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- Joan Elan was born on 24 July 1928 in Colombo, Ceylon [now Sri Lanka]. She was an actress, known for Darby's Rangers (1958), Matinee Theatre (1955) and Front Row Center (1955). She was married to Harry Franklin ("Bud") Nye Jr.. She died on 7 January 1981 in New York City, New York, USA.
- John Carson was a hugely prolific actor who appeared constantly on UK screens throughout the mid-50s until the mid-80s. He has appeared alongside many of the UK's stars and became hugely popular as a villain or hero. The secret of John's success was his versatility and his wonderful silky voice. He appeared in 3 Hammer films which led to an ever-increased popularity amongst film fans. John moved to South Africa from England in the 80s and, sadly, his appearances became far more sporadic although he always kept working, even producing and filming his own short documentary, "African Spirit". He returned to England in 2007 and has been involved in a few films, such as The Deal (2008). He attended a John Carson Celebration Day in London (July 2009). This was the first time he had talked publicly about his long career in television, film and stage. The day was a huge success and, aside from a showing of two of his films, John gave an interview on stage and then signed autographs. The day was a huge success and this was proved so by a large attendance and the queues for his autograph and photos. John returned to South Africa in 2014 where he spent time with his family and got to relax a little. He sadly passed away on November 5th, 2016, a few weeks before his 90th birthday. He was a fine actor and leaves behind a legacy of his versatility on screen.
- Actor
- Director
- Producer
M.G. Ramachandran (1917-1987), popularly known as MGR, dominated like no other, the films and politics of India's Tamil Nadu state. A charismatic actor and philanthropist, he commanded the idolatrous adulation of millions of Tamilians and became Tamil Nadu's chief minister. His achievements in 3 fields, namely films, philanthropy and politics were remarkable considering his humble origins in Sri Lanka. Raised in poverty by a widowed single mother, he had nothing more than his good looks when he got his first break in "Sati Lilavati", a Tamil film of the late 1930s. In the 1940s and 50s, the Tamil film industry was being transformed by screenwriters like Annadurai, Karunanidhi and others belonging to the Dravidian movement. MGR starred in many of the movies they helped make. Annadurai became his mentor and MGR joined the DMK, Annadurai's new Dravidian party. His films made MGR a matinee idol among Tamilians. He also started monetarily helping people in need, sowing the seeds for his reputation as a philanthropist. When Annadurai died as Tamil Nadu's chief minister, MGR's rival Karunanidhi assumed office. MGR accused him of defalcation and was kicked out of the DMK. In 1977, MGR's ADMK (later renamed AIADMK) party was swept into power. In his first term, MGR cleaned up corruption and carried out reforms like having an income limit for backward class people to be eligible for the reserved seats in government colleges and jobs. His reforms proved unpopular, so MGR became another corrupt Indian politician having learned not to rock the boat. Tamil Nadu stagnated during the rest of his reign. Yet his mesmerized legions of fans continued to vote him into power. His death in 1987 created a power vacuum that soon brought his old nemesis, the corrupt Karunanidhi, back into power. MGR was a complex man who triumphed over poverty and tried to improve the lot of the people who revered him. However, in the end, he was a god that failed.- Hugh Burden was a distinguished British actor and playwright. He was born in Colombo (then Ceylon), the son of a colonial official. He was sent to England at the age of ten to further his education. At Beaumont College, he studied history, French and music, becoming proficient on the piano. He trained for acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and made his theatrical debut in 1933. He served in the British Army in India from 1939, but was invalided out two years later.
He appeared in films including classics such as One of Our Aircraft Is Missing (1942), The Way Ahead (1944) and Malta Story (1953), but he would become most prolific on television. He starred as J.G. Reeder in The Mind of Mr. J.G. Reeder (1969) for Thames Television, based on the short stories by the English crime writer Edgar Wallace. He is also remembered by cult television fans for his performance as the sinister alien Channing, who plots to take over the world with killer shop window dummies called Autons, in Jon Pertwee's Doctor Who (1963) debut Spearhead from Space: Episode 1 (1970). - Actor
- Soundtrack
Ceylon-born Colin Gordon began acting on the West End stage as the hind legs of a horse in 'Toad of Toad Hall' in 1934. After wartime service, he returned to the stage, appearing in such plays as 'The White Carnation' and 'The Little Hut' (both 1953), 'Misery Me!' (1955) and 'The Touch of Fear' (1956). His award-winning stage role of teacher Rupert Billings in 'The Happiest Days of Your Life' was recreated for the film version by another bespectacled actor, Richard Wattis. From 1957, Colin worked as actor-director with the Guildford Repertory Theatre. Though he is usually described as a 'light comedy actor', Colin made his mark in the acting profession as much by playing countless supercilious or sneering bureaucrats, lawyers or haughty military types. His stock-in-trade became his ever-present horn-rimmed glasses, combined with a cynical or asinine manner and a precisely modulated voice. His best performances might include pompous BBC announcer Reginald Willoughby-Cruft in The Green Man (1956) and his bank manager, locked up in the Strongroom (1962) of his own bank during a robbery. He is likely best remembered for being a particularly sinister Number 2 to Patrick McGoohan in TV's The Prisoner (1967) - twice.- Actor
- Producer
Albert Moses was born on 19 December 1937 in Gampola, Kandy District, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). He was an actor and producer, known for The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), Octopussy (1983) and An American Werewolf in London (1981). He died on 15 September 2017 in London, England, UK.- Maureen Hingert was born on 9 January 1937 in Columbo, Ceylon [present-day Sri Lanka], of Dutch ancestry, the daughter of Lionel Hingert and Lorna Mabel del Run. Her father was the president of the Bank of Ceylon and had extensive tea holdings. On 25 June 1955, aged 18, she was crowned "Miss Ceylon" in Colombo.
