Ewan McGregor

Ewan Gordon McGregor (born 31 March 1971) is a Scottish actor who had success in mainstream, indie and art house films. He is perhaps best known for his role as Mark Renton in the 1996 film Trainspotting, his portrayal of the young Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, and his role as the romantic penniless writer Christian in the 2001 film Moulin Rouge!

In 2009, he appeared in the films I Love You Phillip Morris and Amelia, and portrayed the Camerlengo Patrick McKenna in the film adaption of Angels & Demons. Aside from his film work, McGregor has starred in theatre productions of Guys and Dolls. He also appeared in television series such as The Scarlet and the Black, Lipstick On Your Collar, Tales from the Crypt, and ER. He was ranked No. 36 in Empire magazine’s “The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time” list

Trivia:

Former roommate of Jude Law. They are still close friends.

Ranked #36 in Empire (UK) magazine’s “The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time” list (October 1997).

Nephew of Denis Lawson.

Father of Clara Mathilde (born in February 1996) and Esther Rose (born on 7 November 2001).

Born at 3:45pm-CET

He met his wife while filming for “Kavanagh QC” (1995).

Was originally up for the lead role in The Beach (2000/I), which would have reunited him with director Danny Boyle and screenwriter John Hodge who collaborated with McGregor on Shallow Grave (1994), Trainspotting (1996) and A Life Less Ordinary (1997). The role went to Leonardo DiCaprio. While McGregor blames studio influence for the casting decision he has not spoken to either Boyle nor Hodge since.

Originally auditioned for the role of Mercutio in the 1996 film Romeo + Juliet (1996). He later got his chance to work with “Romeo” director Baz Luhrmann when he was cast as Christian in Moulin Rouge! (2001).

In the film Moulin Rouge! (2001) McGregor sang alongside Nicole Kidman.

Was presented with an honorary doctorate from the University of Ulster at a graduation ceremony in Belfast, Northern Ireland (5 July 2001).

His first name is pronounced “you-an”.

He says that he was inspired to get into show business by his uncle, actor Denis Lawson. Lawson played Wedge Antilles in Episodes 4-6 of Star Wars.

Resides in North London with his family.

Slated to start filming ‘Nautic’ in Jamaica with Heath Ledger in a couple of months. However Ted Demme, who was picked to direct the film died suddenly at the age of 38 from a heart attack while playing basketball.

Early career dedicated almost exclusively to indie, low-budget, and non-feature films. When cast as Obi-wan Kenobi in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999), an interviewer reminded him of his “aversion” to major films, and he replied “I know what I said, but, hey! This is Star Wars!”

Ranked #8 in the 2001 Orange Film Survey of greatest British actors.

Born on the same exact day as Isobel Thomas, the “assistant to producer” on Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999), in which Ewan starred.

Born to James Charles Stuart McGregor, a physical education teacher, and his wife Carol McGregor, née Lawson, a teacher and school administrator, he grew up in Crieff, Scotland.

Studied Alec Guinness’ films in preparation for his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999) and to ensure accuracy in everything from his accent to the pacing of his words.

Has a nephew (born in 1999).

Studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London for three years, graduating in 1992.

Received the Film Actor Award for Moulin Rouge! (2001) at The Variety Club Showbusiness Awards 2002.

Was a student in the year-long theatre arts program at Kirkcaldy College of Technology in the fall of 1988.

In 1987, after leaving school at age 16, he worked as a stagehand at Perth Repertory Theatre and had small roles in their productions.

Good friends with Texas lead singer Sharleen Spiteri.

His brother Colin is part of the RAF’s Tornado display team who are based at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland.

He and his uncle, Denis Lawson, have worked with two of the same directors. Both have been in Star Wars films, directed by George Lucas. His first film, Being Human (1993), was directed by Bill Forsyth, who also directed Lawson in Local Hero (1983).

Both he and Harrison Ford have worked for director Ridley Scott between Star Wars films. Ford made Blade Runner (1982) after Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980), but before Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983). McGregor made Black Hawk Down (2001) shortly after filming Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002), and thus before Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005).

Embarked on a motorcycle trip around the World along with his friend and fellow actor Charley Boorman (2004).

Was voted #9 in the Greatest Movie Stars Of All Time (Channel 4).

Completed a trip from London to New York ‘The Long Way Round’ by riding a motorbike east, via Europe, Mongolia, Russia, Alaska and Canada to Manhattan over 115 days in 2004.

Was the original choice for the role of Jim in 28 Days Later… (2002), directed by Danny Boyle who has worked with Ewan three times previously (see above).

Ewan and his wife Eve have the same initials, even with her maiden name.

When filming in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999), he kept imitating the noise of the light saber during his fights. George Lucas explained many times that this would be added in by the special effects people later on. Ewan said “I keep getting carried away.”.

Is a good friend of Naveen Andrews, star of the show “Lost” (2004), from drama school.

While he usually takes his family along with him during his movie shoots, he left them at home during the shoot of Young Adam (2003).

Was the best man at Dougray Scott’s wedding in 2000.

