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1-40 of 40
- Actress
Zeme Lou North was born, in 1938, to Mr. and Mrs. Walter North of Corpus Christi, Texas. Little did they know that their new daughter would be something very special. From the time she was two-and-a-half years old when she put on her first performance, dance defined Zeme's life. Because she walked pigeon-toed and was flatfooted, her mother put her in ballet class to strengthen her arches and stretch her leg muscles. Along the way, a California dance teacher told Zeme that she just didn't have the build of a dancer. Through sheer determination, she proved the teacher wrong. By the age of ten, Zeme had complete correction of her arches, but continued her dance lessons throughout her school days, in fact, teaching them, eventually. At W.B. Ray High School, Zeme studied dramatics and sang with the school's dance band. She also sang in an Episcopal church choir. She graduated 14th of 500 students, as an honor student, in 1955 after only three years of high school. It was in Dallas and the State Fair musicals where Zeme got her first big break into show business. She did shows like "Can Can" and "Showboat". With money in her wallet, Zeme left for New York. It was a difficult town to crack and she knew it. Roles were few for an inexperienced actress, and she got few shows. She modeled clothing for teen magazines, although her modeling was limited by her diminutive size of 5' 2". She also did ads for General Electric and Dupont. Zeme's first real job was as a member of the famed June Taylor Dancers in the Automobile Industrial Show. Her first national TV appearance was on The Ed Sullivan Show (1948) (aka "The Ed Sullivan Show") on 27th April 1958, where she sang a duet with Sal Mineo. She also appeared on The Jackie Gleason Show (1952), Sing Along (1958), in which Bobby Darin was a guest, and was a Miss County Fair on Bert Parks' County Fair (1958) in December of 1958.
Zeme felt she needed help with her dramatics and decided to attend Columbia University. Her hard work at the famed Berghof Studio paid off, when she was given her first-ever acting role in movies and TV, when she guest-starred on the short-lived NBC-TV situation comedy, Too Young to Go Steady (1959). Broadway finally hired her and she did the 1959 show, "Take Me Along". This was Zeme's only Broadway show. In January of 1960, Broadway producer Frank Loesser felt that even though Ellen McCown was doing the role of "Dorrie" in his new show, "Greenwillow", adequately, McCowan was, at 28, perhaps too old for the part and Zeme beat out 100 actresses to get the role, and her picture appeared in a number of Texas newspapers. This, unfortunately, was Zeme's only moment of glory, because when the show took to the road for preliminary exposure, it did badly, she was dropped and McCowan was back as "Dorrie". This setback might have hurt Zeme, but there was only one way to recoup the loss and she put on excellent performances in the off-Broadway show, "Fiorello". She was praised in the press for her performances. In 1961, Zeme went west to start an acting career in Hollywood. Her first Hollywood role was as a carhop named "Tina" in the popular TV show 77 Sunset Strip (1958)'s episode, Brass Ring Caper (1962). She also did Blues for the Left Foot (1962) and then her first movie, Zotz! (1962). It was released the same day that Zeme guest-starred on The Madame Sagittarius Story (1962).
1963 was a big year for Zeme. She guest-starred on three TV shows, including Uncaged (1963). The producers on the show wanted her to ride horseback with Fabian, but Zeme had never ridden a horse, before. The producers couldn't believe it, assuming that everyone from Texas could ride. Zeme politely declined the horseback ride. She also did her second and final movie, Palm Springs Weekend (1963). The director, Norman Taurog, praised her performance to the sky. But in 1964, she put on her best performance as an actress. After doing Ten Rounds for Baby (1964), she put on a masterful performance on The Case of the Bountiful Beauty (1964). Playing the 20-year-old million selling novelist, "Deborah Dearborn", Zeme displayed emotion beautifully, and even Deborah's explosive temper. She guest-starred on two other shows that year, Rawhide (1959) and Bonanza (1959). She also guest-starred on two shows in 1965, My Three Sons (1960) (for the second time) and The Legend of Jesse James (1965). But in 1966, Zeme finally got what is so coveted by the actor, a regular role. Because O.K. Crackerby! (1965) was doing badly on ABC, it was dropped at mid-season and replaced by Luther Davis' situation comedy, The Double Life of Henry Phyfe (1966). Zeme was cast as "Judy Kimball", Henry's girlfriend. However, this show also did badly and was dropped at the end of the 1965-66 season. She guest-starred on only one more show after this, the ill-fated CBS situation comedy, Run Buddy Run (1966), and retired from acting, afterwards.
