Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Cliff Robertson - ©Theda Bara
Wednesday, January 29, 2025
William Holden - ©Theda Bara
The name I present to you in this post is that of the American actor William Holden, one of the highest-grossing Hollywood stars of the 1950s.
William Holden won the Oscar for Best Actor (1954) for his performance in the film: “Stalag 17” (1953), playing the role of “Sergeant J.J. Sefton”.
William Holden has a star on the Los Angeles Walk of Fame, at 1651 Vine Street, in the motion picture category.
In addition to the Oscar, William Holden also won a Primetime Emmy Award for Best Actor in a Miniseries or Movie in 1974 for “The Blue Knight”, an American police drama television series that aired from 1973 to 1976, in which he played the character “Bumper Morgan”.
William Franklin Beedle Jr., was born on April 17, 1918, in O’Fallon, Illinois, United States, and died on November 11, 1981, in Santa Monica, California, United States, at the age of 63.
William Holden was married only to American actress Brenda Marshall (1915-1992), from 1941 to 1971, from whom he separated ten years before his sudden death, due to a head injury caused by a fall due to excessive drinking. He remained conscious for about half an hour after the injury and did not realize that he should seek medical help; had he done so, he probably would not have died.
Thursday, October 3, 2024
Jackie Chan - ©Theda Bara
The actor, despite never having competed for an Oscar, received three MTV Movie Awards: in 1995, for lifetime achievement; in 1999 for Best Scene, for: “Rush Hour” and in 2002 for Best Fight, for: “Rush Hour 2”, Character: “Inspector Lee”; he also won a Daytime Emmy Award for Best Actor in an Animated Program, in 2002, for: “The Adventures of Jackie Chan”.
Jackie Chan has participated in more than 100 films throughout his career, having in the first 20 films secondary roles as a supporting actor, extra and even stunt double.
In 2010, he played “Mr. Han”, in “The Karate Kid”, a remake produced by actor and friend Willard Carroll Smith II - Will Smith (1968-), in which his son Jaden Christopher Syre Smith (1998-) plays the protagonist “Dre Parker”. “The Karate Kid 2” is scheduled for release in May 2025.
Jackie Chan has a star on the Los Angeles Walk of Fame, located at Byken 6801 Hollywood Boulevard, in the motion picture category. He also has a star on the Avenue of Stars in Hong Kong and is considered by many to be the greatest Asian actor.
Jackie Chan, born Chan Kong-sang on April 7, 1954, Victoria Peak, Hong Kong, a former British colony, now an autonomous territory in southeastern China, is now 70 years old.
Jackie Chan has been married to former Taiwanese actress Joan Lin Feng-jiao (1953-) since 1982. The couple has one son, American-born Chinese actor and singer Jaycee Chan Joming (1982-). He sings and performs in both Mandarin and Cantonese, and in 2004 released his first Mandarin CD album in Hong Kong. In 2015, Jaycee was arrested for possession of marijuana and served 6 months in prison. Jackie Chan has made no secret of his discontent with his son. He has not visited him in prison and has even made controversial statements. Speaking of controversy, Jackie Chan has an illegitimate daughter, Etta Ng Chok Lam (1999-), from an extramarital affair he had with Miss Asia 1990, Elaine Ng Yi-lei, sometimes credited as Elaine Wu (1972-). She announced that she was pregnant in 1999, after starring in a film by Chan, revealing her affair with the actor, who, after public speculation, admitted that he had “made a mistake that many men in the world make”.
Saturday, September 7, 2024
Bruce Willis - ©Theda Bara
But in everyday life, this immortality has been shaken. In 2022, Bruce Willis was diagnosed with Aphasia and had to stop acting. In February 2023, the actor’s health suffered even more, being diagnosed with Frontotemporal Dementia, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that retired the actor from film sets. Bruce Willis now finds himself limited in his speech and vision, understanding of certain verbal and written languages, and the actor has lost some movement due to joint injuries.
Before fame in the early 1980s he worked as a bartender at the Manhattan art bar Kamikaze while living in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of New York, United States, the year he began acting as an extra on TV and in films. Today Bruce Willis’ filmography exceeds 150 titles.
Bruce Willis won two Primetime Emmy Awards: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 1987 for: “Moonlighting” and Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series in 2000 for: “Friends”, and a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical in 1987 for: “Moonlighting”. Unfortunately, one of the biggest and most charismatic names in Hollywood in recent times never received the highest award from the motion picture academy, the Oscar.
