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1-18 of 18
- Molly Peters was a gorgeous and voluptuous British blonde bombshell actress and model who alas only appeared in a handful of films and TV shows during her regrettably fleeting acting career in the mid 60s. Molly was born in 1942 in Walsham-le-Willows, Suffolk, England. Peters started out as a model; among the men's magazines she graced the covers of and/or posed in pictorials for are "Playboy," "Modern Man," "Calvalcade," "Beau," "Ace," "Parade," "Best for Men," "Dapper," and "Escapade." Molly achieved her greatest enduring cult cinema popularity with her memorably sensuous portrayal of Patricia Fearing, the fetching masseuse who gets seduced by James Bond at the Shrubland health club in "Thunderball." She was discovered by director Terence Young and has the distinction of being the first Bond girl to be seen taking her clothes off on screen. In the wake of her 007 stint Peters acted in two more movies and popped up on episodes of the TV shows "Armchair Theatre" and "Baker's Half-Dozen." Molly Peters had her acting career abruptly cut short after reportedly having a falling out with her agent.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Most baby-boomers remember actress Elena Verdugo from her pleasant, plain but rather dowdy Emmy-nominated role as "Consuelo Lopez", the altruistic assistant and sometime aide-de-camp to Robert Young's general practitioner for several seasons on the popular Marcus Welby, M.D. (1969) dramatic series. However, decades before donning her drab white nurse's hat, she was an alluring 40s Universal player who displayed her best assets in their "B" adventure yarns and horror opuses. One who was probably wise to keep a set of hoop earrings nearby at all times, Elena reliably hauled out a reliable number of gypsies, harem dancers, peasant girls, Indian maidens and senoritas over the years before TV instigated the second stretch of her career.
Elena was born April 20, 1925, in Paso Robles, California, and began putting on dance shoes as a kindergartener. At age 6, she made her movie debut in the western Cavalier of the West (1931) starring Harry Carey, but didn't come back to films until her teen years. She nominally provided exotic footwork for such movies as Down Argentine Way (1940) with Betty Grable and Carmen Miranda, the Tyrone Power starrer Blood and Sand (1941), and the war picture To the Shores of Tripoli (1942), among others. She received her first big break featured as the object of desire of George Sanders's impressionist painter Paul Gauguin in The Moon and Sixpence (1942).
Universal used her consistently in the mid- to late-40s, starting her off as the touching and vulnerable gypsy girl "Ilonka" in the multiple monster bash House of Frankenstein (1944) which featured the holy horror trinity of Dracula, the Werewolf and Frankenstein's Monster. A natural blonde who got plenty of wear out of the dark wigs handed to her for these kinds of roles, her best scenes in the movie were with the doomed lycanthropic "Larry Talbot", played by Lon Chaney Jr.. She went on to appear with Chaney again in The Frozen Ghost (1945). While filming the Abbott and Costello comedy Little Giant (1946), she met and married movie writer Charles R. Marion, who also wrote for the comedy duo's radio show. The couple had one son, Richard Marion, who later became an actor/director in his own right. A real trooper despite her stereotype, Elena forged on in nothing-special "easterns" (i.e., Song of Scheherazade (1947); Thief of Damascus (1952)) and westerns (i.e., El Dorado Pass (1948); The Big Sombrero (1949)) playing whatever ethnic the script called for.
Television became a reality in the early 1950s. She found herself in a major sitcom hit playing a Brooklyn-born secretary for four seasons on Meet Millie (1952), initially replacing Audrey Totter in the lead role on radio. Elena retired for a time after this but eventually returned to perform on the occasional musical stage and on the small screen. After her big success as the nurse/receptionist on the "Welby" series, she slowed down considerably, but she and Young did reunite on The Return of Marcus Welby, M.D. (1984), sans the other series' star, James Brolin, a decade later.
Verdugo, who later married psychiatrist Charles Rosey Rosewall after her divorce from writer Marion, has since appeared occasionally at nostalgia-based film/TV conventions. In 1999, she suffered the loss of her only child, actor/director Richard Marion, to a heart attack. He was only 50. She survived her second husband, who died in 2012, by five years, dying at age 92 on May 30, 2017, in Los Angeles.- Robert Michael Morris' Hollywood career began in just 2005. His most famous role is playing Mickey in the short-lived but critically acclaimed 'The Comeback' with Lisa Kudrow. He also played Will Arnett's nanny on Fox's 'Running Wilde.' With memorable guests spots on 'Will & Grace,' 'Arrested Development,' 'How I Met Your Mother,' 'Community Service,' 'The Class,' 'Brothers & Sisters,' 'Warren the Ape' and 'Two Broke Girls,' he most recently created the role of Truman DuBois in 'Lez Be Friends.'
