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Fitzwilly
''Fitzwilly'' is a 1967 American romantic comedy film directed by Delbert Mann, based on Poyntz Tyler's 1960 novel ''A Garden of Cucumbers'' (the title refers tIsaiah 1:8 and adapted for the screen by Isobel Lennart. Its title refers to the nickname of its protagonist, Claude Fitzwilliam, an unusually intelligent and highly educated mastermind of a butler played by Dick Van Dyke. The film co-stars Barbara Feldon in her first feature-film role. Plot Claude Fitzwilliam serves as butler to Miss Victoria Woodworth, an elderly heiress whose tremendous wealth is a myth fostered by Fitzwilliam; unbeknownst to her, her financier father actually left her $180. "Fitzwilly" has been leading the household staff on numerous thefts, raids and swindles — including the operation of the fictional charity and thrift shop, St. Dismas — to maintain "Miss Vicki" in the lifestyle to which she is accustomed. The staff's secret operations threaten to unravel when Miss Vicki hires an assistant, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stephen Strimpell
Stephen Strimpell (January 17, 1934 - April 10, 2006) was the star of the Universal Television series '' Mister Terrific''. Personal life Strimpell was born on January 17, 1934. He was a junior Phi Beta Kappa at Columbia College, a graduate of Columbia Law School, and a member of the New York Bar before embarking in earnest on his acting career. Well known for many years as a popular New York acting teacher at HB Studio and in his private classes, Strimpell was also an accomplished actor, having played the title role in ''The Disintegration of James Cherry'' at Lincoln Center and appearing in such off Broadway plays as ''To Be Young Gifted and Black'' and ''The Exhaustion of Our Son’s Love''. At the American Shakespeare Festival he appeared in plays with Katharine Hepburn, among others, including ''Antony and Cleopatra'', ''All's Well That Ends Well'', ''Romeo and Juliet'', ''Twelfth Night'', ''The Merry Wives of Windsor'', and ''A Midsummer Night’s Dream''. He also had feat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cecil Kellaway
Cecil Lauriston Kellaway (22 August 1890 – 28 February 1973) was a South African character actor. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor twice, for '' The Luck of the Irish'' (1948) and '' Guess Who's Coming to Dinner'' (1967). Early life Cecil Kellaway was born on 22 August 1890 in Cape Town, South Africa. He was the son of English parents, Rebecca Annie (née Brebner) and Edwin John Kellaway, an architect and engineer. Edwin had immigrated to Cape Town to help build the Houses of Parliament there, and he was a good friend of Cecil Rhodes, who was young Cecil's eponym and godfather. Cecil was interested in acting from an early age. He was educated at the Normal College, Cape Town, and in England at Bradford Grammar School. He studied engineering and on his return to South Africa was employed in an engineering firm. However the lure of acting was too strong and he became a full-time actor, making his debut in ''Potash and Perlmutter''. Early plays i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Delbert Mann
Delbert Martin Mann Jr. (January 30, 1920 – November 11, 2007) was an American television and film director. He won the Academy Award for Best Director for the film '' Marty'' (1955), adapted from a 1953 teleplay of the same name which he had also directed. From 1967 to 1971, he was president of the Directors Guild of America. In 2002, he received the DGA's honorary life member award. Mann was credited to have "helped bring TV techniques to the film world." Early life and education Delbert Martin Mann Jr. was born on January 30, 1920, in Lawrence, Kansas, to Delbert Mann Sr. and Ora (Patton) Mann (died 1961). His father taught sociology at the University of Kansas from 1920 to 1926. In 1926, the Manns left Lawrence and moved to Pennsylvania and then Chicago before finally settling in Nashville in 1931.George R. Zepp''Hidden History of Nashville'' The History Press, 2009 page 77 There, his father continued to teach sociology at the Scarritt College for Christian Work ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gimbels