His Star Wars character, Obi-Wan Kenobi, goes by the call sign Red Leader in Revenge of the Sith. Wedge Antilles, who was played by his uncle, Denis Lawson, has the same call sign in Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983).

Is very particular about his children being photographed or seen on television. He strongly believes that just because he is famous, that should not give anyone the right to invade their privacy.

According to Stunt Coordinator Nick Gillard, he picked up the light saber sword fighting style very quickly. In an interview on the DVD to The Phantom Menace, Gillard commented that Ewan was probably faster than anyone else who was working on the film, including the stunt department.

Is a casual supporter of St Johnstone Football Club.

Refused to have his wife and kids visit him on the set of _Black Hawk Down (2001)_, because he felt the content was too violent and too bloody for them to see.

Has been involved in a campaign against the closure of the maternity wing of Perth Royal Infirmary, the hospital ward where he was born.

Distant cousin of The Sound of Music (1965) actress Heather Menzies.

Cousin of Lou Gish and Kay Curram.

Ewan, a UNICEF ambassador, adopted a 4-year-old girl from Mongolia, named Jamyan, whom he met while traveling around the world in 2004. (April 2006).

Is short sighted.

Before his trip around the world with Charley Boorman, he had a laser eye operation to improve his eyesight, so he didn’t have to wear glasses or contact lenses.

His best friend is actor Charley Boorman, whom he traveled around the world with on motorbikes (“Long Way Round” (2004) trip). They met on the set of the 1997 movie The Serpent’s Kiss (1997).

Considered for the role of Will Turner in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003).

His uncle Denis Lawson was considered for the role of “Captain Antilles” in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005).

September 2001: Attended the Royal Premiere of Moulin Rouge! (2001) alongside Kylie Minogue, Prince Charles and Nicole Kidman.

Was considered to play James Bond in Casino Royale (2006).

Although his motorcycles of choice include an MV Agusta F4S and a KTM Duke, McGregor and pal Charley Boorman each rode a BMW 1150GS Adventure for their marathon trip around the world in _”Long Way Round”_ (2004) (mini).

He actually dropped out of school because his mother wanted him to.

Befriended Colin Farrell during the shooting of Cassandra’s Dream (2007).

Good friends with Black Hawk Down (2001) co-star Hugh Dancy.

Had two moles, one just below his right eye and one on his forehead, removed after doctors advised him to do so, because the one near his eye was cancerous. [2008]

Older brother Colin is a pilot in the Royal Air Force.

Gary Oldman

Gary Leonard Oldman (born 21 March 1958) is an English actor and filmmaker. Well-known to audiences for his portrayals of dark and morally corrupt characters,he came to prominence in roles such as Sid Vicious in Sid and Nancy, Jackie Flannery in State of Grace and Lee Harvey Oswald in JFK, which led to his most successful, and arguably best known, leading role as Count Dracula in the 1992 blockbuster Dracula. Following the success of Dracula, he was cast as the villain of a number of popular films, including True Romance, Léon, Murder in the First, Air Force One, The Fifth Element, The Contender and The Book of Eli, frequently in starring roles. He is also known for his portrayals of real-life figures: as well as Vicious and Oswald, he portrayed Joe Orton in Prick Up Your Ears, Ludwig Van Beethoven in Immortal Beloved and Pontius Pilate in Jesus. In recent years he is recognisable as Sirius Black in the Harry Potter film series and James Gordon in Christopher Nolan’s reboot of the Batman film series.

Oldman has received acclaim for his diverse on-screen performances,being described as an “actor’s actor”. In addition to leading and central supporting roles in big-budget Hollywood films, Oldman has frequently acted in independent films, as well as having appeared on television shows such as Fallen Angels and Friends. He also directed, wrote and co-produced Nil by Mouth, a film partially based on his own childhood, and served as a producer on The Contender, Plunkett & Macleane and Nobody’s Baby. Described by The Guardian as “arguably the best actor never Oscar-nominated,” Oldman’s acting and filmmaking work have seen him nominated for, among other awards: an Emmy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, the Palme d’Or, three BAFTA Awards (winning two) and three Saturn Awards (winning one).

Trivia:

Brother of Laila Morse.

Considered a career in music.

Has one son, Alfie Oldman, born in 1988, from his first marriage to Lesley Manville.

Dated Isabella Rossellini, met through Immortal Beloved (1994).

Sons, with Donya Fiorentino: Gulliver Flynn Oldman, born 20 August 1997 and Charlie John, born 11 February 1999.

Was arrested for drunk driving in L.A. and released on bail the next morning. His passenger in the car was pal, Kiefer Sutherland. [8 August 1991]

His library includes essays on Bertolt Brecht, poetry by Roger McGough, a biography of Montgomery Clift, The Elizabethan World Picture, all things William Shakespeare and Jane Austen.

Has used a different speaking voice (i.e. accent) in practically every movie he’s ever been in.

He and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) co-star Timothy Spall have both played the character of Rosencrantz; Spall in Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet (1996), Oldman in Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead (1990).

He was awarded the 1985 London Critics Circle Theatre Award (Drama Theatre Award) for Best Actor for his performance in “The Pope’s Wedding”.