The path to Hollywood was an unusual one for Morris. Born and raised in Kentucky, Morris joined a religious order called The Society of Mary, received a Bachelor of Arts in English and art from the University of Dayton and an MFA in playwriting from the Catholic University of America, where he received a Shubert Fellowship in Playwriting. He twice toured America with a classical theatre group ('A Midsummer Night's Dream,' 'The Bacchae,' 'Taming of the Shrew,' 'The Miser' and 'The Trial') and also taught high school in Pittsburgh, Memphis, Toronto, Cleveland, Washington, D.C., Downey and San Gabriel, Calif., and taught college in Erie, Penn., and Urbana, Ohio.
Along the way he did summer stock (Kenley Players, Apple Hill Playhouse), musical theatre (Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera), community and academic theatre (Erie, PA, Washington, D.C.); television (Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., New York, Los Angeles), and movies (Washington, D.C., New York and Los Angeles). To stay alive he worked as a party decorator in NYC, file clerk at Radio City Music Hall, stage manager of Broadway's 'Cloud Nine,' and as a secretary to the brilliant producer Sydney Glazier. During all this time, he was writing plays; he has completed more than 91 scripts, some of which have even had productions and won awards. He has no favorite style and enjoys writing comedies as well as dramas. His last plays were about a pedophile, a musical about Sarah Bernhardt, dreaming of Sal Mineo, Michelangelo's creation of the David, the Chapel of the Holy Rosary at Venice by Matisse, the 1981 murder of a transsexual in NY, and two one woman shows: Anna Magnani and Alice Roosevelt Longworth. He most recently received an award for his 10-minute play, 'Blood from a Stone,' about a former Nazi camp guard and his daughter. There are now more than 90 plays, 14 of which can be found in 'Anthology 1: Plays from the Mind of Robert Michael Morris,' published by Incarnate Word Press; three more anthologies will be published, along with his memoir 'I Had Breakfast with Yakima Canute.' - Actor
- Writer
Most impressionable and indelibly remembered as the sensitive, cherubic-faced college student/boyfriend of Liza Minnelli in The Sterile Cuckoo (1969), actor Wendell Burton was born in Texas on July 21, 1947. When he was only five, his father, an Air Force technical sergeant, was killed in a plane crash in Washington state, where the family had relocated. As a result his family returned to Texas in order to be near relatives. While in high school the family moved once again, this time to the San Francisco area. Following graduation, he majored in political science at Somona State College and, after taking some public-speaking classes, joined in a few campus stage productions.
By chance, and at the insistence of a friend, he auditioned for and won the title role in the San Francisco production of "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown." Fully engaged by this early theater success, he continued his education during the run of the show and transferred to San Francisco State where he took classes in acting and directing.
Wendell was "discovered" during the show's run by "Sterile Cuckoo" director Alan J. Pakula and chosen over hundreds of more experienced film actors to play the coveted role of Jerry Payne opposite Minnelli's Pookie Adams in the bittersweet campus romance that became an unqualified hit. Exquisitely paired, he and Minnelli are still identified with the movie's touching Oscar-nominated song "Come Saturday Morning."
In order to avoid a fresh-off-the-bus typecasting, Wendell took on the role of "Smitty" in the controversial screen adaptation of Fortune and Men's Eyes (1971) in which he played a naive young inmate who is raped shortly after entering prison, and, by film's end, has degenerated into a sexual predator himself. He counterbalanced this with a Hallmark TV adaptation of his "Charlie Brown" musical. The small screen proved a viable medium for the young rising actor in the early 70s with above-average roles in the well-received mini-movies Murder Once Removed (1971), Go Ask Alice (1973) and The Red Badge of Courage (1974). He also played Dick Van Dyke and Hope Lange's son for one episode on the comedy star's "new" TV series in the 70s.
A soul-searcher by nature, Wendell questioned the direction of his life and, after much travel and study, fully immersed himself in the Christian religion in 1978. That same year he married and became the father of a daughter, Haven, who is now an actress in New York, and son, Adam, a San Francisco-based musician. Reminiscent of the perennially boyish and now balding Ron Howard in both mild-mannered looks and open, easy-going temperament, his career began to subside after a time due to the lack of quality acting opportunities offered, the importance of turning down roles he deemed morally objectionable, and ever-growing family responsibilities over the uncertainties of gainful TV/movie employment
Wendell eventually taught acting for a time in Hollywood. In 1988, he decided to pursue the business side of television and found work in ad sales, eventually becoming the West Coast Director of Sales for the Family Channel. In 1997 he and his family moved back to his home state of Texas in order to help launch a local independent TV station in Houston. The family eventually settled there.
