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It Happened One Christmas
''It Happened One Christmas'' is a 1977 American made-for-television Christmas fantasy- comedy-drama film directed by Donald Wrye, starring Marlo Thomas, Wayne Rogers, Orson Welles, and Cloris Leachman. It originally premiered as ''The ABC Sunday Night Movie'' on December 11, 1977. Plot The film, a gender-reversed version of the 1946 film ''It's a Wonderful Life'', centers on Mary Bailey Hatch, a young woman who dreams of seeing the world but is forced by circumstances to remain in her small hometown as head of the family's Building & Loan business. On a Christmas Eve, in a moment of financial crisis, a severely depressed Mary contemplates suicide, but is rescued by her guardian angel, Clara Oddbody (Cloris Leachman). Clara shows Mary the positive effect that she has had on everyone she has met throughout her life. Cast Production Lionel Chetwynd's teleplay, directed by Donald Wrye, varies little from the original screenplay, even using most of the original dialogue. Thomas ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
It's A Wonderful Life
''It's a Wonderful Life'' is a 1946 American Christmas fantasy drama film produced and directed by Frank Capra, based on the short story and booklet ''The Greatest Gift'', which Philip Van Doren Stern self-published in 1943 and is in turn loosely based on the 1843 Charles Dickens novella ''A Christmas Carol''. The film stars James Stewart as George Bailey, a man who has given up his personal dreams in order to help others in his community and whose thoughts of suicide on Christmas Eve bring about the intervention of his guardian angel, Clarence Odbody ( Henry Travers). Clarence shows George all the lives he touched and what the world would be like if he did not exist. Theatrically, the film's break-even point was $6.3 million, about twice the production cost, a figure it did not come close to achieving on its initial release. Because of the film's disappointing sales, Capra was seen by some studios as having lost his ability to produce popular, financially successful fi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and substance abuse (including alcoholism and the use of and withdrawal from benzodiazepines) are risk factors. Some suicides are impulsive acts due to stress (such as from financial or academic difficulties), relationship problems (such as breakups or divorces), or harassment and bullying. Those who have previously attempted suicide are at a higher risk for future attempts. Effective suicide prevention efforts include limiting access to methods of suicide such as firearms, drugs, and poisons; treating mental disorders and substance abuse; careful media reporting about suicide; and improving economic conditions. Although crisis hotlines are common resources, their effectiveness has not been well studied. The most commonly adopted m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frank Albertson
Francis Healey Albertson (February 2, 1909 – February 29, 1964) was an American actor who had supporting roles in films such as ''It's a Wonderful Life'' (1946) and ''Psycho (1960 film), Psycho'' (1960). Early life Albertson was a native of Fergus Falls, Minnesota, the first child of Frank (or Francis) B. and Mary ( Healey) Albertson. He spent his childhood first in nearby Frazee, Minnesota, Frazee, and later in Puyallup, Washington. As a young man in Los Angeles, he worked as a laboratory assistant in a photographic shop, which resulted in contacts leading to his acting career.''Pasadena Star-News'', March 3, 1964, p. 16 Career Albertson made well over 100 appearances (1923–1964) in movies and television. In his early career he often sang and danced in such films as ''Just Imagine'' (1930) and ''A Connecticut Yankee'' (1931). He was featured in ''Alice Adams'' (1935) as the title character's brother, and in Room Service (1938 film), ''Room Service'' (1938) he p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gloria Grahame
Gloria Grahame Hallward (November 28, 1923 – October 5, 1981) was an Academy Award-winning American actress and singer. She began her acting career in theatre, and in 1944 made her first film for MGM. Despite a featured role in ''It's a Wonderful Life'' (1946), MGM did not believe she had the potential for major success, and sold her contract to RKO Studios. Often cast in film noir projects, Grahame was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for ''Crossfire'' (1947), and later won the award for her work in '' The Bad and the Beautiful'' (1952). After starring opposite Humphrey Bogart in '' In A Lonely Place'' (1950), she achieved her highest profile with ''Sudden Fear'' (1952), ''The Big Heat'' (1953), ''Human Desire'' (1954), and '' Oklahoma!'' (1955), but her film career began to wane soon afterwards. Grahame returned to work on the stage, but continued to appear in films and television productions, usually in supporting roles. In 1974, she was diagno ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Beulah Bondi
Beulah Bondi (born Beulah Bondy; May 3, 1889 – January 11, 1981)According to the State of California. ''California Death Index, 1940–1997''. Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, California. At Ancestry.com was an American character actress; she often played eccentric mothers and later grandmothers and wives, although she was known for numerous other roles. She began her acting career as a young child in theater, and after establishing herself as a Broadway stage actress in 1925, she reprised her role in '' Street Scene'' for the 1931 film version. She played supporting roles in several films during the 1930s, and was twice nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She played the mother of James Stewart in four films: '' Of Human Hearts'', ''Vivacious Lady'', '' Mr. Smith Goes to Washington'' (1939), and ''It's a Wonderful Life'' (1946). Although at her height in Hollywood from the 1930s until the 1950s, Bo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis powers. World War II was a total war that directly involved more than 100 million personnel from more than 30 countries. The major participants in the war threw their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities behind the war effort, blurring the distinction between civilian and military resources. Aircraft played a major role in the conflict, enabling the strategic bombing of population centres and deploying the only two nuclear weapons ever used in war. World War II was by far the deadliest conflict in human history; it resulted in 70 to 85 million fatalities, mostly among civilians. Tens of millions died due to genocides (including the Holocaust), starvation, massa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Christopher Guest