Has played Lee Harvey Oswald in both JFK (1991) and “Frontline: Who Was Lee Harvey Oswald? (#11.20)” (1993).

Dated model-actress Ailsa Marshall from 2002-2005.

His film Nil by Mouth (1997) is loosely based upon his own life growing up in London.

Submitted a recorded voice audition for General Grievous in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005). George Lucas later chose the anonymous audition of Matthew Wood for the role instead.

Henry & June (1990) is the only film in which he’s been credited as “Maurice Escargot”.

Appears in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) with Ralph Fiennes. Both of them have played villains in the Hannibal Lecter series: Fiennes played Francis Dolarhyde in Red Dragon (2002), and Oldman played Mason Verger in Hannibal (2001).

Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead (1990) was released on DVD the day after his 47th birthday.

Member of jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 1993.

Graduated from Rose Bruford Drama College 3 year acting course BA-Hons, London, England.

In two movies, his characters have had dynamic relationships with mob bosses named Falcone. In Romeo Is Bleeding (1993), he was working FOR Don Falcone, and in Batman Begins (2005), he was working to bring down Carmine Falcone. In both instances, his character was a cop.

Like Ian McKellen, he has taken on popular characters in screen adaptations of cult favorite fantasy novels and comic books. He appeared as James Gordon in Batman Begins (2005) and The Dark Knight (2008) and as Sirius Black in the middle three Harry Potter films: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005), and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007).

Although he has spent much of his career playing psychotic and sadistic characters, he has recently moved away from that on-screen image by playing more like-able, sympathetic characters like Sirius Black (in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005), and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)) and Jim Gordon (in Batman Begins (2005)).

Actor Ryan Gosling lists Oldman as his favorite actor.

He and his ex-wife, Uma Thurman, have both appeared in Batman films. Thurman played Poison Ivy in Batman & Robin (1997), and Oldman played James Gordon in Batman Begins (2005).

Uncle of Gerry Bromfield and Tracy Bromfield.

His performance as Sid Vicious in Sid and Nancy (1986) is ranked #62 on Premiere Magazine’s 100 Greatest Performances of All Time (2006).

Trained at Rose Bruford Drama School Sidcup, Kent. Others who trained there include actors Freddie Jones, Ray Fearon, Tom Baker and Stephen Armourae.

Despite a number of critically acclaimed roles, he has never been nominated for an Academy Award.

Spokesperson for Nokia.

Performed a vocal duet with David Bowie for the song “You’ve Been Around” on the 1995 album “The Sacred Squall of Now” by longtime Bowie guitarist Reeves Gabrels. He is also featured on the song “Stamford Hill” on the same album.

Has been an inspiration to many actors including up and comers Bo Barrett, Ryan Gosling, Shia LaBeouf and Kaili Thorne.

Is very close to actor and co-star in the Harry Potter franchise Daniel Radcliffe.

His sister Laila Morse plays the character “Big Mo” in the British soap opera “EastEnders” (1985).

Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#72). [2007].

Harry Potter co-actor Jason Isaacs lists him as one of his favorite actors.

Lives in Los Angeles.

Directed a music video for Jewish Hip-Hop group Chutzpah shot entirely on Nokia Cell Phones. Actress Juliet Landau directed a 25 minute documentary about the making of the Music Video.

Attended the GYPT Theatre (Greenwich and Lewisham Young Peoples Theatre) in S.E. London before drama school. Other former actors include Kathy Burke, Stephen Manwaring and Stella Barnes.

Brad Dourif

Bradford Claude “Brad” Dourif (born March 18, 1950) is an American film and television actor, best known for his roles as Younger Brother in Ragtime, Billy Bibbit in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Hazel Motes in Wise Blood, Gríma Wormtongue in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Doc Cochran in the HBO television series Deadwood. Additionally, he portrayed the character of Saavedro in the computer game Myst III: Exile and the Betazoid Lon Suder in the TV series Star Trek: Voyager.

Trivia:

Has heard his own movie Dune (1984) described as “science fiction’s answer to Heaven’s Gate (1980) (which Dourif also starred in),” and he agrees totally with this summation.

Was considered for the role of the Riddler in Batman Forever (1995).

Made five trips to New Zealand while the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy was being filmed. He had to shave his eyebrows off each time.

Has two daughters Fiona Dourif and Kristina Dourif Tanoue.

Grandchild: Caden Kalani Kahalewai Dourif-Tanoue (born 2001).

Many of his co-stars in “The Lord of the Rings” film series were under the impression that he was actually English because of the British accent he used as Wormtongue throughout filming. They were shocked to hear him speak in an American accent after filming was complete.

Was considered for the role of Max Cady in Cape Fear (1991),.

Taught acting and directing classes at Columbia University.

He headed to New York City at 19 and worked with the Circle Repertory Company, appearing in many off-Broadway and Woodstock, NY productions.

His father, who owned and operated a dye factory, died when Brad was 3.

Dropped out of Marshall University of Huntington, West Virginia, at 19.

