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Dom DeLuise

Biography

Dominick "Dom" DeLuise (August 1, 1933 – May 4, 2009) was an American actor and comedian. Known primarily for comedy roles, he rose to fame in the 1970s as a frequent guest on television variety shows. He is widely recognized for his performances in the films of Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder, as well as a series of collaborations and a double act with Burt Reynolds. Beginning in the 1980s, his popularity expanded to younger audiences from voicing characters in several major animated productions, particularly those of Don Bluth. DeLuise was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Italian American parents. He attended the High School of Performing Arts in New York City and later studied biology at Tufts University. After graduating from college, he began his career as a stand-up comedian. He made his television debut in 1964 on the variety show The Dean Martin Show. In 1970, DeLuise made his film debut in the Mel Brooks comedy The Twelve Chairs. He went on to appear in several other Brooks films, including Blazing Saddles, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, and History of the World, Part I. He also starred in a number of films with Gene Wilder, including The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother, The World's Greatest Lover, and See No Evil, Hear No Evil. DeLuise was a frequent collaborator with Burt Reynolds, and the two starred in a number of films together, including The End, Smokey and the Bandit II, and Cannonball Run II. He also had a recurring role on the television series Evening Shade. In addition to his film and television work, DeLuise was also a successful voice actor. He voiced characters in a number of animated films, including All Dogs Go to Heaven, The Secret of NIMH, and An American Tail. He also hosted the children's cooking show Cooking with Dom DeLuise. DeLuise was a popular and beloved figure in Hollywood. He was known for his infectious laugh and his larger-than-life personality. He was also a talented actor and comedian, and he enjoyed a long and successful career. Dom DeLuise died on May 4, 2009, at the age of 75. He had been battling pancreatic cancer for several months. He died peacefully in his sleep at his home in Beverly Hills, California. DeLuise's family released a statement saying that he had died "peacefully at home after a long battle with cancer." They said that he was "surrounded by his loving family and friends." DeLuise's death was met with sadness and tributes from fans and colleagues alike. Mel Brooks, who directed DeLuise in several films, said that he was "a great talent and a great friend." Gene Wilder said that DeLuise was "one of the funniest people I've ever known." DeLuise's funeral was held on May 8, 2009, at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills. He was buried at the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles.
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Nick Brimble

Biography

Nick Brimble is an English actor known for his performance as Little John in the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and his appearances on various television shows. His credits include: Softly, Softly, Z-Cars, Space: 1999, The Sweeney, The Professionals, Danger UXB, The Onedin Line, Blake's 7, Robin of Sherwood, Crossbow, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Dempsey & Makepeace, Bergerac, To Play the King, The Final Cut, The Bill, Casualty, Heartbeat, State of Play, Lock, Stock..., Doc Martin, Lust for a Vampire, and A Knight's Tale. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Keira Knightley

Biography

Keira Christina Knightley (born 26 March 1985) is an English actress. She has starred in both independent films and big-budget blockbusters and is particularly noted for her roles in period dramas. Her accolades include two Empire Awards and nominations for two Academy Awards, three British Academy Film Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, one Screen Actors Guild Award and one Laurence Olivier Award. Knightley was appointed an OBE in the 2018 Birthday Honours for services to drama and charity. Born in London to actors Will Knightley and Sharman Macdonald, Knightley obtained an agent at age six and initially worked commercials and television films. She appeared as Sabé, Padmé Amidala's handmaiden, in the science fiction blockbuster Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999). Knightley had a break-through role portraying a tomboy footballer in the sports film Bend It Like Beckham (2002). She achieved global stardom with her portrayal of Elizabeth Swann in the fantasy swashbuckler series Pirates of the Caribbean. In the same year, she appeared in the Christmas romantic comedy Love Actually (2003) and was labelled a promising teen star. For her portrayal of Elizabeth Bennet in the period romance Pride & Prejudice (2005), Knightley was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress. At age 20, she became the third-youngest Best Actress nominee at the time. Knightley starred in a series of further period pieces, portraying a complex love interest in Atonement (2007), tastemaker Georgiana Cavendish in The Duchess (2008), and the titular socialite in Anna Karenina (2012). She then forayed into contemporary dramas, appearing as an aspiring musician in Begin Again (2013) and a medical student in Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014). Knightley returned to historical films by playing cryptoanalyst Joan Clarke in The Imitation Game (2014), earning her a second round of Academy Award and BAFTA nominations, and starred as the eponymous belle époque writer in Colette (2018) to critical acclaim. On stage, Knightley has appeared in two West End productions: The Misanthrope in 2009, which earned her an Olivier Award nomination, and The Children's Hour in 2011. She also starred as the eponymous heroine in the 2015 Broadway production of Thérèse Raquin. Knightley is known for her outspoken stance on social issues, and has worked extensively with Amnesty International, Oxfam, and Comic Relief. She is married to musician James Righton, with whom she has two daughters.
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Sonja Smits