Christopher Haden-Guest, 5th Baron Haden-Guest (born February 5, 1948) is an American-British screenwriter, composer, musician, director, actor, and comedian. Guest is most widely known in Hollywood for having written, directed, and starred in his series of comedy films shot in mock-documentary (mockumentary) style. Many scenes and character backgrounds in Guest's films are written and directed, although actors have no rehearsal time and the ensemble improvises scenes while filming them. The series of films began with '' This Is Spinal Tap'' (which he did not direct) and continued with '' Waiting for Guffman'', '' Best in Show'', '' A Mighty Wind'', '' For Your Consideration'', and ''Mascots''. Guest holds a hereditary British peerage as the 5th Baron Haden-Guest, and has publicly expressed a desire to see the House of Lords reformed as a democratically elected chamber. Though he was initially active in the Lords, his career there was cut short by the House of Lords Act 1999, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Archie Hahn (actor)
Archie Hahn (sometimes credited as Archie Hahn III, born November 1, 1941) is an American character actor and improviser best known for his appearances on the British version of ''Whose Line is it Anyway?'' and the 1988 movie '' Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach''. He has also appeared in ''Phantom of the Paradise'' (1974), '' Pray TV'' (1980), ''This Is Spinal Tap'' (1984), ''Brewster's Millions'' (1985), ''The Brady Bunch Movie'' (1995), and many Joe Dante films including ''Amazon Women on the Moon'' (1987), '' Gremlins 2: The New Batch'' (1990) and '' Small Soldiers'' (1998). In two of his final appearances on ''Whose Line is it Anyway?'', Hahn unexpectedly brought props to use as he improvised, first castanets and then a pair of false teeth. Hahn attended AI DuPont HS in Wilmington, Delaware. Hahn has done similar work in the improv theater company, WAR BABIES. Hahn was an early member of The Groundlings school and troupe of comedy acting. Filmography *''Phantom o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cliff Norton
Clifford Charles Norton (March 21, 1918 – January 25, 2003) was an American character actor and radio announcer who appeared in various movies and television series over a career spanning four decades. Early years Norton was born in Chicago, and grew-up there, graduating from Senn High School. His early jobs included selling shoes and working as a floorwalker. His first broadcasting experience came as a disc jockey at a radio station there. During World War II he was a bombardier in the U.S. Army Air Corps. Career Norton was probably best known as the announcer for Dave Garroway's radio program. He also appeared on an episode of ''The Dick Van Dyke Show'' (Season 2, Episode 11) as a game warden sent out to nab a woodpecker terrorizing Richie in "A Bird in the Head Hurts" . On old-time radio, Norton was a member of the cast of ''Terry and the Pirates''. On television, he was a regular on '' Your Show of Shows'', ''Sid Caesar Presents Comedy Preview'', ''Garroway at Lar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Richard Dysart
Richard Allen Dysart (March 30, 1929 – April 5, 2015) was an American actor. He is best known for his role as Leland McKenzie in the television series '' L.A. Law'' (1986–1994), for which he won a Primetime Emmy Award from four consecutive nominations. In film, he held supporting roles in ''Being There'' (1979), '' The Thing'' (1982), ''Mask'' (1985), '' Pale Rider'' (1985) and ''Wall Street'' (1987). Early life Richard Dysart was born to Alice (née Hennigar) and Douglas Dysart, a podiatrist, near Boston, Massachusetts, on March 30, 1929. Dysart was raised in Skowhegan, Maine and Augusta, Maine. He attended Gould Academy in Bethel, Maine. At the encouragement of his mother, Dysart performed in summer stock at the Lakewood Theater near Skowhegan. He also worked at a local radio station. He earned both bachelor's (1956) and master's (1981) in speech communication from Emerson College in Boston, although his undergraduate education was interrupted due to his service for four ye ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Doris Roberts
Doris May Roberts ( Green; November 4, 1925 – April 17, 2016) was an American actress whose career spanned seven decades of television and film. She received five Emmy Awards and a Screen Actors Guild award during her acting career, which began in 1951. Roberts studied acting at The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City and started in films in 1961. She had several prominent roles in movies, including playing opposite Shirley Stoler in '' The Honeymoon Killers'' (1970), Elliott Gould in '' Little Murders'' (1971), Steven Keats in '' Hester Street'' (1975), Billy Crystal in ''Rabbit Test'' (1978), Robert Carradine in '' Number One with a Bullet'' (1987), and Cady McClain in ''Simple Justice'' (1989), among many others. She achieved continuing success in television, becoming known for her role as Mildred Krebs in ''Remington Steele'' from 1983 to 1987 and her co-starring role as Raymond Barone's mother, Marie Barone, on the long-running CBS sitcom '' E ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dick O'Neill
Richard Francis O'Neill (August 29, 1928 – November 17, 1998) was an American stage, film and television character actor best known for playing Irish cops, fathers, judges and army generals. He began his acting career as an original company member of Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. Biography Early life and television roles O'Neill studied at Syracuse University. He served in the Navy then returned to the theater. In the late 1950s, he began appearing on television. His television credits include ''Car 54, Where Are You?'', ''The Honeymooners'', ''Barney Miller'', '' Sanford and Son'', '' Good Times'', '' Kaz'', ''M*A*S*H'', ''The Feather and Father Gang'', '' The Facts of Life'', ''Family Matters'', ''Mad About You'', '' Murder, She Wrote'', '' Father Dowling Mysteries'', ''Three's Company'', ''Wonder Woman'', '' One Day at a Time'', ''Magnum, P.I.'', ''A Man Called Intrepid'', ''Growing Pains'', ''Dark Justice'', '' Cheers'', ''Dharma & Greg'', ''Cybill'', ''The Fresh Prin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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