LGBTQ+ artists/actors/industry
List activity
1.3K views
• 1 this weekCreate a new list
List your movie, TV & celebrity picks.
179 people
- Actor
- Additional Crew
On the cast list of The Magnificent Seven (1960), you will find several names that doubtless you know well: Charles Bronson, Steve McQueen, and Yul Brynner. But there is one name that you will have difficulty pronouncing, let alone identifying as an actor you have seen before. That man is Horst Buchholz, and he was one of the few German actors to have a considerable success in both Hollywood and in Europe. One would hardly guess that he was sought out to act in one of the most famous films of all time, only to have to turn it down.
Horst Buchholz was born in Berlin, Germany, in the year 1933. His father was a German shoemaker, while his mother was born to Danish parents. Buccholz was put in a foster home in Czechoslovakia when World War II broke out in Europe, but he returned to Berlin the moment he had the chance. Realizing his talent in acting, Buchholz dropped out of school to perfect his acting skills. After moving from East Berlin to West Berlin, he became well-known for his work in theatre and on the radio. In 1952 he turned to film, and after a series of small roles, he found a larger one in the Julien Duvivier film Marianne of My Youth (1955). He was praised for his role in the romantic/drama film Sky Without Stars (1955) by Helmut Käutner, but it was the lead role in the comedic Confessions of Felix Krull (1957) that made him an established German actor.
He followed this breakthrough role with the romantic film Two Worlds (1958) and the thriller Wet Asphalt (1958), where the handsome young actor plays a former criminal who associates himself with a journalist. Now a familiar face in his country, Buchholz pursued making foreign films. His first non-German film was the British film Tiger Bay (1959). The film is about a girl who witnesses a seaman named Korchinsky (Buchholz) murder his girlfriend. The film won praise in both Germany and Britain, but it was Buchholz' next foreign film that secured his name in the history of classic films. This film was the epic western The Magnificent Seven (1960) directed by John Sturges. Buchholz played Chico, the inexperienced Mexican youth that wants to be a gunman and abandon his past. Buchholz starred alongside such legends as Charles Bronson and Yul Brynner. both of whom had strong European roots. The film was a hit, first in Europe, then was re-distributed in the States to a much higher profit. The film gained massive popularity, and even now is treasured as a classic.
Buchholz could now find good and steady work nationally and internationally, which is something few actors could do at the time. He worked on the romantic film Fanny (1961), which is based on a trilogy of plays written by legendary writer Marcel Pagnol. Buchholz plays the role of Marius, a passionate but unsure youth who must choose between the girl he loves, and the life at sea he has always wanted. The film was a fine success, nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Charles Boyer (who plays Buchholz' onscreen father).
It was at this point in his film career where he was sought as the first choice to play the role of Sherif Ali in David Lean's legendary film Lawrence of Arabia (1962). However, Buchholz had to turn it down, as he had already signed up for another film, which turned out to be the Oscar-nominated comedy One, Two, Three (1961) (directed by Billy Wilder). The film was once again a fine success to add to Buchholz' career, but ultimately gained nowhere near as much of a status as David Lean's film. Buchholz also made the Italian film The Empty Canvas (1963) in which he plays an untalented artist who begins a love affair with a young model. Throughout his in the early 60s, Buchholz had made a name for himself, acting in one Oscar-nominated film after another and showing off his talent as an actor. However, the success he had reached was not to last.
Buchholz continued with film, including the James Bond spoof That Man in Istanbul (1965) and the crime film Johnny Banco (1967). He starred in the B-movie failure that was The Young Rebel (1967). Buchholz rebounded with the fiery film The Saviour (1971) in which he plays a man who claims to be organizing resistance against the Nazis. He also played Johann Strauss in the Golden Globe-nominated musical The Great Waltz (1972). which was sadly another failure.
The rest of the 1970s and the early 1980s were spent mostly on television and movies released for television, whether it be foreign (Dead of Night (1977), Return to Fantasy Island (1978)) or German (Derrick). Buchholz found mild success again when he returned to the big screen with the WW II espionage film Code Name: Emerald (1985) in which he plays alongside such stars as Ed Harris and Max von Sydow. After this film, Buchholz returned to European movies, such as And the Violins Stopped Playing (1988) in which a group of gypsies flee Nazi persecutors. After taking a supporting role in the fantasy film Faraway, So Close! (1993), Buchholz acted in one of his most well known films: the Oscar-winning Italian film Life Is Beautiful (1997) which was directed by and starred Roberto Benigni. Buchholz played the role of a doctor who befriends Benigni's character and frequently duels with him in riddles. This choice of role proved to be an echo of Buchholz' taste in choosing his projects in earlier years; the film won best foreign film that year, and was also nominated for Best Picture. Thanks to his gift for languages, Buchholz was able to dub himself in the foreign releases of the film.
Buchholz continued making films and television appearances until 2002, by which time he was sixty-eight years old. He died the next year, in Berlin, of pneumonia. Berlin had been the city of his heart, and was buried there in honour of that fact. Horst Buchholz had been a renowned German actor, and had gained credibility in the United States and other countries. He was a varied performer, acting all kinds of roles in his life, but was always a proud German to the last.- Actor
- Producer
- Sound Department
Thomas Edward Hulce was born in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in Plymouth, MI, where he was raised with his two sisters and older brother. He is the son of Joanna (Winkleman), who had sung professionally, and Raymond Albert Hulce, who worked for Ford. He has English, German, and Irish ancestry. Wanting to be a singer, Tom had to make a switch in plans when his voice began changing. Knowing that if he wanted to be in show business he needed to become an actor, Tom began taking the necessary steps almost immediately.
When asked once why he chose acting Tom replied, "Because someone told me I couldn't." It is determination like this that has helped him achieve his respected position in the acting community to this day. Tom set goals early on. Graduating from school at 19 years old, he gave himself a decade to succeed as an actor. Working in Ann Arbor as usher and ticket seller with a small theatrical company was a start. It was around this time he saw the first play and actor that made him realize that acting was "cool." Christopher Walken was in a play in Stratford, Ontario. The performance made quite an impression on Tom.
While Mr. and Mrs. Hulce weren't totally sold on the idea of their son becoming a thespian, Tom had determination and headed off for the training he knew he'd need if he was going to achieve his goal. He studied at the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem; at Booth Bay Harbor, Maine; Sarasota, Florida; and spent a summer in England before heading off to New York City to try his hand at Broadway. Within a month after his arrival, Tom was chosen to understudy the role being performed by Peter Firth in the Broadway play "Equus." He had originally been hired to play one of the horses, but it was decided that his time was better spent learning the understudy role and so he never donned the horse's attire.
Tom had pangs of guilt where this role was concerned. On one hand he wanted the role ... badly. On the other hand he wondered what would happen if Peter left the role; could he fill those shoes? When the time came, nine months after being hired, Tom found out that it was up to him to play the role as his own. He wasn't expected to be another Peter Firth... he had been hired to play the role his way. "... it actually went quite well, " Tom recalled. "I realized I was a different actor and that I would tackle the part in my own way." And tackle it he did! Equus has a few "firsts" for Tom. One, it was his first big role; two, it was his first Broadway role and third, it was his first nude performance. For nine minutes Tom and his costar, Roberta Maxwell, were naked in a scene that seemed impossible for the stage a decade earlier (1960s). In a past interview Tom reflected, "It's so skillfully written and developed that it doesn't seem an unusual thing to do. There's no embarrassment, I just don't think about it at all." During the run of "Equus," Tom turned down a big television offer, to the delight of the director and cast. At that time in Tom's life the stage was all there was, and he was going to do it right! Other plays that followed "Equus" were George S. Kaufman's "Butter and Egg Man," Arthur Miller's "Memory of Two Mondays," along with such works as "Julius Caesar," "Romeo and Juliet," Shaw's "Candida," and Chekhov's "The Sea Gull," and, again on Broadway in his Tony nominated role in Aaron Sorkin's "A Few Good Men."
Tom has even directed the off-Broadway musical "Sleep Around Town" at Playwrights Horizon. Back in 1977 Tom landed his first motion picture role in the film about the day James Dean died, September 30, 1955 (1977). This was to be the first of a long line of period films. His next was National Lampoon's National Lampoon's Animal House (1978). Set in the 1960's, Tom played "Pinto" along with such comedy alumni as 'John Belushi', Tim Matheson, and Donald Sutherland.
1984 gave him the role that put him on the map. The title role of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in the Oscar-winner Amadeus (1984) was such a wonder that it even boosted the sales of Mozart's music by 30%! Filmed in Prague, it was eerie for Tom to actually be standing in the very spot where the original Amadeus had stood conducting the opera Tom was recreating for the film. Dressed in a purple velvet jacket, knickers, and white hose, wearing a bushy white wig and doling out a hilarious laugh (often likened to that of a hyena's) Tom's portrayal of the "man-child" musical genius was an Oscar-nominated performance.
Tom has been in many more films set in the past: Those Lips, Those Eyes (1980)(1950s), Shadowman (1988) (World War II), Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994) (1800s), Wings of Courage (1995)(1930's), and Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)(1500s). Tom appeared in Echo Park (1985) with Susan Dey, a film that had a struggle to get released remains one of Tom's best performances and one that he is quite proud of. Another film that Tom feels a lot of pride for is Dominick and Eugene (1988). Starring with Ray Liotta and Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom played Dominick Luciano, a mentally handicapped twin brother to Liotta's Eugene. The young man works as a garbage collector to help put his brother through medical school so he can become a "rich doctor" and they can afford to get a "house by a lake." Tom spent time studying people in a Pittsburgh neighborhood and handicapped people in an occupational training center so he could master the innocence and determination that the lead role required. He received the Best Actor award at the Seattle Fest for his performance.
Murder in Mississippi (1990) was Tom's second television movie (the first was Forget-Me-Not-Lane (1975) (aka "Neli, Neli"), a Hallmark Hall of Fame production). Playing the role of Michael Schwerner, the New York social worker and Freedom Fighter who is murdered by K.K.K. members in 1964 during Freedom Summer, Tom received an Emmy nomination and his third Golden Globe nomination.
The Inner Circle (1991) (aka "The Projectionist") took Tom to Russia where he was Ivan Sanshin, the private film projectionist to Stalin within the Kremlin walls. Based on a true story, Ivan was a perfect example of how many were blinded to the horrific conditions that men like Stalin conducted and followed in ignorant loyalty. While there, Tom was fortunate to meet and spend time with Alexander Ganshin, upon whose life the film was based.
The next three years held special items for Tom. His portrayal of Peter Patrone, in T.N.T.'s The Heidi Chronicles (1995), earned him an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Special, and 1994 and 1996 brought two of Tom's last period pieces. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994) had Tom playing opposite Kenneth Branagh as Victor Frankenstein's college chum, Henry. And 1996 was a whole new experience for Tom. Disney was looking for someone special to portray their gentle Quasimodo in their newest full feature animation motion picture, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996).
Tom had never done voiceover work for a full film; to sing before a microphone was one thing, but to do song and voice for someone that he couldn't watch while performing was a whole new experience for him. Herecalled that when he first auditioned he thought it strange that the producers and director stood looking at the floor while he sang...until he noticed they were looking at sketches of Quasimodo and were trying to "feel" if he sounded like their bell ringer.
1998 saw Tom returning to the stage but this time as director again, as he undertook the enormous task of bringing John Irving's 1985 novel, "The Cider House Rules", to the stage. An 8-hour production which required the audience two days to see the whole performance, it was quite an undertaking. Co-directing with Jane Jones (of "BookIt" in Seattle, Washington) Tom took the play from its Seattle opening to the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, California where it received wonderful reviews.
During the past recent years Tom has resided in Seattle, Washington where he owns his own home. He figures he could live in Los Angeles or New York - the acting hubs - but in Seattle, he's near the things he loves. "Up in Seattle people look after their lives in a way you can't do in New York or Los Angeles," he says. But no matter where he calls home, we can always count on Tom for bringing us into a world that will thrill, excite, fascinate, move and inspire us either through his films, the stage, or his beautiful singing.- Director
- Writer
- Editor
Marco Berger was born on 8 December 1977 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He is a director and writer, known for Absent (2011), The Blonde One (2019) and Taekwondo (2016).- Actor
- Soundtrack
Scrappy, plucky-looking Kentucky-born Tommy Kirk, who was born on December 10, 1941, became synonymous with everything clean and fun that Disney Entertainment prescribed to in the late 1950s and very early 1960s. One of four sons born to a mechanic, Louie, and legal secretary, Lucy, the Kirk family, in search of better job prospects, moved from Louisville to Downey, California while Tommy was still an infant. The boy's interest in acting was ignited at the age of 13 years when he (instead of older brother Joe) was cast in a minor role in a production of Will Rogers Jr. and Bobby Driscoll in a production of Eugene O'Neill's "Ah, Wilderness!" at the Pasadena Playhouse. Discovered by a Hollywood agent who saw him and signed him up, Tommy went on to appear in two other Pasadena theatre plays, Portrait in Black" and "Barefoot in Athens" and on TV ("Lux Video Theatre, "Frontier," "Big Town," "Gunsmoke" and "The Loretta Young Show") and film (Down Liberty Road (1956) and The Peacemaker (1956)). It was an episode of "Matinee Theatre" that brought the freshly-scrubbed All-American kid to the attention of mogul Walt Disney who quickly signed him to a long-term contract.
