Trending
Popular people
Ken Murray
Biography
Ken Murray (born Kenneth Abner Doncourt, July 14, 1903 – October 12, 1988) was an American comedian, actor, radio and television personality and author.
After finding success on the vaudeville stage, Murray moved to Hollywood and made his film debut in the 1929 romantic drama Half Marriage, followed by a role in Leathernecking in 1930. Murray was the host of a weekly radio variety show (The Ken Murray Show) on NBC 1932-33 and on CBS 1936–37. He later was the original host (1945-57) of Queen for a Day, on the Mutual Broadcasting System radio show, which was simulcast on KTSL (now KCBS-TV), Channel 2 in Los Angeles.
During World War II, Murray was one of the many celebrities to volunteer at the Hollywood Canteen. In 1947, he produced Bill and Coo, a feature film using trained birds and other animals as actors. Bill and Coo won a special Academy Award for "novel and entertaining use of the medium of motion picture" and "artistry and patience" .
He was also the host of The Ken Murray Show, a weekly music and comedy show on CBS Television that ran from 1950 to 1953. The show was the first to win a Freedom Foundation Award. Murray also guest starred on several television series, including The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford and The Bing Crosby Show.
Murray produced and co-starred as "Smiling Billy Murray" in a 1953 film, The Marshal's Daughter, a western that featured his protege Laurie Anders in the title role, her sole film performance. In 1962, Murray portrayed the top hat wearing, cigar chewing, drunken Doc Willoughby in John Ford's The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance starring John Wayne and James Stewart, arguably his most memorable screen role. Paired off for most of the picture with Edmond O'Brien as an alcoholic newspaper editor, he drunkenly rolls over the gunshot corpse of villain Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin) with his boot, looks around off-handedly, and says "Dead" to the surrounding crowd of euphoric Mexicans.
In 1964, Murray played Whipsaw, the operator of a stagecoach depot in the episode "Little Cayuse" of the television series Death Valley Days, hosted by Stanley Andrews. He and his partner take in a Cayuse orphan (Larry Domasin), who demonstrates his loyalty to the men during an Indian attack. In 1965, Murray played a THRUSH financier and owner of a caribbean casino in The Man from U.N.C.L.E.. In 1966, Murray was cast as Melody Murphy in the Walt Disney film Follow Me, Boys! starring Fred MacMurray, Vera Miles and Kurt Russell.
Read more
Sean Connery
Biography
Sir Thomas Sean Connery (August 25, 1930 - October 31, 2020) was a Scottish actor and producer who won an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards (one being a BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award), and three Golden Globes, including the Cecil B. DeMille Award and a Henrietta Award.
Connery was the first actor to portray the character James Bond in film, starring in seven Bond films (every film from Dr. No to You Only Live Twice, plus Diamonds Are Forever and Never Say Never Again), between 1962 and 1983. In 1988, Connery won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Untouchables. His films also include Marnie (1964), Murder on the Orient Express (1974), The Man Who Would Be King (1975), A Bridge Too Far (1977), Highlander (1986), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), The Hunt for Red October (1990), Dragonheart (1996), The Rock (1996), and Finding Forrester (2000).
Connery was polled in a 2004 The Sunday Herald as "The Greatest Living Scot" and in a 2011 EuroMillions survey as "Scotland's Greatest Living National Treasure". He was voted by People magazine as both the “Sexiest Man Alive" in 1989 and the "Sexiest Man of the Century” in 1999. He received a lifetime achievement award in the United States with a Kennedy Center Honor in 1999. Connery was knighted in the 2000 New Year Honours for services to film drama.
On October 31, 2020, it was announced that Connery had died at the age of 90.
