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- Actress
- Producer
Miranda Rae Mayo is an American actress and singer songwriter originally from Fresno, California. After high school graduation, she relocated to Los Angeles to pursue her career full-time - and it didn't take long for Hollywood to take note.
Shortly after arriving in LA, she starred as Reece Shebani on BET's popular series The Game (2006), and Zoe Browning on Days of Our Lives (1965). She went on to star as Talia Sandoval in ABC Family's hit series Pretty Little Liars (2010). In the summer of 2015, she guest starred as Vera Machiado on the critically acclaimed HBO series, True Detective (2014) and was a series regular on the ABC drama series Blood & Oil (2015) starring Don Johnson and Chace Crawford, where she played Lacey Briggs, Don Johnson's illegitimate daughter. Critics and audiences fell in love with her, praising her fierce character and singling her out, as an actress "you don't want to miss."
She can be seen on Dick Wolf's hit NBC drama series Chicago Fire (2012) as Stella Kidd, a funny, fearless and brazen firefighter who joined Firehouse 51. The inspiration for which was drawn from real-life firehouses that feature two female firefighters.
Her motion picture roles include We Are Your Friends (2015) and a leading role as the sassy model and muse Rose, in Wes Craven's final film (as producer) The Girl in the Photographs (2015), which premiered to a sold-out crowd at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival.
When not working, she stays active by running, cycling and practicing yoga. She is an avid music lover, playing cello, piano, singing and writing her own music. Whenever she finds time can be found at various jazz clubs listening to songs made famous by some of her favorite musicians such as John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, and Billie Holiday. She is an aspiring philanthropist and donates to the following organizations: Reading for Kids, Peace Action West, Amnesty International, and Angel City Pit Bulls.- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Steven Zaillian was born on 30 January 1953 in Fresno, California, USA. He is a writer and producer, known for Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993), A Civil Action (1998) and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011). He is married to Elizabeth Zaillian. They have two children.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Christopher Gorham was born in Fresno, California, USA. He is an actor and director, known for The Lincoln Lawyer (2022), Insatiable (2018) and Covert Affairs (2010). He has been married to Anel Lopez Gorham since 22 January 2000. They have three children.- Actor
- Producer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tall, bald and nearly always bearded, Sid Haig provided hulking menace to many a low-budget exploitation film and high-priced action film.
Sid Haig was born Sidney Eddie Mosesian on July 14, 1939 in Fresno, California, a screaming ball of hair. His parents, Roxy (Mooradian) and Haig Mosesian, an electrician, were of Armenian descent. Sid's career was somewhat of an accident. He was growing so fast that he had absolutely no coordination. It was decided that he would take dancing lessons, and that's when it all began. At the age of seven, he was dancing for pay in a children's Christmas Show, then a revival of a vaudeville show... and on it went.
Sid also showed a musical inclination, particularly for the drums. So when his parents got tired of him denting all the pots and pans in the house, they bought him a drum set. The music was in him and he took to it immediately, a born natural. First it was swing, then country, then jazz, blues and rock 'n' roll. Sid always found it easy to make money with his music, and did very well. One year out of high school and signing a recording contract is not too bad. Sid went on to record the single "Full House" with the T-Birds in 1958. However, back while he was in high school, Sid got bitten by the "acting bug". Alice Merrill was the head of the drama department at that time and gave him all the encouragement in the world to pursue an acting career. The clincher came in his senior year. The way that the senior play was cast was that she would double cast the show, then have one of her friends from Hollywood come up and pick the final cast.
You see, Merrill was quite famous as an actress on Broadway and kept up her contacts in the business. When the appointed day came, the "friend" that showed up was Dennis Morgan, a big musical comedy star from the 1940s. The rest is history -- he picked Sid for the role, then two weeks later came back to see the show and told Sid that he should continue his education down south and consider acting as a career path. Two years later, Sid enrolled in the world famous Pasadena Playhouse, the school that trained such actors as Robert Preston, Robert Young, Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman, and so on. After two years of "actor's hell" (non-stop 7:00 am to 11:00 pm with homework thrown in just for the fun of it), it was time to move on to the big "H", Hollywood! Sid did so with longtime friend and roommate Stuart Margolin (Angel on The Rockford Files (1974)).
Sid's first acting job was in Jack Hill's student film at UCLA. It was called The Host (2000), which was released in 2004 on DVD as a companion to Switchblade Sisters (1975), another Hill film. That role launched a 40-year acting career during which Haig appeared in over 50 films and 350 television series. He has proven himself quite valuable to such filmmakers as producer Roger Corman. He also became a staple in the pictures of Jack Hill, appearing in Spider Baby or, the Maddest Story Ever Told (1967), Coffy (1973) and Foxy Brown (1974). Haig's other memorable credits include George Lucas' THX 1138 (1971), and the James Bond opus Diamonds Are Forever (1971) (he is one of the Slumber Brothers, and got to toss a topless Lana Wood from the window of a high-rise Vegas hotel).