In 1955, the lad became a member of the The Mickey Mouse Club (1955) TV series and won a legion of young fans as the brush-cut haired, irrepressibly inquisitive young sleuth Joe Hardy in two "Hardy Boys" serials ("The Mystery of the Applegate Treasure," "The Mystery of the Ghost Farm") with Tim Considine, another young promising Disney staple, playing older brother Frank. With time Tommy became a prime juvenile Disney hero and ideal mischief maker for many of the studio's full-length comedy and drama classics, earning nationwide teen idol status for his exuberant work in Old Yeller (1957), The Shaggy Dog (1959), Swiss Family Robinson (1960), The Absent Minded Professor (1961), Babes in Toyland (1961), Bon Voyage! (1962), Moon Pilot (1962), Son of Flubber (1962) and The Misadventures of Merlin Jones (1964).
In 1963 the bubble completely burst when the Disney factory found out 21-year-old Tommy was in a relationship with an underage boy. He was also arrested on Christmas Eve in 1964 when a party he was attending was raided and busted for marijuana use. Although charges were dropped, it was too late. Fired from his role in the John Wayne western The Sons of Katie Elder (1965) as a result, the Disney studio, out of protection, was forced to release him from his contract, but not after rehiring him one more time to complete a "Merlin Jones" movie sequel entitled The Monkey's Uncle (1965)).
Tommy found very mild restitution after signing with AIP (American International Pictures) and appearing in such popular teen-oriented flicks as Pajama Party (1964), co-starring fellow Disney cohort Annette Funicello, and The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini (1966). He also began appearing on the musical stage as Harold Hill in "The Music Man," Riff in "West Side Story" and as the lead in "Tovarich." He also was lent out to do a lead in the mediocre cult sci-fi Embassy Picture Village of the Giants (1965). After leaving AIP, things got progressively worse for Tommy with a lead role in Trans American Film's It's a Bikini World (1967) -- by this time, beach party films were no longer trendy. Bargain basement fare such as Unkissed Bride (1966)_ (aka Mother Goose a Go-Go), UA's Track of Thunder (1967), Catalina Caper (1967) Mars Needs Women (1968), in which he played a Martian, and Blood of Ghastly Horror (1967) (aka Psycho a Go-Go) pretty much spelled as a leading man. Practically blacklisted by an industry that deemed "outed" gay actors "box office poison," he returned to the musical theatre in his home state of Kentucky with such shows as "Anything Goes" (as Moonface Martin), "Hello, Dolly!" (as Horace Vandergelder), "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" (as Marcus Lycus) and "Little Mary Sunshine" (as General Fairfax).
Following roles in the low budget 70s films Ride the Hot Wind (1973) and the unreleased My Name Is Legend (1975) as well as an isolated TV part on a 1972 episode of "The Streets of San Francisco," Tommy disappeared from the limelight. His life went into a seemingly irreversible tailspin. Depressed and angry, he sought solace in drugs and nearly died from an acute overdose at one point. For health reasons he felt the need to completely abandon his career and slowly moved himself forward as a recovering addict. On a very positive note, he was able to build a very successful carpet and upholstery cleaning company for himself ("Tommy Kirk's Carpet and Upholstery) in Southern California's San Fernando Valley. It stayed open for business for well over two decades.
After some time away, Tommy showed up again in Hollywood, glimpsed in a few dismissible low-budgeters here and there, including Streets of Death (1988), Attack of the 60 Foot Centerfolds (1995), Little Miss Magic (1998), Billy Frankenstein (1998), Club Dead (2000) and, his last to date, The Education of a Vampire (2001). He appeared in several documentary interviews for the DVD releases of some of his best known films and TV shows, and occasionally at film festivals and nostalgia convention/memorabilia fests. He lived in Las Vegas.- Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Andrew Rannells was born on 23 August 1978 in Omaha, Nebraska, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for A Simple Favor (2018), The Prom (2020) and The Intern (2015).- Actor
- Soundtrack
Lucas Hedges is an American actor, known for playing Patrick Chandler in Manchester by the Sea (2016), which earned him an Academy Award nomination.
Hedges was born in Brooklyn Heights, New York, the second child of poet and actress Susan Bruce and Oscar-nominated screenwriter and director Peter Hedges. He began regularly appearing in major films in the early 2010s, with his role as "Redford" in Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom (2012), as well as Kill the Messenger (2014), Lady Bird (2017), and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017).
In 2018, he played the older brother in Mid90s (2018), and turned from supporting work to starring roles, giving critically-acclaimed performances in two films about young men in jeopardy, Boy Erased (2018), where he plays a teenager sent to a gay conversion therapy clinic, and Ben Is Back (2018), as a drug-addict returning home for the holidays. In 2019, he starred as a Shia LaBeouf stand-in in the biographical film Honey Boy (2019), sharing the role with Noah Jupe (despite an admitted lack of physical resemblance). He was also part of the ensemble in the highly critically-acclaimed family drama Waves (2019), and in 2020 played Michelle Pfeiffer's character's son in French Exit (2020) and the love-lorn nephew of Meryl Streep's author in Let Them All Talk (2020), both praised dramas circling the year-end awards season.- Félix Maritaud was born on 12 December 1992 in Nevers, Nièvre, France. He is an actor, known for Sauvage / Wild (2018), Knife + Heart (2018) and 120 BPM (2017).
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Jonathan Stuart Bailey is an English actor. Known for his roles on stage and screen, he began his career as a child performer in Royal Shakespeare Company productions when he was seven years old, and by eight was performing as Gavroche in a West End production of Les Misérables. Since then, he has established a prolific career on screen and stage working on different genres and portraying a wide array of characters.- Before there was a George Lucas and Harrison Ford running around creating special-effects excitement, there was a virile, boyishly handsome actor named Kerwin Mathews who was entertaining audiences battling a variety of creatures courtesy of pioneer special effects guru Ray Harryhausen. Harryhausen's legendary monsters of the late 50s and early 60s earned cult film infamy and it was those wondrous storybook fantasies and the Harryhausen association that also put Kerwin on the Hollywood map.
Born an only child in Seattle, Washington, on January 8, 1926, Kerwin's parents split up while he was quite young and he and his mother relocated to Janesville, Wisconsin. He developed an early interest in acting while performing in high school plays. Following a couple of years in the Army Air Force during WWII, Kerwin studied at Beloit College in Wisconsin on both dramatic and musical scholarships. He later taught speech and drama at the college and also found acting jobs in regional theater. In the early 1950s, after teaching high school English in Lake Geneva, Wisconin, for a few years, he decided to make the big trek to Hollywood to seek out his fame and fortune.
While training at the Pasadena Playhouse, Kerwin met a casting agent for Columbia Pictures and was eventually signed to a seven-year contact after winning over the approval of studio boss Harry Cohn. Finding a number of roles on TV, he acquitted himself quite well with his film debut in 5 Against the House (1955) as one of four college pals (the others being Guy Madison, Brian Keith and Alvy Moore) who decide to carry out a faux casino robbery in Las Vegas, a plan that backfires badly. The offbeat ensemble picture drew good reviews and Kerwin was off and running.
Following decent showings in the crime yarn The Garment Jungle (1957) and war flick Tarawa Beachhead (1958), he found respect as a middleweight talent, but truly came into his own in the Saturday afternoon-styled adventure fantasies popular with the school crowd. An agile fencer with fine all-American looks, he won the opportunity to play the role of the dauntless hero in Columbia's classic The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958). Out to rescue fair damsel Kathryn Grant (who later became Mrs. Bing Crosby), he battled everything in his path -- from a colossal, one-eyed Cyclops to a fire-spewing dragon. The final climactic battle scene was his Errol Flynn / Basil Rathbone-like swordplay against a dexterous, sword-swinging skeleton, all courtesy of Harryhausen.
Kerwin worked with Harryhausen's stop-motion creations again in The 3 Worlds of Gulliver (1960) as a doctor whose foes this time around included a giant squirrel and alligator. He then played the countrified folk legend Jack the Giant Killer (1962) and again found himself saving a princess while pitted against evil wizards and other specially-designed effects (by Jim Danforth). Other less arduous films he made included the WWII war drama The Last Blitzkrieg (1959) with Van Johnson, the crime thriller Man on a String (1960) with Ernest Borgnine and his third-billed role behind Spencer Tracy and Frank Sinatra in The Devil at 4 O'Clock (1961) in which he and Tracy played priests.
By the early 1960s Kerwin was typecast in adventure tales and was now searching for work overseas to display his stoic heroics, though his efforts were mostly for naught in such empty spectacles as Italy's The Warrior Empress (1960) ["The Warrior Princess"] opposite Gilligan's Island (1964) star Tina Louise; England's The Pirates of Blood River (1962); and the Franco-Italian co-production Shadow of Evil (1964) ["Panic in Bangkok"]. He fared somewhat better in the British-made Maniac (1963) in a change-of-pace role and received some of his best notices on TV playing composer Johann Strauss Jr. in Disney's 1963 TV biopic The Waltz King: Part 1 (1963) (and "Part 2").
Kerwin's career ended in 1978 after making a small sprinkling of appearances in low-budget sci-fi and horror films, plus some TV guest appearances throughout the decade. By this time he had already moved to San Francisco and spent his later years selling antiques and furniture. He was also a stalwart patron of the arts and supporter of the city's various opera and ballet companies. Kerwin died overnight in his sleep at age 81 in his San Francisco home, survived by his partner of 46 years Tom Nicoll. - Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Writer, actor, comedian, doer of good works, excellent good friend to the famous and not, Fry lives in his London SW1 flat and his Norfolk house when not traveling. Famous for his public declaration of celibacy in the "Tatler" back in the 1980s, Emma Thompson has characterised her friend as "90 percent gay, 10 percent other."
Stephen Fry was born in Hampstead, London, to Marianne Eve (Newman) and Alan Fry, a physicist and inventor. His maternal grandparents were Hungarian Jewish immigrants, while his father's family was of English background. He grew up in Norfolk and attended Uppingham School and Stout's Hill. After his notorious three months in Pucklechurch prison for credit card fraud, he attended Queens College, Cambridge in 1979, finishing with a 2:1 in English in 1981/2. While at Cambridge, he was a member of the Cherubs drinking club, and Footlights with Thompson, Tony Slattery, Martin Bergman, and Hugh Laurie (to whom he was introduced by E.T.). His prolific writing partnership with Laurie began in 1981 with resulting Footlights revues for (among others) Mayweek, Edinburgh Festival, and a three month tour of Australia. In 1984, Fry was engaged to do the rewrite of the Noel Gay musical "Me and My Girl," which made him a millionaire before the age of 30. It also earned him a nomination for a Tony award in 1987. (Sidenote: It was upon SF's suggestion that Emma Thompson landed a leading role in the London cast of this show.) Throughout the 1980s, Fry did a huge amount of television and radio work, as well as writing for newspapers (e.g. a weekly column in the "Daily Telegraph") and magazines (e.g. articles for "Arena"). He is probably best known for his television roles in Blackadder II (1986) and Jeeves and Wooster (1990).
His support of the Terence Higgins Trust through events such as the first "Hysteria" benefit, as well as numerous other charity efforts, are probably those works of which he is most proud. Fry's acting career has not been limited to films and television. He had successful runs in Alan Bennett's "Forty Years On," Simon Gray's "The Common Pursuit" with John Sessions, Rik Mayall, John Gordon Sinclair, and others. Michael Frayn's "Look Look" and Gray's "Cell Mates" were less successful for both Fry and their playwrights, the latter not helped by his walking out of the play after only a couple of weeks. Fry has published four novels as well as a collection of his radio and journalistic miscellanea. He has recorded audiotapes of his novels (an unabridged version of "The Liar" was released in 1995), as well as many other works for both adults and children.- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Neil Patrick Harris was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on June 15, 1973. His parents, Sheila Gail (Scott) and Ronald Gene Harris, were lawyers and ran a restaurant. He grew up in Ruidoso, New Mexico, a small town 120 miles south of Albuquerque, where he first took up acting in the fourth grade. While tagging along with his older brother of 3 years, Harris won the part of Toto in a school production of The Wizard of Oz (1939).
His parents moved the family to Albuquerque in 1988, the same year that Harris made his film debut in two movies: Purple People Eater (1988) and Clara's Heart (1988), which starred Whoopi Goldberg. A year later, when Neil was 16, he landed the lead role in Steven Bochco's television series about a teen prodigy doctor at a local hospital, Doogie Howser, M.D. (1989), which launched Harris into teen-heartthrob status. The series lasted1989-1993 and earned him a People's Choice Award for Favorite Male Performer in a New Series (1990) and a Golden Globe Nomination (1990). Harris attended the same high school as Freddie Prinze Jr., La Cueva High School in Albuquerque. Neil acted on stage in a few plays while there, one of which was his senior play, Fiddler on the Roof (1971), in which he portrayed Lazar Wolf the butcher (1991).
When "Doogie Howser, M.D." stopped production in 1993, Harris took up stage acting, which he had always wanted to do. After a string of made-for-television movies, Harris acted in his first big screen roles in nine years, Starship Troopers (1997) with Casper Van Dien and then The Proposition (1998). In July 1997, Harris accepted the role of Mark Cohen for the Los Angeles production of the beloved musical, Rent (2005). His performance in "Rent" garnered him a Drama-League Award in 1997. He continued in the musical, to rave reviews, until January 1998. He later reprised the role for six nights in his hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico, in December 1998.