Bruce Willis has his star on the Los Angeles Walk of Fame at 6915 Hollywood Boulevard in the Motion Picture category.
Walter Bruce Willis was born on March 19, 1955, in the city of Idar-Oberstein, Germany, and is now 69 years old.
Bruce Willis has been married twice, first to famous actress Demetria Gene Guynes, better known as Demi Moore (1962-) from 1987 to 2000. The couple has three daughters, model and actress Rumer Glenn Willis (1988-); actress Scout LaRue Willis (1991-) and actress Tallulah Belle Willis (1994-). And his current marriage is to British-American model and actress Emma Frances Heming (1978-) since 2009, with whom he has two daughters of various nationalities: Indo-Guyanese-American; English-American; German-American, media personalities, Mabel Ray Willis (2012-) and Evelyn Penn Willis (2014-).
Tuesday, June 25, 2024
Loretta Young - ©Theda Bara
The actress won two Golden Globes for Best Television Program in 1959, for: “The Loretta Young Show” and Best Actress in a Miniseries or TV Movie in 1987, for: “The Last Christmas” (1986) and three Primetime Emmys Awards, for Best Actress, for her work on the TV Program: “The Loretta Young Show” in 1955, 1957 and 1959 – Production that aired from 1953 to 1961.
The actress has two stars on the Los Angeles Walk of Fame, at 6100 Hollywood Boulevard, in the Cinema category and 6135 Hollywood Boulevard, in the TV category.
Loretta Young, born Gretchen Young, on January 6, 1913, in the city of Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, died on August 12, 2000, in Los Angeles, California, United States, at the age of 87.
Loretta Young has been married three times. Her first marriage, which lasted just a year, was to the American actor Granville Gustavus Withers - Grant Withers (1905-1959) from 1930 to 1931; her second marriage lasted almost three decades, to the American producer and writer Tom Lewis (1901-1988) from 1940 to 1969 and finally her last marriage was to the French-American costume designer Jean Louis (1907-1997) from 1993 to 1997, from whom she became a widow. Jean Louis won the Oscar for Best Costume design in the 1957 romantic comedy “The Solid Gold Cadillac.”
The actress had three children, two with Tom Lewis. American film and television writer and producer Christopher Paul Lewis (1944-2021) and Peter Charles Lewis (1945-) founding member of the country band Moby Grape. The actress also had a daughter, the American actress, writer, producer and therapist. Judy Lewis (1935-2011), biological daughter of an extramarital affair that Loretta Young had with actor Clark Gable (1901-1960) when she was married to Tom, who gave the girl her last name.
Friday, February 16, 2024
Steve Martin - ©Theda Bara
The actor unfortunately announced his retirement at the end of last year (2023), when he turned 78, and said: “It’s strange, but it’s over!”
Martin’s popularity began in the 1960s, when he wrote the scripts for the series: “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour”, and later appeared frequently on the talk show: “The Tonight Show”.
But cinema wasn’t Steve Martin’s first option. A philosophy student at California State University in Long Beach, Steve Martin always wanted to teach this subject.
Famous for his comedic performances, especially in cinema. In 1979, Martin starred in the film “The Jerk”, playing the clumsy “Jerk”, this being his first prominent character in cinema. The film was a huge success and Martin was seen by the public as a ‘new Jerry Lewis’ (1926-2017), despite his different style of humor. Over the years, Martin continued to star in hits such as “The Man with Two Brains” (1983), where he played world-famous widower and neurosurgeon “Michael Hfuhruhurr”; “Three Friends” (1986), character “Lucky Day”; Roxanne (1987), character “C. D. Bales”; “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” (1987), character “Neal Page”; “Father of the Bride” (1991), character “George Banks”; “Cheaper by the Dozen 1 and 2” (2003 and 2005), character “Tom Baker” and “The Pink Panther” (2006), character “Jacques Clouseau”.
On television, Martin hosted “Saturday Night Live” 15 times, second only to Alec Baldwin (1958-), who hosted the program 17 times. Martin hosted the Oscar Ceremony three times, in (2001, 2003 and 2010); the third time together with Baldwin.
Steve Martin is a dynamic actor who has starred in major comedy films and has been duly rewarded for his artistic contributions in Hollywood, receiving an honorary Oscar in 2013. He also won 1 Primetime Emmy Award: Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program 1969, for: “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour”. 5 Grammy Award: Best Comedy Album 1978 and 1979, for: “A Wild and Crazy Guy, Let’s Get Small”; Best Country Instrumental Performance 2002, for: “Foggy Mountain Breakdown”; Best Bluegrass Album 2010, for: “The Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo” and Best American Roots Song 2014, for: “Love Has Come for You” .