Among his most significant television credits are appearances on such landmark series as The A-Team (1983), T.J. Hooker (1982), The Dukes of Hazzard (1979), Quincy M.E. (1976), Hart to Hart (1979), Fantasy Island (1977), Charlie's Angels (1976), Police Woman (1974), The Rockford Files (1974), The Six Million Dollar Man (1974), Mannix (1967), Mission: Impossible (1966), Gunsmoke (1955), Get Smart (1965), Here's Lucy (1968), The Flying Nun (1967), Daniel Boone (1964), Star Trek (1966), Batman (1966) and The Untouchables (1959).
Sid was never one to give-up on anything but after nearly 40 years of carrying a gun (except for the occasional Jack Hill or Roger Corman film), his dreams of being recognized as a more than competent actor were fading. Then in 1992, frustrated with being typecast, Sid retired from acting and quoted, "I'll never play another stupid heavy again, and I don't care if that means that I never work, ever." This just proves that if you take a stand people will listen, for Quentin Tarantino wrote for Sid the role of the judge in Jackie Brown (1997). Then things got better, much better. During the mid and late 1990s, Sid managed a community theatre company, as well as dabbled occasionally in theater in Los Angeles.
Then in 2000, Sid came out of his self-imposed retirement at the request of Rob Zombie for a role in Zombie's debut film House of 1000 Corpses (2003). He starred as the fun-loving, but murderous, Captain Spaulding. This role breathed new life into Sid's acting career and earned him an award for Best Supporting Actor in the 13th Annual Fangoria Chainsaw Awards, as well as an induction into the Horror Hall of Fame. Sid's character Captain Spaulding became an icon for the new horror genre. Sid has recently enjoyed success as Captain Spaulding once again in Rob Zombie's follow-up to House of 1000 Corpses (2003), entitled, The Devil's Rejects (2005). For this film, Sid received the award for best Actor in the 15th Annual Fangoria Chainsaw Awards, as well as sharing the award for "Most Vile Villain" at the First Annual Spike TV Scream Awards with Leslie Easterbrook, Sheri Moon Zombie and Bill Moseley as The Firefly Family.
In the 2000s and 2010s, Sid continued to enjoy his renewed success as an actor. In September 2019, he was hospitalized after falling in his home in Los Angeles, California. While recovering, he suffered from a lung infection after vomiting in his sleep. He died on September 21, 2019, from complications of the infection at age 80.- Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
He once jokingly described himself as 'a frustrated song-and-dance man' who wound up typecast as a TV crime fighter. Tall, handsome Armenian-American Mike Connors had a minor career in the movies before becoming a star on the small screen as the impeccably dressed macho sleuth Joe Mannix. Towards the end of the series, his earnings per episode averaged a respectable $40,000. He was four times nominated for an Emmy Award and won a Golden Globe in 1969. Mannix (1967) was highly innovative in its day: among its winning combination were an upbeat jazzy score (composed by Lalo Schifrin), teasers, fast cuts from scene to scene, a car replete with a computer transmitting and receiving fingerprints and an African-American co-star (the charming Gail Fisher, who played Joe's secretary Peggy Fair). Many notable names guested in the show, some at very beginning of their careers (Diane Keaton and Martin Sheen, among others). 'Mannix' ran for eight seasons (1967-1975), a testament to its enduring popularity.
Connors was born Krekor Ohanian in Fresno, California. His mother wanted him to become an attorney. After wartime service in the Army Air Force he enrolled at UCLA on the G. I. Bill of Rights, began in law school but eventually took up theatre studies as his major. The nickname "Touch', Mike acquired on the basketball court where he first came to the attention of the director William A. Wellman who considered his features 'expressive'. He was first signed by Goldwyn studios on a 90-day contract. However, Goldwyn never took up the option and Mike never appeared in any of his films (it turned out that his signing had been no more than leverage to bring Farley Granger back in line who was causing Goldwyn some trouble). Through a talent agent, Mike got an interview at Republic to do a film with Joan Crawford called Sudden Fear (1952). That same guy also decided that his original surname Ohanian sounded too much like O'Hanlon -- George O'Hanlon was already a well-established film actor and writer -- and consequently changed his name to 'Connors'. Until 1957, Mike appeared in mainly low budget movies and TV anthologies, billed as 'Touch Connors' (an appellation he thoroughly disliked). He did several films for Roger Corman for $400 a pop. Arguably, the one highlight of his film career -- several years later -- could be said to be his role as one of a pair of American bomber crew (the other being Robert Redford) held captive in a cellar by a lonely German drug store clerk who chooses to withhold from them the trivial matter of Germany's surrender to the Allies (played with whimsical aplomb by the brilliant Alec Guinness) in the underrated and very funny black comedy Situation Hopeless -- But Not Serious (1965).
After many years as a struggling actor, Mike's first TV hit was Tightrope (1959) for CBS in which he starred as an undercover cop infiltrating an organized crime syndicate. Though the story lines became increasingly repetitive through its 37 episodes, the role pretty much defined his subsequent tough-guy image. During the original pilot for 'Mannix', which initially had Joe Mannix as the top investigator for the computerized Intertect detective agency under boss Joseph Campanella, Mike performed many of the stunts himself, in the process breaking a wrist and dislocating a shoulder. In an effort to make his character 'more real' than the traditional cynical Bogart-style gumshoe, he played Mannix as being more 'humane', often becoming emotionally involved in his cases and -- just as often -- ending up on the wrong end of a knuckle sandwich (in the course of the 194 episodes, poor old Joe was knocked unconscious on fifty-five occasions and shot seventeen times), or watching his beautiful client walk off with another man.
Another subsequent starring role as a modern-day G-Man in the short-lived Today's F.B.I. (1981) did not come close to rekindling his earlier success. Most of Mike's later appearances were as guest stars, notably a return as Joe Mannix in an episode of Diagnosis Murder (1993). Later interviews revealed him to have been acutely aware of the transitory nature of TV stardom and exceedingly grateful for his one opportunity to shine. Mike Connors was happily married to Mary Lou Willey for 67 years.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Amanda Leighton is an American actress from Fresno, California known for voicing Blossom in the reboot of The Powerpuff Girls, Poppy from Trolls: The Beat Goes On and Polly Plantar from Amphibia. She also acted in Lego Dimensions, This Is Us, Criminal Minds and Grey's Anatomy.- Steven Anthony Lawrence was born on 19 July 1990 in Fresno, California, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Cheaper by the Dozen (2003), Kicking & Screaming (2005) and Bubble Boy (2001).
- Writer
- Director
- Producer
"If they move", commands stern-eyed William Holden, "kill 'em". So begins The Wild Bunch (1969), Sam Peckinpah's bloody, high-body-count eulogy to the mythologized Old West. "Pouring new wine into the bottle of the Western, Peckinpah explodes the bottle", observed critic Pauline Kael. That exploding bottle also christened the director with the nickname that would forever define his films and reputation: "Bloody Sam".
David Samuel Peckinpah was born and grew up in Fresno, California, when it was still a sleepy town. Young Sam was a loner. The child's greatest influence was grandfather Denver Church, a judge, congressman and one of the best shots in the Sierra Nevadas. Sam served in the US Marine Corps during World War II but - to his disappointment - did not see combat. Upon returning to the US he enrolled in Fresno State College, graduating in 1948 with a B.A. in Drama. He married Marie Selland in Las Vegas in 1947 and they moved to Los Angeles, where he enrolled in the graduate Theater Department of the University of Southern California the next year. He eventually took his Masters in 1952.
After drifting through several jobs -- including a stint as a floor-sweeper on The Liberace Show (1952) -- Sam got a job as Dialogue Director on Riot in Cell Block 11 (1954) for director Don Siegel. He worked for Siegel on several films, including Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), in which Sam played Charlie Buckholtz, the town meter reader. Peckinpah eventually became a scriptwriter for such TV programs as Gunsmoke (1955) and The Rifleman (1958) (which he created as an episode of Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (1956) titled "The Sharpshooter' in 1958). In 1961, as his marriage to Selland was coming to an end, he directed his first feature film, a western titled The Deadly Companions (1961) starring \Brian Keith and Maureen O'Hara. However, it was with his second feature, Ride the High Country (1962), that Peckinpah really began to establish his reputation. Featuring Joel McCrea and Randolph Scott (in his final screen performance), its story about two aging gunfighters anticipated several of the themes Peckinpah would explore in future films, including the controversial "The Wild Bunch". Following "Ride the High Country" he was hired by producer Jerry Bresler to direct Major Dundee (1965), a cavalry-vs.-Indians western starring Charlton Heston. It turned out to be a film that brought to light Peckinpah's volatile reputation. During hot, on-location work in Mexico, his abrasive manner, exacerbated by booze and marijuana, provoked usually even-keeled Heston to threaten to run him through with a cavalry saber. However, when the studio later considered replacing Peckinpah, it was Heston who came to Sam's defense, going so far as to offer to return his salary to help offset any overages. Ironically, the studio accepted and Heston wound up doing the film for free.
Post-production conflicts led to Sam engaging in a bitter and ultimately losing battle with Bresler and Columbia Pictures over the final cut and, as a result, the disjointed effort fizzled at the box office. It was during this period that Peckinpah met and married his second wife, Mexican actress Begoña Palacios. However, the reputation he earned because of the conflicts on "Major Dundee" contributed to Peckinpah being replaced as director on his next film, the Steve McQueen film The Cincinnati Kid (1965), by Norman Jewison.
His second marriage now failing, Peckinpah did not get another feature project for two years. However, he did direct a powerful adaptation of Katherine Anne Porter's 'Noon Wine" for Noon Wine (1966)). This, in turn, helped relaunch his feature career. He was hired by Warner Bros. to direct the film for which he is, justifiably, best remembered. The success of "The Wild Bunch" rejuvenated his career and propelled him through highs and lows in the 1970s. Between 1970-1978 he directed The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970), Straw Dogs (1971), Junior Bonner (1972), The Getaway (1972), Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973), Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974), The Killer Elite (1975), Cross of Iron (1977) and Convoy (1978). Throughout this period controversy followed him. He provoked more rancor over his use of violence in "Straw Dogs", introduced Ali MacGraw to Steve McQueen in "The Getaway", fought with MGM's chief James T. Aubrey over his vision for "Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid" that included the casting of Bob Dylan in an unscripted role as a character called "Alias." His last solid effort was the WW II anti-war epic "Cross of Iron", about a German unit fighting on the Russian front, with Maximilian Schell and James Coburn, bringing the picture in successfully despite severe financial problems.
