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1-30 of 30
- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Film and stage actor and theater director Philip Seymour Hoffman was born in the Rochester, New York, suburb of Fairport to Marilyn (Loucks), a lawyer and judge, and Gordon Stowell Hoffman, a Xerox employee, and was mostly of German, Irish, English and Dutch ancestry. After becoming involved in high school theatrics, he attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, graduating with a B.F.A. degree in Drama in 1989.
He made his feature film debut in the indie production Triple Bogey on a Par Five Hole (1991) as Phil Hoffman, and his first role in a major release came the next year in My New Gun (1992). While he had supporting roles in some other major productions like Scent of a Woman (1992) and Twister (1996), his breakthrough role came in Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights (1997).
He quickly became an icon of indie cinema, establishing a reputation as one of the screen's finest actors, in a variety of supporting and second leads in indie and major features, including Todd Solondz's Happiness (1998), Flawless (1999), The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), Paul Thomas Anderson's Magnolia (1999), Almost Famous (2000) and State and Main (2000). He also appeared in supporting roles in such mainstream, big-budget features as Red Dragon (2002), Cold Mountain (2003) and Mission: Impossible III (2006).
Hoffman was also quite active on the stage. On Broadway, he has earned two Tony nominations, as Best Actor (Play) in 2000 for a revival of Sam Shepard's "True West" and as Best Actor (Featured Role - Play) in 2003 for a revival of Eugene O'Neill (I)'s "Long Day's Journey into Night". His other acting credits in the New York theater include "The Seagull" (directed by Mike Nichols for The New York Shakespeare Festival), "Defying Gravity", "The Merchant of Venice" (directed by Peter Sellars), "Shopping and F*@%ing" and "The Author's Voice" (Drama Desk nomination).
He was the Co-Artistic Director of the LAByrinth Theater Company in New York, for which he directed "Our Lady of 121st Street" by Stephen Adly Guirgis. He also directed "In Arabia, We'd All Be Kings" and "Jesus Hopped the A Train" by Guirgis for LAByrinth, and "The Glory of Living" by Rebecca Gilman at the Manhattan Class Company.
Hoffman consolidated his reputation as one of the finest actors under the age of 40 with his turn in the title role of Capote (2005), for which he won the Los Angeles Film Critics Award as Best Actor. In 2006, he was awarded the Best Actor Oscar for the same role.
On February 2, 2014, Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead in an apartment in Greenwich village, New York. Investigators found Hoffman with a syringe in his arm and two open envelopes of heroin next to him. Mr. Hoffman was long known to struggle with addiction. In 2006, he said in an interview with "60 Minutes" that he had given up drugs and alcohol many years earlier, when he was age 22. In 2013, he checked into a rehabilitation program for about 10 days after a reliance on prescription pills resulted in his briefly turning again to heroin.- Actor
- Soundtrack
John Irwin McGiver came to acting relatively late in life. He held B.A. and Master's degrees in English from Fordham, Columbia and Catholic Universities and spent his early years teaching drama and speech at Christopher Columbus High School in the Bronx. He had an early flirtation with the acting profession in 1938 as actor/director for the Irish Reperatory Theatre, but found his weekly income of $26.42 insufficient for daily survival. The next year he enlisted and saw action during World War II, fighting with the U.S. 7th Armored Division in Europe (including the Battle of the Bulge). When he was demobbed after six years in the army, he held the rank of Captain. He returned to teaching drama, with occasional forays into off-Broadway acting. In 1947, he married Chicago scenic designer Ruth Shmigelsky and settled down to live in a converted 19th-century former Baptist church.