Gothic is a 1986 film directed by Ken Russell. It starred Gabriel Byrne as Lord Byron, Julian Sands as Percy Bysshe Shelley, Natasha Richardson as Mary Shelley and Timothy Spall as Dr John William Polidori. It features a soundtrack composed by Thomas Dolby, and marks Richardson’s film debut.

The film is a lurid and highly fictionalized tale based on the Shelleys’ visit with Lord Byron in Villa Diodati by Lake Geneva, and the famous challenge to write a horror story, which ultimately led to Mary Shelley writing Frankenstein and John Polidori writing The Vampyre. The same event has also been portrayed in the films Bride of Frankenstein (1935) and Haunted Summer (1988), among others.

The film’s poster motif is based on Henry Fuseli’s painting The Nightmare, which is also referenced in the film.

Trivia:

• Director Trademark: [Ken Russell] [snake]
• Director Cameo: [Ken Russell] [with family] on the tour boat at the end of the film.
• The painting that Mary Shelley sees on the wall, and that subsequently comes to life in her dream, is Johann Heinrich Fuessli’s “Nightmare.”
• Gabriel Byrne walks with a limp and carries a cane because the real Lord Byron had a club foot.
• Polidori’s line “Sleep is nature’s balm” comes from a poem by Keats, a contemporary and close friend of both Shelley and Byron.
• During one of the establishing shots of the villa at night, a slowly revolving band of light appears on screen. This comes from a “phantasmagoria”, a device which displayed pictures by sending light through holes cut in a ring of metal. The book that Shelley and co. read which inspired her to write Frankenstein (and lead to the events in the movie) was also called Phantasmagoria.
• After Shelly comes down from the roof and tells of his fascination with lightning, Byron calls him “Shelly, The Modern Prometheus.” When it was first published in 1818, Mary Shelly’s novel was called “Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus.”
• Last film of Alec Mango.

William Petersen

William Louis Petersen (born February 21, 1953) is an American actor and producer, best known for playing Dr. Gilbert “Gil” Grissom on the hit CBS series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

He has also portrayed President John F Kennedy in the 1998 TV film The Rat Pack. Petersen is notoriously selective about the film roles he chooses, and has turned down roles in several films that went on to become modern classics.

Trivia:

Attended Bishop Kelly High School in Boise, Idaho. He wears his old football jersey from that school in most of his movies.

Daughter named Maite Nerea, born in 1975, in Mondragon (País Vasco, Spain).

Testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on increased funding for crime labs.

Attended the renowned Steppenwolf Company.

Engaged to Gina Cirone, a biology teacher. [March 2002]

Started at Idaho State University on a football scholarship, where he found acting.

Married longtime girl friend, Gina Cirone, in Petrignano, Italy.

He has a production company called, High Horse (with friend & fellow “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (2000) producer, Cynthia Chvatal).

He has one grandchild named Mazrik William (born October 2003).

One “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (2000) plot line had him pursuing an insane killer played by Tom Noonan, who also played the titular insane killer in Manhunter (1986).

Was offered a role in Platoon (1986), but turned it down because it was a low paying job and the prospect of going to the Phillipines for weeks of training before filming didn’t appeal to him.

Calls Long Gone (1987) (TV) the most fun he ever had making a movie. He made it instead of appearing in Platoon (1986).

Was cast in To Live and Die in L.A. (1985) after Gary Sinise declined the part. Sinise became the star of “CSI: NY” (2004), which is the spin-off of Petersen’s series “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (2000).

Co-presented an award at the 2004 Emmys with Dennis Franz, whose former “NYPD Blue” (1993) co-star, David Caruso stars in “CSI: Miami” (2002) the spin-off of Petersen’s series “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (2000).

Has played two characters with the surname “Walker.” He played Gideon Walker in “Return to Lonesome Dove” (1993) and Steve Walker in Fear (1996).

Declined the offer to produce “CSI: Miami” (2002), the spin-off of his series “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (2000).

Because his role in Manhunter (1986) was so emotionally exhausting, he did everything he could to rid himself of the Will Graham character after filming had been completed. This included cutting his hair and dyeing it blonde, and shaving off his beard.

Played Missy Crider’s father in the mini series The Beast (1996) (TV). Crider later appeared in the second season premiere of “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (2000).

Was 33 years old when Manhunter (1986) was released. When the film’s remake, Red Dragon (2002) was released, his Will Graham successor, Edward Norton, was also 33 years old.

An avid Chicago Cubs fan, he sings the seventh inning stretch at Wrigley Field every year and also narrated the documentary Wrigley Field: Beyond the Ivy (2001) (V) about Wrigley Field.

Owns the rights of James Ellroy’s crime novel “Clandestine”.

Turned down a major part in Michael Mann’s Heat (1995).

Has performed at the Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago.

Appears in The Skulls (2000) with Hill Harper. Harper currently co- stars in “CSI: NY” (2004), the spin-off of Petersen’s series “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (2000).

Winner of the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Jack Abbott in “The Belly Of The Beast”.

Has been portrayed in several CSI games.

