Tim Curry

Timothy James “Tim” Curry (born 19 April 1946) is an English actor, singer, composer and voice actor, known for his work in a diverse range of theatre, film and television productions. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California.

Curry first became known to audiences with his breakthrough role as Dr. Frank N. Furter in the 1975 cult movie The Rocky Horror Picture Show, then later for his roles as Rooster in the film adaption of Annie, Lord of Darkness in the film Legend (1985), Wadsworth in the movie Clue, and as Pennywise the Dancing Clown in the horror film Stephen King’s It. He played Nigel, the father in the Nickelodeon children’s TV show The Wild Thornberrys. He has performed the role of King Arthur in the Broadway hit Monty Python’s Spamalot.

Trivia:

Provided the voice of “Sir” who welcomed visitors to the Alien Encounter attraction in Tomorrowland at Walt Disney World. The Alien Encounter ride was replaced after a few years.

Tim Curry in Legend as Darkness

Has read several times for “The Great Writers Series” in Los Angeles

Performed in Roger Waters’ historic production of “The Wall: Live in Berlin” in July, 1990

Appears as both subject and author in the photography book “Double Exposure, Take Four” by Roddy McDowall.

Was Tim Burton’s second choice for the role of the Joker on Batman (1989). He did go on to playing a crazed “clown” in Stephen King’s It (1990) (TV).

Tim Curry as Pennywise in Stephen King's It

A close friend of Carly Simon and sang backing vocals on her 1979 album “Spy”.

Turned down the role of Mitzi in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)

Studied Drama & English at Cambridge and at Birmingham University, from which he graduated with Combined Honors.

Tim Curry Rocky Horror

Has earned three Tony Award nominations, the first in 1981 as Best Actor (Play) for portraying the title character Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in “Amadeus” – the second in 1993 as Best Actor (Musical) for “My Favorite Year” – and the third in 2005 for Best Actor (Musical) for his role of King Arthur in “Spamalot”.

Personally paid for his cousin, Keighley Twocker frontman Michael Loftus to have cosmetic surgery

Already an accomplished singer, he performed a cover of the theme song to Disney’s “Davey Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier”.

In a Fresh Air interview in 2005, he reported meeting Princess Diana. It turned out she was such a fan of The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), she told him, “Thank you for completing my education.”.

Not only was he Tim Burton’s second choice for the role of The Joker, he was the producers’ first choice for the role in the animated television series, until Mark Hamill was cast. Tom Hulce succeeded him in the role of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in Amadeus.

Don’t Look Now (1973) is one of his favorite films.

He was presented with an honorary citizenship of New Orleans and key to the City of New Orleans by Angela Baham, Administrative Assistant to the Chief Administrator Officer Reynard J. Rochon to Mayor Ernest Morial on October 8, 1979 following a concert in New Orleans.

Was working on an album project with Lou Adler in 1976. However only four songs were completed. The best is a cover of The Supremes’ “Baby Love.” Also recorded three albums for A&M Records. “Ready My Lips” (1978), “Fearless” (1979), and “Simplicity” (1981). Though only one charting song, “I Do the Rock,” both it at “Paradise Garage” [from "Fearless"] have become cult hits, having two music videos made for MTV which were often played before showings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975). His best album is often praised “Fearless,” and his best songs are “Birds of a Feather,” “Alan,” “Sloe Gin,” “I Do the Rock,” “S.O.S.,” “Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire,” “Paradise Garage,” “No Love on the Street,” “Something Short of Paradise,” “Working on My Tan,” “Simplicity,” “On a Roll,” “Take Me I’m Yours,” “Out of Pawn,” and “I Put a Spell on You.”.

Was on the 1980 Clash album “Sandinista!” On track 18, “The Sound of the Sinners”, he spoke as a priest mid-song.

Has voiced two royal cats, voicing Prince in “Garfield: A Tail Of Two Kitties” and The Cat King in “The Cat Returns”.

Has a dog named Frank.

Alec Baldwin

Alexander Rae “Alec” Baldwin III (born April 3, 1958) is an American actor who has appeared on film, stage and television.

Baldwin first gained recognition through television for his work in the soap opera Knots Landing, which aired on CBS from 1984 to 1986. He has since played both leading and supporting roles in films such as Beetlejuice (1988), The Hunt for Red October (1990), The Aviator (2004) and The Departed (2006). His performance in the 2003 film The Cooler garnered him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor nomination.

