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1-50 of 167
- Actor
- Director
- Writer
The son of a lumberman, Tom Mix joined the army as a young man and was an artillery sergeant during the Philippine campaign from 1898 to 1901, though he never saw action. In fact, Mix deserted from the army and carefully kept the facts about his military service a closely guarded secret. About 1903 he was drum major with the Oklahoma Cavalry Band, playing in the St. Louis World's Fair. In 1904 he was a bartender and sheriff/marshal in Dewey, Oklahoma. He was in a series of Wild West shows, such as The Miller Bros. Wild West Show, from 1906-1909; the Widerman show in Amarillo, Texas; with wife Olive Mix in Seattle's Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition; and Will A. Dickey's Circle D Ranch. The latter supplied Selig Pictures with cowboys and Indians for movies and, in 1910, Mix was hired by Selig to provide and handle horses. His first movie was Ranch Life in the Great Southwest (1910). He continued with Selig until 1917, writing and directing as well as acting. He was signed by Fox Films in 1917 and remained with them until 1928, averaging five or so films a year. His popularity eclipsed all other great cowboy stars (Hoot Gibson and even the legendary William S. Hart) of the silent era and he earned--and spent--millions.
In addition to Mix's riding and shooting skills, the films also showcased the talents of his amazing horse, Tony the Horse. Sound and encroaching middle age were not favorable to Mix, and after making a handful of pictures during the sound era he left the film industry after 1935's serial, The Miracle Rider (1935) (a huge hit for lowly Mascot Pictures, grossing over $1 million; Mix earned $40,000), touring with the Sells Floto Circus in 1930 and 1931 and the Tom Mix Circus from 1936 to 1938. While Mix was a great showman, the combination of the Depression and the high overhead of his traveling shows conspired against his success. Mix developed a comical style, emphasizing fast action thrills to a greater extent than had been common in earlier westerns, and he did his own stunts. He was king of the cowboys during the 1920s and remained popular on radio and in comic books for more than a decade after his death. He died in an auto accident in 1940.- Gianna Maria Canale was born on 12 September 1927 in Reggio di Calabria, Calabria, Italy. She was an actress, known for Clash of Steel (1962), Theodora, Slave Empress (1954) and Dead Woman's Kiss (1949). She was married to Riccardo Freda. She died on 13 February 2009 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
- Charles Harrelson was born on 23 July 1938 in Huntsville, Texas, USA. He died on 15 March 2007 in Florence, Colorado, USA.
- Carlo Collodi was born on 24 November 1826 in Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany [now Tuscany, Italy]. He was a writer, known for Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022), Pinocchio (2022) and Pinocchio (1940). He died on 26 October 1890 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
- Director
- Actor
Under the direction of Vittorio De Sica, Carlo Battisti left a remarkable mark in cinema history as the lead character in Umberto D. (1952), an Italian Neo-Realist classic about an elderly man who wanders through Rome with his dog Flike while trying to survive the Italy of post WWII. He was born on 10 October, 1882 in Trento - then an Austro-Hungary territory that later became part of Italy during the war years.
He wasn't an actor by trade, in fact, he was a Linguistic professor. At the age of 70, De Sica discovered Battisti and chose him for the lead role in Umberto D. (1952), who didn't want a professional actor for the role, wanting to give a more realistic approach to the story just like Rossellini did with his films in the late 1940's. Battisti received excellent reviews and praise from audiences who loved his heart-breaking performance and his memorable scenes with his loyal companion, the cute dog Flike.
