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- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Summer is a native of San Antonio, Texas. She's been a ballerina most
of her life. Her debut was in various commercials and a guest
appearance on the WB's Angel (1999).
She has gone on to star on the TV series
Firefly (2002) as well as its
follow-up movie Serenity (2005) and the
TV series
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008).- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Joan Crawford was born Lucille Fay LeSueur on March 23, 1906, in San Antonio, Texas, to Anna Belle (Johnson) and Thomas E. LeSueur, a laundry laborer. By the time she was born, her parents had separated, and by the time she was a teenager, she'd had three stepfathers. It wasn't an easy life; Crawford worked a variety of menial jobs. She was a good dancer, though, and -- perhaps seeing dance as her ticket to a career in show business -- she entered several contests, one of which landed her a spot in a chorus line. Before long, she was dancing in big Midwestern and East Coast cities. After almost two years, she packed her bags and moved to Hollywood. Crawford was determined to succeed, and shortly after arriving she got her first bit part, as a showgirl in Pretty Ladies (1925).
Three films quickly followed; although the roles weren't much to speak of, she continued toiling. Throughout 1927 and early 1928, she was cast in small parts, but that ended with the role of Diana Medford in Our Dancing Daughters (1928), which elevated her to star status. Crawford had cleared the first big hurdle; now came the second, in the form of talkies. Many stars of the silents saw their careers evaporate, either because their voices weren't particularly pleasant or because their voices, pleasing enough, didn't match the public's expectations (for example, some fans felt that John Gilbert's tenor didn't quite match his very masculine persona). But Crawford wasn't felled by sound. Her first talkie, Untamed (1929), was a success. As the 1930s progressed, Crawford became one of the biggest stars at MGM. She was in top form in films such as Grand Hotel (1932), Sadie McKee (1934), No More Ladies (1935), and Love on the Run (1936); movie patrons were enthralled, and studio executives were satisfied.
By the early 1940s, MGM was no longer giving her plum roles; newcomers had arrived in Hollywood, and the public wanted to see them. Crawford left MGM for rival Warner Bros., and in 1945 she landed the role of a lifetime. Mildred Pierce (1945) gave her an opportunity to show her range as an actress, and her performance as a woman driven to give her daughter everything garnered Crawford her first, and only, Oscar for Best Actress. The following year she appeared with John Garfield in the well-received Humoresque (1946). In 1947, she appeared as Louise Graham in Possessed (1947); again she was nominated for a Best Actress from the Academy, but she lost to Loretta Young in The Farmer's Daughter (1947). Crawford continued to choose her roles carefully, and in 1952 she was nominated for a third time, for her depiction of Myra Hudson in Sudden Fear (1952). This time the coveted Oscar went to Shirley Booth, for Come Back, Little Sheba (1952). Crawford's career slowed after that; she appeared in minor roles until 1962, when she and Bette Davis co-starred in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962). Their longstanding rivalry may have helped fuel their phenomenally vitriolic and well-received performances. (Earlier in their careers, Davis said of Crawford, "She's slept with every male star at MGM except Lassie", and Crawford said of Davis, "I don't hate [her] even though the press wants me to. I resent her. I don't see how she built a career out of a set of mannerisms instead of real acting ability. Take away the pop eyes, the cigarette, and those funny clipped words, and what have you got? She's phony, but I guess the public really likes that.")
Crawford's final appearance on the silver screen was in the flop Trog (1970). Turning to vodka more and more, she was hardly seen afterward. On May 10, 1977, Joan died of a heart attack in New York City. She was 71 years old. She had disinherited her adopted daughter Christina and son Christopher; the former wrote a tell-all book called "Mommie Dearest", The Sixth Sense published in 1978. The book cast Crawford in a negative light and was cause for much debate, particularly among her friends and acquaintances, including Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Crawford's first husband. (In 1981, Faye Dunaway starred in Mommie Dearest (1981) which did well at the box office.) Crawford is interred in the same mausoleum as fellow MGM star Judy Garland, in Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York.- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
The entertainment world has enjoyed a six-decade love affair with comedienne/singer Carol Burnett. A peerless sketch performer and delightful, self-effacing personality who rightfully succeeded Lucille Ball as the carrot-topped "Queen of Television Comedy," it was Burnett's traumatic childhood that set the stage for her comedy.
Carol's rags-to-riches story started out in San Antonio, Texas, on April 26, 1933, where she was born to Ina Louise (Creighton) and Joseph Thomas "Jodie" Burnett, both of whom suffered from acute alcoholism. As a child, she was left in the care of a beloved grandmother, who shuttled the two of them off to Hollywood, California, where they lived in a boarding house and shared a great passion for the Golden Age of movies. The plaintive, loose-limbed, highly sensitive Carol survived her wallflower insecurities by grabbing attention as a cut-up at Hollywood High School. A natural talent, she attended the University of California and switched majors from journalism to theater. Scouting out comedy parts on TV and in the theater, she first had them rolling in the aisles in the mid-1950s performing a lovelorn novelty song called "I Made a Fool of Myself Over John Foster Dulles" (then Secretary of State) in a nightclub act. This led to night-time variety show appearances with Jack Paar and Ed Sullivan and where the career ball really started rolling.
Carol's first big TV breaks came at age 22 and 23 as a foil to a ventriloquist's dummy on the already-established The Paul Winchell Show (1950) in 1955, and as Buddy Hackett's gawky girlfriend on the short-lived sitcom Stanley (1956). She also developed an affinity for game shows and appeared as a regular on one of TV earliest, Stump the Stars (1947) in 1958. While TV would bring Carol fans by the millions, it was Broadway that set her on the road to stardom. She began as the woebegone Princess Winnifred in the 1959 Broadway musical "Once Upon a Mattress" which earned her first Tony Award nomination. [She would later appear in three TV adaptations - Once Upon a Mattress (1964), Once Upon a Mattress (1972) and
Once Upon a Mattress (2005).] This, in turn, led to the first of an armful of Emmy Awards as a repertoire player on the popular variety series The Garry Moore Show (1958) in 1959. Burnett invented a number of scene-stealing characters during this time, most notably her charwoman character. With the phenomenal household success of the Moore show, she moved up quickly from second banana to headliner and appeared in a 1962 Emmy-winning special Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall (1962) co-starring close friend Julie Andrews. She earned the Outer Critics Circle Award for the short-lived musical "Fade Out, Fade In" (1964); and made her official film debut opposite Bewitched (1964) star Elizabeth Montgomery and Dean Martin in the lightweight comedy Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed? (1963).
Not surprisingly, fellow redhead Lucille Ball, who had been Carol's treasured idol growing up, subsequently became a friend and mentor to the rising funny girl. Hilarious as a guest star on The Lucy Show (1962), Carol appeared as a painfully shy (natch) wallflower type who suddenly blooms in jaw-dropping fashion. Ms. Ball was so convinced of Carol's talent that she offered Carol her own Desilu-produced sitcom, but Burnett had her heart set on fronting a variety show. With her own team of second bananas, including character crony Harvey Korman, handsome foil Lyle Waggoner, and lookalike "kid sister" type Vicki Lawrence, the The Carol Burnett Show (1967) became an instant sensation, and earned 22 Emmy Awards during its 11-year run. It allowed Carol to fire off her wide range of comedy and musical ammunition--whether running amok in broad sketch comedy, parodying movie icons such as Gloria Swanson, Shirley Temple, Vivien Leigh or Joan Crawford, or singing/gushing alongside favorite vocalists Jim Nabors, Steve Lawrence, Peggy Lee, Sammy Davis Jr., Ella Fitzgerald and Mel Tormé. She managed to bring in huge stars not known at all for slapstick comedy, including Rock Hudson and even then-Governor Ronald Reagan while providing a platform for such up-and-coming talent as Bernadette Peters and The Pointer Sisters In between, Carol branched out with supporting turns in the films Pete 'n' Tillie (1972), The Front Page (1974) and Robert Altman's A Wedding (1978).
