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Quentin Jerome Tarantino was born in Knoxville, Tennessee. His father, Tony Tarantino, is an Italian-American actor and musician from New York, and his mother, Connie (McHugh), is a nurse from Tennessee. Quentin moved with his mother to Torrance, California, when he was four years old.

In January of 1992, first-time writer-director Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs (1992) appeared at the Sundance Film Festival. The film garnered critical acclaim and the director became a legend immediately. Two years later, he followed up Dogs success with Pulp Fiction (1994) which premiered at the Cannes film festival, winning the coveted Palme D'Or Award. At the 1995 Academy Awards, it was nominated for the best picture, best director and best original screenplay. Tarantino and writing partner Roger Avary came away with the award only for best original screenplay. In 1995, Tarantino directed one fourth of the anthology Four Rooms (1995) with friends and fellow auteurs Alexandre Rockwell, Robert Rodriguez and Allison Anders. The film opened December 25 in the United States to very weak reviews. Tarantino's next film was From Dusk Till Dawn (1996), a vampire/crime story which he wrote and co-starred with George Clooney. The film did fairly well theatrically.

Since then, Tarantino has helmed several critically and financially successful films, including Jackie Brown (1997), Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003), Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004), Inglourious Basterds (2009), Django Unchained (2012) and The Hateful Eight (2015).

Christina Rene Hendricks was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, and grew up in Twin Falls, Idaho. Her father, Robert, originally from England, worked for the U.S. Forest Service, while her mother, Jackie Sue (Raymond), was a psychologist. At the age of 13 her father transferred to the Forest Service Washington, D.C. headquarters and the family moved to nearby Fairfax, Virginia. She began acting at school and went into modeling from the ages of 18 to 27. In her early 20s, she also began appearing on television, landing a recurring role in Beggars and Choosers (1999) in 2000 and another on Kevin Hill (2004) before rising to international fame in Mad Men (2007). As well as her more famously conventional awards nominations (Emmys) and wins (SAG Awards) she also won a SyFy Genre Award in for "Best Special Guest/Television" for her role as Saffron in Joss Whedon's short-lived Firefly (2002).

Diana Dale Dickey is an American actress who has worked in theater, film, and television. Dickey won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female for her performance as Merab in the 2010 independent drama film Winter's Bone. She is also known for her character roles in a number of mainstream and independent films as of the early 2000s, and for recurring performances in television shows such as My Name Is Earl, Breaking Bad, True Blood, and Justified. She also appeared on the television series Vice Principals on HBO.

Brad Renfro was born on July 25, 1982 in Knoxville, Tennessee, to Angela Denise McCrory and Mark Renfro, a factory worker. He was discovered at age 10 by director Joel Schumacher and was cast in the motion picture The Client (1994), which starred Susan Sarandon and Tommy Lee Jones. Although this would be his zenith, he went on to appear in other films, including The Cure (1995), Tom and Huck (1995), Sleepers (1996), and Apt Pupil (1998). Renfro won The Hollywood Reporter's Young Star Award in 1995 and was nominated as one of People magazine's "Top 30 Under 30," though addiction problems in his teens and early 20s led to several police arrests and hampered his career. He died of a drug overdose in January 2008, aged 25.

In a six-decade-plus career (she started out as a radio performer at age 14), there are very few facets of entertainment that lovely singer/actress Polly Bergen has not conquered or, at the very least, touched upon. A nightclub and Columbia recording artist of the 50s and 60s, she is just as well known for her film and Emmy-winning dramatic performances as she is for her wry comedic gifts. In the leaner times, she has maintained quite well with her various businesses. Truly one for the ages, Polly has, at age 70+, nabbed a Tony nomination for her gutsy "I'm Still Here" entertainer Carlotta in Stephen Sondheim's "Follies", and was still dishing out the barbs as she recently demonstrated as Felicity Huffman's earthy mom on Desperate Housewives (2004).

Born in Knoxville, Tennessee as Nellie Burgin on July 14, 1930, her family, which included father William, mother Lucy and sister Barbra, eventually moved to Los Angeles. By the time she was 14, Polly was singing professionally on radio and managed to scrape up singing gigs with smaller bands around and about the Southern California area. She attended Compton Junior College before Paramount mogul Hal B. Wallis caught sight of her and signed her up with his studio. Having made an isolated film debut (as Polly Burgin) a year earlier in the Monogram western Across the Rio Grande (1949), Wallis showcased her as a decorative love interest in the slapstick vehicles of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, the (then) hottest comedy team in Hollywood. But At War with the Army (1950), That's My Boy (1951) and The Stooge (1951) did little for Polly although she presented herself well. MGM and Universal had the idea to cast her in a more serious vein with co-starring roles in their dramas Escape from Fort Bravo (1953), Arena (1953) and Cry of the Hunted (1953), but again she was overlooked. Disasppointed, she decided to abandon her lucrative film contract and seek work elsewhere.