Zeme was a trailblazer of the Corpus Christi actress, and such actresses as Farrah Fawcett have followed in her footsteps. But Zeme paved the way, inspiring such actresses to pursue acting careers.- Dorothy DeBorba was born on 28 March 1925 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She was an actress, known for Love Business (1931), Dogs Is Dogs (1931) and The Stolen Jools (1931). She was married to Max Ferdinand Haberreiter. She died on 2 June 2010 in Walnut Creek, California, USA.
- Paul Fierro began acting at the dawn of commercialized television; in the heyday of Hollywood's youth. The 40s were tough times to get a break in the tightly knit "town of dreams," but Fierro took whatever he could get. He started doing bit parts and eventually the roles grew. By the 1950s he found his niche; usually as the villain in television westerns. Interestingly, the bad guys came in the form of cowboy, or the half-naked Indian as well. His tall, dark, athletic features lending themselves easily to the roles. It was something the always goodhearted actor eventually came to terms with. He became part of one of history's great film moments in 1948, when in "Red River," John Wayne claims Diego's (Walter Brennan) land by shooting Fierro. In 1956, he appeared as Morteno in "The Creature Walks Among Us," one of the classic monster films from the "Creature From the Black Lagoon" series. The cult status of the film was something he found enjoyable in later years, remarking to a reporter once, that laughing at life was one of the things he loved to do.
Fierro was born in L.A.'s "Dogtown," the deteriorating Southside of Santa Monica at the time. As a boy of eight, he sold papers on the corner of Figueroa St. and Santa Barbara Avenue. He also fought in a "smoker" bout at the same age to earn some money, and won. "Smoker" referring to illegally staged and unregulated boxing matches of the early 1900s. In high school he was awarded a football scholarship to North Carolina State, where he played half back from 1935 to 1937, under Notre Dame coach, Hunk Anderson. He spent most of his life during his acting career living in a cottage in Laurel Canyon, before moving to Walnut Creek, CA, where he later passed away. Truly one of the trailblazers to hit the small and big screens in the pioneering days of Hollywood. - Buster Slaven was born on 30 October 1922 in Seattle, Washington, USA. He was an actor, known for The Devil Is a Sissy (1936), Ridin' Down the Trail (1947) and Range Beyond the Blue (1947). He was married to Betty (Conklin) Jackson. He died on 27 June 2009 in Walnut Creek, California, USA.
- Animation Department
Hugh Fraser was born on 15 August 1904 in Butte, Montana, USA. He is known for Lady and the Tramp (1955), Dumbo (1941) and Alice in Wonderland (1951). He was married to Mary Ann White. He died on 6 January 1994 in Walnut Creek, California, USA.- Dan Sorkin was born on 6 April 1927 in Hinsdale, Illinois, USA. He was an actor, known for The Bob Newhart Show (1961) and Biography (1987). He died on 6 June 2016 in Walnut Creek, California, USA.
- Jay Jacobus was born on 7 December 1921 in San Francisco, California, USA. He was an actor, known for Patch Adams (1998), Copycat (1995) and The Assassination of Richard Nixon (2004). He was married to Jane ?. He died on 4 January 2012 in Walnut Creek, California, USA.