Her program, whose last episode aired in March of 1978, was the last truly successful major network variety show to date. Carol took on new challenges to display her unseen dramatic mettle, and accomplished this amazingly in TV-movie showcases. She earned an Emmy nomination for her gripping portrayal of anti-Vietnam War activist Peg Mullen in Friendly Fire (1979), and convincingly played a woman coming to terms with her alcoholism in Life of the Party: The Story of Beatrice (1982). Neither character bore any traces of the usual Burnett comedy shtick. Though she proved she could contain herself for films, Carol was never able to acquire crossover success into movies, despite trouper work in The Four Seasons (1981), Annie (1982) (as the hammy villainess Miss Hannigan), and Noises Off... (1992). The last two roles had been created onstage by Broadway's Dorothy Loudon.
Carol would return from time to time to the stage and concert forums with productions of "Plaza Suite", "I Do! I Do", "Follies", "Company" and "Putting It Together". A second Tony nomination came for her comedy work in "Moon Over Buffalo" in 1995. Carol has made frequent appearances on her own favorite TV shows too, such as Password (1961) (along with Elizabeth Montgomery, Carol was considered one of the show's best players) and the daytime soaper, All My Children (1970).
During the early 1990s, Carol attempted a TV comeback of sorts, with a couple of new variety formats in Carol & Company (1990) and The Carol Burnett Show (1991), but neither could recreate the magic of the original. She has appeared, sporadically, on various established shows such as "Magnum, P.I.," "Touched by an Angel," "Mad About You" (for which she won an Emmy), "Desperate Housewives," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Emmy nomination), "Hawaii Five-0," "Glee" and "Hot in Cleveland." Befitting such a classy clown, she has received a multitude of awards over time, including the 2003 Kennedy Center Honors and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005. She was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1985. Her personal life has been valiant--tears in between the laughs. Married three times, her second union with jazz-musician-turned-variety-show-producer Joe Hamilton produced three daughters. Eldest girl, Carrie Hamilton, an actress and former teen substance abuser, tragically died of lung and brain cancer at age 38. Shortly before Carrie's death, mother and daughter managed to write a play, together, entitled "Hollywood Arms", based on Carol's 1986 memoir, "One More Time". The show subsequently made it to Broadway.
Today, at age 80 plus, Carol has been seen less frequently but still continues to make appearances, especially on TV. Most recently she has guested on the shows "Glee," "Hot in Cleveland" and the revivals of "Hawaii Five-0" and "Mad About You." As always she signs off a live appearance with her signature ear tug (acknowledging her late grandmother), reminding us all, between the wisecracks and the songs, how glad and lucky we all are to still have some of "this time together".- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Mayte Michelle Rodríguez was born on July 12, 1978 in San Antonio, Texas to Carmen Milady Pared Espinal, a housewife, and Rafael Rodríguez Santiago, a U.S. Army solider. Known for tough-chick roles, Michelle is proof that there is a cross between beauty and brawn. Michelle always knew she was destined to become a star, she just didn't know how to get there. Michelle lived in San Antonio until the age of 8 when her parents divorced & moved to the Dominican Republic where she lived for two years before moving to Puerto Rico. At 11, Michelle's family relocated for the last time to Jersey City, New Jersey. Although she has been working since 1999 as an extra in such films as Summer of Sam (1999) and Cradle Will Rock (1999), it only took a magazine ad announcing an open casting call in New York for Michelle to decide to finally step into the spotlight. The role was the female lead, the movie was Girlfight (2000). Despite the lack of experience in film and boxing, Michelle auditioned, along with another 350 girls. After various trials inside an actual boxing ring and five arduous months of training in Brooklyn's Gleason's Gym, she was finally chosen to portray the role of Diana Guzman. As soon as the independent film began making the rounds at various film festivals, Michelle began gaining critical acclaim for her performance earning her awards like the Deauville Festival of American Cinema award for Best Actress and the Las Vegas Film Critics Society for Female Breakthrough performance. As Girlfight (2000) continued to gain notoriety with its September 2000 release, Michelle was already hard at work with films like 3 A.M. (2001), the blockbuster hit The Fast and the Furious (2001), and Resident Evil (2002). With Hollywood calling her name, the future for this feisty Jersey girl is as strong as the punches she throws.- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
From nuanced and honest portrayals of fatherhood-gone-wild across the eighth season of Showtime's EMMY® Award-nominated series Shameless to palpable intensity on the likes of Sons of Anarchy, Steve Howey reflects a classic masculinity on-screen equally steeped in humor and heart. That timeless leading man spark and quiet strength remain signatures of the acclaimed actor, writer, producer, and entrepreneur.
"When you see guys like Jackie Gleason or Steve McQueen on-screen, they represent real men-in all of their tragedy and triumph," he says. "It's the humor of Gleason in The Honeymooners and raw grit of McQueen, which both made a big impact on me at a young age. That's what I grew up on, and it's the kind of presence I always aspired to be."
Sailing the high seas up and down the Pacific Coast with his Navy veteran dad and mom, the San Antonio-born talent enjoyed the sort of upbringing that inspires unforgettable performances. He can recall diving for bottle caps off the coast of Mexico to trade them in for candy at local markets at eight-years-old between other real adventures. Achieving a basketball scholarship to junior college in Colorado, he played two seasons before pursuing his calling as an actor.
He would go from Something Borrowed alongside Kate Hudson, Jon Krasinski, and Ginnifer Goodwin to Bride Wars where he re-teamed with Hudson, Anne Hathaway, and Chris Pratt to Supercross, Losing Control, Unleashed, In Your Eyes, and See You in Valhalla. 2017 sees him grace the screen in the NETFLIX comedy Game Over, Man! and Making Babies where he leads the cast opposite Eliza Coupe. Beyond Shameless, he's engaged audiences with high-profile guest spots on Jennifer Falls, New Girl, Psych, and more in addition to a six-year run on Reba.
"I always want to challenge myself," he goes on. "I'm never content just to pursue one style or art form. It's about forging ahead in new adventures at every turn."
He continues to expand his sphere of influence. Profiled in-depth by the likes of Men's Fitness, People, Hollywood Reporter, and more, he's amassed over 900K Instagram followers as a true fan favorite. He's in the midst of writing and developing various projects in addition to joining Opkix as a key investor. You might also find him riding his motorcycle, studying martial arts, coaching new talent, and competitive shooting.