Read more
Mike Stone
Biography
Mike was born in Hawaii. As a boy at school, Mike was already athletic and excelled in sports basketball, football, track and field. He even became co-captain of the basketball and football team. He received an award for outstanding achievement in the field of basketball. Mike first got into contact with martial arts at the age of 17, when he began training Aikido, where he was fortunate to train under a world class instructor. After graduating, within three weeks Mike voluntarily enlisted in the US Army for three years. There he met Karate instructor Herb Peters. Karate would become the most important thing for Mike. Mike received his black belt in six months. When he was 20 he became the youngest and only undefeated Karate Champion in history, winning 91 consecutive black belt matches. He is also an undefeated Forms Champion. Mike has won every tournament he has been in and won every title at least twice. Mike also had the privilege of working with friends and martial artists Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris. Mike was inducted in the Black Belt Hall of Fame twice.: first in 1971 as Fighter of the Year and second in 1994 as Instructor of the Year. As a popular instructor, Mike got to train celebrities like Priscilla Presley, Michelle Pfeiffer, Engelbert Humperdinck, Mike Post and many more. Mike also worked as a bodyguard.
Read more
John Milford
Biography
John Milford (September 7, 1927 - August 14, 2000) was an American actor in theatre, television, and films, playing scores of roles, often as a western villain. He was estimated to have had about 500 appearances in TV roles. Born in Johnstown, New York, Milford studied civil engineering at Union College but chose to pursue his first love, acting. He worked for some years with Los Angeles' Bureau of Engineering, Department of Public Works.
Throughout his career Milford continued to work in the theater. He founded the Chamber Theater at 3759 Cahuenga Blvd, pioneering Equity Waiver productions in Los Angeles, and helped launch the careers of actors such as Richard Chamberlain and Vic Morrow.
Milford's Los Angeles Times obituary credits him with using his engineering background to help create the original design for the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.
(Source: Wikipedia)
Read more
Aurora Sánchez
Biography
Aurora Sanchez was born in Huelva and dreamed of the stage from an early age. Her path to success was not easy: the actress had to overcome many challenges before directors and audiences took notice. Despite her popularity, Sanchez always remained humble and approachable, preferring to talk about her work rather than her personal life.
Reflecting on her career, one cannot overlook the variety of roles and genres in which she worked. From classical tragedies to modern comedies, Sanchez always found her own unique approach, bringing every character to life and making them memorable. Her passing has left a void that will be difficult to fill anytime soon.
Aurora Sanchez is one of the brightest figures on the Spanish stage of the early 21st century. Her creative legacy continues to inspire young actors and remind audiences of the importance of sincerity and dedication to the profession. Even after her death, her name remains a symbol of talent, hard work, and love for the arts.
Sánchez dedicated most of her life to the stage. She shone in classic plays such as “La casa de Bernarda Alba” and “Yerma,” bringing to life complex female characters. Theatre critics noted her ability to create a unique atmosphere on stage, while audiences praised the sincerity and emotional depth of every role. At the same time, television brought her nationwide fame: after her success in “Ana y los siete,” she was invited to take part in a wide range of projects, from comedies to dramas.
In the series “Acacias 38,” Sanchez played Paciencia—a woman with a challenging character but a big heart. Her character, despite often finding herself in comedic situations, always remained human and relatable to the audience. Over her years on television, the actress managed to create a whole gallery of memorable personas, each of which resonated with the public.
Aurora Sanchez’s film career was not as extensive as her stage work, yet she still made a significant impact. Her roles in the films “Bajo el mismo cielo,” “Maktub,” and “Mi otro John” stood out for their warmth and authenticity. In every project, the actress demonstrated an impressive ability to transform on screen without ever losing her individuality.
In recent years, Sanchez continued to work actively, appearing in new series and theatrical productions. Her participation in the play “La madre que me parió” became a true event for theater audiences. Her fellow actors remember her as someone who could offer support in difficult times and inspire creative achievements.
Read more
Chris Traynor
Biography
Chris Traynor is an American musician, songwriter, and producer, best known as the lead guitarist of the rock band Bush, since 2001. He was previously active in the post-hardcore group Orange 9mm, and he had an on-and-off stint with Helmet while working with Gavin Rossdale in Bush, Institute, as well as on Rossdale's solo album. He has also played with his partner Sibyl Buck in the band High Desert Fires.
