Advanced search

Veteran character actress Alice Drummond was born May 21, 1928 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island to Sarah Irene (née Alker), a secretary, and Arthur Ruyter, an auto mechanic. She graduated from Pembroke College (Brown University) in 1950. She is best remembered as the frightened librarian at the beginning of Ghostbusters (1984), Ray Finkle's eccentric mother in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994), and Clara the quiet local in To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995).

Geneva Maccarone is an actress known for her work on A Madea Homecoming (2022), Sprung (2022) and Chicago P.D. (2018-2019). She was born in Pawtucket, Rhode Island and raised in Tampa, Florida and is of Cape Verdean and Italian descent. Geneva was a professional cheerleader in the NFL for The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2012-2013). She started her acting career at the age of 13 at The Performing Arts Center (now known as The Straz Center) summer camp and landed the lead role in Whisperwood, an original play written and directed by Fred Johnson. She has always had an appreciation for the arts since a young age and hopes to inspire and empower young women with her work.

Tall (6'5"), genial, toothsome actor and multimedia host David Downs Hartman was born in Rhode Island on May 19, 1935, the son of Fannie Rodman (Downs) and Cyril Baldwin Hartman. His father was at one time a Methodist minister who left the ministry to become a salesman. His parents later divorced, which deeply affected him. David grew up learning to play a number of musical instruments and studied choral singing as well. He was actually geared towards a professional baseball career in high school, but turned down an athletic scholarship to attend Duke University, majoring instead in economics. While at Duke he found himself dallying in radio, commercials and TV spots, which drew his interest.

Military service (Air Force, Strategic Air Command) interrupted his fledgling career, but he eventually got back on track following his discharge with roles on the musical summer stock stage, including Oklahoma! (starring as Curly), South Pacific and Kismet, plus a few television parts. David made his Broadway debut as "Rudolph" in the original 1964 production of "Hello, Dolly!" starring the legendary Carol Channing. He went on to appear in the Broadway production of "The Yearling" a year later but the show folded after only three performances.

Debuting on-camera as a waiter on a 1967 episode of the TV series "Coronet Blue", David was subsequently signed by Universal and quickly moved with ease into lightweight, "nice guy" co-star roles. Unfortunately it didn't pan out with such bland, forgettable vehicles as The Ballad of Josie (1967) opposite Doris Day, the naval comedy Nobody's Perfect (1968), and the wacky farce Did You Hear the One About the Traveling Saleslady? (1968) starring an equally wacky Phyllis Diller. Instead he turned to television, making a strong impression when added to the successful western The Virginian (1962) as David Sutton. This led to major stardom as dedicated Dr. Paul Hunter on the acclaimed medical series The Bold Ones: The New Doctors (1969), where he shared episodes with revolving stars E.G. Marshall and John Saxon. David earned a Golden Globe nomination during the five season run.

TV remained his strong suit during this time, finding potent guest appearances on such established series as "Marcus Welby, M.D.," "The Name of the Game," "Ironside" and "Owen Marshall, Counsellor at Law." He continued to show a flair for more light-hearted material as a TV-movie star. Such roles included a male chauvinist cop at odds with lovely Barbara Eden in The Feminist and the Fuzz (1971); a detective who, with fellow investigator Don Knotts, check out mysteries at a creepy old mansion; and the John Payne role in the remake of the Christmas classic Miracle on 34th Street (1973) co-starring Jane Alexander and Sebastian Cabot.

Following a starring professor role in the Disney family fantasy adventure The Island at the Top of the World (1974), David returned to series TV as the title high school teacher Lucas Tanner (1974). David received high marks for his role as a retired baseball player who becomes a high school teacher. The series did not catch on, however, and its cancellation was swift after only one season. Little did he realize, but a new career direction was about to take over.