There are conflicting stories as to how McGiver ended up becoming a film and television actor, but it happened sometime after one of his part-time acting performances in September 1955, either through the offices of an old University classmate turned stage producer or through the persuasive abilities of an agent from the Music Corporation of America. In any case, the portly, balding, owl-like and precisely spoken McGiver quickly developed an inimitable style as a comic (and occasionally serious) actor on television and in films. He was most memorable as the obtuse landscape contractor in The Gazebo (1959), a pompous jewelry salesman in Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) and an inept twitcher in Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation (1962). He also played Mr. Sowerberry in a television version of Oliver Twist (1959) and starred in his own (sadly short-lived) TV show, Many Happy Returns (1964), as the complaints manager of a department store. His dramatic roles included a senator in The Manchurian Candidate (1962) and, on television, the corrupt mayor in The Front Page (1970), plus a rare villainous role in the TV episode The Birds and the Bees Affair (1966). Among his numerous guest starring roles on television, he was at his best as the self-absorbed Roswell Flemington, who learns a moral lesson in Sounds and Silences (1964) (1964).- Actor
- Writer
- Composer
Along with fellow Sex Pistol member, Johnny Rotten, lanky, sneering, pock faced Sid epitomised the punk movement born in the mid 1970s in working class England. Sid Vicious (real name John Beverly) wasn't an original member of the Pistols, but rather joined the band after original bassist, Glen Matlock dropped out after personality clashes with lead singer Rotten. On stage, Sid (often stripped to the waist) would incite the audience to get wilder and more frenzied, and his infamous antics included spitting and spraying beer into the audience. The British establishment despised the Pistols with a passion, and Sid was viewed as a crude, foul mouthed hoodlum corrupting English youth with his unclean image. Unfortunately for a naive Sid, he fell into the company of alleged drug user, Nancy Spungen, and his world spiralled out of control leading to the break up of the Pistols (their last show being in San Francisco), and Sid's lame attempts to kick start his own solo career, which included a demented cover of the popular Frank Sinatra song "My Way", accompanied by a violent video clip. Vicious and Spungen took up residency in the Chelsea Hotel in New York City in early 1978, however their self destructive personalities meant a tragedy was fast approaching, and on October 12th 1978, Spungen was found dead in their hotel room from stab wounds. Vicious was charged by police with Spungen's murder and released on bail, pending trial. However, only four months later in February 1979, Vicious himself was found dead of a heroin overdose. Sid was dead at aged 21. His will requested his ashes be poured over Nancy's grave at the King David Cemetery in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Along with Janis Joplin, Brian Jones & Jimi Hendrix, Sid had assured himself a place in rock and roll history, as another iconic music figure dead at a young age.- Transportation Department
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Dennis Radesky was born on 20 July 1948 in New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Men in Black (1997), Vanilla Sky (2001) and The Silence of the Lambs (1991). He was married to Jill ?. He died on 25 February 2009 in West Islip, Long Island, New York, USA.- Art Smith was born on 23 March 1899 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He was an actor, known for In a Lonely Place (1950), Brute Force (1947) and Edge of Darkness (1943). He died on 24 February 1973 in West Babylon, New York, USA.
- Calvert DeForest was born on 23 July 1921 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Freaked (1993), Mr. Write (1994) and Shortcut to Happiness (2003). He died on 19 March 2007 in West Islip, Long Island, New York, USA.
- John Godey was born on 20 July 1912 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. He was a writer, known for The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974), The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009) and Johnny Handsome (1989). He was married to Lillian Freedgood. He died on 16 April 2006 in West New York, New Jersey, USA.
- Producer
- Cinematographer
- Director
Rick McKay lives in New York City and is the award-winning Producer/Director/Writer/Cinematographer/Editor of the hit film Broadway: The Golden Age. For five seasons he was a segment producer on WNET13's City Arts, the most honored, locally produced show in television history, which won over 30 Emmy awards. Rick also produced the first story commissioned for the critically successful national PBS series Egg: The Arts Show, garnering another two Emmy nominations as well as helping to create the opening segment of two recent national Tony Awards broadcasts. Rick won four of the industry's prestigious Telly awards for his television work, has produced episodes for the immensely successful series Biography on the Arts and Entertainment network, and has produced for HBO and United Artists. Rick is also an on-air personality on national PBS television, hosting the incredibly successful pledge drives for "Broadway: The Golden Age" around the country and was recently seen co-hosting the non-cable premiere of Liza with a Z with Liza Minnelli on PBS.
There are two sequels of "Broadway" in production now: Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age, chronicling Broadway from 1959 to 1981 and Broadway: The Next Generation, which brings the story up to the present. Both are planned for theatrical release, followed by national television and DVD release, in 2017 and 2019 respectively. Rick recently returned from New Zealand, working at famed director Peter Jackson's Park Road Post Productions, finishing his new film, "Fay Wray", which Jackson appears in, along with Naomi Watts, Gore Vidal, Leonard Maltin, McKay and many others. The film is half documentary, chronicling Wray's legendary, iconic career in film - and half road film, as Wray and McKay, despite the half-century difference in their ages, travel the globe, becoming fast friends, while McKay was beginning his career in film and Wray was entering her tenth and last decade, The film is due for release in late 2018.