That "elsewhere" came in the form of 1950s TV. Focusing on her singing, she promoted her many albums for Columbia by guest-starring on all the top variety shows of the times. This culminated in her own variety program, The Polly Bergen Show (1957). The song "The Party's Over" became her traditional show-closer and signature tune. Polly also showed some marquee mettle on the cabaret and nightclub circuits, performing at many of the top hotels and showrooms throughout the country. She made her Broadway debut along with Harry Belafonte in "John Murray Anderson's Almanac" in 1953, and went on to appear in such stage shows as "Top Man" and "Champagne Complex". A delightfully engaging game show panelist to boot, she took a regular seat on the To Tell the Truth (1956) panel for five seasons.

Polly tended to display a looser, down-to-earth personality to induce laughs but she was also was formidable dramatic player and fashion plate quite capable of radiating great charm, poise and elegance. For her role as alcoholic torch singer Helen Morgan in the special TV showcase The Helen Morgan Story (1957) , she took home the Emmy award. Unfortunately for Polly, Ann Blyth took on the role of the tragic singer in the film version (with Gogi Grant providing the vocals), in what could have been a significant return to films for her.

Instead, Polly had to wait another five years for that to happen. As the wife of Gregory Peck and designated victim of revengeful psychopath Robert Mitchum in the taut movie thriller Cape Fear (1962), her film career reignited. Other opportunities came in the form of her distraught mental patient in The Caretakers (1963), which found her at odds with nurse Joan Crawford and doctor Robert Stack; the sparkling comedy Move Over, Darling (1963), which placed her in a comedy triangle with "other wife" Doris Day and husband James Garner; and as the first woman Chief Executive of the White House in the frothy comedy tidbit Kisses for My President (1964) opposite bemused "First Gentleman" Fred MacMurray. In what was to be a tinge of deja vu, Polly again saw her movie career dissipate after only a couple of vehicles. True to form, the indomitable Polly rebounded on TV.

A mild string of TV-movies came her way as she matured into the 1970s and 1980s, most notably the acclaimed miniseries The Winds of War (1983), which reunited her with Robert Mitchum, this time as his unhappy, alcoholic wife. This, along with her participation in the sequel, War and Remembrance (1988), earned Polly supporting Emmy nominations. In the years to come, she would find herself still in demand displaying her trademark comic grit in such shows as The Sopranos (1999), Commander in Chief (2005) and Desperate Housewives (2004).

Polly returned to singing in 1999 after nearly a three-decade absence (due to health and vocal issues). Quite huskier in tone, she went on to delight the New York musical stage with stand-out performances in "Follies" (2001), "Cabaret" (2002) and "Camille Claudel" (2007). Polly still made nightly appearances and had even put together singing concert tours on occasion.

Polly has authored three best-selling beauty books outside the acting arena and has demonstrated a marked level of acumen in the business world. Founding a mail-order cosmetics business in 1965, she sold it to Faberge eight years later. She also developed her own shoe and jewelry lines.

Married (1950-1955) to MGM actor Jerome Courtland during her first movie career peak, she later wed topflight agent/producer Freddie Fields in 1957, a union that lasted 18 years and produced two adopted children, Pamela and Peter. A third marriage in the 1980s also ended in divorce. An assertive voice when it comes to women's rights and issues, her memoir "Polly's Principles" came out in 1974.

Polly played a grandmother in her last film, the dramedy Struck by Lightning (2012), and died two years later on September 20, 2013, at the age of 84.

Johnny Knoxville was born on 11 March 1971 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. He is a writer and producer, known for Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (2013), The Dukes of Hazzard (2005) and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014).

David Lemuel Keith was born on May 8, 1954 in Knoxville, Tennessee, the son of Lemuel Grady Keith Jr. and Hilda Earle. He graduated from the University of Tennessee with a Bachelor of Arts in Speech and Theater. Keith had a supporting role in The Rose (1979) starring Bette Midler, had a supporting role in Brubaker (1980), and co-starred with Richard Gere in An Officer and a Gentleman (1982). He played a local thug in The Great Santini (1979), starred in The Lords of Discipline (1983) and White of the Eye (1987), and held a prominent supporting role opposite Matthew McConaughey in U-571 (2000). He played opposite Drew Barrymore in the science fiction horror film Firestarter (1984), and opposite Brooke Shields and Martin Sheen in Running Wild (1995).

