Advanced search
- TITLES
- NAMES
- COLLABORATIONS
Search filters
Enter full date
to
or just enter yyyy, or yyyy-mm below
to
Only includes names with the selected topics
to
or just enter yyyy, or yyyy-mm below
to
1-10 of 10
- Actor
- Soundtrack
A genial, well-respected, all-around "nice guy", the breezily handsome Barry Nelson was born Haakon Robert Nielsen on April 16, 1917, in San Francisco, California, to Betsy (Christophersen) and Trygve "Ted" Nielsen, both Norwegian immigrants. He was raised in nearby Oakland and graduated from the University of California at Berkeley in 1941. A talent scout from MGM caught Barry in a college production of "Macbeth" and quickly sized up his potential. Cast in earnest secondary roles including Shadow of the Thin Man (1941) and Dr. Kildare's Victory (1942), he was assigned the lead in the war film A Yank on the Burma Road (1942). Serving in WWII, he appeared in the Moss Hart play "Winged Victory", in what would become his Broadway debut, in 1943 and a year later he appeared as "Corporal Barry Nelson" in the 1944 film version of the play. Barry lost major ground in films during the post-war years, but certainly made up for it on the live stage by appearing in a string of New York successes ranging from "The Rat Race" to "The Moon Is Blue."
On TV, in addition to becoming a trivia statistic in the Hollywood annals as being the first to give video life to Ian Fleming's "007" agent James ("Jimmy") Bond in a one-hour production of "Casino Royale" in Climax! (1954), Barry lit up the small screen in such dramatic programs as Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) and, in particular, a memorable episode of The Twilight Zone (1959). He also starred in the series The Hunter (1952), a Cold War adventure, and My Favorite Husband (1953), in which he played the level-headed mate and "straight man" to daffy blonde Joan Caulfield. In the 1960s he continued to demonstrate his acting muscle on stage and TV, although he did manage to preserve on film his starring role in Mary, Mary (1963), a huge Broadway hit with Debbie Reynolds co-starring in place of stage partner Barbara Bel Geddes. The lightweight play "Cactus Flower" with Lauren Bacall was another bright vehicle, but star Walter Matthau's clout cost Barry the part when it went to film. Through it all Barry remained a thoroughly solid professional, particularly in the realm of TV-movies. Such standouts include his neighbor/undercover agent to criminals-on-the-run Don Murray and Inger Stevens in The Borgia Stick (1967) and his blind plane crash survivor in Seven in Darkness (1969).
The 1970s proved a very good decade indeed for Barry theater-wise with "Seascape," "The Norman Conquests" and Liza Minnelli's "The Act" among his pleasures, the last-mentioned earning him a Tony nomination. Despite co-starring roles in the blockbuster hit Airport (1970) and comedy Pete 'n' Tillie (1972), the silver screen would not become his strong suit in later years. By the early 1990s he had fully retired.
A popular, clean-cut, down-to-earth "Average Joe" with a charmingly sly side, you just couldn't help but like Barry Nelson. Although he certainly could play the deceptive villain when called upon, he was usually the kind of guy you'd root for having as a neighbor, pal or business partner. Divorced from actress Teresa Celli for quite some time and completely retired now, he and second wife Nansilee (they married in 1992) traveled extensively and enjoyed antique shopping in particular. In 2007, during one of their many excursions, Barry passed away quietly at age 89 at a hotel in Bucks County, Pennesylvania.- Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
George DiCenzo was an American character actor, voice actor, and acting teacher from New Haven, Connecticut. His acting career lasted for about 30 years, and he had previously served as an associate producer for the gothic soap opera "Dark Shadows" (1966-1971). His best-remembered live-action role was portraying Sam Baines (Marty McFly's maternal grandfather) in the time-travel-themed science fiction film "Back to the Future" (1985). As a voice actor, he is primarily remembered for portraying stranded astronaut John Blackstar in "Blackstar" (1981) and the tyrant Hordak in "She-Ra: Princess of Power" (1985-1986).
DiCenzo received his acting training from Milton Katselas (1933- 2008), the acting instructor who founded the Beverly Hills Playhouse. He later served as an apprentice teacher under Katselas, before branching out on his own. He used both New York City and Philadelphia as his home-base at various points in his teaching career.
