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1-35 of 35
- Actress
- Producer
It would have been pretty difficult for willowy actress/model Dina Merrill to have pulled off playing a commoner on stage, film or TV in her day. She reeked of elegance and class. The epitome of style, poise and glamour, the New York-born socialite and celebrity was born Nedenia Marjorie Hutton on December 29, 1923, the daughter of E.F. Hutton, the financier and founder of the Wall Street firm that bore his name, and heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post, of the Post cereal fortune. Although Dina made elegant, elaborate use of her upbringing over the decades, she handled it all positively and graciously without tabloid incidents, instilling these same refined credentials into a large portion of her characters.
Dina did not originally intend on an acting career. After studying at George Washington University, she suddenly dropped out after only a year (to the chagrin of her disapproving parents) after demonstrating a late desire to perform. Enrolling at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and studying with Uta Hagen among others, Dina appeared in the comedy "The Man Who Came to Dinner" before taking her first Broadway curtain call in "The Mermaids Singing" in 1945. She took some time off to play wife and mother to three children after marrying Stanley Rumbough, Jr., heir to the Colgate toothpaste fortune.
Dina finally made an official film debut with a smart and stylish support role in the Spencer Tracy/Katharine Hepburn vehicle Desk Set (1957). She continued to charm in the same upper crust vein playing some version of the model wife or blue-blooded maven in frequent posh outings. Some of her more noticeable roles came with Operation Petticoat (1959) with the equally classy Cary Grant; BUtterfield 8 (1960) starring Elizabeth Taylor and Laurence Harvey; and The Young Savages (1961) opposite Burt Lancaster.
Following her divorce to Rumbough after 20 years, Dina married ruggedly handsome actor Cliff Robertson in 1966. The pair had one daughter and were a popular Hollywood fixture for nearly 20 years. With her film career on the wane in the mid 1960's, Dina gravitated toward TV guest spots on such popular shows as "Dr. Kildare," "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," "Burke's Law," "Rawhide," "Daktari," "Bonanza," "Daniel Boone," "Batman" (as the villainous "Calamity Jan" alongside Robertson's western bad guy "Shame"), "The Name of the Game," "The Virginian," "Night Gallery," "Marcus Welby," "The Love Boat" and "The Odd Couple." She also graced a number of TV-movie dramas beginning with The Sunshine Patriot (1968) co-starring husband Robertson and Seven in Darkness (1969) (as a blind survivor of a plane crash), and continuing with The Lonely Profession (1969), Mr. and Mrs. Bo Jo Jones (1971), Family Flight (1972), The Letters (1973), The Tenth Month (1979), and a featured part in the mini-series sequel Roots: The Next Generations (1979).
Dina returned to Broadway as the co-star of the drama "Angel Street" (1975) and again with the revival of the musical "On Your Toes" in which she played "Peggy Porterfield" in both the 1983 Broadway revival and 1986 national tour. In the same year that Dina divorced second husband Cliff Robertson (1989), she married actor/investment banker Ted Hartley. Together the couple bought RKO Studios and renamed it RKO Pavilion. He serves as chairman and she vice chairperson/creative director. The studio produced such popular efforts as Milk & Money (1996) and the remake of Mighty Joe Young (1998).
Admired for her tireless philanthropic contributions, Dina was a moderate Republican (vice chair of the Republican Pro-Choice Coalition), and an active lobbyist for women's health issues. She also devoted much time working for the disadvantaged, particularly for the New York City Mission Society. She remained active and was an avid tennis and golf player for quite some time. Broaching age 90, the ever-glamorous actress appeared in a summer stock production of "Only a Kingdom" (2004) and continued to appear in occasional movie and television productions until developing dementia. Dina died on May 22, 2017, at age 93, survived by her third husband.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Movie and television actress Nancy Guild was a contract player at 20th Century-Fox, which reminded the public that her surname "rhymes with wild" after she was signed to a seven-year contract in 1946. The studio bosses must have changed their mind how they would position her as she typically played demure, ladylike roles.
She made her debut as a night club chanteuse in Joseph L. Mankiewicz's Somewhere in the Night (1946), which was marketed with newspaper ads bearing the "Nancy Guild Rhymes with Wild" catch line. She followed that up with the Philip Marlowe picture The Brasher Doubloon (1947), based on Raymond Chandler's novel "The High Window."