He has been an ensemble member of the Steppenwolf Theater Company in Chicago, Illinois since 2008.

Shares his birthday with Larry Drake, who appeared with him in _The Beast(1996)_.

He was nominated for a 1982 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actor in a Principal Role in a Play for “The Tooth of Crime” at the Remains Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.

He was awarded the 1984 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actor in a Principal Role in a Play for “In the Belly of the Beast” at the Wisdom Bridge Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.

He was nominated for a 1994 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actor in a Principal Role in a Play for “The Night of the Iguana” at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.

Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers

 

 

Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers is the 1989 sequel to the popular horror film, Halloween. It was directed by Dominique Othenin-Girard and starred Donald Pleasence, who again portrayed Dr. Sam Loomis and Danielle Harris, who returned to play Jamie Lloyd. The film takes place exactly one year after the events depicted in Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers. The Shape has returned to the sleepy town of Haddonfield, Illinois to murder his niece, Jamie, who is now mute. Dr. Loomis tries to save the day with the help of Sheriff Meeker.

This is the least successful Halloween film in the franchise. The film was rushed into production too quickly, without even a final draft of the script. The tagline for the film was “Michael Lives. And This Time, They’re Ready!”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2HGdxhonGI]

Trivia:

• The bus that the Man in Black gets off of stops outside the exact same store where Jamie and Rachel went to get a Halloween costume in Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988).
• Rachel was originally supposed to be stabbed in the throat with scissors but the actress, Ellie Cornell, felt it was too gruesome an end for her character, so it was changed.
• Don Shanks revealed in an interview that many of the scenes involving the man in black had him playing the character, because of speculation that he was a blood relative of Michael Myers. He also admitted that even the writers uncertain about the man in black’s identity.
• The Man In Black shots were re-shot in the UK for unknown reasons with an unknown British extra. The extra was uncredited.
• The scene where Michael Myers drives a car while wearing a different kind of mask was initially scripted to have him wear a Ronald Reagan mask. However, the idea of a Reagan mask was soon rejected in order to keep the film devoid of any political subtexts.
• On the audio commentary for the DVD it’s stated that Greg Nicotero and Wendy Kaplan were seeing each other during filming.
• KNB Effects had designed grotesque facial makeup for Michael Myers’ unmasking towards the end of the film. The producers told them to do so as an option, either showing Michael’s badly scarred face or keep it in the dark. They went for the latter.
• In the infamous laundry chute scene, Jamie was originally stabbed in the leg but the shot was cut from the film by the MPAA because it was deemed “too disturbing”. Danielle Harris still owns the prosthetic leg.
• The laundry chute scene was filmed with 30 different sections of the laundry chute. Some were full props, others were positioned horizontally to run the camera through on a dolly, and others were various sections that had cut-out portions for filming. Although the scene was very complex, it was all shot in one night.
• As part of the opening, an alternate scene was shot but never used. The scene shows a man who finds Michael Myers body at the beginning and removes his mask, staring at it weirdly. The filming of it can be seen in the documentary, “Inside Halloween 5″.
• For some reason, the directors chose to renovate one of the homes in Utah to recreate the Myers house instead of using the original Myers home, which would be later used in Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995).
• Director Dominique Othenin-Girard’s name is incorrectly spelled “Dominique Otherin-Girard” in the opening credits.

Amazon Specials!

Michael John Douglas (born September 5, 1951), better known as Michael Keaton, is an American actor, well known for his early comedic roles in films such as Night Shift, Mr. Mom, Beetlejuice, and for his portrayal of Bruce Wayne/Batman in Tim Burton’s Batman and Batman Returns, as well as lead roles in other films including The Paper, Jackie Brown, and White Noise.

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An unsuccessful attempt at stand-up comedy led Keaton to working as a TV cameraman at public television station WQED (TV) in Pittsburgh. Keaton first appeared on TV in the Pittsburgh-based public television program Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood (1975), as one of the “Flying Zucchini Brothers.”  He also served as a full-time production assistant on the show. (In 2003, following Rogers’ death, Keaton hosted the PBS memorial tribute program, Fred Rogers: Everybody’s Favorite Neighbor.)

Before his big break (while still credited as Michael Douglas), Keaton did a billboard ad for the Architect Jeans Company. In an interview in 2003 for Live from Baghdad, Keaton recalled how he and the director of the Architect commercial, Spike Jonze, became fast friends.

Keaton left Pittsburgh and moved to Los Angeles to begin auditioning for various TV parts. He cropped up in various popular TV shows including Maude and The Mary Tyler Moore Hour. Around this time Keaton decided to use an alternative surname to remove confusion with well known actor Michael Douglas, as well as satisfying SAG rules, and after reading an article on actress Diane Keaton, he decided on “Michael Keaton.”

His next key break was working alongside James Belushi in the short-lived comedy series Working Stiffs, which showcased his comedic talent and led to a co-starring role in the comedy Night Shift directed by Ron Howard. His role as the hilariously fast-talking schemer Bill “Blaze” Blazejowski alongside nerdish morgue attendant Henry Winkler earned Keaton some critical acclaim, and he scored leads in the subsequent comedy hits Mr. Mom, Johnny Dangerously, and Gung Ho.