In 1999, Harris returned to television in the short-lived sitcom Stark Raving Mad (1999), with Tony Shalhoub. He was also in the big-screen projects The Next Best Thing (2000) and Undercover Brother (2002), and he can be heard as the voice of Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the newest animated Spider-Man (2003) series. Harris has continued his stage work, making his Broadway debut in 2001 in "Proof." He has also appeared on stage in "Romeo and Juliet," "Cabaret," Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in Concert (2001), and, most recently, "Assassins." In 2005, Harris returned to the small screen in a guest-starring role on Numb3rs (2005) and a starring role in the sitcom How I Met Your Mother (2005). Neil played the title role in the web-exclusive musical comedy Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog (2008), widely downloaded via iTunes to become the #1 TV series for five straight weeks, despite not actually being on television.- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Nik Dodani is an actor, writer, and comedian, best known for Netflix's Atypical. He will next be seen in Lee Isaac Chung's Twisters and the upcoming New Line Cinema feature, The Parenting. As a stand-up comedian, Dodani made his network television debut on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. He made his Broadway debut in Waitress. His directorial debut Blue Boy is set to be released in 2024. Born in Dallas, Texas and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Dodani now resides in Los Angeles, California.- Additional Crew
- Actor
- Producer
Born on December 19, 1985, in Kalispell, Montana, Shane Bitney Crone grew up with the nickname "Motor Mouth." Now that name seems even more appropriate in light of his recent YouTube video, which went viral with almost three million hits. Shane's film portrays the many injustices he experienced after losing his partner and the great love of his life, Tom Bridegroom. This gut-wrenching, mini documentary (in memory of Tom) has now inspired millions of people worldwide to join Shane's pursuit of marriage equality.
From a young age, Shane has used his considerable voice on behalf of good causes, inspiring others through his talent and actions. In Montana, he also regularly performed at the Missoula Children's Theater International Performing Arts Camp. During high school, he was active in the community and was awarded Student of the Year for his leadership.
Shane worked part time to earn money so he could pursue his dream of moving to Los Angeles after graduation. Armed with this money and with all of his worldly belongings in the trunk of his car, Shane headed to California without a job, but with an abundance of ambition and willingness to work hard.
In 2005, Shane met his partner, Tom Bridegroom. Dedicated to each other and their mutual success, Shane and Tom started a social media/public relations company, Bridegroom and Bitney, in 2008. Targeting up and coming artists in the music industry, they assisted clients in obtaining record deals, performing at national league sporting events and garnering international exposure (via Tom and Shane's expertise with social media).
He soon landed a position on Entertainment Tonight as a production assistant and was subsequently promoted to talent coordinator.
In 2011, the devastating accident that took Tom's life, turned Shane's world upside down. As a form of therapy, he created his now viral video in order to honor and mourn Tom. As a result, he has found a new calling and is slowly regaining the voice he was born with. Shane has vowed to devote himself to the cause of marriage equality, giving interviews to CNN, ABC, E! News, and numerous radio programs and has been invited to write guest posts for GLAAD, Human Rights Campaign, The Advocate, and The Huffington Post. He is receiving speaking requests from around the world and has been invited to Amsterdam Pride as one of their international guests of honor. Shane has also partnered with Designing Women creator and director and producer of the critically acclaimed Man from Hope, Linda Bloodworth Thomason, in order to make a documentary film about his and Tom's life together and what happened in the aftermath of Tom's death. After successfully raising over three-hundred-thousand dollars using the crowd funding website Kickstarter, the film, entitled Bridegroom, A Love Story Unequaled, is currently being made.- Actor
- Writer
Matthew Waterhouse was born the son of a company solicitor. He joined the BBC as a clerk, working in the news and information department, while also pursuing an acting career. His first TV role was as a public schoolboy in "To Serve Them All My Days" (1980). He had not even started working on that programme when he auditoned for and won the role of Adric in Doctor Who. Since his departure in the series he has worked mainly in the theatre, appearing as Puck in "A Midsummer's Night Dream", as Peter Pan in "Peter Pan", and as Edmund in "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." He has also starred in a one-man show, "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", adapted by him from Mark Twain's novel.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Rory O'Malley was born on 23 December 1980 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. He is an actor, known for Dreamgirls (2006), Mother's Day (2016) and Central Park (2020). He has been married to Gerold Schroeder since 28 September 2014. They have one child.- Actor
- Writer
- Camera and Electrical Department
Rhys Nicholson is a Multi-award winning Australian stand-up, writer, podcaster and collager.
After moving to Sydney in 2009 at the age of 18, Rhys was very enthusiastic but had limited success as a comedian until in 2012 when they won the Best Newcomer award at the Sydney Comedy Festival. For a few years Rhys quietly plodded along performing all over the place, trying to get better and not doing anything particularly special until 2016 when they were selected to perform at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Gala, they sold out their run, received a nomination for the illustrious Melbourne Comedy Festival Award for Best Show award for best show and went on to sell out shows throughout Australia and the UK. Also that year, to highlight the importance of marriage equality in Australia, Rhys publicly married lesbian and fellow comedian Zoe Coombs Marr at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Zoe won the award for best show. Rhys is fine with that.
With an enormous passion for performing stand up, their live work continues to receive awards and accolades around the world. Within two years they were nominated for an Aria Award for best Comedy Album, twice nominated for a The Helpmann Award for best Comedy Show and in 2018 they won the New Zealand Comedy Festival Best Show award. Alongside a booming stand-up career, Nicholson is fast becoming a favourite across our small screens too. With a whole bunch of TV credits in Australia including various acting roles, panels shows, a documentary and an hour stand up special commissioned by ABCTV. In 2018 Rhys was invited to film yet another of their shows for the the BBC making is UK TV debut at the prestigious BBC Broadcasting House in London. Later that year they would go on perform in the Comedy Central UK smash hit Roast Battle. Rhys lost and is fine with that. Then early 2019 the inconceivable happened and Rhys was hand picked to be one of three opening acts for Conan O'Brien during his Australian tour. Then a couple months later they were invited to Los Angeles where they made their USA television debut with a stand up spot on the Conan Show. Conan hugged Rhys. They were fine with it.
Never happy to sit still for very long, Nicholson is currently splitting their time between Australia, America and the UK where they have a number of exciting bookings and projects in development.- Producer
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Alan Ball is an American writer, director, and producer who is known for writing the acclaimed film American Beauty and creating the HBO series True Blood starring Anna Paquin. He also wrote the films Towelhead and Uncle Frank. He also created Here and Now, Six Feet Under, and Banshee. He won awards for American Beauty and True Blood.- Actor
- Producer
Jannik Schümann was born on 23 July 1992 in Hamburg, Germany. He is an actor and producer, known for Monster Hunter (2020), Center of My World (2016) and Barbara (2012).- Director
- Producer
- Writer
Todd Haynes was always interested in art, and made amateur movies and painted while he was still a child. He attended Brown university and majored in art and semiotics. After he graduated he moved to New York City and made the controversial short film Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story (1987). The movie uses dolls instead of actors to tell the the story of the late Karen Carpenter. The movie was a success at several film festivals, and because of a lawsuit by Richard Carpenter (over musical rights) is very hard to see but it is a true classic for bootleg video buyers. His first feature, Poison (1991) was even more controversial. The film was attacked by conservatives and Christians who said it was pornographic, but it won the Grand jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival. It is now considered a seminal work of the new queer cinema. His short film Dottie Gets Spanked (1993) was aired on PBS. His next feature film Safe (1995) told the story of a woman played by his good friend, Julianne Moore, suffering from a breakdown caused by a mysterious illness. Many thought the film was a metaphor of the Aids virus. The movie was considered to be an outstanding work and one of the best films of the year. In Velvet Goldmine (1998), starring Christian Bale and Ewan McGregor, he combines the visual style of 60s/70s art films and his love for glam rock music to tell the story of a fictional rock star's rise and fall. Far from Heaven (2002), set in the 1950s and starring Julianne Moore and Dennis Quaid, is about a Connecticut housewife who discovers that her husband is gay, and has an affair with her black gardener, played by Dennis Haysbert. The film was a critical and box office success, garnering four Academy Awards. It was hailed as a breakthrough for independent film, and brought Haynes mainstream recognition. With I'm Not There (2007), Haynes returned to the theme of musical legend bio, portraying Bob Dylan via seven fictive characters played by six different actors. The film brought him critical claim, with special attention to the casting of Cate Blanchett as arguably the most convincing of the Dylan characters, for which she received an Academy Award nomination. In 2011, Haynes directed Mildred Pierce, a five-hour miniseries for HBO starring Kate Winslet in the title role. His new feature film Carol (2015) with Cate Blanchett premiered at the Cannes International Festival 2015 to rave reviews and won Best Actress for Rooney Mara.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Graduate of famed LaGuardia High School of the Performing Arts.
Studied at Carnegie Mellon University's School of Drama.
Starred in the Roundabout Theater Company's revival production of David Rabe's Streamers, directed by Scott Ellis. ('08/'09 Season)
Played Jesus in the New York Premiere of Sarah Ruhl's Passion Play, spring/summer 2010- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Luke Macfarlane is a Canadian-American actor born on January 19th, 1980, in London, Ontario, Canada.
He is best known for his role as Scotty Wandell on the family drama television series Brothers & Sisters (2006) and D'avin Jaqobis on the space adventure series Killjoys (2015).
Luke is a lead star in Hallmark's productions. His first movie for Hallmark was The Memory Book (2014). Since that time he played in several productions for Hallmark Channel like Christmas Land (2015), The Mistletoe Promise (2016), Karen Kingsbury's Maggie's Christmas Miracle (2017) and A Valentine's Match (2020). But acting is not his only passion. He loves playing the cello and this skill was used in another Hallmark's movie Chateau Christmas (2020).
Luke working constantly on his career development joined the cast of Netflix's Christmas Rom-Com Single All the Way (2021) and the major studio film Bros (2022). He and his partner skier Hig Roberts welcomed their daughter Tess Eleanor Macfarlane on June 4, 2023- Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Alex Newell was born on 20 August 1992 in Lynn, Massachusetts, USA. He is an actor, known for Glee (2009), Geography Club (2013) and Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (2020).- Actor
- Production Designer
- Soundtrack
Ken Page is an African-American actor who is widely known for voicing Oogie Boogie from Disney's The Nightmare Before Christmas and it's various spin-offs and video games including Kingdom Hearts. He also acted in various movies and stage productions including All Dogs Go to Heaven, The Little Mermaid and Little Shop of Horrors.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Richard James Cosnett was born on April 6, 1983. Early life, grew up in Zimbabwe, moved to Australia and studied BFA Acting at QUT. He now lives in the USA. His work began in the theatre and has spread into film and television and producing. His great grandfather was the head of the Royal School of Music. He has 2 sisters and is a cousin of Hugh Grant.- Nathaniel is an actor, playwright and HIV activist from Manchester. His award-winning solo show 'First Time' about his life with HIV, received audience and critical acclaim on tour and at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2019. It will tour the U.K. in 2021. The play-text of First Time will be launched on World AIDS Day 2020 and is published by Nick Hern Books.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Tyger was born on 26th January 1996 in Epsom, Surrey. His career started at the age of nine when he was spotted by a top London agent whilst performing in a school production of Treasure Island. The agent was so impressed by Tyger's performance that she signed him up straight away. Just weeks later he recorded a voice-over campaign for Phillips.
A year later in 2007, Tyger got his first big break when he landed the role of Jake in the massively popular BBC sitcom Outnumbered. Tyger is also one of the main presenters in the popular CBBC magazine show Friday Download. He has also appeared in all 3 series of The Armstrong and Miller Show and has had a minor role in Doctors as well as playing 'Stuck-up Steve' in the 2011 film Horrid Henry.
In 2012 he appeared as one of the main characters in new CBBC show The Ministry of Curious Stuff. Tyger has voiced more than 200 voice-overs for TV and radio, as well as several characters for animation, including being the voice of 'Lester Large' in the children's animated series The Large Family. In 2009 Tyger was nominated for Best Newcomer at the British Comedy Awards.- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Waylon Payne was born on 5 April 1972 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Walk the Line (2005), Turnabout (2016) and Crazy (2008).- Producer
- Writer
- Director
Lee Daniels gave his parents an early Christmas present when he entered the world on December 24, 1959; unfortunately, the Philadelphia native was to have a difficult relationship with his police officer father who later reacted violently to his son's sexuality. Despite the brutality of his childhood, Lee completed high school and attended Lindenwood University in St.Charles, Missouri for two years.
Daniels's career took an interesting and profitable turn. He moved to Los Angeles and started a nursing agency of his own. He later sold the agency for a substantial sum then began his career in entertainment, first as a casting director and later as a manager. By his mid-twenties, he was working with Prince on Purple Rain (1984) and Under the Cherry Moon (1986). Despite being involved in film production, Lee continued to manage talent and grew a roster of clients that included several Academy Award nominees and winners.
He created his own production company, Lee Daniels Entertainment, and its first film was the acclaimed Monster's Ball (2001), which starred Billy Bob Thornton, the late Heath Ledger and Halle Berry, who went on to win the Best Actress Oscar. Monster's Ball was a critical and financial success and as its producer, Daniels became a force to be reckoned with.
In 2004, Lee used skills honed as a filmmaker to produce a series of public service announcements aimed at inspiring young people of color to vote. He worked with former President, Bill Clinton and was able to enlist actor/rap artist LL Cool J and actor/singer Alicia Keys. Lee's next production, The Woodsman (2004), was another edgy tale about a pedophile trying to reform after being released from prison and starred Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick and Yasiin Bey. While The Woodsman (2004) was not the critical success that Monster's Ball (2001) was, it attracted a great deal of critical attention and earned its star, Kevin Bacon, raves for his performance.
