John Michael Frankenheimer (February 19, 1930 – July 6, 2002) was an American film and television director known for social dramas. He won four consecutive Emmy Awards in the 1990s for the television movies Against the Wall, The Burning Season, Andersonville and George Wallace, which also received a Golden Globe award. He was considered one of the last remaining directors who insisted on having complete control over all elements of production, making his style unique in Hollywood.
His 30 feature films and over 50 plays for television were notable for their influence on contemporary thought. He became a pioneer of the "modern-day political thriller," having begun his career at the peak of the Cold War. Many of his films were noted for creating "psychological dilemmas" for his male protagonists along with having a strong "sense of environment," similar in style to films by director Sidney Lumet, for whom he had earlier worked as assistant director. He developed a "tremendous propensity for exploring political situations" which would ensnare his characters.
Movie critic Leonard Maltin writes that "in his time [1960s]... Frankenheimer worked with the top writers, producers and actors in a series of films that dealt with issues that were just on top of the moment—things that were facing us all." Among his credits were The Manchurian Candidate (1962), Birdman of Alcatraz (also 1962), The Train, (1964), Seven Days in May (also 1964) and Ronin (1998).
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Brian Bedford (16 February 1935 – 13 January 2016) was an English actor. He appeared in film and on stage and was an actor-director of Shakespeare productions. Bedford was nominated for seven Tony Awards for his theatrical work.
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Sir Jack Brabham (April 2, 1926 – May 19, 2014) was an Australian racing driver and engineer, celebrated as one of the greatest pioneers in Formula 1. Born in Hurstville, New South Wales, Brabham began his career as a mechanic and quickly moved into racing, making a name for himself in Australian motorsport before moving to Europe. He won three Formula 1 World Championships (1959, 1960, and 1966) and made history in 1966 as the only driver to win the championship in a car of his own construction, the Brabham BT19.
In 1961, Brabham co-founded the Brabham racing team with engineer Ron Tauranac, creating a series of innovative cars that became highly competitive in Formula 1. Brabham’s engineering expertise and pioneering spirit led to advancements in car design, reliability, and performance.
He retired from Formula 1 in 1970 but left a legacy as a driver, team owner, and engineer. Brabham was knighted in 1979 for his contributions to motorsport, and his influence continues through generations of racers, including his sons who also became racing drivers.
James Garner (born James Scott Bumgarner; April 7, 1928 – July 19, 2014) was an American actor, producer, and voice artist. He starred in several television series over more than five decades, including such popular roles as Bret Maverick in the 1950s western comedy series Maverick and Jim Rockford in The Rockford Files, and played leading roles in more than 50 theatrical films, including The Great Escape (1963) with Steve McQueen, Paddy Chayefsky's The Americanization of Emily (1964), Grand Prix (1966), Blake Edwards' Victor Victoria (1982), Murphy's Romance (1985), for which he received an Academy Award nomination, Space Cowboys (2000) with Clint Eastwood, and The Notebook (2004).
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Françoise Madeleine Hardy was a French singer-songwriter. She made her musical debut in the early 1960s on Disques Vogue and found immediate success with her song "Tous les garçons et les filles".
Toshirō Mifune (April 1, 1920 - December 24, 1997) was a Japanese actor who is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors in the history of Japanese cinema. He was born in Qingdao, China, but was raised in Japan. Mifune's career spanned over 50 years, during which he collaborated extensively with renowned director Akira Kurosawa, creating some of the most iconic films in Japanese cinema.
Mifune gained international recognition for his performances in Kurosawa's films, particularly in samurai films. He portrayed strong, dynamic, and often rebellious characters, bringing a raw intensity to his roles. Some of his notable collaborations with Kurosawa include "Rashomon" (1950), "Seven Samurai" (1954), "Yojimbo" (1961), and "The Hidden Fortress" (1958), which inspired George Lucas's "Star Wars."
Apart from his work with Kurosawa, Mifune appeared in numerous other films, showcasing his versatility as an actor. He played roles in various genres, including dramas, comedies, and war films. Some of his other notable films include "The Throne of Blood" (1957), "High and Low" (1963), and "Red Beard" (1965).
Mifune's charismatic presence, powerful performances, and ability to convey complex emotions made him an iconic figure in Japanese cinema. He received international recognition and awards for his contributions to the film industry, including several honors at the Venice Film Festival and a lifetime achievement award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Antonio Sabato was born on April 2, 1943 in Montelepre, Italy as Antonio Sabato Sr. He is known for his work on Grand Prix (1966), Seven Blood-Stained Orchids (1972) and War of the Robots (1978). He is married to Yvonne Sabato. They have one child.
Eva Marie Saint (born July 4, 1924) is an American actress who has starred in films, on Broadway, and on television in a career spanning seven decades, she's known for bringing emotional depth and complexity to her roles, in which she generally played women who appear fragile but have great inner strength. She won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the drama film "On the Waterfront" (1954), and later starred in the thriller film "North by Northwest" (1959), directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Saint received Golden Globe and BAFTA award nominations for the drama film "A Hatful of Rain" (1957) and won an Emmy Award for the television miniseries People Like Us (1990). Her most notable subsequent movies included "Raintree County" (1957), Otto Preminger’s "Exodus" (1960), Vincente Minnelli’s "The Sandpiper" (1965), the Cold War comedy "The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!" (1966), and the racing film "Grand Prix" (1966), in which she costarred with James Garner.
Jessica Walter (January 31, 1941 – March 24, 2021) was an American actress, known for appearing in the films Play Misty for Me (1971), Grand Prix and The Group (both 1966), her role as Lucille Bluth on the sitcom Arrested Development, and providing the voice of Malory Archer on the FX animated series Archer. Walter studied acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City.
Walter was a series regular for the first half of season one of 90210, provided the voice of Fran Sinclair on the series Dinosaurs, and starred as the title character of the series Amy Prentiss, for which she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie.
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