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Brute Force (1947 Film)
''Brute Force'' (aka ''Zelle R 17'') is a 1947 American crime film noir directed by Jules Dassin, from a screenplay by Richard Brooks with cinematography by William H. Daniels. It stars Burt Lancaster, Hume Cronyn, Charles Bickford,and Yvonne De Carlo. This was among several noir films made by Dassin during the postwar period. The others were ''Thieves' Highway'', ''Night and the City'' and ''The Naked City''. Plot On a dark, rainy morning at Westgate Prison, prisoners crammed into a small cell to watch through the window as Joe Collins returns from his term in solitary confinement. Joe is angry and talks about escape. The beleaguered warden is under pressure to improve discipline. His chief of security, Capt. Munsey, is a sadist who manipulates prisoners to inform on one another and create trouble so he can inflict punishment. The often drunk prison doctor warns that the prison is a powder keg and will explode if they are not careful. He denounces Munsey's approach and complain ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jules Dassin
Julius "Jules" Dassin (December 18, 1911 – March 31, 2008) was an American film and theatre director, producer, writer and actor. A subject of the Hollywood blacklist in the McCarthy era, he subsequently moved to France, and later Greece, where he continued his career. He was a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Screen Directors' Guild. Dassin received a Best Director Award at the Cannes Film Festival for his film ''Du rififi chez les hommes''. He was later nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director and Best Writing, Story and Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen for his film ''Never on Sunday'', and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical for his Broadway production of ''Illya Darling''. Biography Early life Julius Dassin was born on December 18, 1911, to Bertha Dassin (née Vogel) and Samuel Dassin, a barber, in Middletown, Connecticut. His parents were both Jewish immigrants from Odessa, Russian empi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ann Blyth
Ann Marie Blyth (born August 16, 1928) is an American retired actress and singer. For her performance as Veda in the 1945 Michael Curtiz film ''Mildred Pierce'', Blyth was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She is one of the last surviving stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood cinema, and became the earliest surviving Academy Award nominee upon the death of Angela Lansbury in October 2022. Life and career Early life Anne Marie Blythe (she later dropped the "e" from her first name and surname) was born in Mount Kisco, New York, on August 16, 1928. After her father left the family, she, her elder sister (Dorothy), and their mother moved to a walk-up apartment on East 31st Street in New York City, where her mother took in ironing. ''Watch on the Rhine'' Blyth performed on children's radio shows in New York for six years, making her first appearance when she was five. When she was nine, she joined the New York Children's Opera Company. Her first acting rol ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Howard Duff
Howard is an English-language given name originating from Old French Huard (or Houard) from a Germanic source similar to Old High German ''*Hugihard'' "heart-brave", or ''*Hoh-ward'', literally "high defender; chief guardian". It is also probably in some cases a confusion with the Old Norse cognate ''Haward'' (''Hávarðr''), which means "high guard" and as a surname also with the unrelated Hayward. In some rare cases it is from the Old English ''eowu hierde'' "ewe herd". In Anglo-Norman the French digram ''-ou-'' was often rendered as ''-ow-'' such as ''tour'' → ''tower'', ''flour'' (western variant form of ''fleur'') → ''flower'', etc. (with svarabakhti). A diminutive is "Howie" and its shortened form is "Ward" (most common in the 19th century). Between 1900 and 1960, Howard ranked in the U.S. Top 200; between 1960 and 1990, it ranked in the U.S. Top 400; between 1990 and 2004, it ranked in the U.S. Top 600. People with the given name Howard or its variants include: Given ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
James Bell (actor)
James Harlee Bell (December 1, 1891 – October 26, 1973) was an American film and stage actor who appeared in about 150 films and television shows through 1964. Bell was born in Suffolk, Virginia, and graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute in 1911 with a degree in electrical engineering. In 1920, he made his theatrical debut as Venustiano in ''The Bad Man''. He worked steadily on Broadway through 1941. Bell's first film role was in ''I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang'' in 1932. He appeared in the films ''I Walked with a Zombie'' and ''The Leopard Man'', both of which were directed by Jacques Tourneur, produced by Val Lewton, and released in 1943. Among his television appearances were four guest roles on the legal drama series ''Perry Mason''. In 1958, he played murder victim J.J. Stanley in the episode " The Case of the Green-Eyed Sister", and murderer P.E. Overbrook in " The Case of the Lazy Lover." In 1960, he played murderer Zack Davis in " The Case of the Frantic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frank Puglia
Francesco Giuseppe "Frank" Puglia (9 March 1892 – 25 October 1975) was an Italian-American film actor. He had small, but memorable roles in films including ''Casablanca'' (a Moroccan rug merchant), ''Now, Voyager'' and ''The Jungle Book''. Biography Born in Linguaglossa, Catania, Sicily, the actor started his career as a teen on stage in Italian operas. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1907. He left from Naples on the ship ''Italia''. In New York City he worked in a laundry before joining an Italian language theater group. While appearing on stage, he was discovered by D. W. Griffith, which began an acting career spanning over 150 films. He usually played ethnic types in films, and claimed to have learned English from reading newspapers. He was originally cast as the undertaker, Bonasera, in Francis Ford Coppola's movie ''The Godfather'' (1972), even participating in Marlon Brando's screen test, but he fell ill before filming could begin. He was replaced by Sicilian actor Sal ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Richard Gaines