Daniels made his directorial debut with his next project, Shadowboxer (2005), a provocative drama with an intriguing cast that included Helen Mirren, Cuba Gooding Jr., Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Stephen Dorff. Shadowboxer (2005) was also the first time Lee worked with Mo'Nique; unfortunately, despite an interesting cast, Shadowboxer (2005) received mixed reviews and failed at the box office. Lee's next production, Tennessee (2008) was not a critical or financial success but allowed Lee to help singer 'Mariah Carey' gain acting credentials after the failure of her first film, Glitter (2001).
Daniels hit the mother lode with his next effort, Precious (2009), which he directed and produced. The film won at the Sundance Film Festival and has garnered every imaginable accolade under the sun. The film stars newcomer Gabourey Sidibe in the title role as a Harlem teen who is the victim of unimaginable abuse from her father, mother and society. The film allowed Daniels to re-team with both Mariah Carey and Mo'Nique, who has been a revelation to both critics and audiences as Precious's abusive mother. Daniels has said that he felt compelled to bring this story of child abuse to the screen to help heal the scars from his relationship with his abusive father.- Writer
- Actor
- Director
James Bridges was born on 3 February 1936 in Paris, Arkansas, USA. He was a writer and actor, known for The China Syndrome (1979), Perfect (1985) and The Paper Chase (1973). He died on 6 June 1993 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Nathan Lane is an American actor and singer from New Jersey who is known for playing Timon from The Lion King, Spot Helperman/Scott Leadready II from Teacher's Pet, Max Bialystock from The Producers, Snowball from Stuart Little, Hamegg from Astro Boy and Ernie Smuntz from Mouse Hunt. He is married to his husband Devlin Elliott since 2015.- Larger than life, Laughtonesque, and with an eloquent, king-sized appetite for maniacal merriment, a good portion of the work of actor Victor Buono was squandered on hokey villainy on both film and television. Ostensibly perceived as bizarre or demented, seldom did Hollywood give this cultivated cut-up the opportunity to rise above the deliciously hammy arrogance that flowed through so many of his cartoonish characters. He loved to make people laugh and while he could have approached his career with more serious attention, the real money was in his madness. In the end, the actor's chronic weight and accompanying health problems took their toll -- a fatal heart attack at the untimely age of 43 -- and a wonderful actor/writer/poet/chef had exited way before his time.
Born on February 3, 1938 in San Diego, California, the son of Victor Francis Buono and Myrtle Belle (née Keller), his interest in entertainment was originally encouraged by his grandmother, Myrtle Glied (1886-1969), who had once been a vaudevillian on the Orpheum Circuit. It was she who taught Victor how to sing and recite in front of company. His initial choice of career was somewhere in the direction of medicine but the pure joy he experienced from several high school performances (playing everything from Aladdin's evil genie to Hamlet himself) led him to dismiss such sensible thinking and take on the bohemian life style of an actor.
The already hefty-framed hopeful started appearing on local radio and television stations in San Diego. At age 18, he became a member of the Globe Theater Players where he was cast in Shakespeare and the classics ["Volpone", "A Midsummer Night's Dream", "Knight of the Burning Pestle", "The Man Who Came to Dinner", "Witness for the Prosecution", "Henry IV, Part I (as Falstaff)", "As You Like It", "Hamlet" (as Claudius)].
In 1959, a Warner Bros. agent happened to scope out the talent at the Globe Theatre and caught Victor's wonderfully robust portrayal of Falstaff (a role he would return to now and then) and gave him a screen test. Looking older than he was, the studio set upon using Victor in weird and wacky ways, such as his bearded poet Bongo Benny in an episode of 77 Sunset Strip (1958). His wry and witty demeanor, fixed stare, huge girth and goateed mug was guaranteed to put him in nearly every television crime story needing an off-the-wall character or outlandish villain.
Following an unbilled appearance in The Story of Ruth (1960), Victor was intriguingly cast by director Robert Aldrich to play Edwin Flagg, the creepy musical accompanist and opportunist who tries to use one-time child celebrity Bette Davis for his own piggy bank in the gothic horror classic What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962). He held his own beautifully opposite the scenery-chewing Davis and was nominated for a Best Supporting Oscar for his efforts. This role also set the tone for the increasingly deranged characters he would go on to play.
Cast as the title menace in The Strangler (1964), Victor delved wholeheartedly into the sick mind of a mother-obsessed murderer and offered a startling, tense portrayal of a child-like monster who gives new meaning to the art of "necking" with women. Director Aldrich used Victor again (albeit too briefly) for his Southern-baked "Grand Guignol" horror Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964) this time as Ms. Davis' crazed father. Victor also showed up in The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) starring Max von Sydow where he flamboyantly took on the High Priest Sorak role in this epic but criticized retelling of Jesus.
He enhanced a number of lightweight 1960s movies including 4 for Texas (1963), Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964), The Silencers (1966) and Who's Minding the Mint? (1967) with his clever banter and gleeful menace. The lurid title said it all when Victor gamely took on the horror movie The Mad Butcher (1971) [aka The Strangler of Vienna] wherein he played a former mental patient preying on women again. This deranged low-budget German/Italian co-production added a "Sweeney Todd" meatpie tie in.
Victor's hearty, scene-stealing antics dominated late 1960s television series. Recurring madmen included his Count Carlos Manzeppi on The Wild Wild West (1965) and King Tut who habitually wreaked havoc on Gotham City on Batman (1966). One could always find his unsympathetic presence somewhere on a prime-time channel (Perry Mason (1957), Get Smart (1965), I Spy (1965)) but his roles ended up more campy than challenging. However, one heartfelt, serious portrayal was his portrayal of President William Howard Taft in the epic miniseries Backstairs at the White House (1979). Elsewhere, he recorded a self-effacing comedy album ("Victor Buono: Heavy!") and even wrote comic poetry ("Victor Buono: It Could Be Verse". He was indeed a sought-after raconteur on daytime and nighttime talk shows.
Continuing with the theatre but on a more infrequent basis, his one-man stage shows included "Just We Three", "Remembrance of Things Past" and "This Would I Keep". He also appeared as Pellinore opposite Robert Goulet and Carol Lawrence in a 1975 performance of "Camelot" and earned minor cult status for his memorable performance in the play "Last of the Marx Brothers' Writers" in a return to the Old Globe Theatre in 1977.
The never-married actor felt compelled to conceal his homosexuality. A well-regarded gourmet chef and an expert on Shakespeare, he died of a massive heart attack at his ranch in Apple Valley, California on January 1, 1982. Before his death was announced, Buono had just been cast in the Broadway-bound play "Whodunnit?" by Anthony Shaffer. The show finally arrived in New York without him and almost a year to his death (December 30, 1982). - Director
- Writer
- Editor
Kenneth Anger grew up in Hollywood and started out as a child actor, but his interest in filmmaking was evident at an early age: he made his first film, Who Has Been Rocking My Dreamboat (1941) , at age 14.
Anger developed into one of the pioneers of the American underground film movement. His gritty, violent, often homosexual-themed films were too strong for American audiences of the time, and many of his productions were filmed in Europe, mainly France.
However, Anger is best known for authoring the landmark "Hollywood Babylon" book series, which detailed a far seamier side of the Hollywood film industry than most people were aware.- David Paisley grew up in Glen Village near Falkirk with his mother and his five brothers. Shy and with low self-esteem David was bullied at primary school because of his poor background. Even though he had 'a few girlfriends' he was always more aware that he was attracted to boys and at 15 headed to a gay youth group where he eventually met his first boyfriend. At 17, he went to Glasgow University to study Physics (and later to Caledonian university to study Optometry) where he began to become more confident and at 18, finally came out to his family who were very supportive, even helping him start a grassroots website to combat the "Keep the Clause" campaign. It was during his gap year that David got his first taste of acting when he appeared in a community workshop, but he was unsure about pursuing acting as a career, and continued to stay at university until he heard about an open audition for a show called Tinsel Town. After a lot of coaxing from friends he auditioned and landed the part of 17-year-old Ryan Taylor who falls in love with a man twice his age. The role brought him into the public eye and after appearing in the second series of Tinsel Town (as well as landing a guest spot on As If and appearing in a few theatre productions) David landed the part of gay midwife Ben Saunders in BBC1's popular medical soap Holby City. During his time on the show, his character became involved in one of the show's first major 'cross-over' storylines with its sister show Casualty, where his kiss with his on-screen boyfriend attracted 114 complaints from viewers. But having relocated to London, David soon began to miss his friends, family and partner and decided to leave the show in 2003 to move back up to Glasgow. David and his boyfriend Alex, then went traveling for year in Brazil, giving him some time off. Now back in the UK, next up for David is trying to help get the film adaptation of David Leavitt's While England Sleeps up and running, in which he will take the lead role of Edward Phelan.
- Charlie Barnett was born on 4 February 1988 in Sarasota, Florida, USA. He is an actor, known for Men in Black³ (2012), Private Romeo (2011) and Russian Doll (2019).
- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Bryan can be seen as Josh Russo on the Fox series "9-1-1." He can also be seen on "The Big Bang Theory," "Superstore," "Modern Family" and played Alan Lowenstein on "Young and Hungry." He is also the co-host of the Throwing shade podcast, and won an Emmy for his work on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. He was a Groundlings Sunday Company member and also was a Maude team performer at UCB.- Attractive, dark-featured character actor with a voice like thunder, and eyes like a wolf, who was featured in less than sympathetic roles throughout his career. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Albert Paul Shenar attended the University of Wisconsin. Soon after graduation, he relocated to New York City, where he quickly landed roles on the stage. These experiences led to a Broadway debut in 'Tiny Alice' as 'Brother Julian.' After a few satiating years on and off Broadway, Paul found himself again relocating, this time to Philadelphia. It was here where he made a considerable contribution to the arts. Along with fellow actors Rene Auberjonois and Bill Ball, to name a few, he co-founded the American Conservatory Theater, where he was not only a regular performer until the day he died, but a teacher and advisor as well. From there, roles on television, and the big screen followed. Shenar made a splash, portraying Orson Welles in The Night That Panicked America (1975). He received some of the best reviews of his career for this famous television film. Soon after he received more for his portrayal of another famous celebrity, as Florenz Ziegfeld in Ziegfeld: The Man and His Women (1978). He continued working steadily on television, even appearing in shot-for-television replacement footage for the disaster film, Two-Minute Warning (1976). And then feature films came calling. Shenar turned in credible and memorable performances in film, such as the diabolical Bolivian drug lord Alejandro Sosa, in Brian De Palma's Scarface (1983) (1983), and most notably, voicing the evil conspiring rat, "Jenner", in Don Bluth's The Secret of NIMH (1982). Other roles of note include Dr. Lawrence in Luc Besson's The Big Blue (1988), Joshua Adams in Deadly Force (1983), Paulo Rocca in the action packed Arnold Schwarzenegger film, Raw Deal (1986), and Ben Gardner, the father of a troubled Kristy McNichol, in Alan J. Pakula's Dream Lover (1986), respectively. Though not a household name in his time, his candor, energy, and aesthetic performances have left a long lasting impression, that only gets better with age, and will not soon be forgotten.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Evan Todd was born on 25 February 1989 in Kissimmee, Osceola County, Florida, USA. He is an actor, known for Sydney White (2007), 4th Man Out (2015) and Blindspot (2015).- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Joel Alexander Kim Booster is an American actor, comedian, producer, and writer. He co-produced and wrote for Big Mouth and The Other Two and as an actor has appeared on Shrill, Search Party, and Sunnyside. In 2022, he wrote, produced, and starred in the Hulu romantic comedy Fire Island, a modern adaptation of Pride and Prejudice with a main cast of Asian American actors.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Bobby Steggert was born on 2 March 1981 in Frederick, Maryland, USA. He is an actor, known for Kinsey (2004), For Richer or Poorer (1997) and All My Children (1970).- Actor
- Soundtrack
Justice Elio Smith is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Franklin Webb in the 2018 science fiction film Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Tim Goodman in Pokémon Detective Pikachu and Theodore Finch in All the Bright Places. Smith was born in California. Smith graduated from the Orange County School of the Arts in 2013 and has performed in shows around Orange County.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Mo Rocca was born on 28 January 1969 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for The 64th Annual Tony Awards (2010), Bewitched (2005) and Wishbone (1995).- Actor
- Writer
Devon Graye was born on 8 March 1987 in Mountain View, California, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Nope (2022), I See You (2019) and 13 Sins (2014).- Actor
- Producer
Jordan Gavaris was born on 25 September 1989 in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. He is an actor and producer, known for The Lake (2022), Hacks (2021) and Orphan Black (2013).- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Mitchell Lichtenstein was born on 10 March 1956 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Teeth (2007), The Wedding Banquet (1993) and Happy Tears (2009).- Actor
- Writer
- Music Department
Born in Glasgow, Scotland, and raised in Joliet, Illinois. He returned to the UK, for a 6 month Shakespeare semester with the United States International University of San Diego, but left to star in the musical production of "Anything Goes," with Elaine Paige. He went on to star in "Miss Saigon," "Matador," "Rope," and "Hair" at London's West End. Barrowman has homes in London and Cardiff, Wales.- Producer
- Editor
- Director
- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Xavier Dolan was born on 20 March 1989 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He is an actor and producer, known for I Killed My Mother (2009), Tom at the Farm (2013) and Heartbeats (2010).- Rik Barnett was born on 20 March 1989 in Macclesfield, Cheshire, England, UK. He is an actor, known for Rebels Without a Clue (2010), Fifty Shades of Grey Gardens (2014) and Hart (2009).
