Happy 77th Birthday Kim Novak!

Kim Novak was born Marilyn Pauline Novak on February 13, 1933 in Chicago, Illinois. The daughter of Joseph Novak, a railroad clerk, and Blanche, a teacher.




Kim Novak won a scholarship to the Art Institute of Chicago. After leaving school, she began a career modeling teen fashions for a local department store. She later received a scholarship at a modeling academy and continued to model part-time. She worked as an elevator operator, a sales clerk and a dental assistant.

She also toured the country as a spokesman for a refrigerator manufacturer, "Miss Deepfreeze."

After moving to Los Angeles, Kim Novak landed her first film role in an uncredit part in The French Line (1954).

Kim Novak's big break came when she was cast opposite Fred MacMurray in Pushover (1953). Kim Novak captured the attention of critics and audiences alike as femme fatale Lona McLane.

In 1955, Kim Novak won the Golden Globe award for Most Promising Newcomer - Female.


Kim Novak was one of the biggest box office stars of the 1950s and 1960s. She appeared films such as Phffft! (1954), Picnic (1955), The Man with the Golden Arm (1955), Pal Joey (1957), Vertigo (1958), Bell, Book and Candle (1958), Strangers When We Meet (1960), Boys' Night Out (1962), Of Human Bondage (1964), Kiss Me, Stupid (1964), The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders" (1965) and The Great Bank Robbery (1969).




After 1969, Kim Novak appeared in barely a dozen films and television appearances. She played Kit Marlowe during the fourth season of Falcon Crest.

In 1991, she made her final appearance in the film Liebestraum.

For her contribution to motion pictures, Kim Novak was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.




Kim Novak married veterinarian Dr. Robert Malloy on March 12, 1976. The couple met when he treated her sick horse.

The couple now reside on a ranch where they raise horses and llamas. Kim is an accomplished artist who expresses herself in oil paintings and sculptures.




Kim Novak began writing her autobiography in 2000, but it was lost when her house caught on fire, destroying the computer that contained her only draft. Included in the loss were scripts to some of her movies (Vertigo (1958) and Picnic (1955)). Spared, however, were her menagerie of animals.

Happy 80th Birthday Robert Wagner!

Robert John Wagner was born on February 10, 1930 in Detroit, Michigan.



One of Robert Wagner's first jobs before being discovered in 1950 was as Clark Gable's caddy.

One evening when Robert Wagner was dining with his parents at a restaurant in Beverly Hils, he was "discovered" by a talent scout. He was soon cast to play Adams, Cleaves Catcher in The Happy Years (1950).

During the 1950s and 1960s, Robert Wagner appeared in movies such as Stars and Stripes Forever (1952), Titanic (1953), Prince Valiant (1954), A Kiss Before Dying (1956), The Longest Day (1962), The War Lover (1962), and The Pink Panther (1963).




From 1968 to 1970, Robert Wagner starred as playboy-thief-turned-secret agent Alexander Mundy in the television series It Takes a Thief. He would receive an Emmy nomination for his performance.





During the 1970s Robert Wagner appeared in The Towering Inferno (1974) and Midway (1976). He also made several television movies such as The Affair (1973), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1976), and The Critical List (1978).

From 1975 to 1978, he played Detective Pete Ryan in the television drama Switch.




But it was in 1979, Robert Wagner was cast in the role he is most famous for: Jonathan Hart in Hart to Hart (1979-1984).




The 1990s brought Robert Wagner roles in Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993), Wild Things (1998), and Something to Believe In (1998).

Robert Wagner's career made a comeback from his Hart to Hart days when he was cast as Number Two in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999) and Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002).





Robert Wagner has been married four times. From December 28, 1957 to April 26, 1962, he was married to Natalie Wood.

After their divorce, he married Marion Marshall (July 22, 1963 to April 26, 1971, divorced). Marion and Robert have one daughter, actress Katie Wagner. Marion Marshall and Robert Wagner had worked together in Halls of Montezuma (1950) and appeared together in an episode of It Takes A Thief after their marriage.

On July 16, 1972, Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood married a second time. Natalie and Robert had a daughter, Courtney Wagner who is also an actress. Robert Wagner also adopted Natalie's daughter, Natasha. Natalie Wood was died during a boating accident on November 29, 1981. Almost thirty years later, there is still much speculation about her death.




Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood worked together in All the Fine Young Cannibals (1960), The Affair (1973) (TV) and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1976) (TV).


On May 26, 1990, Robert Wagner married actress Jill St. John, they will be celebrating their 20th anniversary this May.




