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1-37 of 37
- Actress
- Music Department
- Composer
Olivia Holt was born in Germantown, Tennessee to parents, Mark and Kim Holt. When she was only 3 years old, she started singing and acting on the stage. Besides acting and singing, she has been a competitive gymnast for the past 5 years, and a competitive cheerleader for the past few years. At Christmas time, Holt moved with her family from DeSoto County to Los Angeles.
She had starring roles in numerous community productions, including Annie in "Annie" and Alice in "Through the Looking Glass", before landing a role in the indie film, Black and Blue (2009). She also appeared in multiple national TV commercials, including Hasbro, Mattel and Bratz dolls.
In 2011, Olivia got her break out role as "Kim Crawford", a confident martial artist and the only girl in the dojo who can go toe-to-toe with the boys, in the Disney XD comedy series, Kickin' It (2011).- Actor
- Soundtrack
Henry Gibson was born on 21 September 1935 in Germantown, Pennsylvania. Before appearing in films and television series, he was a child star on the stage during the 1940s and during the late 1950s he was an intelligence officer in the U.S. Air Force. His screen debut came in 1963 when he was cast in the Jerry Lewis film The Nutty Professor (1963). He made two other small film appearances in the early 1960s in Kiss Me, Stupid (1964) and The Outlaws Is Coming (1964), in which he played a rather hip Indian named Charlie Horse. He made two memorable appearances on F-Troop as US Cavalry Private Leonard W Starr aka Wrongo Starr. His breakthrough came in 1968 when he was cast as a member of the regular cast of Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1967). He stayed with the show until 1971, when he left and continued his career as a character actor. His best known film role was probably his performance in Nashville (1975). He played Haven Hamilton, a smarmy Country and Western singer. For this role he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and was awarded the National Film Critics Award for best supporting actor. Gibson's career carried on through the 1980s and 1990s when he appeared in many films, such as The Incredible Shrinking Woman (1981) and The 'Burbs (1989). He also provided voice-overs for many children's animated series like The Smurfs (1981), The Wuzzles (1985) and Galaxy High School (1986). His most recent appearance have been in the Paul Thomas Anderson drama Magnolia (1999) and the independent film The Year That Trembled (2002).- Louisa May Alcott was born on 29 November 1832 in Germantown, Pennsylvania, USA. She was a writer, known for Little Women (2019), Little Women (1994) and An Old-Fashioned Girl (1949). She died on 6 March 1888 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
- American character actress famed for roles as mothers. Born in a Philadelphia suburb as Mary Kennevan, she became a schoolteacher, but soon gave it up for work as an actress in touring companies. She married actor William Carr and toured extensively with his company. After the turn of the century, he became involved in film production as both an actor and director, and he brought Mary and their six children into the film business with him. Mary made her film debut in 1916, but it was her appearance in Over the Hill to the Poorhouse (1920) which made her a success in movies. It was a tremendous success due in large part to her touching portrayal of a poverty-stricken mother. She followed it with similar roles in scores of films throughout the silent period. A fallow period arrived with the talkies, and Carr found herself nearly destitute, but publicity about her status rallied help to her cause and she found help and occasional work. She spent her later years appearing infrequently, often in films directed by her son Thomas Carr. She died at the age of 99 in November 1973.
- Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
John Zacherle (later known as John Zacherley) was born September 26, 1918 in Philadelphia, PA, the youngest of four children. He went to high school in the Germantown area, then enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania, receiving a Bachelor's Degree. During World War II, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served as a quartermaster in North Africa and Europe, and after the war he returned to Philadelphia, joining a local repertory theater company.
In 1954, he appeared as an actor at WCAU-TV in the western "Action in the Afternoon," playing several roles (including an undertaker). It was produced by the station and aired in the New York City market. Three years later, he was hired as the host of WCAU's "Shock Theater," which debuted on October 7, 1957. As the host, Zacherle appeared as the character Roland (pronounced Ro-LAND), wearing a long black undertaker's coat and who lived with his wife (known as "My Dear") and his lab assistant, Igor. It involved numerous stylized horror-comedy gags that have since become a standard to countless horror film hosts. In the opening sequence, Zacherle would descend a long staircase to the crypt. The producers erred on the side of goriness, showing fake severed heads with chocolate syrup blood. The show sometimes featured live "cut-ins" during the movie, in which the soundtrack continued to play on the air, while the visual feed switched briefly to a shot of Zacherle in the middle of a humorous stunt, such as riding a tombstone. The show ran for 92 broadcasts until 1958.