He currently stars as Jack Donaghy on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock. He has received two Emmy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and four Screen Actors Guild Awards. He is the oldest of the Baldwin brothers working in Hollywood.

Trivia:

Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#80). [1995]

Daughter, Ireland Eliesse (aka Addie Baldwin), born on October 23, 1995.

He and his wife Kim Basinger owned a total of eleven dogs, seven cats and a wolf.

Education: George Washington University, Washington, D.C. (majored in political science), New York University, New York, New York (majored in drama; BA, 1993).

As part of his preparation for The Hunt for Red October (1990), he was trained to drive a Los Angeles-class attack submarine at the New London Submarine Base in Connecticut.

Brother of William Baldwin, Stephen Baldwin, Daniel Baldwin, Jane Sasso, and Elizabeth Keuchler.

Cousin of Charles H. Baldwin

Dated Michelle Pfeiffer, Janine Turner and Ally Sheedy.

Brother-in-law of singer Chynna Phillips and Kennya Baldwin.

Chosen by People magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the world. [1990]

Cousin of actor Joseph Baldwin.

Originally wanted to be a lawyer.

His father was not only a social studies teacher in Massapequa, but also the football coach. It was his father who coined the nickname for Massapequa: Matzoh-Pizza.

Alec’s daughter is often called “Addie” by family members.

During the Bill Clinton impeachment trial went on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” (1993) and said to a cheering audience that the head of the trial, Henry Hyde and his family, should be stoned to death. He later apologized and said it was just a joke.

A fan of novelist James Lee Burke, he owns the rights to a number of books featuring his character Dave Robiceaux. One of these, Heaven’s Prisoners (1996), was released in 1996.

Wrote “Tabloid,” an episode of “Law & Order” (1990), based on his own experiences with tabloid reporters.

Turned down the chance to reprise the role of Jack Ryan in Patriot Games (1992) in order to play Stanley Kowalski in a revival of Tennessee Williams’s “A Streetcar Named Desire” on Broadway.

Told brother Stephen Baldwin that doing Bio-Dome (1996) could be the single most career ending decision he could possibly make.

Loves Cuban cigars.

At George Washington University, Baldwin ran for president but lost by two votes.

Taught “Master Theater Workshop” in summer 2002 at Southampton College, New York where friend James LaRocca is Dean.

Is only the third person in history to be nominated for both Best Supporting Actor from the Oscars, for The Cooler (2003), and Worst Supporting Actor from the Razzies, for The Cat in the Hat (2003), in the same year.

Jokes that he “stole” his performance in The Cooler (2003) from Ben Kingsley’s in Sexy Beast (2000).

Replaced Alan Rickman as the voice of Leonardo Leonardo in the 2000 cartoon based on Kevin Smith’s film Clerks. (1994).

Received an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from Montclair State University at their 2004 Graduation.

Like ex-wife Kim Basinger, he is also a vegetarian. He claims she was the one who convinced him. Since their divorce he has continued to be an advocate for animal rights.

In 1995, he played the role of Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire (1995) (TV), a role originated by Marlon Brando, who went on to play Vito Corleone. On “Saturday Night Live” (1975), he has played Robert De Niro, who played the young Vito Corleone to Brando’s older Don Corleone, in The Godfather: Part II (1974).

His A Streetcar Named Desire (1995) (TV) castmate, John Goodman, played Marlon Brando on “Saturday Night Live” (1975).

Has done voice-over work in television ads for both General Electric and Subaru.

Was nominated for Broadway’s 1992 Tony Award as Best Actor (Play) for playing Stanley Kowalski in a revival of Tennessee Williams’s “A Streetcar Named Desire,” a performance he recreated in a television version of the same title, A Streetcar Named Desire (1995) (TV).

Is of Irish and French descent.

Is one of only two people with a standing invitation to host “Saturday Night Live” (1975) every year (schedules allowing). The other is Christopher Walken.

Has impersonated Robert De Niro on “Saturday Night Live” (1975) a few times, and now he will be in The Good Shepherd (2006), which is directed by De Niro.

He was willing to voice his own puppet in Team America: World Police (2004) (despite the movie’s unflattering portrait of him and other film stars, but was turned down by producers Matt Stone and Trey Parker, because all of the other celebrities were voiced by impressionists in the film. The role went to impressionist Maurice LaMarche.