Keaton’s role as the title character in the 1988 Tim Burton horror-comedy Beetlejuice, which co-starred Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Catherine O’Hara, and Winona Ryder, earned Keaton widespread acclaim and boosted him to movieland’s A-list. He was originally turned down for the title role in Beetlejuice but was reconsidered by director Burton. Keaton now considers Beetlejuice his favorite of his own films.  That same year, Keaton also gave an acclaimed dramatic performance as a drug-addicted businessman in Clean and Sober.  Newsweek featured him in a story during this time.

Michael Keaton’s career was given another major boost when he was again cast by Tim Burton, this time as the title superhero of the 1989 blockbuster Batman. Burton cast him because he thought that Keaton was the only actor who could believably portray someone who has the kind of darkly obsessive personality that the character demands.  Warner Bros. received thousands of letters of complaint by fans commenting that the comedic Keaton was the wrong choice for Gotham City’s creature of the night, given his prior work in comedies and the fact that he lacked the suave, handsome features and tall, muscular physicality often attributed to the character in the comic books. However, Keaton’s dramatic performance earned universal acclaim from critics and audiences alike, and Batman became the highest-grossing film of the year.

According to Keaton, he was astounded when he was first considered as Batman since he was only familiar with the 1960s Batman television series starring Adam West, but it was not until Burton introduced Keaton to Frank Miller’s Batman: The Dark Knight Returns that Keaton really understood the dark and brooding side of Batman that he portrayed to much fan approval. Keaton wore the cape and cowl again in Batman Returns (1992), which was another financial success, though controversial for being darker than the original.

Keaton was prepared to return for Batman Forever (1995), even going so far as to show up for costume fitting. However, when Burton was dropped by Warner Bros., Keaton left the franchise. He was reportedly dissatisfied with the screenplay approved by the new director, Joel Schumacher, which Keaton considered to be lighter in tone than the past two Batman movies. According to the A&E Biography episode on Keaton, after he had refused the first time (after meetings with Schumacher), Warner Brothers offered him $35,000,000 (one of the highest salaries offered to an actor at the time), but Keaton steadfastly refused. He was subsequently succeeded as Batman by Val Kilmer and later on by George Clooney in Batman & Robin (1997), which became the least successful Batman film both critically and commercially. It was not until the success of Batman Begins (2005), a reboot starring Christian Bale as the Dark Knight, that the film series was continued.

Keaton remained in demand during the 1990s, appearing in a wide range of films including Pacific Heights, One Good Cop, My Life, and the star-studded Shakespearian story Much Ado About Nothing. He also starred in another Ron Howard film, The Paper, as well as with Andie MacDowell in Multiplicity and twice in the same role, Elmore Leonard character Agent Ray Nicolette, in Jackie Brown and Out of Sight. The actor also made Jack Frost and the thriller Desperate Measures.

Keaton starred in Speechless with Geena Davis (his co-star in Beetlejuice) and Christopher Reeve, as a political candidate’s speechwriter. As with Keaton and Batman, Christopher Reeve had gained notoriety for playing an iconic comic superhero, in his case Superman. Out of Sight starred George Clooney, who succeeded Keaton in the role of Batman in Batman & Robin.

Micheal Keaton and Tim Burton

Since 2000, Keaton has appeared in several films with mixed success including Live From Baghdad for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe award, First Daughter, White Noise, and Herbie: Fully Loaded. While he continues to receive good notices from the critics (particularly for Jackie Brown), with the exception of Cars, in which he played the part of Chick Hicks, he has not been able to approach the box-office success of Batman. On New Years Day of 2004, he hosted the PBS TV special Mr. Rogers: America’s Favorite Neighbor. It was released by Triumph Marketing LLC on DVD September 28 that year.

In 2006, Keaton starred in an independent film called Game 6, a semi-thriller based around the infamous 1986 World Series bid by the Boston Red Sox. He had a cameo in the Tenacious D short film, Time Fixers, an iTunes exclusive. The 9-minute film was released to coincide with Tenacious D in: The Pick of Destiny. Keaton was announced to be the lead in Media 8 Entertainment’s film Reaper, a supernatural thriller. He reportedly agreed to star as John Target in the Matt Evans scripted No Rule To Make Target, and he has directed a drama, The Merry Gentleman.

Keaton reportedly was cast as Dr. Jack Shephard in the series Lost, understanding that the role of Jack would be a brief one. Once the role was retooled to be a long-running series regular, Keaton withdrew. The part was given to actor Matthew Fox.

Keaton starred in the 2007 TV mini-series The Company, set during the Cold War, in which he portrayed the real-life CIA counterintelligence chief James Jesus Angleton. The role garnered Keaton a 2008 SAG nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries. The Company also starred Chris O’Donnell, who portrayed Batman’s crime fighting sidekick Robin (the Boy Wonder was absent from the two Batman films that Keaton starred in) in Batman Forever and Batman & Robin.

Keaton is slated to join the Toy Story animated film’s cast for the upcoming Toy Story 3, providing the voice of Ken, Barbie’s friend.

