Tribute 2010

Tribute 2010

*Barbara Billingsley* *Peter Graves* Leslie Nielsen Kevin McCarthy Marie Osborne Yeats Jill Clayburgh Tony Curtis Patricia Neal Gary Coleman Rue McClanahan John Forsythe Robert Culp Fess Parker Kathryn Grayson Pernell Roberts Jean Simmons		Barbara Billingsley 1915–2010 Best known for her role of June Cleaver in the iconic 50’s TV series *“Leave it to Beaver.”* One of her most memorable roles was the priceless bit as the jive-talking granny in the comedy spoof *“Airplane!”* She also appeared twice in *“The Love Boat”* and as a Mother Superior in a “New Mike Hammer” episode. Her swan song was the role of Miss Ruthie in the TV movie “Secret Santa” in 2003.		Peter Graves 1926-2010 Best known for his role of Jim Phelps in both versions of the TV series "Mission Impossible" and his pun-ishing role of Capt. Clarence Ovuer in the disaster movie spoofs "Airplane!" and "Airplane II." He started out his career with an uncredited role of the Bombardier in the U.S. Army Air Forces recruiting film "Winning Your Wings." He later rose to prominence as the mole character Lt. Price in "Stalag 17," and later in the landmark film "Night of the Hunter." He also appeared in the epic miniseries "The Winds of War" and "War and Rememberance" as Palmer Kirby during the 1980s. Peter's career was mostly television work with many TV series and a just about every TV Theatre series imaginable. His swan song role, however, was the narrator for the video game "DarkStar: The Interactive Movie."
*Leslie Nielsen* *Kevin McCarthy* Barbara Billingsley Peter Graves Marie Osborne Yeats Jill Clayburgh Tony Curtis Patricia Neal Gary Coleman Rue McClanahan John Forsythe Robert Culp Fess Parker Kathryn Grayson Pernell Roberts Jean Simmons		Leslie Nielsen 1926-2010 Best known for his insanely comic role of Detective Lt. Frank Drebin in the TV series "Police Squad" and later the "Naked Gun" trilogy. Leslie had enjoyed a decent career as a working actor during the 1960's and 1970's in many TV series including the "The Love Boat" "Fantasy Island," "Vega$,", "S.W.A.T." "Kung Fu," "Cannon," "Columbo," and just about every popular show during the 1960's and 1970's. His parody career started with an uncredited spot in the cult classic *"Kentucky Fried Movie."* But it wasn't until 1980 that his star started to rise when he was cast as Dr. Rumack in the classic disaster film parody "Airplane!" where he delivered the immortal comic line "I am serious, just don't call me Shirley." More parodies followed, including "Dracula: Dead and Loving It, " "Spy Hard, " "Mr. Magoo," "Wrongfully Accused," "2001: A Space Travesty," "Scary Movie 3 & 4," and "Superhero Movie."		Kevin McCarthy 1914–2010 Best known for his roles in both *“Invasion of the Body Snatchers”* films. A TV veteran with credits too numerous to count, Kevin had made a lucrative career out of the medium with numerous landmark roles. One of his true gems, however, was the role of the novelist Boris Trigorin in the TV version of Anton Chekhov’s play *“The Seagull.”* He had appeared in just about all of the most successful TV series during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. One of his most memorable performances, however, was as the disillusioned son Biff in the screen adaptation of Arthur Miller’s *“Death of a Salesman.”*
*Marie Osborne Yeats* Jill Clayburgh Barbara Billingsley Peter Graves Leslie Nielsen Kevin McCarthy Tony Curtis Patricia Neal Gary Coleman Rue McClanahan John Forsythe Robert Culp Fess Parker Kathryn Grayson Pernell Roberts Jean Simmons		Marie Osborne Yeats 1911-2010 A child star in the early days of Hollywood as Baby Marie Osborne who starred in 23 films starting with *“Little Mary Sunshine”* up to “Miss Gingersnap.” Her adult career, however, consisted of bit and extra roles. It was her uncredited work as a costume wardrobe supervisor is where she really shone. She was involved in the costuming in such landmark films such as *“The Godfather -Part II,”* and *“Around the World in Eighty Days,” “The Way We Were,”* and “The Great Imposter.”		Jill Clayburgh 1944-2010 Best known for her role in the landmark film "An Unmarried Woman." Jill had a modest successful career, which will culminate in the soon-to-be released "Bridesmaids" and the recently released romantic comedy "Love and Other Drugs." Jill has also starred in the hit films "Silver Streak," "Semi-Tough," and a pair of tour-de-force performances in "I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can." and "The First Monday in October" Her television credits include "Dirty Sexy Money," "Nip/Tuck," "Leap of Faith," "The Practice," "Ally McBeal," and "Frasier," "Law and Order."