On the rebound from an engagement with producer Edward Lasker, Guild married fellow 20th Century-Fox contract player Chuck Russell in early 1947. The following year, they appeared together in the Dan Dailey musical Give My Regards to Broadway (1948).
Leaving Fox, she co-starred with Orson Welles in Gregory Ratoff's Black Magic (1949) before moving on to Universal Studios, where she appeared in Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951). In 1953, she appeared opposite a talking mule in Francis Covers the Big Town (1953), her last picture until Such Good Friends (1971).
Having divorced Russell in 1950, Guild married the successful Broadway impresario Ernest H. Martin, the three-time Tony Award-winning producer of Guys and Dolls (1955), Giai Điệu Hạnh Phúc (1965), and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966) among others, in 1951. She appeared occasionally on television, retiring after an appearance on Robert Montgomery Presents (1950) in 1955. She did return to the silver screen in 1971, in Otto Preminger's Such Good Friends (1971)
She divorced Martin in 1975, marrying photojournalist John Bryson in 1978. Her final marriage lasted 17 years. She divorced Bryson in 1995. In all, she was both married and divorced three times.
Nancy Guild died in East Hampton, New York on August 16, 1999, at the age of 73. She was survived by her three daughters and three granddaughters.- Actor
- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gene Saks was born on 8 November 1921 in New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor and director, known for Deconstructing Harry (1997), The Odd Couple (1968) and I.Q. (1994). He was married to Keren Victoria Ettlinger and Bea Arthur. He died on 28 March 2015 in East Hampton, New York, USA.- Lisa Howard was born on 24 April 1930 in Cambridge, Ohio, USA. She was an actress, known for Man Against Crime (1949), Space Patrol (1950) and Donovan's Brain (1953). She was married to Walter Lowendahl and Felix E. Feist. She died on 4 July 1965 in East Hampton, Long Island, New York, USA.
- Felicia Montealegre was born on 6 February 1922 in San José, Costa Rica. She was an actress, known for Studio One (1948), The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre (1948) and Kraft Television Theatre (1947). She was married to Leonard Bernstein. She died on 16 June 1978 in East Hampton, Long Island, New York, USA.
- Writer
- Actor
Joseph Heller was born May 1, 1923, in the Coney Island section of New York City. He is best known for his 1961 novel 'Catch-22', whose title gave the English language a new phrase for a no-win situation. The situation was that of protagonist Yossarian, who claims that he is too crazy to fly any more bombing missions, but is told by the military that anyone who seeks to avoid combat must be sane. After high school Heller enlisted in the U.S. Air Force as a bombardier, then transferred to cadet school. He flew more than 60 bombing missions during his tour of duty. Heller earned a Bachelor of Arts from New York University in 1948, a Master of Arts from Columbia University in 1949 and a Fulbright Scholarship to Oxford University. He taught English at Pennsylvania State University, wrote advertising copy for Time and Look magazines, and was a promotion manager for McCall's magazine. Teaching jobs at Yale University and University of Pennsylvania followed, as well as television and screen-writing work.- Irene Windust was born on 6 July 1921 in East Hampton, New York, USA. She was an actress, known for Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955), Roadracers (1959) and Ma Barker's Killer Brood (1960). She was married to George Latimer Maxwell and Bretaigne Windust. She died on 15 December 1999 in East Hampton, New York, USA.
- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Jacob Bronowski was born on 18 January 1908 in Lódz, Poland, Russian Empire [now Lódz, Lódzkie, Poland]. He was a writer and producer, known for The New Yorker: Shorts & Murmurs (2015), Insight (1960) and The Ascent of Man (1973). He died on 22 August 1974 in East Hampton, New York, USA.- Andrzej Wasilewicz was born on 10 March 1951 in Bialogard, Zachodniopomorskie, Poland. He was an actor, known for Sprawa Gorgonowej (1977), Alicja (1982) and Mis (1981). He died on 13 December 2016 in East Hampton, New York, USA.