Trivia:

When he realized he needed to change his name, he remembered an article he had read with a nice picture of Diane Keaton. He chose her last name with the intention of changing it later. However, the name stuck. Years later, he phoned her and thanked her. The two have never actually met.

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Was in a relationship with Courteney Cox (1989-1995).

His hobbies are fly-fishing and riding horses at his California ranch.

Tim Burton cast him in the title role of Batman (1989) because he thought that Keaton was the only actor who could believably portray someone who has the kind of darkly obsessive personality that the character has. There was a great deal of fan anger over his selection, forcing the studio to release an advance trailer both to show that Keaton could do the role well and that the movie would not be a campy parody like the TV show “Batman” (1966).

Attended Montour High School.

Is the fourth actor to play Batman.

Has a son, Sean Maxwell Douglas (born May 27, 1983), with ex-wife Caroline McWilliams.

Decided to change his name when he began acting because there was already a Michael Douglas in movies and a Mike Douglas in broadcasting. While he uses a stage name, he has never legally changed his name to Michael Keaton.

One of only two actors to reprise the role of Batman in major, live-action films (Batman (1989)/Batman Returns (1992). Adam West did only one movie (Batman (1966)) as Batman (along with the live-action TV series “Batman” (1966) and voice-work) and Kevin Conroy has only done voice-work as Batman. Christian Bale is the second and most recent actor to play the role more than once with (Batman Begins (2005) followed by (The Dark Knight (2008).

Played Agent Ray Nicolette in Jackie Brown (1997) and again in Out of Sight (1998).

Started his career as a stagehand in “MisteRogers’ Neighborhood” (1968) (he operated “Picture, Picture”), and in 2004 he produced a documentary on Rogers, Fred Rogers: America’s Favorite Neighbor (2004) (TV).

Turned down the role of the ill-fated mad scientist Dr. Seth Brundle in David Cronenberg’s remake The Fly (1986). The part eventually went to Jeff Goldblum.

Is a Second City alumni – a member of the Los Angeles branch.

According to Mike Myers on “Revealed with Jules Asner” (2001), Keaton saw the comic actor perform at Second City Toronto. After the show ended, Keaton went to personally congratulate Myers and said, “Keep up the great work.” Myers would soon work with Keaton on an episode of “Saturday Night Live” (1995) when Keaton was guest host.

His son Sean plays keyboard for a band called The Hatch.

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Was originally slated to play Jeff Daniels character in Woody Allen’s The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985) and actually did film some scenes, but Allen decided it wasn’t working and replaced him with Daniels.

Appeared with the late Christopher Reeve in Speechless (1994). Keaton and Reeve played DC Comics two most iconic characters, Batman and Superman, respectively.

He was originally to play the role of Dr. Jack Shephard in the TV show “Lost” (2004), with the understanding that the character would be killed off early on in the show. Keaton later had to walk away from the part when the creators decided not to kill off the doctor. Matthew Fox ended up playing the character.

Was parodied by Matthew Perry on “Saturday Night Live”.

Was considered for the role of Dr. Curtis McCabe in Vanilla Sky (2001).

Was considered for the role of Jack Crawford in The Silence of the Lambs (1991).

Was considered for the role of Capt. Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003).

Was considered for the role of Lt. Col. Kazinski in Jarhead (2005).

An avid Pittsburgh Steelers football fan, he grew up about five miles from former Steelers coach Bill Cowher’s hometown of Crafton, Pennsylvania.

Lived in his ’63 VW Bug for 2 nights in California while trying to become an actor.

Has only reprised two roles in his career. First, he played Batman in Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992). Second, he played Ray Nicolette in Jackie Brown (1997) and Out of Sight (1998). Also appearing in the latter film was George Clooney, who has also played Batman.

Was offered to play either Peter Venkman or Egon Spengler in Ghostbusters (1984) but turned down both parts, which went to Bill Murray and Harold Ramis.

Actor David Warner

Warner was born July 29, 1941 in Manchester England.  In 1963, he made his film debut in Tom Jones, and in 1965 starred as Henry VI in the BBC television version of the RSC’s The Wars of the Roses cycle of Shakespeare’s history plays. Another early television role came when he starred alongside Bob Dylan in the 1963 play The Madhouse on Castle Street. A major step in his career was the leading role in Morgan: A Suitable Case For Treatment (1966) opposite Vanessa Redgrave, which established his reputation for playing slightly off-the-wall characters. He also appeared as Konstantin Treplev in Sidney Lumet’s 1968 adaptation of Anton Chekov’s The Sea Gull and starred alongside Jason Robards and Stella Stevens as Reverend Joshua Duncan Sloane in Sam Peckinpah’s The Ballad of Cable Hogue, perhaps one of Warner’s (and Peckinpah’s) least known or appreciated films.

The Omen (1976)

In horror movies he appeared in one of the stories of From Beyond the Grave, opposite Gregory Peck in The Omen (1976) as the ill-fated photojournalist Keith Jennings, and the 1979 thriller Nightwing. He also starred in cult classic Waxwork (1988), and featured alongside a young Viggo Mortensen in 1990 film Tripwire.