*Tony Curtis* *Patricia Neal* Barbara Billingsley Peter Graves Leslie Nielsen Kevin McCarthy Marie Osborne Yeats Jill Clayburgh Gary Coleman Rue McClanahan John Forsythe Robert Culp Fess Parker Kathryn Grayson Pernell Roberts Jean Simmons		Tony Curtis 1925-2010 Best known for his roles in the such cinematic classics as "Some Like it Hot," "Operation Petticoat," "The Sweet Smell of Success," "The Great Race," and "The Defiant Ones," and "Spartacus" Tony has been featured in over 100 films. Other landmark films include "The Outsider," in which he played the Native American Ira Hayes, one of Marines who hoisted the U.S. Flag on the peak of Mt. Suribachi on Iwo Jima, "The Vikings." "Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came?" and "Those Daring Young Men in Their Jaunty Jalopies." He even spoofed his own image in an episode of "The Flintstones." Tony also had some great roles in television as well, which includes Mr. Roth in "Vega$," Fernand Modego in the TV version of "The Count of Monte Cristo," as David O. Selznick in "The Scarlett O'Hara War."		Patricia Neal 1926-2010 An Oscar, Tony and Golden Globe winner, a champion for those with strokes, which she herself suffered and plus was the wife of British children's book writer Roald Dahl. Patricia appeared with stars such as John Wayne in *"Operation Pacific"* and *"In Harm's Way,"* Gary Cooper in *"The Fountainhead,"* her Oscar-winning performance with Paul Newman in *"Hud,"* and in the science fiction classic *"The Day the Earth Stood Still."* She also appeared on Broadway in 1959 as Helen Keller's mother in *"The Miracle Worker."* 1n 1962 she appeared with Audrey Hepburn in *"Breakfast at Tiffany's." Her last landmark role was the titular "Cookie" in the Robert Altman film "Cookie's Fortune"* in 1999.