Despite the fact he lacked a journalism degree and no experience for that matter (except once co-hosting "The Mike Douglas Show"), the personable, articulate and highly intelligent David, on November 3, 1975, was hired as the original male co-anchor of ABC's retitled morning news how Good Morning America (1975). He managed to stay on board for 11 years, giving over 12,000 interviews and earning high ratings and a daytime Emmy during his lengthy tenure. He was fondly remembered for closing each morning show with the warm catchphrase, "Make it a good day today!"

After he left, David took on a low profile but was seen on occasion as an emcee of late-night infomercials. In the 1990s Hartman became an anchor and host of a series of documentaries on the Discovery Channel and WNET in New York City. The PBS documentaries are a series of Walking Tour (1999) documentaries about various communities around New York City. Hartman would win several Emmy and journalist awards for this series. In North Carolina, Hartman is also heard on Public Radio and WCPE-FM as host of the North Carolina Symphony radio broadcasts. A widower in 1997 and father of four, David remarried in 2001 and became a father once again.

Wendy Carlos, one of the great innovators in synthesized and electronic music, was born as Walter Carlos in Rhode Island on November 14, 1939. She underwent a sex-change operation in 1972, details of which she revealed during a surprise Playboy interview in 1979. Walter's last credited release is "Sonic Seasonings" (1972). Wendy's first credited release is the "Tron" soundtrack (1982), which was released on CD in 2002.

Kevin Lima was born on 12 June 1962 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA. He is a director, known for Enchanted (2007), A Goofy Movie (1995) and Aladdin (1992). He is married to Brenda Chapman. They have one child.

American actress, originally of leading roles, whose career lasted from silent days into the television era. A native of Rhode Island, she attended St. Mary's Seminary in Narragansett, Rhode Island, then, following her mother's death in 1911, came to Los Angeles as a teenager to live with her actress aunt. She got work as an extra and began her career at 15 at Universal, in fairly substantial roles. By her mid-twenties, she was playing leads and second leads, including the role of Abraham Lincoln's lost love, Ann Rutledge, in The Dramatic Life of Abraham Lincoln (1924). But sound pictures found her roles diminishing, and throughout the next three decades she played smaller and smaller parts. She was a favorite of John Ford(they played bridge together), who used her in thirteen films, but rarely in substantial roles. She was also, for a time, the voice of Walt Disney's "Minnie Mouse." She lived long enough to find herself in demand for documentary interviews on the subject of early Hollywood. Married for a time to Beverly Hills real-estate developer James Cornelius, she survived that marriage by more than sixty years. She died in 1998, two and one-half months before her 99th birthday.

Michael Corrente was born on 6 April 1959 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA. He is a producer and director, known for Kingpin (1996), Federal Hill (1994) and Outside Providence (1999). He was previously married to Libby Langdon.

Carson Grant, an American actor and artist from USA, has followed his artistic instincts to accomplish a lifetime of Arts.

Grant studied method acting with Lee Strasberg 1970 in New York City. He joined 1972 the acting unions Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio, and Actors Equity Association, and was represented by Myrna Jacobi at William Morris Agency. At the request of Italian director, Edoardo Amati, to portray the lead, 'Frank Falcone' in "Master Shot" in 1998, Grant returned to film acting.

Born Carson Ferri and raised in a middle-class family in Rhode Island, Grant has created characters and stories in visual mediums as drawings, and paintings, in films and on stage. His first acting performances were in the Touissett Point Coggeshall Community Center in Warren, RI at 6 years old. An avid viewer of the television program, The Mickey Mouse Club, at age 10 he teamed up with a playmate to create children's theater shows in the family's garage attic, he directed and acted in productions performed with and for the neighborhood children. During his grammar school years, he designed themed showcase displays and painted murals reflecting the seasons.

Recommended at age 12 by his art teacher, Grant attended Saturday classes in figure drawing and painting at Rhode Island School of Design. As a young artist, he was a recipient of 'The Rhode Island Scholastic Gold Key Art Award'.

