera apprentice at the Motion Picture Studios of Budapest when World War II began. Andrew and his family were sent to a Nazi concentration camp; he was the sole member of his family to survive this. Laszlo immigrated to America in 1947 and worked as a freelance still photographer. He was drafted into the U.S. Army and served in the Signal Corps as a combat photographer during the Korean War. After working for a producer of industrial films in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Andrew began to work in television in the mid 50s; he was initially a camera operator for "The Phil Silvers Show" and later a director of photography for the TV series "Naked City" and "Coronet Blue." He shot his first theatrical feature "One Potatoe, Two Potatoe" in 1964. Among the other notable movies Laszlo worked as a cinematographer on are "You're a Big Boy Now," "The Night They Raided Minsky's," "The Out of Towners," "The Warriors" (this was the first of three motion pictures he shot for Walter Hill), "The Funhouse," "First Blood," "Innerspace," and "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier." He received Emmy Award nominations for his work on "Man With a Country" in 1973 and "Shogun" in 1980. Outside of his film and television program work, Laszlo also shot TV commercials for such top advertisers as Kodak, Sprint, Budweiser, Chevrolet, and American Express. Moreover, Andrew wrote several books that include his autobiography "Footnote to History" which was published in 2002. In addition, Laszlo taught cinematography at workshops, seminars, and universities. Andrew died at age 85 at his home in Bozeman, Montana on October 7, 2011; he was survived by his wife Ann; three sons and a daughter; and five grandchildren.- Editor
- Editorial Department
James Coblentz is known for The One (2001), The X-Files (1993) and The People Under the Stairs (1991).- Editor
- Editorial Department
Freeman A. Davies was born on 11 July 1945 in California, USA. He is an editor, known for The Horse Whisperer (1998), Logan's Run (1976) and 48 Hrs. (1982).- Editor
- Editorial Department
- Additional Crew
- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Jamie Lee Curtis was born on November 22, 1958 in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of legendary actors Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis. She got her big break at acting in 1978 when she won the role of Laurie Strode in Halloween (1978). After that, she became famous for roles in movies like Trading Places (1983), Perfect (1985) and A Fish Called Wanda (1988). She starred in one of the biggest action films ever, True Lies (1994), for which she won a Golden Globe Award for her performance. Curtis also appeared on Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979), and starred in Death of a Centerfold: The Dorothy Stratten Story (1981) as the title role. Her first starring role was opposite Richard Lewis on the ABC situation comedy Anything But Love (1989). In 1998, she starred in Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998) in which she reprised her role that made her famous back in 1978.
Jamie Lee served as an honorary chairperson for the Building Resilience for Young Children Dealing with Trauma program held at the Shakespeare Theatre - Harman Center for the Arts in Washington, D.C. She was an inspiration for the youth that were celebrated. Curtis was also given an award from US Department of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius and National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Rocco Landesman for her work on behalf of children through her charities and children's books.- Producer
- Actress
- Director
Since melting audiences' hearts at the age of just six in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), Drew Barrymore has emerged as one of the most beloved and singularly gifted actresses of her generation. Born in Culver City, California to John Drew Barrymore and Jaid Barrymore, the clutches of fame were near inescapable for young Drew, her father being a member of the esteemed showbiz dynasty fronted by stage star Maurice Barrymore, his thespian wife Georgiana and their three children: Lionel Barrymore, Ethel Barrymore, and John Barrymore.
Tailgating a turbulent adolescence that saw her grapple with insobriety, substance abuse, and cutthroat media vitriol, a diligent Barrymore threw herself into her career throughout the early-mid nineties, first with a succession of 'bad girl' parts in cultish B-pictures like Poison Ivy (1992), Guncrazy (1992) and - fittingly - Bad Girls (1994); then warmly received turns in prestige vehicles such as Boys on the Side (1995), Woody Allen's Everyone Says I Love You (1996), and Wes Craven's game-changing Scream (1996). Equal portions of goofball - The Wedding Singer (1998), Never Been Kissed (1999), Charlie's Angels (2000) - and gravitas - Riding in Cars with Boys (2001), Donnie Darko (2001), Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002) - came next, with a Golden Globe-grabbing pièce de résistance - her divine incarnation of Edith Bouvier Beale in Grey Gardens (2009) - confirming that her skill set was every bit as forceful and far-reaching as imagined.
