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Emilio Rivera

Biography

Emilio Rivera (born February 24, 1961) is a distinguished Native-Latino American businessman, entrepreneur, film and television actor, and producer, best known for his powerful portrayal of Marcus Álvarez, the president of the Mayans Motorcycle Club, in the acclaimed FX series Sons of Anarchy (2008–2014) and its spin-off Mayans M.C. (2018–2023). With a career spanning over three decades, the San Antonio-born actor has become one of Hollywood's most recognizable "tough guys," often cast in high-stakes crime dramas and action films such as Con Air (1997), Traffic (2000), and Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017). Beyond his signature biker roles, Rivera has displayed significant range in series like Z Nation, where he played Hector "Escorpion" Alvarez, and the Netflix coming-of-age dramedy On My Block.
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Dwight Hicks

Biography

Dwight Hicks anchored the San Francisco 49ers' legendary secondary during their dynasty years, emerging from humble beginnings to become a four-time Pro Bowl safety and two-time Super Bowl champion. Born April 5, 1956, in Mount Holly Township, New Jersey, Hicks attended Pennsauken High School before starring at the University of Michigan (1975-1978), where he earned All-Big Ten honors in 1976 and 1977, and Second-team All-American recognition in 1977. He gained national attention with outstanding performances in the 1976 Orange Bowl and consecutive Rose Bowl appearances. After playing three games with the Toronto Argonauts in 1978, Hicks signed with the 49ers in 1979 while working in a health food store stockroom in Detroit. He played seven seasons with San Francisco (1979-1985) before finishing his career with the Indianapolis Colts in 1986. Hicks earned four consecutive Pro Bowl selections (1981-1984), won Super Bowls XVI and XIX, and served as defensive captain from 1983-1985. He recorded 32 career interceptions for 602 yards with three touchdowns, plus 14 fumble recoveries. Hicks' strengths defined elite safety play: exceptional ball-hawking instincts (led NFL with 9 interceptions and 239 return yards in 1981), hard-hitting physicality, and inspirational leadership. At just 25 years old in 1981, he led a secondary nicknamed "Dwight Hicks and his Hot Licks" that featured rookies Ronnie Lott, Eric Wright, and Carlton Williamson—making history in 1984 when all four were selected to the Pro Bowl, only the second time an entire secondary received that honor. His greatest moments showcased clutch performance and leadership: (1) Super Bowl XVI—after the 49ers fumbled the opening kickoff, Hicks made a crucial freelance interception at Cincinnati's 5-yard line, returning it 27 yards to set up a touchdown that gave San Francisco a lead they never relinquished in the 26-21 victory; (2) Two-touchdown defensive performance against Washington—Hicks returned a fumble 80 yards for a touchdown and added a 32-yard interception return for a score in a 30-17 victory; (3) The legendary "Remember the feeling" speech—following a heartbreaking 1983 NFC Championship loss to Washington, Hicks delivered an impassioned locker room address that inspired the 1984 49ers to a 15-1 record and Super Bowl XIX championship. After football, Hicks successfully transitioned to a prolific acting career, becoming a sought-after character actor in Hollywood. Relocating to Southern California to devote himself to the craft, he landed roles in major feature films alongside some of cinema's biggest stars, including The Rock (1996) with Sean Connery and Nicolas Cage, Armageddon (1998) with Bruce Willis, Jack (1996) starring Robin Williams and Bill Cosby, and In the Mix (2005). His television résumé spans diverse genres and networks, with memorable appearances on popular shows including How I Met Your Mother, Castle, Body of Proof, Cold Case, The Practice, The X-Files, ER, and The O.C. Hicks also brought his football expertise back to Bay Area audiences as co-host of The Point After, KTVU's highly rated post-game show that aired immediately following 49ers Sunday broadcasts.
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Alice Guy-Blaché

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Alice Guy-Blaché (July 1, 1873 – March 24, 1968) is generally considered to be the world's first female director. French-born Alice Guy entered the film business as a secretary at Gaumont-Paris in 1896. The next year Gaumont changed from manufacturing cameras to producing movies, and Guy became one of its first film directors. She impressed the company so much with the output (she averaged two two-reelers a week) and quality of her productions that by 1905 she was made the company's production director, supervising the company's other directors. In 1907 she married Herbert Blaché, an Englishman who ran the company's British and German offices. The pair soon went to the U.S. to set up the company's operations there. In 1910 she set up her own production company in New York and built a studio in Fort Lee, New Jersey. After a period of critical and financial success, her company's fortunes declined and she eventually shut down the studio. Although she secured work directing films for several major Hollywood studios, she returned to France in 1922 after her divorce from Blache. She was never able to secure any directorial jobs there, and never made a film again. In 1964 she returned to the U.S. and lived in Mahwah, New Jersey - not far from where her original studios were - with her daughters, where she died in 1968.
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Sean Connery