After the movie, Battisti never appeared on another movie and returned to teaching until his retirement some years later. He died in 1977, aged 94.- Lina Cavalieri was born on 25 December 1874 in Viterbo, Lazio, Italy. She was an actress, known for Manon Lescaut (1914), The Eternal Temptress (1917) and The Two Brides (1919). She was married to Lucien Muratore, Robert W. Chanler, Giovanni Campari and Aleksandr Beriatinskij. She died on 7 February 1944 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
- Giovanni Boccaccio was born in June 1313 in Certaldo, Florence, Tuscany, Italy. He was a writer, known for The Little Hours (2017), Decameron n° 3 - Le più belle donne del Boccaccio (1972) and Decameron Nights (1953). He died on 21 December 1375 in Certaldo, Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
- Aldo Berti was born on 29 February 1936 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy. He was an actor, known for A Stranger in Town (1967), Born to Kill (1967) and Night of Violence (1965). He died on 26 December 2010 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
- Muriel Spark was born on 1 February 1918 in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. She was a writer, known for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969), The Driver's Seat (1974) and Teletale (1963). She was married to Sidney Oswald Spark. She died on 13 April 2006 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
- Considered on of the best drivers in the history of NASCAR, Cale Yarborough retired from driving after the 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup season. During his career, Cale posted 83 NASCAR Winston Cup victories, currently 5th on the all time list. He won his first Daytona 500 in 1968 with the Wood Brothers, but came into his own when he began driving for legendary car owner Junior Johnson. With Johnson, Cale won three straight Winston Cup championships ('76-'78) and his second Daytona 500 ('77). He left the Johnson team in 1981 and drove a limited schedule for the rest of his career. He managed two straight Daytona 500 wins in '83 and '84 (with Harry Ranier) giving him a total of four Daytona 500's, second only to Richard Petty's seven Daytona 500 victori es. In 1987, Cale moved from Ranier Racing to form his own team, which he still owns today.
- Born into a time of extreme political upheaveal, Niccolò Machiavelli was a member of the old Florentine nobility. He received a proper humanistic Renaissance education, and as a young man began the climb up the perilous political ladder of Italy. In 1502 he was sent to Romagna as an envoy to Cesare Borgia, the infamous papal prince and despot who would later influence Machiavelli's political philosophy. The return of the Medici dynasty in 1512 resulted in Machiavelli's downfall. He lost his office and was imprisoned and tortured before finally being banished from Florence. It was during his exile that Machiavelli wrote his most famous work, "Il Principe (The Prince)", a handbook of sorts for autocratic rulers. Though his sympathies lay with republicanism, he was first and foremost intensely pragmatic, a quality which did not endear him to later, more idealistic, generations.
- Carlo Monni was born on 23 October 1943 in Campi Bisenzio, Tuscany, Italy. He was an actor, known for Capri (2006), 10 ragazze (2011) and I delitti del BarLume (2013). He died on 19 May 2013 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
- Robert Hanssen was born on 18 April 1944 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He was married to Bernadette Wauck. He died on 5 June 2023 in Florence, Colorado, USA.
- Oriana Fallaci was born on 29 June 1929 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy. She was a writer, known for Television Theater (1953), El grito (1968) and Oriana Fallaci intervista Ayatollah Khomeini (1979). She died on 15 September 2006 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
- Costume Designer
- Costume and Wardrobe Department
- Writer
Roberto Cavalli was born on 15 November 1940 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy. He was a costume designer and writer, known for Pootie Tang (2001), Just Me! and Virgin Territory (2007). He was married to Eva Maria Düringer and Silvana Giannoni. He died on 12 April 2024 in Florence, Italy.- Benny Carle was born on 13 July 1925 in the USA. He was an actor, known for The Rifleman (1958). He died on 2 October 2014 in Florence, Alabama, USA.
- Melvin Purvis was born on 24 October 1903 in Timmonsville, South Carolina, USA. He died on 29 February 1960 in Florence, South Carolina, USA.
