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Bruno Mattei
Biography
Bruno Mattei (30 July 1931 – 21 May 2007) was an Italian film director, screenwriter, and editor who directed exploitation films in many genres, including women in prison, nunsploitation, zombie, mondo, cannibal, and Nazisploitation films. Born in 1931, Bruno Mattei grew up in Rome, Italy, where his father owned a small film editing studio. Mattei made his debut as a director with the drama Armida, il dramma di una sposa(1970) under the alias "Jordon B. Matthews". He eventually had more pseudonyms than any working director in the world. He returned to editing before making another comeback in 1976 with two low-budget Nazi exploitation films, Women's Camp 119 (1977) (aka "Women's Camp 119") and Casa privata per le SS (1977) (aka "SS Girls"). Mattei followed these taboo-breaking films with excursions into porno films and mondo "shockumentaries", all directed under his many pseudonyms, concentrating on "shock value" with films such as Mondo erotico (1973), "Libiodomania" and "Libidomania 2". Always on the lookout for new exploitation avenues, Mattei followed with "nunsploitation", with the softcore sex film La vera storia della monaca di Monza (1980) and the violent sex thriller The Other Hell (1981). Both films involved a partnership with writer/director Claudio Fragasso, who helped him write and direct the back-to-back productions. Using yet another alias, "Vincent Dawn", Mattei directed Hell of the Living Dead (1980) (aka "Hell of the Living Dead"), a low-budged zombie picture inspired by other zombie cannibal movies such as Dawn of the Dead (1978) and Lucio Fulci's Zombi 2 (1979). "Virus" was filmed in Spain and used jungle footage from New Guinea and a patch soundtrack from Goblins "Dawn of the Dead" soundtrack, which was a minor hit in Italy and abroad. After directing two women's prison films starring Laura Gemser, Mattei moved to directing sword-and-sorcery flicks, starting with I sette magnifici gladiatori (1983). Both Mattei and Fragasso collaborated on the sci-fi/horror flick Rats - Notte di terrore (1984), inspired by the futuristic movies of the early 1980s. Mattei considers this his best work, despite his still having to work with a very low budget. He worked relentlessly through the 1980s, directing a pair of "spaghetti westerns", some action flicks and about half of Zombi 3 (1988) after Lucio Fulci was taken off the production, though Mattei was not credited with it. In the early 1990s Mattei directed a series of erotic thrillers and a made-for-TV movie, Cruel Jaws (1995) (TV), which was inspired by Steven Spielberg's Jaws (1975). Mattei continued making films, with more than 50 to his credit by the 200s. In early 2007 his health becan to decline rapidly after he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Despite his doctor's warnings, he went through with a surgical operation to have the tumor removed in May of that year. After the surgery he fell into a coma from complications, and died a few days later on May 21, 2007 at age 75.
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Fred 'Snowflake' Toones
Biography
Fred "Snowflake" Toones was a character actor who appeared in over 200 films between 1928 and 1951. He often worked under contract for Republic Pictures, appearing in about 40 of its films.
He played a bootblack or shoeshine man in at least six of his movies, and Toones actually ran the shoeshine stand at Republic Studios.
He first appeared as a porter in 1932 in The Hurricane Express and was usually typecast as a porter - appearing in over 50 films in such a role. He also played a variety of other service-oriented or domestic worker roles such as stable grooms, janitors, elevator operators, valets, cooks, bellhops, doormen, butlers, and bartenders. Like other actors of the time, i.e. Anna May Wong and Franklin Pangborn, Toones is a prime example of racial and social stereotyping in the Hollywood film industry.
His standard characterization was that of a middle-aged "colored" man with a high-pitched voice and childlike mannerisms.
"Snowflake" was the stage name Toones was best known by, and he used this name as his credit as early as his third film, 1931's Shanghaied Love. Likewise, in Shanghaied Love and over 35 other films, "Snowflake" was also Toones' character name.
He acted in films such as Mississippi (1935), Hawk of the Wilderness (1938), and Daredevils of the Red Circle (1939) with Bruce Bennett and in many "B" westerns such as The Lawless Nineties (1936) with John Wayne. He also appeared in dozens of two-reelers such as Columbia's Woman Haters (1934) with the Three Stooges, and had a bit role in Laurel and Hardy's classic feature Way Out West (1937). Toones is also a familiar face in four Preston Sturges comedies: Twentieth Century (1934), Remember the Night (1940), Christmas in July (1940), and The Palm Beach Story (1942).
