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1-18 of 18
- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Patty Duke was born Anna Marie Duke on December 14, 1946 in Elmhurst, Queens County, New York, to Frances Margaret (McMahon), a cashier, and John Patrick Duke, a cab driver and handyman. She was seven eighths Irish and one eighth German. Her acting career began when she was introduced to her brother Ray Duke's managers, John and Ethel Ross. Soon after, Anna Marie became Patty, the actress. Patty started off in commercials, a few movies and some bit parts. Her first big, memorable role came when she was chosen to portray the blind and deaf Helen Keller in the Broadway version of "The Miracle Worker". The play lasted almost two years, from October 19, 1959 to July 1, 1961 (Duke left in May 1961).
In 1962, The Miracle Worker (1962) became a movie and Patty won an Academy Award for best supporting actress. She was 16 years old, making her the youngest person ever to win an Oscar. She then starred in her own sitcom titled The Patty Duke Show (1963). It lasted for three seasons, and Patty was nominated for an Emmy. In 1965, she starred in the movie Billie (1965). It was a success and was the first movie ever sold to a television network. That same year, she married director Harry Falk. Their marriage lasted four years. She starred in Valley of the Dolls (1967), which was a financial but not a critical success. In 1969, she secured a part in an independent film called Me, Natalie (1969). The film was a box-office flop, but she won her second Golden Globe Award for her performance in it. In the early 1970s, she became a mother to actors Sean Astin (with writer Michael Yell) and Mackenzie Astin (with actor John Astin).
In 1976, she won her second Emmy Award for the highly successful mini-series, Captains and the Kings (1976). Other successful TV films followed. She received two Emmy nominations in 1978 for A Family Upside Down (1978) and Having Babies III (1978). She won her third Emmy in the 1979 TV movie version of The Miracle Worker (1979), this time portraying "Annie Sullivan".
In 1982, she was diagnosed with manic-depressive illness. In 1984, she became President of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG). In 1986, she married Michael Pearce, a drill sergeant whom she met while preparing for a role in the TV movie, A Time to Triumph (1986). In 1987, she wrote her autobiography, "Call Me Anna". In 1989, she and Mike adopted a baby, whom they named "Kevin". Her autobiography became a TV movie in 1990, with Patty playing herself, from her 30s onward. In 1992, she wrote her second book, "A Brilliant Madness: Living with Manic Depression Illness".
Duke had a long and successful career. She was a political advocate on, among other issues, the Equal Rights Amendment, AIDS awareness, and nuclear disarmament. She died on March 29, 2016, aged 69, in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, of sepsis from a ruptured intestine.- Stunts
- Actor
Nicholas Dashnaw was born on 19 November 1986. He was an actor, known for Django Unchained (2012), The Magnificent Seven (2016) and The Lone Ranger (2013). He died on 29 March 2016.- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Frank De Felitta was born on 3 August 1921 in Bronx, New York City, New York, USA. He was a writer and producer, known for Assignment: Underwater (1960), The DuPont Show of the Week (1961) and Z.P.G. (1972). He was married to Dorothy Helene Gilbert. He died on 29 March 2016 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Production Designer
- Set Decorator
- Director
Georgiy Kropachyov was born on 15 April 1930 in Leningrad, RSFSR, USSR [now St. Petersburg, Russia]. He was a production designer and set decorator, known for Hard to Be a God (2013), Khrustalyov, My Car! (1998) and Viy (1967). He died on 29 March 2016 in St. Petersburg, Russia.- Miguel Murillo was an actor, known for Up in Smoke (1978) and The Rainbow (2019). He died on 29 March 2016 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Chris Covington was born in Croydon, England on January 1, 1942 to Peter and Eileen Covington. The family moved to Adelaide, Australia when he was about seven years old. Chris and his younger brother, Andrew were exposed to the theater through their parents participation in local amateur productions, wherever they happened to be living at the time. As a young boy, he witnessed ventriloquism for the first time and was captivated by it and soon began experimenting with it.
Because agents and club managers inexplicably couldn't seem to relate to his last name of Covington, he got so exasperated he started working under the name Chris Kirby, liking the alliteration. Eventually he took a grown up job at a bank but quickly decided that life on the stage was for him. In Adelaide, he hosted a daily kids TV program establishing a life-long Australian fan base. During this time on the kid's show, Chris got a call from Eric Sykes, who was a ventriloquist, too and a member of the Brotherhood of Ventriloquism. He said, 'I'm just calling to tell you how much I love your work, and I think you've got a lot of talent. I do have one criticism. I don't like your doll. I'll make you a doll." The name he came up with for his new partner was Terry.
At 23 years of age, he first married and moved to Sydney. He continued his TV career and performing night club gigs in Sydney. The scene at New South Wales clubs were thriving at that time. In the early 1970s, he toured in Australia as the opening act for the likes of Tom Jones and Johnny Mathis.
When Chris was 30, his agent received a phone call from Donald O' Connor's representatives. "Donald O'Connor was coming to Australia to do some corporate stuff, so I - it was very exciting. So I met with them and we worked it all out... and we did the show together and it was one of the best things I've ever done."