Towards the end of his career, DiCenzo voiced roles in a few video games. His better known role in the field was voicing crime lord Ennio Salieri in the crime-themed video game "Mafia" (2002). In the video game, Salieri eliminates a rival crime lord and becomes the de facto ruler of a fictional city in 1930s Illinois. He starts mistreating his own henchmen, until one of them turns against him and betrays Salieri to the authorities. The game had a number of sequels, but DiCenzo never had a chance to voice Salieri again.
DiCenzo had his final film role in the drama film "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints" (2006). The film was an adaptation of a memoir by film director Dito Montiel, concerning the troubling experiences which convinced him to abandon his family and few remaining friends in 1986. DiCenzo effectively retired afterwards, due to his declining health.
DiCenzo died in August 9, 2010 due to sepsis (blood poisoning). He was 70-years-old at the time of his death, and was living in Pennsylvania. He was buried in the North and Southampton Churchyard, located at Churchville, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. DiCenzo is fondly remembered for a number of memorable roles in his career, but he was better known for his voice rather than his face.- Music Department
- Actor
- Composer
Leon Redbone was born on 26 August 1949 in Nicosia, Cyprus. He was an actor and composer, known for Elf (2003), 50 First Dates (2004) and You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (2010). He was married to Beryl Handler,. He died on 30 May 2019 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA.- Actor
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Born in Brooklyn, NY, in 1915, Charles Lang played semi-professional baseball for the Brooklyn Dodgers' farm team before being spotted by a Hollywood talent scout in a Manhattan restaurant in 1937. He studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York and made his Broadway debut in "Pastoral" in 1939 before being signed to a 40-week contract with Paramount Studios.
Lang launched his film career in the 1940 drama One Crowded Night (1940). He also appeared in Keep 'Em Flying (1941) with Bud Abbott and Lou Costello and Never Give a Sucker an Even Break (1941) with W.C. Fields. He also co-starred with Fay Wray in Wildcat Bus (1940). Turning to screenplays in the 1950s, Lang wrote The Magnificent Matador (1955), a bullfighting film starring Maureen O'Hara and Anthony Quinn, as well as Budd Boetticher's Buchanan Rides Alone (1958) and Decision at Sundown (1957), both starring Randolph Scott.
Lang wrote the first produced episode of the classic Warner Bros. TV western Cheyenne (1955), although it aired second after the show's premiere in the fall of 1955. His TV writing credits also include episodes of Perry Mason (1957), Bonanza (1959) and The High Chaparral (1967).
Had 2 children with Helen Parrish - a son named Charles George Lang, Jr. (b.1948) and a daughter named Molly Lang (b.1952).- Lex Lindsay was born on 16 November 1901. He was an actor, known for Sob Sister (1931) and The Man from Arizona (1932). He was married to Naomi. He died on 24 April 1971 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA.
- Born in England, Monte Proser became the top press agent to the stars (Mary Pickford, Walt Disney, "Flo" Ziegfield) and a night club impresario who founded the storied ''Copacabana'' and ''Beachcombers''. Proser had five sons with actress and former Copacabana dancer, wife Jane Ball: Charles, William, Michael, James and Timothy.
Monte also produced capsule versions of musicals in Las Vegas.
Death Notice. - Sound Department
- Actor
- Cinematographer
Keith Santiago was an actor and cinematographer, known for Batman Revealed (2012), The Bridge (2009) and Fistful of Film (2009). He died on 2 March 2013 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA.- George Papashvily was born on 23 August 1898 in Georgia, Russian Empire. He was a writer and actor, known for Anything Can Happen (1952) and The Philco Television Playhouse (1948). He died on 29 March 1978 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA.
- Helen Papashvily was born in 1906. Helen was a writer, known for Anything Can Happen (1952), The Philco Television Playhouse (1948) and Armstrong Circle Theatre (1950). Helen was married to George Papashvily. Helen died in 1996 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA.
- Barbara Rowan was born on 10 March 1970 in Pennsylvania, USA. She died on 3 August 1984 in Bensalem, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA.