Advanced search

Nigel was, from the beginning, typecast as bumbling English aristocrats, military types or drawing room society snobs and, within the narrow parameters of his range, he was very, very good at playing these parts. Nigel Bruce was born in Mexico, where his father, Sir William W. Bruce, worked as an engineer. His family was part of English aristocracy, ever since Charles I. bestowed a baronetcy upon them in 1629 (William's older brother Michael held the hereditary title). Nigel was educated in England at Grange, Stevenage and Abingdon. His first job was at a stockbroker's firm. During World War I, he served in the British Army (like his future co-star, Basil Rathbone) where he received a serious leg wound and was for some time confined to a wheelchair.

Following his discharge, he turned to acting in 1919, but it wasn't until ten years later that he achieved a breakthrough in Noël Coward's 'This was a Man' on Broadway. Then followed the performance which was to set the standard for all his later work in Hollywood: the 1931 comedy "Springtime for Henry". On the strength of his performance as Johnny Jelliwell, Fox offered Nigel the opportunity to reprise his role in the 1934 movie. Soon after that, Nigel was cast to star as British detective Bertram Lynch in a minor thriller, Murder in Trinidad (1934). The contemporary New York Times Review (May 16,1934) was skeptical about the film's merit, but found Nigel's performance 'compelling'. After that followed a gallery of endearingly stereotypical 'Britishers': Squire Trelawny in Robert Louis Stevenson's classic Treasure Island (1934), the Prince of Wales in The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934), Professor Holly in She (1935) and Sir Benjamin Warrenton in The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936). All, without exception, were roles in which Nigel felt perfectly at home.

In 1939, he teamed up with Basil Rathbone for the first two Holmes/Watson movies, The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939) and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939), filmed at 20th Century Fox. Both films had an authentic period feel for Victorian England and the chemistry between the two stars was just right. Three years later, Rathbone was contractually obliged to make a further series of twelve Holmes pictures at Universal, again co-starring Nigel as Dr. Watson. Nigel portrayed his lovable self in two Hitchcock classics Rebecca (1940) (as Major Giles Lacy) and Suspicion (1941) (as 'Beaky').

A prominent member of the resident English colony in Hollywood, Nigel Bruce at one time captained the cricket club established by fellow actor and compatriot C. Aubrey Smith in 1932 (other members included P.G. Wodehouse, Boris Karloff, Ronald Colman and David Niven).

Magi Avila made her directorial debut with the multi-award winning, humorous, educational, and inspiring documentary "Altitude Not Attitude". It obtained north American distribution by Gravitas Ventures after winning 'Best Documentary' at the Spotlight Documentary Awards and Virgin Spring Cinefest. Altitude Not Attitude is a semi-finalist and official selection on 20 more film festivals, including IDA, the world's most prestigious Documentary Awards, and the Academy Award Qualifying Flickers Rhode Island Film Festival.

After a rewarding career in Mexican films, television, theatrical and operatic productions, Magi Avila made her way to the Mecca of Entertainment -Hollywood. Magi Avila's most recent work as an actress can be seen now in "My American Family" TV Series on Amazon Prime featuring Danny Trejo. Also, on the feature film "Dog Eat Dog" with Oscar winner, Nicolas Cage, and 4 times Oscar nominee Willem Dafoe, directed by Paul Schrader. Dog Eat Dog premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, obtaining a long-standing ovation. She also has a pivotal role in "First Kill" with Mr. Bruce Willis and Hayden Christensen. Magi Avila also appears in "A Better Life" with Oscar nominee Demian Bichir, directed by Chris Weitz (Twilight Saga "New Moon"). Other U.S. Television credits include a starring role on Jerry Bruckheimer's "Training Day" with the late Bill Paxton. She also worked in the final episode of the acclaimed drama television series "The Shield", from Shawn Ryan.

Magi Avila has performed as a lead and co-starred in US Theater Productions such as "Nuevo California" with the San Diego Repertory Theater and "Little Red", with the Josefina Lopez' Los Angeles based Casa 0101 organization, among others. Magi was the co-writer, producer and lead performer of the Musical Theater production of "Carmen Miranda - The Lady In The Tutti-Frutti Hat".

At the beginning of her professional career in her native Ensenada, Mexico, Magi presented as an opera singer and with a choral group known as "Voces De Primavera", under the direction of her beloved mentor, the late Maestro Jose de Jesus Veliz Ochoa. She performed for celebrities, dignitaries, and the then president of Mexico, Ernesto Zedillo. Magi also served a short stint as a News Reporter and on-camera talent for the Mexican television network, Televisa. As a teenager, Magi took on several modeling jobs appearing in print ads and popular television commercials.

Magi studied her 4 years of theater and arts at the Autonomous University of Baja California Extension, her M.A. in theater of the body at the University Guadalajara A.K.A. UDG. She then moved to the USA to study at the prestigious Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute, for 3 more years. Miss Avila has continued sharpening her acting skills with several acting coaches in Hollywood. Now she has her own acting coaching business called Successful Actor Academy, which offers the online 6 weeks course for aspiring and intermediate actors the Six Steps Formula to Becoming a Working Actor.

She lives in Los Angeles, CA. Magi Avila is immensely grateful for all the people with whom she has had the pleasure of collaborating, throughout her career in the USA and Mexico.

