Barbara Niven is one of Hollywood’s busiest actresses. During her career she has appeared in more than 100 film and TV roles, and over 2500 TV & radio commercials. She also served 3 years on the National Board of Directors for the Screen Actors Guild.
Ernie Hudson may be recognizable to many from his roles in the "Ghostbuster" movies and some others, but his record as a working actor in film, television, and as a stage performer certainly earns his place among our list.
It has been six years since the passing of Sarah Jones (Sept. 22, 1986 - Feb. 20, 2014). Her untimely death was the result of a Producer/Director and Production team's negligence in allowing a "Shot" to take precedence over human life and safety!
A letter from Richard Jones
Jay Acovone is a versatile actor who is best known for his ability to play authoritative characters such as Mafia bosses, villains, police/military, and lawyers. He was born on August 20, 1955 in NYC, New York, USA. His parents later moved to Mahopac, NY where he graduated from Mahopac High School. While he was always an avid movie fan, it was a chance encounter with a friend, urging him to take part in a play, that set him on a path for a career in acting.
James Whitmore Jr. was born into the home of peripatetic, bombastic and pure actor; James Whitmore and his understanding and charming bride Nancy. Little Jimmy was inundated with the harrowing realities of the performers life.
Eve Gordon's most recent work when this profile was first published was starring in the November 1999 ABC TV movie about the Partridge Family. Eve played Shirley Jones. She also had a recurring role as Felicity's mother on the popular TV series "Felicity". Other episodic work she's done includes "The Practice" and "Party of Five". Eve has starred in three series on Network Television. The first was "Almost Grown", with Tim Daly, created by David Chase, who went on to create "The Sopranos".
The last eight surviving Munchkins from "The Wizard of Oz" share their memories in this 1993 documentary hosted by Oz historian John Fricke.
Judith Hoag clearly wanted to be an actress from a very early age. It was a positive outlet, a way to channel all of that energy. Her 4th grade music teacher said she was "given to histrionics". Her mother called her "Sarah Heartburn".
You served your apprenticeship originally with Roger Corman working on horror movies. Was that a good apprenticeship?
quote-leftOh yeah. Aside from the fact that it was the only apprenticeship possible, the only way to gain that experience. Nowadays there are many people like Roger making so-called exploitation films. But in those days there was nothing other than Roger, and I was lucky to become his personal assistant, and he assigned me many many different jobs, from editing and writing to being a sound recordist, cameraman - you name it, I did it for him. And although the pay was, of course, very very poor, what you gained in experience and confidence more than made up for it.
What would a normal "Simpsons" work schedule be like for you?
quote-leftWhen we're on a week-to-week schedule, what I will normally do is spot an episode on Friday afternoon. The music editor will prepare my timing notes on Saturday and Sunday and then I'll start writing, usually Monday morning if it's a "normal" episode of "30 cues or less." If it's more than that, I'll sometimes start on Sunday to get a jump on things and then I'll put in probably four long days—Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday—of maybe nine in the morning until 11:30 or midnight every day. And then we spot the next week's episode Friday afternoon again and I'll record the cues that I've composed during the past week on Friday night starting at seven. We usually have anywhere from a three to a three-and-a-half hour recording session to do those 30 cues. Every week is different on "The Simpsons" as you know. It really is dependent on whether it's straight underscore type of recording that I have to do or if I have to record vocals—if I have to do orchestral sweeteners of songs that I've written in the past. So, it's never a dull moment.
When asked what he thought of William Shakespeare
I'll moider da bum!
Seeing a murder on television, can help work off one's antagonisms.
And if you haven't any antagonisms, the commercials will give you some!
What's this business of being a writer?
It's just putting one word after another.
The camera makes everyone a tourist in other people's reality, and eventually in one's own.
When you're down and out, something always turns up -- and it's usually the noses of your friends.
It's kind of fun to do the impossible.
Sage Advise to a Young Oregonian, Barbara Niven
If you want to make it in show business, get the hell out of Oregon!
Sometimes a scream is better than a thesis.
From: "Tuesday's with Morrie"
We must learn to love one another or die.... We must!
The difference between sex and love is that sex relieves tension and love causes it.
Advise to a young Richard Roundtree
Whatever you do in this business, It's much easier than lifting heavy things.
No passion in the world is equal to the passion to alter someone else's draft.
My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch.
The remarkable thing about television is that it permits several million people to laugh at the same joke and still feel lonely.
Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by favoring to attempt.
The embarrassing thing is that the salad dressing is outgrossing my films.
While attending a Production Meeting
This is no place to ask questions!!
Do, or do not. - There is no 'try'..
All I need to make a comedy is a park, a policeman and a pretty girl.
The faster I write the better my output. If I'm going slow I'm in trouble. It means I'm pushing the words instead of being pulled by them.
I don't want to achieve immortality through my work; I want to achieve immortality through not dying.
It is difficult to produce a television documentary that is both incisive and probing when every twelve minutes one is interrupted by twelve dancing rabbits singing about toilet paper.
To young actor. Eugene Roach on the subject of acting
Don't ever let 'em catch you at it.
Television enables you to be entertained in your home by people you wouldn't have in your home.
The movies are the only business where you can go out front and applaud yourself.
The one function TV news performs very well is that when there is no news we give it to you with the same emphasis as if there were.
Women might be able to fake orgasms. But men can fake whole relationships.
The problem is not that television presents us with entertaining subject matter,
but, that all subject matter is presented as entertaining.…
Television has done much for psychiatry by spreading information about it, as well as contributing to the need for it.
I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.
Life ain't no dress rehearsal.
You don't write because you want to say something; you write because you've got something to say.
I'll give you a definite maybe.
No matter how slow the film, Spirit always stands still long enough for the photographer it has chosen.
Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic
From the moment I picked your book up until I laid it down I was convulsed with laughter. Some day I intend reading it.
I saw a woman wearing a sweatshirt with 'Guess' on it.
I said, Thyroid problem?
Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.
Why should people go out and pay to see bad films when they can stay at home and see bad television for nothing?
The difference between fiction and reality? Fiction has to make sense
I don't know anything about music. In my line you don't have to.
I can't wait to one day shoot in Detroit and say 'Let's have this double for Toronto'.
I must say that I find television very educational. The minute somebody turns it on, I go to the library and read a book.
The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, make them!
Writing is the only profession where no one considers you ridiculous if you earn no money.
Kiss and make up...
but too much makeup has ruined many a kiss.
Imitation is the sincerest form of television.
The world is a fine place and worth the fighting for and I hate very much to leave it.
I never forget a face, but in your case I'll be glad to make an exception.
The problem with television is that the people must sit and keep their eyes glued on a screen; the average American family hasn’t time for it. Therefore, the showmen are…