Residing in Los Angeles, the role he devotes himself most to is husband and father.- Actor
- Producer
- Composer
Henry Jackson Thomas Jr. is an American actor. He began his career as a child actor and had a lead role in the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), for which he won a Young Artist Award and received Golden Globe Award, BAFTA Award, and Saturn Award nominations. Thomas also had roles in films like Cloak & Dagger (1984), Fire in the Sky (1993), Legends of the Fall (1994), Suicide Kings (1997), All the Pretty Horses (2000), Gangs of New York (2002), 11:14 (2003), and Dear John (2010). Thomas was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Series, Miniseries or Television Film for his role in the television film Indictment: The McMartin Trial (1997).- Actor
- Producer
- Stunts
Jared Padalecki was born in San Antonio, Texas, to Sherri (Kammer), a
teacher of English, and Gerald Padalecki, a tax accountant. He is of
Polish (father) and German, English, Scottish, and French (mother)
descent. Jared started to take acting lessons when he was 12. Then, he
won the "Claim to Fame" Contest in 1999 and got to appear on the Teen
Choice awards. Jared lived in San Antonio, Texas and attended James
Madison High School. He was named a candidate for the year 2000
Presidential Scholars Program. After graduating in the year 2000, he
moved to Los Angeles, California to pursue an acting career. He played
"Dean Forester" on
Gilmore Girls (2000) on the WB
starting in 2000 and ending in 2005. From 2005 to 2020, he portrayed
"Sam Winchester" on the CW's
Supernatural (2005). He also has
several feature film credits.- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Kevin Michael Alejandro is an American actor and film director. He is known for his roles as Nate Moretta in the crime drama Southland, Forklift Mike in Parenthood, Jesús Velázquez in the supernatural thriller True Blood, Sebastian Blood / Brother Blood in the superhero series Arrow and as Daniel Espinóza in the comedy-crime drama Lucifer.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Madison Danielle Davenport was born in San Antonio, Texas. She started
her career in 2005 when she had a small role in Conversations with Other Women (2005). Soon after she appeared in the television series Numb3rs (2005),
Close to Home (2005), CSI: NY (2004), and Hot Properties (2005). In 2006, Davenport's voice
could be heard in Over the Hedge (2006) as Quillo, one of the porcupines in
the film. She also had a guest starring role in Bones (2005) as Megan, a
little girl who helps Temperance Brennan and Seeley Booth. Davenport
appeared in Legion of Super Heroes (2006) and The Sitter (2006) in
2007. In 2008, Davenport was seen in ER (1994) and also had a voice over
appearance in Special Agent Oso (2009) as Stacey & Fiona. She also had many
film credits in 2008 including Humboldt County (2008), Kit Kittredge: An American Girl (2008), The Attic Door (2009), and Christmas Is Here Again (2007). In 2010,
Davenport starred in the Lifetime television movie Amish Grace (2010) as Mary
Beth Graber, a little girl who dies in a school shooting. She also
played Destiny in Jack and the Beanstalk (2009) and had a leading role in the
television movie Dad's Home (2010) as Lindsay Westman. In 2011, Davenport had
a guest appearance in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000) as Camryn Pose,
and began a recurring role in the U.S. television series Shameless (2011). She
played the supporting role of Hannah in the 2012 film The Possession (2012).
Davenport played Na'el, a potential romantic partner of Ham (Logan Lerman), in the biblical epic film Noah (2014), alongside Russell Crowe, Anthony Hopkins, Jennifer Connelly, and Emma Watson. The 2014 film was
directed by Darren Aronofsky.- Actor
- Additional Crew
Gil Birmingham is an American actor of Comanche ancestry, best known for his portrayal of Billy Black in the The Twilight Saga film series. Birmingham was born in San Antonio, Texas. His family moved frequently during his childhood, due to his father's career in the military. He learned to play the guitar at an early age and considers music his "first love". After obtaining a Bachelor of Science from the University of Southern California, he worked as a petrochemical engineer before becoming an actor. In the early 1980s, a talent scout spotted Birmingham at a local gym, where he had been bodybuilding and entering bodybuilding contests. This led to his first acting experience, in a music video for Diana Ross, for her 1982 hit song "Muscles". After appearing in Ross' music video, Birmingham began to pursue acting as his primary career. He studied acting with Larry Moss and Charles Conrad. In 1986, Birmingham made his television debut on an episode of the series Riptide. By 2002, he had a recurring role as the character Oz in the medical drama Body & Soul, starring Peter Strauss. In 2005, he was cast as the older Dogstar in the Steven Spielberg six-part miniseries Into the West. He recently played a Texas ranger a ranger, in Hell or High Water, opposite Jeff Bridges.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Bruce McGill grew up in San Antonio, Texas. His mother, Adriel Rose (Jacobs) is an artist, and his father, Woodrow Wilson McGill, is a real estate and insurance agent. He graduated from Douglas MacArthur High School San Antonio, where he acted in the department of theatre, and from The University of Texas at Austin with a degree in drama. His love for acting stems back to elementary school. He is related to former Texas State Senator A.R. Schwartz. McGill has starred in many films. His role as "D-Day" in National Lampoon's Animal House (1978), taken out of desperation as a young unemployed actor, ended up being his most well known. His long acting career also includes films, Wildcats, The Last Boy Scout, My Cousin Vinny, Cliffhanger, Timecop, The Legend of Bagger Vance, The Sum of All Fears, along with many others. McGill starred in many television roles, including portraying the Boston Police Homicide Detective Vince Korsak on the TNT television crime drama, Rizzoli & Isles. The character of Korsak is the mentor and friend of Detective Jane Rizzoli, portrayed by Angie Harmon. Director Michael Mann,considers McGill a favorite, having worked with him on The Insider, Ali and Collateral. He has also appeared in four HBO TV films, CIA Director George Tenet in Oliver Stone's film W and, also, Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton in Steven Spielberg's Lincoln. McGill has been married to his wife Gloria since 1994.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
James David Rodríguez was born on April 4, 1976. He is the son of Jim
Rodríguez and Deborah Collins. Roday was born in San
Antonio. He attended Taft High School. He studied theater at New York
University's Experimental Theatre Wing, where he earned a bachelor's
degree in fine arts. He has acted in several theatrical productions,
which include "The Three Sisters," "Twelfth Night," "A Respectable
Wedding," and "Severity's Mistress." He starred in the film
Rolling Kansas (2003) and appeared
in the 2005 film
The Dukes of Hazzard (2005)
as Billy Prickett, and in the 2006 film
Beerfest (2006). Roday and writing
partners Todd Harthan and
James DeMonaco wrote the screenplay for
the film Skinwalkers (2006). Roday's
portrayal of Shawn Spencer on the television series
Psych (2006) launched him into the
public spotlight, and gave rise to numerous fan clubs.- Producer
- Writer
- Director
Robert Anthony Rodriguez was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas,
USA, to Rebecca (Villegas), a nurse, and Cecilio G. Rodríguez, a
salesman. His family is of Mexican descent.
Of all the people to be amazed by the images of
John Carpenter's 1981 sci-fi
parable,
Escape from New York (1981),
none were as captivated as the 12-year-old Rodriguez, who sat with his
friends in a crowded cinema. Many people watch films and arrogantly
proclaim "I can do that." This young man said something different: "I
WILL do that. I'm gonna make movies." That day
was the catalyst of his dream career. Born and raised in Texas, Robert
was the middle child of a family that would include 10 children. While
many a child would easily succumb to a Jan Brady sense of being lost in
the shuffle, Robert always stood out as a very creative and very active
young man. An artist by nature, he was very rarely seen sans
pencil-in-hand doodling some abstract (yet astounding) dramatic feature
on a piece of paper. His mother, not a fan of the "dreary" cinema of
the 1970s, instills a sense of cinema in her children by taking them on
weekly trips to San Antonio's famed Olmos Theatre movie house and
treats them to a healthy dose of Hollywood's "Golden Age" wonders, from
Sergio Leone to the silent classic
of Charles Chaplin and
Buster Keaton.