He was a close colleague of "American Bandstand" host Dick Clark, and he sometimes filled in on road touring shows of "Bandstand" in the 1960s. Dick reportedly gave Zacherle the nickname of "The Cool Ghoul," and in 1958, partly with the assistance of Clark, he recorded "Dinner with Drac" for Cameo Records, backed by Dave Appell. At first, it was thought that the recording was too gory to play on "Bandstand," and Zacherle returned to the studio to cut a second, tamer version. Eventually, both versions was released simultaneously as backsides of the same 45rpm record, and it broke the top ten nationally. Zacherle later released several LPs mixing horror sound effects with novelty songs.
In 1958, CBS purchased WCAU-TV, which prompted Zacherle to leave Philadelphia for WABC-TV in New York. He continued in the same format as "Shock Theater," but the studio added a "y" to the end of his name (to help with pronunciation), and in March 1958, they changed the title to "Zacherley at Large." His Roland character became Zacherley and "My Dear" became Isobel. He also began appearing in motion pictures, including "Key to Murder" (1958), alongside several of his "Action in the Afternoon" colleagues.
In 1960, Zacherley moved to WOR-TV, and in a promotional gimmick, he staged a presidential campaign. His "plaform" recording can be found on the album "Spook Along with Zacherley" (1960), which originally included a "Zacherley for President" book and poster set, which is highly collectible today. He's the only horror host to appear on the cover of "Famous Monsters of Filmland" twice.
In 1963, he was the first host/performer of WPIX-TV, Channel 11, New York City, hosting "Chiller Theater," "The Mighty Hercules Cartoon Show" (seen weekday evenings from September to November, 1963), and "The Three Stooges Show" until January of 1964. He then moved to WNJU-TV in Newark and hosted a teenage dance show called "Disc-O-Teen," appearing in full costume and using the teenage participants in his skits, attracting bands like The Lovin' Spoonful, The Young Rascals and The Doors (Zacherle recalls, "Jim Morrison looked at our weird set and mumbled, 'This is the damnedest TV show I've ever seen.'") He was a morning radio host for WNEW-FM in 1967, and two years later he became the station night broadcaster (10pm-2am) with a progressive rock format. The success of the show led to the use of the same format in Philadelphia.
As "Zacherley," he hosted several rock concerts in New York City's Central Park in the 60's and 70's. On February 14, 1970, he appeared at Fillmore East music hall in New York to introduce The Grateful Dead, and his introduction of the band can be heard on their album "Dick's Picks - Volume 4." In 1971, he switched his show to WPLJ-FM in New York, where he stayed for ten years.
In the early 1980's, he played a wizard on Captain Kangaroo, appearing without his costume and makeup. He continued to perform in character at Halloween broadcasts in the New York and Philadelphia areas throughout the 80's and 90's, and once narrated Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven" which was backed up by the Philadelphia Orchestra. In 1986, he hosted a direct-to-video program called "Horrible Horror," where he performed monologues between clips from public domain sci-fi and horror films.
In 1988, he struck up a friendship with B-movie horror director Frank Henenlotter, and voiced one of the lead characters in his horror comedy "Brain Damage," playing Aylmar, a slug-like, drug-dealing, brain-eating parasite. He also a cameo in Henelotter's "Frankenhooker," appropriately playing a TV weatherman who specializes in forecasts for mad scientists.
In late 1992, Zacherley joined the staff of "K-Rock," WXRK-FM, at a time when the roster included other free-form luminaries as Vin Scelsa (with whom he'd worked at WPLJ) and Meg Griffin. However, in January of 1996, the station switched to an alternative rock format and hired all new disc jockeys.