By 14, influenced by The Rascals, The Doors, The Rolling Stones, and The Beatles, Grant began his baritone singing career and formed 'The Younger Breed' with four musicians, performing at college dances and events throughout New England, including 'The Battle of the Bands' sponsored by RI-WPRO radio station.

1970s After graduation from Saint Raphael Academy and attending one semester in the Fine Arts Program at the University of Rhode Island, Grant moved to New York City in 1970 where he studied acting with Lee Strasberg and voice with Wally Harper.

After cast in the famed commercial campaign for U.N.C.F. 'A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste', he joined the acting unions: SAG, AFTRA, AEA, and by 1972 was represented by William Morris Agency with the stage name 'Carson Grant'. Grant launched his film career in small roles in classics as "Man on a Swing", "The Front", and "Death Wish". Still in his twenties, he played Thomas Jefferson for the WNET 13 Bicentennial series The Last Ballot. Grant performed various stage roles for the New York City Opera Company.

Grant painted large oil canvases and constructed many art installations in alternative exhibition spaces as part of the East Village, Manhattan 1970s Art Movement, participating in Colab, Charas PS64 - El Bohio, ABC No Rio, Fashion Moda; and many group-art shows in the East Village, the Westside, and the Bronx in alternative spaces. Leo Castelli recognized Grant's installation of living sand sculptures 'Coney Island Bathing Beauties' shown in the "The Coney Island Art Show 1980," and his triptych 'In Life Turmoil' in the "Time Square Show" 1980 organized by Collaborative Project Inc. Colab. Grant had a cobalt blue 'graffiti tag' of a pine tree coastline with his initials CFG, and on a midnight graffiti session, he had painted ten-foot-high cobalt blue iris flowers stretching the block-long 100-foot wall on the Lower East Side Con Edison plant, at Avenue C and 14th Street, titled "Open your Irises", in protest of the pollution produced by the energy plant. Influenced by Robert Rauschenberg's use of art for social change, Grant's one-man exhibition was called "Nature-Nuclear" at the 1979 Jack Morris Gallery, NYC, where he constructed a large climb-up-into 'scarred Mother Earth Uterus' post-nuclear, with her distorted next-generation traveling down her maimed Fallopian tubes into her contaminated womb (30' x 40'). The artwork encouraged the viewer to consider alternative energy sources to protect our environment.

During this decade, he helped establish the 'Westside Arts Coalition' with a group of multi-discipline Upper West Side artists at Symphony Space to help establish exhibition spaces and affordable arts studios. In 1981, as the WSAC group marched to Lincoln Center to protest President Ronald Reagan's budget cuts to the Arts, Grant's photographs appeared on the front page of the Westsider Newspaper. In 1981, he organized a 'not-for-profit' art group called 'EAU' Environmental Artists United which created educational art exhibitions merging art and environmental conservation, which received grants from America the Beautiful Fund and Avon Foundation. Grant exhibited his artwork in alternative spaces throughout the boroughs, as one of the artists in the New York City 1970's and 1980's Art Movement.

Grant received his bachelor's degrees with sum-ma laude honors in Psychology and Art from Hunter College (CUNY), and he was Psi-Chi president in 1979, and his MA Sociodrama from UCONN in 1984.

1980s: Grant earned his Master of Arts sum-ma cum laude in Socio-Drama at University of Connecticut. He performed postgraduate work at Columbia University and presented his research at Georgetown's Drama Therapy Association Convention 1985.

1990s: Grant continued his visual arts career working in the fields of computer graphics and video editing until in 1998 Italian director Edoardo Amati asked him to portray the lead character 'Frank Falcone' in "Master Shot" rekindling Grant's acting career.

2000s: One of Grant's most challenging roles was portraying a living person honestly as Howard Hughes at ages 40 and 60 while suffering from paranoia and in drug-induced states in the film "HH" (unreleased). Selected film roles include Robert Munoz's feature film Dear J were Grant played dual-lead protagonist roles. In the musical film "Summer Dayz" (unreleased) written and directed by the Passero brothers, Grant sang the role of 'Tom Albright'.