Rick is also the sole owner and proprietor of Second Act Productions, the New York City production company that produced his Broadway trilogy as well as his other films. "Broadway: The Golden Age" has won over 15 film festival awards, is on 17 critics' Top Ten Films of the year lists and was a hit in theaters around the country. The SONY/BMG DVD is still a best seller and the film premiered on US television on national PBS in March 2006 as one of their most successful national pledge drives ever. Two sequels to the film are already in production with Robert Redford, Liza Minnelli, Glenn Close, Al Pacino, Sydney Poitier, Meryl Streep, Liev Schreiber and 100 other stars. The sequels will bring the story up to the present and both will open theatrically prior to international TV and DVD releases.
Rick also produced, directed and shot Elaine Stritch: At Liberty for PBS. Much of this footage was also used to make the HBO documentary of the same name, which won Elaine Stritch the 2004 Emmy award, and for which Rick is credited as producer and cinematographer. Rick's first solo film project was Birds of a Feather, a documentary of his adventures searching for drag queens for the legendary director Mike Nichols to help him make his hit film Birdcage. Rick is also an award-winning print journalist with numerous magazine and newspaper articles to his credit. His story Birds of a Feather won him San Francisco's Cable Car Award for "Outstanding Journalist" for feature reporting. Rick also has a successful career as an in-demand film and theatre lecturer around the world. A born raconteur, Rick appears with his films and tells behinds the scenes stories of their creation as well as of the history of film and theatre, while showing never-before-seen out-takes and rare footage from his films and from live performances.
Recently, Rick was awarded "Best Film: Greenwich Village Portrait" for his short film, Greenwich Village: A World Apart (2015) at the first annual Greenwich Village Film Festival, and again won the same category the next year for Greenwich Village: The Times They are a Changin' (2016).
Rick was honored at the Sundance Film Festival by PBS and inducted into the PBS Producers Academy, as one of their "best and brightest documentary producer/directors" for his continuing independent film and television work. Rick has also been honored with the "Special Contribution to Film" Award from Stonybrook University Film Festival and the "Limelight Award" from Ojai Film Festival. Recently Rick was also honored with the "New England Theatre Conference Special Contribution to Theatre Award" and the Theatre Museum of New York City's "Award of Excellence for Theatre History Preservation." Rick is also a Doctor of Fine Arts, after being honored at Five Towns College in New York where McKay, Michael Feinstein and Sheldon Harnick were all presented with degrees at a special event celebrating their work.
His wealth of experience in film, television, live entertainment, and journalism has made Rick McKay one of the most prolific and well-rounded independent producer/director/writers working in the industry today.- Missouri-born Mary Margaret McBride was a 1919 journalism graduate of the University of Missouri. She worked as a reporter for a Cleveland newspaper, then moved to New York and got a job as a reporter for the New York Evening Mail. In 1924 she began writing freelance, and her work appeared in many of the top magazines of the day. She also wrote a number of best-selling travel books, and in 1934 began her career as a radio broadcaster, hosting an advice show for women on a New York radio station using the pseudonym "Martha Deane," a grandmotherly type who projected kindness and a common-sense wit, and the broadcast proved tremendously popular. In 1935 she began another weekly radio program, this time using her own name, which consisted mainly of her views on the times and interviews with popular celebrities of the era, and this program also proved to be hugely popular--so much so, in fact, that it ran for several years on each of the three major radio networks, as they kept hiring her away from each other. In addition to her radio shows, she also wrote a syndicated newspaper column and continued to write magazine articles. In 1948 she tried her hand at hosting a television show using the same type of commentary/interview format that proved so successful on radio, but the show turned out to be a rather large flop and was canceled after three months. Her radio programs still proved to be tremendously popular, though, and in the last days of her life she hosted the show from her own living room. She died in West Shokan, New York, in 1976.
- Kenny Shopsin was born on 19 May 1942 in Bronx, New York City, New York, USA. He was married to Eve Bidnick. He died on 2 September 2018 in West Village, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA.
- Nancy Pinkerton was born on 7 May 1940 in Omaha, Nebraska, USA. She was an actress, known for One Life to Live (1968), The Edge of Night (1956) and The Doctors (1963). She died on 4 March 2010 in West Hampton, Long Island, New York, USA.
- Dorothy Demme was born on 21 March 1914 in Illinois, USA. She was an actress, known for Something Wild (1986), Philadelphia (1993) and Married to the Mob (1988). She was married to Robert E. Demme. She died on 20 November 1995 in West Islip, Long Island, New York, USA.