In a short amount of time, young Robert finds the family's old Super-8
film camera and makes his first films. The genres are unlimited:
action, sci-fi, horror, drama, stop-motion animation. He uses props
from around the house, settings from around town, and makes use of the
largest cast and crew at his disposal: his family. At the end of the
decade, his father, a salesman, brings home the latest home-made
technological wonder: a VCR, and with it (as a gift from the
manufacturer) a video camera. With this new equipment at his disposal,
he makes movies his entire life. He screens the movies for friends, all
of whom desperately want to star in the next one. He gains a reputation
in the neighborhood as "the kid who makes movies". Rather than handing
in term papers, he is allowed to hand in "term movies" because, as he
himself explains, "[the teachers] knew I'd put more effort into a movie
than I ever would into an essay." He starts his own comic strip, "Los
Hooligans". His movies win every local film competition and festival.
When low academic grades threaten to keep him out of UT Austin's
renowned film department, he proves his worth the only way he knows
how: he makes a movie. Three, in fact: trilogy of short movies called
"Austin Stories" starring his siblings. It beats the entries of the
school's top students and allows Robert to enter the program. After
being accepted into the film department, Robert takes $400 of his own
money to make his "biggest" film yet: a 16mm short comedy/fantasy
called Bedhead (1991).
Pouring every idea and camera trick he knew into the short, it went on
to win multiple awards. After meeting and marrying fellow Austin
resident Elizabeth Avellan, Robert
comes up with a crazy idea: he will sell his body to science in order
to finance his first feature-length picture (a Mexican action adventure
about a guitarist with no name looking for work but getting caught up
in a shoot-'em-up adventure) that he will sell to the Spanish video
market and use as an entry point to a lucrative Hollywood career. With
his "guinea pig" money he raises a mere $7,000 and creates
El Mariachi (1992). But rather than
lingering in obscurity, the film finds its way to the Sundance film
festival where it becomes an instant favorite, wins Robert a
distribution deal with Columbia Pictures and turns him into an icon
among would-be film-makers the world over. Not one to rest on his
laurels, he immediately helms the straight-to-cable movie
Roadracers (1994) and
contributes a segment to the anthology comedy
Four Rooms (1995) (his will be the
most lauded segment).
His first "genuine" studio effort would soon have people referring to
him as "John Woo from
south-of-the-border". It is the "Mariachi" remake/sequel
Desperado (1995). More lavish and
action-packed than its own predecessor, the movie--while not a
blockbuster hit--does decent business and launches the
American film careers of
Antonio Banderas as the
guitarist-turned-gunslinger and Salma Hayek
as his love interest (the two would star in several of his movies from
then on). It also furthers the director's reputation of working on low
budgets to create big results. In the year when movies like
Batman Forever (1995) and
GoldenEye (1995) were pushing budgets
past the $100 million mark, Rodriguez brought in "Desperado" for just
under $7 million. The film also featured a cameo by fellow indie film
wunderkind, Quentin Tarantino. It
would be the beginning of a long friendship between the two sprinkled
with numerous collaborations. Most notable the Tarantino-penned vampire
schlock-fest
From Dusk Till Dawn (1996).
The kitschy flick (about a pair of criminal brothers on the run from
the Texas Rangers, only to find themselves in a vamp-infested Mexican
bar) became an instant cult favorite and launched the lucrative film
career of ER (1994) star
George Clooney.
After a two-year break from directing (primarily to spend with his
family, but also developing story ideas and declining Hollywood offers)
he returned to "Dusk till Dawn" territory with the teen sci-fi/horror
movie The Faculty (1998), written by
Scream (1996) writer,
Kevin Williamson. Although it's
developed a small following of its own, it would prove to be Robert's
least-successful film. Critics and fans alike took issue with the
pedestrian script, the off-kilter casting and the flick's blatant
over-commercialization (due to a marketing deal with clothing designer
Tommy Hilfiger). After another three-year
break, Rodriguez returned to make his most successful (and most
unexpected) movie yet, based on his own segment from
Four Rooms (1995). After a string of
bloody, adult-oriented action fare, no one anticipated him to write and
direct the colorful and creative
Spy Kids (2001), a movie about a pair of
prepubescent Latino sibs who discover that their lame parents
(Antonio Banderas and
Carla Gugino) are actually two of the
world's greatest secret agents. The film was hit among both audiences
and critics alike.
After quitting the Writers' Guild of America and being introduced to
digital filmmaking by George Lucas,
Robert immediately applied the creative, flexible (and cost-effective)
technology to every one of his movies from then on, starting with an
immediate sequel to his family friendly hit:
Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams (2002)
which was THEN immediately followed by the trilogy-capper
Spy Kids 3: Game Over (2003).
The latter would prove to be the most financially-lucrative of the
series and employ the long-banished movie gimmick of 3-D with
eye-popping results. Later the same year Rodriguez career came full
circle when he completed the final entry of the story that made brought
him to prominence: "El Mariachi". The last chapter,
Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003),
would be his most direct homage to the
Sergio Leone westerns he grew up
on. With a cast boasting
Antonio Banderas (returning as the
gunslinging guitarist), Johnny Depp (as a
corrupt CIA agent attempting to manipulate him),
Salma Hayek,
Mickey Rourke,
Willem Dafoe and
Eva Mendes, the film delivered even more of
the Mexican
shoot-'em-up spectacle than both of the previous films combined.
Now given his choice of movies to do next, Robert sought out famed comic book writer/artist Frank Miller,
a man who had been very vocal of never letting his works be adapted for
the screen. Even so, he was wholeheartedly convinced and elated when
Rodriguez presented him with a plan to turn Miller's signature work
into the film Sin City (2005). A
collection of noir-ish tales set in a fictional, crime-ridden slum, the
movie boasted the largest cast Rodriguez had worked with to that date.
Saying he didn't want to mere "adapt" Miller's comics but "translate"
them, Rodriguez' insistence that Miller co-direct the movie lead to
Robert's resignation from the Director's Guild of America (and his
subsequent dismissal from the film
John Carter (2012) as a result). Many
critics cited that Sin City was
created as a pure film noir piece to adapt Miller's comics onto the
screen. Co-directing with Frank Miller and bringing in Quentin Tarantino to guest-direct a scene allowed Rodriguez to again shock
Hollywood with his talent.
In late 2007, Rodriguez again teamed up with his friend Tarantino to
create the double feature Grindhouse (2007). Rodriguez's
offering, Planet Terror (2007), was a film
made to be "hardcore, extreme, sex-fueled, action-packed." Rodriguez flirts with his passion to make a showy film
exploiting all of his experience to make an extremely entertaining
thrill ride. The film is encompassed around Cherry
(Rose McGowan), a reluctant go-go
dancer who is found wanting when she meets her ex-lover El Wray (played
by Freddy Rodríguez) who turns
up at a local BBQ grill. They then, after a turn of events, find
themselves fending off brain-eating zombies whilst trying to flee to
Mexico (here we go off to Mexico again). Apart from directing,
Rodriguez also involves himself in camera work, editing and composing
music for his movies' sound tracks (he composed Planet Terror's main theme).
He also shoots a lot of his own action scenes to get a direct idea from
his eye as the director into the film. In
El Mariachi (1992), Rodriguez spent
hours in front of a pay-to-use, computer editing his film. This allowed
him to capture the ideal footage exactly as he wanted it. Away from the
filming aspect of Hollywood, Rodriguez is an expert chef who cooks
gourmet meals for the cast and crew. Rodriguez is also known for his
ability to turn a low-budgeted film with a small crew into an example
of film mastery. El mariachi
was "the movie made on seven grand" and still managed to rank as one of
Rodriguez' best films (receiving a rating of 92% on the Rotten Tomatoes
film review site).
