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1-31 of 31
- Actor
- Director
- Additional Crew
Jack Carter was born on 24 June 1922 in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor and director, known for History of the World: Part I (1981), Alligator (1980) and Amazing Stories (1985). He was married to Roxanne Wander, Paula Stewart and Joan Mann. He died on 28 June 2015 in Beverly Hills, California, USA.- Writer
- Actor
- Producer
John Kani was born on 30 November 1942 in New Brighton, South Africa. He is a writer and actor, known for Black Panther (2018), Captain America: Civil War (2016) and The Ghost and the Darkness (1996).- Producer
- Writer
- Script and Continuity Department
Dana Fox was born on 18 September 1976 in Brighton, New York, USA. She is a producer and writer, known for Cruella (2021), How to Be Single (2016) and The Lost City (2022). She has been married to Quinn Emmett since 23 October 2010. They have three children.- Actress
- Director
- Writer
Mabel Normand was one of the comedy greats of early film. In an era when women are deemed 'not funny enough' it seems film history has forgotten her contributions. Her films debuted the Keystone Cops, Charlie Chaplin's tramp and the pie in the face gag. She co-starred with both Chaplin and Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle in a series of shorts. She was a star in the first Keystone Comedy as well as the first feature film comedy. She was the only comedian to work with Charles Chaplin , Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, Mack Sennett, D.W. Griffith, Harold Lloyd, Mary Pickford, Hal Roach, Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Fred Mace, Fred Sterling and John Bunny (she and Buster Keaton never had a chance to work together but they were friends.)
Born in Staten Island, New York to Claude and Mary Normand. Normand started out as an artist model for Charles Dana Gibson (creator of the Gibson girl). Friends suggested she try out for the new medium of film and she did, working as an extra in Kalem and Biograph shorts. With Biograph's move to California she went to work for Vitagraph where she made a series of comedic shorts as 'Betty', one co-starring the first comedy film star John Bunny.
Eventually Normand returned to Biograph where she began working with Mack Sennett on comedic shorts that would eventually turn into Keystone Comedies. Normand and Sennett were lovers, close friends and close co-workers. All of Sennett's early ideas seemed to revolve around Normand. His creation of Keystone was contingent on Normand joining him; and though he would underpay her as he underpaid everyone he worked with, he insisted Normand have credit and say in the company. When Normand eventually left Keystone for Goldwyn, Sennett left soon after.
By 1912 Normand was writing her own films and by 1914 she was directing her films. By this point she was a major star, continually topping fan polls by new movie magazines. While the discovery of Charlie Chaplin varies from telling to telling, everyone involved agreed Sennett would not have hired (or kept him on) had it not been for Normand. Chaplin's second short for the company was Normand's "Mabel's Strange Predicament" which she starred and directed in. This was the first film Chaplin created his iconic tramp character for.
Chaplin and Normand had a comedic chemistry and would go on to team in a series of shorts until Chaplin left Keystone in 1915. As Chaplin's star rose many fan magazines began to call Normand a 'female Chaplin'. Normand and Chaplin had similar subtle mannerisms and the influence Normand had on Chaplin can not be understated. Before Chaplin left Keystone, they starred, alongside Marie Dressler, in "Tillie's Punctured Romance" the first full length comedy film.
With the loss of Chaplin, Normand and Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle began to team together in a series of shorts (though they had acted together before). This series was also popular and the pair continued acting together until they both left Keystone for better pay.
Sennett and Normand became engaged around this time, though the engagement ended when Sennett was caught cheating on Normand. Friends report she suffered a severe head injury when Sennett's fling threw a vase at Normand's head. Those who knew Normand all believed Sennett was the love of her life; and she his. However they would never reconcile romantically. Sennett did convince Normand to create her own production company "Mabel Normand Film Company" to make her own features. The first project was "Mickey" and Sennett's handling of her business affairs resulted in the film not being released until 1918 (or having a definite version).
Normand dissolved the company and signed with Goldwyn where she went on to make comedy features. These movies would be more akin to sitcoms: they were shorter than a lot of features, but still features. Many are lost though several have turned up in the past 10 years.
Normand once again signed with Sennett to make features and this would result in her final feature films. However this would be a rocky venture. Normand's health was hit or miss (she had been diagnosed with tuberculosis when she was 10) and seemed to be worse than better. She also was drinking heavily. In 1922 her friend William Desmond Taylor was murdered. This case would become 'the case of the century' and became a media circus, it is still unsolved. Though Normand was cleared (she had been seen leaving his house with him waving goodbye to her; she was likely the last person to see him alive), the association left an unwelcome tarnish on her soon after the scandalous death of her friend Olive Thomas, and the unfair trial of Roscoe Arbuckle.
Normand continued working, making The Extra Girl. Soon after its release in 1923 she was again near another crime (a butler was shot at a party she attended; though he survived.) Soon after Normand took a break from film.
By 1926 Normand was ready for a comeback. She signed with Hal Roach to make comedy shorts. These were well received and by 1928 she had signed with the William Morris Agency to make talkies. However she did not realize how sick she was and her health soon interrupted these plans.
Over the years Normand's tuberculosis has turned into rumors of a drug addiction. This started during the Taylor scandal when it was claimed that maybe he had been killed for interrupting a drug ring, and maybe Normand was part of it. While not prominent during her life it has become more commonly believed as time has passed despite no evidence. Normand's family, estate and personal nurse were all adamant she had never used any drugs. Sadly this rumor has become common place in Hollywood lore.