It was after performing with Donald O' Connor in Sydney at the Silver Spades Room, that O'Connor convinced Chris to move to America. Chris had written a half hour sitcom that O'Connor was going to invest money into and they would try and sell it in America. The decision to move wasn't too difficult, "In the meantime, my first marriage was crumbling, with Judy. And it had been for a year or so." He made the decision to move to America "So off I went and one thing led to another, and they fixed up my green card, and O'Connor's manager said he'd handle my work."
Chris lived in America for the next twelve years where he developed his acting and writing skills. He said there weren't very many ventriloquists in Australia but they were all well-known, adding that in America it was known as a "Big Act." He fondly remembers appearing on Milton Berle's show and discussing comedy as a craft with the American "Mr. Television." "I was living up in Beverly Hills, staying in the best hotels, and being driven around in a Cadillac. It was great, fantastic."
While living and working in America, Chris came back to Australia for 3 months every 18 months or so to host his own Saturday Night Show during the mid-70s plus club gigs. In 1984, after touring with Frank Sinatra, Jr. he moved back to Australia on advice from his manager to get some rest. "Then I met Christine... so I lost my green card because you can't keep it if you're not living there." In 1987 he moved to a farm at Bucketty, north of Sydney following the birth of his youngest son, Peter, to kick off his writing and acting career with "The Total Eclipse of Toby Moon" and "Lips".
He was writing for Australian television dramas but he became frustrated in his career in Australia and believed there would have been many more opportunities if he stayed in L.A, or London. "One of my trips to London, Mickey Dolan of the Monkeys wanted to meet and talk about doing my play in London. But this was when I was married to Christine, and I had Pete and the whole thing. I was getting a bit of a hard time about my show business. I just felt if I was going to save my marriage, I'd better go back to Australia. But, it was a bit late, I think."
A victim of early-onset dementia, he is survived by his former wives, Judy, Debbie and Christine and children, Michael, Shahn and Peter.- Jean-Pierre Coffe was born on 24 March 1938 in Lunéville, Meurthe-et-Moselle, France. He was an actor and writer, known for Noël et les garçons (2000), Violette (1978) and Swann in Love (1984). He died on 29 March 2016 in Lanneray, Eure-et-Loir, France.
- Director
- Actress
- Writer
Nana Mchedlidze was born on 20 March 1926 in Tsulukidze, Georgian SSR, USSR. She was a director and actress, known for The First Swallow (1975), Imeruli eskizebi (1979) and Vigatsas avtobusze agviandeba (1967). She died on 29 March 2016 in Tbilisi, Georgia.- Composer
- Additional Crew
Alexander Brzitzov was born on March 6, 1943 in Sofia. He graduated from the Art Academy in Sofia in 1971. His first attempts as a composer are in 60th of the 20th century. Then he wrote orchestral pieces. In 2001 he was appointed for a director of Bulgarian National Radio. He created hits for Lili Ivanova, Kamelia Todorova, Orlin Goranov, Nelly Milanova, Margarita Hranova and many others Bulgarian singers. Alexander Brzitzov has written music for more than 80 animated, feature films and TV movies, over 150 songs and orchestral pieces. There are over 400 arrangements, and numerous issued albums. He won numerous awards at home and abroad. He died on March 29, 2016 in Sofia, Bulgaria.- Additional Crew
- Art Department
Ken Soohoo was born on 6 January 1968 in San Francisco, California, USA. He is known for Corpse Killer (1994), Sewer Shark (1992) and Night Trap (1992). He died on 29 March 2016 in San Mateo, California, USA.- Additional Crew
William O'Neill was born on 18 April 1935 in Big Rapids, Michigan, USA. William is known for Arguing the World (1997). William was married to Elizabeth Carol Knollmueller. William died on 29 March 2016 in New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA.- John Wittenborn was born on 1 March 1936 in Sparta, Illinois, USA. He died on 29 March 2016 in Carbondale, Illinois, USA.
- Producer
- Writer
- Director
Jean Bissonnette was born on 20 October 1934 in Montréal, Québec, Canada. He was a producer and writer, known for Un gars, une fille (1997), Moi et l'autre (1966) and Tiens-toi bien après les oreilles à Papa (1971). He died on 29 March 2016 in Montréal, Québec, Canada.- Oleg Teryokhin was born on 9 September 1965. He was an actor, known for Obekt 11 (2011). He died on 29 March 2016.
- Producer
- Make-Up Department
Jaya Krishna was born in 1949 in India. Jaya was a producer, known for Manthrigari Viyyankudu (1983), Manavoori Pandavulu (1978) and Neeku Naaku Pellanta (1988). Jaya died on 29 March 2016 in Hyderabad, India.- Andrew Seaward was an actor, known for Misogyny (2012), Drowning (2010) and Reel Murder on the Air (2010). He died on 29 March 2016 in the USA.
- Script and Continuity Department
- Make-Up Department
- Additional Crew
Robynn Fortune is known for Seeing Things (1981), The National Dream: Building the Impossible Railway (1974) and Mr. Dressup (1967). Robynn died on 29 March 2016 in Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada.- Donald Harris was born on 7 April 1931 in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. He was a composer, known for Sonata 1957 (2011). He died on 29 March 2016 in Columbus, Ohio, USA.