- Jaye was born in Riverside, California in 1968, the son of a Ghanaian father and English mother. The family left for England when Jaye was two and a half. Jaye left school at 16 and had been alternately unemployed and doing odd jobs (running for a production company, working in a factory) ever since. Jaye had no real acting experience when discovered by a casting associate at a wrap party for Derek Jarman's Edward II (1991). He was working as a fashion designer at that time and took the role for the money. He was cast to play Dil in The Crying Game (1992), which became a sleeper hit that shocked audiences worldwide and, in 1992, was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor for Jaye. His overnight stardom earned him his next big role as the sun god Ra opposite James Spader and Kurt Russell in the blockbuster Stargate (1994). Since his brush with movie fame, Jaye has spent his time doing big-name fashion shoots: Steven Meisel for Italian Vogue, Michael Roberts for Joseph, and a GAP ad by Annie Leibovitz. He accompanied Kate Moss to the British Fashion Awards, and in Paris at Valentino's jet-set party in honor of Sharon Stone, he accompanied Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington.
- Music Department
- Actor
- Composer
Blake Ewing is an American composer for visual media.
He believes in music - and in its wonderful power to be cohesive, moving, influential, emotive, subdued, deferential, caustic, achingly beautiful, full of character, simplistic, complex and/or virtually any other adjective one can think of.
His other interests include indie music, architecture, college basketball, and old school EPCOT Center.- Actress
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Alexandra Billings is an American actress, singer, and teacher. Billings, a trans woman, played one of TV's first openly transgender characters in 2005 made-for-TV movie Romy and Michele: In the Beginning. She is also known for portraying the recurring character Davina in the Amazon series Transparent and has played transgender characters in ER, Eli Stone, How to Get Away with Murder, Never Have I Ever, Grey's Anatomy and The Conners.- Actor
- Composer
Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Joey Pollari started his acting career when he attended a scouting event in downtown Minneapolis. He received callbacks the next day from agents who wanted to represent him. Pollari took acting lessons from the Stagecoach Theatre Arts. Pollari has appeared in stage productions at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in Saint Paul, and the SteppingStone Theatre for Youth Development, also in Saint Paul. On April 30, 2006, Pollari appeared as a newsboy in "The Hen House", an episode of the police procedural television series Cold Case. The Walt Disney Company cast him in Skyrunners, a 2009 Disney XD Original Movie about two brothers who stumble upon a spaceship that is sought after by the FBI agents and space aliens. The film, which was shot in New Zealand, premiered on Disney XD on November 27, 2009. He was fifteen years old when it first aired. In 2010, he starred in the Disney film Avalon High (2010), with Britt Robertson and Gregg Sulkin. In 2012, Joey headlined MTV's series The Inbetweeners (2012), which took a comedic look at a group of teenagers navigating high school and charging into adulthood. The show, based on the hit UK series and movie of the same title, premiered August 2012. In 2016, Joey starred in the 2nd season of the ABC series, "American Crime," created by John Ridley ("12 Years A Slave"), as accused perpetrator Eric Tanner, for which he gained critical acclaim. Joey made his major film debut in the 2018 teen romance Love, Simon (2018), playing a friendly waiter, Lyle. Then, in 2019, he supported the indie feature "The Obituary of Tunde Johnson" directed by Ali LeRoi ("Everybody Hates Chris"). He has since gone onto release music under his own name with his debut album, "About Men," in 2019 for which he directed music videos.- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Michael Carmen Pitt (born April 10, 1981) is an American actor, model and musician. A casting agent, whom Pitt mistook as a police officer attempting to arrest him, noticed him and recommended him for a guest role on the television series Dawson's Creek (1998) (he played Henry Parker in 15 episodes between 1999 and 2000).
Rising through the ranks of indie cinema, Michael starred in dramas like Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001), The Dreamers (2003), and Last Days (2005), along with roles in the thrillers Murder by Numbers (2002) and Funny Games (2007). Moving back to television, he played Jimmy Darmody on Boardwalk Empire (2010) and Mason Verger in Hannibal (2013). In 2017, he appears opposite Scarlett Johansson in the science fiction action adaptation Ghost in the Shell (2017).- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Simon Callow was born on 13 June 1949 in London, England, UK. He is an actor and writer, known for Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), Shakespeare in Love (1998) and A Room with a View (1985). He has been married to Sebastian Fox since June 2016.- Humanist. Filmmaker. Actor. Born in Melbourne, Australia 1990. Los Angeles 5 years. Based in the Netherlands. FR, IT, NL.
"I sing the body electric, The armies of those I love engirth me and I engirth them, They will not let me off till I go with them, respond to them, And discorrupt them, and charge them full with the charge of the soul"- Walt Whitman
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Lanford Wilson was born on 13 April 1937 in Lebanon, Missouri, USA. He was a writer, known for The Migrants (1974), American Playhouse (1980) and Lemon Sky (1988). He died on 24 March 2011 in Wayne, New Jersey, USA.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Born in London, England, John Gielgud trained at Lady Benson's Acting School and RADA, London. Best known for his Shakespearean roles in the theater, he first played Hamlet at the age of 26. He worked under the tutelage of Lilian Bayliss with friend and fellow performer Laurence Olivier and other contemporaries of the National Theatre at the "Old Vic", London. He made his screen debut in 1924. Academy Award Best Supporting Actor, 1981, for Arthur (1981), Academy Award Nomination, 1964, for Becket (1964).- Sean Maher is well known to television and film audiences for his role as Dr. Simon Tam in Joss Whedon's feature Serenity. The film was based on the critically acclaimed series Firefly.
Maher was born and raised in New York, where he attended the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. He moved to Los Angeles after landing the coveted title role in the FOX drama Ryan Caufield: Year One. Upon the cancellation of that series, Maher secured a holding deal with FOX and collaborated with the network on the well-loved series Party of Five as well as Darren Star's The $treet.
With the birth of his daughter in 2007, Maher took a few years off from acting to be a stay-at-home dad.
Additional TV credits include The Mentalist, Human Target, and Warehouse 13.
In 2011 while playing closeted gay man Sean Beasely in 1960s Chicago on NBC's provocative The Playboy Club, Maher used the role as a platform to come out publicly as a gay man himself. Entertainment Weekly graciously covered the story and Maher regards that decision as one of the highlights of his professional career.
Sean appeared in the Season 2 finale of Looking for HBO, directed by Andrew Haigh. Additionally, he was seen recurring as Mark Scheffer (aka Shrapnel) on the hit series Arrow for The CW. Maher won praise for his portrayal of Don John in Joss Whedon's feature film adaptation of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing and starred in the indie sci-fi feature ISRA-88, as well as the feature People You May Know. He starred opposite Academy Award Nominee June Squibb in the short film The Visit.
Maher reunited with many of his Firefly colleagues for the series Con Man.
He is also the voice of Nightwing for the Warner Bros/DC Comics animated universe.
Maher is a yoga enthusiast and LGBT advocate. In 2016, he married his partner of 10 years, Paul. He has two children. - Taylor Trensch was born in Tampa, Florida, USA. He is an actor, known for Your Monster (2024), Evil (2019) and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999).
- Ben Levi Ross was born on 15 January 1998 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is an actor, known for tick, tick... BOOM! (2021), River Fork (2021) and Acting for a Cause (2020).
- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Noah could be seen playing 'Kenny' in ABC's comedy The Real O'Neals (2016) which premiered in March 2016. He now stars on the show The Good Doctor (2017) as Dr. Asher Wolke.
Noah is most proud of his critically acclaimed work off- Broadway at theaters such as the Signature, Playwrights Horizons, MCC, The Vineyard, The Public, The Culture Project, The Flea, The Wild Project, New York Theater Workshop, the Barrow Street Theater, Rattlestick, Ensemble Studio Theater, and many others. He is a recipient of Audiofile Magazine's Earphones Award for his narration of Hollis Seamon's novel Somebody Up There Hates You. His other audiobook work includes Perks of Being a Wallflower, Matthew Quick's Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock, and more. Additional credits include the celebrated short films "Promiseland" and "Welcome to the Wayne".- Actor
- Soundtrack
Matt Doyle is a Tony Award Winning actor best known for his work on Broadway stages. He won a 2022 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical, for his work in the acclaimed revival of Company on Broadway. Matt made his Broadway debut at the age of 19 in Spring Awakening and appeared in several hits including War Horse and The Book of Mormon.
In film and television, Matt is best known for his work on Gossip Girl and Private Romeo.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Mark Indelicato is best known for his pivotal role as 'Justin Suarez' in the hit ABC series Ugly Betty (2006). He was most recently seen in Gregg Araki's film White Bird in a Blizzard (2014), co-starring opposite Gabourey Sidibe and Shailene Woodley.
After his four seasons on Ugly Betty (2006), Indelicato decided to take a break from acting to study International Relations and Gender Studies at NYU Gallatin and has been living in New York City for the last four years. During his time at NYU, Indelicato's studies led him to a semester-long internship at the Clinton Global Initiative.- Writer
- Music Department
- Actor
Sam Harris' diversified career has run the gamut from actor on Broadway, film and television to writer, singer, songwriter, director, producer, and author.
Known as "the original American Idol," Sam pulled a weekly audience of more than 25 million viewers on the premiere season of "Star Search," winning the title, Grand Champion, and the hearts of America. Jimmy Fallon called Sam's performance of Over the Rainbow "One of the greatest performances ever on television. Ever!"
His debut album, "Sam Harris," and the follow-up, "Sam-I-Am" both reached platinum status. "Standard Time" and "Different Stages" (both produced and conducted by the legendary Peter Matz) have been listed on numerous "Top 100 Records of All Time" lists. Other albums include "The Best of the Motown Sessions," "Revival," "On this Night," "Always," and "Sam Harris Live! - The Best of Christmas." His album "Free" features "Change is on the Way," which was written for and utilized by the Barack Obama Campaign. he co-wrote the anthem "My Reclamation," which was penned in response to Proposition 8, demanding equal LGBTQ marriage rights, and the anti-bullying song, "Don't Yuk my Yum." He can also be heard on numerous guest artist and cast recordings. Rolling Stone Magazine listed him as one of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time."
Sam has toured extensively in concert and has played to sold-out audiences at major venues including New York's Carnegie Hall, Los Angeles' Universal Amphitheatre, London's West End, with the Boston Pops, and many philharmonics across the country.
On Broadway, Sam received a Drama Desk nomination for his role in Tommy Tune's "Grease" and a Drama-League Award as well as a Tony, Outer Critic's Circle, and Drama Desk nominations for his work in Cy Coleman's "The Life." He also appeared on Broadway in Mel Brooks' "The Producers," and in the Broadway National Tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber's production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat."
Sam has also starred in such musicals as "Jesus Christ Superstar," "Cabaret," "Hair," "Pippin," "The First Wives Club," "The Jazz Singer," and the self-penned shows "Hard Copy," "Different Hats," and "Revival" as well as the smash hit one man show "Sam," which was the most critically-acclaimed show of the Los Angeles season. In New York, he and long-time friend Liza Minnelli mounted "Schmoolie & Minnooli" - a concert of duets celebrating their friendship and the songs they love.
Sam has appeared at The White House, on numerous television specials and live productions, and has guested on virtually every talk show, his favorite being when he performed a stirring "You'll Never Walk Alone" on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in the week following September 11th. Oprah said, "Sam could make Jesus walk through the door!"
Sam's chameleonic career took a new turn as the hilarious Perry Pearl on the CBS sitcom, The Class, winning a People's Choice Award and prompting columnist Liz Smith to call him "the comedy breakout character of the television season." He has guest-starred on various series, several films, and was given his own segment on television's EXTRA called "Six Degrees of Sam."
Behind the scenes, Sam co-wrote the sitcom, Down to Earth, which ran for 4 years on TNT, and the Los Angeles stage musical Hurry! Hurry! Hollywood! (both with Bruce H. Newberg). He also co-produced the television special Love Letter to New York, supervised and directed segments of Michael Jackson's 30th Anniversary at Madison Square Garden, wrote music for the award-winning film Little Man, and co-wrote Liza's at the Palace, which won the 2009 Tony Award. He created and directed the concert event, New York's Finest - Broadway's Leading Men to critical acclaim, and he is the co-creator/producer of The Stay Proud Project television series.
His autobiographical book "Ham: Slices of a Life" (Simon & Schuster) received raves across the board and was developed into the one-man musical "Ham: A Musical Memoir," which played to resounding success in New York and Los Angeles, winning three prestigious Ovation Awards for Best Musical, Best Actor, and Best Musical Direction (for longtime colleague Todd Schroeder). HAM was then filmed as the Pasadena Playhouse, debuted in Laemmle Theatres, and is now in wide release on all streaming platforms.
His next book, this time literary fiction entitled "The Substance of All Things," has been praised by prominent book review publications and is in development to become a limited series.