Having already set in motion a bunch of lucrative projects via production house Flower Films (co-est. with Nancy Juvonen in '95), Barrymore fastened an additional string to her bow when she spearheaded the sports dramedy Whip It (2009), her glowingly appraised directorial debut. Fresh off a healthy run of movie parts at the launch of the 2010s, her star turn as zombified suburban realtor Sheila Hammond - a tour de force at once dizzy and detailed - on Netflix's Santa Clarita Diet (2017) saw her step with trademark resolve into newer territory still: the flourishing world of small screen entertainment, a metamorphosis she continues to espouse with her role as compère of spirited daytime staple The Drew Barrymore Show (2020).- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Corey Scott Feldman began his career at the age of three, starring in a Clio Award-winning McDonald's commercial and has sustained a career for nearly 50 years as a steadily working actor, with more than 80 films under his belt. Corey began his career in guest-starring roles on television series such as Mork & Mindy (1978), Alice (1976) and Eight Is Enough (1977), before landing a regular part on the sitcom, The Bad News Bears (1979). In the same year, Feldman made his big screen debut in Time After Time (1979). Over the next few years, Feldman continued making guest appearances in many television shows and, in 1981, Feldman supplied the voice of "Young Copper", in Disney's The Fox and the Hound (1981). Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984) launched Feldman's career in the horror genre with the role of the main character, "Tommy Jarvis", as a child. He reprised that role in Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985). Feldman then began a series of appearances in blockbuster films such as Gremlins (1984), The Goonies (1985) and Stand by Me (1986). In 1987, Feldman won the Jackie Coogan Award for Stand by Me (1986), and appeared in the legendary cult classic film, The Lost Boys (1987), alongside Jason Patric and Kiefer Sutherland. In 1988, he won the Young Artist Award for Best Young Actor in a Horror Motion Picture for his performance in The Lost Boys (1987).
In 1989, Feldman appeared in The 'Burbs (1989), along with Tom Hanks and Carrie Fisher, and also provided the voice of "Donatello" for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990), which holds the biggest box office for an independent feature in history and also marked his thirteenth number-one box office hit in a row.
Feldman then took time off to focus on his personal life and returned to the film world with appearances is Loaded Weapon 1 (1993), Maverick (1994) and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993). He was a regular on the CBS series, Dweebs (1995), followed by a starring role in the Richard Donner, Robert Zemeckis, Joel Silver-produced Bordello of Blood (1996) for Universal. In 1996, Feldman directed his first film, Busted (1997).
In 2002, Feldman appeared in the comedy, Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003), for which he wrote and performed a song for the soundtrack, shortly followed by an opportunity to work with Wes Craven on Cursed (2005).
In 2004, Feldman was honored with a Former Child Star Lifetime Achievement Award. 2006 found him receiving the best actor award at the Luxemburg Film Festival for his performance in The Birthday (2004), a film that he feels to be his finest work to date. The Eyegore Awards honored Feldman with an award for Legendary Work in Horror Films in 2007.
The hit show, The Two Coreys (2007), not only starred Feldman, but he also executive produced two seasons, as well as Lost Boys: The Tribe (2008). He starred in Terror Inside (2008) in 2008, for which he won the Crystal Reel Best Actor Award, and Feldman executive produced and starred in Lost Boys: The Thirst (2010), which was released in 2010. Other work this decade , includes: Operation Belvis Bash (2011) and Lucky Fritz (2009), plus Henry Jagloms "The M Word", the mind bending performance in "Zero Dark Dirty" as Comedian {Samuel Stillman}, & his most recent theatrical release 2019's "Corbin Nash" in which Feldman takes his biggest departure yet, as the Transvestite Vampire {Queenie}.
Now a husband, father and environmentalist, Feldman is focused on his career as an adult. Nurturing a growing music career with seven albums and seven sound tracks, he has toured North America twice with his band, "The Truth Movement" and five times as a solo artist. Including his last tour in 2017 with Corey's Angels.
In 2013 Corey Feldman wrote a New York Times Best Selling Autobiography that was met with incredible reviews.