- Producer
- Director
Harvey Berman was born on 18 February 1929 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He was a producer and director, known for The Wild Ride (1960), Sextet (1964) and Velocity (1999). He died on 21 May 2012 in Walnut Creek, California, USA.- Clinton T. Duffy was born on 4 August 1898 in San Quentin, California, USA. He was a writer, known for Duffy of San Quentin (1954), The Steel Cage (1954) and Gypsy (1965). He died on 11 October 1982 in Walnut Creek, California, USA.
- Bonnie Chamberlain was born on 13 December 1933 in Kanab, Kane County, Utah. She was an actress, known for Mormon Conquest (1939) and Little Miss Cowgirl (1939). She was married to Mark Lynn Cutler. She died on 6 January 2022 in Walnut Creek, California, USA.
- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
L. Guy Wilky was born on 12 October 1888 in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. L. Guy was a cinematographer, known for Don't Call It Love (1923), After the Show (1921) and A Man's Man (1917). L. Guy died on 25 December 1971 in Walnut Creek, California, USA.- Actress
- Producer
Mary Griffith was born on 13 October 1934 in the USA. She was an actress and producer, known for Prayers for Bobby (2009) and Prayers for Bobby: Meet the Real Mary Griffith (2009). She died on 7 February 2020 in Walnut Creek, California, USA.- Composer
- Music Department
- Additional Crew
Ralph Kessler was born on 1 April 1919 in Bronx, New York, USA. He was a composer, known for Knight Rider (1982), Barnaby Jones (1973) and Labor Pains (2000). He died on 5 October 2007 in Walnut Creek, California, USA.- Actress
Marjorie Timm was born on 18 April 1910 in Oakland, California, USA. She was an actress. She was married to Edward J Brady and Paskell. She died on 4 May 1986 in Walnut Creek, California, USA.- Frank Heaney was born on 28 March 1927 in Berkeley, California, USA. He was married to Eleanor Jean . He died on 1 November 2020 in Walnut Creek, California, USA.
- Budd Dyniewicz was born on 27 May 1910 in Illinois, USA. He was married to Mary O'Leary-Dyniewicz and Ruth Nelson Mourning Dyniewicz. He died on 29 June 1998 in Walnut Creek, California, USA.
- Andrew Henderson was born on 24 September 1943 in Brighton, England, UK. He was an editor, known for Tanya's Island (1980). He died on 27 February 2012 in Walnut Creek, California, USA.
- Ronald B. Taylor was born on 11 March 1930 in Modesto, California, USA. He was a writer, known for Long Road Home (1991). He was married to Dorothy Ann Haight. He died on 13 September 2015 in Walnut Creek, California, USA.
- Sean Thackery was born on 9 July 1942 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He was married to Susan Thackrey. He died on 30 May 2022 in Walnut Creek, California, USA.
- Dean Laird was born on 7 February 1921 in Loomis, California, USA. He died on 10 August 2022 in Walnut Creek, California, USA.
- Martha Tonsing died on 21 September 1996 in Walnut Creek, California, USA.
- Greg Knapp was born on 5 March 1963 in Long Beach, California, USA. He was married to Charlotte. He died on 22 July 2021 in Walnut Creek, California, USA.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Robert Weede was born on 22 February 1903 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. He was an actor, known for The Alcoa Hour (1955), Musical Comedy Time (1950) and Bringing Up Buddy (1960). He died on 9 July 1972 in Walnut Creek, California, USA.- Bill Fiset was born on 25 March 1921 in Seattle, Washington, USA. He was an actor, known for Route 66 (1960) and State Trooper (1956). He died on 2 May 2004 in Walnut Creek, California, USA.
- Producer
- Director
- Editor
Howard E. Rieder was born on 16 June 1930 in Los Angeles, California, USA. Howard E. was a producer and director, known for Go South! (2009) and The Frontier 500: Celebrity Grudge Match (1987). Howard E. died on 16 September 2016 in Walnut Creek, California, USA.