Sam is married to successful businessman, Danny Jacobsen, and they are the proud fathers of Cooper Harris-Jacobsen.- Actor
- Producer
Chad Allen was born on 5 June 1974 in Cerritos, California, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (1993), TerrorVision (1986) and Happy New Year, Charlie Brown (1986).- Actor
- Soundtrack
Ben Daniels is a multi-award winning performer who is equally at home whether working in Film, Television or Theatre. He was born in the Midlands and became interested in acting through drama lessons while at comprehensive school. He began his career after leaving London's prestigious LAMDA drama school. His early work in theatres around the UK led to him being cast as Richard Loeb, one of the two Chicago "thrill killers" who murdered a nine-year-old boy in John Logan's factual play, "Never the Sinner", at London's Playhouse Theatre. His performance earned him a nomination for Best Supporting Actor in that year's Laurence Olivier Awards and has led to a highly respected theatre career, notably "Martin Yesterday" by Canadian writer Brad Fraser for which he received a M.E.N. nomination for Best Actor, "As You Like It" (TMA Supporting Actor award nomination), "All My Sons" receiving an Olivier Award and a Whatsonstage Award for Supporting Actor and, most recently, starring opposite Academy Award nominee Laura Linney in the Broadway revival of Christopher Hampton's "Les Liaisons Dangereuses", for which he received a Tony Nomination for Best Actor, A Theatre World Award for Breakthrough Broadway Performance, a Drama Desk nomination for Distinguished Performance and an Outer Critics Circle nomination for Outstanding Performance.
Ben's television breakthrough came playing philandering "Finn Bevan" in three seasons of the BAFTA-nominated BBC series Cutting It (2002). Other notable television work includes the late, great Frank Deasy's hard-hitting drama Real Men (2003) and the controversial The Passion (2008), playing "Caiaphas"; "Francis Walsingham" in The Virgin Queen (2005); HBO's Conspiracy (2001); Ian Fleming in Ian Fleming: Bondmaker (2005); the political thriller The State Within (2006) and, more recently, four seasons of the acclaimed ITV drama, Law & Order: UK (2009), as senior crown prosecutor "James Steel".
His diverse film work includes the religious fanatic "Goat" in Doom (2005); "Leopold the Tutor" in Daisy von Scherler Mayer's Madeline (1998); neo-hippy "Tony" in Beautiful Thing (1996); "DJ Bob" in Michael Winterbottom's I Want You (1998); "Augustin Robert", the soldier who falls in love with a leopard, in Passion in the Desert (1997), the sadistic "Danny" in Noli's disturbing Married/Unmarried (2001) and the also excellent Luna (2014), written and directed by cult artist and graphic novelist Dave McKean.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Jonathan David Bennett was born in Rossford, Ohio, to RuthAnne (Mason) and Dr. David Paul Bennett. He headed straight to New York to pursue acting after graduating from the theater program at Otterbein. He was actually discovered by an agent while sitting on a train. Six months later he signed on to the iconic soap opera "All My Children," playing J.R. Chandler. Since then Jonathan's career has been on fire. He has appeared in a slew of teen comedies, side-by-side with some of the biggest and brightest stars of their time including; "Cheaper by the Dozen 2" (with Steve Martin) and "Lovewrecked" (with Amanda Bynes). He also stepped into and took over the iconic role replacing Ryan Reynolds as Van Wilder in "Van Wilder: Freshman Year."- Mitch Morris was born in Corpus Christi, Texas and raised in a suburb named Portland. He graduated from Gregory-Portland High School in 1998. As a trumpet player, he was offered a music scholarship to the University of North Texas, but turned it down to study Radio, Television and Film. He earned his BA from California State University, Northridge. After moving to Los Angeles, he first appeared in a commercial for American Eagle Outfitters, before making guest appearances on shows such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, ER and Presidio Med.
In 2003, Mitch made his stage debut in the LA revival of the Pulitzer-Prize nominated play, Summertree. Openly gay in real life, he played several gay roles, such as the Todd Stephens sex-comedy, Another Gay Movie (2006), and had led the "pink posse", as Cody Bell on Showtime's Queer as Folk. He played other roles as well, such as CIA tech-genius, Ken Watkins, on Jerry Bruckheimer's E-Ring and the police drama Honor (2006). He ended his acting career with the short film "Up One Night" (2009). He later earned a law degree and practiced as a lawyer for a short time in California. Then, he attended Sarah Lawrence College where he earned an MFA in creative writing. He started writing professionally and also became a professor at Purchase College. He lives in New York City. - Actor
- Director
- Producer
Jonah Blechman was born in San Mateo County, California, USA. He is an actor and director, known for This Boy's Life (1993), Flytrap (2015) and Treasure Island (1999).- A chameleon-like actor who effortlessly glides between light comedy (The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy (2000)), musical theater (Broadway's "Cabaret") and drama (Boys Don't Cry (1999)), Matt McGrath was hilarious as the Italian detective in Stanley Tucci's The Impostors (1998) and memorable as the annoying but adorable boyfriend in The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy (2000). He has performed regionally on stages across the country and hones his craft in independent film gems, excelling in ensemble pieces. On the small screen, he turned in a chilling portrayal of real-life convicted killer Chris Pritchard in the TV mini-series, Cruel Doubt (1992), opposite Blythe Danner and Gwyneth Paltrow. He filmed a role in Anthony Minghella's The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), but unfortunately ended up on the cutting room floor.
- Actor
- Composer
- Soundtrack
Daniel Newman was born in Atlanta, Georgia and grew up in a small rural farm town outside the city. He briefly studied at Yale University before moving to Brooklyn, NY. In New York Daniel was a struggling musician for a while, travelling and gigging with his band around the city and around the east coast, before being scouted by legendary photographer Bruce Weber. This chance encounter led to Daniel modelling for almost all of the top designers including Calvin Klein, Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, and Tommy Hilfiger as well as appearing on the covers of and in editorials of numerous magazines worldwide. Daniel returned to NYC and enrolled in William Esper's acting school to study and work on his craft. Soon Daniel also began working on several television series and films, as well as writing several scripts. Currently, Daniel is producing a rock album with legendary producer Tony Shimkin. Daniel's band is called The Vanderbilts.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Connor Jessup was born in Toronto, Canada. Acting since the age of eleven, he is best known for his roles in Netflix's fantasy series Locke & Key (2020) and in the Emmy-winning ABC drama American Crime (2015). Other notable roles include acclaimed performances in the independent films Blackbird (2012) and Closet Monster (2015).
Jessup is also a writer, director and producer. He directed the documentary A.W. A Portrait of Apichatpong Weerasethakul (2018) for the Criterion Collection, and has written and directed several shorts -- including Boy (2015) and Lira's Forest (2017). He runs a production company, Big & Quiet Pictures, with producer Ashley Shields-Muir.- Actor
- Producer
- Music Department
Proclaimed by many critics as one of the best young actors of his generation, Benjamin John Whishaw was born in Clifton, Bedfordshire, to Linda (Hope), who works in cosmetics, and Jose Whishaw, who works in information technology. He has a twin brother, James. He is of French, German, Russian (father) and English (mother) descent.
Ben attended Samuel Whitbread Community College where his interest in theatre grew and he became a member of the Bancroft Players Youth Theatre at Hitchin's Queen Mother Theatre. During his time there he rose to prominence in many productions, most notably If This Is a Man, based on the book of the same name by Primo Levi, a survivor of Nazi World War II prisoner of war camp. The play was taken to the Edinburgh Festival in 1995 where it garnered five-star reviews and great critical acclaim with Ben Whishaw getting rave reviews for his portrayal of Levi.
Ben then enrolled in, RADA from where he graduated in 2004 and soon landed the role of Hamlet in Trevor Nunn's 2004 production making him one of the youngest actors to portray Hamlet on-stage. Hamlet opened to rave reviews with many critics hailing Ben as the next Laurence Olivier and applauding his portrayal of Hamlet with leading critics haling the birth of a star. Whishaw's film and TV credits include Layer Cake (2004) and Christopher Morris 2005 sitcom Nathan Barley (2005), in which he played a character called Pingu. He was named "Most Promising Newcomer" at the 2001 British Independent Film Awards (for My Brother Tom (2001)) and, in 2005, nominated as best actor in four award ceremonies for his Hamlet. He also played Keith Richards in the Stephen Woolley biopic Stoned (2005). Whishaw played in Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006) as Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, a perfume maker whose craft turns deadly getting raves once again for his stunning portrayal. Whishaw appeared in 2007's I'm Not There (2007) as one of the Bob Dylan reincarnations and in 2008 in Criminal Justice (2008) a TV series. He appears in the forthcoming films The Tempest (2010) and Bright Star (2009).- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Andrew Keenan-Bolger is an actor, director, author and filmmaker. He recently starred as "Jesse Tuck" in Tuck Everlasting on Broadway (Drama League Award nominee). He created the role of "Crutchie" in the Original Broadway Cast of Newsies (Outer Critics Circle nominee). Other Broadway: Mary Poppins, Seussical, Beauty and the Beast, A Christmas Carol. Film: "Billy Frazier" in The Rewrite starring Hugh Grant, Marci X, Are You Joking? TV: "Nurse Jackie" (Showtime), "Looking" (HBO), "Naked Brothers Band" (Nickelodeon), "One Life to Live." B.F.A. from the University of Michigan. His work as a filmmaker has been profiled in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone, The Associated Press and New York Magazine. Director of the award winning short films Sign and The Ceiling Fan Along with collaborator, Kate Wetherhead, he is the co-creator the critically acclaimed webseries, "Submissions Only" (www.submissionsonly.com) and co-author of the new children's series "Jack & Louisa" (Penguin Random House).- Actor
- Additional Crew
Elliot Fletcher was born in Los Angeles, California. He is an actor, known for Shameless, The Fosters, Faking It, and Young Hollywood. Additionally, Elliot has worked in the theater with several productions and has performed his original music compositions for local audiences. He was selected to be included on the 2017 Forbes 30 Under 30 List. Elliot looks forward to a long and rewarding career.- Jason was first introduced to worldwide audiences as Logan Fowler in the hit TV series Baywatch, a Show viewed by a billion people across 142 countries. After 3 years on the show he walked away from Hollywood, and returned to stage school to study theatre, to complete his training with renowned acting teacher Sanford Meisner. He has taken on controversial roles both on stage & screen, including Greg Araki's film Nowhere with Christina Applegate and Heather Graham, the much acclaimed Eroica, directed by Paul Warner, Adam Meggido 's The End of the Sentence, Mad Cow Girl directed by Greg Hatanaka, and Greek Directed by Australian actor and director Marcus Graham, at the Power House Theatre in New Farm Qld. Sharknado bought Tasmanian born actor Jaason Simmons back into the international spotlight. He has presently four movies in pre-production. The upcoming projects like Jason are diverse. A new Australian Sci Fy series 3010 where he will play a futuristic Super Soldier. A comedy with British comic genus John Cleese. An Australian drama based on the true life story of underground free style flightier Zane Dirani. A thriller to be shot in the state of Georgia. And lastly Jason will be co hosting an Australian produced Environmental Documentary about our Oceans and how that impacts the consumer.
- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
CONRAD RICAMORA is an award-winning actor-singer-writer. He will next be seen as a series regular in the Hulu comedy "How To Die Alone," created and co-starring Natasha Rothwell. He was a series regular for six seasons opposite Viola Davis on ABC's "How To Get Away With Murder." He was also a recurring on FOX's "The Resident."
On the film side, he most recently portrayed Will (aka 'Mr. Darcy') in the Emmy nominated, Gotham Award-winning film "Fire Island" with Bowen Yang and Joel Kim Booster
Conrad is also a Grammy-nominated Broadway singer/actor. He is currently starring in the critically acclaimed Off-Broadway hit "Oh, Mary!" at the Lucille Lortel Theater. Before that he starred in Broadway's "Here Lies Love'' written by David Byrne and FatBoy Slim. Additional credits include Seymour in "The Little Shop of Horrors" at the West Side Theater and "The King and I" at Lincoln Center.
As an activist, Conrad has won the Visibility Award from the Human Rights Campaign and Equality California.- Michael was born and raised in Fresno, California. There he found a love for art, music and life- Performing in almost every local talent show, family gathering and theater, he learned how to sing, act, play piano and dance. Realizing a need for greater opportunities, Michael traveled to Los Angeles and booked his first Little Debbie Commercial at the age of thirteen where he sang "My Girl". Michael continues to pursue both acting and music, writing and performing his original songs.
- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Taylor Negron was born Brad Stephen Negron in Glendale, California, to Lucy (Rosario) and Conrad Negron, who was mayor of Indian Wells, CA. His parents were both of Puerto Rican descent. Negron attended UCLA, studied acting with Lee Strasberg, and studied comedy at a private seminar taught by Lucille Ball. He went on to join the cast of an improvisational comedy group, whose ranks included talents like Robin Williams, Martin Short and Betty Thomas. In 1982 Negron made his motion-picture debut as a love-struck, pill-popping, dancing intern in Young Doctors in Love (1982) and as the obviously peeved Mr. Pizza Guy in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982). He also played Rodney Dangerfield's son-in-law in Easy Money (1983).
Negron was honored with the distinction of being asked to teach one of the first comedy courses offered at UCLA.
Negron died of cancer on January 10, 2015.- David Ames was born on 10 August 1983. He is an actor, known for Holby City (1999), Doctor Who: The Adventure Games - The Gunpowder Plot (2011) and Doctor Who (2005).
- Actor
- Composer
- Director
Joshua Bassett, born in Oceanside, California, to Taylor and Laura Bassett, is a singer, dancer, and actor. Starting at the age of seven, Joshua has performed in over thirty musical theatre productions, and acted in numerous commercials/ short films. He has five sisters who are involved in theatre as well. Not only does he enjoy being on camera, but behind the camera whenever possible.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Michael Urie is a native Texan who was active in Speech and Drama all through high school at Plano Senior High School. He trained in theater studies at Collin County Community College in Plano before going to The Juilliard School where he was recipient of the John Houseman prize for excellence in classical theater and the Laura Pels award for a career in the theater.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Beginning his life with the same flair for the dramatic that would come to define his career, Udo Kier was born in Köln, Germany near the end of the 2nd world war. The hospital was bombed and buried Kier and his mother in the rubble. Both survived, and Kier would later move to London as a young adult to study English. Kier was discovered in London by Michael Sarne, who cast him in his first role as a gigolo in "Road To Saint Tropez". Kier then starred in Michael Armstrong's extremely controversial "Mark Of The Devil". He would go on to work with Paul Morrissey in Andy Warhol's "Flesh For Frankenstein" and "Blood For Dracula", Dario Argento in "Suspiria", and Rainer Werner Fassbinder in "The Third Generation", "Lili Marllen", and "Lola".
