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1-19 of 19
- Actor
- Soundtrack
The dark blond with deep blue eyes and cute "Buster Brown" haircut who was equipped with a deadly acute, dry facade was born George Karl Wentzlaff in Los Angeles on May 3, 1946. While it would have been hard for anyone to steal scenes from the likes of such veteran comedy superstars as Marilyn Monroe, Clifton Webb or Cary Grant, six-year-old frozen-faced Georgie, with his inimitable froggy bass voice, managed to do just that, lending a grudging credence to W.C. Fields' philosophy about working with child actors and/or animals.
Small and slight even for his young age, George was initially pitched to Art Linkletter by his parents (his father's name was Karl) at the encouragement of an uncle for the family-oriented radio program "People Are Funny" in the early 1950s. The boy's unique raspy tones and hilariously deadpan delivery was a huge hit on the show. When Art asked George his name, the youngster replied, "George Wentzlaff, but I'd rather be Casey Jones." That one sentence alone had the audience (not to mention Linkletter himself) in absolute stitches. Against the usual Linkletter policy, the boy was allowed to return to Linkletter's show, and did so a record number of times (around 20).
Luckily, Cary Grant, also caught the boy on the show, was quite taken by the boy's sharp and mature comedy instincts, not to mention his startlingly funny voice and brought him to the attention of director Norman Taurog who met and interviewed the boy. Equally impressed, he signed George on for a role in Grant's film Room for One More (1952). The success of this movie led to Warner Bros. putting the boy under contract. Two years later Twentieth Century-Fox bought out his contract. Earning the nickname of "Foghorn,", George made a strong impression in My Pal Gus (1952), which won him a Critic's Award, and reappeared with Cary Grant again in Monkey Business (1952) which co-starred Ginger Rogers and a rising Marilyn Monroe. He showed up again with Monroe in what would be his most famous role. In the classic Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), George predictably stole his scenes as Monroe's wealthy young admirer and interested suitor, topped by a classic blue-ribbon line about her possessing a "certain animal magnetism."
Other than trading barbs with the acerbic Clifton Webb in the film comedy Mister Scoutmaster (1953), however, the boy's later films paled in comparison. His work in The Rocket Man (1954), Artists and Models (1955), An Affair to Remember (1957), Rock, Pretty Baby! (1956) and Wild Heritage (1958) only proved that the gimmick was beginning to wear thin. In all George made eleven pictures. He also popped up on TV comedy, appearing in episodes of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952), Blondie (1957), and Dear Phoebe (1954).
With age came a certain awkwardness and a sign of the times. As happens to many child actors, George was not able to transition his lovable persona into an adult career -- not even close. By the age of 12, he had not only lost his appeal and naturalness before the camera, but his trademark basso profundo voice. He officially retired from show business before reaching his teens, completely shunning the spotlight in later years.
George reverted to his real name of Wentzlaff. After enlisting for four years in the Navy, George took a course in photography upon his discharge and developed a strong interest in making it his profession. He also worked for the Sonoma County Council on Aging in California. He retired as a postal worker and settled in Camp Meeker, California. Unmarried, he died of a heart attack at age 69 on June 13, 2015.- Actor
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Magnus Härenstam was born on 19 June 1941 in Västervik, Kalmar län, Sweden. He was an actor and writer, known for Två killar och en tjej (1983), Sällskapsresan eller Finns det svenskt kaffe på grisfesten (1980) and The Adventures of Picasso (1978). He was married to Birgitta Plånborg Ryott and Anita Bendel. He died on 13 June 2015 in Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden.- Junix Inocian was born on 17 March 1951 in Iligan City, Lanao del Norte, Philippines. He was an actor, known for Mortdecai (2015), Formula 51 (2001) and The Sleeping Dictionary (2003). He was married to Luna Griño. He died on 13 June 2015 in London, England, UK.
- Actor
- Visual Effects
- Special Effects
Billy Hendrickson was an actor, known for Tïtshïnglër, Caravaggio and My Mother the Pope (2017) and White Slaves of K-Town (2017). He died on 13 June 2015 in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA.- Actor
- Director
- Additional Crew
Sergio Renán was born on 30 January 1933 in Paraná, Entre Ríos, Argentina. He was an actor and director, known for Heroes Dream (1996), La soledad era esto (2002) and Tres de corazones (2007). He died on 13 June 2015 in Buenos Aires City, Distrito Federal, Argentina.- Torgils Moe was born on 26 March 1929 in Tysfjord, Norway. He was an actor, known for Olsenbandens siste bedrifter (1975), North Star (1996) and Operasjon sjøsprøyt (1964). He died on 13 June 2015 in Oslo, Norway.
- Writer
- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Osamu Takahashi was born on 23 May 1929 in Chiba, Japan. He was a writer and director, known for Tokyo Story (1953), Shichinin no keiji onna o sagase (1963) and Hijô no otoko (1961). He died on 13 June 2015.- Writer
- Producer
- Editor
Anestis Dalezis was born on 12 November 1989 in Patra, Greece. He was a writer and producer, known for Dirty Cops: Ta Batsonia: A Greek Novel About Crisis (2014), Dirty Cops-Ta Batsonia: The Vengeance (2012) and Captain Jokes Parrot's Disaster of the Caribbean (2017). He died on 13 June 2015 in Patra, Greece.- Yveline Ailhaud was born on 2 April 1944 in Tunis, French Protectorate of Tunisia [now Tunisia]. She was an actress, known for Le tartuffe (1984), Poussière d'ange (1987) and The Hairdresser's Husband (1990). She died on 13 June 2015 in Paris, France.