In 1979, he auditioned for the New York University Undergraduate Drama Program on a dare (and was accepted).

No relation to actor Adam Baldwin.

Son of Carol M. Baldwin.

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

Has declined two roles that later went to Harrison Ford. First, he declined to reprise the role of Jack Ryan in Patriot Games (1992), then he turned down the lead role in The Fugitive (1993).

Was considered for the role of Batman/Bruce Wayne in Batman (1989).

Did a skit on “Saturday Night Live” (1975) in December of 2005 in which he spoofed himself delivering the same speech he did in Glengarry Glen Ross (1992) to a couple of Santa’s elves. Only some of the words were changed to apply to the elves rather than salesmen. He slipped though when saying the line, “Always Be Cobbling” instead he said the original line, “Always Be Closing”. This made the other cast members break out in laughter on the live show.

He is frequently referred to as Irish-American and, although both of his parents have Irish heritage, he is not entirely Irish. His father was half-English and his mother’s side is primarily French (only one-quarter Irish).

Caused a scandal by leaving an expletive filled voice mail for his daughter Ireland, calling her a “thoughtless little pig”, which later was revealed to the media (11 April 2007).

Revealed during an appearance on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” (1993) that he suffers from OCD.

Wrote “Tabloid” episode for the television show “Law & Order” (1990) which was part of the 1998 season because of his own experience with tabloid reporters.

Caused a major uproar in the Philippines when he made a joke that he was interested in buying a Filipina wife. As a result, Philippine senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr., (also an actor) blasted Baldwin and even swore to personally beat him up if he ever visits the Philippines. Despite apologizing for the joke, Baldwin was effectively banned from visiting the Philippines.

He has tied long-time reigning champion, Steve Martin, for hosting “Saturday Night Live” (1975) the most times. Both have hosted 14 episodes to date. They were chosen to co-host The 82nd Annual Academy Awards (2010) (TV) together.

Teaches a theater class at The Ross School in New York, which actress Aimee Muschamp attended.

Has announced plans to retire from acting and pursue other interests when his contract for “30 Rock” (2006) expires in 2012.

Good friends with actress Meryl Streep.

Is five years younger than his ex-wife, Kim Basinger.

Jon Hamm

Jonathan Daniel “Jon” Hamm (born March 10, 1971) is an American actor whose work has been primarily in television roles. For much of the mid-1990s, he lived in Los Angeles as a struggling, unemployed actor. He appeared in multiple television series roles, including Providence, The Division, What About Brian, and Related. In 2000 he made his feature film debut in Clint Eastwood’s space adventure Space Cowboys. The following year, Hamm appeared in the independent comedy Kissing Jessica Stein (2001) in a supporting role.

Hamm gained worldwide recognition for playing advertising executive Don Draper in AMC’s drama series Mad Men, which premiered in July 2007. His performance earned him a Golden Globe Award in the category for Best Actor in a Drama Series in 2008. Aside from appearing in Mad Men, he was featured in the 2008 science fiction remake The Day the Earth Stood Still and had his first leading role in the independent thriller Stolen (2010).

Trivia:

Became interested in acting in the first grade, when he was handpicked to play Winnie the Pooh. Received a scholarship to study acting at the University of Missouri.

Worked as a day care teacher during college, and before moving to Hollywood, was a high school teacher.

Is an avid golfer, as well as a big football fan.

Role models are Jeff Bridges, Sam Elliot and Greg Kinnear.

His mother died when he was 10; his father followed 10 years later.

Long-term partner is Jennifer Westfeldt, the actress and co-writer of Kissing Jessica Stein (2001). They live in Los Angeles.

Went to high school (John Burroughs School in St. Louis) with Sarah Clarke.

Taught drama at John Burroughs High School in St. Louis, Missouri.

Very close friends with Paul Rudd.