Kier entered the American independent cinema scene many years later after meeting Gus Van Sant at the Berlin Film Festival. Van Sant offered Kier the role of Hans, the lamp-singing john in "My Own Private Idaho" with Keanu Reeves and River Phoenix. He would later have roles in Gus Van Sant's "Even Cowgirls Get The Blues" and "Don't Worry He Won't Get Far On Foot" as well as such 90s Hollywood hits as "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective", "Johnny Mnemonic", "Barb Wire", "End Of Violence", "For Love Or Money", "Armagedden", "Blade", and "End Of Days". Kier is probably best known for his collaboration with Lars von Trier, appearing in most of his films including "Medea", "Europa", "Breaking The Waves", "Dancer In TheE Dark", "Dogville", "Manderlay", "Melancholia", "Nymphomaniac (Vol. II)" and "The Kingdom" (Danish TV). Kier's recent renaissance has seen him play memorable roles in the Activision game "Call Of Duty", numerous television roles in North America and Europe, and in the films "Iron Sky", "Brawl In Cell Block 99", "Downsizing", "American Animals", "Bacurau", "The Painted Bird", "The Blazing World" and "Swan Song", among many others.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Guillermo Diaz was born in 1975 in New Jersey, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Scandal (2012), Law & Order: Organized Crime (2021) and Weeds (2005).- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
Vincent Rodriguez III was born on 10 August 1982 in San Francisco, California, USA. He is an actor, known for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2015), Raya and the Last Dragon (2021) and Mortal Kombat 1 (2023). He has been married to Gregory Wright since August 2015.- Writer
- Producer
- Actor
Ryan O'Connell was born on 2 September 1986 in Ventura, California, USA. He is a writer and producer, known for Special (2019), The Baby-Sitters Club (2020) and Awkward. (2011).- Actor
- Soundtrack
Austin P. McKenzie (born August 24, 1993) is an American stage and screen actor known for his performances as Cleve Jones in ABC's When We Rise and Melchior Gabor in the 2015 Broadway Revival by Deaf West Theatre of Spring Awakening. He is also a recording artist who, as of January 2020, currently has two studio albums available worldwide.
McKenzie was born in Mesa, Arizona. After working for six years at a Summer Camp for children and adults with mental & physical challenges, Lions Camp Tatiyee, McKenzie enrolled at Columbia College Chicago to study American Sign Language and Childhood Education to become a special needs teacher. After his second year of studies, Austin when accepted a part in a small play being put on in a small theater in LA which would mean relocating entirely. This decision would later change his entire life.
McKenzie made his theatrical debut on September 14, 2014, playing the charismatic and rebel Melchoir Gabor in the Deaf West Theatre immerse production of Spring Awakening at the Rosenthal Theater at Inner City Arts in downtown L.A. The production which was simultaneously performed in American Sign Language and spoken English. Consisting of hearing and deaf actors, the play was directed by Broadway vet Michael Arden. After a successful reprise at the Wallis in Beverly Hill, on June 2015, it was announced that the rebellious students from the acclaimed Deaf West production of Spring Awakening were transferring with the musical to Broadway. McKenzie, who only in September 2014 made his theatrical debut in a 99-seats theatre in downtown L.A., officially made his Broadway debut on September 27, 2015 as Melchior Gabor in the Deaf West Theatre Broadway revival of Spring Awakening at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre.
Directed by Dan Harris, written by Stephen Karam, and shot in July 2015, Speech & Debate was McKenzie's first feature-film lead. Speech & Debate is an dark comedy about a trio of misfit teenagers: Salomon, portrayed by Liam James; Diwata, portrayed by Sarah Steele; and Howie, Potrayed by McKenzie. The film premiered 2016
In early 2017, McKenzie made his television debut as the lead of ABC's mini series, When We Rise which was written by Oscar winner Dustin Lance Black and directed by Oscar winner Gus Van Sant. The mini series focused on the gay, female, and civil rights movements spanning 1971-the early 2000's. The show being based on actual events and political heroes, McKenzie portrayed the activist Cleve Jones.
In 2019, Austin wrote, co-produced, and released 2 full studio albums, an achievement he'd been dreaming of accomplishing in secret since he began his acting career in 2015. Similar to the likes of Jeff Buckley, Lana del Rey, and Amy Winehouse, his music is jazzy, mysterious, soulful, and dark.
Austin's next album is expected late 2020. And his upcoming Russel Crowe film, "Unhinged," is expected to premier sometime late 2020. He currently resides in Los Angeles.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Van Johnson was the fresh-faced, well-mannered nice guy on screen you always wanted your daughter to marry! This fair, freckled and invariably friendly-looking MGM song-and-dance star of the 40s emerged a box office favorite (1944-1946) and second only to heartthrob Frank Sinatra during what gossip monger Hedda Hopper dubbed the "Bobby-soxer Blitz" era. Johnson's musical timing proved just as adroit as his legit career timing for he was able to court WWII stardom as a regimented MGM symbol of the war effort with an impressive parade of earnest soldiers. He may have been a second tier musical star behind the likes of Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, but his easy smile, wholesome, boy-next-door appeal and strawberry-blond good looks made him a solid box-office attraction while MGM's "big boys" were off to war.
Born Charles Van Dell Johnson in Newport, Rhode Island, on August 25, 1916, Van was the only child of Loretta (Snyder) and Charles E. Johnson. His paternal grandparents were Swedish, and his mother was of German, and a small amount of Irish, ancestry. Johnson endured a lonely and unhappy childhood as the sole offspring of an extremely aloof father (who was both a plumber and real estate agent by trade) and an absentee mother (she abandoned the family when he was three, the victim of alcoholism). A paternal grandmother helped in raising the young lad. Happier times were spent drifting into the fantasy world of movies, and he developed an ardent passion to entertain. Taking singing, dancing and violin lessons during his high school years, he disregarded his father's wish to become a lawyer and instead left home following graduation to try his luck in New York.
Early experiences included chorus lines in revues, at hotels and in various small shows around town. A couple of minor breaks occurred with his 40-week stint in the "New Faces of 1936" revue (making his Broadway debut) and in a vaudeville club act (based around star Mary Martin) called "Eight Young Men of Manhattan" that played the Rainbow Room. He served as understudy to the three male leads of Rodgers and Hart's popular musical "Too Many Girls" in October of 1939 and eventually replaced one of them (actor Richard Kollmar left the show to marry reporter Dorothy Kilgallen.) He also formed a lifelong and career-igniting friendship with one of the other leads, Desi Arnaz.
Johnson made an inauspicious film debut with Arnaz in Too Many Girls (1940) when the musical was eventually lensed in Hollywood, but he was cast in a scant chorus boy part. Following a stint on Broadway in "Pal Joey" in 1940, Warner Bros. signed Van to a six-month contract. He went on to co-star with Faye Emerson in Murder in the Big House (1942), but they dropped him quickly feeling that his acting chops were lacking. It was Arnaz's wife Lucille Ball, who had recently signed with MGM, who introduced Van to Billy Grady, MGM's casting head, and instigated a successful screen test.
With the studio's top male talent off to war, Van (along with Peter Lawford) served as an earnest substitute donning fatigues in such stalwart movies as Somewhere I'll Find You (1942) The War Against Mrs. Hadley (1942) and The Human Comedy (1943). In addition, he replaced actor/war pacifist Lew Ayres in the "Dr. Kildare/Dr. Gillespie" film series after Ayres was unceremoniously dumped by the studio for his unpopular beliefs.
Stardom came, and at quite a price, for Van when he was cast yet again as a wholesome serviceman in A Guy Named Joe (1943). During the early part of filming, he was severely injured in a near-fatal car crash (he had a metal plate inserted in his skull, which instantly gave him a 4-F disqualification status for war service). Endangered of being replaced on the film, the two stars of the picture, Spencer Tracy (who became another lifelong friend) and Irene Dunne, insisted that the studio work around his convalescence or they would quit the film. The unusually kind gesture made Van a star following the film's popular release and resulting publicity. Van's career soared during the war years, making him and Lawford the resident heartthrobs not only in musicals (Two Girls and a Sailor (1944), Easy to Wed (1946)), but in airy comedies (Week-End at the Waldorf (1945)) and, of course, more war stories (Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944)).
When the big stars such as Clark Gable, James Stewart and Robert Taylor returned to reclaim post-war stardom, Van willingly relinquished his "golden boy" pedestal, but he remained a high profile musical star opposite the likes of June Allyson, Esther Williams and Judy Garland. He continued to demonstrate his dramatic mettle in such well-regarded films as Command Decision (1948), State of the Union (1948), Battleground (1949), Brigadoon (1954) and The Caine Mutiny (1954) and remained a popular star for three more decades. When MGM's "golden age" phased out by the mid-1950s, Van's movie career took a sharp decline and the studio released him after he co-starred with Elizabeth Taylor in The Last Time I Saw Paris (1954).
While Van continued working as a freelancer in such as the English-made The End of the Affair (1955) with Deborah Kerr; Miracle in the Rain (1956) opposite Jane Wyman, The Bottom of the Bottle (1956) with Joseph Cotten, 23 Paces to Baker Street (1956) co-starring Vera Miles, Kelly and Me (1956) partnered with a dog, and Web of Evidence (1959), he again capitalized on his musical talents by reinventing himself as a nightclub performer and musical stage star on the regional and dinner theater circuits, including "The Music Man," "Damn Yankees," "Guys and Dolls," "Bells Are Ringing," "On a Clear Day...," "Forty Carats," "Bye Bye Birdie," "There's a Girl in My Soup" and "I Do! I Do!"
Van delved heavily into TV from the late 1960's on and served as a guest on such shows as "Laugh-In," "The Name of the Game," "The Red Skelton Show," "Nanny and the Professor," "The Virginian," "The Doris Day Show," "Love, American Style," "Maude," "Quincy," "McMillan & Wife," "The Love Boat," "Fantasy Island" and "Murder, She Wrote." He earned an Emmy nomination for his participation in the mini-series Rich Man, Poor Man (1976), and co-starred or was featured in such TV movies as Call Her Mom (1972), Superdome (1978), Black Beauty (1978), Getting Married (1978) and Three Days to a Kill (1992).
In later years, he grew larger in girth but still continued to work. He earned respectable reviews after replacing Gene Barry as Georges in the smash gay musical "La Cage Aux Folles" in 1985. His last musical role was as Cap' Andy in "Show Boat" in 1991, and his last several movies were primarily filmed overseas in Italy and Australia. Occasional featured roles on film in later years included Concorde Affaire '79 (1979), The Kidnapping of the President (1980), The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985), Killer Crocodile (1989), Delta Force Commando II: Priority Red One (1990) and Clowning Around (1992).
Van was married only once but it was the constant source of tabloid news. Typically in the closet as a high-ranking actor of the 1940s, he was extremely close friends with fellow MGM actor Keenan Wynn and his wife. Shockingly, Van wound up marrying Wynn's ex-wife, one-time stage actress Evie Wynn Johnson, immediately after the Wynn's divorced in 1947. Van and Eve went on to have one child, daughter Schuyler, in 1948, and were a popular Hollywood couple before separating after fifteen years of marriage. The marriage ended acrimoniously in 1968 and decades later Eve published a statement (after her death in 2004) confirming suspicions that MGM had engineered their marriage to cover up Johnson's homosexuality. In declining health, Van, who was estranged from his only child, died at age 92 on December 12, 2008, at a senior living facility in Nyack, New York.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Eric Millegan was born in Hackettstown, New Jersey and raised in Springfield, Oregon. He is best-known for his television role as Zack Addy on Bones (2005). Other TV credits include guest spots on Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001) and Sidney Lumet's 100 Centre Street (2001). On film, he starred as Ed Simone in On_Line (2002) - Official Selection of the Berlin International Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival, and Cinequest Film Festival (Best Narrarative Feature Award).
His New York theater credits include the Broadway revival of 'Jesus Christ Superstar', the Encores presentation of 'Hair' at City Center (in which he sang the "Aquarius" solo), and the New York premiere of 'Dead Man Walking' at Lincoln Center. He has played lead roles in workshops and readings of 'Spring Awakening' (directed by Michael Mayer), 'The Wayside Inn' (directed by Jason Moore), 'Uncle Broadway', Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil's 'Mask' (directed by Richard Maltby Jr.), and the Off-Broadway hit 'Altar Boyz'.
His regional theater experience includes roles at the Guthrie Theater, Cincinnati Playhouse In the Park, the Repertory Theater of St. Louis, and the Paper Mill Playhouse where he starred as Harold opposite Academy Award winner Estelle Parsons' Maude in the world premiere of Tom Jones and Joseph Thalken's 'Harold & Maude: The Musical'.
His diverse career included playing a dancing polar bear in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular in Myrtle Beach, writing a sports column (which was quoted on CNN and CNNSI) as "The Fan" of the Portland Trail Blazers for OregonLive.com, hosting "Broadway La Cage" in Atlantic City, and singing "God Bless America" during the 7th inning stretch at Shea Stadium following which the Mets exploded for six consecutive runs.