Because Rodriguez is involved so deeply in his films, he is able to
capture what he wants first time, which saves both time and money.
Rodriguez's films share some similar threads and ideas, whilst also
having differences. In
El Mariachi (1992), he uses a
hand-held camera. He made this decision for several reasons. First, he
couldn't afford a tripod and secondly, he wanted to make the audience
more aware of the action. In the action sequences he is given more
mobility with a hand-held camera and also allows for distortion of the
unprofessional action sequences (because the cost of all special
effects in the film totaled $600). However, in
Sin City (2005) and
Planet Terror (2007), the budget
was much greater, and Rodriguez could afford to spend more on special
affects (especially since both films were filmed predominately with
green screen) and, thus, there was no need to cover for error.
Playing by his own rules or not at all, Robert Rodriguez has redefined
what a filmmaker can or cannot do. Shunning Hollywood's
ridiculously high budgets, multi-picture deals and the two most
powerful unions for the sake of maintaining creative freedom are
decisions that would (and have) cost many directors their careers.
Rodriguez has turned these into his strengths, creating some of the
most imaginative works the big-screen has ever seen.- Actor
- Producer
Nicholas Edward Gonzalez is an American actor. He is best known for playing the roles of Alex Santiago on the Showtime television series Resurrection Blvd. and Dr. Neil Melendez on the ABC television series The Good Doctor. Born in San Antonio, Texas, Gonzalez is conversant in Spanish, having lived in a bilingual household. He attended Central Catholic High School in San Antonio, where he was an accomplished cross-country and track runner, winning the Texas State Championship in the mile and two-mile. After graduating in 1994 and turning down a presidential appointment to West Point, Gonzalez pursued an English degree at Stanford University in California. He spent two terms at Oxford University in England. The following summer, he returned to Europe on a research grant where he studied at Oxford and Trinity College, Dublin to complete his thesis on James Joyce's Ulysses. While at Stanford he had chanced on acting after taking an improvisational theatre elective and began taking part in student theater. He was approached to do a one-man theater piece called Gas by María Irene Fornés. Alma Martinez, an actress and Stanford professor, encouraged him to become a professional actor. Upon graduating from Stanford in 1998 Gonzalez decided to pursue acting and, with Martinez's help, connected with the theatrical movement in San Francisco. He was once encouraged to use his middle name Edward to conceal his ethnicity and go by "Nicholas Edward" but declined to do so.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Discovered by a talent scout at Northwestern University in 1958, Paula Prentiss was signed by Metro Goldwyn Mayer and teamed with Jim Hutton in a string of comedies. She rapidly became one of the best American comediennes of the 1960s. Her funny voice inflections, free acting style and brunette good looks established her as a leading lady in comedies of the screwball type, although she was very good in dramatic roles, too. Not much attracted to the Hollywood scene, she retired from films on several occasions, due also to illness and motherhood, but she was always admired and
welcome whenever she made a comeback. She and her husband, the actor and director Richard Benjamin, are the parents of Ross Benjamin and Prentiss Benjamin.- Actress
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Katie Leclerc's career began in 2005, when she made her first
appearance on
Veronica Mars (2004). This
jump-started a series of minor roles and small appearances in movies
and TV shows. She got her breakout role starring as a deaf teenager,
Daphne Vasquez, who finds out she was taken home by the wrong family in
ABC Family's
Switched at Birth (2011).- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
John Allen Nelson was born on 28 August 1959 in San Antonio, Texas, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for 24 (2001), Crisis (2014) and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2015). He has been married to Justine Eyre since 23 September 2007. He was previously married to Åse Samuelsson.- With an esteemed career that spans nearly two decades, Warren Kole has become known as a journeyman
actor in the entertainment industry, shifting from drama to comedy roles seamlessly and breathing life into
dynamic characters in prestigious, award-winning projects.
Over the years Kole has starred in or appeared in a plethora of films and television series. He has most
recently been seen in his starring role as Jeff Sadecki on Showtime's critically acclaimed, drama/thriller series "Yellowjackets" opposite Melanie Lynskey, Christina Ricci, Juliette Lewis, and Tawny Cypress, on Amazon Prime Video's, "The Terminal List", where Kole starred opposite Chris Pratt, and on Paramount+'s "Why Women Kill." From 2016-18 he starred opposite Jennifer Lopez and Ray Liotta in the NBC crime/drama series "Shades of Blue." Kole was the unhinged, Special Agent
Robert Stahl, an FBI special agent assigned to the anti-corruption task force who soon becomes obsessed
and consumed by being Harlee's (Lopez) handler. Kole's first leading role was in USA Networks comedy-drama
series "Common Law" and went on to star opposite Kevin Bacon in the thrilling series "The Following"
for FOX. Additional credits include Steven Spielberg/TNT's miniseries "Into the West," "The Wilds," "The
Chicago Code," and "24."
In film, Kole was seen in the psychological drama "Love Song for Bobby Long" (Lionsgate) opposite Scarlett
Johansson and in "Mother's Day" (Anchor Bay Films) alongside Jamie King and Deborah Ann Woll.
Kole keeps busy as he has lent his voice and performance capture work for some of the biggest global
gaming franchises to date. Most recently he starred as the tertiary antagonist, Commander Phillip Graves,
in the 2022 reboot of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II. In addition, Kole played treasure hunter and former
associate turned foe, Rafe Adler, in the award-winning gaming franchise Uncharted 4: A Thief's End.
Originally from San Antonio, Texas, Kole studied classical theatre at Boston University before making the
move to New York City to pursue his passion for Broadway and working on stage. He landed his very first
audition in 2002, and has been working ever since. Aside from his work in film and TV, Kole is an advocate
for a handful of organizations including the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, Red Cross,
Doctors Without Borders, and World Wildlife Fund. Kole has a passion for adventure, and loves to go hiking,
climbing, kayaking, or cruising across the country or up and down the cost on his motorcycle in his spare
time. He lives in the Los Angeles area. - Music Artist
- Actress
- Composer
Megan Thee Stallion was born Megan Jovon Ruth Pete on February 15, 1995 in San Antonio, Texas and raised in Houston, Texas to Holly Aleece Thomas & Joseph Pete. The seductive femcee is a full-time college student, as well as a choreographed dancer and model. Under her mother's management company, Pretty Time Entertainment Management, the Texas native first began to gain notoriety after meeting super producer TA and releasing her first single "Like a Stallion" in April 2016. After dropping a number of hot verses on a few Texas Cyphers, her verse on 'The Houston Cypher' over Drake's 4PM in Calabasas caught on like wildfire and placed her as a top trending topic in Houston on Twitter. From there her online following took off. Soon after, she released her mixtape 'Rich Ratchet' on Soundcloud and MyMixtapez and then her first EP "Make It Hot" soon followed.
In February 2018, Megan linked with a Houston legend, T. Farris, which led to her signing to 1501 Certified, a record label owned by retired baseball player Carl Crawford. Her highly anticipated project 'Tina Snow' was released June 10 2018, and debuted at #11 on iTunes Hip.-Hop charts. The rap siren is certainly a new force to be recognized and reckoned with. The H-Town Hottie is from the dirty south but she has a vendetta for the top.- Ricardo Chavira was born on 1 September 1971 in San Antonio, Texas, USA. He is an actor, known for Desperate Housewives (2004), Piranha 3D (2010) and Dead Space 3 (2013). He has been married to Marcea Dietzel since 22 September 2007. They have two children.
- James Scully was born on 19 April 1992 in San Antonio, Texas, USA. He is an actor, known for Straight Up (2019), Fire Island (2022) and The Last Thing He Wanted (2020).