Peckinpah lived life to its fullest. He drank hard and abused drugs, producers and collaborators. At the end of his life he was considering a number of projects including the Stephen King-scripted "The Shotgunners". He was returning from Mexico in December 1984 when he died from heart failure in a hospital in Inglewood, California, at age 59. At a standing-room-only gathering that held at the Directors Guild the following month, Coburn remembered the director as a man "who pushed me over the abyss and then jumped in after me. He took me on some great adventures". To which Robert Culp added that what is surprising is not that Sam only made fourteen pictures, but that given the way he went about it, he managed to make any at all.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
J.P. Manoux grew up in Santa Barbara, California, the oldest of seven. He was involved in children's theater and took tap dance lessons before attending Thacher School in Ojai, California. As college applications approached, Manoux's drama teacher recommended the undergraduate theater department at Northwestern University. While studying in Evanston, he improvised, wrote, and ultimately directed the long-running student-run comedy Mee-Ow Show, following in the footsteps of Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Brad Hall, and his off-campus roommate Ana Gasteyer. Manoux received the Outstanding Student Award from NU's School of Speech in 1991.
After graduating, J.P. moved to Hollywood and honed his comedy chops at L.A. Theatresports, ACME Comedy Theater, the Groundlings School, and I.O. West. Legit stage productions garnered critical accolades, culminating in 1999 with L.A. Ovation and Backstage West Garland Awards recognizing his work in the world premiere stage musical Reefer Madness.
Over the next few years, he appeared in dozens of sitcoms and commercials including campaigns for Got Milk? and Fruit of the Loom. He was a regular improviser and sketch player on ABC's 2001 prime-time variety experiment The Wayne Brady Show (2001), and became a celebrity in the world of children's television thanks to his dual role as Mr. Hackett and Curtis the Caveman on the Disney Channel series Phil of the Future (2004). During this period, he also voiced the lead role of Kuzco in Disney's animated series The Emperor's New School (2006). In 2006, J.P. joined the ensemble of "ER," recurring as sardonic surgical resident Dr. Dustin Crenshaw.
Opportunities to act and direct in Canada led Manoux north of the border. Over the next several years, Toronto-based productions of Disney's sci-fi/adventure series Aaron Stone (2009) and CTV's Spun Out (2014) employed his talents both in front of and behind the camera. Since returning to Hollywood, J.P. has guest starred in episodes of Shameless, Grey's Anatomy, and 9-1-1: Lone Star. He has also played recurring characters in CSI: Vegas (2021), Veep (2012), and Swedish Dicks (2016).
Manoux has appeared in over 100 different television series, 90 commercials, and 40 films. He has provided voice and motion-capture performance for eight video games, competed on six TV game shows, and read two original pieces for All Things Condsidered on National Public Radio. He is a 2018 Moth StorySLAM winner (Los Angeles) who has co-written one play, and anonymously authored one IMDb biography.
His vanity license plate reads IMDB ME.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Chris Colfer is a very talented actor and vocalist who was born on May 27, 1990 in Fresno, California, USA as Christopher Paul Colfer. He is an actor, known for Glee (2009-2015), Struck by Lightning (2012), and The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell. His break out role was as Kurt Hummel in Glee, for which he won a Golden Globe (2010) and was tapped for New York Times 100 Most Influential People. Colfer is also a New York Times Best Selling author and wrote/produced Struck By Lightning.- Actor
- Director
- Special Effects
Handsome, athletic leading man Jon Hall was the son of actor Felix Locher and a Tahitian princess. Hall was married three times, two of which were to entertainers: singer Frances Langford and actress Raquel Torres. His third wife was a psychiatrist. They married in 1969 and lived in Los Angeles with her two sons and a daughter.- Director
- Actor
- Writer
Aaron Ruell was born on 23 June 1976 in Fresno, California, USA. He is a director and actor, known for Napoleon Dynamite (2004), Everything's Gone Green (2005) and Mary (2005). He is married to Yuka Ruell.- Dave Callaham was born in Fresno, California, USA. Dave is a writer and producer, known for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021), Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) and Jean-Claude Van Johnson (2016). Dave has been married to Bree Tichy since 9 May 2009. They have one child.
- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Golden Brooks was born on 1 December 1970 in Fresno, California, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for Girlfriends (2000), Beauty Shop (2005) and The Darkest Minds (2018).- Actor
- Soundtrack
Nestor Paiva was born on 30 June 1905 in Fresno, California, USA. He was an actor, known for Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), Revenge of the Creature (1955) and The Madmen of Mandoras (1963). He was married to Maxine Kuntzman. He died on 9 September 1966 in Hollywood, California, USA.- Born to Dean William Mell and Bonnie J. Mell. Dean Mell was an NBC Broadcast Journalist for many years beginning in Clovis, NM, and ending in Spokane, WA. Randy was born while his dad became the first TV news anchor in the San Joaquin Valley. Randy has brothers Wayne, Loren and Adam and a sister, Karen.
- Actor
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Bee Vang was born on 4 November 1991 in Fresno, California, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Gran Torino (2008), Sunset on Dawn/Kho Neeg and Comisery (2020).- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Chelsea Alden is an actress, writer and director of Portuguese and Irish decent. Chelsea expressed interest in the performing arts at a young age, with a specific eye for dance and music. She began working in television commercials around the age of seven and became involved with the local musical theatre community throughout her childhood, often performing multiple stage productions a year. After high school she attended Musician's Institute in Hollywood, graduating with an Associates of Arts degree in Vocal Performance and combined emphasis in Entertainment Industry Studies. She then found herself drawn back to the world of film & TV, and has since continued to work on numerous television shows, including 13 Reasons Why, Shameless, Grey's Anatomy, The Good Doctor, NCIS and many many more.- Actress
- Sound Department
- Additional Crew
Emily Kuroda has performed in numerous plays including Luis Alfaro's "Straight as a Line" at Playwrights Arena, directed by Jon Rivera, Chay Yew's "Red" at East West Players and "Winter People" at the Boston Court. Other theatres include Kirk Douglas Theatre, South Coast Rep, New York's Public Theater, La Jolla Playhouse, Seattle Rep, Singapore Repertory Theater, Berkeley Repertory Theater, Doolittle Theater, Huntington Theater (Boston), Los Angeles Theater Center, Zephyr Theater, LA Women's Shakespeare Company, and the Los Angeles Shakespeare Festival.
She is the recipient of five Dramalogue Awards, a Garland Award for outstanding performance, an L.A. Ovation award nomination for Best Lead Actress in a Play, Playwrights' Arena Outstanding Contribution to LA Theatre, and East West Players' Rae Creevey Award.
She is married to Actor/director Alberto Isaac. She has two brothers, Paul Kuroda (an award winning photographer in Oakland) and Douglas Kuroda (An award winning mechanic and is now an electrics in Fresno).- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Tall, handsome, and charismatic actor Robert Quarry was born on November 3, 1925 in Santa Rosa, California. His father was a doctor. Robert's grandmother first introduced him to the world of theater. Quarry finished school at age 14 and was on the swimming team in high school. In the early 1940s he was a busy juvenile actor on the radio; he even had a regular part on the "Dr. Christian" program. Robert joined the Army Combat Engineers at age 18 and formed a theatrical group which put on a hit production of the play "The Hasty Heart' that Quarry both acted in and helped produce.
Quarry made his film debut with a small role in Alfred Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt (1943). He acted alongside Paul Newman in both Winning (1969) and WUSA (1970). Robert worked steadily throughout the 1950s and 1960s in both movies and TV shows alike. Quarry achieved his greatest enduring cult popularity with his splendidly sardonic portrayal of suavely sinister bloodsucker Count Yorga in the excellent drive-in hit Count Yorga, Vampire (1970) and its solid sequel The Return of Count Yorga (1971). Robert capitalized on his newfound fright feature fame by appearing in several hugely enjoyable horror pictures: at his commanding best as vampire hippie guru Khorda in the offbeat Deathmaster (1972), (Quarry was also an associate producer on this film), driven scientist Darius Biederbeck in Dr. Phibes Rises Again (1972), evil mob boss Morgan in the groovy blaxploitation zombie opus Sugar Hill (1974), and quite amusing as slimy producer Oliver Quayle in Madhouse (1974). Quarry popped up in the disaster outing Rollercoaster (1977) as the Mayor of Los Angeles.
Alas, Robert's career was abruptly curtailed by a serious car accident, but he thankfully recovered and made a welcome comeback in the mid-1980s. He appeared in a slew of entertainingly trashy low-budget movies for prolific exploitation flick director Fred Olen Ray. Moreover, Quarry was featured in guest spots on such TV shows as "Studio 57," "The Lone Ranger," "Hallmark Hall of Fame," "Mike Hammer," "The Fugitive," "Perry Mason," "Ironside," "Cannon," "The Rockford Files," and "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century." Outside of his work in movies and television, Robert also had a highly distinguished stage career. Quarry acted in Broadway productions of "As You Like It," "The Taming of the Shrew," "Richard III," and "Gramercy Ghost." He acted alongside Cloris Leachman in "Design for Living" at the Stage Society in Los Angeles and in 1966 went on tour with a traveling roadshow production of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?". He regularly studied his craft at the Actors Lab in Hollywood.
Blessed with an IQ of 168, Quarry was a Lifemaster at bridge. In addition, Robert studied cooking at the Cardon Bleu School in Manhattan and was the author of the best-selling cookbook "Wonderfully Simple Recipes for Simply Wonderful Food." Robert Quarry died at age 83 from a heart condition on February 20, 2009 in Woodland Hills, California. Good night and rest in peace, Count Yorga.- Stunts
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Actor
Wade Allen is a two time Emmy award winning American stuntman, stunt coordinator and second unit director, who has worked professionally in the film and television industry for nearly twenty five years. In that time he has worked on numerous music videos, national commercial campaigns, successful feature films and highly acclaimed television series. He has worked with iconic directors such as Stephen Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, Michael Mann and Kevin Costner.
In recent years Wade has been a dynamic part of setting the action tone for multiple award winning television series on HBO: "Barry", "Winning Time" and Perry Mason" as well as the hit streaming show "Yellowstone". He has been nominated for multiple Primetime Emmy and SAG Awards, and his feature film work has garnered nominations for Taurus World Stunt Awards.
Wade is a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences, and a member of the Television Academy.
Wade is repped by Innovative Talent Agency in Los Angeles. Contact information can be found on the 'contact' page of this site. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, actress Annabeth Gish and their two sons.- Corky was born Janurary 27 1970 in Fresno California. He started singing and tap dancing at the age of 8. At age 10 he was discovered by a Hollywood agent. In 1980 Corky was sent on an audition for a movie called the "Forest". He got the role. He went on to do over two dozen national commercials and television appearances working with such actors as Danny Devito, Bill Paxton, Tim Conway, until landing the role of "Freddy" on the show "Silver Spoons" in 1982. He would appear on the show for four years. Working in between on various projects and also appearing on "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson as a guest. He then got the role of "Winslow" on "Party Camp" in 1987. After doing the movie his passion changed. He then went on to plays drums and make countless records in various bands, tour with bands like MXPX and Reel Big Fish for the next ten years. He is now happily married with a beautiful wife and daughter.
- Actress
- Music Department
- Producer
Olivia May was born on October 22nd, 1985 in Fresno, California USA as Olivia May Tuck. She is an actress, musician, singer, writer who has resided in Los Angeles, California USA since 2007. She enjoys living a private life with her husband, daughter and two cats. When not on set, she is writing music or working on scripts. She has released two musical albums; "Don't Look" in 2017 and "So Random" in 2019. Her music has been prominently featured on TV shows such as "Jersey Shore's Family Vacation" and "Total Bella's" among many others.- Michael was born and raised in Fresno, California. There he found a love for art, music and life- Performing in almost every local talent show, family gathering and theater, he learned how to sing, act, play piano and dance. Realizing a need for greater opportunities, Michael traveled to Los Angeles and booked his first Little Debbie Commercial at the age of thirteen where he sang "My Girl". Michael continues to pursue both acting and music, writing and performing his original songs.
- Actor
- Cinematographer
- Producer
Kevin Federline was born on 21 March 1978 in Fresno, California, USA. He is an actor and cinematographer, known for You Got Served (2004), One Tree Hill (2003) and Britney & Kevin: Chaotic (2005). He has been married to Victoria Prince since 10 August 2013. They have two children. He was previously married to Britney Spears.- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Briana Marin was born on 8 November 1983 in Fresno, California, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for The Leftovers (2014), A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014) and The Night Shift (2014).- Writer
- Actor
- Music Department
Composer, prolific songwriter ("Come On-a My House", "Witch Doctor", "Chipmunk Song"), author, actor, producer, impressionist, educated at Coll. Writer, and has made many records. He joined ASCAP in 1951, and specialized in catchy, hummable melodies. Some of his other popular-song compositions include "Armen's Theme"; "Safari"; "Freddy, Freddy"; "Copyright 1960"; "Medicore"; "Sack Time"; "A Little Beauty"; "The Prom"; "Bagdad Express"; "Little Brass Band"; "Maria from Madrid"; "Gotta Get to Your House"; "The Donkey and the School Boy", and many more.- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Jennifer grew up in California performing and competing as an elite figure skater. She turned professional and toured internationally, starring in ice shows for several years before continuing on to higher education. She began studying acting and film in Los Angeles where she was cast in commercials and television. Later, at UC San Diego, she earned a BS in Physiology and Neuroscience, with minors in both Theater and Chemistry. She then went on to medical school, residency training in New York, and returned to California where she earned her license to practice medicine. Rather than continuing a career in medicine, Jennifer chose to return to acting while continuing to maintain her license as a physician. While studying acting, she writes screenplays, and loves improving her Italian. When she is not acting, Jennifer enjoys world travel with her family for snowboarding and surfing, continuing her figure skating, and working in her Mediterranean garden.- Casting Director
- Manager
- Producer
Born in Fresno, California, to a large Armenian family, she was one of the ten top finalists in California Junior Miss, and after high school, attended University of Hawaii where she studied theatre. Before graduating from California State University Long Beach, she was promotions director of the on site FCC regulated radio station KSUL where she booked talent for the campus.