Off-screen, Feldman is a spokesperson for PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), the world's largest animal rights organization, and the Amie Karen Cancer Fund, as well as a supporter of environmental charity, Global Green. In 2009, he was presented with The Paws of Fame Award from Wildlife Waystation for his exemplary work in support of animal rights.
Corey is also the National Ambassador for CHILD USA, a non profit designed to fight statute of limitations preventing children who were sexually abused from obtaining justice. Corey helped change laws in the States of New York in 2018 and California in 2019 giving victims a chance for justice by opening look back windows for civil cases in those states.
Corey also self produced and self financed a Documentary about the abuse he and his best friend endured as children called "My Truth: The Rape of Two Corey's".- Actress
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Janet Leigh was the only child of a couple who often moved from town to town. Living in apartments, Janet was a bright child who skipped several grades and finished high school when she was 15. A lonely child, she would spend much of her time at movie theaters. She was a student, studying music and psychology, at the University of the Pacific until she was "discovered" while visiting her parents in Northern California. Her father was working the desk at a ski resort where her mother worked as a maid. Retired MGM actress Norma Shearer saw a picture of Janet on the front desk and asked if she could borrow it. This led to a screen test at MGM and a starring role in The Romance of Rosy Ridge (1947). MGM was looking for a young naive country girl and Janet filled the bill perfectly. She would play the young ingénue in a number of films and work with such stars as Errol Flynn, Gary Cooper, James Stewart, Orson Welles and Judy Garland. She appeared in a number of successful films, including Little Women (1949), Angels in the Outfield (1951), Scaramouche (1952), Houdini (1953) and The Black Shield of Falworth (1954), among others. Janet would appear in a variety of films, from comedies to westerns to musicals to dramas. Of her more than 50 movies, she would be remembered for the 45 minutes that she was on the screen in the small-budget thriller Psycho (1960). Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, this 1960 classic would include the shower scene that would become a film landmark. Even though her character is killed off early in the picture, she would be nominated for an Academy Award and receive a Golden Globe. Her next film would be The Manchurian Candidate (1962), in which she starred with Frank Sinatra. For the rest of the decade, her appearances in films would be rare, but she worked with Paul Newman in Harper (1966). In the 1970s she appeared on the small screen in a number of made-for-TV movies. In 1980, she appeared alongside her daughter Jamie Lee Curtis in The Fog (1980), and later, in Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998). Janet Leigh died at age 77 in her home in Beverly Hills, California on October 3, 2004.- Actor
- Additional Crew
Bob Brandt is known for Snake & Mongoose (2013) and The Bride from Vegas (2014).- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Tony Curtis was born Bernard Schwartz, the eldest of three children of Helen (Klein) and Emanuel Schwartz, Jewish immigrants from Hungary. Curtis himself admits that while he had almost no formal education, he was a student of the "school of hard knocks" and learned from a young age that the only person who ever had his back was himself, so he learned how to take care of both himself and younger brother, Julius. Curtis grew up in poverty, as his father, Emanuel, who worked as a tailor, had the sole responsibility of providing for his entire family on his meager income. This led to constant bickering between Curtis's parents over money, and Curtis began to go to movies as a way of briefly escaping the constant worries of poverty and other family problems. The financial strain of raising two children on a meager income became so tough that in 1935, Curtis's parents decided that their children would have a better life under the care of the state and briefly had Tony and his brother admitted to an orphanage. During this lonely time, the only companion Curtis had was his brother, Julius, and the two became inseparable as they struggled to get used to this new way of life. Weeks later, Curtis's parents came back to reclaim custody of Tony and his brother, but by then Curtis had learned one of life's toughest lessons: the only person you can count on is yourself.
In 1938, shortly before Tony's Bar Mitzvah, tragedy struck when Tony lost the person most important to him when his brother, Julius, was hit by a truck and killed. After that tragedy, Curtis's parents became convinced that a formal education was the best way Tony could avoid the same never-knowing-where-your-next-meal-is-coming-from life that they had known. However, Tony rejected this because he felt that learning about literary classics and algebra wasn't going to advance him in life as much as some real hands-on life experience would. He was to find that real-life experience a few years later, when he enlisted in the navy in 1942. Tony spent over two years getting that life experience doing everything from working as a crewman on a submarine tender, the USS Proteus (AS-19), to honing his future craft as an actor performing as a sailor in a stage play at the Navy Signalman School in Illinois.
