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1-16 of 16
- British actress Zena Walker would become better known for her output of theatre work than film. Born on March 7, 1934, in Birmingham, she was the daughter of George Walker, a grocer, and wife Elizabeth Louise (Hammond). A sensuous, graceful, dusky-voiced presence, she was educated at St. Martin's School and trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She turned down a film contract by Alexander Korda at this time in favor of additional training.
Zena made her professional stage debut in Birmingham in 1950 in a walk-on part in "Smooth-Faced Gentleman". From there, she played a number of lovely Shakespearean femmes in repertory at the Stratford and the Old Vic, including "Miranda" in "The Tempest" (1952), "Juliet" in "Romeo and Juliet" (1954), "Katharine" in "Henry V" (1955) and "Perdita" in "The Winter's Tale" (1955).
Following occasional TV work in the late 1950s, she entered 1960s films with little fanfare although she did meet and subsequently marry her first husband, actor Robert Urquhart, while making Danger Tomorrow (1960). She had a tendency to be a prime emoter in quickie little "B" crimers and while her film work in Snowball (1960), The Hellions (1961), Emergency (1962) and The Model Murder Case (1963) and Daylight Robbery (1964) was commendable, it certainly did not advance her career.
She returned to the theater after some time to raise a child and impressed in a number of classical roles including "Man and Superman", "The Cherry Orchard", "The Fighting Cock" and as "Lady MacDuff" in "Macbeth". In 1967, she was critically lauded for her role as "Sheila", the mother of a handicapped child, in the black comedy "A Day in the Death of Joe Egg", which she took to Broadway and earned the Tony award for "featured actress" opposite Albert Finney.
Noted earlier for her ethereal beauty, she later earned respect for the vulnerability, maturity and emotional depth of her matronly roles. Neglected for the most part in films, she found more prolific work on TV, notably the series Man at the Top (1970). One of her last roles was an episode of Rosemary & Thyme (2003) in 2003.
Zena died on August 23, 2003 in Brockenhurst, Hampshire at age 69. Following her divorce to Urquhart, she married and divorced actor Julian Holloway, who was the son of "My Fair Lady" actor Stanley Holloway, and then theatrical agent John French. She had two children by her first marriage; her son tragically died while in his teens. Like other British stage notables, she was sinfully wasted in films. She could have easily pulled off a remarkable senior career (i.e., Judi Dench) had the opportunity appeared. - April Wilding was born on 4 January 1941 in Bolton, Lancashire, England, UK. She was an actress, known for Secret Agent (1964), Secrets of a Windmill Girl (1966) and The Saint (1962). She was married to John Stride. She died on 24 August 2003 in Kensington, London, England, UK.
- Tommy Alexander was born on 3 January 1942 in Texas, USA. He was an actor, known for The Fugitive (1963), Ben Casey (1961) and Perry Mason (1957). He died on 24 August 2003 in Cathedral City, California, USA.
- Casting Department
- Casting Director
- Production Manager
Barbara Miller was born on 5 March 1935. She was a casting director and production manager, known for The West Wing (1999), ER (1994) and The Last Starfighter (1984). She died on 24 August 2003 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Robert C. Bruce was born on 6 October 1914 in White Salmon, Washington, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for This Is the Life (1952), Having a Wonderful Time with Angels in Dirty Places (1938) and Bravo, Mr. Strauss (1943). He was married to Catharine Burnap. He died on 24 August 2003 in Greenville, South Carolina, USA.
- Aminah Rizq was born on 13 April 1910 in Tanta, Egypt. She was an actress, known for Cleobatra (1943), Al-mouled (1989) and Saut min el madi (1956). She died on 24 August 2003 in Cairo, Egypt.
- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Often thought to be Canadian or Egyptian, Walton was in fact born Kenneth Walton Beckett in England in 1917. Shortening his name to Kent Walton when he became a disc jockey on Radio Luxembourg, he soon found himself in demand on TV particularly as a voice-over man. Whilst acting as a compere on the pop show Cool for Cats, Walton developed an interest in wrestling through Mick McManus and subsequently became ITV's 'voice of wrestling' from 1955 till the sight of burly men throwing each other around a ring was put out to pasture by the network in 1988. In 1970 Walton had formed Pyramid Films with Crossroads creator Hazel Adair and the pair jointly and anonymously produced Elton Hawke's films 'Can You Keep It Up For a Week' and 'Clinic Xclusive' (aka With These Hands). After the pair came clean about their sex film work in the 1975 BBC2 documentary Man Alive: Exploitation, a solo Adair was then free to produce the big budget 'Keep It Up Downstairs' under her real name. In an earlier incarnation as 'Ralph Solomans', Adair and Walton had also produced the sex/horror film 'Virgin Witch'. Upon his death in 2003, most of Walton's obituaries chose to ignore his film work.- Producer
- Actor
Sheldon Abend was born on 13 June 1929 in New York City, New York, USA. He was a producer and actor, known for Original Sin (2001), Why Would I Lie? (1980) and Rear Window (1998). He died on 24 August 2003 in New York City, New York, USA.- Actor
- Production Manager
Daxson Thomas was born on 3 January 1942 in Texas, USA. He was an actor and production manager, known for Fever Heat (1968), The Manhunter (1974) and Cannon (1971). He died on 24 August 2003 in Riverside, California, USA.- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Actor
Peter R. Scoppa was born on 2 April 1924 in The Bronx, New York, USA. He was an assistant director and actor, known for The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974), Love Story (1970) and Three Days of the Condor (1975). He died on 24 August 2003 in Palm Harbor, Florida, USA.- Herbert Otto was born on 15 March 1925 in Breslau, Silesia, Germany [now Wroclaw, Dolnoslaskie, Poland]. He was a writer, known for Zeit der Störche (1971), Septemberliebe (1961) and Zum Beispiel Josef (1974). He died on 24 August 2003 in Rostock, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.
- Writer
- Producer
Jack Eisner was born on 15 November 1925 in Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland. He was a writer and producer, known for War and Love (1985) and To Tell the Truth (1980). He was married to Sara and Helen L. Adler. He died on 24 August 2003 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA.- Editor
- Music Department
- Actor
Bernard Matis was born on 22 March 1918 in Bayonne, New Jersey, USA. He was an editor and actor, known for Cavalcade of America (1952), That Girl (1966) and Hey, Jeannie! (1956). He was married to Reba M. Willis and Norma Lee Mangum. He died on 24 August 2003 in Huntington Beach, California, USA.- Irmhild La Nier-Kuhnt was born on 12 July 1934. She was a producer and editor, known for Telerop 2009 - Es ist noch was zu retten (1974), Büro, Büro (1982) and So lebten sie im Jahre... (1964). She died on 24 August 2003 in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
- Wilfred Thesiger was born on 3 June 1910 in Addis Ababa, Abyssinia [now Ethiopia]. He died on 24 August 2003 in Croydon, Surrey, England, UK.
- Production Manager
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Additional Crew
Daxon Thomas was born on 3 January 1942 in Texas, USA. He was a production manager and assistant director, known for The Boogens (1981), Hangar 18 (1980) and Kid Colter (1985). He died on 24 August 2003 in Riverside, California, USA.