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1-15 of 15
- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Ivan Dixon was a handsome, mustachioed African-American actor and director who carried a strong, serious nature about his solid frame. He initially earned attention in groundbreaking stage and film work with pronounced themes of social and racial relevance. He would become better known, however, for his ensemble playing in the nonsensical but popular WWII sitcom Hogan's Heroes (1965). His character was a POW radio technician with the last name of Kinchloe, and the role, while heightening his visibility, did little to satisfy his creative needs. Overshadowed by the flashier posturings of stars Bob Crane, Werner Klemperer and John Banner, Ivan eventually left the series after season five (of six), the only one of the original cast to do so. He was among the few African-American male actors in the 1960s, along with Bill Cosby and Greg Morris, to either star or co-star on a major TV series.
Born Ivan Nathaniel Dixon III on Monday, April 6, 1931, in New York's Harlem area, where his parents originally owned a grocery store, Ivan grew up in the South and as a youngster was headed towards a life of crime before he took a keen interest in acting. This helped him to get back on the straight and narrow, studying dramatics at Lincoln Academy, a black boarding school in Gaston County, North Carolina. He then graduated from North Carolina Central University (in Durham) with a degree in drama in 1954.
Ivan's Broadway debut occurred three years later in William Saroyan's "The Cave Dwellers", and in 1959 his career took a significant jump after earning the role of Joseph Asagai, the well-mannered Nigerian-born college student, in Lorraine Hansberry's landmark drama "A Raisin in the Sun". Starring Sidney Poitier, it was the first play written by a black woman that was produced on Broadway. He and Poitier became lifelong friends, and Ivan's early film career included providing stunt double assistance for Poitier in The Defiant Ones (1958).
Following minor film parts in the racially tinged Something of Value (1957) and Porgy and Bess (1959) (both of which starred Poitier), he and Poitier recreated their respective Broadway roles in the film version of A Raisin in the Sun (1961), which drew high marks all round. Ivan's most mesmerizing film role, however, came a few years later when he and renowned jazz singer Abbey Lincoln starred in the contemporary film drama Nothing But a Man (1964). Starring as a young, aimless railroad worker who gives up his job to marry a schoolteacher and minister's daughter (Lincoln), Ivan's character matures as he strives to build a noble, dignified life for the couple, who are living in the deeply prejudiced South. The film was hailed for its extraordinarily powerful portrayals of black characters and its stark, uncompromising script. The film, which was written by two white documentary filmmakers who spent time in the Deep South in the 1960s, was considered far ahead of its time. Dixon himself never found a comparable role in film again. During this time, he was cast in several TV dramas, with fine roles on "Perry Mason," "The Twilight Zone," "Laramie", "The Outer Limits" and several other series.
Following another strong but secondary showing as Poitier's brother in the film A Patch of Blue (1965), Dixon won the role of Kinchloe on Hogan's Heroes (1965). While shooting the series, he managed to squeeze in the title role in "The Final War of Olly Winter," a dramatic special that earned him his sole Emmy nomination in 1967. After he decided to leave Hogan's Heroes (1965) after five seasons, his acting work was limited. Active in the civil rights movement (he served as a president of Negro Actors for Action), he steadfastly refused to play roles that he felt were stereotypical. Instead, he segued into directing and was a noted success, helping hundreds of television productions during the '70s and '80s, including "Nichols," "The Waltons," "The Greatest American Hero," "The Rockford Files," "Magnum, P.I.," "Quincy" and "In the Heat of the Night."
Ivan also managed to direct films, including Trouble Man (1972) and the controversial crime drama The Spook Who Sat by the Door (1973), the story of the first black officer in the Central Intelligence Agency, who turns revolutionary. This blaxploitation-era movie did not do well upon initial release (the film's title being highly questionable) and was quickly pulled from theaters. It subsequently gained cult status.
Throughout his career, Ivan actively worked for better roles for himself and other black actors. Among the honors he received were four NAACP Image Awards, the National Black Theatre Award, and the Paul Robeson Pioneer Award from the Black American Cinema Society.
In his final years, Ivan battled kidney disease and died of a brain hemorrhage at age 76 in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was survived by his wife of 58 years, Berlie Ray, whom he met while both were college theater students. Two of their four children, Ivan Nathaniel IV and N'Gai Christopher, predeceased him. His surviving children are Doris Nomathande Dixon and Alan Kimara; Doris has been a documentary filmmaker and was a one-time production assistant on the film Boyz n the Hood (1991). The complete life span of Ivan Dixon--April 6th, 1931, to Sunday, March 16, 2008--totaled 28,097 days, or 4,013 weeks and 6 days.- Julianna Redding was born on 25 October 1986 in Tucson, Arizona, USA. She was an actress, known for Kathy T (2005). She died on 16 March 2008 in Santa Monica, California, USA.
