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1-50 of 68
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Meg Wynn Owen was born on 8 November 1939 in Lancaster, Lancashire, England, UK. She was an actress, known for Gosford Park (2001), Pride & Prejudice (2005) and Scoop (2006). She was married to William Wright. She died on 16 July 2022 in Cardiff, Wales, UK.- Paul Sorensen was born on 16 February 1926 in Kenosha, Wisconsin, USA. He was an actor, known for Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984), Hang 'Em High (1968) and Charlie's Angels (1976). He was married to Jacqueline May. He died on 17 July 2008 in Cardiff by-the-Sea, San Diego County, California, USA.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Gene Pitney has one of the most distinctive voices in music. Whether you like it or not you know when it is Gene. Pitney has often been categorized (quite unfairly) as a teen-idol singer responsible only for melodramatic, angst-ridden ballads. This is to deny the true talent of the man and the extensive range he possesses.
Gene Pitney was born on February 17, 1940 in Rockville, Connecticut, the son of Anna A. (Orlowsky) and Harold F. Pitney, a lathe operator. His maternal grandparents were Polish. Gene had a love of music from an early age. In high school, he was part of the band "Gene Pitney and the Genials". As well as music, Gene was a keen student and, after high school, he began studying electrical engineering. However, his music and studies were coming into increasing conflict and Gene began to move more towards his musical ambitions. Gene's first foray into the music scene was as part of a duet with Ginny Arnell, their first song being 1959's "Classical Rock & Roll."
Gene moved on quickly though and his first solo song came with "Cradle of My Arms" albeit under the name Billy Bryan. With limited success as an artist, Gene began to find more success as a songwriter. The first big breakthrough came when Roy Orbison recorded "Today's Teardrops" as the B-side to "Blue Angel". "Rubber Ball", another Pitney song, became a hit for Bobby Vee in the US and Marty Wilde in the UK. Further success would come with Ricky Nelson recording "Hello Mary Lou" (a Top 5 in the US) and "He's a Rebel" for Phil Spector's group, The Crystals. "He's a Rebel" would eventually reach number 1 in the UK and ironically deny Pitney the chance at a number 1 himself. Gene's career as an artist in his own right began with the self-penned "I Wanna Love My Life Away" which he recorded for $30 at a small recording studio in New York. What was even more amazing is that Gene recorded all 7 vocal tracks as well as playing the piano, guitar and drums on the song. The single made the top 40 in the US and Britain. The real breakthrough for Gene came with the song "Town Without Pity" which was the title song to the movie of the same name. The song received a Golden Globe Award, reached the US top 20 and Gene also performed it at the Academy Awards. He was the first pop singer to ever perform at the Oscar's and it helped to significantly raise his profile in the US.
Following hot on the heels of "Town Without Pity" was "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance". A Burt Bacharach/Hal David song it was originally intended to be the title song to the movie of the same name but it never did appeared in the movie. Despite this the song was well received and it's mix of the pop and country genres worked extremely well. With his popularity now firmly established in the US and growing in the UK Gene began to churn the hits out with amazing regularity. "Only Love Can Break a Heart", "If I Didn't Have a Dime", "Half Heaven, Half Heartache", "Mecca", "It Hurts to be in Love" and "True Love Never Runs Smooth" were all hit records for Gene in the US. "Only Love Can Break a Heart" was denied number 1 in the US charts by Pitney's own composition "He's a Rebel" sung by The Crystals. "Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa" marked a significant shift in Gene's musical direction. It reached number 5 in the UK charts and marked the beginning of his rise in popularity throughout the U.K. and Europe.
Between 1963 and 1966, Gene consistently produced top 10 hits in the UK. The Mick Jagger/Keith Richards song "That Girl Belongs to Yesterday" established his worldwide fame and he followed it up with "I'm Gonna be Strong", "Looking Through the Eyes of Love" (a million seller), "I Must be Seeing Things", "Princess in Rags", "Backstage", "Just One Smile", "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" and "Nobody Needs Your Love". Gene enjoyed a short lived revival in 1974 with the hits "Trans-Canada Highway" and "Blue Angel". Overall, Gene had 16 top 40 hits in the US and an amazing 40 top 40 songs in the UK. Gene's profile was very good outside of the US and UK as well. Especially in Italy where he came second in the San Remo song contest with the song "Nessuno Mi Puo Giudicare".