Written by Luis Reyes

Fátima Molina was born on 9 March 1986 in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. She is an actress, known for Allá (2023), I Dream in Another Language (2017) and Daddies on Request (2022).

María Chacón was born on 10 July 1991 in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. She is an actress, known for Misión S.O.S. aventura y amor (2004), Se rentan cuartos (2019) and Mujer, casos de la vida real (1985).

Juan Jose Meza-Leon was born on 5 May 1978 in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. He is a director, known for Deep Blue Sea (1999), Pearl Harbor (2001) and Kung Pow: Enter the Fist (2002). He was previously married to Sonia Meza-Leon.

Viviana Ramos Macouzet was born on 1 December 1992 in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. She is an actress, known for Rebelde (2004), Mujer, casos de la vida real (1985) and Las tontas no van al cielo (2008).

Marina Camacho was born on 7 July 1935 in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. She was an actress, known for Matar o morir (1963), Las aventuras de Carlos Lacroix (1959) and La locura del rock and roll (1957). She was married to Carlos Fernando Maldonado Baur. She died on 10 February 2008 in Mexico, D.F., Mexico.

In 2004, with a $380,000 budget writes and directs the film "7 mujeres, 1 homosexual y Carlos" all shot in Tijuana on 35mm format and with a cast that included Mauricio Ochmman, Adriana Fonseca, Luis Felipe Tovar, and Rogelio Guerra, among others. This romantic comedy was distributed in Mexico by 20th Century Fox with 125 copies and managed to become the 4th biggest grosser of all Mexican films for that year. In 2009, his new feature film is released by Warner Bros. Pictures, "Recién Cazado", a romantic comedy that pretty soon became the public's favorite with almost a million spectators in theaters in México and grossing almost 40 million pesos, grabbing the 2nd spot on Mexican box office and the #1 rent DVD in nationwide for 2010. With an "A" list cast (Jaime Camil, Gabriela Vergara, Otto Sirgo and Angélica Aragón). His short titled "Cara a Cara" was an official selection in Morelia International Film Festival, the most important film festival in México." In 2016 he wrote, directed and produced the Mexican comedy "lo más sencillo es complicarlo todo" had a strong run in Mexico's box office and was licensed by Netflix worldwide. Bueno is about to wrap post- production of the drama "Tijuana I love you" This year he will direct he's first English speaking feature "Feddy's Fabulous Food", also in development:"Juana de Asbaje" "Honeymoon in Tijuana", "To hear from you" among others.

Antonio Hernández was born on 21 August 1991 in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. He is an actor, known for Amores Perros (2000), Verano de amor (2009) and Misión S.O.S. aventura y amor (2004).

Tamara Castro was born on 4 December 1972 in Ensenada, Buenos Aires, Argentina. She died on 8 December 2006 in Humberto Primo, Santa Fe, Argentina.

Ricardo F. Gonzalez was born in Ensenada, Mexico in 1986. At a young age, he had shown a deep visual interest in the world of cinema. He graduated from Mariposa County High School in 2004 and has since moved on and had a career in Los Angeles, starting out as a Production Assistant, and then, moving up the crew ladder.

He has mentored with Brian Craft and has done various works in all sorts of visual entertainment ranging from Feature Films, Commercials, Music Videos, and Print. He is also known for having a very high sight for home design and decor and his work in films have garnered him attention in the industry for being very modern and sleek.

As of 2008 he has enrolled in The Los Angeles Film School, where is is taking up Editing and Directing Majors. In the spring of that same year, Ricardo Gonzalez had taken up the adopted moniker of 'The G-Machine' and has released a music album under that very same name. 'The G-Machine' album itself has been starting to turn ears in the iTunes/Podcasting arena as well!

He is currently in talks to produce a Second Music Album that is set for release sometime in 2009/2010. He currently plays the Lead character in the Los Angeles Film School student series, 'The Editors', a mock-up of 'The Office'.

He also has very close ties with Universal Studios.

Pilar L. Cotta was born in 1899 in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. She was an actress, known for En la sombra (1917), Alma de sacrificio (1917) and La soñadora (1917). She was married to Alfredo Lebre Ray, Carlos E. González and Maurice Andre Bollansee. She died on 4 December 1972 in Mexico, Distrito Federal, Mexico.

Alfredo Marcucci was born in 1929 in Ensenada, Argentina. He is an actor and composer, known for Aquarel (1999), Maxima's Miracle (2003) and Zingezong (1984).

Since to early in his life, Adrian knew the cinema industry would be part of his life. He decided to study the Bachelor of Arts and Filmmaking in Western Australia at the Edith Cowan University (Screen Academy). He have been producing films and other audiovisual projects under his company name PíxelStudios :: Digital Cinematography since 2010, as one of the leader companies in Baja California, producing corporate videos, wedding cinematography and musical videos. He have worked in several indie films as 1st A.D., Director of Photography and other main departments. Including the Directing of his own projects and shortfilm.

Hebe Bonafini was born on 4 December 1928 in Ensenada, Buenos Aires, Argentina. She was married to Humberto Alfredo Bonafini. She died on 20 November 2022 in La Plata,, Buenos Aires, Argentina.