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1-48 of 48
- Actor
- Director
- Soundtrack
George Gaynes was born in Helsinki in May, 1917, which was then the capital of the Grand Duchy of Finland. The Grand Duchy was part of the Russian Empire, which was in a state of collapse at the time of Gaynes' birth. The Emperor Nicholas II of Russia had abdicated the throne on March 15, two months prior to Gaynes' birth, and the Empire was in the process of splintering.
His family left the country, and George was primarily raised in France, England, and Switzerland. Neither of his parents was Finnish. His father Gerrit Jongejans was a Dutch businessman, and his mother Iya Grigorievna de Gay was a Russian artist. George attended college in the vicinity of Lausanne, Switzerland and graduated in 1937. He then attended a music school in Milan, Italy for about a year.
In 1940, George Gaynes was living in France, during the time of the Battle of France in World War II. The Battle ended in defeat for the French Third Republic and the country was occupied by Nazi Germany. George attempted to flee the occupation authorities, by crossing the Pyrenees mountains into neutral Spain. He was arrested by the Spanish authorities for illegally crossing the border, but was soon released.
In 1943, George joined the Royal Netherlands Navy. With the Netherlands under German occupation, the headquarters of the Navy had moved to London, in the United Kingdom. George had no previous military experience, but he was noticed for multilingual skills. He fluently spoke Dutch, English, French, Italian and Russian. He was soon detached to the (British) Royal Navy to serve as a translator.
During his naval service in World War II, George took part in the Allied invasion of Sicily, the Battle of Anzio in the Italian Campaign, and the Adriatic Campaign. The War ended in 1945 and George was honorably discharged in July, 1946. His highest military rank was that of a sergeant.
In 1946, George briefly returned to living in France. He was approached by an American theater director with the offer to play a part in a musical. He took the offer and moved to New York City, where he started appearing in Broadway musicals. He applied for American citizenship and officially became a citizen in 1948.
From the late 1940s to the early 1960s, George Gaynes was primarily a theatrical actor. His roles included various musicals, dramas, and comedies. One of his better-known roles was that of Henry Higgins in the theatrical version of ''My Fair Lady'', which went on a successful tour in 1964.
In the early 1960s, George started appearing as a character actor in various television series. He was also offered a number of film roles. His career unexpectedly took off in the 1980s, with a major part in the television series Punky Brewster (1985) and another one in the then-popular film series "Police Academy" from 1984 to 1994. In Police Academy (1984), his role was that of Commandant Eric Lassard, the titular leader of the Academy. He played the role in all 7 films of the series, though he only had a featured part in the fifth film. This was probably his most memorable role and gained him celebrity recognition for the first time.
In the 1990s, his career slowed down again, with only a few film appearances. He only played in a single film through the 2000s, Just Married (2003), and then retired. He was 86-years-old and could no longer play physically demanding roles. He spend 13 years in retirement before he died of natural causes in 2016.- Actress
- Soundtrack
A talented actress, dancer, and singer with a long history on Broadway and in Hollywood, McLerie retired in 1993.
Born in Canada, she was raised in Brooklyn, where she attended Fort Hamilton High School. She was married to actor George Gaynes for over 60 years, until his death in 2016. They had two children. She died at her home in North Bend, Washington, aged 91, in 2018.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Lorin Dreyfuss was born on 4 December 1944 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for Skatetown U.S.A. (1979), Detective School Dropouts (1986) and Dutch Treat (1987). He was married to Elizabeth Woods, Patricia Barbara Daw and Barbara R. Mills. He died on 21 August 2021 in Bend, Oregon, USA.- Irene Vernon was born on 16 January 1922 in Mishawaka, Indiana, USA. She was an actress, known for Bewitched (1964), Fireside Theatre (1949) and The Sound of Fury (1950). She was married to Emmanuel Rosenberg. She died on 21 April 1998 in South Bend, Indiana, USA.