He died on 13 February 1962 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
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Todd Turquand
Biography
After starring as Rhoda's stepson on the first season of "Rhoda," Todd Turquand became a member of the "New Mickey Mouse Club."
He made his movie debut in United Artists' "Burnt Offerings".
He was a member of an entertainment group called "The Showtimers" (his older brother, Greg, was also in the group), in which he performed as both singer and dancer for local civic functions and charitable organizations. Todd Turquand is the Vice President of EuropaWatch.com.
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Willy Dozan
Biography
Billy Chong (born Willy Dozan, February 10, 1957, Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia) is an Indonesian martial artist of Chinese descent. His acting career started in 1977 when he was offered a role in Indonesia action movie, Pembalasan Si Pitung (Pitung's Revenge).
He then continued acting in several action movies in Indonesia, Hong Kong and the United States. Some of the most notable ones are Crystal Fist and A Fistful of Talons. In 1995, he became a household name in Indonesia after a hit TV series Deru Debu. He directed most of the episodes of this TV series. He also starred, directed, and produced another hit TV series Sapu Jagad (2000).
Billy Chong married Indonesian popstar Betharia Sonata, but they divorced in 2002. The couple has two children, Mohammad Leon Rahman Dozan and Nabila Rahman Dozan.
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Sanjeev Bhaskar
Biography
Sanjeev Bhaskar OBE (born 31 October 1963) is a British actor, comedian and television presenter. He is best known for his work in the BBC Two sketch comedy series Goodness Gracious Me and as the star of the sitcom The Kumars at No. 42. He also presented and starred in a documentary series called India with Sanjeev Bhaskar in which he travelled to India and visited his ancestral home in today's Pakistan. Bhaskar's more dramatic acting roles include the lead role of Dr Prem Sharma in The Indian Doctor and a main role as DI Sunny Khan in Unforgotten.
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Pablo Trapero
Biography
Pablo Trapero was born in San justo, Argentina in 1971. In 1999 he directed his first feature, Mundo Grua, which won the Critics Prize at Venice. In 2002, he opened his production company, Matanza Cine, that produces films for fellow filmmakers, as well as his own. His second feature, El Bonaerense (2002) premiered at Cannes, Familia Rodante (2004) at Venice, and Nacido y Criado (2006) at Toronto. In 2008, Leonera, presented in Competition at Cannes, revealed the talent of Martina Gusman, muse, actress and producer of the cineaste. He returned to Cannes with Carancho (2010) and Elefante Blanco (2012), both in Un Certain Regard. His films have covered the most important festivals, receiving critical acclaim and awards He has sat on the main Festival juries at Venice, San Sebastian and Locarno, among others. In 2014 he served as President of Un Certain Regard in Cannes. In 2015 the Ministry of Culture of France awarded him Chevallier l Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, becoming the first south american director in receiving this honor. With his latest film, The Clan, he won the Silver Lion for Best Director in Venice International Film Festival Trapero is one of the biggest creative forces in Latin American Cinema.
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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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Salvador Wood
Biography
Nació el 24 de noviembre de 1928, en Santiago de Cuba, donde mismo nació su compañera de la vida, Yolanda. Sus padres eran santiagueros y por la estirpe paterna de los Wood, fue el único que tuvo el coraje de ser actor de teatro, de radio, de televisión y de cine.
Llegó a La Habana en 1946, en busca de un espacio que tuviera una mayor resonancia nacional, aunque estaba convencido de que el municipio es el universo, pero a veces es bueno salir del municipio.
Cuando parte rumbo a La Habana en busca de otros aires en el oeste, ya era actor de teatro y de radio en Santiago de Cuba, en realidad vino para la capital porque en Santiago entonces eran más limitadas las posibilidades de desarrollo.
Sus primeros retos como actor fueron en la radio, en 1943, en un programa especial sobre el fusilamiento de los ocho estudiantes de Medicina, el 27 de noviembre. Hizo el papel de uno de los estudiantes fusilados.
