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1-14 of 14
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Veteran performer John Randolph was a Tony Award-winning character actor whose union and social activism in the '40s and '50s caused him to be blacklisted during the McCarthy era. The balding performer may not have been a household name, but he was a regular face in movies and TV for over four decades.
He was born Emanuel Cohen on June 1, 1915, in New York City, to Jewish immigrants from Romania and Russia, mother Dorothy (Shorr), an insurance agent, and father Louis Cohen, a hat manufacturer. When his father died and his mother remarried, his stepfather, Joseph Lippman, renamed him Mortimer.
He began his dramatic training in the '30s, studying under Stella Adler and changing his name to the less ethnic moniker of "John Randolph". He served in the Army Air Force during WWII and married actress Sarah Cunningham in Chicago in 1945 while performing in Orson Welles's stage production of "Native Son". They had two children, Martha and Harrison.
After the war, Randolph become one of the original members of the Actors Studio. After making his film debut with The Naked City (1948), his passionate, outspoken leftist views and defense of other accused figures led to Randolph and his wife being blacklisted. In 1955, they were both called before the House Un-American Activities Committee and pleaded the Fifth Amendment. Although Randolph lost many jobs during this 15-year blacklist, he continued to find work onstage, mainly in New York.
Finally, director John Frankenheimer broke the Hollywood blacklist after casting Randolph, along with fellow "marked" actors Will Geer and Jeff Corey, in Seconds (1966), in which he played a disillusioned older man surgically made to look decades younger (now played by Rock Hudson). Randolph continued to flourish in films and TV following this breakthrough with important roles in Serpico (1973), Frances (1982), Prizzi's Honor (1985) and You've Got Mail (1998), along with the TV movies The Missiles of October (1974) and "Lincoln" (1975) (mini). He also played the recurring role of Roseanne Barr's father on her popular sitcom.
In 1987, he was the recipient of both Tony and Drama Desk awards for his close-to-home portrayal of a Communist, left-wing grandfather in Neil Simon's "Broadway Bound". Randolph continued his activism into the 1980s, heading the Council of American-Soviet Friendship, a cultural exchange organization. He died of natural causes at age 88.- Actress
- Director
Aurora Molina was born on 13 March 1931 in Valencia, Spain. She was an actress and director, known for Cadenas de amargura (1991), Flor y canela (1988) and Memories of the Future (1969). She died on 24 February 2004 in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico.- Soundtrack
Estelle Axton was born on 11 September 1918 in Middleton, Tennessee, USA. She died on 24 February 2004 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA.- Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
Alvino Rey was born on 1 July 1908 in Oakland, California, USA. He was an actor and producer, known for The Bat (1959), Follow the Band (1943) and Syncopation (1942). He was married to Luise King. He died on 24 February 2004 in Draper, Utah, USA.- Pete Cera was born on 25 June 1917 in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, USA. He died on 24 February 2004 in Hazelton, Pennsylvania, USA.
- Peter Nielsen was born on 16 August 1967 in Denmark. He was married to Mette. He died on 24 February 2004 in Kloten, Switzerland.
- Jean-Marc Lelong was born on 1 February 1949 in Tours, Indre-et-Loire, France. He was a director, known for Histoire de la marine (1979). He died on 24 February 2004 in Tours, Indre-et-Loire, France.
- Sax player A.C. Reed was born Aaron Corthen in Wendell, MO, in 1926. He moved to Chicago in 1942 and studied at the Chicago Conservatory of Music until 1944. He played with such blues artists as Willie Mabon and Earl Hooker, then in the 1950s he joined Dennis Binder's Rhythm and Blues All-Stars. In the 1960s he cut a few singles for Age Records and some smaller labels, and soon became one of the most sought-after session musicians in Chicago.
He joined the Buddy Guy Blues Band in 1967 and stayed with them for almost ten years. Through Guy he hooked up with The Rolling Stones and played with them on one of their European tours. He formed his own band, The Sparkplugs, and in 1980 they cut four tracks for Alligator Records' "Living Chicago Blues" series. In 1982 he recorded his own solo album, "Take These Blues and Shove 'Em". - Janusz Mirczewski was born on 1 January 1931 in Siedlce, Mazowieckie, Poland. He was an actor, known for Westerplatte Resists (1967). He died on 24 February 2004 in Wolomin, Mazowieckie, Poland.
- Lowell Manfull was born on 18 December 1924 in Ogden, Utah, USA. He was an actor, known for On the Yard (1978). He was married to Helen Manfull. He died on 24 February 2004 in State College, Pennsylvania, USA.
- Neale Clark was born on 25 March 1945 in Montgomery, West Virginia, USA. He was an actor, known for Matewan (1987), Paradise Park (1992) and Strangest Dreams: Invasion of the Space Preachers (1990). He died on 24 February 2004 in Fayetteville, West Virginia, USA.
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Karel Vrtiska was born on 15 April 1927 in Prague, Czechoslovakia [now Czech Republic]. He was an actor, known for Prague Nights (1969), All My Good Countrymen (1969) and When the Cat Comes (1963). He died on 24 February 2004 in Prague, Czech Republic.- Leonid Gubanov was born on 2 August 1928 in Rybatskoe, Leningrad Olast, RSFSR, USSR [now St. Petersburg, Russia]. He was an actor, known for Kazaki (1961), Chayka (1974) and Knyazhna Meri (1955). He died on 24 February 2004 in Moscow, Russia.
- Composer
- Music Department
Virtú Maragno was born on 18 March 1928 in Santa Fé, Argentina. He was a composer, known for Tres historias fantásticas (1964), Soluna (1969) and La cifra impar (1962). He died on 24 February 2004 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.