In 1945, Curtis was honorably discharged from the navy, and when he realized that the GI Bill would allow him to go to acting school without paying for it, he now saw that his lifelong pipe dream of being an actor might actually be achievable. Curtis auditioned for the New York Dramatic Workshop, and after being accepted on the strength of his audition piece (a scene from "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" in pantomime), Curtis enrolled in early 1947. He then began to pay his dues by appearing in a slew of stage productions, including "Twelfth Night" and "Golden Boy". He then connected with a small theatrical agent named Joyce Selznick, who was the niece of film producer David O. Selznick. After seeing his potential, Selznick arranged an interview for Curtis to see David O. Selznick at Universal Studios, where Curtis was offered a seven-year contract. After changing his name to what he saw as an elegant, mysterious moniker--"Tony Curtis" (named after the novel Anthony Adverse (1936) by Hervey Allen and a cousin of his named Janush Kertiz)--Curtis began making a name for himself by appearing in small, offbeat roles in small-budget productions. His first notable performance was a two-minute role in Criss Cross (1949), with Burt Lancaster, in which he makes Lancaster jealous by dancing with Yvonne De Carlo. This offbeat role resulted in Curtis's being typecast as a heavy for the next few years, such as playing a gang member in City Across the River (1949).
Curtis continued to build up a show reel by accepting any paying job, acting in a number of bit-part roles for the next few years. It wasn't until late 1949 that he finally got the chance to demonstrate his acting flair, when he was cast in an important role in an action western, Sierra (1950). On the strength of his performance in that movie, Curtis was finally cast in a big-budget movie, Winchester '73 (1950). While he appears in that movie only very briefly, it was a chance for him to act alongside a Hollywood legend, James Stewart.
As his career developed, Curtis wanted to act in movies that had social relevance, ones that would challenge audiences, so he began to appear in such movies as Spartacus (1960) and The Defiant Ones (1958). He was advised against appearing as the subordinate sidekick in Spartacus (1960), playing second fiddle to the equally famous Kirk Douglas. However, Curtis saw no problem with this because the two had recently acted together in dual leading roles in The Vikings (1958).- Actress
- Producer
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Alana Stewart was born on 18 May 1945 in San Diego, California, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Delivered (2011), Wasted in Babylon (1999) and Evel Knievel (1971). She was previously married to Rod Stewart and George Hamilton.- Michelle Johnson was born in Anchorage, Alaska, USA on September 9, 1965, her family eventually moved to Phoenix, Arizona. She graduated from Alhambra High School one semester early in January 1984. At the age of 17, only two months out of high school in Phoenix, Arizona, Michelle was signed up by director Stanley Donen for a supporting actress role with Michael Caine in the movie comedy, Blame It on Rio (1984). A tall, slender beauty, Michelle had finished high school one semester early, and she was preparing to move to New York City to begin her modeling career when Mr. Donen spotted a small photo of her in the fashion magazine, "W." Michelle has appeared in many movies, including Waxwork (1988), Genuine Risk (1990) and Far and Away (1992). Her television credits include several appearances on The Love Boat (1977), as well as Murder, She Wrote (1984), Melrose Place (1992), Dallas (1978), Charles in Charge (1984) and The Outer Limits (1995). (Her stepfather is a clinical psychologist and her mother is a homemaker).
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James Howard Woods was born on April 18, 1947 in Vernal, Utah, the son of Martha A. (Smith) and Gail Peyton Woods, a U.S. Army intelligence officer who died during Woods' childhood. James is of Irish, English, and German descent. He grew up in Warwick, Rhode Island, with his mother and stepfather Thomas E. Dixon. He graduated from Pilgrim High School in 1965, near the top of his class. James earned a scholarship to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; dropping out during his senior year in 1969, he then headed off to New York with his fraternity brother Martin Donovan to pursue aspirations to appear on the stage. After appearing in a handful of New York City theater productions, Woods scored his first film role in All the Way Home (1971) and followed that up with meager supporting roles in The Way We Were (1973) and The Choirboys (1977).