She has worked as Vice President of Casting at New Line Cinema for 6 years and before that, worked as Director of Casting at Universal Studios for 8. She taught drama to inner-city children for three and a half years and while a casting executive at Universal Studios, she produced shows twice a year for the industry.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Cue the Horns from the marauding raiders! Erik is the #VikingofVoice...well, he is a Viking for anything really. He got his start in video games and has garnered success in all areas of acting. Most well-known as the voice of "Draven", "Jax", and "VelKoz" in League of Legends. He has lent his voice to hundreds of games, from Heroes of the Storm and many Blizzard titles to The Walking Dead game for Telltale Games. You can hear him doing Audiobooks like "White Tiger Legend" and Stories like "TransSiberian Railroad" in the Calm app, as well as Commercials and Promos. Pillaging SoundBooths everywhere, here comes the Viking! The Viking of Voiceover!- Cinematographer
- Director
- Producer
After studying film and photography at the San Francisco Art Institute, Lance moved to New York to assist photographer/filmmaker Bruce Weber. He began his career as a cinematographer shooting music videos and commercials with close friend and collaborator Spike Jonze. Lance quickly became one of the industry's most sought after cinematographers and shot seminal music videos for directors Michel Gondry, Mark Romanek, Stéphane Sednaoui, and Dayton Faris. In 2001 he won the MTV Music Award for Best Cinematography for Fatboy Slim's Weapon of Choice.
Lance's feature Cinematography debut was Vincent Gallo's cult classic Buffalo 66. His long list of credits include Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation (BAFTA nomination for Best Cinematography), Marie Antoinette as well as Spike Jonze's Being John Malkovich, Adaptation and Where the Wild Things Are.
In the late 90's Lance began his transition into directing and in 1998, together with his business partner Jackie Kelman Bisbee, founded the production company Park Pictures. Over the years, he has received 35 Cannes Lions for his work with clients such as Nike, Apple, HP, VW, P&G, Subaru and more. He was nominated Best Commercial Director by the DGA in 2003, 2011, 2012, and 2017. In 2011, Lance's Super Bowl spot for Volkswagen, The Force, became the undisputed highlight of the year's Super Bowl broadcast. The Force was named the best ad of 2011 by AdWeek, Creativity, and YouTube, and consistently ranks on lists of the greatest Super Bowl ads of all time.
His Apple film "Misunderstood" won the 2014 Emmy Award for Outstanding Commercial. In 2019 Lance won his second Emmy Award for Nike "Dream Crazy," starring Colin Kaepernick.- Ralph Clanton was born on 11 September 1914 in Fresno, California, USA. He was an actor, known for Cyrano de Bergerac (1950), Trading Places (1983) and Johnny Tremain (1957). He died on 29 December 2002 in Staten Island, New York, USA.
- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Johnny Lynn Ramey Jr., born in California to Antoinette and Johnny Sr., trained at The Juilliard School for the Arts - in New York City. Johnny has had the privilege of working on several productions as an actor, producer, writer, and director.
Johnny began his career as a teenage actor. He is best known for 'Elias Taylor' in the popular Netflix & Obama produced film RUSTIN, and as the series co-lead of Poz Roz.
Johnny has also played roles in several Broadway & major regional productions. In the feature space, he co-starred in the theatrical films Maternity, Big Trees, & New Year's Eve, and he has played opposite the stars of Act Your Age. He's also a graduate of Harvard.- Railey Gilliland was born on 18 March 2001 in Fresno, California, USA. She is an actress, known for High School (2022) and Complicated Order (2023).
- Karen Norris was born on 18 January 1927 in Fresno, California, USA. She was an actress, known for Pillow Talk (1959), The Destructors (1968) and Get Smart (1965). She was married to Richard Davis Francois Norris. She died on 31 January 1996 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Actress
- Additional Crew
Lindze started her acting career at age 6 playing "Dorothy" in her 1st grade class version of "The Wizard of Oz". She went on to professional theater playing "Tiny Tim" in "A Christmas Carol" and "Marta" in "The Sound of Music". In her biggest movie role to date as "Virginia Lofton" in Virginia's Run (2002), Lindze not having prior equestrian skills, dedicated herself for 6 months to learn to ride and handle horses. Her goal was to make a movie with horses and not use any animatronics. It paid off. Lindze has maintained her love for horses, she owns 2 horses and rides almost daily. Lindze's love for animals doesn't end with horses. During the filming of Virginia's Run (2002), a stray sickly yellow lab showed up on the set. Through her insistence, the dog was given medical attention, stayed with Lindze and her Mom and, at the end of filming with the help from the local law enforcement and veterinarian, Jordan (the dog's new name), flew home with Lindze to her home in Bakersfield, CA.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Carol Bagdasarian was born on 4 July 1947 in Fresno, California, USA. She is an actress, known for The Octagon (1980), Mannix (1967) and The Strawberry Statement (1970). She was previously married to Michael Leone.- Actor
- Stunts
- Additional Crew
Stuart Quan was born on 17 October 1962 in Fresno, California, USA. He was an actor, known for Licence to Kill (1989), Escape from L.A. (1996) and The Master of Disguise (2002). He was married to Debbie Vance Quan. He died on 9 January 2006 in Fresno, California, USA.- Actress
- Producer
Carlena Gower was born on 21 April 1967 in Fresno, California, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Wolfman's Got Nards (2018).- Actor
- Producer
- Stunts
Phillip Troy Linger was born on 21 March 1964 in Fresno County, California, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for The Hunger Games (2012), The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015) and Hunter (1984). He was previously married to Janet Angela Linnane.- Actor
- Sound Department
- Writer
Born in Fresno, California, but moved around several times as a kid, living in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Poulson went Tascosa High School in Amarillo, Texas and to the University of Texas at Austin, where he received degrees in Radio-Television-Film and English. After graduating, Keith was hired on by the Austin Film Society, a non-profit founded by Richard Linklater.- Actress
- Additional Crew
- Casting Department
Malana Lea was born on 6 July 1978 in Fresno, California, USA. She is an actress, known for Pacific Rim (2013), Olympus Has Fallen (2013) and The Expendables 2 (2012).- Mae LaBorde was born on 13 May 1909 in Fresno, California, USA. She was an actress, known for Pineapple Express (2008), The Heartbreak Kid (2007) and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005). She was married to Nicholas Laborde. She died on 9 January 2012 in Santa Monica, California, USA.
