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- A former fellow Florida State University School of Theatre student during the mid-1970s, lovely, talented actress Caris Corfman suffered a tragic and debilitating reversal of fortunes in 1993. Diagnosed with a brain tumor, four operations to remove the benign mass left her with a severe and unrepairable disability. She lost the functioning of the part of her brain that controls short term memory. As a result, she could no longer memorize new lines. What was most amazing was that she could still repeat verbatim passages or monologues she had learned years and years before her operation.
In a bravura turn, Ms. Corfman returned to the stage after over a decade (Flea Theater in Lower Manhattan, October 2005) in an amazing and spiritually rewarding one-woman show entitled "Caris' Peace," in which she talks (via the use of index cards to help keep her focus and continuity of what she covered earlier) about her life and illness, before and after. As writer David Carr expressed in an article about Caris and her showcase, "Her performance is about why she can no longer perform." A filmed documentary entitled "Caris' Peace" chronicles the former actress' story and personal battles. It is obvious to me that this incredibly courageous woman never lost the love and passion she had for the stage.
The Boston-born actress (born in 1955) arrived at FSU in the mid-1970s, about the same time I did. For me, her talent was obvious from the very start. Her showcases while there ranged from a lovely and tender performance as Laura in "The Glass Menagerie" to a strong role in a daring feminist production of "The Taming of the Shrew" in which the actresses took on the male roles and vice versa. Caris played one of the trans-gendered parts with consummate energy, poise and skill. Also appearing in that very cast was another of New York's future preeminent actresses J. Smith-Cameron. One was instantly struck by Caris' natural and vibrant beauty. Mesmerizing with a head full of gorgeous blonde ringlets, two prominent cheekbones and a quick, Cheshire-cat smile, she was one of those people who drew an audience whenever she entered a room. People simply wanted to know her.
Following FSU, Caris attended the Yale School of Drama. She made her off-Broadway debut in the critically-acclaimed production of "Wings" (1978), which was part of Joseph Papp's New York Shakespeare Festival. She also earned outstanding notices for her role as Emma in the Yale Repertory Theatre's production of "Curse of the Starving Class" in 1980. One of her crowning moments was creating the role of Katherina Cavalieri, Salieri's music pupil, in the original Broadway production of "Amadeus" (1980) starring Ian McKellen. Within a few months, she had succeeded Jane Seymour in the leading femme role of Mozart's wife, Constanze Weber. Throughout the 1980s, Caris continued to demonstrate her versatility in a number of original contemporary plays such as "Fish Riding Bikes," "The Sleep of Reason," "Filthy Rich," "Exact Change," "Fathers and Sons," "The Voysey Inheritance," "Dream of a Common Language" and "All This and Moonlight." She also worked with many prominent actors over the years, including David Groh and the ever-so-eccentric Sylvia Miles in "Tea with Mommy and Jack"; David Strathairn in "The Cezanne Syndrome"; Robert Lansing, Barbara Barrie and fellow FSU alumnus J. Smith-Cameron in "Mi Vida Loca"; Christian Slater in "Dry Land"; and Samuel L. Jackson and Jimmy Smits in "Native Speech." Caris was a guest artist at such prestigious repertory theaters as the Arena Stage, and displayed a strong handle on the classics over the years in productions such as O'Neill's "Anna Christie," Shakespeare's "Henry IV Parts I and I" and Congreve's "The Way of the World."
Although she made less than a handful of films, one need not look further in scouting out her possible leading lady potential than with her prime role in the intriguing British period piece Dreamchild (1985) starring Ian Holm as Lewis ("Alice in Wonderland") Carroll and Coral Browne as Alice Hargreaves, Carroll's inspiration for his "Alice" tales. As for TV, it was that medium's loss that she was not utilized more often. It didn't matter for Caris' first love was the theatre.
In 1993, following a role in the movie The Pickle (1993) starring Danny Aiello, Caris' professional journey came to an end. From then on her life would be about recovery, rehabilitation and survival. While she would not be able to remember someone she had met minutes earlier, she would remember ME from our FSU days. And I have always remembered her -- her incredible beauty, both inside and out, her charisma, her amazing talent as a performer and her obvious love and dedication to her craft. Caris' one-woman show would become living proof of the extent of that love and dedication, and, more importantly, her belief that her life was not over but in a major transition.
On January 13, 2007, Caris' life's journey ended, passing away peacefully in her sleep of a stroke at age 51. She continues to be cherished by the family, friends and actors she left behind whose lives she touched and inspired, and is deeply, deeply missed. - Patsy Grady Abrams was born on 25 October 1933 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. She was an actress, known for Serial Mom (1994), Enemy of the State (1998) and A Dirty Shame (2004). She was married to Earle Abrams. She died on 3 January 2023 in Rockville, Maryland, USA.
- Elaine Shore was born on 4 March 1929 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She was an actress, known for The Eiger Sanction (1975), Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon (1970) and The Sentinel (1977). She was married to Alexander J. Shore. She died on 19 March 2007 in Rockville, Maryland, USA.
- Virginia Hall was born on 6 April 1906 in Maryland, USA. She was married to Paul Goillot. She died on 8 July 1982 in Rockville, Maryland, USA.
- E.R. Braithwaite was born on 27 June 1912 in Georgetown, British Guiana. He was a writer, known for To Sir, with Love (1967), To Sir, with Love (1974) and To Sir, with Love II (1996). He was married to Sibyl Allen. He died on 12 December 2016 in Rockville, Maryland, USA.
- Peter Gil was born on 16 January 1941 in Cuenca, Ecuador. He was an actor, known for Mickey (2004), Fallout 3 (2008) and Cecil B. Demented (2000). He died on 12 June 2016 in Rockville, Maryland, USA.