However, it was Woods' cold-blooded performance as the cop killer in The Onion Field (1979), based on a Joseph Wambaugh novel, that seized the attention of movie-goers to his on-screen power. Woods quickly followed up with another role in another Joseph Wambaugh film adaptation, The Black Marble (1980), as a sleazy and unstable cable-T.V.-station owner in David Cronenberg's mind-bending and prophetic Videodrome (1983), as gangster Max Bercovicz in Sergio Leones mammoth epic Once Upon a Time in America (1984), and scored a best actor Academy Award nomination as abrasive journalist Richard Boyle in Oliver Stone's gritty and unsettling Salvador (1986).
There seemed to be no stopping the rise of this star as he continued to amaze movie-goers with his remarkable versatility and his ability to create such intense, memorable characters. The decade of the 1990s started off strongly with high praise for his role as Roy Cohn in the television production of Citizen Cohn (1992). Woods was equally impressive as sneaky hustler Lester Diamond who cons Sharon Stone in Casino (1995), made a tremendous H.R. Haldeman in Nixon (1995), portrayed serial killer Carl Panzram in Killer: A Journal of Murder (1995), and then as accused civil rights assassin Byron De La Beckwith in Ghosts of Mississippi (1996).
Not to be typecast solely as hostile hoodlums, Woods has further expanded his range to encompass providing voice-overs for animated productions including Hercules (1997), Hooves of Fire (1999), and Stuart Little 2 (2002). Woods also appeared in the critically praised The Virgin Suicides (1999), in the coming-of-age movie Riding in Cars with Boys (2001), as a corrupt medico in Any Given Sunday (1999), and in the comedy-horror spoof Scary Movie 2 (2001). A remarkable performer with an incredibly diverse range of acting talent, Woods remains one of Hollywood's outstanding leading men.- Actor
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Highly influential, and always controversial, African-American actor/comedian who was equally well known for his colorful language during his live comedy shows, as for his fast paced life, multiple marriages and battles with drug addiction. He has been acknowledged by many modern comic artist's as a key influence on their careers, and Pryor's observational humor on African-American life in the USA during the 1970s was razor sharp brilliance.
He was born Richard Franklin Lennox Pryor III on December 1, 1940, in Peoria, Illinois, the son of Gertrude L. (Thomas) and LeRoy "Buck Carter" Pryor. His mother, a prostitute, abandoned him when he was ten years of age, after which he was raised in his grandmother's brothel. Unfortunately, Pryor was molested at the age of six by a teenage neighbor, and later by a neighborhood preacher. To escape this troubled life, the young Pryor was an avid movie fan and a regular visitor to local movie theaters in Peoria. After numerous jobs, including truck driver and meat packer, the young Pryor did a stint in the US Army between 1958 & 1960 in which he performed in amateur theater shows. After he left the services in 1960, Pryor started singing in small clubs, but inadvertently found that humor was his real forte.
Pryor spent time in both New York & Las Vegas, honing his comic craft. However, his unconventional approach to humor sometimes made bookings difficult to come by and this eventually saw Pryor heading to Los Angeles. He first broke into films with minor roles in The Busy Body (1967) and Wild in the Streets (1968). However, his performance as a drug addicted piano player in Lady Sings the Blues (1972), really got the attention of fans and film critics alike.
He made his first appearance with Gene Wilder in the very popular action/comedy Silver Streak (1976), played three different characters in Which Way Is Up? (1977) and portrayed real-life stock-car driver "Wendell Scott" in Greased Lightning (1977). Proving he was more than just a comedian, Pryor wowed audiences as a disenchanted auto worker who is seduced into betraying his friends and easy money in the Paul Schrader working class drama Blue Collar (1978), also starring Yaphet Kotto and Harvey Keitel. Always a strong advocate of African-American talent, Pryor next took a key role in The Wiz (1978), starring an all African-American cast, including Diana Ross and Michael Jackson, retelling the story of The Wizard of Oz (1939). His next four screen roles were primarily cameos in California Suite (1978); The Muppet Movie (1979); Wholly Moses! (1980) and In God We Trust (or Gimme That Prime Time Religion) (1980). However, Pryor teamed up with Gene Wilder once more for the prison comedy Stir Crazy (1980), which did strong box office business.
