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1-23 of 23
- Actor
- Soundtrack
- Producer
The handsome, weird and worldly-looking Chris Sarandon has shown his versatility in everything from vampires to Jesus Christ in hypnotic performances that have been controversial but irresistible. He was born Christopher Sarandon, Jr. and raised in Beckley, West Virginia of Greek heritage on both sides (family surname originally Sarondonethes). His mother Cliffie (Cardullias) and father Christopher Sarandon, Sr. were restaurateurs.
As a teen, Chris appeared locally on the musical stage and played drums and sang back-up with a local band called The Teen Tones. His band toured following high school and backed up such music legends as Bobby Darin, Gene Vincent and Danny and the Juniors. Chris later attended West Virginia University majoring in speech, but appearing in such musical productions as "The Music Man" as Harold Hill. He went on to attend the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, where he received his master's degree in theater and met first wife Susan Sarandon. They married in 1967.
Touring with improv companies and in regional theater productions, he made his professional debut in "The Rose Tattoo" in 1965 and later joined the Long Wharf Theatre Company for a season. The Sarandons moved to New York in 1968, wherein the dark and handsome charmer immediately nabbed the role of Dr. Tom Halverson on the daytime soap Guiding Light (1952), a part that would last two years. Throughout the 1970s he would be rewarded with rich theater acting roles. On Broadway he appeared in "The Rothchilds" and replaced Raul Julia in "Two Gentlemen from Verona" while appearing elsewhere in various Shakespeare and Shaw festivals both here and in Canada.
Chris made a phenomenally successful film debut in a huge, career-risking part as bank robber's Al Pacino's tormented, gender-confused lover in Dog Day Afternoon (1975), earning the New York Film Critics award and Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for his supporting turn. He took other sordid roles as well, this time in co-leads, such as opposite Margaux Hemingway in the poorly received exploitative thriller Lipstick (1976) and as a demon in the shocker The Sentinel (1977). To avoid being typed as creepy characters, Chris furthered his range of roles in years to come, including the title role in The Day Christ Died (1980), a critically heralded TV-movie. He then received high marks also for his mesmerizing interpretation of two completely different characters with unique subtlety, intelligence, charisma and profoundness as both Sydney Carton and Charles Darnay in A Tale of Two Cities (1980) and co-starred with Goldie Hawn in the more mainstream Protocol (1984). By the end of the 1970's, he and Susan would divorce and he would remarry (model Lisa Ann Cooper).
Moving into 80s work, Chris endeared himself to a younger generation of film goers with memorable performances in enjoyable roles such as the undeniably sexy, magnetic vampire-next-door in the teen horror classic Fright Night (1985), the cruel, evil-plotting prince in Rob Reiner's The Princess Bride (1987) and as the investigating cop in Child's Play (1988), the first in the "Chucky" series about a murdering doll. In recent years Chris has continued steadily on stage, film and TV but at a lesser pace and in less flashy, high-profiled roles.
In 1991 he co-starred on Broadway in the short-lived musical "Nick and Nora" with Joanna Gleason, the daughter of Monty Hall (Let's Make a Deal (1963)). Again divorced, he and Gleason married in 1994 and reunited on stage in "Thorn & Bloom" in 1998. They have also appeared together in a number of films, including American Perfekt (1997), Edie & Pen (1996) and Let the Devil Wear Black (1999). He found frightful fun and a major cartoon niche as the voice of Jack Skellington in the original Disney movie The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), reprising the role in sequels, video games and Halloween special events.
Into the millennium, Chris' focus has been more on Broadway and off-Broadway theatre with flavorful roles in "The Light in the Piazza," "Cyrano de Bergerac," "Through a Glass Darkly and "The Exonerated." In the 2015 production of "Preludes," he played multiple roles that included Chekhov, Tchaikovsky and Tolstoy. He has also sporadically appeared in films with featured parts in Perfume (2001), Loggerheads (2005), My Sassy Girl (2008), a cameo as a vampire victim in a remake of Fright Night (2011), Safe (2012) and Frank the Bastard (2013), Big Stone Gap (2014) and I Smile Back (2015). He has also uplifted a number of popular TV shows with his presence: "ER," "Charmed," "Cold Case," "Judging Amy," "Law and Order," "The Good Wife," "Orange Is the New Black" and as the voice of Dracula in "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles."- Actress
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
Lory Patrick was born on 8 April 1938 in Beckley, West Virginia, USA. She is an actress, known for Surf Party (1964), How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967) and It's a Man's World (1962). She was previously married to Dean Jones and Harlan Ellison.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Cora Sue Collins was born in Beckley, West Virginia. A chubby-cheeked, curly-haired child actress, she was nudged (or, rather, propelled) into show business by her ambitious mother. Though she was heavily in demand during the 1930s, Cora never posed a serious threat as a rival to Shirley Temple. Much of her popularity stemmed from an uncanny histrionic talent in being able to cry on demand. Cora Sue appeared in her first film, The Strange Case of Clara Deane (1932), at the age of five. Clark Gable's first wife, Josephine Dillon, was her voice coach.
Cora enjoyed a succession of small acting parts throughout the first half of the decade, by 1934 earning a respectable $250 a week. That year, she appeared in eleven films. Hand-picked by Greta Garbo to play the star's younger self in Queen Christina (1933), she developed a long-standing friendship with Garbo, as well as with Lucille Ball and other established stars, later saying "I was never intimidated by them because they were all actors, just like me".
One of Cora's notable performances was as the illegitimate daughter of Colleen Moore in The Scarlet Letter (1934). New York Times reviewer Andre Sennwald found her performance in the crime drama Evelyn Prentice (1934) 'agreeable', "in spite of the pretty-pretty lines with which the script writers have loaded her." She also commanded a rare leading role as the juvenile delinquent daughter of a court judge in Youth on Trial (1945). However, soon after, she left showbiz at the tender age of 18 in the wake of a small supporting part in Week-End at the Waldorf (1945).
The reason for her premature retirement from the screen came to light decades later, elicited through interviews with the former child star. The casting couch had always been an open secret in 1930s and 40s Hollywood. Dare to refuse and the message might well be that classic line "you'll never work in this town again!" In 2020, Cora Sue revealed that she had rebuffed the sexual advances of a screenwriter (33 years her senior) whom she had previously regarded as both friend and mentor. She later confronted MGM studio boss Louis B. Mayer, whose response was "nonchalant and dismissive". So she quit. In 2014, Cora reflected "To this day, I do think it's the best single decision of my life. I could have still been working in films or on the Broadway stage, but I learned the luxury of anonymity at a very early age; it's fun to be a housewife from Phoenix, I like it."
Post-Hollywood, Cora studied architecture and then lived the life of a socialite in Mexico for some years, hosting lavish parties. She was married three times, respectively to Ivan Stauffer, wealthy owner of a ranch in Nevada, to a James Morgan Cox and to a Phoenix theatre owner named Harry Nace.- Lorna Scott was born on 18 September 1955 in Beckley, West Virginia, USA. She is an actress, known for A Very Sordid Wedding (2017), Wanted (2008) and The Guilt Trip (2012).
- Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
David grew up near Savannah, Georgia, and has lived most of his life in Atlanta (with a three-year stint in Los Angeles). While growing up, David always had a love for film, television, and theatre. He was very active in theatre in high school and college and performed in community theatre after graduation. David has spent the past ten years focusing his creative efforts on television and film.
David has dozens of credits in television and film, including episodes of House of Cards on Netflix, NCIS: New Orleans on CBS, CSI: Cyber on CBS, Genius on BET, Black Lightning on The CW, and was a recurring character on Kevin (Probably) Saves the World on ABC as well as BET's American Soul. David has had roles in the films Killing Reagan, Hillbilly Elegy, and The Banker, and was a lead in the film Lover in the Attic for Lifetime. In addition, David has been fortunate enough to work with Academy Award Winners Ron Howard, Kevin Spacey, Patricia Arquette, and William Hurt.
In addition to performances in film, television, commercials, and live theatre, David has extensive experience as an on-air talent in radio, has done extensive commercial voice-over work, and has had numerous live television appearances. David is also a Master Barber and recently set a Guinness World Record on NBC's Today Show for shaving the most heads in one hour (73) as a benefit for The St. Baldrick's Foundation (for Childhood Cancer Research).
David is a member of SAG-AFTRA and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.- Tom Maddox was born in 1945 in Beckley, West Virginia, USA. Tom is a writer, known for The X-Files (1993).
- Joey Alan Phipps was born on 15 July 1957 in Beckley, West Virginia, USA. He was an actor, known for The Edge of Night (1956). He died on 5 December 1996 in Palm Springs, California, USA.
- Richard Harland Smith was born on 3 September 1961 in Beckley, West Virginia, USA. He is an actor, known for Monster Kid Home Movies (2005) and TCM Guest Programmer (2005).
- Alan R. Kessler was born on 29 December 1946 in Beckley, West Virginia, USA. He was an actor, known for The Shawshank Redemption (1994) and Marilyn: Portrait of a Legend (1992). He died on 17 October 2011 in Mansfield, Ohio, USA.
- Sherri Richmond McKinney lives on the East Coast with her husband, videographer, Rick and their children. After a decade as a television news reporter and anchor she turned her interests to film and acting. She works as a video producer in corporate public relations and as a freelance producer. She is also a media relations coach and owner of Message Media.
- Art Department
- Additional Crew
- Sound Department
Jeffrey A. Hughes was born on 17 April 1971 in Beckley, West Virginia, USA. He is known for The Longest Ride (2015), We're the Millers (2013) and Tammy (2014). He has been married to Karen Chalk Wheeler since 8 March 2003. They have one child.- Camera and Electrical Department
- Actor
Pat Blymyer was born on 20 May 1938 in Beckley, West Virginia, USA. He was an actor, known for Star Trek: First Contact (1996), Virtuosity (1995) and Star Trek: Insurrection (1998). He was married to Sugar Blymyer. He died on 5 January 2009 in Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico.- Tom Carper was born on 23 January 1947 in Beckley, West Virginia, USA.
- Katherine Shaw was born in Beckley, West Virginia, USA. She is known for The Weekend (2007) and Please Dont Speak Anymore (2017).
- Robbie Carrico was born on 13 November 1981 in Beckley, West Virginia, USA.
- Austin Spurlock is a BSBA candidate at Washington University in St. Louis. Though he studies business, his true career interest is in the field of medicine. He is currently applying to medical school, where he hopes to apply his love for science, people, and communication. Austin also contributes a significant amount of time to sustainability efforts and volunteer work in the community.
- Actor
- Cinematographer
- Producer
Corey Brooks was born on 19 April 1989 in Beckley, West Virginia, USA. He is an actor and cinematographer, known for Arise Sweet Sarah (2015), One Night a Stranger (2013) and Sidestep Goose Step (2012).- Halee Culicerto was born on 15 April 1985 in Beckley, West Virginia, USA. She is an actress, known for The Awakening: Tales of the Zombie Apocalypse (2017), B.F.F. (2009) and Behind White Walls (2010).
- R. Fred Lewis was born on 14 December 1947 in Beckley, West Virginia, USA.
- Sam Abrams was born in 1952 in Beckley, West Virginia, USA.
- Calvin Simon was born on 22 May 1942 in Beckley, West Virginia, USA. He died on 6 January 2022 in the USA.
- Composer
- Soundtrack
Scott Cossu was born on 14 January 1951 in Beckley, West Virginia, USA. He is a composer, known for Bad Influence (1990), The Chocolate War (1988) and Healing Steps (1996).- Chuck Callaway was born on 9 June 1921 in Beckley, West Virginia, USA. He was an actor, known for Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok (1951). He died on 22 January 2004 in Pasadena, California, USA.