Cliff Robertson - ©Theda Bara

The name I highlight in this post is that of the respected and award-winning American actor Cliff Robertson, who won the Oscar for Best Actor in 1969 for his performance in the film “Charly” (1968), playing “Charly Gordon”, a 30-year-old man with an intellectual disability who, after brain surgery, becomes a genius.

In addition to the Best Actor Oscar, Cliff also won a Primetime Emmy Award in 1966 and is widely recognized for playing “Uncle Ben Parker” in the “Spider-Man” films (2002 and 2007).

Cliff Robertson has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard, in the Cinema category.

Clifford Parker Robertson III was born on September 9, 1923, in La Jolla, San Diego, California, United States, and died on September 10, 2011, in Stony Brook, New York, United States, at the age of 88.

Cliff Robertson was married twice: first to American actress Cynthia Boyd Stone (1926-1988), a relationship that lasted less than two years, from 1957 to 1959, as Cynthia divorced him to marry fellow American actor and musician John Uhler “Jack” Lemmon III (1925-2001); after this traumatic separation, Cliff married again seven years later to American actress and philanthropist Nedenia Marjorie Hutton, known artistically as Dina Merrill (1923-2017), from 1966 to 1989.

Cliff Robertson had two daughters, one from each marriage. His eldest daughter, Stephanie Robertson or Stephanie Saunders (1959-), was born from his union with actress Cynthia Stone. His youngest daughter, Heather Robertson (1968-2007), was the result of his marriage to actress Dina Merrill.

Haiku: We are all Plural - ©Theda Bara

Haiku and Art by ©Theda Bara — 2026

There are no exclusive words

We are all plural...

We write what we feel in the moment.

Rod Steiger - ©Theda Bara

The name I highlight in this post is that of American actor Rod Steiger, who won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1968 for his performance in the film “In the Heat of the Night” (1967), playing the Southern sheriff “Bill Gillespie”.

In addition to the Best Actor Oscar, Rod Steiger won two BAFTA awards: Best Foreign Actor in 1967 and 1968, and a Golden Globe Award: Best Actor in a Drama Film in 1968.

The actor had a peculiar habit: from a young age, he always carried a red handkerchief in his suit pocket. Whether this was due to fashion or superstition was never revealed when questioned in the numerous interviews he gave.

Rod Steiger has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, at 7080 Hollywood Boulevard, in the Cinema category.

Rodney Stephen Steiger was born on April 14, 1925, in Westhampton, New York, United States, and died on July 9, 2002, in Los Angeles, California, United States, at the age of 77.

Rod Steiger married five times throughout his life. His first wife was American actress Sally Gracie (1920-2001), from 1952 to 1958; his second wife was British actress Claire Bloom, born Patricia Claire Blume (1931-), from 1959 to 1969; his third wife was Canadian actress Sherry Nelson (1948-), from 1973 to 1979; his fourth marriage was to American art director Paula Jean Ellis (1950-2025), from 1986 to 1997; His last wife was the American actress Joan Benedict Steiger (1927-2024), to whom he was married for two years, from 2000 to 2002, until she was widowed.

Rod Steiger had two children: Anna Steiger (1960-), a British opera singer, from his marriage to Claire Bloom, and the American film producer Michael Steiger (1987-), from his relationship with Paula Ellis.

Haiku: Emerald Eyes - ©Theda Bara

Haiku and Art by ©Theda Bara — 2026

Nature wants to remain green

My eyes observe nature’s greenness

And this causes my eyes to transform into two precious emeralds!

Chuck Norris - ©Theda Bara

The name I highlight in this post is that of the American martial artist, actor, film producer, and screenwriter Chuck Norris, who passed away on the 19th, nine days after turning 86.

Norris’s only significant awards were three MTV Movie Awards in 1997, 1998, and 1999. But, within his style, he was a good actor and didn't use stunt doubles, performing high-risk scenes in his films.

After serving in the United States Air Force, Chuck Norris became known as a martial arts practitioner, which he brought to the cinema. In the digital age, Norris became the “King of Memes” on the internet, of the type: [Chuck Norris got stabbed in the eye and the knife went blind!] 🔪 

Carlos Ray “Chuck” Norris was born on March 10, 1940, in Ryan, Oklahoma, United States, and died on March 19, 2026, on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, United States, at the age of 86. 

Chuck Norris has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, at 7000 Hollywood Boulevard, in the Film category.

Norris was married twice. His first wife, Dianne Holechek (1941-2025), passed away after a long battle with dementia. The action movie star mourned the death of his ex-wife and called her an “incredible” person in a lengthy tribute. The former couple were married for 30 years, from 1958 to 1988, and had two sons: actor Michael R. Norris (1962-) and former American stock car driver and stuntman Eric Scott Norris (1965-). Norris’ second wife and widow is former American model Gena O’Kelley (1963-), to whom he was married from 1998 to 2026. The couple had twin children: American martial arts master (black belt) Dakota Alan Norris (2001-) and American actress Daniele Kelly Norris (2001-).