- Jessica Ann Collins was born on 8 March 1983 in San Antonio, Texas, USA. She is an actress, known for Zero Dark Thirty (2012), Revolution (2012) and Person of Interest (2011).
- Actress
- Editor
- Additional Crew
Noël Wells was born on 23 December 1986 in San Antonio, Texas, USA. She is an actress and editor, known for Mr. Roosevelt (2017), Saturday Night Live (1975) and Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020).- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Producer
Emilio Rivera has discovered that turning your life around is the key
to making dreams come true. His acting credentials have allowed him to
top the list of successful Latino actors. His resume continues to grow
with starring roles in films such as High Crimes (2002) with Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman
and the much anticipated film Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002) starring George Clooney and Julia Roberts.
Emilio was born in San Antonio, Texas as the oldest child of four
brothers and three sisters. When Emilio was a young boy his family
moved to an area of Los Angeles nicknamed Frog Town and Emilio
continued to seek the attention of those around him. His first
experience with acting was in his third grade production of
"Rumpelstiltskin". Emilio admits his childhood was not easy growing up
as a minority in a poor section of town.
Underneath the exterior Emilio's passion for acting thrived and after
much soul searching Emilio decided to take his biggest risk and pursue
acting. The training, discipline and extensive hours of studying
changed Emilio life forever. Those around him were amazed at the
positive yet radical change in Emilio and realized he had found his
true passion in life. In between his time studying Emilio worked as a
mechanical engineer.
His first feature role was in the TV series Renegade (1992) with Lorenzo Lamas. He
left his day job behind after he landed a role in the feature film
Con Air (1997) co-starring Nicolas Cage. Emilio has appeared in countless
commercials, television programs and feature films including Traffic (2000),
The Cable Guy (1996), NYPD Blue (1993), Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990), Walker, Texas Ranger (1993), JAG (1995), and ER (1994).- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Jeff Hiller is an actor and comedian known for Somebody, Somewhere. Hiller started as a performer at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York and has also performed on Broadway in "Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson", in NYC's Shakespeare in the Park, and Off-Broadway in "Silence" (The musical version of "Silence of the Lambs").- Actress
- Producer
Elizabeth Chambers was born on 18 August 1982 in San Antonio, Texas, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for The Game Plan (2007), Criminal Minds (2005) and Shark (2006). She was previously married to Armie Hammer.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, Borrego studied theatre and
dance at The University of Incarnate Word; he studied acting at The
California Institute of the Arts. In the 1980s he attended an open
audition for the TV Series "Fame" where he won the role of "Jesse
Velasquez", a role he would have for three years. Borrego, however,
would return to the stage appearing in productions at the noted Joseph
Papp Theatre in New York City and The Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles.
In addition to standout performances on stage and in films such as
"Blood In, Blood Out" and "Follow Me Home", he began Lupita Productions
in 1990. Lupita has produced theatrical productions and concerts;
additionally, Lupita has produced two 16mm short films: "El Suendo de
Simon" (1993) by James Borrego and "Flattime" (1995) by Jimmy Santiago
Baca. At home in front of the camera, on stage, or in the producer's
seat, Borrego continues to be one of the most versatile and resilient
talents of our time.- Shawn Weatherly was born on 24 July 1959 in San Antonio, Texas, USA. She is an actress, known for Police Academy 3: Back in Training (1986), Dancer, Texas Pop. 81 (1998) and Shadowzone (1990). She has been married to Chip Harris since 1994. They have two children.
- Ann Prentiss was born on 27 November 1939 in San Antonio, Texas, USA. She was an actress, known for My Stepmother Is an Alien (1988), The Out of Towners (1970) and California Split (1974). She died on 12 January 2010 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Al Freeman, Jr. was an actor and director who was the first African
American to win a Daytime Emmy Award for acting. His most famous role
was that of Police Captain Ed Hall in the soap opera
One Life to Live (1968),
which brought him the Emmy in 1979. He was a regular on the soap from
1972 through 1987, and appeared off and on as Captain Hall from 1988
through 2000. He received three additional Emmy nominations playing the
role in 1983, '86 and '87. Freeman also was the first African American
to direct a TV soap opera, helming "One Life to Live" episodes.
Born on March 21, 1934 in San Antonio, Texas, he was raised primarily
by his father, an actor and jazz musician, after his parents divorced.
Al Freeman father and son left Texas, moving to Cleveland, Ohio. After
studying drama at Los Angeles City College, Freeman fils moved to New
York City to act in the theater, making his Broadway debut in
Ketti Frings's "The Long Dream" in 1960, a
flop that closed after five performances. He had a major success
playing the lead in
James Baldwin's play "Blues for
Mister Charlie" in 1964. In 1970, he appeared in "Look to the Lilies"
on Broadway, a musical version of the 1963 movie
Lilies of the Field (1963),
playing the part of Homer Smith, the role that brought
Sidney Poitier an Oscar. Despite a
prestigious production team that included director
Joshua Logan, composer
Jule Styne and lyricist
Sammy Cahn, the show was a flop.
Freeman made his reputation primarily in television. He debuted as a
television actor in the series
Suspicion (1957) in 1958, and his
soap opera debut came in 1967 in
The Edge of Night (1956).
He was nominated for Primetime Emmy Awards for
My Sweet Charlie (1970)
and for
Roots: The Next Generations (1979),
in which he played Malcolm X.
In 1958, Freeman made his movie debut in an uncredited role in the
Glenn Ford WWII picture
_Torpedo Run (1958)_ and first received billing in the 1960 gang war B-movie potboiler This Rebel Breed (1960).
His most memorable role was the lead in
Amiri Baraka's
Dutchman (1966) opposite
Shirley Knight, who was named
Best Actress at the 1967 Venice Film Festival. Freeman won the
N.A.A.C.P. Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion
Picture for playing Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad in
Spike Lee's
Malcolm X (1992).
Freeman was a professor in the drama department of Howard University.
When he died on August 9, 2012, in Washington, D.C. at the age of 78,
he had established himself as a legend in the African American arts
community.- Vivian Liberto was born on 23 April 1934 in San Antonio, Texas, USA. She was married to Richard Laurence Distin and Johnny Cash. She died on 24 May 2005 in Ventura, California, USA.
- Director
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Raised as an Air Force brat, Kevin Reynolds' love for cinema inspired him to forsake his law school degree and move to Los Angeles to enroll in the University of Southern California's legendary film school. Reynolds' graduate thesis film "Proof" became the basis for "Fandango" starring Kevin Costner and was produced by Steve Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment as one of its first productions. During his time at USC, Reynolds also wrote the Cold War cult hit "Red Dawn," which John Milius directed.
Reynolds also directed "The Beast," "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves," "Rapa Nui," "Waterworld," "The Count of Monte Cristo," "Tristan + Isolde," and "One Eight Seven," as well as the "You Gotta Believe Me" episode of Spielberg's anthology television series, "Amazing Stories."
Most recently, Reynolds directed 'Hatfields & McCoys' for History Channel and Sony Pictures Television.- Actress
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Svelte and stunning Texas-born Karen Sharpe was put into ballet shoes
as a youngster. Her initial excursion to California was, at age 12, with the interest of becoming a professional ice skater, but the lure of
being a movie star intervened. Her training as a teenager in the
theater paid off and, in 1952, she appeared in Stanley Kramer's production of
The Sniper (1952), directed by Edward Dmytryk. Her role consisted solely of three lines
delivered while sitting on a drugstore stool and ordering a cherry
phosphate. Although she did not personally meet Kramer at the time, it
would be a foreshadowing of a future lifelong relationship.