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Edna Skinner and her friend Jean Fish retired to the southern Oregon coast in the 1970s after both had led colorful lives and rewarding careers in everything from Hollywood movies to outdoor writing, gathering up innumerable interests and friends along the way. Settling in the North Bend/Coos Bay area, they built a house on the bay in the shape of a big boat, and restored a pioneer-era store into a popular antique shop and cafe in the nearby town of Lakeside. To this day, Edna and Jean are fondly remembered for their enthusiasm in both communities, and many people treasure memories of their annual open house in North Bend to share their prized antiques and latest acquisitions, and to talk about the home. Edna's 1978 book "The Heart of Lakeside" is available at local libraries, and sometimes found at local used bookstores or garage sales. In a quaint and often flowery style, it chronicles the colorful history of Lakeside, including a few Indian tales and some recollections of its heyday as a getaway for Hollywood celebrities. Ever the civic booster, Edna proclaimed all proceeds from the book would go into a savings account in a local bank for "nonpolitical" projects and purposes. In the book's Forward, she writes that it was a "labor of love and insatiable curiosity." Even though there were still a few old-timers around in the 1970s to share stories of the early days, she diplomatically points out that facts are often "enlarged" by the teller, and that the retelling sometimes encourages imagination. The book has many old, grainy and not well reproduced photos, with interesting tidbits of information in the captions. There are stories about how places got their names; one interesting Indian tale explains how each arm of the sprawling, twin bodies of water known as Ten Mile Lakes was the domain of a different spirit-animal. In a section called "Welcome" near the book's end, Edna shares some biographical information about herself and Jean, often writing about herself in the third person: She explains that she and Jean were of retirement age, their husbands and parents gone. Lifelong career women, Jean was part of a famed restaurant family, then gained fame herself as a model and fashion designer. She married a minister and together they had a son. Edna doesn't mention how she and Jean met. Edna writes that she was "teethed" in early life in Oregon when her father came to purchase logs for the paper mills in the small town of Fulton, New York. As a child the loggers and her grandfather took her fishing, even though she was an asthmatic child, and thought to never survive until adulthood. "Nature" with a capital 'N' was and is her therapy and survival, she writes. She doesn't share the hows and wheres of it, but she "became" a very well known actress and writer, starring in Broadway's legendary "Oklahoma" and other plays. She writes that she was also well known in World War II for organizing rallies to raise funds presumably through War Bond sales, eventually bringing in $38 million. Again without providing any details, she writes that her life took her to a ranch in Montana where she "enjoyed the hard work." Just as abruptly, she turns up in Hollywood, where she recalls being in such films as "Easy to Love," "Long, Long Trailer," and "Friendly Persuasion," along with over 48 TV films. She also mentions her several seasons in "Topper,"' "Gildersleeve" and finally "Mr. Ed" where she starred for over four years. She writes that she "retired with grace when the sophisticated and elegant comedy world drifted away." According to her book, for the next nine years she and her sister Ann were the first women field editors for an outdoor sports publication, and the two also became famous as the Skinner Sisters, appearing at major sport shows through the U.S. and Canada and, representing two large tackle companies. Along the way they presumably made trips along Oregon's beautiful South Coast, enjoying the many fresh and saltwater fishing opportunities, among other things. And so it was that Edna and her friend Jean retired there and lived out their lives. Edna was always proud of her Hollywood achievements, even though she probably would've liked to be remembered for her more dramatic roles than for Mr. Ed. But that's what most people "knew her from," and it especially tickled local youngsters in the 1970s and '80s that "Mr. Ed's noisy neighbor" was still alive and kicking and living right there in North Bend.- Director
- Actor
- Writer
Bud Townsend was born on 17 October 1921. He was a director and actor. He was married to Patty Sue Townsend. He died on 19 September 1997 in Bend, Oregon, USA.- Terry Doyle was born on 29 June 1933 in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. He was an actor, known for Men of Yesterday (1936), Power Play (1978) and The Spreading Ground (2000). He was married to Joyce Murphy. He died on 3 June 2005 in Grand Bend, Ontario, Canada.
- Phil Halpin was born on 25 July 1938 in Springfield, Illinois, USA. He died on 25 July 2003 in Bend, Oregon, USA.
- Herb Baumeister was born on 7 April 1947 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. He was married to Juliana Saiter. He died on 3 July 1996 in Grand Bend, Ontario, Canada.
- Actor
- Composer
- Writer
Matt Roberts was born on 10 January 1978 in Pascagoula, Mississippi, USA. He was an actor and composer, known for Corky Romano (2001), 3 Doors Down: Kryptonite (2000) and SingStar Pop (2007). He died on 20 August 2016 in West Bend, Wisconsin, USA.- For 30 years, Patrick broadcast everything from rodeos to the World Series. But he was best known for his highly charged play-by-play accounts of football games. Patrick broadcast Detroit Tiger baseball games regularly from 1952 to 1959, and in 1949 was on the first World Series telecast. For years he broadcast the Detroit Lions on local television, but, to the great displeasure of many Lion fans, he was forced to leave the Lion television broadcast when the CBS television network went to its own announcers.