Wendell served and found spiritual fulfillment as Director of Creative Ministries for a Houston megachurch organization in association with Joel Osteen and the Lakewood Church. He particularly enjoyed overseeing drama, dance and videography services for the various ministries and also pastors adult singles. Diagnosed with brain cancer, he died on May 30, 2017, at age 69.- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Dasari Narayana Rao was born on 4 May 1947 in Palakol, West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was a director and writer, known for Meghasandesam (1983), Kante Koothurne Kanu (1998) and Gorintaku (1979). He was married to Dasari Padma. He died on 30 May 2017 in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.- Karen Walsh Rullman was born on 28 August 1975 in Concord, Massachusetts, USA. She was an actress, known for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999), Rebel in the Rye (2017) and American Odyssey (2015). She was married to Todd Rullman. She died on 30 May 2017 in New York City, New York, USA.
- Lois Reisz Kimbrell was born on January 31st, 1921, in the Norwegian-American Hospital in Chicago, Illinois.
Lois began taking acting lessons in the branch of the Chicago conservatory of Music and Art starting before entering school and lasting until she left home for college.
Lois graduated from Proviso Township High School in Maywood, Illinois. She then continued on to college and graduated from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana campus as a Speech and Theatre Arts major, in 1942.
By August 1, 1942, Lois Married Robert C. Kimbrell-chief firing officer of the 910th FAB, 85th division, Fifth Army, in North Africa and Italy, decorated for bravery in combat.
Lois later received a Master's Degree from the State of California of Theatre Arts, usually referred to as the Pasadena Playhouse or PPH. Lois joined the teaching staff of the PHH in the voice and Speech Department.
Her loyal talent agents were Al and Lillian Ochs, who -worked at MGM, Paramount, Columbia, NBC-TV, etc. provided Lois with many acting opportunities and took her up to a whole new level.
Lois on the PPH Main Stage in many shows, for directors Gilmore Brown, Mary Greene, George Phelps, Onslow Stevens, Dan Levins and many others. Lois performed in the Gilmore Brown's Playbox Theatre in many shows; she also performed in summer stock in the Chicago area, Shady Lane Playhouse, and Frank Bryan producer-in many additional shows.
Lois gave birth to son, Charles David Kimbrell, November 13,1959. The Kimbrell family eventually relocated to Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1968 for husband, Robert's job. While in Albuquerque, Lois worked as an assistant director and acting workshop teacher at the Albuquerque Little Theatre.
With Lois background and experience it granted her memberships in the Actors' Equity Association, the Screen Actors' Guild, and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. Later on Lois become on of the founders of The Humanist Society of New Mexico, chapter of the American Humanist Association. - René Pribil was born on 17 April 1946 in Plzen, Czechoslovakia [now Czech Republic]. He was an actor, known for Kolya (1996), The Fury (2016) and Pogranicze w ogniu (1991). He died on 30 May 2017 in Prague, Czech Republic.
- Margaret Ann Garza was born on 21 March 1986 in Laredo, Texas, USA. She was an actress, known for Mercury Plains (2016), The Pizza Joint (2021) and Goin' Guerrilla (2013). She died on 30 May 2017 in Round Rock, Texas, USA.
- Sergio Haro Cordero was married to Zaida Montoya Mascareno. He died on 30 May 2017 in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico.
- Art Department
- Production Designer
- Set Decorator
A property master and location manager of Italian and International filmmaking for half a century. He was closely associated with the Cinecitta props department in Rome. "Boni" began his career as a local hire on John Huston's, "Beat the Devil", filmed in Ravello in 1953. He moved to Rome where he worked on many international productions based at Cinecitta, including "Ben-Hur" (1958-59).- Tom Graham was born on 15 April 1950 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He was married to Marilyn. He died on 30 May 2017 in Denver, Colorado, USA.
- John Brecknock was born on 29 November 1937 in Long Eaton, Derbyshire, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Great Performances at the Met (1977), The Gondoliers (1972) and La traviata (1975). He died on 30 May 2017 in Benissa, Alicante, Spain.
- Horst von Manger-Koenig was born on 5 July 1929. He died on 30 May 2017 in Herne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Dominique Nohain was born on 8 July 1925 in Paris, France. He was an actor and producer, known for C'est arrivé à 36 chandelles (1957), Amours, délices et orgues (1947) and Le théâtre de Tristan Bernard (1975). He was married to Fée Calderon, Monique Gérard, Noëlle Norman and Paulette Muraire. He died on 30 May 2017 in Paris, France.- Producer
- Production Manager
James L. Christensen was born on 28 June 1948 in Spokane, Washington, USA. James L. was a producer and production manager, known for Only a Buck (1987). James L. was married to Carol Braaten. James L. died on 30 May 2017 in Spokane, Washington, USA.- Sergio Haro was born in 1951 in Mexico. Sergio died on 30 May 2017 in Tijuana, Mexico.
- Sean Weide was born on 21 September 1967 in Omaha, Nebraska, USA. He was an actor, known for Unemployed (2018), Say Goodbye, Grace (2019) and Geez Louise (2017). He died on 30 May 2017 in Omaha, Nebraska, USA.