Millegan is an alum of the Interlochen Arts Camp and he holds a B.F.A degree in musical theater from the University of Michigan.- Actor
- Director
- Soundtrack
Michael Jeter was an American actor from Tennessee. His best known roles were that of math teacher and assistant football coach Herman Stiles in the sitcom "Evening Shade" (1990-1994) and "Mr. Noodle's brother, Mister Noodle" in "Sesame Street", a role he played from 2000 to 2003. He specialized in playing "eccentric, pretentious, or wimpy characters".
In 1952, Jeter was born in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, located between Chattanooga and Memphis. The town is mostly associated with local hero Davy Crockett (1786-1836), who owned a powder mill there in the early 19th century. The area is home to the David Crockett State Park.
Jeter's father was dentist William Claud Jeter (1922-2010), and his mother was housewife Virginia Raines (1927-2019). The Jeters were a large family, and Jeter had one brother and four sisters. Jeter enrolled at the Memphis State University (later renamed to the University of Memphis) with the intention to follow a medical career. His interests changed, and he pursued an acting education instead.
Jeter started his career as a theatrical actor, regularly performing at the Circuit Theatre and Playhouse on the Square, both located in Memphis. He made his film debut in the anti-war film "Hair" (1979), playing Woodrow Sheldon. The film depicted the hippie counterculture and the Vietnam War.
Jeter's early film roles included appearing in the historical drama "Ragtime" (1981), the sex comedy "Soup for One" (1982), the mockumentary "Zelig" (1983), the comedy film "The Money Pit" (1986), the action thriller "Dead Bang" (1989), and the action comedy "Tango & Cash" (1989). Meanwhile he appeared in guest-star roles in then-popular television series, such as "Night Court" and "Designing Women". His first recurring role in television was that of Dr. Art Makter in the short-lived medical drama "Hothouse". He appeared in all 7 episodes of the series.
Jeter found fame and critical success when playing the nerdy Herman Stiles in the sitcom "Evening Shade". He won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series and the Viewers for Quality Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Quality Comedy Series. The series lasted for 4 seasons, and a total of 98 episodes
Jeter guest starred as Peter Lebeck in three episodes of "Picket Fences". For this role he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 1993, but the award was won by rival actor Laurence Fishburne (1961-). Jeter had another notable television role as Bob Ryan in an episode of "Chicago Hope". He was again nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 1996 for this role, but the award was instead won by rival actor Peter Boyle (1935-2006).
Jeter played mostly supporting roles in 1990s film. He played (amon others_ a homeless cabaret singer in "The Fisher King" (1991), Father Ignatius in the Catholic nun-themed comedy "Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit" (1993), the inventor Old Gregor in the post-apocalyptic film "Waterworld" (1995), alcoholic clown Norm Snively in the sports comedy "Air Bud" (1997), and sympathetic prisoner Eduard 'Del' Delacroix in "The Green Mile" (1999).
Jeter next earned the recurring role of "Mr. Noodle's brother, Mister Noodle" in "Sesame Street", His character replaced Mr. Noodle (played by Bill Irwin) in the "Elmo's World" segments of the series. Both character were silent mimes who made mistakes, but were able to correct them with the help of "enthusiastic kid voice overs". Jeter was enthusiastic about his role, and called it a career favorite. He played the role until his death.
The openly gay Jeter was HIV positive, but had been in good health for many years. In March 2003, Jeter was found dead at his home in Los Angeles. According to his life partner Sean Blue, the death was caused by an epileptic seizure. Jeter was 50-years-old at the time of death.- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Lucas Cruikshank is a teenage director and actor who got his start by making videos with his cousins John and Katie, and posting them on You Tube. Together, the trio is known as JKL Productions. Lucas decided to make videos by himself a while after he came up with the character you all love, Fred, who is an annoying 6-year-old with an uncaring mother and is most noted for his sped-up voice. Lucas said that he created the first Fred video to poke fun at video bloggers who talk about every single thing that they're doing in the video. The first video received tons of positive feedback, and Lucas continued to post videos in the Fred series, which he edits, directs, and acts in by himself. When not making videos, Lucas auditions for movie and TV roles, and also pitches ideas to television channels. He is also a dancer and takes jazz, tap, and hip-hop classes. Lucas resides in Columbus, Nebraska, with his two brothers and five sisters. He is the middle child.- Actress
- Director
- Writer
Candis was born in Maui, Hawaii. Candis Cayne has become one of the United States' most popular and sought-after transgender actresses. Candis first made a name for herself at the famed NYC gay hot-spot "Boy Bar", where her performances drew raves. A classically trained dancer, Candis has thrilled audiences from coast-to-coast with her amazing gift for dance, choreography and glamour.
Candis can be seen in the hit ABC series Dirty Sexy Money where she played actor Billy Baldwin's (Patrick) transgender love interest Carmelita. Candis was the first transgender actress to have a recurring role on a prime-time series. Recently, Candis has had guest-starring spots in various shows and a recurring role in The Magicians. Also, check out the 2020 Netflix documentary "Disclosure" for a more in-depth understanding of transgender representation in media and society where Candis speaks candidly about her experiences as a transgender actress.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Jay Armstrong Johnson was born on 1 September 1987 in Fort Worth, Texas, USA. He is an actor, known for Sex and the City 2 (2010), Quantico (2015) and Seeking: the Web Series (2013).- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Jack Dylan Grazer was born in Los Angeles, California, to parents Angela LaFever and Gavin Grazer.
With his disarming charm, undeniable talent, and infectious energy, Jack Dylan Grazer has emerged as one of the most exciting young actors working today. Grazer's rise to fame began with his memorable portrayal of the hypochondriacal Eddie Kaspbrak in the supernatural horror phenomenon "It" (2017) and its sequel "It: Chapter Two" (2019). These performances, based on the iconic Stephen King novel, showcased Grazer's ability to seamlessly blend comedic timing with genuine vulnerability, endearing him to audiences worldwide.
His role as Freddy Freeman in the DC Extended Universe blockbuster "Shazam!" (2019) further demonstrated Grazer's versatility. He brought heart and humor to the character, a foster child who becomes bestowed with the powers of a superhero. Grazer's undeniable chemistry with his castmates added an extra layer of joy and authenticity to this beloved comic book adaptation.
Grazer's talents extend beyond the big screen. In 2020, he starred in Luca Guadagnino's acclaimed HBO coming-of-age drama series "We Are Who We Are." Grazer's nuanced portrayal of Fraser Wilson, a troubled teenager exploring his identity while living on a US Army base in Italy, earned him critical recognition, highlighting his exceptional dramatic range.
Grazer's work ethic and commitment to character development are evident in every project he takes on. He is not an actor who rests on his success; he actively seeks out challenges that push him creatively. The thriller "Don't Tell a Soul" (2020) saw Grazer in a more sinister light, showcasing his ability to portray a broader range of complex emotions.
Beyond acting, Grazer is a passionate advocate for anti-bullying causes, serving as a global ambassador for the non-profit organization Stomp Out Bullying. He is also an avid skateboarder, aspiring filmmaker, and talented scriptwriter, demonstrating a diverse set of interests that complement his creative pursuits.
Grazer's passion for entertainment extends to roles behind the camera. He enjoys producing and directing his short films, demonstrating an ambition and creative curiosity that hints at his future potential within the industry. In 2023, we can see Grazer reprising his star-making role as Freddy Freeman in the highly anticipated sequel "Shazam! Fury of the Gods."
His upcoming roles further cement his status as an actor with incredible range. Grazer is set to voice Barney in the iconic animated reboot of "Barney & Friends" and star opposite Rachel Zegler in "The Shave" (anticipated release in 2024). This period drama based on real-life events is sure to offer Grazer another opportunity to showcase his depth and ability to embody multifaceted characters.
Still in his youth, Grazer has already achieved a level of success that many actors take decades to reach. With his infectious personality, undeniable talent, and willingness to take on challenging projects, Jack Dylan Grazer continues to captivate audiences and critics alike. His dedication to his craft, combined with a natural screen presence, suggest that his brightest days are still ahead of him.- Producer
- Writer
- Actor
Trevor Boris is known for Canada's Drag Race (2020), Big Brother Canada (2013) and Never Ever Do This at Home (2013).- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Billy Eichner was born on September 18, 1978 and raised in New York City. He graduated from Stuyvesant High School (NY) in 1996. He is a graduate of Northwestern University, where he majored in Theater.
He is the star, executive producer and creator of Billy on the Street (2011), a comedy game show that airs on Fuse TV.
Billy will be a voiceover guest star on a season two episode of the animated series, Bob's Burgers (2011). He has been a regular performer at New York's Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. He is also a commentator on pop culture, via his Twitter account.- Actor
- Soundtrack
BARRETT FOA is best known as senior technical operator Eric Beale on all 12 seasons and 275+ episodes of the current hit CBS crime drama/comedy "NCIS: Los Angeles".
Prior to moving to LA, Foa starred on Broadway in the Tony-winning musicals AVENUE Q as Princeton/Rod, THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE as Leaf Coneybear, and was in the original Broadway cast of MAMMA MIA!.
During his hiatuses from "NCIS: LA", Barrett starred as Prior Walter in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play ANGELS IN AMERICA: Parts 1 & 2 at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (St. Louis Theatre Circle Award nomination), Alex/Barbra, etc. in New York's one-man, multi-character hit off-Broadway comedy BUYER & CELLAR, was nominated for an LA Ovation Award for his portrayal of Oscar in SWEET CHARITY opposite Laura Bell Bundy, played Harold Hill in THE MUSIC MAN at CT Rep, and conceived his own solo show, GRIN AND BARRETT at NYC's Feinstein's/54 Below and LA's Rockwell.
Barrett's first role out of college was Jesus in the 30th Anniversary off-Broadway revival of GODSPELL where he can be heard on the cast recording. Also off-Broadway, Foa originated the roles of Eddie in Adam Bock's THE DRUNKEN CITY at Playwrights Horizons, and Jamie in TIO PEPE (aka SOMEWHERE) by Matthew Lopez (of THE INHERITANCE fame) at The Public. He has developed new work at New York Theatre Workshop, Roundabout, and Ars Nova.
Regional Theatre credits include Paper Mill, Bay Street, Hartford Stage, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Shakespeare Theatre Co. in D.C, The Muny, Music Theatre of Wichita, and Pittsburgh CLO. Foa co-wrote, produced, and starred in the sold-out hit FOR THE RECORD: JOHN HUGHES in LA and NYC.
TV guest stars include "Will & Grace" ('19), Entourage (2004) (recurring), NCIS (2003) (recurring), Numb3rs (2005), and The Closer (2005) opposite Kyra Sedgwick.
Born and raised in New York City, Foa graduated from The Dalton School in Manhattan, attended Interlochen Arts Camp for four summers, studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, and received his BFA in Musical Theatre Performance from The University of Michigan. Foa was the on-air backstage host and social media correspondent for the 2013 and 2014 Tony Awards on CBS. He resides in both New York and Los Angeles. @BarrettFoa- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Casper is an accomplished actor, writer, film director and producer.
In 2020, he was nominated for the John Cassavetes Award at the Sprit Awards for producing "Wild Nights with Emily", Madeleine Olnek's comedic biopic about Emily Dickinson starring Molly Shannon. Also in 2020, Casper premiered his 10th feature film as a producer, when the Swedish relationship drama "Are We Lost Forever", directed by David Färdmar, had its world premiere at the Gothenburg International Film Festival.
Prior to this Casper produced and directed eight multi-award winning features in the US (five of which he also wrote): "Slutty Summer" (2004), "A Four Letter Word" (2007), "Between Love & Goodbye" (2008), "The Big Gay Musical" (2009), "Violet Tendencies" (2010), "Going Down in LA-LA Land" (2011), "Kiss Me Kill Me" (2015) and "Flatbush Luck" (2016). in Sweden he wrote and directed the drama "Ett Sista Farväl" ("A Last Farewell") in 2013. The short film went on to play over 130 film festivals worldwide and picking up 18 awards.
As an actor, Casper most recently appeared on Swedish TV in the film "Beck - ett nytt liv", and series "Dolt under ytan" and "Harmonica". In the US he has guest-starred on TV shows like "Hawaii Five-0," "Deadbeat" and"Swedish Dicks." Co-starring credits include "The Blacklist" and "Lethal Weapon." His many film roles include the Academy Award winning "Little Children". On stage, Casper has played as Hamlet in "Hamlet" in New York City and Romeo in "Romeo & Juliet" in Paris.
Casper is a dual citizen of the United States and Sweden, splitting his time between Stockholm, New York and Los Angeles. He studied acting and directing at the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute in New York.
Casper has been selected as one of the 100 most influential and newsworthy people by Out Magazine.- Producer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Actor
Bruce Cohen was born in Falls Church, Virginia, USA. He is known for American Beauty (1999), Silver Linings Playbook (2012) and Milk (2008).- Director
- Writer
- Actor
George Wolfe was raised in the state capital of Kentucky, Frankfort. As a member of the Frankfort High School Senior class of 1972, he was one of the leading lights of the drama club and a writer for the literary magazine. George left Frankfort in 1972, but returned many years later as a favored son. After years of hard work and determination, Mr. Wolfe became an honored Broadway producer, director, and writer, working with Joseph Papp, and now on his own. Mr. Wolfe was one of those responsible for the hit Broadway show, "Jelly's Last Jam", and won a Tony for his work on "Angels in America". He is now considered one of Broadway's most respected producers and directors.