Richard Houston Gaines (July 23, 1904 – July 20, 1975) was an American actor. He appeared in over 75 film and television productions between 1940 and 1962. Early years Gaines was born in Indian Territory and grew up in Texas, learning "to handle the ax, the plough, and the lariat". He enrolled at Texas Christian University when he was 16 and studied drama there. While a student there he acted in productions of little theaters in Dallas and Fort Worth. He worked at a variety of jobs in the United States and in France before winning a scholarship to study at the American Laboratory Theatre. Career Gaines appeared in five Broadway productions between 1929 and 1942. He served as Raymond Massey's replacement as Abraham Lincoln in the original production of Robert E. Sherwood's '' Abe Lincoln in Illinois'' (1938–1939). In Hollywood, Gaines frequently played professional or officious types in supporting roles. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jay C
JayC Food Stores is an American supermarket chain based in Petersburg, Indiana. , the chain operates 64 stores in Southern Indiana. JayC has been a division of Kroger since 1999. History Early history JayC was founded in 1863 by Swiss immigrant John C. Groub, who with his wife Elizabeth opened the chain's first store on South Chestnut Street in the city of Seymour. The success of the business allowed them to move to larger premises in 1871 and add a wholesale department. Profits by 1885 had reached US$80,000. John C. Groub died in 1888, passing the management of the company to his son Theodore and his son-in-law William Masters, an experienced grocer. Theodore later handed the running of the company to his sons Thomas and John. The company's grocery wholesale business waned in the 1910s and 1920s, prompting the company to concentrate more on retail. Under the name of JayC Food Store of Scottsburg, adopted in 1927, the company grew to a peak of 44 retail locations in the 1940s. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vince Barnett
Vince Barnett (July 4, 1902 – August 10, 1977) was an American film actor. He appeared on stage originally before appearing in more than 230 films between 1930 and 1975. Early years Barnett was born July 4, 1902, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the son of Luke Barnett, a well-known comedian who specialized in insulting and pulling practical jokes on his audiences.Aaker, Everett (2006). ''Encyclopedia of Early Television Crime Fighters''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . Pp. 32-34. (Luke's professional nickname was "Old Man Ribber" and "the King of Ribbing".) Barnett graduated from Duquesne University Prep School and the Carnegie Institute of Technology. An avid amateur pilot, he flew mail planes for a couple of years Barnett appeared on Broadway in the 1926 edition of ''Earl Carroll's Vanities''. Practical jokes A 1932 newspaper report noted that "Barnett for years asknown in Hollywood as the 'professional ribber' -- appearing at banquets and parties as a paid 'insulter.'" He ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sir Lancelot (singer)
Lancelot Victor Edward Pinard (March 24, 1902 – March 12, 2001) was a calypso singer and actor who used the name Sir Lancelot. Sir Lancelot played a major role in popularizing calypso in North America,"Lancelot Pinard; Musician Brought Calypso to U.S." ''Los Angeles Times.'' March 18, 2001. and Harry Belafonte has acknowledged him as an inspiration and major influence. Early life Pinard was born in Cumuto, Trinidad. His father, Donald Pinard, was a wealthy government official and Anglophile."After 18 Years, Sir Lancelot Returns For Brief Stay Here." '' Virgin Islands Daily Ne ...
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Roman Bohnen
Roman Aloys Bohnen (November 24, 1901 – February 24, 1949) was an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles in the films ''Of Mice and Men'' (1939), '' The Song of Bernadette'' (1943), and ''The Best Years of Our Lives'' (1946). Early life and education Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Bohnen attended the University of Minnesota, where he was a cheerleader. He was the son of Karl Bohnen, a portrait painter. The family was financially hard-pressed during his youth. After graduating in 1923 with a B.A., Roman served his acting apprenticeship in theater companies in St. Paul and Chicago, eventually spending five years with the Goodman Theatre. At the Goodman, he met fellow actor Hildur Ouse, who became his wife. Career Group Theatre The Bohnens moved to New York City, where he made his Broadway debut in 1931 in ''As Husbands Go''. Bohnen, In the summer of 1932, at the behest of his friend from the Goodman Theatre Art Smith, he was invited to join the Group The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Hoyt
John Hoyt (born John McArthur Hoysradt; October 5, 1905 – September 15, 1991) was an American actor. He began his acting career on Broadway, later appearing in numerous films and television series. He is perhaps best known for his film and TV roles in ''The Lawless'' (1950), ''When Worlds Collide'' (1951), ''Julius Caesar'' (1953), ''Blackboard Jungle'' (1955), ''Spartacus'' (1960), ''Cleopatra'' (1963), ''Flesh Gordon'' (1974), and ''Gimme a Break!'' Early life Hoyt was born John McArthur Hoysradt in Bronxville, New York, the son of Warren J. Hoysradt, an investment banker, and his wife, Ethel Hoysradt, née Wolf. He attended the Hotchkiss School and Yale University, where he served on the editorial board of campus humor magazine ''The Yale Record''. He received a bachelor's and a master's degree from Yale. He worked as a history instructor at the Groton School for two years. Stage Hoyt made his Broadway debut in 1931 in William Bolitho's play ''Overture''. Some of his ot ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jeff Corey
Jeff Corey (born Arthur Zwerling; August 10, 1914 – August 16, 2002) was an American stage and screen actor who became a well-respected acting teacher after being blacklisted in the 1950s. Life and career Corey attended New Utrecht High School in Brooklyn and was active in the school's Dramatic Society. In the mid-1930s, he acted with the Clare Tree Major Children's Theater of New York. When Corey began making films, his agent suggested that he change his name from Arthur Zwerling, and he did so. He worked with Jules Dassin, Elia Kazan, John Randolph and other politically liberal theatrical personalities. Although he attended some meetings of the Communist Party, Corey never joined. A World War II veteran, Corey served in the United States Navy. His memoir, ''Improvising Out Loud: My Life Teaching Hollywood How To Act'', which he wrote with his daughter, Emily Corey, is published by the University Press of Kentucky. His longtime friend and former student Leonard Nimoy ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