Biography

Sonja Smits is a Canadian actress recognized for her versatile performances across film, television, and theatre. She gained prominence for her role as Sara Fraser in the acclaimed Canadian television series "Street Legal." Smits' portrayal of the determined and skilled lawyer showcased her acting prowess and earned her critical acclaim. Additionally, she has been the lead in two other TV series, Traders and the Eleventh Hour, as well as many TV movies such as Margret Lawrence's The Diviners. Her feature films, include David Cronenberg's cult classic, "Videodrome" and "Owning Mahoney" with Philip Seymour Hoffman. Sonja has received numerous honours and awards for her work including a Gemini Award-Best Actress, TWFT- Outstanding Achievement Award and ACTRA Award of Excellence. She was the first artist named as President of Harbourfront Centre Board, was a founding member of ACTRA Women's Caucus and served as Chair at Toronto Artscape Foundation. Sonja is the co-owner of Closson Chase Vineyards, a pioneer in the creation of the viticulture region of Prince Edward County.
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Susan Lynch

Biography

Susan Lynch (born 5 June 1971) is an actor from Northern Ireland. She is known for her role in the 2003 film 16 Years of Alcohol. Her other film appearances include Waking Ned Devine (1998), Nora (2000), Beautiful Creatures (2000), and From Hell (2001). Lynch was born in 1971 in Corrinshego, County Armagh, Northern Ireland to an Italian mother (from Trivento) and an Irish father. She has four siblings; her eldest brother is actor John Lynch. She trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama. Lynch has won three Irish Film and Television Academy Awards, including Best Leading Actress for her work in the film Nora, about Nora Barnacle and her husband, Irish author James Joyce. She also won the British Independent Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for the 2003 film 16 Years of Alcohol. In 2020, she was listed as number 42 on The Irish Times list of Ireland's greatest film actors.
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Philippe Laudenbach

Biography

Philippe Laudenbach (born 31 January 1936) is a French actor. He appeared in more than one hundred films since 1963. Nephew of Pierre Fresnay (born Peter Laudenbach), Philippe is formed to the French National Academy of Dramatic Arts. He received a nomination for Molière Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1998 for his performance in The crazy's hat Luigi Pirandello. He is married to Francine Walter, actress and drama teacher at La Bruyère and to the Théâtre de l'Atelier. Source: Article "Philippe Laudenbach" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.
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Salvador Dalí

Biography

Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, Marquess of Dalí de Púbol GYC (11 May 1904 – 23 January 1989), known as Salvador Dalí, was a Spanish surrealist artist renowned for his technical skill, precise draftsmanship, and the striking and bizarre images in his work. Born in Figueres in Catalonia, Dalí received his formal education in fine arts in Madrid. Influenced by Impressionism and the Renaissance masters from a young age, he became increasingly attracted to Cubism and avant-garde movements. He moved closer to Surrealism in the late 1920s and joined the Surrealist group in 1929, soon becoming one of its leading exponents. His best-known work, The Persistence of Memory, was completed in August 1931. Dalí lived in France throughout the Spanish Civil War (1936 to 1939) before leaving for the United States in 1940 where he achieved commercial success. He returned to Spain in 1948 where he announced his return to the Catholic faith and developed his "nuclear mysticism" style, based on his interest in classicism, mysticism, and recent scientific developments. Dalí's artistic repertoire included painting, sculpture, film, graphic arts, animation, fashion, and photography, at times in collaboration with other artists. He also wrote fiction, poetry, autobiography, essays, and criticism. Major themes in his work include dreams, the subconscious, sexuality, religion, science and his closest personal relationships. To the dismay of those who held his work in high regard, and to the irritation of his critics, his eccentric and ostentatious public behavior often drew more attention than his artwork. His public support for the Francoist regime, his commercial activities and the quality and authenticity of some of his late works have also been controversial. His life and work were an important influence on other Surrealists, pop art, popular culture, and contemporary artists such as Jeff Koons and Damien Hirst. There are two major museums devoted to Salvador Dalí's work: the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres, Spain, and the Salvador Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, U.S. Description above from the Wikipedia article Salvador Dalí, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
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Frank Kahlil Wheaton