Steve Martin is yet another actor who, for private reasons, refused to have a star on the Los Angeles Walk of Fame in Hollywood.
Steve Martin, born Stephen Glenn Martin, on August 14, 1945, in Waco, Texas, United States, is now 78 years old.
Steve Martin has been married twice, first to British actress Victoria Tennant (1950-) from 1986 to 1994; and his current marriage is to writer and former New Yorker employee, Anne Stringfield (1972-) since July 28, 2007. Martin has a daughter with Anne, the 10-year-old Conqueror Stringfield Martin (2013-). The actor became a father for the first time in 2013, at the age of 67, managing to keep it a secret from the media for more than a month.
Sunday, February 4, 2024
Leslie Nielsen - ©Theda Bara
But the smile wasn’t Leslie Nielsen’s first option. In 1948, Nielsen won a scholarship to the Neighborhood Playhouse, where she began studying dramatic arts. The heartthrob who reinvented himself in humor played dramatic roles for three decades, until he began to stand out in satirical comedies.
Leslie was a very active actor, appearing in over 100 films and over 150 television shows, playing around 220 characters. Despite acting so much, the actor received few awards in his career: a Golden Globe for “The Naked Gun” (1988) and previously an Emmy, in the series “Police Squad!” (1982), which lasted just six episodes, Leslie won for his role as police officer “Frank Drebin.” Six years after the cancellation of “Police Squad!”, the film “The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!” (1988) brought Leslie back to the role of “Frank Drebin” and was well received by critics. “The Naked Gun” had two other sequels: “The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear” (1991) and “Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult” (1994). There was a project for another film, but it never got off the ground, despite the films being praised and doing well at the box office. Leslie became one of the most sought-after comedians for comedies of this genre. Other comedies in which he appeared had a vampire theme: “Repossessed” (1990) and “Dracula: Dead and Loving It” (1995), by Mel Brooks (1926-), but the actor was never nominated for an Oscar.
Leslie Nielsen has her star on the Los Angeles Walk of Fame, at 6541 Hollywood Boulevard, in the Cinema category.
Leslie William Nielsen was born on February 11, 1926, in Regina, Canada, and died of a lung infection on November 28, 2010, at Holy Cross Hospital, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA, aged 84.
Leslie Nielsen was married four times, first to Argentine nightclub singer Mercedes González Morel Valerio Urea, born in the Dominican Republic, commonly known as Monica Boyar (1920-2013) from 1950 to 1956; his second marriage was to one of her fans, Alisande Ullman (1938-), from 1958 to 1973. They divorced after a 16-year marriage. The couple has two daughters who became actresses: Maura Nielsen Kaplan (1959-) and Thea Nielsen Disney (1963-), who even using this surname does not indicate that she is related to Walt Disney (1901-1966); his third marriage was to another of his fans, Miss Bobbye Brooks Oliver (1966-), 40 years younger than the actor. The marriage lasted less than three years, from 1981 to 1983; his last marriage was to American actress Barley Earl Nielsen (1970-), they were together for a long period until their marriage in 2001, a nine-year marriage from 2001 to 2010, with whom he remained married until the day of his death.
Monday, January 8, 2024
John Malkovich - ©Theda Bara
The actor has 3 Primetime Emmy Awards: Best Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film 1986, for: “Death of a Salesman” (1985); Sports Emmy Award for Best Screenplay 2018, at the AFC Championship: “Teasing John Malkovich” and Emmy Award for News and Documentaries: Best Informative Programming - Articles 2010, at HBO Documentary Films. However, he never won an Oscar, with his career marked by just two nominations for Best Supporting Actor. He also competed for the Golden Globe three times and never won.
Because he made some biographical films and even used his own name in the titles, for example: “Being John Malkovich” (1999), the top brass in Hollywood often despise the actor's works. For this reason, Malkovich rejected having a star on the Los Angeles Walk of Fame.
John Gavin Malkovich, born December 9, 1953, Christopher, Illinois, United States, now 70 years old.
John Malkovich has been married only once, to the late actress Glenne Aimee Headly (1955-2017) from 1982 to 1988, and is currently in a long-term relationship with film director Nicoletta Peyran (1956-) since 1989, with whom Malkovich has two children: British Amandine Malkovich (1990-) and American software engineer Loewy Malkovich (1992-).