- Actor
- Writer
- Music Department
John Hewer was born on 13 January 1922 in Leyton, Essex, England, UK. He was an actor and writer, known for Assassin for Hire (1951), Nicholas Nickleby (1977) and Fredric March Presents Tales from Dickens (1959). He died on 16 March 2008 in Twickenham, London, England, UK.- Vala Clifton was born on 28 March 1942 in New York, New York, USA. She was an actress, known for Dark Shadows (1966). She died on 16 March 2008 in San Francisco, California, USA.
- Music Department
- Actor
Ola Brunkert was born on 15 September 1946 in Örebro, Örebro län, Sweden. He was an actor, known for Mitt sanna jag (1995), Och skeppets namn var Gigantic... (1980) and ABBA: The Movie (1977). He was married to Inger. He died on 16 March 2008 in Arta, Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain.- Gary Hart was an American professional wrestler/manager/booker/promoter from the 1960s to the 1990s. He wrestled primarily around the U.S. with some appearances in Canada and Australia. As a wrestler, he held the NWA American (World Class in Dallas) Tag Team Titles twice, both times with The Spoiler (Don Jardine). He was one of the wrestlers in the infamous February 20, 1975 plane crash that killed wrestler Bobby Shane. Despite suffering several injuries, Hart was able to rescue Austin Idol and Buddy Colt, but failed to save Shane.
His first charge as a manager was The Student (George 'The Animal' Steele). He built a stable called Gary Hart's Army, which included Abdullah the Butcher, Mark Lewin, Robert Roop, Beau James (Jimmy 'Jam' Garvin), The One Man Gang (George Gray), Dusty Rhodes, King Curtis Iaukea, Dory Funk Jr., Dingo Warrior (Jim Hellwig), Giant Baba, Pak Song (Song Pak), Al Perez, Dick Slater, Dick Murdoch, Professor Toru Tanaka, The Great Kabuki (Akihisa Mera) and Kendo Nagasaki (Kazuo Sakurada).
His last major run as a manager was in the NWA/WCW in 1989-1990, as the leader of The J-Tex Corporation, which comprised The Great Muta (Keiji Mutô), Terry Funk, Sawyer, Slater and The Dragon Master (Nagasaki). His last match was Sting (Steve Borden) defeating him at a house show (non-televised event) at the Omni Coliseum in Atlanta, Georgia on October 8, 1989.
He made a surprise return to wrestling at "MLW Reloaded Tour 2004 Night 2", Tabu Nightclub, Orlando, FL, January 10, 2004, sending Homicide (Nelson Erazo) and Low Ki to attack Terry Funk after Funk had lost a barbed-wire match to MLW World Heavyweight Champion Steve Corino. This was meant as Hart's retribution against Funk for having lost the "I Quit" match to NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair at Clash of the Champions IX: New York Knockout (1989). This never led to anything because of MLW closing soon after, and the promotion didn't return until 2017, and Hart passed away in 2008.
Hart's son Chad wrestled for a while in Texas during the 1990s, winning the World Class II Texas Tag Team Title, the TAP Television Title and the EPW Texas Title.
Fellow manager Sir Oliver Humperdink was the best man at Hart's 2005 wedding.
His autobiography, "My Life In Wrestling...With A Little Help From My Friends" was published posthumously in 2009.
He was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2014, the NWA Hall of Fame in 2016, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 2018 and the WWE Hall of Fame in 2020. - Alexandre Bourguignon was an actor, known for Paris, I Love You (2006), The Last Deadly Mission (2008) and Mais qui a tué Pamela Rose? (2003). He died on 16 March 2008 in Madagascar.
- Costume and Wardrobe Department
- Special Effects
- Additional Crew
William McNully was born on 6 December 1964 in Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA. William is known for Barney's Great Adventure (1998), Barney in Outer Space (1998) and Walk Around the Block with Barney (1999). William died on 16 March 2008 in Lancaster, Texas, USA.- Jonathan Williams was born on 8 March 1929 in Asheville, North Carolina, USA. He died on 16 March 2008 in Highlands, North Carolina, USA.
- Bob Purkey was born on 14 July 1929 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. He was married to Joan Latsko. He died on 16 March 2008 in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA.
- Additional Crew
Blair Rudes was born on 18 May 1951 in Gloversville, New York, USA. He is known for The Ruins (2008), The New World (2005) and Making 'the New World' (2006). He died on 16 March 2008 in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA.- Fabian Kiebicz was born on 15 January 1920 in Wilno, Wilenskie, Poland [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. He was an actor, known for Akwarele (1978), Death of a President (1977) and Jeszcze nie wieczór (2008). He died on 16 March 2008 in Skolimów, Konstancin-Jeziorna, Mazowieckie, Poland.
- Producer
- Editor
- Director
Michael Hill was born on 17 June 1923 in Yorkshire, England, UK. Michael was a producer and editor, known for Five Faces of War (1968), The Late Show (1966) and Film '72 (1971). Michael died on 16 March 2008 in Kent, England, UK.- Bill Brown was born on 31 July 1912 in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. He died on 16 March 2008 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
- Daniel MacMaster was born on 11 July 1968 in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. He was an actor, known for Bonham: Wait for You (1989), Bonham: Change of a Season (1992) and Bonham: Guilty (1989). He died on 16 March 2008 in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.