Biography

Frank Wheaton began his career in the entertainment industry as a radio announcer, engineer, and producer. In the late 1970s, he relocated to New York City where he quickly became a top print and commercial model. In the 1980s, he formed his own entertainment management and production firm, representing some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment. While producing and management remain his focus today, he finds time for the occasional acting or public speaking engagement despite his busy schedule.
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Hans Meyer

Biography

Hans Meyer (21 July 1925 – 3 April 2020) was a South African actor born to German parents. In Britain, he was known for his portrayal of Hauptmann Franz Ulmann in the television series Colditz (1972–1974). Meyer was born in Paulpietersburg, Natal Province, Union of South Africa in July 1925. He worked initially as a model where he posed for book covers until a friend in Germany working for an advertising agency lined up his first work as an actor, a television advert for Puschkin Vodka. The brand became Germany's best selling vodka and Meyer became known as "Frank S. Thorn" The Puschkin Man. He was hired by Anatole Litvak as an extra for his film The Night of the Generals. In the 1960s, he played supporting roles in numerous French films alongside French cinema stars such as Lino Ventura, Alain Delon and Jean-Paul Belmondo. In 1966, he was engaged for La grande vadrouille, where he embodied an angry SS representative. In 1968 he played in the action thriller The Devil's Garden by Yves Boisset. In 1969, he took on the role of Sheriff Blade in the thriller Les Étrangers, shot in Spain. In 1970 he played in the Western Cannon for Cordoba, in the role of the Swedish major Svedborg, the leader of a private mercenary army. In 1975 he had a small role in Stanley Kubrick's film adaptation of Barry Lyndon. In the 1970s, Meyer also worked for television. He played a continuous series role in the British television series Colditz. In 1978, he appeared in the mini-series Holocaust (miniseries) - The History of the Weiss Family; in it, he played the SS official Ernst Kaltenbrunner. In the TV movie The Girlfriend from Childhood (L'amie d'enfance, 1981) from the Commissaire Moulin- series, he played the assassin, whom Yves Rénier and title heroine Claude Jade ultimately put to the test. He then appeared in other television series. He later appeared in Steven Spielberg and George Lucas's The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles as well as the French cult movie Brotherhood of the Wolf. Meyer died in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France on 3 April 2020 at the age of 94. Source: Article "Hans Meyer (actor)" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.
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Kaviyoor Ponnamma

Biography

Kaviyoor Ponnamma (10 September 1945 – 20 September 2024) was an Indian actress who appeared in Malayalam films and television. She began her career performing in theatre dramas before foraying into cinema. She also acted in TV serials and commercials and had playback singing credits in few films Ponnamma was a four-time Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Actress winner. Often called as the "mother to all actors", she acted as mother of almost all actors in her career spanning over decades. At the age of 20, she played the mother of older actors Sathyan and Madhu in Thommente Makkal (1965). She particularly gained critical acclaim for acting as the mother of Mohanlal. As a five-year-old, she learned music and sang in stage shows. In 1958, she was spotted by Kerala People's Arts Club (KPAC) who was looking for a girl who can sing in their stage play. They also gave her the role of heroine in Mooladhanam, her debut stage drama at age 13. It was directed by Thoppil Bhasi. After five years came her first movie Kudumbini, in which she did the title role of the mother of two children. Ponnamma died from cancer at Lissie Hospital in Kochi, Kerala, on 20 September 2024, at the age of 79.
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