- Writer
- Producer
- Actor
Jeff Harris was born on 10 June 1935 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. He was a writer and producer, known for Detective School (1979), Dads (1986) and Almost Anything Goes (1975). He died on 2 February 2004 in East Hampton, New York, USA.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Ted Thurston was born on 9 January 1917 in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. He was an actor, known for Li'l Abner (1959), Search for Tomorrow (1951) and Hit and Run (1982). He was married to Dania Krupska. He died on 23 July 1994 in East Hampton, New York, USA.- Hamer was born in Dayton, Ohio in 1932. He got involved in acting at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio where he appeared in several theatre productions while doing his undergraduate studies. Joe later received a Master's Degree in Theatre from UCLA and did Doctoral Thesis work at Ohio State. He appeared on Broadway in "The Great White Hope" starring James Earl Jones and got his first feature film experience in the Elizabeth Taylor film BUtterfield 8 (1960). Joe later went on to become one of the busiest commercial actors in New York City over the next 30 years. He has appeared in over 300 TV and Radio commercials, as well as several Soap Operas and TV movies. He curently resides in East Hampton, New York and continues to work to this day.
- Soundtrack
Guy Wood came to the United States in the early 1930s, and played saxophone with several bands and groups. From 1939 to 1942, he led the band at New York's Arcadia Ballroom. Guy wrote special music for the Radio City Music Hall shows, and went on to write (or co-write) hit tunes including "The Music of Love", "Shoo-Fly Pie and Apple-Pan Dowdy", "After All", "Rock-a-bye Baby", and "My One and Only Love" (with Robert Mellin).- Marijane Meaker was born on 27 May 1927 in Auburn, New York, USA. She was a writer, known for If I Love You, Am I Trapped Forever? (1974) and Loving Highsmith (2022). She died on 21 November 2022 in East Hampton, New York, USA.
- William Gaddis was born on 29 December 1922 in New York City, New York, USA. He was a writer, known for Jarden ensoleille (2013) and Saturday Review (1986). He was married to Judith Thompson and Patricia Black. He died on 16 December 1998 in East Hampton, New York, USA.
- Melissa Bank was born on 28 October 1985 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She was a writer, known for Gái Chơi Trội (2007). She died on 2 August 2022 in East Hampton, New York, USA.
- H.R. Hays was born on 25 March 1904 in New York, New York, USA. He was a writer, known for Mr. & Mrs. North (1952), Matinee Theater (1955) and Suspense (1949). He died on 16 October 1980 in East Hampton, Long Island, New York, USA.
- Additional Crew
- Editor
- Producer
Nick Louvel was born on 15 January 1981 in Santa Monica, California, USA. He was an editor and producer, known for The Uncondemned (2015), Domino One (2005) and Black Scorpion (2001). He died on 24 September 2015 in East Hampton, New York, USA.- Byron Preiss was born on 11 April 1953 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He was a producer, known for Ray Bradbury's the Martian Chronicles Adventure Game (1995), Treasure Island (1985) and Isaac Asimov's The Ultimate Robot (1994). He was married to Sandi Mendelson. He died on 9 July 2005 in East Hampton, New York, USA.
- Art Department
- Additional Crew
John Ferren was born on 17 October 1905 in Pendleton, Oregon, USA. He is known for Quay Cuồng (1958). He died on 24 July 1970 in East Hampton, New York, USA.- Ray Dooley was born on 30 October 1888 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK. She was an actress, known for Honeymoon Lane (1931) and A Rag, a Bone and a Hank of Hair (1917). She was married to Eddie Dowling. She died on 28 January 1984 in East Hampton, New York, USA.
- Soundtrack
Best known for his 1956 #1 hit record "Green Door" which sold two and a half million records and briefly knocked Elvis Presley out of first place on Billboard's listing of pop hits, Jim Lowe was a well known and beloved New York City radio personality for almost forty years, best known as a disk jockey at WNEW radio.- Donald Blinken was born on 11 November 1925 in Yonkers, New York, USA. He was married to Vera Ermer and Judith Frehm. He died on 22 September 2022 in East Hampton, New York, USA.
- Production Designer
- Art Director
- Producer
Peter Dohanos was born on 9 September 1931 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. He was a production designer and art director, known for The Swimmer (1968), Dragonfly (1976) and Trilogy (1969). He died on 15 December 1988 in East Hampton, Long Island, New York, USA.- Robert David Lion Gardiner was born on 25 February 1911 in New York City, New York, USA. He died on 23 August 2004 in East Hampton, New York, USA.