Keith played Elvis Presley in Chris Columbus' Heartbreak Hotel (1988), the cowboy "Boo-Hoo" Boone in Frank Oz's The Indian in the Cupboard (1995), and the leading role of Nate Springfield in the horror film Hangman's Curse (2003). He also co-starred in the sitcom The Class (2006) as Yonk Allen, a retired professional football player. He has appeared in the horror remake Carrie (2002), Daredevil (2003), Raise Your Voice (2004) starring Hilary Duff, and Expiration Date (2006). He has also appeared on the television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999), Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001), CSI: Miami (2002), NCIS (2003), and Hawaii Five-0 (2010). He also co-starred as Robert Allen's father John Allen on the short-lived Fox drama series Lone Star (2010).

David Keith married realtor Nancy Clark in 2000 and the couple reside in Knoxville, Tennessee.

John Cullum was born on 2 March 1930 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. He is an actor and director, known for Northern Exposure (1990), All Good Things (2010) and 1776 (1972). He was previously married to Emily Frankel.

Jake was on his mother's TV show and his father's radio show when he was very young. In fact, Jake was on the Knoxville Evening News "live" from the nursery of the hospital the day he was born. The TV station where his mother was an anchor covered Jake's first days in depth. As he grew up he was in TV commercials with his parents. When he was six the family moved to Hollywood. One day Jake was in the office of his mother's agent. The agents were very entertained with Jake and asked to represent him. So after six months of auditioning and nothing happening, Jake booked his first national commercial. Then 15 more followed. In the meantime, Jake would perform in plays in Beverly Hills' theaters with his parents. One day after auditioning for over 25 films and numerous TV shows, Jake booked a guest star role on 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996). After that, the TV and movie roles started happening.

Lara Parker was born Mary Lamar Rickey in Knoxville, Tennessee, and grew up in Memphis. She attended Central High School in Memphis, and won a scholarship to Vassar College. At Vassar, Lara began a major in philosophy, which she completed at Southwestern at Memphis (now Rhodes College), receiving her BA. She attended graduate school at the University of Iowa and completed all course work on a Masters in speech and drama. During the summer when Lara was supposed to write her thesis, she acted at the Millbrook Playhouse, in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, playing 5 leading roles in 6 weeks. Rather than returning to Iowa, she decided to try her luck in New York. During only her second week in the city, she was cast as Angelique, the witch, in the daytime horror serial, Dark Shadows (1966). It was a role she held for 5 years. It culminated with the film, Night of Dark Shadows (1971). While still in New York, Lara appeared on Broadway in "Woman is My Idea", as well as in two off-Broadway plays: "Lulu" and "A Gun Play".

In 1972, she moved to Los Angeles, and began working in film and prime-time television, performing many guest starring roles, and occasionally returning to daytime television. After retiring from acting, she changed her focus back to what her original interests were. She became a high school and college English teacher, and obtained her MFA in creative writing (from Antioch University). Parker authored four novels based on "Dark Shadows" (see book section, below).

Parker lived in California with her husband, Jim Hawkins and their daughter, Caitlin Hawkins. She died at age 84 from cancer in October 2023.

Black River's Kelsea Ballerini consistently makes history. With the release of her debut album The First Time she became the "only female country artist to hit #1 with the first three consecutive singles from a debut album." Since then, she's had seven #1 singles and five back-to-back Top 10 entries on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.

Among dozens of accolades, she's garnered four GRAMMY® Award nominations, won two ACM Awards, Billboard Awards, and CMA Awards; an iHeartRadio Music Awards honor, and received multiple career nominations from the ACM, American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, CMA, CMT, and People's Choice Awards. Kelsea returned to host the 2024 CMT Music Awards for the fourth year, this time as a solo host, and lead the field in nominations. Most recently, she earned three 2024 ACM Award Nominations, including "Album of the Year" for her acclaimed Rolling Up The Welcome Mat (For Good) as both artist and producer as well as "Female Vocalist of the Year."

The Grand Ole Opry member was named the newest face of COVERGIRL (2022) and later built on her multi-year partnership by launching a cosmetic collaboration with the brand (2023). Expanding her sphere of influence, she authored her first original poetry book, Feel Your Way Through, and Dolly Parton tapped her to star in the audio book of Run, Rose, Run.