Después llegó al teatro y su primer reto fue con solo 17 años, en el año 1945, organizado por el Cuadro de Comedia y Arte Dramático creado en Santiago de Cuba por el actor matancero José María Béjar, en la obra Don Juan Tenorio, de Zorrilla. Béjar hacía el Tenorio y él su contrafigura, Don Luis Mejías; obra en verso, un clásico del teatro romántico español. Lo más simpático es que aún hoy sé sabe de memoria la larga relación que le hace Don Luis Mejías a Don Juan Tenorio en la Hostería El Laurel.
Le siguió, en 1952, el primer reto en la televisión, en un programa de Paco Alfonso, en el Canal 2, dirigido por Jesús Cabrera, donde hizo por primera vez un personaje campesino. Después de eso a hecho 18 campesinos distintos.
Más tarde, en 1960, debutó en el cine, en un documental bajo el título de Chinchín, donde hizo el papel de otro campesino. El director fue Humberto Arenal y el fotógrafo, el canadiense Harry Tanner; se filmó en Jovellanos, Matanzas. Donde salvador fue más feliz como actor, y sintió un mayor impacto emocional, fue en la película El Brigadista, en 1976, porque allí debutó su hijo Patricio Wood, juntos los dos en el mejor ejemplo de fraternidad que existe, padre e hijo.
Como actor también lo marcó sobremanera el haber hecho el papel de José Martí en un programa que dirigía Pedro Álvarez, en 1968, a propósito del centenario del estallido de la Guerra de 1868, en el que mi esposa novia encarnó la figura de Carmen Zayas Bazán.
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Andrej Hryc
Biography
Andrej Hryc, also known as Andy Hryc (* November 30, 1949, Bratislava) is a Slovak actor and businessman. He was a member of VPN and a founding member of HZDS.
In 1971 he graduated in acting from the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava. [1] He began his acting career at the State Theater in Košice (1971 - 1978). From 1978 to 1981 he was a freelancer and since 1981 a member of the Bratislava New Stage ensemble.
After the Gentle Revolution, he first entered politics and then founded the independent radio station Twist, of which he was the director until the end of 2004 (licensed in 1991, started broadcasting in February 1993 and broadcasting until April 2006). Since 2005 he has been the Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors and. with. Radio Twist. He was Honorary Consul of the Republic of Seychelles. For a short time he worked as the director of the New Stage. He has acted in a number of films, television and radio productions. In the Czech television series Black Barons (2004), directed by Juraj Herz, he played the main role of the legendary Major Terazky.
Andrej Hryc is also a signatory of Anticharta.
He was born in 1949 in Bratislava, where he graduated from the Academy of Performing Arts. As a theater actor, he worked at the State Theater in Košice, on the New Stage in Bratislava (where he was also the general director for a time) or as a freelance guest actor in other theaters. He also devoted himself to politics, founding Radio Twist, in which he also worked as its director.
During his acting career, he has acted in more than 50 films (Furious Max and Ghosts, Friend in the Rain I., II., On the Beautiful Blue Danube, Rivers of Babylon), in many television programs and productions, series (Elizabeth's Court, Frankenstein's Aunt , Black Barons), regularly performed on Slovak radio, is a prominent figure in Slovak dubbing. He co-produced the Czech-Slovak production of the musical Hamlet in Prague and Bratislava. He currently performs as a musical actor at the Nová scéna theater in Bratislava and at the Prague Music Theater in Karlín.
As the director of Radio Twist, he was the organizer of many public activities for the benefit of children's homes, charities, e.g. Red Cross, Cancer League, Smile as a Gift Foundation, Twist vs. AIDS Foundation. As Honorary Consul of the Republic of Seychelles in the Slovak Republic, he is the head of its embassy in Bratislava.
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Tseng Jing-hua
Biography
Tseng Jing-hua (also known as Tseng Ching-hua) is a talented Taiwanese actor born on December 30, 1997, in Dongshan, Yilan, Taiwan. He gained widespread recognition for his role as Birdy in the 2020 film Your Name Engraved Herein, which became the highest-grossing LGBTQ+ film in Taiwan. Tseng also starred in the supernatural horror film Detention (2019), earning a nomination for Best New Performer at the 56th Golden Horse Awards.
He studied at I-Shou University, where he graduated with a degree in Film and Television. Tseng's career includes a variety of roles in both films and television series, showcasing his versatility as an actor. Some of his notable works include the drama series Oh No! Here Comes Trouble (2023) and the movie Eye of the Storm (2023).
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