*Gary Coleman* *Rue McClanahan* Barbara Billingsley Peter Graves Leslie Nielsen Kevin McCarthy Marie Osborne Yeats Jill Clayburgh Tony Curtis Patricia Neal Dennis Hopper Lynn Redgrave John Forsythe Robert Culp Fess Parker Kathryn Grayson Pernell Roberts Jean Simmons		Gary Coleman 1968-2010 Best known for his role as the wisecracking kid from *"Diff'rent Strokes."* Although his movie and TV and film career was sporadic, he managed to land some notable roles, including that of the Devil in one episode of *"Unhappily Ever After"* and Cupid in *"The Jamie Foxx Show."*		Rue McClanahan 1934-2010 Best known for her role as the saucy, sharp southern belle, Blanche Devereaux in *"The Golden Girls"* and "The Golden Palace." She was already a veteran of the Broadway stage and TV scene during the 1960s before she started working on Norman Lear's sitcoms, *"All in the Family,"* and *"Maude". She also was cast in "Mama's Family."* She did later stints in film as well with the Jack Lemmon-Walter Matthau comedy "Out to Sea," and as a biology teacher in *"Starship Troopers."* She returned to Broadway in 2003 as Madam Morrible in *"Wicked."*
*Dennis Hopper* *Lynn Redgrave* Barbara Billingsley Peter Graves Leslie Nielsen Kevin McCarthy Marie Osborne Yeats Jill Clayburgh Tony Curtis Patricia Neal Gary Coleman Rue McClanahan John Forsythe Robert Culp Fess Parker Kathryn Grayson Pernell Roberts Jean Simmons		Dennis Hopper 1936-2010 Best known for his acting role as "Billy" and his direction in the low-budget counter-culture classic *"Easy Rider."* Dennis' roller coaster career included many landmark and outstanding turns in both television work and cinema. Among his best roles include the alcoholic assistant coach in *"Hoosiers,"* and another as the pot-smoking photographer in the landmark film *"Apocalypse Now,"* a tour-de-force as King Pelias in "Jason and the Argonauts," the Prophet in *"Hang'em High," as legendary Rat Packer Frank Sinatra in "The Night We Called it a Day", a superb performance as Balkan gangster Viktor Drazen in 24, as Col. Eli McNulty in the Pentagon drama "E-Ring." He also did some voice work for video games including the classic "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City"* as the sleazebag film director Steve Scott, as well as King Koopa in *"Super Mario Brothers." He was also cast in the classic "Rebel Without a Cause"* and *"Giant"* with James Dean with which he became close friends. He also did some commercial spots for a financial planning company appealing to the retiring Baby Boomers.		Lynn Redgrave 1943-2010 A scion of the Redgrave acting family along with her sister Vanessa. Lynn made her own marks on the theatrical and cinema scene in the UK and the US . Her first real splash was made with *“Georgy Girl”* In 1966, which proved a hit on both sides of the pond. She also made a controversial splash in the role of Xaviera Hollander in the film *“The Happy Hooker.”* Other notable roles include her major TV role as the secretary Ann Anderson in the TV sitcom “House Calls,” as Charlotte Buckland Seccombe in the James Michener epic “*Centennial,” and a terrific turn in “Law and Order; Criminal Intent”* However, her writing talents have also come the fore in her play *“The Mandrake Root”* which played at the San Repertory Theatre in 2001 in which she also played the lead role.
John Forsythe Robert Culp Barbara Billingsley Peter Graves Leslie Nielsen Kevin McCarthy Marie Osborne Yeats Jill Clayburgh Tony Curtis Patricia Neal Gary Coleman Rue McClanahan Dennis Hopper Lynn Redgrave Fess Parker Kathryn Grayson Pernell Roberts Jean Simmons		John Forsythe 1918-2010 Best known for his roles as Blake Carrington in “Dynasty,” *“Dynasty: The Colbys”* and as the voice of “Charlie” in both the TV and movie series of *“Charlie’s Angels.”* He also had the role of Captian Fisby in both the original Broadway cast and the Hallmark Hall of Fame TV presentation of *“Teahouse of the August Moon.”* He also had other series, as well, *“Bachelor Father”* and *“The John Forsythe Show”.* Included in his career are landmark film roles in *“And Justice For All,” “In Cold Blood”*		Robert Culp 1930-2010 Best known for his role as tennis-playing secret agent Kelly Robinson in the 60's TV series *"I Spy"* with Bill Cosby, and for his tour-de-force as FBI agent Bill Maxwell in "The Greatest American Hero." He became a TV staple throughout the 60's to the 90's, including stints on both Bill Cosby vehicles, *"The Cosby Show"* and "Cosby."** He also held landmark roles in "Roots, The Next Generations" as the U.S. President in "The Pelican Brief," as General Erwin Rommel in "The Key to Rebecca," as Ens. George 'Barney' Ross in *"P.T. 109"* and as Joshua in "Greatest Heroes of the Bible."