In October 1955, she made her screen debut playing a Native American in Universal-International's "Pillars of the Sky", and signed by 20th Century-Fox to appear in The King and I (1956). In 1958, Hingert married Mario Armand Zamparelli, a Montrose artist. On 8 May 1959 in Los Angeles, their daughter Regina was born; she became renowned Los Angeles concert promoter Gina Zamparelli. Hingert had two other daughters, Marisa and Andrea. In July 1970, Hingert divorced Zamparelli. In March 1976, she wed William J. Ballard in Los Angeles. - Director
- Writer
- Producer
Born in 1962, Prasanna Vithanage became involved in theatre on leaving school. He translated and directed Bernard Shaw's "Arms and the Man" in 1986, and Dario Fo's "Trumpets and Raspberries" in 1991. In 1992, he directed his first film "Sisila Gini Gani" (Ice of Fire). It won nine OCIC (Sri Lanka) Awards including Best Director, Best Actor and Best Actress. Four years later in 1996 was his second feature "Anantha Rathriya" (Dark Night of the Soul), which he wrote and directed. It was based on Leo Tolstoy's last novel "Resurrection". It participated in several international film festivals and won a Jury's Special Mention in the First Pusan International Film Festival. The film also won all the main awards at the 1996 Sri Lanka Film Critics Forum Awards (affiliated with FIPRESCI) including awards for Most Outstanding Film, Best Director and Best Screenwriter. "Pawuru Walalu" (Walls Within), his third feature in 1997 won the Best Actress Award for Nita Fernando in her role as Violet, at the 1998 Singapore International Film Festival. It even won ten out of eleven awards including Best Picture and Best Director at the Sri Lanka Film Critics Forum Awards. His fourth feature "Purahanda Kaluwara" (Death on a Full Moon Day) of the same year, 1997, which he wrote and directed was produced by NHK (Japanese Broadcasting Corporation). It won the Grand Prix at the Amiens Film Festival. Initially banned by the minister in charge of film industry, it was released after a yearlong legal battle. It was given the release under the supreme court verdict. Since it has become one of the most successful film in the more than half a century history of cinema in Sri Lanka. Prasanna Vithanage completed "Ira Madiyama" (August Sun) his fifth film in 2003. It went on to win many international awards and was featured prominently in the world festival circuit. In 2007, Vithanage co-produced the hit film "Machan" a comedy about a group of working class con artists posing as a handball team, directed by "The Full Monty" producer Uberto Pasolini. "Machan" premiered at the 65th Venice Film Festival in 2008. It was shown widely all over the world winning 11 international awards. 2008 also saw the world premiere of Prasanna Vithanage's sixth feature film as director, "Akasa Kusum" (Flowers of the Sky) in Pusan, Korea and screened over forty film festivals to wide acclaim winning numerous international awards. "Oba Nathuwa Oba Ekka" (With You, Without You) is his seventh feature. His feature debut Documentary "Silence in the Courts" was the first Documentary film which had a theatrical run in Sri Lanka, despite being initially banned from public screening by the Colombo District Court of Sri Lanka. His historical drama film 'Gaadi - Children of the Sun' (2019) won Cultural Diversity Award at Asia Pacific Screen Awards and ran for 98 days theatrically in Sri Lanka. 'Paradise' (2023) is his first Indian language film in Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil and Sinhala. 'Paradise' had its World Premiere at the 28th Busan International Film Festival 2023 and won the Kim Jeseok Award.- Christopher Arthur Greet was an announcer and presenter of radio programmes with Radio Ceylon, the oldest radio station in South Asia. Chris Greet enjoyed iconic status alongside other announcers of Radio Ceylon. Millions tuned into the radio station.
Chris Greet later worked as an account director at Intasel Advertising, 60 Green Path, Colombo 7, in 1978. He was also a freelance copywriter and radio announcer recording commercials for Sri Lankan advertising agencies in the early 1980s.