He was inducted into the Horror Host Hall of Fame in 2011, and has lived in a one-bedroom, rent-controlled apartment in Manhattan for the past 50 years.- Silas Gaither was born on 28 January 1978 in Germantown, Tennessee, USA. He is an actor, known for My True Self (2008), XSTV: Xtreme Sport Television (1997) and Prescriptions (2006).
- J. Howard Marshall II was born on 24 January 1905 in Germantown, Pennsylvania, USA. He was married to Anna Nicole Smith, Bettye Bohannon and Eleanor Pierce. He died on 4 August 1995 in Harris County, Texas, USA.
- Jim Cramer was born on 10 February 1955 in Germantown, Pennsylvania, USA. He is an actor, known for Iron Man (2008), Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010) and The Jim Gaffigan Show (2015).
- Writer
- Actor
William T. Tilden was born on 10 February 1893 in Germantown, Pennsylvania, USA. He was a writer and actor, known for The Highbinders (1926), The Ford Television Theatre (1952) and Footlights Theater (1952). He died on 4 June 1953 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Casting Director
- Casting Department
- Actor
Scott Genkinger was born on 26 February 1959 in Germantown, Tennessee, USA. He is a casting director and actor, known for Desperate Housewives (2004), Bad Boys (1995) and NYPD Blue (1993).- Composer
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Julien Baker was born on 29 September 1995 in Germantown, Tennessee, USA. She is a composer and actress, known for All Together Now (2020), Walker (2021) and New Amsterdam (2018).- Walter B. Gibson was born on 12 September 1897 in Germantown, Pennsylvania, USA. He was a writer, known for The Shadow (1994), The Shadow and The Shadow Strikes (1937). He was married to Pearl Litzka Raymond. He died on 6 December 1985 in Kingston, New York, USA.
- J. Barney Sherry was born on 4 March 1874 in Germantown, Pennsylvania, USA. He was an actor, known for A Little Brother of the Rich (1919), The Warrens of Virginia (1924) and The Live Wire (1925). He died on 22 February 1944 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
- Actor
- Art Department
- Additional Crew
Khris Kaneff performed in theatre groups during his upbringing in Bucks County Pennsylvania. He then went on to graduate The Joe Kubert School of Cartoon Art in New Jersey. Khris made the big move out to LA in his late twenties where he eventually gained employment as a storyboard and scenic artist and landed a small walk on in Terry Gilliam's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Khris is presently involved with The Second City Los Angeles where he works studies and performs.- Susan Finch was born on 30 August 1959 in Germantown, Pennsylvania, USA. She is an actress, known for Wodehouse Playhouse (1974), Lost & Found, NY (2016) and Doggy Style (2018).
- Composer
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Teenie Hodges was born on 16 November 1945 in Germantown, Tennessee, USA. He was a composer and actor, known for The Firm (1993), The Guardian (2006) and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005). He died on 22 June 2014 in Dallas, Texas, USA.- Andrea Heinemann Simon was born on 24 March 1909 in Germantown, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, USA. She was married to Richard L. Simon. She died on 15 February 1994 in New York, USA.
- Additional Crew
- Casting Department
Alex Tompkins was born in Germantown, Tennessee, USA. She is known for Free Guy (2021), Blade Runner 2049 (2017) and Underwater (2020).- Music Department
- Composer
- Soundtrack
Jef Lee Johnson was born in 1958 in Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Jef Lee was a composer, known for Kingpin (2003), Cadillac Records (2008) and Talk to Me (2007). Jef Lee was married to Trisha. Jef Lee died on 28 January 2013 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.- Hugh McNair Kahler was born on 25 February 1883 in Germantown, Pennsylvania, USA. He was a writer, known for Fools First (1922), The Little Giant (1926) and Alias Mrs. Jessop (1917). He was married to Louise Kingsley. He died on 10 July 1969 in Princeton, New Jersey, USA.
- Jeremiah Wright was born on 22 September 1941 in Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He is married to Ramah Reed Wrigh. They have four children.