Jeff Daniels

Jeffrey Warren “Jeff” Daniels (born February 19, 1955) is an American actor, musician and playwright. He founded a non-profit theatre company, the Purple Rose Theatre Company, in his home state of Michigan. He has performed in a number of stage productions, both on and off-Broadway. He has been nominated for the Tony Award as Best Actor for the Broadway play God of Carnage (2009), along with his other three cast-mates. He has had a thriving film career, from his debut in 1981 in Ragtime, through State of Play in 2009. For his film work, he has received three Golden Globe Award nominations, including as Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical for Woody Allen’s The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985) (hence the name of his theatre company). He has also received nominations by the Screen Actors Guild, Satellite Awards, and several for his work in The Squid and the Whale (London Critics Circle Awards, Independent Spirit Awards, Chlotrudis Awards and Gotham Awards).

Trivia:

Founder of the Purple Rose Theatre Company in Chelsea, Michigan, named after Woody Allen’s The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985) in which he starred.

Jeff Daniels grew up in Chelsea, Michigan.

Married to his high school sweetheart since 1979.

Had he not gone into acting, he would likely be working in his hometown of Chelsea, Michigan, with his siblings at the Chelsea Lumber Company, owned by the Daniels’ family. The Chelsea Lumber Co. provided all the building materials for the construction of his Purple Rose Theater.

During his appearance on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” (1993), he revealed what happens to his character in Blood Work (2002). [April 2006]

Sings a very ironic song about celebrity turned singers called “If William Shatner Can, I Can Too”.

Played the father of Anna Paquin in Fly Away Home (1996) and then her romantic partner in The Squid and the Whale (2005) nine years later.

Has three children with his wife Kathleen: Sons Ben Daniels (b. 1984) and Lucas Daniels (b. 1987) and daughter Nellie Daniels (b. 1990).

Was considered for the role of Joey Gladstone on “Full House” (1987).

Attended Central Michigan University before dropping out to pursue acting.

Daniels has been married to his high school sweetheart, Kathleen Rosemary Treado, since 1979. They have three children: Benjamin (born 1984), Lucas (born 1987), and Nellie (born 1990). A baseball fan and an avid Detroit Tigers fan, he married his wife on Friday the 13th because he wore the number 13 on his baseball uniform.

Was inducted into the Michigan Walk of Fame on May 25, 2006 in Lansing, Michigan.

Writing song diaries for over thirty years, he has focused on recording a number of songs that he has written throughout his life, apparently marking key moments. He has kept busy with frequent gigs and two full length albums, Grandfather’s Hat and Jeff Daniels Live and Unplugged.

Nominated for the 2009 Tony Award for Best Performance for a Leading Actor in a Play for “God of Carnage”.

Bill Mumy

Charles William “Bill” Mumy, Jr. (born February 1, 1954), is an American actor, musician, pitchman, instrumentalist, voice-over artist and a figure in the science-fiction community. He is known primarily for his roles in movies and television, character-type roles, and his work in television production.

The red-headed Mumy came to prominence in the 1960s as a child actor, most notably as Will Robinson, the youngest of the three children of Prof. John and Dr. Maureen Robinson (played by Guy Williams and June Lockhart respectively) and friend of the nefarious and pompous Dr. Zachary Smith (played by Jonathan Harris), in the cult 1960s CBS sci-fi television series Lost in Space.

He later appeared as a lonely teenager, Sterling North, in the 1969 Disney movie, Rascal, and as Teft in the 1971 film Bless the Beasts and Children. In the 1990s, he had the role of Lennier in the syndicated sci-fi TV series Babylon 5, and he also served as narrator of A&E Network’s Emmy Award-winning series, Biography. He is also notable for his musical career, as a solo artist and as half of the duo Barnes & Barnes.

Trivia:

Wife is a childbirth instructor.

Father of Seth Mumy and Liliana Mumy

Last name is pronounced “Moomy” not “Mummy”

Performed with Robert Haimer as “Barnes & Barnes”, recording the hit novelty song “Fish Heads” in 1978. It is currently the most requested song in the history of the Dr. Demento Show.

Had a recurring role as “Lennier” on “Babylon 5″ (1994). Mumy had also repeatedly tried to land a guest role on “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” (1993), but the producers always wanted him to play an alien. He held out until they allowed him to play a human, which he did in the DS9 episode “The Siege of AR-558″ (he was the Starfleet engineer who worked on trying to decode a Dominion communications array).

Acted in a recent episode of the newly-revived “The Twilight Zone” (2002) TV series with his actress-daughter Liliana. As a child, Mumy appeared in three of Rod Serling’s classic TZ episodes (“Long-Distance Call,” “It’s a Good Life,” and “In Praise Of Pip”) during the 1960s.