Patrick was offered a spot as a CBS announcer, but would not have been assured Lion games, and could not have continued broadcasting Notre Dame football games. He refused the job. He continued to broadcast Lions games on radio, how-ever, and many Detroiters began placing radios near their television sets, turning off the CBS announcer and listening to Patrick broadcast the games on WJR radio with his partner, Bob Reynolds. - Additional Crew
- Producer
- Music Department
Murdo MacKenzie was born on 6 November 1913 in San Anselmo, California, USA. Murdo was a producer, known for Julia (1968), The Bing Crosby Show (1959) and The Jimmy Stewart Show (1971). Murdo was married to Trudy Erwin. Murdo died on 22 August 1999 in Bend, Oregon, USA.- Leon Hart was born on 2 November 1928 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. He was married to Lois Blair Newyahr. He died on 24 September 2002 in South Bend, Indiana, USA.
- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
Vincent A. Martinelli was born on 22 May 1933 in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA. He was a cinematographer, known for Amazing Stories (1985), The Amazing Spider-Man (1977) and The Bionic Woman (1976). He died on 5 March 2010 in Bend, Oregon, USA.- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Al Hendrickson was born on 10 May 1920 in Eastland, Texas, USA. He is known for The Danny Kaye Show (1963). He was married to Mary Patricia "Patti". He died on 19 July 2007 in North Bend, Oregon, USA.- Make-Up Department
- Art Director
Don Marando was born on 10 September 1929. He was an art director, known for Walking Tall (1981), The Dukes of Hazzard (1979) and Going in Style (1979). He was married to Rose Marando. He died on 7 April 2018 in South Bend, Indiana, USA.- David Rufkahr was born on 1 September 1934 in Missouri, USA. He was an actor, known for Bartles & Jaymes: Frank and Ed (1984). He died on 23 April 1996 in Bend, Oregon, USA.
- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Hank McCune was born on 1 March 1917 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. He was an actor and producer, known for Wetbacks (1956), A Life at Stake (1955) and The Hank McCune Show (1949). He died on 16 May 2005 in Bend, Oregon, USA.- Jude Ash was born on 25 January 1988 in Syria. He was an actor, known for Sugar (2019) and Just One Word (2020). He died on 2 April 2021 in South Bend, Indiana, USA.
- Darrall Tucker Imhoff was an American professional basketball player. He spent 12 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA), playing for six teams from 1960 to 1972. Darrall Imhoff was born October 11, 1938 to Clark and Lorraine (Tucker) Imhoff. He grew up in San Gabriel, California and attended Alhambra High School, Alhambra, California. He was an NBA All-Star and an Olympic Gold medalist.
- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Craig Cooke was born on 21 August 1950 in Anchorage, Alaska, USA. He was an actor and producer, known for I Love You?, Healthy Dude and Jolly Stoner (2014) and Healthy Dude and Jolly Stoner. He died on 20 April 2010 in South Bend, Indiana, USA.- Writer
- Producer
Joel Kauffman was known for his comic strip, "Pontius Puddle", which was published in more than 200 newspapers. He coordinated or worked on various museum-type projects, including at Menno-Hof in Shipshewana, Indiana; Israel's Nazareth Village, and, at the time of his death was content coordinator for the Museum of the Bible in Washington DC. He was a Mennonite minister and resided in Goshen, Indiana.- Géza Kardos was born on 19 August 1888 in Tiszacsege, Hungary. He was an actor, known for A nap lovagja (1919), Fiú vagy lány? (1946) and Zörgetnek az ablakon (1944). He was married to Vickie Bruckner. He died on 5 August 1955 in South Bend, Indiana, USA.
- Music Department
- Composer
- Soundtrack
Emmanuel Vardi was born on 21 April 1915 in Jerusalem, Palestine [now Jerusalem, Israel]. He was a composer, known for Knightriders (1981), Romeo.Juliet (1990) and Life Study (1973). He was married to Lenore. He died on 29 January 2011 in North Bend, Washington, USA.- Camera and Electrical Department
Rex Hiscocks was born on 15 May 1951 in California, USA. He is known for Outbreak (1995), The Sweetest Thing (2002) and Big Fat Liar (2002). He died on 7 January 2010 in La Bend, Oregon, USA.