- Jerzy Krasun was born on 14 June 1943 in Lódz, Lódzkie, Poland. He was an actor, known for Prywatne sledztwo (1987), Zloty pociag (1986) and The Dead Cast a Shadow (1979). He died on 13 June 2015 in Lódz, Lódzkie, Poland.
- Actor
- Executive
Ronald Wilford was born on 4 November 1927 in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. He was an actor and executive, known for Sex, Love, & Consequences (2009). He was married to Sara Delano Roosevelt and Janice Roberts. He died on 13 June 2015 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA.- Actor
- Director
Rudolf Buczolich was born on 15 May 1934 in Pama, Burgenland, Austria. He was an actor and director, known for Der zerbrochene Krug (1995), Wer liebt, dem wachsen Flügel... (1999) and Ein Fall für Männdli (1973). He was married to Elisabeth Ofenböck. He died on 13 June 2015 in Vienna, Austria.- Heinz Polzer was born on 24 August 1919 in Thun, Bern, Switzerland. He was a writer and actor, known for Dag dag heerlijke lach (1974), De Baanbrekers (1984) and Noord-Zuid (1978). He died on 13 June 2015 in Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands.
- Composer
- Executive
Allan Browne was born on 28 July 1944 in Deniliquin, New South Wales, Australia. He was a composer and executive, known for Dudu and the Line (1982) and Melbourne Jazz at the Edge (2014). He was married to Margie Lou Dyer and Sally Iggulden. He died on 13 June 2015 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.- Walter Scheib was born on 3 May 1954 in Oakland, California, USA. Walter was married to Jean Prince. Walter died on 13 June 2015 in Taos Ski Valley in Taos, New Mexico, USA.
- Wendy Lynne Klodt was born in San Bernardino, California, on October 3, 1946, to Beth (Bowen) and Gordon R. Klodt. She spent her childhood in Southern California and always considered herself a Western girl.
After moving to Abington, Pennsylvania, during high school, Wendy attended Antioch College (much to her father's chagrin) and following graduation set out for a career in musical theater.
But the Silk Road beckoned, and Wendy spent most of the '70s commuting to Afghanistan, manufacturing hippie frocks in Kabul to sell in the East Village (and later to Bloomingdales).
Her only respite from this grueling work was a year as a guest of the shah in the women's prison at Mashhad, Iran, after being ratted out crossing the border from Herat while "doing a favor for a friend."
She spent the year knitting and learning Farsi, and was released in December 1974, possibly with the help of Kissinger and CIA director Richard Helms on behalf of her father Gordon, by then president of Merck Canada.
Wendy moved to Maine in the late '70s, after catching a ride to Cape Neddick during a solo hitchhiking trip to Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon.
Thus began the Fair Skies chapter, first a succession of ephemeral shops selling eclectic women's clothing in Kennebunkport and Ogunquit, then Wendy's own building in Perkins Cove in 1978, followed by a second building in Portsmouth in 1983, and for 14 years a third store on Main Street in Ogunquit.
Textiles were her passion and her livelihood, the inspiration for travel and collecting and the source of the means to make that possible.
Seventy hours a week in season and not much less off season meant very little spare time, but singing with the Portsmouth Women's Chorus and the a cappella group King's Revels kept alive her love of singing and performing that stretched back to high school drama club.
A high point was singing with the Surry (Maine) Opera Company in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1995. In 1994 Wendy met David Meikle, who for 20 years did his best to convince her that the boss doesn't have to be in every store every day, especially in February.
The result was an unconventional relationship, and a lot of midwinter travel; a ten-below-zero day at an outdoor livestock fair in rural Romania made for many trips to Spain and Portugal in the years that followed.
Three trips to Japan focused an appreciation for ceramics and woodblock prints that brought serenity during her final months.
In 1999 Wendy bought two acres of woods along the cove of the Cape Neddick River, where she could worship the trees and rocks and try to keep the deer from eating the hosta.
At the end of her life, she lived in Cape Neddick, Maine.
She died of cancer in hospice in Naples, Florida, on Saturday, June 13, 2015. - Art Department
Norman Kelner was born on 10 October 1947. He is known for Jason X (2001), John Q (2002) and A History of Violence (2005). He died on 13 June 2015.- Joyce Ann Brown was born on 12 February 1947 in Wills Point, Texas, USA. She was married to James Brown. She died on 13 June 2015 in Dallas, Texas, USA.
- Production Manager
- Location Management
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sven Sjönell was born on 28 October 1927 in Sundsvall, Västernorrlands län, Sweden. He was a production manager and assistant director, known for Wild Strawberries (1957), Ratataa eller The Staffan Stolle Story (1956) and Sommarnöje sökes (1957). He was married to Agneta Stigsdotter Sjönell[. He died on 13 June 2015 in Stockholm, Sweden.