Evil Genius in Time Bandits (1981)

Since then, he has often played villains, in films such as The Thirty-Nine Steps (1978), Time After Time (1979), Time Bandits (1981), Tron (1982), and television series such as Batman: The Animated Series playing Ra’s al Ghul, the anti-mutant scientist Herbert Landon in Spider-Man: The Animated Series, as well as rogue agent Alpha in the animated Men in Black series and the Archmage in Disney’s Gargoyles and finally The Lobe in Freakazoid.

Time After Time with Malcolm McDowell

He was also cast against type as Henry Niles in Straw Dogs (1971) and as Bob Cratchit in the 1984 telefilm of A Christmas Carol. In addition, he played German SS General Reinhard Heydrich both in the movie Hitler’s SS: Portrait in Evil, and the television mini-series Holocaust.

with Gregory Peck in the Omen (1976)

In 1981, Warner received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Special for Masada.

He has appeared in movies such as Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Avatar, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991), Titanic (the third time he has appeared in a film about RMS Titanic), Scream 2, and more recently in independent television’s adaptation of the Hornblower series (which starred Ioan Gruffudd, Warner’s co-star on Titanic). He appeared in three episodes of the second series of Twin Peaks (1991). He also continues to play classical roles.

In “Chain of Command”, a 6th-season episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, he was a Cardassian interrogator. He based his portrayal on the evil “re-educator” from 1984. His less-spectacular roles included a double-role in the campy low-budget fantasy Quest of the Delta Knights (1993) which was eventually spoofed on Mystery Science Theater 3000. He also played Admiral Tolwyn in the movie version of Wing Commander.

On the “nice guy” side, he played the charismatic Aldous Gajic in Grail, a first-season episode of Babylon 5 and Chancellor Gorkon in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.

Senator Sandar in Planet of the Apes (2001)

He also portrayed the sympathetic character of Capt. Kiesel in Sam Peckinpah’s Cross of Iron. In an episode of Lois & Clark he played Superman’s deceased Kryptonian father Jor-El, who appeared to his son through holographic recordings. He has also played ambiguous “nice guys” like vampire bat exterminator Philip Payne in 1979′s Nightwing; and Dr. Richard Madden in 1994′s Necronomicon: Book of the Dead, who had to kill to sustain his life, but was a generally nice person. He was the supporting role in Seven Servants by Daryush Shokof where he was to assist his long time best friend “Archie” in peaceful death with “unity” of man-kind in vision as he bodily “connected” to Archie played by the legendary Anthony Quinn in 1996.

Tron

He also appeared as mad scientist Dr. Alfred Necessiter in the film The Man with Two Brains in 1983 alongside Steve Martin and Kathleen Turner. – source Wikipedia

Trivia:

Has vertigo. Was doubled in Time Bandits (1981) in the scene where the Evil Genius walks up the steps after caging the bandits, because he could not handle the drop below him.

Has been in 3 movies about the Titanic: S.O.S. Titanic (1979) (TV); Time Bandits (1981) and Titanic (1997).

Has played at least three different species in the Star Trek universe: a human in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989); a Klingon in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) and a Cardassian in “Star Trek: The Next Generation” (1987).

Is one of only 32 actors or actresses to have starred in both the original Star Trek (up to and including Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)) and then in one of the spin offs.

Played an ape in Planet of the Apes (2001), a character obsessed with gorillas in Morgan: A Suitable Case for Treatment (1966) and did a gorilla impression in The Man with Two Brains (1983).

Has appeared in three different films involving time travel: Time After Time (1979); Time Bandits (1981) and Planet of the Apes (2001).

In Time After Time (1979), he played John Leslie Stevenson (Jack the Ripper). In “The Outer Limits” (1995) episode “Ripper”, he played Inspector Langford who was investigating Dr. Jack York (Cary Elwes) who was suspected of being Jack the Ripper.

Chosen by Tony Richardson for his role in Tom Jones (1963) after the director enjoyed his performance in the play “Afore the night” (1962)

Although he played Reinhard Heydrich, one of the key architects of the Holocaust, in both “Holocaust” (1978) and Hitler’s S.S.: Portrait in Evil (1985) (TV), he is Jewish in real life.

By appearing in Batman: The Animated Series (“Batman” (1992)), he became the first actor to play the villain Ra’s-Al-Ghul. To date, he has been succeeded only by Ken Watanabe and Liam Neeson.

He has two roles in common with both David Collings and Richard E. Grant. All three have played Bob Cratchit – Warner in A Christmas Carol (1984) (TV), Collings in Scrooge (1970) and Grant in A Christmas Carol (1999) (TV) – and the Doctor from “Doctor Who” (1963) – Warner in the Big Finish audio dramas “Sympathy for the Devil” and “Masters of War”, Collings in the Big Finish audio drama “Full Fathom Five” and Grant in Comic Relief: Doctor Who – The Curse of Fatal Death (1999) (TV) and “Doctor Who: Scream of the Shalka” (2003).