Biography

Sir Thomas Sean Connery (August 25, 1930 – October 31, 2020) was a Scottish actor and producer. He 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, Connery died at the age of 90.
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Bassel Khayyat

Biography

A Syrian native with a degree in theatrical arts, Bassel Khayyat was always attached to acting since he was 8 years old, even participating in children's theater as a hobby. He was able to exercise that hobby into a career in acting where he would often portray daring and charismatic characters. His intensive roles and work in the television industry made him an immensely popular actor in the Arab world, especially in Syria. He executed most of his work in Syria but gained popularity in Egypt when acting in several Egyptian drama series between 2008-2015. In Ramadan 2017, Khayyat was recognized for his exceptional role when starred in 30 days series. As for his work in the film industry, some of his most credible work was Bab el Shams, El Aawda which was shown at the Cannes Film Festival in 2004
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Elizabeth Oropesa

Biography

Born July, 17 1954 under the name Elizabeth Oropesa Freeman in Albay, Philippines. In 1972, her mother falsified registration documents claiming she was the minimum age of 18 so she could join the Miss RP pageant. After winning the Miss RP Luzon title, her real age was discovered and she was dethroned just hours later. Using this notoriety as a stepping stone, she made her film debut in 1973's Daredevil Rider and has been a busy and acclaimed actress in the Philippines ever since. Just a few years into her acting career she'd be launched to stardom with the films Mister Mo, Lover Boy Ko and Lumapit, Lumayo Ang Umaga (both 1975). The latter netted her the FAMAS Best Actress award, an award she'd win again in 2000 for Bulaklak ng Maynila. She has received five nominations in total to date. In addition, she's won acting awards from Young Critics Circle, Star, FAP, Gawad Urian Awards and others. Despite the acclaim as one of her country's finest veteran actresses, Elizabeth took a long hiatus from acting and traveled to Indonesia to become a Master of Tetada Kalimasadam; a type of healing using martial arts, breathing and full concentration. She studied at the International Open University for Complementary Medicine in Sri Lanka and graduated with a Doctorate of Philosophy in Alternative Medicine. Though she returned to acting and continues to appear in films and on TV to this day, she also has a clinic in Quezon City specializing in psychic healing and alternative medicine and uses the professional name Dr. Elizabeth Freeman. In her personal life, Elizabeth married at the age of 16 only to find herself widowed with a young daughter at 23. She later married martial arts actor Meng-Fei, though the relationship didn't last. Her current husband is bodybuilder and physical therapist Joe Valdez.
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Just Fontaine

Biography

Just Louis Fontaine (born 18 August 1933) is a Moroccan-born French former professional footballer. A prolific forward, he is best known for scoring the most goals in a single edition of the FIFA World Cup, with thirteen in six matches in 1958. In 2004, Pelé named him one of the 125 Greatest Living Footballers at a FIFA Awards Ceremony. Born in Marrakech to a French father and a Spanish mother, Fontaine moved to Casablanca, where he attended the Lycée Lyautey. Fontaine began his amateur career at USM Casablanca, where he played from 1950 to 1953. Nice recruited him in 1953, and he went on to score 44 goals in three seasons for the club. In 1956, he moved to Stade de Reims, where he teamed up with Raymond Kopa from the 1959–60 season. Fontaine scored 121 goals in six seasons at Stade de Reims. In total, Fontaine scored 165 goals in 200 matches in the Ligue 1, and twice won the championship; in 1958 and 1960. He also took part in the team that got to the 1958–59 European Cup final against Real Madrid, being that season's top scorer with ten goals. Wearing the blue shirt of France, Fontaine has an even more impressive record. On his debut on 17 December 1953, Fontaine scored a hat trick as France defeated Luxembourg 8–0. In seven years, he scored 30 goals in 21 matches. However, he will best be remembered for his 1958 FIFA World Cup performance, where he scored 13 goals in just six matches – a feat that included putting four past defending champions West Germany. It was also the highest number of goals ever scored by one player at a single World Cup tournament – a record that stands today. This tally secured him the Golden Boot. As of 2022, he is tied with Lionel Messi as the fourth-top scorer in FIFA World Cup history, with each of the three ahead of him - Gerd Müller (14 goals), Ronaldo (15 goals) and Miroslav Klose (16 goals) - having played in at least two tournaments. Fontaine played his last match in July 1962, being forced to retire early (28 years and 11 months old) because of a recurring injury. He briefly managed the France national team in 1967, but was replaced after only two friendly games, which ended in defeats. As coach of Morocco, he led the Atlas Lions to 3rd in the 1980 African Cup of Nations, overseeing the emergence of such players as Badou Zaki, Mohammed Timoumi and Aziz Bouderbala. Morocco reached the final stage of 1982 World Cup qualifying but were beaten by Cameroon. Fontaine was named by Pelé as one of the 125 greatest living footballers in March 2004. He was chosen as the best French player of the last 50 years by the French Football Federation in the UEFA Jubilee Awards in November 2003. With Eugène N'Jo Léa he founded the National Union of Professional Football Players in 1961. He criticized the performance of the French team in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, particularly on the lackluster playing by the forwards. France were eliminated after group stage, with a draw against Uruguay and losses to Mexico and South Africa. Source: Article "Just Fontaine" from Wikipedia in english, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.
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Eiji Inoue