Normand's drinking increased as did her partying. During one party she decided to marry longtime friend Lew Cody at 2am. She instantly regretted the marriage and they continued living separately. As Normand's health decreased and she was committed to a sanitarium (akin to a hospital/hospice in modern terms) by 1929. She died in 1930 from tuberculosis.- Frank Albanese was born on 16 May 1931 in West Brighton, Staten Island, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Goodfellas (1990), The Sopranos (1999) and Dead Presidents (1995). He died on 5 October 2015 in Staten Island, New York, USA.
- Annette Kate Ekblom is an English actress. She starred as Linda in Willy Russell's musical Blood Brothers when Bill Kenwright's production opened in London in 1988. She can also be heard on the 1988 revival cast recording with Kiki Dee. Ekblom played the role of family matriarch Debbie Gordon in the Channel 4 television soap opera Brookside (1982) in 32 episodes from 2002 to 2003.
- John Barrie was born on 6 May 1917 in New Brighton, Merseyside, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Patton (1970), Sword of Lancelot (1963) and Victim (1961). He died on 24 March 1980 in York, England, UK(undisclosed).
- Gloria D. Miklowitz was born on 18 May 1927 in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. Gloria D. was a writer, known for ABC Afterschool Specials (1972) and CBS Schoolbreak Special (1984). Gloria D. was married to Julius Miklowitz. Gloria D. died on 20 January 2015 in Pasadena, California, USA.
- Jack Clark was born on 10 November 1955 in New Brighton, Pennsylvania, USA. He is married to Angela. He was previously married to Tammy Kohl.
- Bridget Bennett was born in Brighton, New York, USA. She has been married to John M. Bennett since October 2004.
- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Chris Greener was born on 21 November 1943 in New Brighton, Merseyside, England, UK. He was an actor and director, known for The Elephant Man (1980), The Thief and the Cobbler (1993) and Birdie Blues (2007). He died on 11 February 2015 in Bromley, Kent, England, UK.- Actor
- Additional Crew
Robert Loraine was born on 14 January 1876 in New Brighton, Merseyside, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Father Brown, Detective (1934), Limehouse Blues (1934) and Outcast Lady (1934). He was married to Winifred Lydia Strangman and Julie Oop. He died on 23 December 1935 in London, England, UK.- Catherine E. Johnson grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota and completed her undergraduate degree in Theatre Arts at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. She then went on to study acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, England. After graduating in 2002, Catherine returned to Minneapolis to pursue her career as an actor and yoga instructor.
- Actor
Harold Hensen was born on 16 August 1920 in New Brighton, England, UK. He was an actor. He died on 22 October 1960 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Beach Cooke was born on 15 May 1896 in New Brighton, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for The Necessary Evil (1925) and Classmates (1924). He died on 16 September 1948 in Cooperstown, New York, USA.
- Property Master
- Additional Crew
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Born in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, John Bert has always had an interest in film production. He became involved in historic preservation as a living historian, appearing as an extra in "Dances With Wolves" and "Gettysburg" before being contacted to work as a military advisor on "Gods and Generals" and "Cold Mountain". It was on "Cold Mountain" that he had the chance to work with two other respected historians; Brian C. Pohanka and Michael Kraus. Those scenes were shot in Romania.
He is a member of the Property Masters Guild (PMG), a huge history buff, and a private pilot.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Hetty King was born on 21 April 1883 in New Brighton, Merseyside, England, UK. She was an actress, known for Let's Make Up (1954), La joie de vivre (1952) and Hetty King: Performer (1970). She was married to Alexander William Lamond and Ernie Lotinga. She died on 28 September 1972 in Wimbledon, London, England, UK.- Soundtrack
Ersel Hickey was born on 27 June 1934 in Brighton, New York, USA. He died on 12 July 2004 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA.- Scott Lindner was born on 30 April 1959 in New Brighton, Pennsylvania, USA. He is an actor, known for Ellen (1994).
- Allegheny Shane Herman was born on 14 March 1973 in New Brighton, Pennsylvania, USA. He is an actor, known for The Girl (2011).
- Cecil Brown was born on 14 September 1907 in New Brighton, Pennsylvania, USA. He was married to Martha Brown. He died on 25 October 1987 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Leah Gray was born on 18 March 1965 in West Brighton, Staten Island, New York, USA. She was an actress, known for No Looking Back (1998), Sidewalks of New York (2001) and Dream of Casanova (2010). She died on 14 December 2019 in Staten Island, New York, USA.
- Art Director
- Art Department
- Set Decorator
Fredric Hope was born on 22 January 1900 in New Brighton, Pennsylvania, USA. He was an art director and set decorator, known for The Merry Widow (1934), Romeo and Juliet (1936) and Maytime (1937). He died on 20 April 1937 in Hollywood, California, USA.- Additional Crew
- Actor
Alan H. Bomser was born on 11 September 1931 in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Liquid Sky (1982), Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There (2003) and Family Secret (2001). He died on 11 April 2019 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA.- Additional Crew
- Casting Department
- Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ryan O'Shea was born on 31 August 1989 in New Brighton, Pennsylvania, USA. He is known for The Next Three Days (2010), Jack Reacher (2012) and One for the Money (2012).