Jill St. John and Robert Wagner played husband and wife in a classic episode of Seinfeld entitled The Yada Yada.

Most recently, Robert Wagner played Anthony DiNozzo Sr. on an episode of NCIS entitled Flesh and Blood. (Michael Weatherly who plays Anthony DiNozzo Jr. on NCIS had previously portrayed Robert Wagner in The Mystery of Natalie Wood).

Happy 78th Birthday John Williams!

John Williams is one of the most successful and talented composers of all time. He has composed musical scores for movies, television and the Olympics.




John Williams has five Academy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, 21 Grammy Awards, and 2 Emmy Awards.

With 45 Oscar nominations, Williams currently holds the record for the most Oscar nominations for a living person and is tied with late film composer Alfred Newman for the most nominations in the history of the Academy Awards.

John Williams was born on February 8, 1932, in Flushing, Queens, New York, the son of Esther and John Williams, Sr. His father was a jazz drummer who played with the Raymond Scott Quintet.

John Williams attended the University of California where he studied privately with composer Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco.

In 1952, Williams was drafted into the United States Air Force, where he conducted and arranged music for the Air Force Band as part of his duties.




After his service ended in 1955, John Williams moved to New York City and entered Juilliard School, where he studied piano with Rosina Lhévinne. During this time he worked as a jazz pianist at New York's many studios and clubs.

He also played for composer Henry Mancini and recorded with Mancini on the film soundtracks of Peter Gunn (1959), Charade (1963), and Days of Wine and Roses (1962).

After his studies at Juilliard, John Williams returned to Los Angeles and began working as an orchestrator in film studios.

John Williams began to compose music scores for television series programs in the late 1950s, eventually leading to the pilot episode theme for Gilligan's Island, Lost in Space, and The Time Tunnel.




Williams's first major film composition was for the B movie Daddy-O in 1958, and his first screen credit came two years later in Because They're Young.

John Williams received his first Academy Award nomination for his score to the 1967 film Valley of the Dolls.

John Williams won his first Academy Award for his adapted score to the 1971 film Fiddler on the Roof.

John Williams Academy Award nominated scores include The Sugarland Express (1974), The Reivers (1969), The Poseidon Adventure (1972), The Towering Inferno (1974), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), Superman (1978), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Home Alone (1990), Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) and so many more.

John Williams also won Academy Awards for the scores to Jaws (1975), Star Wars (1977), E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial (1982), and Schindler's List (1993).

John Williams has also composed the scores for Gidget Goes to Rome (1963), The Killers (1964), A Guide for the Married Man (1967), The Paper Chase (1973) , and
Family Plot (1976).

Williams has composed music for four Olympic Games: "Olympic Fanfare and Theme" – 1984 Summer Olympics, Los Angeles; "The Olympic Spirit" – 1988 Summer Olympics, Seoul; "Summon the Heroes" – 1996 Summer Olympics, Atlanta, Georgia; and "Call of the Champions" – 2002 Winter Olympics, Salt Lake City, Utah.




John Williams has received two Emmy Awards, one for Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition - For a Special Program for: Jane Eyre (1970) and Outstanding Achievement in Musical Composition for: Heidi (1968).


John Williams has won 21 Grammy awards for classics like Jaws (1975), Star Wars (1977), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1978) Superman (1979), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), E.T. (1982), Schindler's List (1993) and many other classics. He has been nominated for a total of 59 Grammy Awards.

John Williams won the Golden Globe Awards for Best Original Score for Jaws (1975),
Star Wars (1977), E.T. (1982), and Memoirs of a Geisha (2005). He has 21 nominations for a Golden Globe.

John Williams is also the composer behind the theme music for NBC News, NBC Nightly News, The Today Show, Meet the Press and Sunday Night Football.





In addition to his work in film and television, John Williams was the Conductor of the Boston Pops for 12 years.

Happy 80th Birthday Gene Hackman!

The winner of three Golden Globes, two Academy Awards and the Cecil B. DeMille Award, Gene Hackman along with Dustin Hoffman were voted "Least Likely to Succeed" by their classmates at the Pasadena Playhouse in California.




Eugene Allen "Gene" Hackman was born on January 30, 1930 in San Bernardino, California, the son of Lyda Gray and Eugene Ezra Hackman.

At age 16, Gene Hackman left home to join the U.S. Marine Corps (lying about his age), where he served four-and-a-half years as a field radio operator. After the Marines, he moved to New York, working in several minor jobs before studying journalism and television production on the G.I. Bill at the University of Illinois.

Gene Hackman began his acting career performing in several off Broadway plays.