Kelsea's fourth album, SUBJECT TO CHANGE, was released in 2022. Five months later, she surprised fans with Rolling Up the Welcome Mat and the accompanying short film. This led to her Saturday Night Live debut, universal acclaim from critics including The New York Times, Variety, Rolling Stone, and the honor of gracing the cover of TIME Magazine's TIME100 Next issue.

With these accolades, it is no wonder NPR proclaimed, "Kelsea Ballerini is definitely one of the most influential women in country right now... she's defining the sound of the genre."

Tanya Christiansen is a Tennessee native and began her acting career on stage doing local theater. Her passion for acting continued after she graduated from The University Of Tennessee. Continuing in the industry first as a host for a shopping network and then moving into film and television. She divides her time between Georgia and California.

Wayne Wilcox was born on 11 December 1978 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. He is an actor, known for Rent (2005), Gilmore Girls (2000) and Only Children (2018).

Randal Keith "Randy" Orton (born April 1, 1980) is an American professional wrestler and actor best known to sports entertainment audiences for his career signed with WWE. Orton was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, to Bob Orton, Jr. and his wife Elaine. He is the grandson of Bob Orton, Sr. and the nephew of wrestler-turned-musician Barry Orton. Randy has a younger brother named Nate and a younger sister named Rebecca. Early in life, his parents discouraged him from pursuing any career in professional wrestling due to the major amount of time spent away from home and family. Orton however, still became involved with wrestling, on an amateur level while attending Hazelwood Central High School.

Orton graduated from high school in 1998 and then joined the United States Marine Corps. However, Orton received a Bad Conduct Discharge (BCD)in 1999 after twice going AWOL and for disobeying a direct order from a commanding officer.

After his brief military tenure, Orton opted for a career in professional wrestling. During 2000 at age 20, Orton began his training, lasting into the following year in 2001. He wrestled in local training promotions in St. Louis where his father and uncle had working relations with. Orton also gained experience as a wrestling referee.

During 2001, Orton signed with the then-World Wrestling Federation and began training in its instructional program Ohio Valley Wrestling. Orton made his debut the following year in 2002 at WrestleMania X8 (2002) Fan Axxcess, defeating Tommy Dreamer. During 2002, Orton began gaining more televised match time and screen-time for promos. The following year in 2003 after the company renamed itself as the WWE, Orton quickly enhanced his presence on the WWE roster, when he joined the heel stable known as Evolution, fronted by Paul Levesque (known in-ring as Triple H). While in Evolution, Orton won his first singles title when he defeated Rob Van Dam for the WWE Intercontinental Championship at WWE Armageddon (2003). The following year, Orton won his second title when he defeated fan favorite Summerslam (2004). By this time, Orton had began drifting away from his Evolution teammates and went on to strike out on his own. Establishing himself as the "Legend Killer" Orton began on a crusade of taking down every wrestling legend the WWE had to offer. His crusade came to a cryptic end when he was defeated by The Phenom, The Undertaker (Mark Calaway) at WrestleMania 21 (2005), after promising WWE fans he would end Undertaker's 12-0 undefeated WrestleMania record.

As Orton's career continued in the WWE, Orton won the WWE Championship a total of 8 times and was the last World Heavyweight Champion after winning that title 4 times. During the later 2000s, Orton formed a tag team with Adam Copeland (known as Edge), becoming Team Rated RKO (a play on Edge's nickname as the Rated R Superstar and Randy's finisher move named the RKO). They won the World Tag Team Championship for the first and last time before losing the titles to John Cena and Shawn Michaels. During the early 2010s, Orton formed his own stable called Legacy, comprised of Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase Jr.. Afterwards, Orton returned to his singular ways and became known as the "Apex Predator" and "The Viper", increasing his aggression and killer-instinct in the wrestling ring.

Outside of wrestling, Orton ventured into acting. He was previously intended to star in WWE-produced film titles such as The Marine 2 (2009), but was injured at the time and the lead role was given to Ted DiBiase Jr. When he was considered for the third sequel to The Marine, he was dismissed from consideration due to his history with the USMC and the lead was given to Mike 'The Miz' Mizanin. Orton made his film debut in 2011 in the film That's What I Am (2011) as the father of a school bully. His next film role was the lead in 12 Rounds 2: Reloaded (2013), followed later with a lead in The Condemned 2 (2015) and an appearance in Countdown (2016). In 2016, Orton got a supporting role in the action thriller series Shooter (2016).