Fess Parker Kathryn Grayson Barbara Billingsley Peter Graves Leslie Nielsen Kevin McCarthy Marie Osborne Yeats Jill Clayburgh Tony Curtis Patricia Neal Gary Coleman Rue McClanahan Dennis Hopper Lynn Redgrave John Forsythe Robert Culp Pernell Roberts Jean Simmons		Fess Parker 1924-2010 Best know for his roles as Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone. Fess also played roles in other Disney movies such as *"Old Yeller". His first movie role was an uncredited voice-over as the chauffeur in "Harvey"* He later acquired roles in *"Springfield Rifle"* and *"Untamed Frontier,"* but after his appearance in the Sci-fi movie "Them," Walt Disney himself cast Fess in the first of his best known roles for "Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier" He also appeared in the Disney classic *"Old Yeller". In 1962 he tried his hand at the James Stewart role of Eugene Smith in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington ," albeit unsuccessfully. During this time, he appeared in both "Playhouse 90" and "General Electric Theatre"* productions. Other notable credits include "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," " Death Valley Days," and "Dragnet."		Kathryn Grayson 1922-2010 Best known for her role as Lilli Vanessi/Katarina in the 1953 film *"Kiss Me Kate,"* opposite Howard Keel. She also appeared in *"Show Boat"* in 1951 where she played Magnolia. Initially discovered by MGM talent scouts as a singer, Kathryn started in film in 1941 opposite Mickey Rooney in *"Andy Hardy's Private Secretary"* She shortly started being cast in films with some of MGM's top-tier stars such as Gene Kelly and Mario Lanza. After leaving MGM, she made one final role in *"The Vagabond King."*
*Pernell Roberts* *Jean Simmons* Barbara Billingsley Peter Graves Leslie Nielsen Kevin McCarthy Marie Osborne Yeats Jill Clayburgh Tony Curtis Patricia Neal Gary Coleman Rue McClanahan Dennis Hopper Lynn Redgrave John Forsythe Robert Culp Fess Parker Kathryn Grayson		Pernell Roberts 1928-2010 Best remembered on television as Adam Cartwright in "Bonanza" and the title role *"Trapper John, M.D."* and on stage as a memorable Petruchio on Broadway of *"The Taming of the Shrew"* Pernell spent a couple of years performing the classics with the renowned Arena Stage Company in Washington , DC . in such productions as *"The Taming of the Shrew"* (as Petruchio), *"The Playboy of the Western Word,"* "The Glass Menagerie," "The Importance of Being Earnest," and "Twelfth Night." He made his Broadway debut in 1955 with *"Tonight in Samarkind"* and the following year copped the *"Best Actor"* Drama Desk Award for his performance in "Macbeth.". A memorable return to Shakespeare's *"The Taming of the Shrew"* which was actually mentioned in the forward of a print edition of *"Taming of the Shrew,"* published sometime during the early 1960's. He starred as Rhett Butler to Lesley Ann Warren's Scarlett O'Hara in an ill-fated musical version of *"Gone with the Wind,"* and also appeared in another musical bomb, *"Mata Hari."*		Jean Simmons 1929-2010 Best know for her roles in "The Robe," *"Spartacus,"* as Sister Sharon opposite Burt Lancaster in "Elmer Gantry" and as the missionary Sergeant Sarah Brown from "Guys and Dolls" in which she used her own singing voice that copped her first Golden Globe Award. She burst on the British movie scene with such classics as "Caesar and Cleopatra", as the spoiled, selfish Estella in "Great Expectations," as a sultry native beauty in "Black Narcissus" , and as Ophelia opposite Laurence Olivier in "Hamlet." Thereby earning a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination. During the 1980s she mainly appeared in TV mini-series, which included "The Thorn Birds" in 1983 and both "North and South" series in 1985 and 1987 and appeared in the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" episode, "The Drumhead" as retired Admiral Nora Satie, which is considered one of her top television roles. She also voiced-over a "Final Fantasy" game episode "The Spirits Within"

uo Vadis Theatre Company

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