- Actor
- Producer
Tom Dahlgren was born on 22 September 1933 in Fresno, California, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for What Lies Beneath (2000), Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) and The American President (1995). He is married to Joy Dahlgren.- Easy Pickens was born on 31 December 1921 in Kingsburg, Fresno County, California, USA. He was an actor, known for The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970). He was married to Marilu A Althouse and Shirley Mae Andersen. He died on 24 January 2001 in Reno, Nevada, USA.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Heidi Blickenstaff was born on 28 December 1971 in Fresno, California, USA. She is an actress, known for Freaky Friday (2018), First You Dream: The Music of Kander & Ebb (2015) and The Rebound (2009).- Evan Crooks was born on 15 July 1994 in Fresno, California, USA. He is an actor, known for The Carrie Diaries (2013), Grey's Anatomy (2005) and Awkward. (2011).
- Shonda Whipple was born on 14 September 1974 in Fresno County, California, USA. She is an actress, known for Purple People Eater (1988), Dynasty (1981) and Herman's Head (1991).
- Seazynn Gilliland was born on 18 March 2001 in Fresno, California, USA. She is an actress, known for High School (2022).
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Rod Lauren was born Roger Lawrence Strunk in Fresno, California, on March 26, 1939. He moved with his parents to Tracy, California, when he was three. Father Larry Strunk was a schoolteacher who subsequently found work as a switchman for the Southern Pacific Railroad; his mother was also a teacher and a church organist. While attending Tracy High School, Roger appeared in school plays and played the trombone in the high school band. Graduating in 1957, he began singing in local clubs in Tracy.
A recording executive was taken by his easy vocal style that differed significantly from the popular rock 'n' roll genre. The exec gambled with it, offered the teen an audition and Roger ended up winning an RCA recording contract. He took on the professional name of Rod Lauren. The fledgling singer appeared on both Ed Sullivan and Dick Clark's variety showcases between 1959 and 1960 and earned a mild hit along the way (#31 on the Billboard chart) with "If I Had a Girl" in 1960. However, with the British invasion, his singing career fell away. Fortunately, Rod had a dark, sulky, greaser-type appeal that recalled the rebel in Fabian and, with that look, he started to find acting jobs on TV. He also earned singing work in Vegas and Southern California lounge clubs on the sly.
In 1963 alone Rod made six films, all of them low-budget in nature but a couple that found cult infamy. In the cheapjack shocker Terrified (1962) he is one of a group of college students trapped in a ghost town with a masked psychopathic killer. In Black Zoo (1963) it is veteran actor Michael Gough who imperils Lauren's life as a demented animal owner who triggers his caged pets to attack. The third horror flick is his best known, The Crawling Hand (1963), in which the hand of a deceased astronaut comes to life and wreaks havoc. Other genres mixed in were party flicks such as The Young Swingers (1963) and the mediocre oaters The Gun Hawk (1963) and Law of the Lawless (1964).
Following isolated appearances on Gomer Pyle: USMC (1964) and Combat! (1962), Lauren's film career pretty much dissolved. His last film appearance was in director John Derek's Childish Things (1969) (aka "The Confessions of Tom Harris"), which starred Derek's then-wife Linda Evans. The film was made in 1966 but not released until three years later.
In 1964 Lauren went to the Philippines for the filming of Once Before I Die (1966), and while there met Nida Blanca, a then-rising Filipino film star. He shuttled back and forth between the Philippines and Southern California for over a decade before finally marrying Ms. Blanca in 1979. He then took permanent residence in Manila. Ms. Blanca was a star in the Philippines comparable to Doris Day or Debbie Reynolds. Rod functioned as his wife's escort as his own career dissipated.
His last years were like a bad horror story. On November 6, 2001, wife Nida was viciously stabbed to death in a parking garage. In November of 2003 Rod (who had long returned to his real name of Roger Strunk) was to be charged with her murder after authorities claimed he hired an assassin to kill his wife who had threatened to divorce and disinherit him. In an example of the dysfunctional Manila justice system, authorities allowed Rod to return to the U.S. before charges could be filed against him. Claiming his mother, who lived back in Tracy, California, was dying of cancer and he needed to be with her, he managed to resist extradition and resettled in Tracy.
The former actor found employment as a camera operator for the city of Tracy's public-access station, Channel 26. The pressures of the ongoing investigation, however, finally took its toll and he ended it all on July 11, 2007, by jumping to his death from a second-floor motel balcony in Tracy. He was 68.