American lyric soprano and actress, best known on screen as the voice of Princess Aurora in Walt Disney's animated feature Sleeping Beauty (1959). A beautiful blue-eyed blonde, Mary was born of Italian ancestry, the daughter of John and Hazel Costa. She trained at the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music, made a few early radio appearances on Edgar Bergen's show and was 'discovered' at the age of 22 by the composer Walter Schumann, who recruited her for the part of Princess Aurora. The film took six years to make and was released in 1959. Schumann never got to see the finished product. He had died the year before, aged just 44.

Costa married Hollywood director Frank Tashlin in 1953 and appeared that same year in his screwball farce Marry Me Again (1953) at RKO. She did a couple of TV guest spots and then played a gangster's moll opposite Rory Calhoun in the entertaining film noir The Big Caper (1957). Her last noted performance on screen was as Henrietta 'Jetty' Treffz (1818-1878), the first wife of composer Johann Strauss (played by Horst Buchholz) in the biopic The Great Waltz (1972).

Costa made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera as Violetta in La Traviata in 1964. She went on to international stardom as a famous diva, performing at many of the great concert halls and opera houses throughout the U.S. and Europe.

Named a Disney Legend in 1999, Costa was awarded a National Medal of Arts at the White House in January 2021 "for her extraordinary talent, inspiration, and contribution to the operatic arts. Her stellar career includes performances in 38 operatic roles."

Morgan Stevens was born on 16 October 1951 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for Fame (1982), Bare Essence (1983) and Murder One (1995). He died on 26 January 2022 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Jamie Lynn Marchi is an American actress and screenwriter known for her roles as Panty Anarchy from Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt, Liara T'Soni from Mass Effect: Paragon Lost, Ellie from Borderlands, Rias Gremory from High School DxD, Junko Endoshima from Danganropa 3, Charlotte E. Yeager from Strike Witches, Haruna Saotome from Negima and Mt. Lady from My Hero Academia.

Jerome Courtland was born on 27 December 1926 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. He was a director and actor, known for Pete's Dragon (1977), Kiss and Tell (1945) and Make Believe Ballroom (1949). He was married to Marlene Juttner, Janet Rose Gumprecht and Polly Bergen. He died on 1 March 2012 in Santa Clarita Valley, California, USA.

Cleavant Derricks was born on 15 May 1953 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Sliders (1995), Moscow on the Hudson (1984) and Dreamgirls (2006). He has been married to Portia Derricks since 24 June 1986. They have four children.

Meghan Falcone was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2018), Unprisoned (2023) and Future Man (2017).

Henry Cho was born on 30 December 1962 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for McHale's Navy (1997), Say It Isn't So (2001) and The Farmer and the Belle: Saving Santaland (2020).

Kenny Chesney was born on 26 March 1968 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. He is a music artist and actor, known for The Do-Over (2016), Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016) and Kenny Chesney: You and Tequila ft. Grace Potter (2011). He was previously married to Renée Zellweger.

Brian Bell was born on 9 December 1968 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Factory Girl (2006), Family Switch (2023) and Permission to Exist (2020).

With 30 films and more than 20 television shows to his credit, over 75 million viewers in the United States alone have seen Cylk Cozart's work. But, for Cozart, it is his love of children and helping others less fortunate that led him to Hollywood and what continues to underscore his reason for being in show business. Cylk Cozart's wide range of talents as an actor, producer, writer, singer, model and songwriter have made him one of Hollywood's most sought after artists. Cozart has an impressive list of film credits to his name that have garnered well over a half a billion dollars at the box office, including: Conspiracy Theory (1997) (Mel Gibson and Julia Roberts); Ron Shelton's White Men Can't Jump (1992); Three to Tango (1999) (Matthew Perry and Neve Campbell); Love Affair (1994) (Annette Bening and Warren Beatty); Eraser (1996) (Arnold Schwarzenegger); Play It to the Bone (1999) (Antonio Banderas and Woody Harrelson); Blue Chips (1994) (Nick Nolte and 'Shaquille O'Neal (I)'); and In the Line of Fire (1993) (Clint Eastwood).

Born in Knoxville, Tennessee, to a Native American mother and an African-American father, Cylk was given the fuel he needed to fulfill his life-long dream. A natural athlete, Cozart excelled at sports in high school and was one of the best players on both the basketball and football teams. Graduating with high marks and outstanding athletic skill, he was offered numerous basketball and football scholarships to colleges across the country. He chose King College in Bristol, Tennessee, where he majored in Child Psychology. After college, Cozart pursued his goal of playing professional basketball, but a foot injury while playing in the NBA Summer Pro League ended his dream.