- Lowell Myers was born on 26 January 1930. Lowell was married to Sybil ?. Lowell died on 7 November 2006 in Rockville, Maryland, USA.
- William Safire was born on 17 December 1929 in New York City, New York, USA. He was a writer, known for In Event of Moon Disaster (2019), The Story of English (1986) and The Trials of Henry Kissinger (2002). He was married to Helene Belmar Julius. He died on 27 September 2009 in Rockville, Maryland, USA.
- Frederick Singer died on 6 April 2020 in Rockville, Maryland, USA.
- Mike Garrison was born on 29 March 1941 in Martinsville, Indiana, USA. He was an actor, known for Girl in Gold Boots (1968), Love, Swedish Style (1972) and The Corpse Grinders (1971). He died on 22 June 2005 in Rockville, Indiana, USA.
- Reggie Jones was born on 8 April 1927 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA. He was married to Bette Gallacher. He died on 30 January 2021 in Rockville Centre, Long Island, New York, USA.
- John Keenan was born on 18 December 1919 in Borough Park, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. He died on 19 September 2019 in Rockville Centre, Long Island, New York, USA.
- Music Department
- Composer
- Soundtrack
John Jennings is a noted producer, instrumentalist and composer. He has produced tracks for several movies, including My Best Friends Wedding, Tin Cup and Steal This Movie. He has also done numerous orchestrations for Weston Woods Studios (a division of Scholastic Books), including Miss Rumphius, Haloween Moon and Reading To Your Bunny. Known for his Grammy-winning work with Mary Chapin Carpenter, he has also produced recordings for Janis Ian, John Gorka and John McCuthcheon, in addition to performing on recordings by such artists as indigo girls, Ricky Skaggs, Iris Dement and George Jones. He has released five CDs of his own material over the past ten years.- Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
The prolific songwriter and bandleader Vincent Rose was born in the Sicilian town of Palermo in June 1880. He emigrated to the United States in 1897 at the age of seventeen, but returned to Italy to complete his musical studies (piano and violin). Once again back in the U.S., Rose was initially employed as a musical director working for a chain of Chicago hotels. He formed his own orchestra in Southern California sometime between 1904 and 1906 (accounts vary), establishing a residency at the fashionable Cafe Montmartre on Hollywood Boulevard (the band became henceforth known as the Montmartre Orchestra). Patrons included the wealthy and the famous. Actors Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle (on drums) and Tom Mix (on trumpet) occasionally gigged with the band and Harry Owens, future leader of the 'Royal Hawaiians', played trumpet and co-wrote the song "Linger Awhile" with Rose. The resulting hit broadened the band's appeal and opened doors for engagements at the Ritz-Carlton in New York and the College Inn in Chicago. Prominent members of the long-lived Montmartre Orchestra included Smith Ballew, Irving Kaufman and Chick Bullock.
Rose wrote many more successful tunes, often in collaboration with top songsmiths like Buddy G. DeSylva. Some of these were showcased on Broadway, notably in revues staged by the impresario Earl Carroll. Rose's most famous contributions as co-writer include "Whispering", "Avalon" and "Blueberry Hill", the latter a hit ballad for Glenn Miller in 1940, and, in 1956, an R&B mega hit for Fats Domino.
Rose quit the band scene in the mid-1930's to pursue other musical interests. He died in New York in May 1944 at the age of 63.- British actor, primarily in America. Owen directed theatre productions and served as a casting director for the stage as well as for Paramount Pictures. He was also a professional playreader for a production agency. Following a week's illness, he died of diphtheria at 55 in Rockville Center, New York, and was buried there.
- Bill Surgi was born on 7 February 1924 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. He died on 1 November 2003 in Rockville, Maryland, USA.
- Dana Krueger was born on 6 April 1940 in Washington, USA. She was an actress, known for The Abduction of Figaro by P.D.Q Bach (1807-1742)? (1984). She was married to Milton Grossman. She died on 12 July 2014 in Rockville, Maryland, USA.
- Additional Crew
- Director
- Writer
Gene Starbecker was born on 16 May 1927 in Bronx, New York, USA. Gene was a director and writer, known for ...and Then It Happened (1972), Death Zones (1975) and Just in Case: Suppression of School Bus Fires (1977). Gene was married to Marcia Marlow. Gene died on 10 January 2008 in Rockville, Maryland, USA.- Paul Danaceau was born on 27 January 1934 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. He was an actor, known for Max Magician and the Legend of the Rings (2002). He was married to Merry Cummings. He died on 16 November 2010 in Rockville, Maryland, USA.
- Nancy Sheridan was born in February 1903 in Wheeling, West Virginia. She was an actress, known for Man Against Crime (1949), Volume One (1949) and Follow Your Heart (1953). She died on 3 October 1998 in Rockville, Maryland, USA.
- Charls E. Walker was born on 24 December 1923 in Graham, Texas, USA. He was married to Harmolyn H. Hart. He died on 2 June 2015 in Rockville, Maryland, USA.
- May Ugarek was born on 22 April 1931 in Unityville, Pennsylvania, USA. She was an actress, known for Deadlands: The Rising (2006). She died on 12 October 2010 in Rockville, Maryland, USA.
- Roger Kennedy was born on 3 August 1926 in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. He was married to Frances Hefren Kennedy. He died on 30 September 2011 in Rockville, Maryland, USA.
- Pablo Eisenberg was born on 1 July 1936 in Paris, France. He was married to Helen Cierniak. He died on 18 October 2022 in Rockville, Maryland, USA.
- Bob Beckwith was born on 16 April 1932 in Astoria, Queens, New York City, New York, USA. He was married to Barbara Armband. He died on 4 February 2024 in Rockville Centre, New York, USA.