Tuesday, October 31, 2023
Elizabeth Montgomery - ©Theda Bara
Elizabeth Montgomery has her star on the Los Angeles Walk of Fame, on Hollywood Boulevard: at 6533, Television category.
Born Elizabeth Victoria Montgomery on April 15, 1933, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States, died on May 18, 1995, Beverly Hills, California, United States, aged 62.
The actress was married four times. Her first marriage was to New York playboy Frederick Gallatin Cammann (1926-2013) and lasted just one year, from 1954 to 1955; her second marriage was to award-winning American film and television actor Gig Young (1913–1978), from 1956 to 1963; her third marriage was to the American producer, director and screenwriter William Milton Asher, artistically called: William Asher or Bill Asher (1921-2012), from 1963 to 1973, with whom she had 3 children, the luthier (guitar maker), William Allen Asher (1964-), horror film actor Robert Asher (1965-) and film director Rebecca Asher (1969-). And, finally, her last marriage was to the American film, theater and television actor Robert Foxworth (1941-), from 1993 to 1995, when the actress passed away after fighting an intense battle against colon cancer.
Tuesday, September 12, 2023
Mary Tyler Moore - ©Theda Bara
Mary won six Emmy Awards for this Sitcom and when she debuted in Hollywood, she was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress in 1981, for: “Ordinary People” (1980), character: “Beth Jarrett”, but did not win the statuette.
Mary Tyler Moore has her stars on the Los Angeles Walk of Fame, on Hollywood Boulevard: at 7021, category TV.
The actress has two biographies written: the first from (1989) and the definitive 422 pages: “Mary: The Mary Tyler Moore Story” (2019), in memoriam.
The actress was born on December 29, 1936, in Brooklyn Heights, New York, United States and died on January 25, 2017, at Greenwich Hospital, Greenwich, Connecticut, United States, aged 81.
Tyler Moore has been married three times. The first with the military Richard Carleton Meeker Sr. - “Dick Meeker” (1927-2013), from 1955 to 1961, with whom he had his only child, western actor Richard Carleton Meeker Jr. - “Richie Meeker” (1956-1980), who died aged 24 from a gunshot wound on a movie set, officially ruled accidental; her second marriage was to NBC CEO Grant Almerin Tinker (1926-2016) from 1962 to 1981; and finally married physician Robert Levine (1954-), from 1983 to 2017 (year of her death). When they married, Levine was 29 and Mary 47.
Thursday, August 31, 2023
Stanley Tucci - ©Theda Bara
Tucci has acted in a large number of films, ranging from drama, through comedy, action and science fiction, known for his participation in the films: “The Devil Wears Prada” (2006), film based on the homonymous book by (2003) , by the American writer Lauren Weinberger (1977-) and “The Terminal” (2004), directed by Steven Spielberg (1946-). But the peak of his career came in 2009, when he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for: “The Lovely Bones”, but did not win. Stanley Tucci has won 2 Emmys and 2 Golden Globes for his performances in film and TV.
Stanley Tucci unfortunately still doesn’t have a star on the Los Angeles Walk of Fame.
The actor wrote a memoir: “Taste: My Life Through Food” (2021), where he reveals, among other things, that he had tongue cancer that almost ended his life, having to be fed by tube.
Stanley Tucci Jr., was born in Peekskill, New York, United States, on November 11, 1960 and grew up in neighboring Katonah. His parents, writer Joan Née Tropiano (1935-) and Stanley Tucci Sr. (1930-2003), art teacher at Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua, New York, are of Italian descent, with roots in Calabria. Tucci is the oldest of three children; being the brother of artistic musical agent, Gina Tucci (1962-) and Christine Tucci Angell (1967-), who is also an actress. During the early 1970s, the family spent a year living in Florence, Italy.
Stanley Tucci was married twice, becoming a widower from his first marriage to Kate Tucci (1962- 2009), who already had two children: Matteo Oliver (1995-) and Emilia Giovanna (1998-) and had twins with Tucci: Isabel Concetta Tucci and Nicolo Robert Tucci (2000-). The marriage took place from 1995 to 2009. In 2002 Tucci separated from Kate, having an affair with the American actress Edie Falco (1963-), with whom he acted on Broadway, in the play: “Frankie and Johnny”, but the affair ended in less than a year and he returned to his wife and children. Three years after being widowed, in 2012, he married the British talent agent of Curtis Brown Incorporation, Felicity Blunt (1980-), with whom he has a daughter: Camilla Tucci (2002-). Stanley and Curtis have been married for 11 years and live in Barnes, London, England.