In her salad days, she paid the rent and more as a billboard model and
also graced such popular magazine covers as "Cosmopolitan" and
"Pageant." On film, MGM featured her as Janice Rule's kid sister in Holiday for Sinners (1952),
opposite William Campbell. Campbell went on to appear with her in other films as
well, and they were paired as husband and wife in the Stagecoach West (1960) episode, Never Walk Alone (1961), in 1961. Producer Hal Roach gave her a break by featuring her in the
popular "White Rain" commercials, where she danced her way to fame across the tops of rows of shampoo bottles, and he also chose her to
represent his studio as Modern Screen Magazine's Golden Key Award winner as 1952's "Star of Tomorrow". Columbia Pictures picked up on
this recognition and placed her in the Hugo Haas melodrama, Strange Fascination (1952).
Monogram Pictures offered her a starring role in Army Bound (1952), which led to
her being cast in Walter Mirisch's cult programmer, Bomba and the Jungle Girl (1952), with Johnny Sheffield (who
played "Boy" in the Tarzan series) playing Bomba to Karen's lovely "Jungle Girl". The John Payne western The Vanquished (1953) followed, for Paramount Pictures. The film also starred Jan Sterling, who went on to appear with
Karen in a couple of other major films and become a close friend and mentor, as well.
After filming the crime drama Mexican Manhunt (1953), starring George Brent, for Allied Artists, Karen received the biggest break of her young career. Director William A. Wellman cast her in the Wayne-Fellows-Warner Brothers epic airline
disaster film, The High and the Mighty (1954). An all-star ensemble, it featured Karen as "Nell Buck", an amorous bride who allays her fears of certain death with the ecstasies of passion for new husband "Milo" (played by John Smith). Karen's
standout performance garnered her the 1954 Golden Globe Award for "New Star of the Year". As a result, the film's star and producer, John Wayne, put her under contract to his new company, Batjac. Loaned out to Ida Lupino's company for Mad at the World (1955), Karen then co-starred in United Artists' Man with the Gun (1955) opposite Robert Mitchum. Cast in Batjac's Man in the Vault (1956), she went on loan again, this time for Columbia's war picture, Tarawa Beachhead (1958).
In the 1950s, against the concerns of the studios but with the encouragement of John Wayne, who advised her to "do anything and
everything you can to grow as an artist", Karen made herself available for television. Taking Wayne's advice to heart, she found a creative
and demanding outlet performing in "live" drama, with roles on Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951), General Electric Theater (1953), Climax! (1954), Matinee Theatre (1955), Playhouse 90 (1956) and Lux Playhouse (1958),
among others. She also appeared in episodes of such classic TV shows as The Loretta Young Show (1953), Gunsmoke (1955), Perry Mason (1957), Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (1958), 77 Sunset Strip (1958), Bonanza (1959), The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964) and The Wild Wild West (1965). Karen went on to co-star in Aaron Spelling's
very first television series, Johnny Ringo (1959).
Following a hiatus from Hollywood, while straightening out family estate matters, Karen was cast in the pilot for I Dream of Jeannie (1965) as Larry Hagman's fiancé and Jeannie's attractive nemesis. While waiting for the pilot to be
sold (which, of course, it did), Jerry Lewis signed her to play opposite him in Paramount's The Disorderly Orderly (1964) as lovesick nurse "Julie Blair", who wins Jerry's affections in the end. It was during that filming that she met Stanley Kramer, who was directing Ship of Fools (1965) at the same time on the Paramount lot. Karen's focus was on her career, however, and a year went by
before they actually started dating in January of 1966. After a relatively brief courtship, they married on September 1, 1966,
following her completion of the Universal pilot, Valley of Mystery (1967).
Choosing to close the chapter on her acting career, Karen opened a new
and rewarding one as full-time wife, mother (of two), and assistant to
her husband. With the creation of KNK Productions, Inc., Karen
established herself as a producer. Among her many successful projects
is a remake of her husband's western classic High Noon (2000), as well as the
prospective "Defiant One," a documentary examining Kramer's prolific
career, and "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World," a big-screen sequel
to his It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963). Kramer passed away on February 19, 2001. Since then,
the ever-busy and vivacious Karen has maintained the Stanley Kramer
Library. In addition, she also established the Stanley Kramer Award at
the Producer's Guild, and the Stanley Kramer Fellowship Award in
Directing at UCLA in 2001. Both of these awards honor socially
conscious young filmmakers.- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Olivia Applegate is an award-winning actress and singer originally from Texas. In 2023, she has had three projects skyrocket to #1 on streaming platforms ; Love and Death (HBO), Organ Trail (Paramount) and Vacation Friends 2 (Hulu). She received acclaim for her breakout role opposite Rooney Mara in Terrence Malick's film, Song to Song (2017), and as a quarter finalist on America's Got Talent as a singer. She has since starred in several television series including recurring roles on HBO's Love and Death and Euphoria and Bravo's Dirty John (2018), high-profile indie features including Krisha (2015) (SXSW Grand Jury Prize, Cannes), and written/produced/starred in award-winning films that have swept the festival circuit. With a series in development and an upcoming album, Olivia is a multifaceted star on the rise.- Actor
- Additional Crew
Robert Stanton was born on 8 March 1963 in San Antonio, Texas, USA. He is an actor, known for Mercury Rising (1998), The Stepford Wives (2004) and A League of Their Own (1992).- Producer
- Director
- Editorial Department
Stephen Herek was born on 10 November 1958 in San Antonio, Texas, USA. He is a producer and director, known for Critters (1986), Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989) and Mr. Holland's Opus (1995).- Kim Spradlin Wolfe was born on 30 January 1983 in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas, USA. She has been married to Bryan Wolfe since 16 March 2013. They have three children.
- Actress
- Producer
Comely, busty and sexy brunette stunner Sandy Johnson was born on July 7, 1954 in San Antonio, Texas. She grew up there and has four older sisters. Moreover, Johnson attended Santa Monica Community College, then proceeded to obtain her Master's degree and Ph.D degree in Texas. Sandy was the Playmate of the Month in the June 1974 issue of Playboy magazine. Johnson made a regrettably brief foray into film acting in the wake of her Playboy pictorial. Sandy achieved her greatest enduring cult cinema popularity as Michael Myers' doomed sister Judith Myers who gets brutally murdered by her crazed younger brother during the startling opening sequence of John Carpenter's outstanding seasonal slasher horror classic Halloween (1978). Johnson had more substantial supporting roles in the amusing lowbrow drive-in comedy romps Jokes My Folks Never Told Me (1978), H.O.T.S. (1979) and Gas Pump Girls (1979). Sandy Johnson's last movie role to date was Halloween (2018). The archival footage was used in the graveyard flashback scene.- Jeep Swenson was born on 5 January 1957 in San Antonio, Texas, USA. He was an actor, known for Batman & Robin (1997), Bulletproof (1996) and WCW Monday Nitro (1995). He was married to Erin Hillsman. He died on 18 August 1997 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Writer
- Music Department
- Producer
Born in 1982 in San Antonio, Texas, Ward, the youngest of 3 brothers, was raised by his mother Bettie Ward, an artist and daughter of a Texas oil rancher. He never met his father. He would often draw flipbooks Andy comic books with his friend Alex "the Logdog" Coates.
Ward attended CalArts, where he became friends with fellow animators J.G. Quintel of Regular Show and Alex Hirsch of Gravity Falls. They later worked on The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack together. In 2002, he created a comic strip called Bueno the Bear, but later withdrew publication the following year. He created a short film called Barrista with the character and uses the name for his social media profiles to this day.