Traynor has performed live with the British rock band Blur and done studio work with Katy Perry, Peter Green, Blue Man Group, and Rival Schools.
Read more
Rachel Melvin
Biography
Rachel Melvin is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Chelsea Brady on Days of Our Lives and as Penny in Dumb and Dumber To.
Melvin landed her first acting job in the 2005 independent film Boo. She later won the role of Georgia LaMarque, a French girl whom Bo and Billie had been falsely led to believe was their daughter on the NBC soap opera Days of our Lives, but only appeared in five episodes. Months later, she took over the role of Chelsea Brady (originally portrayed by Mandy Musgrave). She and her dog were seen on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, when she was randomly interviewed at a gas station for a segment. Melvin has also guest-starred on Summerland, Jack & Bobby and 8 Simple Rules. With her family, she has also appeared on Family Feud.
In 2010, Melvin starred as Kaia in Seven Deadly Sins which premiered on Lifetime alongside Dreama Walker. The first part premiered on May 23 while the second part premiered on May 24, 2010. In 2011, Melvin appeared in episodes of House M.D. and Castle.
In 2014, Melvin appeared as Penny Pinchelow in Dumb and Dumber To, portrayed Mary in Zombeavers, and Sarah in the drama thriller film Madtown.
She appeared in the final season of MTV's Awkward.
Read more
Harry Benham
Biography
From Wikipedia
Harry Benham (February 26, 1884 – July 17, 1969) was an American silent film actor. Born in Valparaiso, Indiana, as a child Benham and his family moved to Chicago, where he was raised and attended school. Benham had a talent for singing and sang in his local church choir.
In 1904, the production Peggy From Paris came to Chicago and, at age 20, Benham became a member of the chorus while earning a living in the wholesale paper business. Benham was soon selected to play the leading role in the production and remained in that role throughout the production's three-year run. He was subsequently able to garner more roles in other plays, such as The Sultan of Sulu, Woodland, Marrying Mary, The Gay Musician, H.M.S. Pinafore, Florodora, The Mayoress, and Madame Sherry. In 1910 Benham joined the Thanhouser Company in New Rochelle, New York, for whom he played the leading role in many of the company's films through 1915.
He married actress Ethyle Cooke, and together they had two children, Dorothy and Leland, who also became prominent Thanhouser personalities. Benham died on July 17, 1969 in Sarasota, Florida, aged 85.
Read more
William Cox-Ife
Biography
William Cox-Ife was born in 1903. As a young man, he studied at the Royal Academy of Music, becoming a celebrated conductor. Initially working in musical theatre, by the 1930s Cox-Ife became involved with the fledgling British Broadcasting Company. He is credited as a conductor on many early BBC productions in both radio and television. During WWII, he served in the Intelligence Corps, before returning to conductorship in 1945. From 1950 to 1961, he was a member of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, noted for their year-round production of Gilbert and Sullivan operas. Cox-Ife died on the 24th of March 1968, one of 61 fatalities when Aer Lingus Flight 712 crashed into the Irish Sea. The cause of the crash is still undetermined.
Read more
Kimiko Yo
Biography
Kimiko Yo was born in Yokohama, a city just south of Tokyo to a Japanese mother and Taiwanese father on the 12th of May 1956. Her cousin was actress Bunjaku Han. She became active in front of the camera in 1987 and has been a feature of Japanese television and cinema ever since. She had begun acting on the theatre stage in 1976. Audiences may mostly know her for her supporting role in Shin Gojira, as a sympathetic colleague in the 2008 films Departures, which won an Oscar, and kind wife and waitress in Ramen Girl, but she has almost 200 credits to her name. These include an abnormal neighbour in The Drugstore girl and serene presence in Café Lumière where she was directed by a Taiwanese director in Japan. Dear Doctor (2009) propelled her name forward in Japan and was an award winner. She has several Japan Academy prizes to her name. Like most celebrities she pushes products and has done commercials for telephone companies, shampoos and cosmetics manufacturers. Yo is married to a man who at the time was a NHK employee in 2006 and is managed by the Alpha Agency.
Read more