In 1963 he made his Broadway debut in 1963 in Children From Their Games. Roles followed in A Rainy Day in Newark, Any Wednesday, Poor Richard, and The Natural Look. Gene Hackman returned to Broadway in 1992 to star in Death and the Maiden.

In 1961, Gene made his film debut in an uncredited role in Mad Dog Coll. Gene's first credited role was as Norman in Lilith (1964).

Gene Hackman's big break came in 1967 when he was cast to play Buck Barrow in Bonnie and Clyde. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.




In 1970, Gene Hackman would receive his second Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Gene Garrison for I Never Sang for My Father.

Gene Hackman would win the Academy Award for Best Actor and the Golden Globe for Best Actor for his role as Detective Popeye Doyle in The French Connection (1971).




During the 1970s and 1980s, Gene Hackman appeared in The Poseidon Adventure (1972), The Conversation (1974), The French Connection II (1974), Young Frankenstein (1975), A Bridge Too Far (1977), Reds (1981), Under Fire (1983) and Hoosiers (1986).




He also played Lex Luthor in Superman I, Superman II and Superman IV.

In 1988, he would receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for the role of Agent Rupert Anderson in Mississippi Burning.




During the 1990s, Gene Hackman appeared in Loose Cannons (1990), Postcards From the Edge (1990), The Firm (1993), Crimson Tide (1995), Get Shorty (1995), The Birdcage (1996),

In 1992, he would win his second Academy Award, this time for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Little Bill Daggett in Unforgiven.




During the 2000s, he appeared in The Replacements (2000), The Royal Tenebaums (2001) and Runaway Jury (2003). His final film was Welcome to Mooseport (2004).

Gene Hackman is now retired and lives in New Mexico. He devotes his time to writing.





Together with undersea archaeologist Daniel Lenihan, Hackman has written three novels: Wake of the Perdido Star (1999), Justice for None (2004), and Escape from Andersonville (2008).

A little trivia about Gene Hackman: he was the first choice to play Mike Brady on "The Brady Bunch" (1969).

Happy 92nd Birthday John Forsythe!

John Forsythe was born John Lincoln Freund on January 29, 1918 in Penns Grove, New Jersey. The son of Samuel Jeremiah Freund, a stockbroker and Blance Materson. John grew up in Brooklyn, New York.




During World War II, John Forsythe served with the US Army Corps. During World War II he also worked with injured soldiers who had developed speech problems.




After World War II, he became a baseball announcer and a drama teacher. Joan Collins would co-star opposite him on Dynasty (1981), was one of his drama students.

In 1943, he signed a contract with Warner Brothers and made his film debut in Northern Pursuit (1943) and his second film was Destination Tokyo (1943). During the 1940s and 1950s he also appeared in The Captive City (1952), The Glass Web (1953), Escape from Fort Bravo (1953), The Trouble With Harry (1955), and The Ambassador's Daughter (1956).




During the 1950s, John Forsythe was a familiar face on television appearing in episodes of Robert Montgomery Presents, Suspense, Kraft Television Theater, and Studio One.

In 1957, John Forsythe was cast to play single father Bentley Gregg in the sitcom Bachelor Father. The show would run for 157 episodes and four seasons ending in 1962.




During the 1960s, John appeared in such films as Madame X (1966), In Cold Blood (1967) and Topaz (1969). He also frequently appeared on television, making appearances in Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre, The Dick Powell Show and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.

In 1965, John Forsythe starred in the short lived The John Forsythe Show.

The 1970s brought John Forsythe one of his most famous roles, as the unseen millionaire Charles Townsend on the 1970s crime drama Charlie's Angels (1976–1981).




The 1980s brought John Forsythe another famous role, as patriarch Blake Carrington in Dynasty (1981-1989). This role would bring Forsythe three Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. He was also nominated six times for a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama Series, winning in 1983 and 1984. In 1984, he also won a Soap Opera Digest Award for his performance as Blake Carrington.




During the 1990s, he appeared as Sen. William Franklin Powers in the short lived series The Powers That Be.

At age 82, he would once again play Charles Townsend in the movie Charlie's Angels (2000) and would reprise the role in Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003).




John Forsythe owned and bred Thoroughbred racehorses for many years and was a member of the Board of Directors of Hollywood Park Racetrack. He was the recipient of the 1988 Eclipse Award of Merit for his contibution in promoting the sport of Thoroughbred racing.

John Forsythe has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for television.

Happy 70th Birthday Katherine Ross!

Katharine Juliet Ross was born on January 29, 1940 in Hollywood, California. Her father was in the US Navy and was away when she was born. His navy career shuttled the family around to Virginia, then Palo Alto and finally to Walnut Creek, outside of San Francisco, where Ross grew up.