Chris Greet is also a distinguished actor. One of his earliest roles was as a British officer in the wartime epic film The Bridge on the River Kwai with Sir Alec Guinness, which was filmed in Ceylon. Chris Greet also appeared in several plays in Colombo alongside great Ceylonese actors such as Lucien de Zoysa and Eddie Nathanielz.
Greet has also appeared in plays, films and television comedy programmes, most notably working with Victoria Wood on the sitcom dinnerladies (1998). - Writer
- Director
- Actor
Michael Ondaatje was born on 12 September 1943 in Colombo, Ceylon [now Sri Lanka]. He is a writer and director, known for The English Patient (1996), Elimination Dance (1998) and The Offering (1966). He is married to Linda Spaulding.- Nina Dyer was born on 15 February 1930 in Ceylon. She was married to Sadruddin Aga Khan and Hans Heinrich Von Thyssen. She died on 3 July 1965 in Garches, Hauts-de-Seine, France.
- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Jackson Anthony was born on 8 July 1958 in Podiwee Kumbura, Ragama, Ceylon. He was an actor and writer, known for Dharmayuddhaya (2017), Jullietge Bhoomikawa (1998) and Ekageyi Sokari. He was married to Kumari Sandalatha Munasinghe. He died on 9 October 2023 in Colombo, Sri Lanka.- Gillian Raine was born on 28 December 1926 in Ceylon. She was an actress, known for My Friend Charles (1956), Born and Bred (1978) and A Very Peculiar Practice (1986). She was married to Leonard Rossiter. She died on 19 June 2018 in London, England, UK.
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Kenneth Coombs was born on 6 December 1941 in Ceylon. He is an actor, known for Inspector Lewis (2006), On the Up (1990) and The Chief (1990).- Actor
- Director
David Spenser was born on 12 March 1934 in Colombo, Ceylon. He was an actor and director, known for A Farewell to Arms (1966), Paul of Tarsus (1960) and The Earth Dies Screaming (1964). He died on 20 July 2013 in Spain.- Walter Mondale is an American politician, diplomat and lawyer who served as the 42nd vice president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A United States senator from Minnesota (1964-1976), he was the Democratic Party's nominee in the United States presidential election of 1984, but lost to Ronald Reagan in an Electoral College landslide. Reagan won 49 states while Mondale carried his home state of Minnesota and the District of Columbia. He became the oldest-living former U.S. vice president after the death of George Bush in 2018.
- Actor
- Composer
- Music Department
Keith Potger was born on 21 March 1941 in Colombo, Ceylon [now Sri Lanka]. He is an actor and composer, known for It's Not the Size That Counts (1974), Spring (2016) and Remembering Nigel (2009). He was previously married to Nicki Paull, Pamela Potger and Pamela Powley.- Writer
- Director
Wasantha Obesekara was born on 29 December 1937 in Mathugama, Ceylon. He was a writer and director, known for Palangetiyo (1979), Sewwandi (2006) and Salelu Warama (2002). He died on 8 April 2017 in Colombo, Sri Lanka.- Gandhi MacIntyre was born on 2 October 1939 in Colombo, Ceylon [now Sri Lanka]. He is an actor, known for The Blood of Heroes (1989), Babe: Pig in the City (1998) and Dead End Drive-In (1986). He is married to Dorothy MacIntyre.
- Alexander Fernando was born on 25 August 1940 in Kotahena, Colombo, Ceylon. He was an actor, known for Hathara Denama Surayo (1971), Koti Sana (1999) and Ninja Sri Lanka (1997). He was married to Anoma Lumbini . He died on 29 April 2020 in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Yolande Bavan was born on 1 June 1942 in Ceylon [now Sri Lanka]. She is an actress, known for The Accidental Husband (2008), Parting Glances (1986) and The Brave One (2007).- Actor
- Music Department
Vijaya Nandasiri was born on 6 May 1944 in Ceylon. He was an actor, known for Breaking News, Left Right Sir (2004) and Sir Last Chance (2009). He was married to Devika Mihirani. He died on 8 August 2016 in Colombo, Sri Lanka.- Actor
- Writer
Tony Ranasinghe was born on 31 July 1937 in Modara, Ceylon. He was an actor and writer, known for Keli Madala (1991), Koti Valigaya (1986) and Vaishnavee (2017). He died on 16 June 2015 in Colombo, Sri Lanka.- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Lester James Peries was born on 5 April 1919 in Colombo, Ceylon [now Sri Lanka]. He was a director and writer, known for The Line of Destiny (1956), Gamperaliya (1963) and Yagunthaya (1985). He was married to Sumitra Peries. He died on 29 April 2018 in Colombo, Western Province, Sri Lanka.- Casting Director
- Casting Department
Allan Foenander was born on 17 July 1929 in Colombo, Ceylon. He was a casting director, known for The Lady Vanishes (1979), North Sea Hijack (1980) and Yellow Dog (1973). He died on 1 June 2021 in the UK.