Biography

Accomplished actor and martial artist, Eiji Inoue impacted audiences with his performance in In the Cage (2013) as the character San Tao. He has also appeared in many well-known films such as The Last Samurai, Click, and Pearl Harbor. For the episode "Chimera" from NCIS, Eiji Inoue impressed production so much that they switched a role from one concept to another just so that Eiji could play the character, Satoshi Takada. During Eiji Inoue's acting career of 23 years, he has appeared in more than 60 plays. He is best known for his role as Takeshi Kawabata in Take Me Out a play by Richard Greenberg. This Tony Award winning production made a revival in Los Angeles and continued to be extended 3 times winning both critics' and audiences hearts alike. Not only is Eiji Inoue a driven and talented actor, he is also extremely experienced in Chinese martial arts, specifically Wushu Kungfu. With over 30 years of martial arts training and competitions, Eiji is adept in 18 different styles and weaponry uses. Some of which are Broad Sword, Double Broad Sword, Straight Sword, Long Spear, 3 Section Staff, Japanese Samurai Sword, etc. Because Eiji continues to perfect his craft by participating in theater when not working on films and TV, he has had the privilege of being cast alongside prolific actors such as Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, Adam Sandler, Meg Ryan, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and many more. Awards: ADA Award for Best Ensemble Cast for The Box. Nominations: His independent film Pearlblossom Hwy (2012) for AFI's Film Festival Top 10. Official Selections for Vienna International Film Festival, AFI Fest, Starz Denver Film Festival, International Film Festival Rotterdam, Bradford International Film Festival, San Francisco International Film Festival. Eiji Inoue's next project, Conversation, is expected to shoot in November 2014. With 2 projects already slated to come out in 2015, Eiji Inoue is one busy actor ready for more prominent roles and creatively challenging projects.
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Frank Rice

Biography

Frank Rice was born in Muskegon, Michigan in 1892 and passed away January 9, 1936 in Los Angeles of nephritis and hepatitis (both of which affect the kidneys).  Rice began film work in silents, doing bit and supporting roles in various films, including oaters starring Jack Hoxie, Bill Cody, Hoot Gibson, Ken Maynard, Pete Morrison and Buck Jones. In the late 1920s, he settled in as the mature helper/sidekick to youngster Buzz Barton in Buzz's series at Film Booking Office (FBO).  During the 1930s, Rice continued his saddle pal duties, appearing most frequently with Buck Jones and Ken Maynard. But he also assisted or had support roles in westerns with Tom Keene at RKO, Reliable's Jack Perrin and Tom Tyler, Tim McCoy at Columbia, at Fox with George O'Brien, and with John Wayne in his Warners series. 
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Sammo Kam-Bo Hung

Biography

Sammo Kam-Bo Hung (Chinese: 洪金寶, born Hung Kam-Bo, 7 January 1952) is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, producer and director, known for his work in many kung fu films and Hong Kong action cinema. He has been a fight choreographer for, amongst others, Jackie Chan, King Hu, and John Woo. Hung is one of the pivotal figures who spearheaded the Hong Kong New Wave movement of the 1980s, helped reinvent the martial arts genre and started the vampire-like Jiang Shi genre. He is widely credited with assisting many of his compatriots, giving them their starts in the Hong Kong film industry, by casting them in the films he produced, or giving them roles in the production crew. In East Asia, it is common for people to address their elders or influential people with familial nouns as a sign of familiarity and respect. Jackie Chan, for example, is often addressed as "Dai Goh", meaning Big Brother. Hung was also known as "Dai Goh", until the filming of Project A, which featured both actors. As Hung was the eldest of the kung fu "brothers", and the first to make a mark on the industry, he was given the nickname "Dai Goh Dai", meaning, Big, Big Brother or Biggest Big Brother. Was a member of the"Seven Little Fortunes" in Yu Jim-Yuen's China Drama Academy's Peking Opera School.
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