Katherine Ross made her debut in an episode of Sam Benedict in 1962. She appeared on episodes of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Ben Casey, The Virginian, Wagon Train and Gunsmoke before making her movie debut in 1965.



In 1965, she was cast to play James Stewart's daughter-in-law in the film Shenandoah.

She next appeared in The Singing Nun in 1966 an Mister Buddwing (1966) before getting her big break.

In 1967, she played Elaine Robinson in The Graduate. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance. She won the Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer.




In 1969, she would play Etta Place in Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid.








She also appeared in The Stepford Wives (1975) as Joanna Eberhart.

In 1976 she would win the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Voyage of the Damned.


During the 1980s, she was Francesca "Frankie" Colby on the drama The Colbys.




Katherine Ross is an accomplished author of children's books. Her books include
"The Baby Animals' Party," "Mama Loves," "Bear Island," "The Little Ballerina,"
and "My Favorite Things."

Katherine Ross currently resides in Malibu, California with her husband of 24 years, Sam Elliot.

Happy 93rd Birthday Ernest Borgnine!

Ernest Borgnine's career has spanned over five decades. He is known for his gruff, but gentle voice. At the age of 93, Ernest Borgnine is still active in both films and television.

Ernest Borgnine was born Ermes Effron Borgnine on January 24, 1917 in Hamden, Connecticut. The son of Charles Borgnine and Anna Boselli who had emigrated from Carpi (near Modena) Italy.

As an only child, Ernest enjoyed most sports, especially boxing, but took no real interest in acting. At 18, after graduating from high school in New Haven, and undecided about his future career, he joined the navy, where he stayed for ten years until leaving in 1945. During World War II he reached the rank of Gunner's Mate 1st Class. Ernest's military decorations included the American Campaign Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the American Defense Service Medal with Fleet Clasp, and the World War II Victory Medal.

In 2004, Borgnine received the honorary rank of Chief Petty Officer from the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Terry D. Scott—the US Navy's highest ranking enlisted sailor at the time—for Borgnine's support of the Navy and naval families worldwide.





After leaving the Navy, Ernest Borgnine worked a variety of factory jobs. His mother suggested that his forceful personality could make him suitable for a career in acting, and Borgnine promptly enrolled at the Randall School of Drama in Hartford. After completing the course he joined Robert Porterfield's famous Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia, staying there for four years, undertaking odd jobs and playing every type of role imaginable.

Ernest Borgnine's big break came in 1949, when he made his acting debut on Broadway playing a male nurse in "Harvey".

In 1951 Ernest Borgnine moved to Los Angeles to pursue a movie career, and made his film debut as Bill Street in The Whistle at Eaton Falls (1951).

Ernest Borgnine's big movie break came when he was cast in the role of Sgt. "Fatso" Judson in From Here to Eternity (1953).




Ernest Borgnine's film credits include Johnny Guitar (1954), Vera Cruz (1954), Bad Day at Black Rock (1955), Marty (1955), The Last Command (1955), The Catered Affair (1956), The Badlanders (1958), Torpedo Run (1958), The Flight of the Phoenix (1965), The Dirty Dozen (1967), Ice Station Zebra (1968), The Wild Bunch (1969), The Revengers (1972), The Poseidon Adventure (1972), Law and Disorder (1974), Convoy (1978), Escape from New York (1981), Moving Target (1988), The Long Ride Home (2003) and Another Harvest Moon (2008).




Ernest Borgnine won the Academy Award for Best Actor and the Golden Globe for Best Actor for his performance in Marty (1955).

On television, he is best known for playing Quinton McHale in the 1962-66 series McHale's Navy and the mid 1980s action series Airwolf.




He also provided the voice of the character Mermaid Man in the series, SpongeBob SquarePants and the voice of Carface in All Dogs Go to Heaven.

He has also appeared on A Grandpa For Christmas, 7th Heaven, Touched by an Angel, Walker, Texas Ranger, JAG and Murder She Wrote.

In 2009, at the age of 92 he was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his performance on ER.

Ernest Borgnine was the very first "center square" on "The Hollywood Squares" (1965).

Ernest Borgnine is an active Freemason and is presently the Honorary Chairman of the Scottish Rite RiteCare Program, which sponsors 175 Scottish Rite Childhood Language Disorders Clinics, Centers, and Programs nationwide.


Ernest Borgnine has a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for motion pictures.




Ernest Borgnine is still active and will be in two movies debuting in 2010: Red and Snatched.