- Special Effects
Barney was born in Germantown Wisconsin on June 4th, 1894 to Fredrick and Margaret Leeds Wolff, in a family of 10 children. He began life as the son of a drayage, wood and coal dealer who felt that his children should learn the basics of education (reading, writing and arithmetic) and follow in his fathers footsteps in the family business. Moving to South Park, Seattle in 1898 without completing a formal education, this young boy was soon to become intrigued by adventure and leave home at the age of 14 in order to discover the world and make a life for himself. First as a cook on board a train and later as a powder monkey (explosives technician), in the early mining fields of Goldfield Nevada, he developed the personality and skills that would later guide him through life and earn him the respect and admiration of all those who knew him. He developed and mastered skills as a professional boxer, cook, carpenter, mechanic and pilot, due to an attitude that no task was too difficult for Barney Wolf.
Early in life Barney took a bride, Madeline, and he was blessed with a lovely daughter Madeline Ora. Sadly however, his sense of adventure and exploration led to separation and divorce, though he always cared for and did his best to provide for those in his life.
He was always willing to help his fellow man regardless of difficulty or hardship to himself, a characteristic that was later to lead him to a marriage of over 63 years. He met a young girl traveling with her sister on a desolate road in the Mojave Desert, who had the good fortune to have had an automobile breakdown when Barney Wolff was there to help. After repairing their car and offering them lodging for the night, a long distance mail romance resulted in the marriage of Barney to Goldie Pearl Sutherland. This marriage produced 2 children, Monte Richard Wolff born in 1929 and passed away in 1932 at the age of 3; and Larry Allen Wolff born in 1934 and passed away in 1999 at the age of 65.
In 1925 "Barney Wolff" began a new career in the motion picture business and soon earned the respect of the industry as the man who could do the difficult immediately and the impossible in just a little bit longer. This career spanned nearly 50 years and achieved new heights in special and dramatic effects in the early years of the movie industry. He was not star-struck and never bragged about his career even though he worked with some of Hollywood's biggest stars. His complete history in film is still being pieced together, but he worked on perhaps as many as 150 films during Hollywood's "Golden Years". Barney's professionalism, toughness and work ethic earned him the respect of his fellow crew as well as that of the actors with whom he worked. Alan Ladd called Barney "the best damned powder man in the business." William Bendix once said to Barney, "you can blow me up anytime kid!" That kind of trust and respect was not granted lightly; it was earned, and it was deserved. He became an expert in his field that people in the industry looked to for advice. In articles for trade magazines and newspapers he gladly shared his knowledge and expertise with others who could benefit from his experience.
Barney Wolff was best known by his friends as the man who was always there to help when needed. His family knew him as a loving and devoted husband, a caring father, and a grandfather whose love, understanding and patience was second to none. He has left his mark on this world in the memory of all who knew him, learned from him, and benefited from his example, guidance, and direction. None who knew him cannot say that their lives have been greatly enriched for having known Barney Wolff.
Barney passed away on June 25, 1989 at the Motion Picture Hospital in Woodland Hills California at the age of 95. His name was not well known outside the movie industry, but it was on his shoulders that the giants of Hollywood stood during this wonderful era!
He is survived by a daughter from his first marriage Madeline Dawes and her children David and Daniel, and by his wife Goldie Wolff and two grandsons Larry Wolff and Lonnie Wolff from his second marriage. Lonnie Wolff has taken on the task of ensuring that Barney Wolff's contribution to the world of film is recognized and his accomplishments acknowledged.- Sherman Monahan was born on 15 February 1929 in Germantown, South Dakota, USA. He was an actor, known for Power Slide (1990) and O Pioneers! (1992). He died on 31 March 2013 in Watertown, South Dakota, USA.
- Eddie Bruce was born on 16 October 1902 in Germantown, Ohio, USA. He was an actor, known for Man Against Crime (1949), Let's Go Steady (1945) and Tahiti Nights (1944). He died in May 1970 in New York, New York, USA.
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Henry van Dyke was born on 10 November 1852 in Germantown, Pennsylvania, USA. He was a writer, known for Kraft Theatre (1947), General Electric Theater (1953) and Sunday Story (1961). He died on 10 April 1933 in Princeton, New Jersey, USA.