Carson Grant's portrayed 'The Preacher' in The House is Burning film which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival 2006 with Wim Wender's Chambre 666; and won Best Picture award in Woodstock Film Festival 2006 and Best Picture award in Hoboken Film Festival 2006.

Grant for his role as 'Mr. O'Brien' won for 'Best Actor - The Italian American Heritage Award', noting Grant's contribution to the positive portrayal of the Italian American culture, Guild of Italian America Actors Film Festival 2007 in the short film 'God Bless America', director Rodrigo Diaz McVeigh.

Grant for his role as 'Joaquin', the cast, the crew and the directors won 'Best Web Drama' in the 1st Webby awards 2007 for "The West Side", directors Ryan Billborrow-Koo and Zachary Liebman.

Grant serves as the elected vice president of Guild of Italian American Actors 2008-2023, and serves as the GIAA's VP delegate in DPE elected through (the 4As) Associated Actors and Artistes of America.

Carson Ferri-Grant was included in Who's Who in America, Who's Who in American Art, and Who's Who in the World editions beginning 2009.

In 2010, Grant won with the cast 'Best Ensemble', for his role as 'Abramo Mangene', in the New York Television Competition 2010, for the feature film and web series pilot "Gelber and Manning in Pictures", director James Lester.

In 2010, Grant won 'Best Supporting Actor' for his role as 'Murray Bailey' in the feature film "Sneakers & Soul", director Jonathan Zelenak at the "Sunscreen Film Festival".

In 2015, Grant, Vice President of GIAA (Guild of Italian American Actors), was elected as the Vice President of the International Board of the Associated Actors and Artistes of America-The Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO.

In 2015, Grant was honored to portray 'Jesus, being taken down from the cross,' in Bernardo Siciliano's painting exhibited in Aicon Gallery, NYC.

In 2015, Grant sang and performed the role of 'Utnapishtim' in "Gilgamesh, the musical" directed by Peter Petkovsek and composer Ian Wehrle, at the Connelly Theater, NYC.

In 2017, Grant won 'Best Actor' for his role as Professor John Allen' in "One Penny", in Film Forum Selections at the Philadelphia Independent Film Festival 2017.

In 2017, Grant was the 'Yogi Namaste" in Emblem Health 2017 Campaign.

In 2019, Grant moved to LA signing with CESD and Central Talent Agency.

In 2020, Grant was hired to portray the role of "Francisco Santos" in the film 'Amazon Queen'. A friendship and partnership with director Marlin Darrah, was forged with Grant to help develop the film as a Producer and an Executive Producer of 'Amazon Queen'. Throughout 2021 'Amazon Queen' won many film-festival awards.

In 2021, Grant won 'Best Lead Actor' award from the "Rome International Film Festival" for his portrayal of 'Francisco Santos' in the feature film, "Amazon Queen."

In 2021, Grant as Vice President of GIAA: Guild of Italian American Actors spoke at "DPE Arts, Entertainment, and Media Unions' Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Policy Agenda Press Conference", Grant stated, "Reflecting on the preamble of the United States Constitution, 'We the People'....to be re-embraced and made anew in 2021...Arts are the crossroads where all societies meet."

In 2021, Grant sang and performed the role of 'Ivan the Ghost' in "Hollywood Ghost Stories" composed by Joelle Sahar with lyrics by Marilyn Haese at the New Musical, N. Hollywood.

2022-2025, Carson Ferri-Grant, painting series exhibited at the LA Art Show 2023, LA Art Show 2024, and next LA Art Show 2025 at LA Convention Center. Carson's artwork is listed on Artsy.net under Carson Ferri-Grant.

To date, Carson Grant has created more than 400 theater and film characters.

• IMDb Mini Biography By: Janet Falk

Jack Duffy was born on 4 September 1882 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA. He was an actor, known for The Stage Hand (1920), The Adventures of Peg o' the Ring (1916) and Madame Behave (1925). He died on 23 July 1939 in Hollywood, California, USA.