Gimbel Brothers (known simply as Gimbels) was an American department store corporation that operated for over a century, from 1842 until 1987. Gimbel patriarch Adam Gimbel opened his first store in Vincennes, Indiana, in 1842. In 1887, the company moved its operations to the Gimbel Brothers Department Store in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It became a chain when it opened a second, larger store in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1894, moving its headquarters there. At the urging of future company president Bernard Gimbel, grandson of the founder, the company expanded to New York City in 1910. The company is known for creating the oldest Thanksgiving parade, the Gimbels Thanksgiving Day Parade, originating in 1920 in Philadelphia. Gimbels was also considered the chief rival of Macy's with their feud popularized in American culture. As of 1930, Gimbels had grown to 20 stores, whose sales revenue made it the largest department store chain in the world. The company expanded to a peak of 5 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frank Frazetta
Frank Frazetta (born Frank Frazzetta ; February 9, 1928 – May 10, 2010) was an American fantasy and science fiction artist, noted for comic books, paperback book covers, paintings, posters, LP record album covers, and other media. He is often referred to as the "Godfather of fantasy art", and one of the most renowned illustrators of the 20th century. He was also the subject of a 2003 documentary ''Painting with Fire''. Frazetta was inducted into the comic book industry's Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame, the Jack Kirby Hall of Fame, the Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame, the Science Fiction Hall of Fame, and was awarded a Life Achievement Award from the World Fantasy Convention. Early life Born Frank Frazzetta in Brooklyn, New York City, Frazetta removed one "z" from his last name early in his career to make his name seem less "clumsy". The only boy in a family with three sisters, he spent much time with his grandmother, who began encouraging him in art when ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Harry Townes
Harry Rhett Townes (September 18, 1914 – May 23, 2001) was an American actor who later became an Episcopalian minister. Early life Harry Townes was born in Huntsville, Alabama. the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Townes. He had a brother and a sister. He graduated from Huntsville High School, and while attending the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Townes began landing acting roles. Upon graduation, he moved to New York City to study acting at Columbia University. Career Townes performed in several New York and Broadway stage productions, including summer stock. His Broadway credits include ''In the Matter of J. Robert Oppenheimer'' (1968), ''Gramercy Ghost'' (1950), ''Twelfth Night'' (1949), ''Mr. Sycamore'' (1942), and '' Tobacco Road'' (1942). During World War II, he served three years in the United States Army. Discharged in 1946, he enrolled at Columbia University to study drama. As a character actor, Townes was a familiar face to television viewers in the 1950s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anne Seymour (actress)
Anne Seymour (September 11, 1909 – December 8, 1988) was an American film and television character actress. Personal life Anne Seymour Eckert was born in Manhattan to William Stanley and May Davenport (née Seymour) Eckert (1883–1967) an actress and later curator of the Museum of the City of New York. She was the seventh generation of a theatrical family traceable to 18th century Ireland. Seymour, her mother (May Davenport Seymour), and her brother (Bill Seymour) were all active in radio concurrently. Her great-uncle was character actor Harry Davenport, and her cousins were writer James Seymour and actor John Seymour. Seymour never married, and had no children. Education After attending St. Mary's for "her conventional education", Seymour studied at the American Laboratory Theatre. Death She died of heart failure at age 79 in Los Angeles, and is interred in Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery. Career Stage Seymour's first professional activity as an entertai ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Norman Fell
Norman Fell (born Norman Noah Feld; March 24, 1924 – December 14, 1998) was an American actor of film and television, most famous for his role as landlord Mr. Roper on the sitcom ''Three's Company'' and its spin-off, ''The Ropers'', and his film roles in '' Ocean's 11'' (1960), ''The Graduate'' (1967), and ''Bullitt'' (1968). Early in his career, he was billed as Norman Feld. Early life Fell was born on March 24, 1924, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Samuel and Edna Feld. His father was an Austrian Jewish immigrant, and his maternal grandparents were Russian Jews. He attended Central High School of Philadelphia. He studied drama at Temple University after serving as a tail gunner on a B-25 Mitchell in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. He later honed his craft at The Actors Studio and the Black Hills Players. Career Aside from Fell's best-known television work, he also played minor character roles in several films, including the original '' Ocean's 11'', ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joseph Biroc