- Laura Pestellini was born on 27 April 1919 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy. She was an actress, known for Under the Tuscan Sun (2003), Don Matteo (2000) and Sedotta e bidonata (2007). She died on 23 November 2010 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
- Animation Department
- Writer
- Director
Giuliano Cenci was born on 10 August 1931 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy. He was a writer and director, known for The Adventures of Pinocchio (1971), Mu-Lan (1998) and Titanic: The Legend Goes On... (2000). He died on 12 April 2018 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.- Writer
- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Born in Florence Italy to mother Inez Alfani-Tellini, the Soprano Opera singer for 10 years with Arturo Toscanini. From his first wife his children, Massimo, Marco, Donina, Elizabeth, reside in Italy. From his second wife, Joan Tellini, his one daughter Chiara Tellini resides in California. He and cousin Franco Zeffirelli, both began their career under the tutelage of his mother Inez in the Opera. Italian screenwriter Piero Tellini is best known for having penned two highly regarded Italian neorealist films, Alberto Lattuada's The Bandit (1946) and Luigi Zampa's Vivere en Pace (1946). He also penned the Palme D'Or-winning script for Guardie e Ladri (1951). Tellini is a graduate of the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia in Rome. One of the projects most dear to Piero, Was Amercan Youth (Giovani In America), a documentary about everything that made America "America", which was produced by RAI TV and shown in 5 European countries. Unfortunately it never aired in the United States.- Actress
- Soundtrack
This colorful diva of the Metropolitan Opera was one of several who jumped on the operatic bandwagon during the 1930s to achieve film stardom. Following her prima donna peers Jeanette MacDonald, Lily Pons and Grace Moore to the silver screen, Gladys' turnout would be meager and a major disappointment. Born in Deepwater, Missouri, an Ozark mining town, in 1900 (some sources give the years 1898 and even 1904), Gladys was schooled in Kansas City. A delicate and sickly child, her singing talents were robust, however, and she showed great promise at an early age. A local church soloist by age 13, she attended the Bush Conservatory of Music in Chicago where she received a Doctorate of Music in 1923. She joined the Chicago Civic Opera Company the following year where she learned over 22 roles. Training and performing in Europe in the late 20s, she made her Metropolitan debut in 1929 with "La Gioconda". As one of the Met's finest mezzos, her vast repertoire (25 in all) would include "Norma", "Peter Ibbetson", "La Forza del Destino", "Mignon" and, notably, "Carmen", which would become her signature role. While MGM had a lucrative commodity in MacDonald, RKO was busy grooming Pons and Columbia was putting Moore on glossy display. Paramount, in turn, courted and recruited the lovely, brown-eyed Gladys for their operettas. Rather docile and slightly meek in countenance, she nevertheless signed a lucrative deal and her publicity was quite the envy. She made an ambitious but ultimately unsuccessful debut in dual roles with Rose of the Rancho (1936). Not only playing a Spanish senorita, she was handed the role of "Don Carlos", the masked vigilante leader, due to her reputation on the operatic stage for playing "trouser" roles. Opposite John Boles, the film died fairly quickly at the box office. Things did not get better. Give Us This Night (1936) fizzled despite a book by Oscar Hammerstein II and a strong leading man in Polish tenor Jan Kiepura, who managed to outshine her. Champagne Waltz (1937) lacked both fiery songs and an engaging script. The mediocre Romance in the Dark (1938), which paired her again tritely with Boles, top-lined a declining John Barrymore. But it was the dull, non-singing melodrama Ambush (1939) that clinched her final cinematic curtain. Radio, on the other hand, was a superlative medium for Gladys. She was a vibrant guest on a number of programs and had her own show in New York City, singing everything from arias to spirituals to standards. She was named the #1 classical radio singer throughout the war years with sold-out recordings and concert tours to match. It would take something tragic to stop this workhorse diva and that's exactly what happened. Having survived rheumatic fever as a child, she developed life-threatening heart problems in later years and, following major surgery to repair a valve, was forced into retirement by 1957. Her personal life was, thankfully, quite blissful. Her second husband was opera singer Frank Chapman, who gave up his own career to manage hers. In the twilight years, they divided their time between a Connecticut home and a villa in Italy. Chapman died in 1966 and Gladys, who remained childless, died of her heart ailment three years later.- Fiamma Breschi was born on 24 April 1934 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy. She was an actress, known for Desiderio 'e sole (1954) and In amore si pecca in due (1954). She died on 21 November 2015 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