He also recorded a number of his hits in Italian. In addition to this Pitney began to make forays into other areas of music once again demonstrating his vocal range. He recorded albums with country greats like George Jones and Melba Montgomery and was quite successful. He also recorded an album of folk songs. At one point he had hits in Europe, the UK, and the US pop and country charts with four different songs simultaneously. Although disappearing in the late seventies he made a successful touring comeback in 1983 with a sell out North American tour. And finally in 1989 achieved what had eluded him at the peak of his popularity, a number 1 single in the UK. Gene teamed up with Marc Almond to cover his sixties hit "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart". The duet outdid the original which could only make number 5 in 1967. Gene has never looked back since then and has toured almost continuously throughout the nineties.
In 2002 he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, a fitting honour and a long overdue recognition of his talent.
In April 2006, he was in the middle of a tour of the UK when he died in his hotel room following a concert in Cardiff.- Actor
- Additional Crew
Brian Hibbard was born on 25 November 1946 in Ebbw Vale, Gwent, Wales, UK. He was an actor, known for Revolver (2005), Funland (2005) and Emmerdale Farm (1972). He was married to Caroline Bunce. He died on 17 June 2012 in Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales, UK.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Lena Zavaroni was born on the 4th of November in the town of Rothesay, on the Isle of Bute, just off the West coast of Scotland. Although Scottish, her family was of Scottish and Italian descent and she grew up in a musical environment, performing at an early age. As a ten year old, she appeared on the Thames Television talent show Opportunity Knocks (1956) at the end of 1973 where she topped the viewers voting polls for five weeks. Her recording of 'Ma, He's Making Eyes At Me' was rush released and early in 1974 reached #10 in the British charts as well as making the US charts. This secured her a place as the youngest-ever artist to appear on BBC Television's Top of the Pops (1964) show. Other singles such as '(You've Got) Personality' (#33 on the UK chart), 'Some of These Days'and 'Smile' as well as albums followed. Notable LPs included 'If My Friends Could See Me Now' and 'Presenting Lena Zavaroni', released in 1977 and including her versions of Dawn's 'Say Has Anybody Seen My Sweet Gypsy Rose' and the Lynsey de Paul song 'Won't Somebody Dance With Me'.
Live performances quickly followed, including a show-stopping performance in a Hollywood charity show starring Frank Sinatra and Lucille Ball as well as guest-starring on the The Carol Burnett Show (1967). She was even invited to go to the White House to sing for President Gerald Ford in 1974 and performed in the 1976 'Royal Variety Show'.
Notable TV appearances included The Morecambe & Wise Show (1968), Hi! Summer (1977), The Val Doonican Show (1970) and her own TV series called 'Lena Zavaroni and Music', the first of which was screened on BBC Television in May 1979. Sadly, Lena developed anorexia and spent many years fighting this devastating disease until she died in 1999.- Ivor Roberts (19 July 1925 - 5 September 1999) was an English actor and a television continuity announcer who often appeared in comedic roles.
Born in Nottingham, he returned to acting following service in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. Roberts started his television career as a continuity announcer on regional television in Wales, working for TWW before that company lost its franchise in 1968.
Among his better-known roles were the characters of Arnold Thomas in the 1995-97 television series Oh, Doctor Beeching! and Mr Barnes in the second, third and fourth series of You Rang, M'Lord?. He also made a guest appearance, as a police officer, in one episode of George and Mildred. Another notable appearance was as Mr. Chick in Dombey and Son. He also played a part in "Porridge".
He died in Cardiff, Wales, in 1999 at the age of 74. - He never knew his father and his mother died when he was 11 leaving him and his 3 brothers - Roger, Alec and Peter.He worked as a van driver, a coach driver for the Ivy Benson band and served in the army. He taught himself to play the guitar and in 1946 was a resident comedian in a radio series. In 1959 he joined The Black and White Minstrels and in 1979 was awarded an O.B.E.
- Michael David was born on 23 May 1930 in Cardiff, Wales, UK. He was an actor, known for The Avengers (1961), Snow White and the Three Stooges (1961) and Conflict (1966). He was married to Jean Harvey. He died on 24 January 1999 in Cardiff, Wales, UK.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Michael Forrest was born in July 1932 in Bridgend, Wales, UK. He was an actor, known for Under Milk Wood (1971), The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes (1971) and How Green Was My Valley (1960). He died on 21 December 2004 in Leckwith, Cardiff, Wales, UK.- Frances Lee was born on 5 May 1906 in Eagle Grove, Iowa, USA. She was an actress, known for Her Splendid Folly (1933), Divorce Made Easy (1929) and The Carnation Kid (1929). She died on 10 October 1999 in Cardiff-by-the Sea, California, USA.