Joseph Francis Biroc, (February 12, 1903 – September 7, 1996) was an American cinematographer. He was born in New York City and began working in films at the Paragon Studios in Fort Lee, New Jersey. After working there for approximately six years, he moved to Los Angeles. Once in Southern California, Biroc worked at the RKO Pictures movie studio. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps, and filmed the Liberation of Paris in August 1944. In 1950, Biroc left RKO Pictures and freelanced on projects at various studios. In addition to his film work, which included ''It's a Wonderful Life'' (1946) and '' The Flight of the Phoenix'' (1965), Biroc worked on various television series, including the '' Adventures of Superman'' and ''Wonder Woman''. He frequently collaborated with film director Robert Aldrich. Biroc won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography for ''The Towering Inferno'' (1974), which he shared with Fred J. Koenekamp, and two Primetime Emmy Award ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paul Reed (actor)
Paul Reed (born Sidney Kahn; June 16, 1909 April 2, 2007) was an American actor, known for his trademark "slow burn", which he made famous in his role as Captain Paul Block on ''Car 54, Where Are You?''. Biography Reed was born in Highland Falls, New York to a Russian-Jewish family. Orphaned at an early age and reunited with his family two years later in New York City, Reed started working Vaudeville Houses as a chewing gum peddler. In 1919, a performer carried him onto the stage and this began a career that would last until 1998. Reed was a performer and a singer on WOR Radio in New York City in the 1930s. He appeared in numerous Broadway and Off-Broadway Productions from 1940 to 1972, including several Gilbert and Sullivan works and long runs with ''Up in Central Park'', ''Guys & Dolls'', ''The Music Man'', ''How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying'', ''Here's Love'' and '' Promises, Promises''. In 1956, his comedic talents came forward as a foil for Sid Caesar in '' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John McGiver
John Irwin McGiver (November 5, 1913 – September 9, 1975) was an American character actor who made more than a hundred appearances in television and motion pictures over a two-decade span from 1955 to 1975. The owl-faced, portly character actor with his mid-Atlantic accent and precise diction, was often cast as pompous Englishmen and other stuffy, aristocratic and bureaucratic types. He was known for his performances in such films as '' Breakfast at Tiffany's'' (1961); '' The Manchurian Candidate'' (1962), '' Who's Minding the Store?'' (1963) and ''Man's Favorite Sport?'' (1964). He appeared on many television shows and commercials during the 1960s and early 1970s, including the first of a long running popular series of commercials for the American Express charge card ("Do you know me?"). Early life McGiver was born in Manhattan, New York City, the son of Irish immigrants. He graduated from the Jesuit-run Regis High School in Manhattan in 1932. He earned a B.A. in Engli ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Barbara Feldon
Barbara Feldon (born Barbara Anne Hall; March 12, 1933) is an American actress primarily known for her roles on television. Her most prominent role was that of Agent 99 in the 1965–1970 sitcom ''Get Smart''. Early life Feldon was born Barbara Anne Hall in Butler, Pennsylvania, part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. Feldon and her older sister Patricia were the daughters of Raymond D. and Julia Stewart Hall.She graduated from Bethel Park High School and trained at Pittsburgh Playhouse. In 1955, she graduated from Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University) with a Bachelor of Arts in drama. She was initiated into the Delta Xi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma. In 1957, she won the grand prize on '' The $64,000 Question'' in the category of William Shakespeare. Career Feldon studied acting at HB Studio. Following working as a model, Feldon's break came in the form of a popular and much-parodied television commercial for "Top Brass", a hair pomade for men by Re ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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