- Gino Bartali was born on 18 July 1914 in Ponte a Ema, Florence, Tuscany, Italy. He died on 5 May 2000 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Guido Salvini was born on 12 May 1893 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy. He was a director and writer, known for Adriana Lecouvreur (1955), Regina della Scala (1937) and Il conte Aquila (1955). He died on 4 May 1965 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.- Harold Acton was born on 5 July 1904 in Villa La Pietra, near Florence, Tuscany, Italy. He was an actor, known for Saint Actaeon (1971), Arena (1975) and Russell Harty's Grand Tour (1988). He died on 27 February 1994 in Villa La Pietra, near Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
- Composer
- Music Department
- Sound Department
Vittorio Gelmetti was born on 25 April 1926 in Milan, Lombardy, Italy. He was a composer, known for Under the Sign of Scorpio (1969), Red Desert (1964) and Attraction (1969). He died on 4 February 1992 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Actor
- Writer
Mario Garriba was born on 13 November 1944 in Soave, Verona, Veneto, Italy. He was an assistant director and actor, known for In punto di morte (1971), Amarcord (1973) and Corse a perdicuore (1980). He died on 31 December 2013 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.- Howard Pyle was born on 5 April 1853 in Wilmington, Delaware, USA. He was a writer, known for The Black Shield of Falworth (1954), World Fairy Tale (1994) and The Adventures of Robin Hood (2018). He died on 9 November 1911 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
- Music Department
- Composer
- Actor
Franco Ferrara was born on 4 July 1911 in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. He was a composer and actor, known for The Road (1954), La Dolce Vita (1960) and Nights of Cabiria (1957). He died on 7 September 1985 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Odoardo Spadaro was born on 16 January 1895 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy. He was an actor, known for The Golden Coach (1952), Tea with Mussolini (1999) and Divorce Italian Style (1961). He died on 26 June 1965 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.- Benedetto Annigoni died on 16 December 2011 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
- Costume Designer
- Costume and Wardrobe Department
Anna Anni was born in 1926 in Marradi, Tuscany, Italy. She was a costume designer, known for Tea with Mussolini (1999), Otello (1986) and Callas Forever (2002). She died on 1 January 2011 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.- Director
- Writer
Sergio Staino was born on 8 June 1940 in Piancastagnaio, Tuscany, Italy. He was a director and writer, known for Cavalli si nasce (1989), Non chiamarmi Omar (1992) and Paz '77 (2001). He was married to Bruna Binasco. He died on 21 October 2023 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.- Writer
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Renzo Tarabusi was born on 1 July 1906 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy. He was a writer and actor, known for Amore all'italiana (1966), I tromboni di Fra Diavolo (1962) and Twins from Texas (1964). He was married to Giuseppina Landi. He died on 9 June 1968 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Claudio Desderi was born on 9 April 1943 in Alessandria, Piedmont, Italy. He was an actor, known for Liberal Arts (2012), La Cenerentola (1982) and Last Weekend (2014). He died on 30 June 2018 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.- Jimmy Johnson was born on 4 February 1943 in Sheffield, Alabama, USA. He was married to Becky Hardy. He died on 5 September 2019 in Florence, Alabama, USA.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Fedora Barbieri was born on 4 June 1920 in Trieste, Italy. She was an actress, known for Rigoletto (1987), Falstaff (1956) and Cavalleria rusticana (1982). She was married to Luigi Barlozzetti. She died on 4 March 2003 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.- Gino Bechi was born on 16 October 1913 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy. He was an actor, known for Come Back to Sorrento (1945), Music on the Run (1943) and The Lovers (1946). He died on 2 February 1993 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