- Rachel Thomas was born on 10 February 1905 in Alltwen, Wales, UK. She was an actress, known for The Woman Who Wouldn't Die (1965), The Captive Heart (1946) and The Tunnel (1940). She was married to Hywel J. Thomas. She died on 8 February 1995 in Cardiff, Wales, UK.
- Dyfrig Evans was an actor, known for Hidden (2018), Gwen (2018) and Darren Drws Nesa (2017). He died on 26 May 2022 in Cardiff, Wales, UK.
- Actor
- Writer
Gerry Cowan was born on 13 April 1933 in Southwark, London, England, UK. He was an actor and writer, known for The XYY Man (1976), BBC Sunday-Night Play (1960) and Emmerdale Farm (1972). He was married to Julia Barron. He died in 2002 in Cardiff, Wales, UK.- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Paul Turner was born on 30 December 1945 in Cornwall, England, UK. He was a director and writer, known for Hedd Wyn (1992), Pork Pie (1998) and Wild Justice (1994). He was married to Sue Roderick and Sheila Ford. He died on 1 November 2019 in Cardiff, Wales, UK.- Geoffrey of Monmouth was born in 1095 in Monmouth, Wales. Geoffrey of was a writer, known for King Lear (1987), Return of the Dark (2023) and King Lear (1976). Geoffrey of died in 1155 in Cardiff, Wales.
- Terry Pead was born in 1925. He was an actor, known for Mr. Accident (2000) and Young Einstein (1988). He died on 25 November 2010 in Cardiff, New South Wales, Australia.
- Albert Ward was born on 22 April 1917 in Cardiff, Wales, UK. He was an actor, known for Variety (1936), Kindly Leave the Stage (1968) and Northern Showground (1956). He died on 16 May 2001 in Cardiff, Wales, UK.
- Anne Sessions was born in 1935 in Birmingham, England, UK. She was an actress, known for Solomon & Gaenor (1999), Coronation Street (1960) and Together Again: A Tribute to Kenneth Sandford, John Reed, and Thomas Round (2000). She was married to Ralph Mason. She died on 13 November 2018 in Cardiff, Wales, UK.
- Anwen Williams was born in 1950 in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK. She was an actress, known for The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain (1995), The Proposition (1996) and The Old Devils (1992). She died on 5 January 2011 in Cardiff, Wales, UK.
- Additional Crew
Chalmers Johnson was born on 6 August 1931 in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. He is known for Why We Fight (2005), The Pacific Century (1992) and Preventive Warriors (2004). He was married to Margaret Sheila Knipscheer. He died on 20 November 2010 in Cardiff-by-the Sea, California, USA.- Director
- Producer
- Script and Continuity Department
Terry Dyddgen-Jones was born on 3 July 1951 in Wales, UK. He was a director and producer, known for Coronation Street (1960), Emmerdale Farm (1972) and EastEnders (1985). He was married to Judith. He died on 27 June 2018 in Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales, UK.- The last pilot of the Royal Flying Corps in the First World War. He joined the RFC in 1915, aged 20, 'because the pay of two shillings and eight pence a day was better than the army and navy.' He rejoined the RAF in World War II, training pilots to fly and reaching the rank of squadron leader. He died in 2002 at the age of 106.
- Eileen Younghusband was born on 4 July 1921 in London, England, UK. She was married to Peter Younghusband. She died on 2 September 2016 in Cardiff, Wales, UK.
- Michael Cunningham was born in 1926 in Bristol, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Crime Story (1992), The District Nurse (1984) and The Citadel (1983). He was married to Beth Gow. He died on 5 January 2019 in Cardiff, Wales, UK.
- Writer
- Producer
- Director
John Ormond was born on 3 April 1923 in Dunvant, Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales, UK. He was a writer and producer, known for Borrowed Pasture (1960), Madawaska Valley (1967) and Network (1974). He was married to Glenys Roderick. He died on 4 May 1990 in Heath, Cardiff, Wales, UK.