After a successful modeling career in Miami, Cozart made his feature film debut in Warner Bros. Blue Skies Again (1983) opposite Andy Garcia. Deciding to relocate to New York to study his craft, Cozart continued modeling and appeared in numerous publications such as Vogue, GQ, and Essence. His love for theatre soon led him to be in two prominent stage plays: "Diary of a Black Man" and "The Big Knife." He also trained at the American Repertory Theatre and the Sundance Institute under the tutelage of Robert Redford.

Since then Cozart has appeared in the movies-of-the-week: Johnny Tsunami (1999) for Disney; Slam Dunk Ernest (1995) with Jim Varney and A Family Divided (1995) with Faye Dunaway, both for NBC. He also had recurring roles on NBC's Reasonable Doubts (1991) with Mark Harmon, ABC's Gabriel's Fire (1990) with James Earl Jones; and HBO's Dream On (1990). He guest-starred on such shows as UPN's Sister, Sister (1994); CBS's Diagnosis Murder (1993) and Walker, Texas Ranger (1993); Fox's Ned and Stacey (1995) Roc (1991), M.A.N.T.I.S. (1994), and Living Single (1993); NBC's The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990); ABC's Hangin' with Mr. Cooper (1992); and Lifetime's Any Day Now (1998) with Annie Potts in which Cozart also exhibits his singing talents. His early film work included roles in School Daze (1988) directed by Spike Lee, and Fire Birds (1990) with Nicolas Cage and Tommy Lee Jones.

President of his own production company, Cozart is also Co-Chairman of the newly formed production entity, P.O.V. Planet, which recently created and produced the Wave to the World (2000) All-Star Celebrity Recording and Video "Spirit of Life" for the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney, Australia. "Spirit of Life" has earned, to date, the prestigious Videographer and Aurora Awards, the NY Film Festival Bronze Award, and the Telly Award. With a number of projects on his slate, Cozart is also producing the feature film Baby of the Family (2002), which will star the award-winning Alfre Woodard. The film is inspired by award-winning author Tina McElroy Ansa's book of the same name and will be directed by 'Joneé Ansa'. Cozart is also producing and starring in the upcoming feature film What's Going on? (2003) (Marvin Gaye) with legendary songwriter Ed Townsend consulting, and is producing a unique documentary multi-part series based on the African-American Vernacular Art books called "Souls Grown Deep."

Among his other creative pursuits, the multi-talented Cozart is completing his first co-produced music CD on which he sings lead vocals and has composed two original songs. He is also an active partner and celebrity spokesperson for a new, innovative, manufacturing company, The Original Ballbag Co., whose products are licensed by the NBA, NBA.com, Tommy Hilfiger, and others. Today, basketball continues to be one of Cozart's personal passions; he is the back-to-back 3-Point Shooting Champion and Team Captain for the NBA Entertainment League and is also Team Captain of the Hollywood Knights Celebrity Basketball Tour.

His compassion, understanding and capacity to give are exemplified by his devotion to utilizing his celebrity status to advocate and support numerous charities and humanitarian events. Cozart is a spokesperson for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and is the founder of the "Hoops for Hope" Basketball Charity Game, a non-profit star-studded event. He is founder of the "Cylk Cozart Celebrity Classic All-Star Basketball Game" to benefit the Toni Stroman Fund, and is a celebrity spokesperson for the National Make-A-Wish Foundation and The Boys & Girls Clubs of America. He is also a celebrity supporter for the National Tourette Syndrome Association, The Lupus Foundation of America, The National Indian Council, and others, along with numerous non-profit celebrity sports tournaments and fund-raisers. In recognition of his outstanding charitable efforts and accomplishments, he was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation by Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan.

In February 2013 Cylk co-founded Cure4Hunger.org as their CEO & Co-Chairman. Cure4Hunger is the world's first legitimate and affordable cure for global hunger by integrating 7-technolgies into 1 sustainable solution. One acre of Cure4Hunger Food & Water Domes feeds 58,000 starving people 365 days a year.

Jack Hanna was born on 2 January 1947 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. He is a producer and actor, known for Jack Hanna's Into the Wild (2007), Jack Hanna's Wild Countdown (2011) and Animal Adventures (1992). He has been married to Suzi Hanna since 20 December 1968. They have three children.