Ron Max was born on 11 February 1943 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA. He is an actor, known for Gangster Wars (1981), Hunter (1984) and Heated Vengeance (1985).

Jon B. was born on 11 November 1974 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Rush Hour (1998), Bad Boys (1995) and Spice World (1997). He has been married to Danette Buck since 2007. They have two children. He was previously married to Musiic K. Galloway.

Bob Perlow was born in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA. He is known for Night of the Comet (1984), Who's the Boss? (1984) and Love Stinks (1999).

Mark Hanna was born on 12 January 1917 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA. He was a writer and actor, known for The Amazing Colossal Man (1957), The Gatling Gun (1971) and Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958). He was married to Charlotte M Preston and Helena Pauline Cordell. He died on 16 October 2003 in Lake Worth, Florida, USA.

David Lamberton was born in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Monsters and Men (2018), The Post (2017) and Bridge of Spies (2015).

Michael George Bedrossian or "Bedrock" known for his size and presence 6'5 300lbs he was born in Pawtucket Rhode Island Bedrossian moved to Seekonk Massachusetts in 1987 and attended Seekonk HIgh School (94) Bedrossian was a standout in Athletics while at Seekonk and was the first boys basketball player to score over 1000 pts in the Schools history in 1994. He was also a standout in football and baseball. Bedrossian went on to play Junior college Basketball and transferred to Rhode Island College in 1997 where he Played both basketball and baseball. He received a Bachelors degree in Education in 2001 from Rhode Island College and currently is a Physical Education Teacher and Coach. Bedrossian had been interested in acting since a young age and finally came upon an opportunity. (Higher Methods 2017) when former classmate Nathan Sure who is an actor and director was about to film and direct his first feature film Higher Methods Sure gave Bedrossian the opportunity and he jumped on it. Bedrossian also ran in to his former student Chris Esper who is also a Director and writer and worked as the assistant director on Higher Methods. Bedrossian only a featured extra in the film is continuously working and finding new films and TV projects to appear in and work on

William Wallace was born on 9 August 1906 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA. He was a set decorator, known for Rebel Without a Cause (1955), Johnny Belinda (1948) and Backfire (1950). He died on 4 November 1968 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Jean Peloquin was born on 29 September 1940 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA. He is an actor, known for The Virginian (1962), My friend Joe (1971) and The Mike Douglas Show (1961).

Deborah Monuteaux was born in 1950 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA. Deborah was a director and editor, known for Not Your Mama's Roller Derby (2009), Sappho's Fire (2011) and Venus Priests and Superwomen (2007). Deborah died on 11 November 2012 in Providence, Rhode Island, USA.

Timothy Kelley was born on 8 December 1981 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA. He is an editor, known for The Basement (2005), Planet Primetime (2015) and Hellbent (2004).

John C. McLaughlin was born on 11 March 1941 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA. He was an actor, known for The Man Who Wasn't There (1983), JAG (1995) and The Wishing Well (2009). He was married to Diana. He died on 23 January 2017 in Encino, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Irving R. Levine was born on 26 August 1922 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA. He was an actor, known for Murphy Brown (1988), Chet Huntley Reporting (1957) and World Wide '60 (1960). He was married to Nancy Cartmell Jones. He died on 27 March 2009 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA.

Julian Pico was born on 14 June 1972 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA. Julian is a producer and director, known for Latin Grammy Celebra: Marco Antonio Solis (2007), Nuestra Belleza Latina (2006) and ¡Viva el sueño! (2009).

Jennifer Bonivart was born on 8 April 1973 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA. She is known for Bully (2001). She died on 9 January 2024 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA.

Gerry Philbin was born on 31 July 1941 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA.

Lincoln Almond was born on 16 June 1936 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA. Lincoln was married to Marilyn A. Johnson. Lincoln died on 2 January 2023 in Kingston, Rhode Island, USA.