Wednesday, July 26, 2023
Gene Wilder - ©Theda Bara
Tuesday, June 13, 2023
Queen Latifah - ©Theda Bara
Latifah started her musical career as a rapper in 1989 and only later migrated to the cinema. Currently, she is a music and television producer, where she also works as a TV presenter and series actress.
Queen Latifah received an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress in 2003 in the film: “Chicago” (2002), with the character: “Matron Mama Morton”, but lost the statuette to Catherine Zeta-Jones in the same film, character: “Velma Kelly”.
In 2008, she won a Golden Globe and a SAG Award for Best Actress for the SBS TV Australian comedy: “Life Support”. In 2015 she won an Emmy Award and in 2016 a SAG Award for producing the HBO series: “Bessie”, where Queen Latifah plays the legendary singer Bessie Smith.
Queen Latifah has a star on the Los Angeles Walk of Fame at 6915 Hollywood Boulevard, in the Cinema category.
Latifah's older brother, Lancelot Jr., died in 1992 in a traffic accident involving his modern motorcycle, a gift given to him by his sister. Latifah still wears her motorcycle key around her neck today.
In 1996, she was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana and a loaded 45 pistol. In 2002, she was arrested for driving under the influence in Los Angeles County. She was placed on probation after being sentenced for three years.
The actress born Dana Elaine Owens, on March 18, 1970, Newark, New Jersey, United States, is now 53 years old.
Queen Latifah has been living with her partner, choreographer Eboni Nichols (1978-), since 2013.
Friday, June 9, 2023
Danny DeVito - ©Theda Bara
Danny DeVito achieved fame with the role of: “Louie De Palma”, in the series “Taxi”, produced between (1978 and 1983), for which he won a Golden Globe and a Primetime Emmy, as Best Supporting Actor on Television. But he never won an Oscar.
In Hollywood, one of his greatest successes was playing the character “Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot - Penguin”, in the film: “Batman” (1989), directed by: Tim Burton.
The actor has a star on the Los Angeles Walk of Fame, at 6906 Hollywood Boulevard, in the TV category.
Danny DeVito, born: Daniel Michael DeVito Jr., November 17, 1944, in Neptune Township, grew up in Asbury Park, New Jersey, United States, in a family of five, with his parents and two older sisters, all of Italian descent, and his family hails from San Fele, Basilicata (also known as Lucania), Italy.
DeVito had an oddly conducted marriage to American actress and screenwriter Rhea Jo Perlman (1948-), which began in 1982. But in October 2012, however, the first separation took place. In March 2013, they reconciled and called off their divorce. Subsequently, the couple separated for the second time amicably, in March 2017. A year later, March 2018, DeVito and Rhea Perlman reconciled and renewed their marriage vows, and if nothing has changed by the end of this post, they remain married. The couple have three children: Lucy Chet DeVito (1983-); Grace Fan DeVito (1985-) and Jacob Daniel DeVito (1987-).
Thursday, June 1, 2023
Kyra Sedgwick - ©Theda Bara
Her first big moment in Hollywood was in the cast of the film “Born on the 4th of July” (1989), directed by Oliver Stone, when she played the character “Donna Ron's Girlfriend”. During the 1990s, Sedgwick continued to work on films with big stars such as Paul Newman, Robert Downey Jr., Julia Roberts and John Travolta.
In 2005, Kyra Sedgwick starred in the American TV series “The Closer”, in which she plays Police Chief “Brenda Leigh-Johnson”, head of the Priority Homicide Division of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD); aired on TNT, became one of the biggest audience hits in the United States and, despite never being nominated for an Oscar, Kyra Sedgwick at least with the television series got several nominations and seven awards, among them: Satellite Awards (2005/2006); Emmy and Golden Globe (2010).
Kyra Sedgwick has a star on the Los Angeles Walk of Fame at 6356 Hollywood Boulevard, in the Television category.
The actress born Kyra Sedgwick, is the daughter of separated parents, having grown up with her mother, Patricia Rosenwald and stepfather, Ben Heller. Kyra was born on August 19, 1965, in New York City, United States, and is now 57 years old.
Kyra Sedgwick has been married to actor Kevin Norwood Bacon (1958-), since 1988 and has two children with him, also actors Travis Bacon (1989-) and Sosie Ruth Bacon (1992-).