Wrote a screenplay back in the late 1970s in which the “Lost in Space” (1965) family would have found their way back to Earth. 20th Century Fox was committed to the project, but series creator Irwin Allen wasn’t interested in reviving the series. The plan dissolved completely after the death of space patriarch Guy Williams in 1989.

Was the original choice to play “Eddie Munster,” in the cult 1960s TV series “The Munsters” (1964). However, his parents did not approve of the makeup young Bill would have to wear for the role; they turned it down. Butch Patrick ended up playing the part. Today, Patrick and Mumy are very good friends and sometimes collaborate on music.

On the “Babylon 5″ (1994) episode “Eyes,” he used his album title “Zabagabee” as an alien word.

Was a lifelong friend of James Stewart, with whom he co-starred in the film Dear Brigitte (1965). The Stewart and Mumy families knew each other well off-screen, Stewart’s wife Gloria having been Mumy’s Sunday school teacher. He can still do a perfect imitation of Stewart’s voice, one that frequently cracked Stewart up during his lifetime.

Is an only child.

Credits his “Lost in Space” (1965) co-star Guy Williams with inspiring him to become an actor. Mumy grew up watching Williams on Disney’s “Zorro” (1957) TV series; young Bill broke his leg attempting to recreate one of the show’s stunts in his bedroom.

‘”Weird Al’ Yankovic’ was a big fan of “Lost in Space” (1965) growing up, and he and Mumy later became good friends. Mumy reportedly introduced Al to his wife Suzanne.

Best known by the public for his role as Will Robinson on “Lost in Space” (1965).

Along with Cloris Leachman, he is one of only two actors to appear in both “The Twilight Zone” (1959) and its second television revival, “The Twilight Zone” (2002).

Hot Rods to Hell is a 1967 suspense film, originally intended for television but released in theaters instead after its producers considered it too intense for TV viewers. It is one of many exploitation-type films from noted producer Sam Katzman, whose work is generally regarded as of higher quality than are most such films. Film buffs of today, some of whom have described the film for the Internet Movie Database, are sharply divided in their opinions of this film.

Trivia:

Veteran director John Brahm’s final film.

This film was originally intended for television release, and was in fact shot in the 4:3 “full-screen” aspect ratio that persisted on television for decades even after film had long since gone to wide-screen aspect ratios of 1.65:1, 2:1, or even 2.25:1. When the project was finished, however, the producers deemed it too intense for television and released it to theaters (including drive-in theaters) instead, with a runtime of 92 minutes.

Eventually, ABC-TV bought the broadcast rights and exhibited the film on their ABC Sunday Night Movie series in 1968. Unaccountably, they used a print having a runtime of 100 minutes. When Turner Classic Movies bought the rights to MGM’s extensive film library, they acquired this 100-minute print. This is the print shown on the infrequent occasions when they exhibit this film to their viewers.

Tobe Hooper

Tobe Hooper (born January 25, 1943) is an American director and screenwriter, best known for his work in the horror film genre, including the three-time Emmy-nominated Stephen King film adaptation Salem’s Lot, the three-time Academy Award-nominated and Steven Spielberg-produced Poltergeist and the cult classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), along with its first sequel The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2.

Trivia:

Music video: Directed the video “Dancing With Myself” by Billy Idol.

Father of William Hooper and Tony Hooper.

Was inducted into the inaugural class of the International Horror and Sci-Fi Film Festival Hall of Fame on October 22, 2005, in Tempe, Arizona.

The three films he made for Cannon–Lifeforce (1985), Invaders from Mars (1986) and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986)–were all drastically re-cut by the producers and failed at the box office. Hooper then began working in television, where he’s stayed, with only a few exceptions, since the late ’80s.

Was fired, in mid-production, from two films–The Dark (1979) and Venom (1981)–before directing Poltergeist (1982), his biggest success to date.

Turned down the offer to direct Wolfen (1981).

Had worked on a sequel to his The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) in 1980 with screenwriter John Milius. Although that project fell through, Hooper would eventually direct a sequel in 1986 for Cannon.

Was originally offered the script for Steven Spielberg’s E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) but turned it down. Spielberg then suggested Hooper direct Poltergeist (1982), a project he had written himself and had planned on directing. Hooper took the job and Spielberg himself directed “E.T.”.