In 2008, he made a pilot for Adventure Time for Nickelodeon, but it was rejected. Cartoon Network picked it up a year later and it premiered in 2010.- Born and educated in the well-to-do Alamo Heights area of San Antonio,
Texas, Berry Kroeger first acted in local theatrical productions at the
San Pedro Playhouse. His silky voice seemed tailor-made for a lengthy
career on radio. By 1931, he was active both as announcer and purveyor
of dramatic exploits and crime detection on network serials. After
being signed by CBS in 1936 he carved out a very lucrative career on
the airwaves in anthologies like "Inner Sanctum" and
Orson Welles's "Mystery Theatre of the
Air", in addition to starring as suave private eye "The Falcon" (the
role played on the screen by Tom Conway).
Kroeger made his theatrical bow on Broadway in a 1943 play by
Nunnally Johnson, entitled "The World's
Full of Girls". In the course of the next decade he balanced his radio work with
performing in classical plays opposite stars like
Ingrid Bergman and
Helen Hayes, but did not appear in
the movies until 1948. When he finally did, it was -- invariably -- as
venomous, sneering or smarmy villains. A burly, narrow-eyed and physically
imposing character, he simply oozed menace. As his hair receded and
turned white already in his twenties, he often tended to play men much
older than their years. He tended to be less typecast on the small screen which
permitted him to exhibit another side of his acting range. Kroeger
adroitly parodied his sinister screen personae by caricaturing
Sydney Greenstreet -- whom he somewhat
resembled at this stage of his life -- in an episode of
Get Smart (1965) ('Maxwell Smart,
Private Eye'). Like many other 'professional screen villains', Kroeger
was in private life rather the antithesis of the parts he essayed on
screen. - Sofia Nicole Hahn was born in San Antonio, Texas, USA
This Texas native began building a solid resume almost immediately after arriving in Hollywood at age 3. Before her first television appearance, Nikki enjoyed modeling for Disney Campaigns, GAP, American Girl, Little Marc Jacobs & Jessica Simpson kids fashion line to name a few but her but her real passion began to show at an early age.
In 2009 Nikki began landing guest roles in numerous network television shows including CSI: Miami (2004), NCIS: Los Angeles (2009), The Closer (2005), Criminal Minds (2005) as well as some of her favorite Disney and Nickelodeon shows, iCarly (2007) and Jessie (2011). She also enjoyed working on commercials and eventually landed over 28 national campaigns including 2 Disneyland Commercials and a State Farm commercial with Packer's Quarterback Aaron Rodgers of The Green Bay Packers NFL.
In 2011 Nikki brought big laughs into everyone's living rooms when she starred as the daughter of Tom Hanks in a spoof skit of TLC's Toddlers & Tiaras (2009) on the Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) post-Academy Awards special. Nikki played the role of "Sophie Hanks," a child pageant queen with an overbearing stage dad (Hanks). Immediately after the show's original airing, the segment went viral, giving the young actress a cult-like comedy following. The skit was also aired during The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986) in an interview with Hanks and Julia Roberts.
In 2012 Nikki displayed her ability in another genre when she was cast on her first villain role as sociopath child killer "Jenny
Reynolds" in American Horror Story (2011) in The Origins of Monstrosity (2012). Later this same year Nikki switches to a lighter role as she gets to play Selena Gomez's little cousin Bianca in The Wizards Return: Alex vs. Alex (2013), a Disney Channel Original Movie.
2013 was year of 'Mini-me's" as Nikki gets to play young Lucy Hale when she lands the role of "Mini Aria" in Pretty Little Liars (2010) in A Is for A-l-i-v-e (2013) and "Young Callie" as young Mia Mitchell in The Fosters (2013). By 2014 Nikki had worked on 8 other comedy satires for Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) with big names such as Katie Couric and Topher Grace.
In 2015 Nikki lands the coveted role of "Emily Cooper" in Disney's Adventures in Babysitting (2016) - 100th Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM) with Sabrina Carpenter and Sofia Carson. The 100th DCOM was directed by John Schultz (Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer (2011)) and executive produced by Michelle Manning (Teen Beach 2 (2015), The Breakfast Club (1985), The Outsiders (1983)). Manning has become a personal friend and mentor for Nikki and friend of the family as well.
Nikki has been fortunate to work alongside, and learn from Hollywood A-listers such as Jim Belushi, Kyra Sedgwick, Elijah Wood, Elizabeth McCormick, Henry Winkler, cinematographer Janusz Kaminski, Elisabeth Röhm, Ken Leung, and Two-Time Academy Awards Winners Tom Hanks, Jessica Lange, and Geoffrey Rush.
In 2016 Nikki landed the role of Young Mileva Maric in National Geographic's 10 episode anthology series Genius (2017), season 1, "Einstein", which earned 10 Emmy Nominations in 2017. It was executive produced by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer. Einstein played by Geoffrey Rush.
2017-2019 Nikki lands recurring role as "Gina Tuscadero" in American Housewife (2016) on ABC. - Actress
- Producer
- Writer
LaToya Ward, a versatile actress and filmmaker originally from Texas now residing in Los Angeles, is recognized for her Win as Best Actress in a Feature Film at the London International Film Festival. LaToya has auditioned in front of media moguls such as Tyler Perry and selected as a Winner in the TJMS Talent Search for a walk on role on Tyler Perry's, If Loving You Is Wrong! LaToya also won Best Actress in a TV Sitcom and was a Finalist in "Who Wants to be a Soap Star Live" Competition!
LaToya is an emerging filmmaker, writing and producing films and media content which has premiered at film festivals around the world. Through her company, Toy Vision Entertainment, she has created a lineup of cutting edge stories that have entertained and inspired viewers of all ages.
Booking LaToya Ward can be the biggest and brightest decision made for your brand and/or company. With over 2 million global followers, LaToya's influence spans from fitness and fashion to inspiration and commitment.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Ashley Austin Morris was born on 14 October 1983 in San Antonio, Texas, USA. She is an actress, known for Sully (2016).- Actor
- Additional Crew
Antonio Raul Garcia was born on 4 June 2009 in San Antonio, Texas, USA. He is an actor, known for Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013), Luca (2021) and It Chapter Two (2019).- Actor
- Producer
Jonathan Joss was born on 22 December 1965 in San Antonio, Texas, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Abduction of the Fourth Kind (2022), The Magnificent Seven (2016) and The Forever Purge (2021).- Actress
- Producer
- Composer
Chrysta Bell was born on 20 April 1978 in San Antonio, Texas, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Twin Peaks (2017), Holograms and Fairfield Square.- Actress
- Additional Crew
- Writer
Cathy Baron was born in San Antonio, Texas, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for Justified (2010), Killer Cove (2019) and S.W.A.T. (2017).- Hal Baylor was born on 10 December 1918 in San Antonio, Texas, USA. He was an actor, known for Big Jim McLain (1952), Evel Knievel (1971) and Emergency! (1972). He died on 5 January 1998 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Producer
- Writer
- Director
Raised in Texas and Kentucky by her doctor father and mother. Went to
Purdue University to study landscape architecture but switched to
drama. Moved to Nashville after college to be with her family before
heading to Los Angeles in 1982 to study at the Strasburg Institute.
Worked for a commercials production company as a receptionist before
taking a position with them as a music video production assistant.
While working at the office, she began work on what would eventually
become Thelma & Louise (1991), writing the script in longhand at home and then
retyping it on the job.