- Giovanni Nannini was born on 16 January 1921 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy. He was an actor, known for Tea with Mussolini (1999), Le ragazze di San Frediano (1955) and Berlinguer: I Love You (1977). He died on 28 March 2011 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
- Writer
Piero Bargellini was born on 5 August 1897 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy. He was a writer. He died on 28 February 1980 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.- Music Department
Frank Chapman was born on 19 March 1900 in Teaneck, New Jersey, USA. Frank is known for Romance in the Dark (1938) and Champagne Waltz (1937). Frank was married to Gladys Swarthout and Elisabeth Cobb. Frank died on 27 July 1966 in Florence, Italy.- Writer
- Additional Crew
Paolo Lorenzini was born in 1875 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy. He was a writer, known for I due sergenti (1936) and Le avventure di Pinocchio (1947). He died in 1958 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.- Editor
- Editorial Department
Buford F. Hayes was born on 28 May 1937 in Parkdale, Arkansas. He was an editor, known for In the Heat of the Night (1988), Asteroid (1997) and Miami Vice (1984). He was married to Dianna Lynn Mcfarland and Jimmie Ann Sanders. He died on 3 July 2022 in Florence, Oregon, USA.- Composer
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Giulio Caccini was born in 1550 in Rome, Lazio, Italy. He was a composer, known for Donnie Darko (2001), Modigliani (2004) and Say Nothing (2001). He died on 10 December 1618 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.- Production Manager
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Entrepreneurial Italian producer and administrator, who was responsible for creating some of the most quintessentially British films made in the 1940's. Del Guidice came from a legal background, having worked for the Vatican. He left his native country in 1933, in part, because of financial difficulties, but also due to deep-felt disaffection with the Fascist regime. He settled in London, first as a teacher of Italian, then setting up his own law practice. Four years later, he had found the financial backing to establish Two Cities Films in conjunction with the director Mario Zampi. The success of his first venture, Noël Coward's In Which We Serve (1942), secured the patronage of J. Arthur Rank and led to other ambitious projects, including Blithe Spirit (1945), Johnny in the Clouds (1945) and Odd Man Out (1947). Raising the finances for the production of Laurence Olivier's patriotic epic Henry V (1944) -- in all, 470,000 pounds -- forced him to surrender controlling interest in the company to the Rank Organisation.
After the expensive failure of Men of Two Worlds (1946), Rank sought to establish tighter financial and artistic control over Two Cities. Unhappy, Del Guidice resigned in 1947. For a short time, he lived in seclusion at a monastery, but soon emerged to establish a new company, Pilgrim Pictures Limited. Under his administrative auspices, Pilgrim produced just three films -- The Outsider (1948), Private Angelo (1949) and Chance of a Lifetime (1950) -- all opened to mixed critical reviews and none recouped their cost at the box office. After the British Home Office refused his application for another visa in 1958, Del Guidice made several unsuccessful attempts to raise money for other projects in America and Italy. However, he never made another film and died penniless in Florence five years later.- Camera and Electrical Department
- Director
- Cinematographer
Jay Nefcy was born on 7 March 1948 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. He was a director and cinematographer, known for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993), The Truman Show (1998) and Love & Other Drugs (2010). He died on 8 December 2022 in Florence, Oregon, USA.- Director
- Actor
- Writer
Orazio Costa was born on 6 August 1911 in Rome, Lazio, Italy. He was a director and actor, known for Romeo e Giulietta (1978), Chatterton (1971) and Il poverello (1968). He died on 14 November 1999 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.- Alice Berend was born on 30 June 1875 in Berlin, Germany. She was a writer, known for Frau Hempels Tochter (1919), Ich will Dich Liebe lehren (1933) and Die Bräutigame der Babette Bomberling (1927). She died on 2 April 1938 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
- Roberto Longhi was born on 28 December 1890 in Alba, Piedmont, Italy. Roberto was a director, known for Carpaccio (1947) and Caravaggio (1948). Roberto was married to Anna Banti. Roberto died on 3 June 1970 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
- Titto Ruffo was born on 9 June 1877 in Pisa, Tuscany, Italy. He died on 5 July 1953 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.