- Clifford Bruce born in Toronto, Canada in 1885, a well-built touch performer who supported in many American silent drama, westerns and action-serial's, first with the Selig Film Company in 1913, followed by Fox studios and later the Metro Film Company in the late 1910's, he's perhaps best remembered as the Gypsy Leader in Pearl White's action-adventure serial 'The Perils of Pauline' for the Pathe Film Company in 1914 and as Tom the Friend in Theda Bara's 'A Fool There Was' directed by Porter Emerson Browne at the Fox Film Company in 1915, he was last seen as Baron Demetrius Strakosch in 'Black Is White' in 1920 released a year after his death, he dead in New York aged only 34 in 1919.
- Marty Maher was born on 25 June 1876 in Ballycrine, County Tipperary, Ireland. He was a writer, known for The Long Gray Line (1955) and The Ed Sullivan Show (1948). He was married to Mary O'Donnell Maher. He died on 17 January 1961 in West Point, New York, USA.
- William Norris was born on 15 June 1870 in New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for When Knighthood Was in Flower (1922), The Go-Getter (1923) and My Man (1924). He was married to Mabel Mordaunt. He died on 20 March 1929 in West Bronxville, New York, USA.
- Robert Moses was born on 18 December 1888 in New Haven, Connecticut, USA. He died on 29 July 1981 in West Islip, Long Island, New York, USA.
- Additional Crew
- Assistant
Colleen Vogel is known for Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001), Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne (2003) and Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2005). Colleen died on 3 October 2011 in West Islip, Long Island, New York, USA.- Fred Salador was an actor, known for Shackin' Up (1984), Stuck on You! (1983) and Waitress! (1982). He was married to Mitsue. He died on 23 May 2012 in West Babylon, New York, USA.
- Billy Graham was born on 9 September 1922 in New York City, New York, USA. He died on 22 January 1992 in West Islip, Long Island, New York, USA.
- Composer
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
John Herald was born on 6 September 1939 in New York City, New York, USA. He was a composer, known for Songs for Ralph (1995), Deep Water: The Building of the Catskill Water System (2002) and You Are What You Eat (1968). He was married to Kim Chalmers. He died on 18 July 2005 in West Hurley, New York, USA.- A former newspaperman, Jerry McGill was one of the developers of the long running network radio newspaper drama "Big Town" (1937- 1952). He wrote many of the scripts for the program and also served as director and producer for many of the episodes. McGill also wrote scripts for "The Shadow" and "Famous Jury Trials" during the 1940s.
- Animation Department
- Director
- Writer
István Bányai was born on 27 February 1949 in Budapest, Hungary. István was a director and writer, known for Hamm (1977) and Time Masters (1982). István was married to Kati. István died on 15 December 2022 in West Harrison, New York, USA.- Costume and Wardrobe Department
Albert Capraro was born on 20 May 1943 in New York City, New York, USA. He is known for The 38th Annual Tony Awards (1984), Night of 100 Stars III (1990) and As the World Turns (1956). He died on 5 October 2013 in West Islip, New York, USA.- John Mcgregor was born in Scotland, UK. He was an actor, known for Life's a Funny Proposition (1919). He died on 25 January 1928 in West Hampton, Long Island, New York, USA.
- Director
- Composer
- Music Department
Songwriter ("Butterfingers"), organist, composer, conductor and director, educated at the University of Pittsburgh; he studied music with Dudley Fitch, and James Ford. He was an organist in St. Petersburg, Florida, and came to New York in 1936 as a free-lance organist, eventually doing musical and dramatic programs on radio and in theatres, and then joining the ABC staff. Joining ASCAP in 1947, his other popular songs included "Old Prairie Wagon", "Little Darlin'", "God Is Everywhere", "In Suniland", "In Flanders", "Sunset Lullabye", "Our Graduation Waltz", and "St. Patrick's Bells".- Music Department
Clive Lithgoe was born on 9 April 1927 in Colchester, Essex, England, UK. He is known for Crescendo (1970), The Devil's Agent (1962) and Raise Your Glasses (1962). He died on 4 September 2006 in West New York, New Jersey, USA.- Charles Burchfield was born on 9 April 1893 in Ashtabula, Ohio, USA. He died on 11 January 1967 in West Seneca, New York, USA.
- Soundtrack
Al Byron was born on 16 September 1932 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. Al died on 29 November 2014 in West Babylon, New York, USA.- Babatunde Osotimehin was born on 6 February 1949 in Nigeria. Babatunde was married to Olufunke Osotimehin. Babatunde died on 4 June 2017 in West Harrison, New York, USA.
- Ben Riley was born on 17 July 1933 in Savannah, Georgia, USA. He was married to Inez Riley. He died on 18 November 2017 in West Islip, New York, USA.