His next few films were a mixed bag of material, often inhibiting Pryor's talent, with equally mixed returns at the box office. Pryor then scored second billing to Christopher Reeve in the big budget Superman III (1983), and starred alongside fellow funny man John Candy in Brewster's Millions (1985) before revealing his inner self in the autobiographical Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986). Again, Pryor was somewhat hampered by poor material in his following film ventures. However, he did turn up again in See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989) with Gene Wilder, but the final product was not as sharp as their previous pairings. Pryor then partnered on-screen with two other very popular African-American comic's. The legendary Redd Foxx and 1980s comic newcomer Eddie Murphy starred with Pryor in the gangster film Harlem Nights (1989) which was also directed by Eddie Murphy. Having contracted multiple sclerosis in 1986, Pryor's remaining film appearances were primarily cameos apart from his fourth and final outing with Gene Wilder in the lukewarm Another You (1991), and his final appearance in a film production was a small role in the David Lynch road flick Lost Highway (1997).
Fans of this outrageous comic genius are encouraged to see his live specials Richard Pryor: Live and Smokin' (1971); the dynamic Richard Pryor: Live in Concert (1979); Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip (1982) and Richard Pryor... Here and Now (1983). In addition, The Richard Pryor Show (1977) is a must-have for any Richard Pryor fans' DVD collection.
Unknown to many, Pryor was a long time advocate against animal cruelty, and he campaigned against fast food chains and circus shows to address issues of animal welfare. He was married a total of seven times, and fathered eight children.
After long battles with ill health, Richard Pryor passed away on December 10th, 2005.- Actress
- Manager
Ann Kathryn Turkel was born in 1946, and raised in Manhattan, the daughter of Thelma L. (Friedricks) and Melvin A. Turkel. She is of Austrian Jewish and Russian Jewish descent. Ann took acting, dance and voice lessons from an early age. By the time she reached 16, Ann had studied at the Musical Theatre Academy with prominent acting coaches. In 1971, she performed a season of summer stock theatre. Ann, who had become statuesque at 6 feet tall, was discovered by an editor at Vogue Magazine. In a short time, she became one of the most sought-after models in the country appearing on the covers of the top fashion magazines. Two years later, Ann hit the international markets, modeling successfully in Europe. At the age of 27, she left her successful modeling career to co-star in a movie, a surreal detective/mystery, 99 and 44/100% Dead! (1974), starring actor Richard Harris. Ann fell in love with the Irish star, who was 15 years her senior, and they married that year. Ann and Richard appeared in several movies together, until they divorced in 1982. Ann then started acting on TV, doing guest appearances on many different shows, and often doing her own stunts. In addition to working in front of the camera, Ann has also written some screenplays and is a successful photographer. Keeping in shape and being athletic, Ann enjoys a number of sports: tennis, softball, skating, volleyball and skiing. Ann loves the beauty of the outdoors, which is reflected in her photography and paintings. She is a spokesperson for animal rights and children's causes, and volunteers her time and help in these areas; Ann has raised money for worldwide charities.- Director
- Actor
- Writer
Hans Buhringer was born on 10 May 1958 in Vienna, Austria. He is a director and actor, known for Die Hard (1988) and Contract Online (2008).- Actor
- Director
- Soundtrack
Stephen Collins was born on 1 October 1947 in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. He is an actor and director, known for 7th Heaven (1996), Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) and The First Wives Club (1996). He has been married to Jenny Nagel since 22 July 2019. He was previously married to Faye Grant and Marjorie Weinman.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Faye Grant was born in St. Clair Shores, Michigan, in 1957, and was involved in theater as a teenager. She left home at 18, hitchhiking throughout Mexico, the U.S., and Canada. After living in Mexico City, where she did Spanish commercials, she moved to Los Angeles. She played the role of Rhonda on The Greatest American Hero (1981), but is probably best remembered as Dr. Juliet Parrish in the hit TV mini-series, V (1983) and V: The Final Battle (1984), as well as the short-lived television series based on the two mini-series, V (1984). She has also appeared in several theatrical movies, including Crossing Delancey (1988), The January Man (1989) and Internal Affairs (1990). She was married to actor Stephen Collins, and they have one child, Kate.